2020 Clek Foonf Review Update
This isn’t just any ol’ carseat. This is a FOONF. I won’t bore you with any Foonf jokes, because it’s hard to get the play on words across when they’re written anyway. The model I have is the latest and greatest, the convertible carseat from Clek with the dual position, dual length crotch strap, improved anti-rebound bar, rigid LATCH, and REACT Safety System that pushes other carseat manufacturers to find newer, better technologies so in the end, all carseats are better. All that hardware aside, is it going to fit your kid?
Weight and Height Limits
Rear-facing: 14-50 lbs., 25-43”, able to sit upright alone, head is 1” below top of headrest
Infant-Thingy (sold separately) allows minimum rear-facing limits to drop to 5 lbs. and 19″ (must follow Infant-Thingy manual for use)
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs., 30-49”; age 1 minimum, age 2+ recommended
Foonf Overview
- Rigid LATCH forward-facing installation
- Anti-rebound bar designed to limit rebound in the aftermath of a crash
- Available Q-Tether: rear-facing Australian-style tethering prevents rotation of carseat toward vehicle floor
- Built-in lockoffs for both rear- and forward-facing
- Approved for use with Ford Motor Company inflatable seat belts
- Rigid sub-structure: Foonf has a steel and magnesium sub-structure
- Structural headrest: headrest is lined with energy absorbing foam and connected to seat frame with steel rods
- Energy absorbing foam both inside and outside the frame of the carseat
- Designed for extended rear-facing: designed to accommodate rear-facing kids to age 4
- Three recline positions
- Adjustable crotch strap: crotch strap has 2 different lengths to accommodate bigger kids
- REACT Safety System: The Rapid Energy Absorbing Crumple Technology Safety System is an aluminum honeycomb that sits under the child, designed to absorb crash forces.
- Crypton Super Fabrics: Crypton covers are GREENGUARD Select Certified and are waterproof, wipe clean, resist bacteria and a NEW 100% Merino wool cover that’s naturally flame retardant
- Narrow footprint: Foonf is one of the narrowest convertibles currently on the market
- 7 covers from which to choose, including exclusive Tokidoki prints
Foonf Measurements
- Harness slots: 9 ½”, 11”, 13”, 14 ½”, 17”
- 16 ½” shoulders, 17” at its widest point at knees
- Max shell height with headrest fully extended: 26 ¾”
- Shoulder width: 12”
- Crotch strap positions: 4”, 6”
- Seat depth: 12”
- Seat weight: 33.7 lbs. forward-facing, 36.4 lbs. rear-facing (includes rear-facing base and anti-rebound bar)
2020 Clek Fabrics and Fashions:
Clek is known as much for their luxurious and kid-friendly fabrics as they are for the safety features on their carseats. Here’s a brief run-down of each type of fashion:
tokidoki for clek: These are fun, soft jersey knit prints that change by year and feel like pjs. Like the other Clek fashions, they are free from brominated and chlorinated flame retardants. Available in tokidoki reef rider (not a Crypton fabric) for $459.99 at AlbeeBaby. Unicorno Disco is still available too for $349.99 at Amazon.
Standard C-Zero Plus: This fabric feels more like a soft terry cloth and also cleans up with a wipe of a washcloth. This is a Crypton fabric and in addition to being free of brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, it’s fluorine-free and is GREENGUARD Gold certified. Available in Shadow (discontinued) for $449.99 at Amazon, Capri (discontinued) for $359.99 at AlbeeBaby, and Flamingo (discontinued) for $412 at Amazon. New for 2020 are the beautiful Snowberry, Ten Year Blue and purple Aura, all on white shells.
Tailored C-Zero Plus: This sophisticated Crypton fabric feels like soft suiting material. It’s free of fluorine, brominated, and chlorinated flame retardants and is GREENGUARD Gold certified. Available in Thunder for $479.99 at AlbeeBaby and Slate (discontinued) for $469.99 at AlbeeBaby. New for 2020 is the Pitch Black (available in March on all Clek carseats) for $479.99 at AlbeeBaby.
Carbon: Carbon has been on the Liing rear-facing only seat, but is graduating to the bigger seats. It’s a soft, comfy jersey made from a polyester-spandex blend. Available in March for $439.99 at AlbeeBaby.
