I know what you are thinking. Isn’t a “bubble bum” the thing I have been trying to avoid by going to the gym every day once a month? No, this isn’t a cautionary tale about the potential drawbacks of eating an entire sleeve of Thin Mints every night before bed. BubbleBum is the newest revolution in children’s car seat technology, and a “must have” for any traveling families. I am usually pretty skeptical about buying the next "big thing" in the baby care world. I long ago passed the typical panicked mom phase that demanded the purchase of every gadget and gizmo, and I am now much more minimalistic when it comes to what the kids really need. Anything that promises to make travel easier for families is going to catch my attention, and warrant a closer look.
What is BubbleBum?
BubbleBum is an inflatable booster car seat that folds compactly and fits neatly in your trunk or travel bag. It was created by a mom from Northern Ireland who was frustrated by the lack of safe car seats available at car rental desks. She also wanted to create a seat that would provide more comfort for growing kids, and would be more desirable than the typical “baby” seat.
Vital Statistics
· Measures 13” x 13”, fully inflated.
· Weighs 1 pound, 1 ounce
· For children 4-11 years old, between 40-100 pounds
· Costs $39.99 online and at Target
How to Use It
When I am reviewing a new childcare product, ease of use is the number one feature I want to see. I am happy to report that I could easily inflate and install this carseat without needing to ask any of my older children to read the instructions and explain it to their mom. Score one for BubbleBum (and Mom!)
Inflation: As soon as you remove BubbleBum from the ultra-slim packaging, it begins to self inflate. A few breathes inflate the seat fully, and the valve seals in the air as you blow, so you don’t need to fight the air escaping as you blow. The valve is very sturdy and seals tightly to ensure that the air stays inside. You will not feel like you are getting lightheaded from inflating the seat, unless you get over-excited.
Installation: Installing the BubbleBum is slightly more involved than the typical booster seat. Each time the child sits in the seat, you must thread the seatbelt through the two red clips to hold the seat in place. It only takes about a minute, but it is not a step that I would let my child do alone on for safety reasons. For smaller riders, there is also a shoulder positioning belt that must be clipped in place to position the shoulder belt properly. It’s certainly not a hard installation, but it takes a bit more time than the standard booster.
Storage: Unlike most inflatable products, BubbleBum does actually deflate enough to go back into it's storage bag for easy travel. It did take a few hard squeezes to get the extra air out of the seat, but I was able to do it on my own without so much as breaking a sweat (or blowing a bicep). The storage bag fit nicely in the side of my carry-on suitcase.
Kid Feedback
My almost four year old, although not quite old enough to use the BubbleBum while driving, was thrilled to try it out in the driveway. All the time he was striking a pose for the camera, he was bouncing up and down on the pillow of air. He really seemed to enjoy the comfort. My seven year old, who is way too cool for a booster seat (but still has to use one anyway), liked the cool design and felt better about sitting on a “cushion” than a typical “baby” seat.
Any Drawbacks?
BubbleBum is my new favorite travel tool for families on the go, but there are a couple of features that make this seat impractical for our family for daily use. It seems as though the small size of the seat would become uncomfortable on a long trip, but we will have to see if the air cushion actually makes up for the small size. The need for an adult to buckle the seat each time also makes it impractical for older kids to use daily.
~BubbleBum fits neatly and easily into my suitcase. Love it!~
Who Should Use the BubbleBum?
· Families who travel regularly and need a booster seat at their destination
· Grandparents or other caregivers who occasionally transport children
· Carpoolers
· City dwellers and travelers who want to use public transportation safely
· Families with smaller vehicle who need to fit three car seats in a row
BubbleBum is giving away a Bubblebum Inflatable Booster Seat to one lucky reader. Follow the Instructions below and good luck!
~BubbleBum provided me with a free inflatable booster seat so I could experience the difference myself. They did not require that I express a particular viewpoint and all opinions are my own~
I think I'll see if I can find one of these in person. It would be a perfect extra for the occasional times that I pick up an extra kid or two. We have two booster seats for our one child, since he rides to school with my sister, and then I pick him up. So one extra child is easy enough (I just have to plan accordingly and make sure that I have both in my car), but if I pick up another extra, I have to go pick up their booster seat from their parents. An inflatable one would be perfect for those times!
We just bought the Bubblebum. It is actually heavier then I thought, but pretty compact. My daughter has not complained about the comfort at all yet and it's come in fairly handy. Overall I would have to agree with the review. It's a grea tthing to have in the bag for the Western countries with rules on these things.. Now if only they could come up with a car seat 😀
I bet that would be more comfortable than those hard seats.
That seems comfortable but how does it rate for safety