Like many others, I was fascinated by the concept of the BubbleBum, an inflatable booster seat that made its debut in the US a few months ago. But I was also a bit skeptical. Things that inflate can also deflate. They can tear or pop. I envisioned a seat similar to a beach ball or one of those inflatable yard decorations people put up at Christmas. You know, the kind that comes with little patches of vinyl in a repair kit?
BubbleBum seemed like a charming company (their Facebook page is by far the most entertaining of any company I follow), but would that translate into the quality of their product? Even as I eagerly read reviews from other people (including experienced technicians who I trust a lot), I had some misgivings about this inflatable seat.
However, any concerns about the BubbleBum’s durability disappeared once I finally had one in my hands. This is no cheap carnival toy, folks. This is heavy-duty and tough. Rugged. It’s like the cowboy of…well, of inflatable booster seats.
I was excited to give the seat a try, so I opened the valve, gave a few puffs, and it was ready to go. I put it outboard in the third row of our 2010 Odyssey and threaded the lap belt through the belt guide farthest from the buckle.
I wasn’t sure how my son Elias would react to using it as he tends to resist change, but the novelty was enough to get him excited. He sat down and pronounced it very comfortable.
To properly use the BubbleBum, you need to thread the lap belt through a guide close to the buckle, too. I figured I’d need to explain that to Elias, but I was busy getting the other kids in the car. To my surprise, he figured it out on his own and got properly buckled in without any direction from me.
The lap-belt fit was good, and the shoulder belt was excellent–even better than in the high-back Monterey he usually rides in.
Elias thought the seat was really cool…until it came time to buckle it in again for our next trip. He asked if he could skip the red belt guides, and I told him absolutely not. After that, he wouldn’t stop complaining. He’s not a fan of exerting any extra effort, though.
Although the BubbleBum won’t be an everyday seat for us, it will be fantastic for travel. In fact, I had a chance to borrow one for a trip we took a couple months ago, but I declined. Now, knowing how comfortable and durable it is, I wish I had. It would have been much easier than lugging a TurboBooster through O’Hare.
I have to hand it to BubbleBum: They’re a neat company with a very cool, innovative product. They definitely thought outside the box–or the bubble–on this one.
Has anyone had the opportunity to compare Bubble Bum with its hbb counterpart: the GoBooster?
I now have both seats. I had planned to use the latter for an upcoming trip but I’d love feedback & comparisons.
DD usually rides in a Frontier (EH) or Monterey hbb. She’s nearly 9 but is only about 41-42 lbs.
I know the GoBooster originally had some major design flaws but was redesigned for the US market (the EU version was EasyCarSeat).
TIA!!!
This is also great for petite 10YOs whose car-seat-obsessed parents still insist that she bring a booster on field trips even if she’s the only kid in the entire 4th grade who is doing so – even in the fully inflated mode, it’s much easier to carry around than the backless FPSV that I made her carry around on field trips last year. I think it’s also a plus that it’s cute and doesn’t look like any of her classmates’ younger siblings’ booster seats.
It’s the narrowest booster on the market. I can fit one in the center of a RAV4 (with the crazy overlapping belts) and have the whole seat left on either side! It’s really super narrow.
There are lots of variables in a 3-across, but the BubbleBum seems like it would be a great bet for any tight situation.
@HSJWMOM – the Prius is actually fairly roomy. I’m pretty sure you could fit 2 BubbleBums and an Avenue with no problem.
How do you think this would work in a tight 3-across? I really need to fit 2 boosters and an Avenue in the back seat of a Prius.
We just got ours last night! I agree, this is heavy duty, heavy gauge material. Nothing flimsy about it at all. What a terrific invention.
Okay I’m sold! We are planning a major trip in 2013 which will mean i have two booster riders – these are going with us now! THANKS!