100% Merino Wool: Merino wool is naturally flame retardant and soft. It’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Available in Mammoth for $509.99 from Amazon. New for 2020 are the navy Twilight and Full Moon available for $509.99 at AlbeeBaby, both available in March.
Installation
A tightly rolled towel or pool noodle(s) is allowed if you need more help to achieve the proper rear-facing recline angle.
Anti-Rebound Bar
The steel anti-rebound bar (ARB) is used ONLY for rear-facing installations and its use is required on the Foonf. It prevents rotation into the back of the vehicle seat in the split seconds after a crash has occurred. Using the ARB does increase the amount of front-to-back space you’ll need for your rear-facing installation by about an inch and a half. Think of it as a kickstand that keeps your Foonf from falling into the back seat in a crash and it sticks out some. This, in turn, leads to more legroom—not a bad thing if you have a leggier or older child who needs the room. In fact, my models had room to fold their legs up criss-cross-applesauce and still didn’t touch my back seat.
Be sure to remove the ARB when you turn the seat forward-facing. Some caregivers leave it on thinking it’s a good footrest, but in a crash, crash forces can cause your child to bend all the way forward and hit it, causing severe injuries.
Q-Tether
In addition to the ARB, clek just introduced the Q-Tether as another method for managing energy in a crash. It’s not a new concept: the Australian-style of tethering has been around for decades, but clek is making it more mainstream by making it an accessory for all unexpired Foonfs (and Fllos) on their website.
The Q-Tether limits the ability of the Foonf to rotate down toward the floor of the vehicle in a frontal crash, performing similarly to a load leg or to using a Euro belt path which is found on more and more rear-facing only infant seats, including clek’s Liing. When forward energy is limited, rebound energy, which is typically 1/3 the energy of the initial crash, is reduced as well. What does this mean for your child? The less bouncing around in a crash, the safer she’ll be.
Installation with the Seat Belt
Installation with the seat belt for rear-facing was a cinch and I really preferred installing the Foonf with the seat belt over installation with LATCH (see LATCH installation section for why). It was easier for me to pull the shoulder belt tight while pushing the carseat down than for me to pull each LATCH belt tight.
For rear-facing, the seat belt is routed through both lockoffs. The belt-tensioning lockoff handles are long and provide extra torque for closing. You may use either recline position 2 or 3 for rear-facing. Pull the recline handle under the front of the carseat to change between recline positions. Because of the anti-rebound bar, the Foonf can be adjusted forward or backward on the vehicle seat, which can change the angle of recline. There’s a wide range of recline allowed for the Foonf, so finding a comfortable position for both child and front seat user is easy. In my 2016 Tesla Model X and 2018 Tesla Model 3, the Foonf gave me quite a bit of legroom up front. I was able to have it behind my driver’s seat without having to make any adjustments and it gave the front seat passenger plenty of legroom in both vehicles.
For forward-facing, the seat belt is routed through a single red lockoff on the side opposite of the buckle. How you install the carseat dictates the recline you can use when forward-facing. If you have a lap-only belt and a tether, you can only use recline position 2. All other methods of installation (lap/shoulder belt, rigid LATCH, rigid LATCH and lap/shoulder belt) may use reclines 1 or 2. Don’t forget to attach the top tether to an approved vehicle tether anchor! If you don’t use the top tether, you must put the Foonf in the most upright recline position 1.
As with most tall carseats, I removed my vehicle’s head restraint so it didn’t interfere with my installation and push the carseat forward. Sometimes you have to take the vehicle head restraint off (and try not to lose it!), sometimes you can turn it around, and sometimes you can get away with leaving it on. Check your vehicle owner’s manual for guidance.
Installation with LATCH
The Foonf is a heavy seat and there are LATCH weight limits for it.
Rear-facing lower LATCH anchor weight limits: 25 lbs.
Switch to installing with the seat belt when your child reaches 25 lbs. Or just install the Foonf with seatbelt right from the start and that way you don’t have to worry about switching to a different installation method once your child reaches a certain weight.
Tools required for installation: Foonf and a step stool. Just kidding! Seriously, the Foonf is up pretty high when the rear-facing base is attached and I found it tougher to use my usual technique of pressing down on the side of the carseat while pulling the LATCH strap tight in my Acura MDX SUV. When I stood on a step stool, problem solved. In my dh’s Tesla Model S sedan, no problem with height because it obviously sits lower to the ground (and I can adjust the height of the suspension as needed too, hehe).
