It’s National Child Passenger Safety Week and we’re also wrapping up our summer-long “Blogiversary Celebration”, toasting to 10 wonderful years of CarseatBlog.com! We’ve given away some awesome carseats in the last few months and we would like to thank all of our readers and followers for making us the most trusted source for professional carseat reviews, ratings, deals & news. We would also like to thank our generous manufacturer friends and sponsors for supplying all the amazing loot we’ve given away recently! Cheers!

For our CPS Week Blogiversary Grand Finale, we’ve partnered with our incredibly generous sponsor, Maxi-Cosi to give away TEN brand new Maxi-Cosi Magellan Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seats! That’s right, we’re giving away 10 fabulous new Maxi-Cosi Magellan Max convertible seats to celebrate 10 fabulous years of CarseatBlog! 😀 Winners will have their choice of available Magellan Max fashions.

MAXI-COSI MAGELLAN MAX SPECS:

• Rear-Facing 5-40 lbs., 40″ or less
• Forward-Facing 22-65 lbs., 29-49″
• Booster Mode 40-120 lbs., 43-57″

MAGELLAN MAX FEATURES:

• 14-position headrest with no-rethread harness
• Air-Protect technology for enhanced side-impact protection
• Unique 3-position torso adjustments make the shell taller as your child grows
• Magnetic “Clip-Quik” chest clip
• Spring-assisted “Easy Out Harness System” strap covers and buckle cover lift harness out of the way for easier loading and unloading
• Lockoffs for rear-facing & forward-facing seatbelt installations
• Push-on LATCH connectors
• 7-position adjustable base
• Harness storage for use in booster mode
• Premium self-wicking fabrics provide superior comfort
• Machine washable and dryer-safe cover
• Dual dishwasher-safe cupholders
• 10-year lifespan before expiration

HOW TO ENTER MAGELLAN MAX GIVEAWAY

• Leave us a comment below (required to be eligible to win), then click on Rafflecopter to qualify yourself.
• For extra entries, be sure to follow the Rafflecopter instructions to like and follow our Facebook page, like and follow the Maxi-Cosi USA Facebook Page and tweet about the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now for the fine print – winner must have a U.S. address to claim the prize. Only one prize will be awarded per winner. Only one entry per household/family, please. If you leave more than one comment, only the first one will count. We reserve the right to deem any entry as ineligible for any reason, though this would normally only be done in the case of a violation of the spirit of the rules above. We also reserve the right to edit/update the rules for any reason. The contest will close on October 7, 2018, and ten random winners will be chosen shortly thereafter. If a winner is deemed ineligible based on shipping restrictions or other issues or does not respond to accept the prize within 7 days, a new winner will be selected.

Please note: If this is your first comment at CarseatBlog, or if you are using a different computer/device or a new email address, your comment may not appear immediately. If you are in the US or Canada, your comment is not lost; it just goes into a moderated queue where it has to be manually approved by one of us. This may take a few hours depending on our availability. If you are outside of the US or Canada, your comment may be blocked by our system. Thank you for understanding, as this is the only way we have to manage spam comments.

Good luck!

2018 Booster Seats with Lower LATCH Connectors

Are you looking for a dedicated belt-positioning booster with lower LATCH connectors? When you are a brand-new parent, LATCH is one of the carseat features you treasure most. It’s drilled into you that you must use LATCH to install your carseat. As you become a more seasoned parent and learn the ropes, you learn that LATCH is really a convenience feature and has its own set of rules that may preclude its use, like weight limits, being unable to use LATCH and the seat belt to install a carseat, and being unable to use it in the center of the back seat in many vehicles. But, there are many scenarios in which you can use LATCH.

Did you know that some booster seats have LATCH? It’s true! Perhaps that’s confusing to you because of those LATCH weight limits—booster seats are for higher weight kids, after all—or because you can’t install a carseat with both LATCH and the seat belt. Well, you’re right. Let me explain how it all applies to booster seats.

