33 out of 33 people found this review helpful.
The Graco Turbo Booster SafeSeat is another Durable Product from Graco!
Date of Review: May 19, 2008
The Bottom Line: I found the Graco Turbo Booster to be a good, quality booster seat that is durable and a good value. I highly recommend this seat.
About a year ago, just before my son turned three, we decided it was time to get him a seatbelt-positioning booster seat. This is a type of car seat that isn't actually secured to the vehicle, but raises the child to a proper height and position to make the vehicle's safety belt effective. Even though my son had a couple months before turning three, he had met the height and weight requirements for most booster seats. Plus, we really needed the car seats that he had been using for his younger brother who was seriously outgrowing his infant car seat! The Graco Turbo Booster SafeSeat was the seat we chose and have been happy with it ever since.
Comparison Shopping
I did quite a bit of comparison shopping for our booster seats because I was planning on purchasing two seats--one for each of our vehicles. I realize boosters are easily transportable, but this way I didn't have to worry about forgetting to leave the booster seat if my husband was picking up the kids. I was concerned about price, safety, comfort, quality, and usefulness. Booster seats of this type range in price from a mere $25 all the way up to around $75 depending on brand, features, and styling. I was hoping to stay in the $45 to $50 range, but wanted to make sure that I purchased a quality product that would last. Many of the seats I looked at at the lower price range had very thin padding that seemed like it would be very uncomfortable on longer rides. Some boosters have the option of removing the back when the child gets older, some do not. I ended up choosing the Graco Turbo Booster SafeSeat. I chose it because I was very happy with other Graco products I own, the price was fair ($50), the quality was good, and the back detaches on this seat becoming a backless booster when the child gets older.
Features
The Graco Turbo Booster SafeSeat is recommended for kids 3 years old and up that weigh between 30 and 100 pounds and are between 38" to 57" tall. It can be used as a backless booster once a child weighs at least 40 pounds and is between 38" to 57" tall. The headrest flares out around the head about 45 degrees to protect the child's head from side impact. This is a nice featureas well (some newer seats have this as well, but the headrest on these seats comes around the entire side of the child's face, which is safer, but it may encourage the child to lean forward in order to see around the headrest). The seat also features hide away cup holders that hide pull out from the seat on each side of the seat and adjustable armrests. EPS foam cushioning helps absorb bumps for a more comfortable ride. The cover also removes easily for easy washing. In addition, this seat is lightweight and relatively easy to carry.
Assembly
The assembly was really simple. With just a screw driver, I was able to assemble both of my booster seats in less than 20 minutes. You have to position the headrest to the proper height before attaching with screws. Other parts, like arm rests, snap in. The padded cover attaches easily with elastic loops that attach to hooks on the back and underside of the seat. That's it. Now it is ready to use! Before putting the seat in the car, I let my son test his new seat on the floor in the house. He loved his new "big boy" seat and gave it his seal of approval (not that I needed his approval, of course, but I thought I would humor him).
In Use
Graco Turbo Booster is very easy to use. To use, you simply position the vehicle's safety belt through the booster seat's guide, across the child and into the fastener. Fast and easy! The transition in to this booster seat was a welcome change. It is so much easier to simply have my son climb into his seat and have me fasten his seat belt, compared to getting him strapped into a regular car seat!
The booster seat easily tilts to adjust to the position of the vehicle's seat. There are seat belt guides on both sides of the seat, so that it can be used on either side of the vehicle. The cup/snack holders are a convenient feature as well. They stow away into the seat when not in use so not to be in the way.
Quality
Since I have been using my two Turbo Boosters for over a year now, I can attest to their quality and durability. We use the seats frequently, not daily, but at least every other day. The cloth on the seats barely looks used. The padding still is still cushiony (is cushiony a word?). I really didn't expect it to be in this good of shape one year later! I am impressed. These will probably last until my son outgrows booster seats altogether, and that won't be for a few years. My two Graco Turbo Boosters will probably last until my son outgrows booster seats altogether, and that won't be for a few years.
Overall
I couldn't be happier with my Graco Turbo Boosters. They are of the same good quality I have grown to trust from Graco, and they were available at a fair price. They can be found in a wide variety of colors at major retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Babies R Us, and Baby Depot.