For rear-facing installation, the Foonf has a separate flexible LATCH adjuster on each side of the seat and the connectors are the deluxe push-on style connectors. There are designated storage areas under the seat pad to store the LATCH connectors and a spot on the shoulder harness access panel to store the tether strap when not in use.
When you switch the Foonf to forward-facing and install it with rigid LATCH, all you do to release the LATCH connectors from their hiding place in the base is to pull the black LATCH handle below the recline handle and pull the connectors out. Once they’re extended push the Foonf onto your vehicle’s lower anchors. Attach the tether strap to the tether anchor and you’re done! You’ll be amazed at how easy the install is and you’ll stand back, scratch your head, and wonder if there’s something you missed because it couldn’t possibly have installed that easily. To uninstall the rigid LATCH installation, pull on the two red handles on the front of the base. Installing the Foonf with the rigid LATCH engages the REACT Safety System, an energy absorbing system that crushes in a crash, positioned under the child. So when forward-facing, LATCH is the preferred method of installation. However:
Forward-facing lower LATCH anchor weight limits: 35 lbs.
The rigid LATCH weight limit is 35 lbs. and once your child reaches that weight limit, you must either switch to exclusively using the seat belt and tether or add the seat belt and tether if your vehicle manual doesn’t expressly prohibit use of LATCH and seat belt together. Yes, because the rigid LATCH and vehicle seat belt path don’t share the same belt paths, you can use both at the same time. There are a couple of vehicle manufacturers that frown upon this and say so in the manual, so you really have to read to see if yours specifically says “don’t install the child safety seat using both lower LATCH connectors AND the seat belt at the same time” or whatever terminology they choose to use. If they don’t mention it, you’re good to go!
Center LATCH installations with Non-Standard Spacing:
Clek does NOT allow center LATCH installation where lower anchors are spaced more than 11” apart.
Inflatable Seat Belts
Clek has determined that the Foonf CAN be installed with inflatable seat belts found in some Ford Motor Company vehicles.
Tether
The tether is not to be used in the rear-facing position. Use the top tether whenever the carseat is installed forward-facing, whether installed with the vehicle seat belt or the lower LATCH anchors. Clek requires tether use when the Foonf is in recline position 1 when forward-facing. After double-checking with Clek’s awesome tech representative, if you don’t have a tether anchor available in a position where there’s a lap/shoulder belt available for install, that’s OK. But every other installation requires a tether.
Fit to Child
There are some harness rules to follow based on how you install the Foonf. When installing the Foonf forward-facing without a tether for smaller kids under 40 lbs., you must use the top set of harness loops to shorten the harness. Just be sure to tuck the harness ends behind the metal splitter plate so it won’t catch as you’re tightening it. The crotch strap must also be threaded through the inner slot.
Crotch Strap Adjustment: The strap adjusts by turning it sideways and sliding it forward or back. There are 2 strap lengths sewn together to the buckle; this way you don’t lose a buckle when your child grows larger. It’s a rather ingenious design. Take it from me and don’t do what I did! In trying to figure out how to get the longer length strap out so I could get the shorter length strap in for my doll (I didn’t have the proper manual yet), I accidentally got both of the strap anchors into the slots. No biggie, right? It’s crazy hard to get the anchors back out of the slots when they’re both in there. Just don’t do it. One at a time, folks! Here are the positions:
- Rear-facing: use inner crotch strap slot; either length allowed
- Forward-facing: use outer crotch strap slot; adjust to longer length
- if installing with a seat belt without a tether AND child is under 40 lbs., use inner slot
As you can see in the pictures below, the Foonf fits all sizes of kids well. We even tried a 3 mo. old in the seat who was a couple of pounds under the weight limit and she fit very well too. But you won’t see pictures of her because we are a proper use blog, after all ;).
E is 4 years old and 35 lbs. She can be either rear-facing or forward-facing in the Foonf.
I is almost 6 years old in these pics and 40 lbs. He’s too tall to rear-face in the Foonf and has about another half-inch to forward-face before outgrowing the top harness slots.
J is 7 years old and 45 lbs. She fits weight-wise rear-facing and like her brother, has about a half-inch before outgrowing the harness forward-facing.
Cover Padding and Maintenance
It’s hard to believe there’s any padding on the Foonf because of the clean lines and narrowness of the carseat, but it’s there. Somehow Clek has managed to make the Foonf have not only one of the narrowest outside measurements on the market, but it also has roominess on the inside AND it’s comfy to boot.
