I was a little uneasy about spending the money on this carseat because I had to order it and was unable to see it up close before purchasing.  I decided to bite the bullet and hope for the best.  This seat is fabulous.  My son is 3 1/2 and is at the top of the scales for height and weight.  I didn't like how the traditional booster seat "fit" him - he was able to move around way too much and kept taking his arm out of the shoulder belt.  With the harness, he is much more secure.  The side pillows are a nice bonus if you have a kid who falls asleep in the car.  I wish I has known about these...