Once a child is using a booster seat, the seat belt is restraining the child. The lower LATCH connectors are only holding the weight of the booster seat. They are considered a convenience feature so that the booster doesn’t become a projectile in a sudden stop or crash when the child isn’t riding in the vehicle (always read the manual because at least one manufacturer (Chicco) requires the booster to be buckled as well as LATCHed when the seat is not being used). Having the booster “installed” also makes it easier for the child to climb in and buckle up because the booster stays in place. Just because the booster has lower LATCH connectors doesn’t mean you must use them; you can put the connectors in their storage area and use the booster seat as you would any other booster that doesn’t have the feature.

Along with reading the booster seat owner’s manual, read your vehicle owner’s manual. At least one manufacturer (Tesla) doesn’t allow boosters to be installed with LATCH, though installing harnessed carseats with LATCH is approved.

What about Combination Seats?

Combination carseats are harnessed seats that convert to belt-positioning booster seats (sometimes called harnessed boosters or harness-to-booster seats). While some combo seats are able to be installed with their LATCH connectors when converted to a booster (check the owner’s manual in the booster section), I’m talking strictly about dedicated belt-positioning boosters here.

Is LATCHing a Booster Safe in a Crash?

Well, it’s complicated. There have been very few studies done on using LATCH with boosters. Rigid LATCH, shown in the pic to the right, keeps the booster tightly coupled to the vehicle and has demonstrated improved outcomes for dummies in side impacts, though flexible strap LATCH (the kind you find on most carseats) may provide better performance in terms of keeping the seat belt in place on the dummy. And it comes down to dummies not acting like human bodies—did I mention it was complicated?

Does this all translate to increased injury? Other passengers in the back seat help mitigate injury, where the impact occurs, and safety features of the vehicle all play a role. What we do know is there needs to be more research done because it’s still relatively new with few boosters having LATCH as a feature. As the research is conducted, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.

The most important thing, whether or not you use a LATCHable booster or not, is to use a booster until your child can pass all 5 steps of the 5-Step test. By doing so, you lower your child’s risk of injury by 45% in a crash.

List of LATCHable Boosters​

	Belt-Positioning Booster Name	MSRP
	Britax Highpoint	$149.99
	Britax Midpoint	$119.99
	Britax Skyline	$99.99
	Chicco KidFit	$99.99
	Chicco KidFit Zip	$129.99
	Clek Oobr	$299.99
	Clek Olli	$99.99
	Clek Ozzi	$74.99
	Diono Cambria	$79.99
	Diono Monterey XT	$99.99
	Graco AFFIX highback and backless	$79.99
	Graco TurboBooster LX highback and backless	$79.99
	Harmony Big Boost Deluxe
	Maxi-Cosi RodiFix	$249.99
	Nuna AACE	$199.95
	Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120	$299.99
	Peg Perego Viaggio Shuttle	$119.99
	Peg Perego Viaggio Shuttle Plus	$279.99
	Peg Perego Viaggio HBB 120	$199.99
	Updated 9/20/18

This summer marks a full decade of CarseatBlog.com! We can hardly believe it. In some ways, it seems like not so long ago that we began writing about carseats, child passenger safety, and vehicle safety. In other ways, it feels like we’ve been doing this for eternity! 😀 Along the way we’ve shared a lot of laughs, made amazing friends, written over 1,500 blog posts and reviewed over 120 carseats and boosters!

Whether you’re new to CarseatBlog.com or have been with us since the start in 2008 – we’d like to share our celebration (and our cupcakes) with you! You are the reason we’re still here 10 years later, still blogging away, always looking for ways to improve our content and better serve our readers.

For the past 2 months, we’ve been celebrating by giving away some awesome carseats! Consider it a personal “thank you” from Darren, Heather, Kecia, Jennie, Alicia, Katie and all of our guest bloggers at CarseatBlog!