Keeping the cover clean should be easy. With the Crypton fabric, spills wipe up fairly easily. The fabric on the seat cushion is removable and the seat back cover is as well, though Clek highly discourages it because it’s very difficult to get it back on (both Jennie and I have done it and it’s a little like giving birth—the memory never really goes away). Clek has their Fabric Cleaning + Stain Remover Kit, which includes a product for cleaning protein-based messes and one for dye-bases messes. The cleaning kit works well and leaves the fabric very fresh-smelling. As long as you stay on top of keeping your carseat clean, you’ll never have any problems!
Ease of Use
Out of the Box: If you’ll be using your Foonf rear-facing when you first get it, you’ll have to do some setup by adding the rear-facing base and the anti-rebound bar. There’s some flipping back and forth in the manual as you figure out how to do this or you can watch the video I made:
9 Year Expiration and Crash Guidelines: The Foonf has a 9 year expiration; the date of manufacture sticker is on the lower back of the seat. Clek specifies to replace the carseat after any crash.
Airplane Certification: The Foonf is FAA-approved for use in aircraft. It also is a heavy restraint, so if you do travel with it, you’ll want to use a luggage cart or the Clek Weelee to avoid having to carry it. The nice thing about the Weelee is that you can stuff other travel things in the bag with the carseat that you’ll be using on the plane while you’re using the carseat, so it’s not just a carseat bag.
Accessories
The Infant-Thingy allows the Clek convertibles to be used from 5 lbs. instead of 14 lbs. When the Infant-Thingy is used in the convertibles, its own manual is followed. Read our review on the Infant-Thingy.
Clek has a vehicle seat protector available called the Mat-thingy. It is approved for use with only Clek carseats and is a thin rubber mat that protects the seat bottom and “waterfall” only.
Foonf vs. Fllo
Advantages
- 50 lbs. rear-facing weight limit
- Anti-rebound bar
- Available Q-Tether: rear-facing Australian-style tethering prevents rotation of carseat toward vehicle floor
- Rigid LATCH for forward-facing installation
- Approved for use with Ford Motor Company inflatable seat belts
- Steel and magnesium sub-structure
- REACT Safety System: aluminum honeycomb designed to absorb crash forces
- Structural headrest lined with energy absorbing foam and connected to seat frame with steel rods
- Replaceable harness: great if you have a pukey kid
- One of the narrowest convertibles currently on the market
- Deep seat pan for kids with long legs
- 9-year lifespan
- Crypton fabrics allows for easy cleanup of messes and are GREENGUARD Select Certified
- No chlorinated or brominated flame retardants used AND a 100% Merino wool fabric option
- Excellent customer service
- Made in Canada
- Recyclable through Clek’s recycling program
Disadvantages
(In all fairness, these aren’t necessarily problems but I list them here to inform potential consumers of specific Foonf issues)
- Weight: at 33.7 lbs. without the rear-facing accoutrements, it’s plain heavy. It’s a beast coming in at 36.4 lbs. with those items.
- Assembly: Using the Foonf rear-facing takes a methodical approach. This isn’t a carseat you can pull from the box and think you can assemble without reading the directions and labels.
- Sits up high on the base when rear-facing (this could be a pro or a con depending on personal preferences)
- Not suitable for a newborn without the Infant-Thingy (not really a big deal since most parents use an infant seat first)
- Must manually adjust harness height: for a carseat in this price range, it should automatically adjust the harness height as the car door opens. Just kidding. But seriously, Foonf could benefit from a no-rethread harness. However, if it had that feature the harness might not be replaceable. There are always trade-offs.
Conclusion
Like any queen, the Clek Foonf is multi-faceted and sophisticated. It takes time to get to know and understand her, but you ultimately end up singing her praises because, even though she’s complicated, she’s royalty. Her harness is smooth as butter and she fits in tight places. She’s also got the high-tech safety features and exceptional rear-facing weight and height limits you’ve come to expect from royalty. For forward-facing, you simply can’t beat the rigid LATCH installation; it’s the way LATCH installs were meant to be—completely foolproof. Her fashion sensibility is on point: as your kid climbs in and out of the Foonf, the cover stays put, form-fitted against the sides of the seat. She’s as much a piece of modern art as she is an advanced safety device.
