Traveling with a child – of any age – is an experience unlike any other. The sheer number of things that you need to bring knows no bounds and can make packing and traveling daunting. Luckily, worrying about packing and schlepping your child’s booster seat is no longer a stressful or worrisome element of travel. The BubbleBum Inflatable Booster was designed specifically with travel in mind but it will be a lifesaver for a number of circumstances.
What is the BubbleBum?
BubbleBum, the cost-effective, portable, lightweight, brightly colored, inflatable car booster seat for children aged between 4-11 easily deflates and folds flat so that kids or mums can carry it in rucksacks or handbags, making it perfect for holidays, rental cars, taxis, coach journeys, school trips or car pooling.
BubbleBum Specifications
Seat Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 4.5 inches
Weight Minimum: 40 pounds
Weight Maximum: 100 pounds
Age Recommendation: 4 – 11 years
Height Maximum: 57 inches
BubbleBum Booster Seat Review
I will admit that at first glance I was hesitant to embrace the idea of the Bubble Bum. It just seems too simple and small and inflatable to be safe, right? Then I noticed it was recognized as one of the safest booster seats when it was named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Best Bet for 2011. And I realized one of the most trusted car seat safety advocates likes the Bubble Bum. And then, of course, there’s the fact that the Bubble Bum has passed the same safety tests and regulations required of all children’s booster seats. Once I got smart and actually got the BubbleBum in my hands, it became obvious why the seat is as safe as heavy competitors – it’s really smart.
The Bubblebum booster seat arrives compact and folded in a small travel bag. To use the BubbleBum, an adult blows up the seat using a valve on the back. Once the seat is fully inflated, the seat is surprisingly firm and supportive thanks to memory foam and energy absorbing material. The BubbleBum has three seat belt restraints: two to position the lap belt in the correct spot and one to ensure the shoulder belt is in a safe position. The shoulder restraint comes from the booster seat and is adjustable to position the shoulder strap of the seat belt at the right spot for your child. It’s easy to use and adjusts quickly.
Our family will get more use out of the BubbleBum than simply using it when we travel. Our car has a third row, but it’s only accessible by folding one of the second row seats which isn’t realistic for day to day when you use three car seats. However, for many occasions, like when we have family in town, we’ll fold the second row seat and my son will use the BubbleBum in the third row. We also think it’s genius for car pool! The BubbleBum is so affordable that it’s a great option to have stowed in the car “just in case” you need it – just in case you pick up a friend’s child from school or just in case you want to have a spontaneous play date. And, if your family is like ours and you need to fit 3 car seats in a row, the BubbleBum is narrow and compact and fits 3 across.
To Buy or Not to Buy
To Buy… We were quickly won over by the smart design and safety features of the BubbleBum. It’s easy to use, extremely affordable and very compact which is perfect whether you leave it in your car or take it when you travel.
Or Not to Buy… My son is still on the small side for a booster seat full-time so the BubbleBum isn’t ideal for us for day to day use.
Shop! The BubbleBum Inflatable Booster Seat is available from our affiliate Magic Beans and Amazon for a suggested retail price of $39.99. To see more about the BubbleBum, including videos of the seat in action, check out BubbleBum’s website.
Bridgette
April 2, 2012I definitely need one of those! I had no idea that they existed. We have multiple family members that help us with carpool and this would be a Godsend!
It’s so affordable that it’s worth it even if you only use every so often. And it’s small enough you could even leave it in your daughter’s backpack!