REASONS TO BUY
Light and compact
Simple design
Wallet-friendly
REASONS TO AVOID
Disappointing quality
No back
Shoulder guide easily gets twisted
BubbleBum Review
The perfect choice for travel and carpooling, but its lower quality and average crash test result make it less ideal for everyday use
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Our Verdict
The BubbleBum is one of our travel favorite booster seats. It is an inflatable cushion that boosts children up so the vehicle seatbelt properly aligns with their body for safe fitting. This favorite car seat is small and very lightweight, making it ideal for carpooling and traveling or for instances where children need to carry it themselves. While this product has some inherent issues, like the use of lower quality materials and some difficulty with seat belt retainers, we still think it is the best thing going for times when you may need to carry or transport a booster seat for safer driving. This option is not the best for everyday use as we prefer a booster with a high back, and its crash test results were only average. However, with one of the lowest prices in the group, this easy-to-buckle option makes a great add-on safety option for use when your full-size booster would be too cumbersome or heavy for the job at hand.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
BubbleBum | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Booster for Travel and Carpooling |  Better Crash Test Booster Car Seat on a Budget | Best Budget High Back Booster Car Seat | ||
| Price | $40 List $37.98 at Amazon | $180 List $179.99 at Amazon | $160 List $159.99 at Amazon | $40 List $35.93 at Amazon | $29 List $23.19 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Great for travel and carpooling, but the quality and average crash results make it less appealing as an all-the-time booster | The better than average crash test analysis make the easy to use and budget seat worthy of consideration | Great choice for most families with better crash testing analysis, easy installation, and cozy seating for kids | A similar travel option style has better crash test analysis and a lower price, making this one not as attractive | This basic booster offers disappointing results in most metrics, including crash test analysis, making the low price less appealing |
| Rating Categories | BubbleBum | UPPAbaby Alta v2 | Chicco KidFit Zip A... | Hiccapop UberBoost... | Graco TurboBooster... |
| Crash Test (35%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Weight/Size (15%) | |||||
| Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Quality (10%) | |||||
| Specifications | BubbleBum | UPPAbaby Alta v2 | Chicco KidFit Zip A... | Hiccapop UberBoost... | Graco TurboBooster... |
| Modes | Backless Booster | High Back Booster | High Back Booster, Backless Booster | Backless Booster | Backless Booster |
| High Back Booster Weight Range | N/A | 40-100 lb | 40-110 lb | N/A | N/A |
| High Back Booster Height Range | N/A | 38-57 in | 38-57 in | N/A | N/A |
| Width | 11.3 in | 15.5 in | 18.2 in | 15.0 in | 16.3 in |
| Weight | 0.9 lb | 17lb | 11.8 lb | 1.1 lb | 4.5 lb |
| Backless Booster Weight Range | 40-100 lb | N/A | 40-110 lb | 40-110 lb | 40-100 lb |
| Backless Booster Height Range | 40-57 in | N/A | 38-58 in | 38-62 in | 43-57 in |
| 5 Point Harness Weight Range | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 5 Point Height Range | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| LATCH Equipped | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Recline Positions | N/A | None | 2 | N/A | N/A |
| Foam Type | None | EPS + EPP | EPS | None | None |
| Seat Lifespan | 4 Years from purchase date | 10 Years | 8 Years | None | 10 Years |
| Aircraft Certified | No | No | No | No | No |
Our Analysis and Test Results
BubbleBum is the first inflatable booster seat invented by Grainne Kelly. Kelly came up with the BubbleBum idea when she got frustrated carrying around heavy and bulky boosters for her children. This booster meets and exceeds EU and US requirements. This innovation is the flagship product for a company that now makes a children's neck pillow and activity organizer for the backseat. The BubbleBum sells in more than twenty-eight countries.
Performance Comparison
The BubbleBum was not a top performer in our commissioned third-party tests with MGA Research, but it was better than the other backless booster we tested.
Credit: GearLab & MGA Research
Crash Test
The BubbleBum earned an average result for crash test analysis compared to the competition. This analysis combines the sensor data results from commissioned crash testing performed at MGA Research. We ran a test slightly hotter than the federal guidelines and on a more modern-style sled to help determine differences in the competition.
The chest clip sensor data was better compared to the competition, with a lower recorded amount of G-forces (lower is better) than most. However, the HIC (head sensor) results were not as good as many competitors. The sensor data was in the top third of G-forces, which brought down its combined analysis result. It still performed better than some of the high-backed options and better than the other backless booster we tested.