The Clek Foonf is on our updated list of Recommended Carseats.
See the Clek website for additional information: http://www.clekinc.com/foonf/
Thank you to Clek for providing us with this Foonf for our review. No other compensation was provided and the comments and opinions are entirely those of CarseatBlog.
If center install is the safest place for a car seat and most cars don’t have latch anchors in the center, is there a benefit of paying more to get the foonf versus the fllo or Britax Advocate? Then looking at those three car seats, what would be the most advanced and safest option? A foonf installed with latch on my passenger side? A foonf installed with seat belt
In center? Save the money and get a fllo for seat belt center install? Or an advocate for center seat belt install?
Tina, some vehicles do have proper 11″ lower LATCH anchor spacing in the center seating position, so it’s possible to use the Foonf forward-facing with the rigid LATCH in those vehicles and make full use of the REACT system. If that’s not the case in your vehicle and you definitely want your child in the center, the Fllo may be a better choice. The benefit of the Advocate is the side impact cushions. If you’re not looking at installing the that seat on the side, and if you want to compare a Britax seat to a Clek seat, the Boulevard would compare more evenly. The Advocate is the Boulevard with the added side impact cushions. Beyond that, it’s comparing features, installation, and your overall preferences.
Hello,
I bought the foonf for my old year old to be rear facing. He is over the latch weight limit and I tried to install using the seat belt. I followed all the directions step by step. I also watched the you tube videos to make sure I properly installed it.
Problems I had:
The base would not stay level- so I tried to put a towel in front of it like they recommended in the manual.
Biggest problem – if I shook the car seat with force I could practically move it half way sideways. They say it should move less than an inch.
I’m not sure what I am doing wrong. I tried forward facing and used the latch and the seatbelt combined and it doesn’t move at all.
Have you had people complaining about this problem? Am I just shaking the car seat too much checking it? Just hard for me to believe it would stay put in a car wreck if I can physically move it that much. I bought the seat to be rear facing but really only trust it forward. Please let me know if you have insight. My husband even tried tightening the seatbelt – so we know we had the seatbelt tight enough.
Possible this car seat doesn’t work well in a Dodge ram mega cab?
Thank you for your time.
Erica, how was the base not staying level? You couldn’t get the correct recline?
If I shake any carseat hard enough at the belt path, even one that’s rock-the-car-tight, it will move. You want to grasp the carseat on the edge just above the belt path with your non-dominant hand and give it a “hello” handshake. The top of the carseat, up near the head, will move a lot because there’s nothing securing it there. That’s normal movement and why we don’t check for movement there.
I am between the Floonf and the Nuna Rava. I have not found many comparisons online, do you have any suggestions. I am worried about cleaning the Floonf because unfortunately my child gets car sick so cleaning is a big deal. I know that it wipes easily but what about puke in the creases? Also can you elaborate on the benefit of the REACT system if my child RF past the FF latch weight limit? Thanks!!
Is the seat comfort/padding identical in the foonf and fllo?
Hi Donna – yes the comfort and padding on both Foonf & Fllo should be identical. The newer models 2016/2017 have enhanced padding for more comfort. HTH!
Hi, my question is, if the foonf is used after the 9 year expiration will it be less safe in case of an accident?
Hi Gladys. It’s hard to quantify “less safe” in the overall life of a carseat. If a carseat expires on 12/31/17, it’s not going to completely disintegrate on 1/1/18; however, components do degrade over time and with use. For instance, before the molding process, the plastics are mixed with different chemicals that affect how long they are good for and that’s why some carseats have a lifespan of 6 years, 9 years, or 10 years. Wear and tear also affect the seat. So it’s pretty important to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when it comes to the suggested lifespan of the carseat since it’s a safety item.
Hi, Heather — My son is a little over 2.5 and still rear facing in a Britax Advocate Clicktight. We’d like to keep him rear facing as long as possible, but he’s tall for his age (90th percentile) and starting to outgrow the Advocate straps (they have very little slack). I have a 2013 Lexus GX460 and my husband has an older truck without LATCH. I care about safety above all else. My questions are: (1) Is this seated shoulder height sufficiently “tall” for a tall kid to use until age 4 in the RF posistion, (2) We have exceeded the seat plus child weight limit for my LATCH system already, so are using the belt. Is the FLOOF really that safe if you can’t use LATCH and don’t get the benefit of REACT. I’m confused about the comments and responses on that. (3) Since we’d be buying the 2016 model, do you feel the lock-off issue has been sufficiently addressed? It’s obviously a huge concern. (4) Any suggestions for alternate extended RF seats we could try?
