BubbleBum (Family Fiends) Review

They had my kids at “BubbleBum”.

So, you’re a parent. Aside from all those pesky tasks such as feeding, clothing, and parenting them, you are also expected to buckle them in securely wherever you may go. It’s a simple enough task, really – unless you travel, own multiple vehicles, let them go on playdates with their friends, visit their grandparents, or any other activity that requires those big, bulky booster seats to be moved regularly. And for most parents, those sorts of situations pop up pretty often. You can lug your existing car seat along wherever it’s needed, from school to daycare to airplanes, but even the smaller ones are a pain in the neck to carry around – especially when you already have to lug around everything else associated with taking children anywhere. There has to be a better way.

Enter the BubbleBum. Silly name aside, it’s an interesting solution to a commonplace problem – kids need carseats, and they are not convenient to hail around. The BubbleBum is an inflatable carseat that deflates and stores inside a smallish carrying bag that is easily stored in luggage, your glove compartment (great for surprise play dates), or a large diaper bag. Now I know what you’re thinking, because I thought it too – how on earth can an inflatable booster seat be safe and sturdy enough for my children to actually use. After all, review or no, I will not compromise my child’s safety (nor would I expect you to), so I was relieved to see that the BubbleBum meets all US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

My biggest worry aside, I was excited to take the BubbleBum for a test drive, as was my four year old daughter. To get it ready to go, all you do is remove the booster seat from its carrying bag, twist open the air bag, and inflate it by mouth. It is very simple and fast to air up, and feels pretty sturdy once inflated (similar to a quality air mattress in feel). It is a backless booster, relatively small in size, with a belt positioning clip on both sides of the seat. While it does take a little bit longer to thread the seatbelt though both clips when buckling your kids in, it does position the seat belt more comfortably than standard boosters (which typically have a belt positioner on only one side).

Comfort was the next thing on my list, and both my four and seven year olds gave it a thumbs up.  The extra time spent on belt positioning clips paid off, as my four year old was not constantly tugging at her seatbelt strap to make it more comfortable. I was somewhat skeptical that the inflatable base would be offer any sort of comfort, but the cushioned top seems to do trick, as she and her sister reported happy bums after their rides.

Being a parent can seem like it requires lugging the entire contents of your home every time you leave the house, so any product that can offer me comfort and safety in a reduced size is a great idea in my book. With a design kids love, and the strict safety standards parents require, the BubbleBum booster seat offers a handy solution to the worries of traveling safely with kids.