This week we’ve partnered with our generous friends at Clek, to give away their new Clek Fllo in Mammoth! Mammoth is a charcoal grey fabric made of 100% Australian Merino wool, with no added flame-retardant. Besides being luxuriously soft, Mammoth is a body-temperature regulating, naturally hypoallergenic, breathable fabric.

This giveaway is open to residents of both the USA and Canada!

Clek Fllo Specs:

• Rear-facing: 14-50 lbs (40 lbs. in Canada), 25-43”, able to sit upright alone, head at least 1” below top of headrest
• Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs., 30-49”

Features:

• Designed for extended rear-facing
• Steel anti-rebound bar
• Lockoffs for rear-facing and forward-facing
• Advanced side-impact protection
• Steel sub-structure with structural headrest
• 5 sets of harness slots
• Adjustable crotch strap: 2 separate lengths and 2 buckle positions
• EACT Safety System: The Energy Absorbing Crumple Technology Safety System is an aluminum honeycomb that sits under the child, designed to absorb crash forces.
• Narrow: Fllo is one of the narrowest convertibles currently on the market
• Extended warranty on 2018 models: register your 2018 model Fllo within 90 days to receive an additional 2-year extended warranty.
• Mammoth cover made from soft 100% Australian Merino wool, with no added chemical flame-retardants.

How to Enter Clek Fllo Mammoth Giveaway:

• Leave us a comment below (required to be eligible to win), then click on Rafflecopter to qualify yourself.
• For extra entries, be sure to follow the Rafflecopter instructions to like and follow our Facebook page, like and follow the Clek Facebook Page and tweet about the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now for the fine print – winner must have a USA or Canadian shipping address to claim the prize. Only one prize will be awarded. Only one entry per household/family, please. If you leave more than one comment, only the first one will count. We reserve the right to deem any entry as ineligible for any reason, though this would normally only be done in the case of a violation of the spirit of the rules above. We also reserve the right to edit/update the rules for any reason. The contest will close on September 30, 2018, and one random winner will be chosen shortly thereafter. If a winner is deemed ineligible based on shipping restrictions or other issues or does not respond to accept the prize within 7 days, a new winner will be selected.

Please note: If this is your first comment at CarseatBlog, or if you are using a different computer/device or a new email address, your comment may not appear immediately. If you are in the US or Canada, your comment is not lost; it just goes into a moderated queue where it has to be manually approved by one of us. This may take a few hours depending on our availability. If you are outside of the US or Canada, your comment may be blocked by our system. Thank you for understanding, as this is the only way we have to manage spam comments.

Good luck!

Once upon a time, traveling with child restraints was a bulky, heavy, complicated endeavor. In recent years, more lightweight travel options have appeared, especially in the realm of booster seats. The downside to some of these options is that while they’re highly portable, they tend to lack the structure and support kids are used to. Enter the new Graco TurboBooster TakeAlong, which might be the perfect marriage of portability and convention.

TurboBooster TakeAlong Specifications

• Weight range: 40-100 lbs. (highback and backless)
• Height range: 43-57 inches (highback and backless)
• Age range: 4 years and older (highback and backless)
• Lowest belt guide: 14″
• Tallest belt guide: 19.25″
• Measurements
  • Base, widest point without cup holders: 15.5″
  • Base, widest point with cup holders: 18.5″
  • Width of base at back of seat: 15.5″
  • Width at torso wings: 17.5″
  • Seat depth: 14″
  • Internal width at armrests: 11.5″

TurboBooster TakeAlong Features

• Available in highback (converts to backless) or backless-only models
• FastAction fold strap for easy disassembly
• Six headrest/belt guide positions (highback use)
• Two retractable cup holders
• EPS foam in head portion
• Detachable belt guide (backless use)
• Carry bag for backless portion

Portability

Before we look at how the TurboBooster TakeAlong fits with cars and kids, let’s take a look at what makes this seat unique: It’s folding and portability.