Many thanks for your assistance!
Is the Clek Foonf convertible for 2016 approved for use on commercial aircraft passenger seats ?
Yes, it is, Michael.
Hello,
Looking for some help. I am really considering buying the Clek Foonf (or Fllo) for my almost 2 year old. She is currently in a Britax Boulevard CT – but I would move that to my husbands car.
I have a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. I currently use a Nuna Pipa for my 2 month old.
If I buy a Clek Foonf or Fllo would it fit installed rear facing in my car? The Nuna takes away some space from the front passenger. So before I buy a new convertible I wanted to see if anyone knew how it fit in my car since I cannot try it at any store. I want to keep her rear facing until 4 years of age, though my husband wants to turn her around now.
I was also considering a Diono. But I like the anti rebound bar on Clek and not having to tether rear facing. I have the anti rebound bar on her Britax CT now.
Please help! Pictures of these installed in my model or year of car would be great!
Thanks in advance! 🙂
Hi Jackie. Sorry it’s taken me a while to see your comment–I was on vacation for a few days and your comment got bumped down.
I do think either would fit, but you’d definitely have a better chance with the Fllo since you wouldn’t *have* to use the anti-rebound bar. I’ve seen Foonfs fit in small cars and SUVs, like the Escape and Tiguan. One thing you can do is call Clek’s customer service. They keep a database of vehicles they’ve tried their seats in and they’ll be able to tell you for sure if it will fit. (866) 656-2462
One thing I learned the other day is that Diono doesn’t allow the use of a rear-facing tether if there’s airbag wiring in the front passenger seat leg. Since many vehicles have the wiring routed that way, it makes it impossible to wrap the RF tether connector strap around the passenger seat leg anymore for any manufacturer (Britax has stopped allowing RF tethering as well). So that’s something to consider if it makes a difference in your decision.
Excellent review! You’ve convinced me to purchase one for our tall 14 month old! Will this fit in the middle of the back seat rear facing on an Infinity QX60? We want him in the safest spot in the car and I keep reading rear facing in the middle spot it the best. Thank so much!!!
My lock-offs have failed as well. I spoke with a representative and they said they would ship new ones, this is 3 weeks later and still have not received the shipment! I was using the lock-off that was not popping open as much but in the mean time that has failed too! When I called them today they explained their policy is to send parts by regular mail, this makes no sense. So I am now unable to use my seat. The manager explained that we can use the seat without using the lock-offs but when I told her we tried this (many times!!) and the seat is not secure she said to watch the videos online. I would NOT recommend this seat. The lock-offs are defective and you do not know until they do not work. These seats should be recalled.
Marcie, did Clek customer service set up an online customer service account for you for the lockoffs? Please call them back or email them to request another set to be sent to you: 1-866-656-2462 or [email protected]. I had 2 sets (1 for a Foonf and 1 for a Fllo) within 5 days of my requesting them. The lockoff replacement is easy.
I, too, would prefer companies not use USPS, but since they’re shipping from Canada, their shipping fees would be outrageous using any other company so their hands are tied.
What vehicle do you have? How can I help you install your seat securely?
Hi Heather – I’ve been following this thread as I’m deciding between Britax and the Clek Foonf. It sounds in this comment like you’ve had to reorder the lockoffs as well? Was this because they failed for you too? I’m concerned about 1) ordering a seat when parts are failing, and 2) paying this high a price for a seat when parts are failing!
Lizzy, manufacturers either send me parts to update their seats or I request them to see how their CS team works, so it’s not really about the part failing. Manufacturers are always improving upon design and that’s how I feel about the lockoffs—the new lockoff design is much improved over the old. The old style sometimes bent and loosened up, allowing belt slip whereas the the new style is a true clamp.
Is there any advantage to the REACT system when you’re not using rigid latch? If I keep my daughter rear facing until 40 or 50 pounds, I will already have passed the latch weight limit when I turn her around. I guess I should check to see if I can use latch plus seatbelt in my Honda Odyssey. If I remember correctly the britax advocate also has a honeycomb safety system; does it too require latch?
