I was in market for a new car seat due to my daughters increasing age and her old car seat being cumbersome. I had always thought that the high back booster seats started at 4 years and 40 lbs. I was pleased to see this one starting at 3 years and 30 lbs.
I read the reviews and did my research. The main negative points seemed to stem from only 1 latch and having a wiggle space of 5 inches without the seat belt attached. From that point of view I could understand that the car seat would be over priced for a latch system that does not seem to do its job. Despite this I decided to take a risk and buy the car seat (mostly because I was so tired of lugging the car seat we currently had lol).
The product arrived promptly. It did not come in any extra packaging save its original box. Box was in relatively good condition. The product instructions were easy to understand and easy to set up.
Size was just right for its intended purpose fitting well in a mid size sedan as not being too big or too small. The fabric was soft to the touch and my daughter quickly proclaimed it to be comfortable. The side impact safety indicators were a definite plus but did not overly wrap around my daughter. My daughter especially liked the cup holder and "secret" drawer she found on the car seat. I obviously did not have the heart to tell her it was designed that way. ^_^
As far as the latch system, I noticed right away there were 2 latches on the back. it has a push button release on the front to give the latches slack to easily attach the latches to the car. The pull strap on the front quickly and easily pulls the car seat snug to the seat. I did not find any appreciable give to the car seat on a wiggle test. The use of the belt buckle has its ups and downs. My daughter found it quite exciting to use the seat belt like mommy and daddy. However with the sides and the armrests designed the way they are it is next to impossible for her to buckle her self at the moment. I realize its not a big problem, but it is worth mentioning.
All in all I found this seat to be easy to set up and install. My daughter is enjoying "growing up into a new seat" and the car seat looks a bit more stylish as car seats go. Other than my daughter being able to buckle herself in, the only negative thing I found was the back is unstable without a support surface. This is to say if you sat the seat on the ground with nothing behind it, and your child sat down AND leaned back into the chair, the chair easily gives way to reclining to a flat position. I realize this not its intended purpose. I realize that it is designed that way for ease to recline the chair and remove the high back when needing to. I even realize that in its intended purpose as a car seat, the seat gives it the support and there is no danger of the back reclining back. I only mention this because I was eager for my daughter to try the chair after setting it up and quickly had to catch the back of the seat before she fell back. I admit to being at fault, but I still deem it as a negative in my view lol.
| Product Dimensions | 15.5 x 16.5 x 26.75 inches |
|---|---|
| Item model number | 1852665 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Minimum weight recommendation | 40 Pounds |
| Maximum weight recommendation | 100 Pounds |
| Minimum height recommendation | 43 Inches |
| Maximum height recommendation | 57 Inches |
| Material Type | Foam |
| Material Composition | Child |
| Number Of Items | 1 |
| Style | Affix |
| Batteries required | No |
| Forward-facing maximum child weight | 40 Pounds |
| Harness type | 3-Point |
| Seating capacity | 40.00 |
| Is portable | No |
| Item Weight | 9.8 pounds |
| Country/Region of origin | China |
