I can poke fun at the Bubble Bum because who can take a booster seriously that calls itself “Bubble Bum” and arrives in purple bubble wrap? Don’t be fooled by this sporty little bopper of a cushion that looks like it might be more at home on a boat than under your child’s bum in your vehicle. The Bubble Bum, which has caught the world’s attention for its size and portability, positions the lap portion of the seatbelt low on the child’s thighs. But is it easy to use on daily trips or is it best left for traveling?
As you can see in the video and pictures, the Bubble Bum (not to be called Bubble Gum, which is a quick slip of the tongue, trust me) has a small seating surface. That’s great and it’s not. It’s great in that it provides a means of easy portability, one of the Bubble Bum’s greatest strengths; however, on a long car ride over several hours, it’s not going to provide the kind of thigh support that will keep a smaller kid from slouching to bend her knees over the edge of the vehicle seat. But if that’s my only nitpick, that may not be so bad! It’s something you need to be aware of before your child uses the booster for an extended amount of time. And now you know.
Comes with: booster, shoulder belt positioner, bag
Dimensions: approximately 13” x 13”
Who uses it: kids at least age 4 and who weigh between 40 and 80 lbs.
Is it easy to use on a daily basis? At first, my dd found the red lap belt guides daunting but as you saw in the video, after a few times of using them, she’s now a pro. I still futz with them, but I need to remember to let her do them, lol. Must be a kid thing. It’s definitely not as easy as a regular belt positioning booster with arms where the seatbelt just slides under, but it’s only a few extra seconds, not minutes.
Is it comfortable? It’s like sitting on air, lol.
Is it a viable option for the dreaded 3-across? Of course. In the world of booster seats, it’s tiny. But remember, there’s not a lot of thigh support, so a smaller child’s legs are going to stick straight out on the vehicle seat. As a parent/caregiver, you will have to watch your child and make sure she doesn’t slump down in the seat to get more comfortable and in turn, cause the lap belt to ride up on her abdomen.
A funny thing happened on my way to deflating it . . . it blew itself back up again! It has one of those camping mattress-style valves on it that automatically sucks in air to help with inflation. It does still require an adult to finish off blowing air into the valve to fully inflate the booster, but the majority of the work will be done for you in less than a minute.
Is it easy to travel with? I imagine so. We haven’t had any vacations yet, though we have one planned. The thought of not having to store a booster, even a small “hard” backless, really takes a load off my mind (and my luggage count). I was even considering having my in-laws, who are in Europe traveling, pick one up for me (Shhhhhh! But seriously, we’ll be in Europe using it, so it’d be legal!).
Is it lightweight? Well yeah. I got out my food scale for this one. It weighs 1 lb. 1 oz. My other favorite traveling booster, the Harmony Literider, weighs 2 lbs. 5 oz. So considering that the BB rolls up into a bag and weighs 1 lb., no kid had better be complaining about carrying that around an airport! Which would you rather take?
How easy is it to clean? The cover does not come off, so you must wash it with a cloth or sponge and some mild detergent, like any other cover, and let it air dry. The cover is mesh, so if your kid throws up, you might need a soft toothbrush to clean that out.
One thing I do wish it had? (Besides another inch or two in depth?) A label on which to write my child’s name and phone number. So that when the booster gets accidentally left behind somewhere, someone else doesn’t see how cute it is and abscond with it.
Verdict? It’s a bit more expensive at $39.99 at Amazon.com (Free super saver shipping and returns eligible) than I was expecting after hearing that it would go for about $30, so that’s a downer, especially for something that many will use for a travel seat only. But, for the sheer convenience? No doubt I would pay gladly for it. What a perfect niche seat for travelers and folks with small back seats. Finally, it’s also an IIHS Best Bet booster! That’s not a guarantee of a good fit for your child, but it should fit a lot of kids well.
For more information, including ordering, visit Bubble Bum at their US website:
Disclaimers: I noticed as I was editing the video that I implied that I drive around with the Bubble Bum unbuckled. I do. I admit it. Shame on me for modeling unsafe behavior: you should always buckle belt positioning boosters, no matter how light they may be, because they become projectiles in a crash. I promise to do better in the future.
The Bubble Bum booster seat was provided to CarseatBlog.com by the playful folks at Bubble Bum Ltd.
@Sarah K, I’m not sure why the insistence on the height restriction, because it really does matter how children carry their height. They say in the FAQ on their website that it can be used until 4’9″ or until the tops of the ears are above the vehicle seatback. I would think, given my observations of kids who are 4’9″, that they’d reach 80 lbs. by then and need a different booster to get them that last little bit to vehicle seatbelt.