Anna, no, the advantage with the REACT system is when LATCH is attached. The beauty of installing with both LATCH and the seat belt is that even if the vehicle doesn’t allow the use of both (in the event they’re concerned the lower anchors will fail because of weight limits), the seat belt will hold the carseat.
The Britax honeycomb system (SafeCell Technology) doesn’t require the use of LATCH.
Unfortunately the Foonf is not FAA approved. I didn’t find the sticker on the seat so called their customer service. They said we can use in car or aircraft but it’s not FAA approved and no sticker on it. Without the sticker there is no chance the flight company will check the FAA approved sticker if we want to use on board.
@Erika, right. The Foonf is certified for use in aircraft, not specifically FAA-approved. The FAA will accept the wording “certified for use in aircraft” because it’s required by law by FMVSS 213. Every carseat manufactured for use in the U.S. has the same wording (see https://carseatblog.com/6599/airplanes-carseats-and-kids%E2%80%94what-you-need-to-know-pt-1/ for a sample label). On my 2014 Foonf, the sticker is on the base right next to the rigid LATCH connector and the text is in the manuals if you look under “Certifications.” I’m not sure why their customer service told you that you couldn’t use the Foonf on an American-based plane.
We are very unhappy with this car seat. The blue belt lock-off devices on the Clek Foonf repeatedly fail, which would lead to the failure of the car seat in an accident. After speaking with a Clek representative twice, the only solution is to keep sending us new lock-off devices to replace faulty ones. The lock offs have often popped open while my son is seated in the car seat. There is no way to know the moment they have failed. So, there is no way to feel certain that the seat itself will protect a child in an accident. The solution to replace a faulty part with another faulty part is a dangerous and unacceptable practice.
@Sara, Clek’s reps are among the best in the business, so no doubt they’ve gone over all your options. How tightly is the carseat installed? One thing I’ve noticed is that if the seat belt is too tight, the lockoffs pop open. The carseat can move up to 1″ safely and sometimes introducing just a bit of slack–not enough to move the carseat more than 1″–is enough to keep the lockoff closed.
What’s the date of manufacture of your Foonf?
Heather, great review! I wonder if @Sara has been trying to lock off BOTH blue lockoffs…not just one? I hope I did not misunderstand the directions, but I understood that we should only use 1 of the blue lock-offs, not both, when rear-facing. Otherwise, the looser one tends to pop off.
I am a HUGE Clek fan, but they need to offer an additional, one-piece cover for the Foonf. While the fabric is certainly wipeable, when my daughter gets sick, it goes down and into all the cracks of crevices of the 2013 Foonf we have. It is absolutely horrible to clean (which I hate to say, because otherwise I love it). You can’t spray it with water, because of rusting, of course….so I’m not sure how Clek expects us to clean vomit, when it pools down inside the car seat…so sad, because this car seat is amazing.
I still recommend it over any other car seat (we have a Diono Radian XRT in DH’s car)
Finally, one quick question for you: I saw you have an MDX. Do you find the center install to be secure enough? I feel like it is, but my concern is the Clek rides so high, that items in the back are more of a hazard (we use a cargo net, but it would be useless in an accident). Do you install behind driver’s side on the MDX? Just curious if you have any insight…I’m thinking of moving her behind my seat, for more face protection (I can’t raise middle headrest because it cause the install to be unstable).
Sorry for the long comment!!
Ashley, the center install was fine, but I understand your concern about projectiles. I constantly try to think of ways to secure items back there. The best thing to do is shove them as close to the back seat as possible and secure with bungee cords or a cover of some sort.
I had trouble fitting the Foonf (and Fllo) behind my driver’s seat because it didn’t leave me enough room to put my seat back (I’m 5’6″). I do like the way it nestles into the more contoured backrest on the sides, though.
I’m looking at the foonf for my 14 month old who will be sitting next to my two teenage boys in the backseat of my 2012 Honda Pilot. She’s just now getting too tall for the grace snug ride 35. I’m also looking at the Britax boulevard click tight for my nanny who has as Toyota rav4. I don’t want her fooling around with a complicated setting and think the click tight looks foolproof. I plan to install the boulevard myself but realize that she may move it infrequently. I’m a bit of a car seat nazi, always checking the base of the graco for any movement so I’m not daunted by installing the foonf rear facing. Space is at a premium in my car with my 13 and 16 year old boys so are these my best options?
Thanks!