Backless vs. High-backed
In general, we feel a high-backed booster provides an added degree of safety by creating a shell similar to convertible car seats for possible side-impact collisions or vehicle intrusion from the outside during a crash. However, we feel that any safety belt-positioning device is better than none, and BubbleBum fills a niche where boosters are often skipped for convenience.
In general, we feel a high-backed booster provides an added degree of safety by creating a shell similar to convertible car seats for possible side-impact collisions or vehicle intrusion from the outside during a crash. However, we feel that any safety belt-positioning device is better than none, and BubbleBum fills a niche where boosters are often skipped for convenience.
The design of the BubbleBum allows most booster age kids to buckle themselves in place because it isn't as wide and has no sides, armrests, or cup holders to hassle with.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
This is a simple booster with not a lot going on. The features and functions all work well and intuitively, giving it one of the highest results in the group for ease of use.
There is no installation method with this booster, and you only need to inflate it using the inflation tube to prepare it for use. The inflation is minimal and something most kids can accomplish without assistance.
The only real trouble our child tester had with the BubbleBum was the shoulder belt retainer. This plastic guide slides on a strap for customization for height, and if you aren't careful, it can easily get twisted at any point in the process.
Parents might have to help younger children guide the shoulder strap through the retainer before pulling the belt across their lap to buckle. Buckling the belt is easy and the BubblBum is so narrow it is not in the way.
The BubbleBum is a standout for size and weight, making it the clear winner for those who require a travel-friendly choice.
Credit: Natalie Nealan
Weight and Size
The Bubble Bum is the most compact and lightweight option in the group by far. If carrying a booster or using it on travel or camp and carpooling is in your future, it is hard to find better than the Bum. This booster only weighs 0.9 lbs and is 11.3 inches when fully inflated and ready for use. Seriously, if space or stowing is important, this is the booster for you.
The BubbleBum comes with a carry bag that it fits into when deflated and rolled up.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Additionally, this booster deflates and rolls up smaller. It is so small it will easily fit in a small backpack or even some adult jacket pockets. It is a perfect option for little ones who have to tote their own seats.
The BubbleBum is a backless option with no padded headrest or armrests, and the bottom can shift, making it less comfortable than competitors.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Comfort
This booster is narrow and has an inflatable base. It doesn't have much padding, and the fabric is rough and not at all soft.
The booster can shift as little ones shift, and kid testers did a lot of shifting of the booster on longer trips to keep it in place. The edge of the seat is also thicker and sticks up somewhat, which you can feel on the back of the legs and might be abrasive to bare legs wearing shorts. Last, because it is a backless booster, there is no support for the upper body, and car napping could be uncomfortable as kids slouch forward or to the side while sleeping.
Quality
This booster isn't the best quality compared to the competition. The padding is an air cushion, and over time, the cushion struggles to stay inflated, indicating a loss of air pressure somewhere and a quality assurance issue. We also experienced the booster not holding air at all after a trip on an airplane. Hard to say why, but given how travel-friendly it is, this was a bummer.
The fabric isn't as nice as it could be, and the seat's design means it will easily collect grime, and the material may not wear well over time. The Overall fit and finish are somewhat cheap and sloppy. Even though the product is inexpensive, the simple design could have been executed with higher-end materials and more attention to quality control.
The BubbleBum is a good, straightforward choice for kids in camp, carpooling, or travel. It is comparatively compact and easy to stow in a backpack.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the BubbleBum?
The BubbleBum is cheap, making it a shoo-in for many families. It is lightweight and compact when deflated so that little ones can carry it themselves. It is perfect for travel and carpooling, and we've used it with our children on travel and camp outings. Despite having an average crash test result, we think it fills the niche of travel-friendly like no other option, and the low price means it could be an excellent secondary seat used for travel only.
What Other Booster Seat Should You Consider?
Despite thinking the BubbleBum is perfect for carpooling or travel, it isn't our favorite for everyday use as we like a high-backed booster and better crash testing results. If budget is a concern, and that is why you are considering the BubbleBum, we think the Chicco KidFit Zip Air Plus 2-in-1 is a good budget choice with better crash test results. If you can stretch your budget or find a sale, we think the UPPAbaby Alta v2 is also an excellent option for most families. While neither are good for travel because they are larger and heavier, they are better choices for a primary car seat. If your goal is the best crash test analysis and a bigger budget or the ability to stretch your budget, the Nuna AACE is a winner in our book.
Manufacturer Video
—Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz
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