–
@PJ, I measured it at 4.5″ after blowing it up tight. YMMV depending on if you’re able to get that last bit of air in it.
I easily found the dimensions of the seat… with one exception. How thick is it? Our family is heading to an NFL game in October and I wanted something to help my 5-year-old son see the action a little better. Do boosters come in different thicknesses?
So, that is my plan… and then I get the added benefit of an extra car seat.
I looked at my friend’s the other day (2 friends bought it for the 3 across after I told them about it) and the instruction manual says it can be used until 52 inches. I would think that weight would be more important than height. Why would they say that? Is there any reason to follow the height restriction when kids are so different in torso vs. legs?
…and thinking about the 6 field trips that my girls lugged their FPSV boosters to in 3rd grade last year and knowing that they could very well be the only 4th graders bringing boosters on field trips next year, that cute and cool purple seat cushion with the belt positioning clips is looking pretty appealing…. car-seat-enablers-R-Us is at work again 😀
kudos to the BubbleBum folks for making a practical and portable booster that has “cute” appeal as well. The shallow depth made me cringe a bit (I think I’d be tempted to stuff a towel in the stuff sack and ask my leggy DD1 to put that under her knees for a little more depth) and it seems a bit pricey for a 4 year life span – but I suppose on the positive side when it’s past its lifespan as a booster for in-car use it could still be handy for kids who find they can’t get a good view in a theater seat….hmmm, I think I’m starting to talk myself into buying a couple…..
It kind of makes sense to me that it would have a shorter lifespan. It blows up and holds air – I can imagine that by the time you’re reaching the 4yr point the seams that hold the air in have been placed under a lot of stress – especially if your child gets to close to 80lbs in it.
It seems like in some ways it’s a niche seat, and yet it’s a pretty big niche when you consider that most older kids do ride in multiple vehicles and need a nice easy option for travel.
Thanks for the review, it’s a cute little thing.
Thanks for the review. I have one on order for summer travels.
When you think about it, $11-something a year for travel/carpool/emergency 3 across convenience isn’t really that bad– just not what I was expecting based on “around $30” predictions and the FAQ on the “average” lifespan of car seats.
Thanks, KQ! I still haven’t heard back, so 4 years it is, I guess. 🙁
Ok, after further communication by email, it looks like they will be sticking with 4 years.
Ok, I got an answer from them on Facebook. It’s a bit muddled, but it sounds like they’re suggesting that after 4 years you discontinue use if it shows any signs of wear, but if it is in good shape and no wear to the materials you can continue use for another 2 years (to the 6 year mark.) However their response was still a bit confusing so I did suggest further clarification!
Don’t poke fun too hard. You might pop it.
I also just asked for further clarification on their FB page, mentioning the discrepancy. 🙂
KQ, I saw that and just couldn’t believe it, so that’s why I mentioned the FAQ. The instruction manual says that it’s supposed to be available online at http://www.myboosterseat.com, but as of today, it’s just a product registration page with no link to the instructions. I imagine as they get more into the US market, their website will follow. I’ll ask my BB contact about the expiry date.
Also, I love the way your model does the Vanna White thing while demonstrating how little place it takes up. LOL.
Oh duh. I should read the comments before posting. LOL.
As I said, they told me on their FB page that they will be going with 4 years.
Do you have a copy of the US instructions? There’s some confusion over the expiration, apparently; their FAQ apparently says 6 years but I asked what the US expiration would be and they told me 4. I’d love clarification. (Yes, I bought one, even though it’s a bit pricey for 4 years IMO, for our Vegas trip upcoming, in case we end up in a cab.)
Thanks! Piper will have one for a trip in two weekends. I’m going to have her and my husband read this, but after traveling with an RSTV for a while, I don’t think the belt guides or slouching will be a problem.
It’s great to see it compared to the Lite Rider, which is the spare seat in my trunk. When not being used for travel, the Bubble Bum will probably live in my husband’s trunk so he has a spare. An A4 is not known for its three across friendliness, but hopefully an old Parkway, Bubble Bum, and Coccoro will work.
It’s also great for people in bit cities (like NYC) who typically walk and take the subways, but need a booster for those occasional cab rides… like you said, it fits so easy in a pack or purse, there’s no excuse not to have a booster.
I bet you could easily get an iron-on, sew-on, or sticker label for both the bag and the seat, but I agree, when it’s primarily a travel seat, I’d want to see that included.
@dillipop, I couldn’t find information on expiration in the manual, but on their FAQ, they suggest 6 years.
Thanks for the review! I have one pre-ordered already for 2 upcoming airplane trips (not for use on the plan, but at our destination). It will be great for certain niches of use 🙂
It looks like such a great travel option. Can you check and see what the expiration is on it? Thanks for the great review!