Review: Graco Highback TurboBooster Elite Car Seat

We just recently received a Graco Highback TurboBooster® Elite Car Seat to review for our 8 year old son. Although Jake is getting big, we still want to use a booster seat with a back and this booster accommodates.

The first thing you notice about the Graco Highback TurboBooster® Elite is it is sharp and good looking. The colorblock is fun and adds a modern feel to the design. Assembly could not have been easier and the seat is ready in just a couple of minutes.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

The Graco Highback TurboBooster® Elite includes an insert that helps accommodate smaller children and can be added or removed easily. Installing the seat into the car was as simple as setting it into place. The seat belt rings on the seat are designed to really hold the belt in place, no chance of the belt coming out if placed properly.

The padded removable washable covers securely fasten to the back of the seat.  There is no chance of the covers shifting or slipping off.

Once the seat is in place our son thought it fit well and was comfortable. When adjusted to the correct height, the padded headrest provides plenty of protection for his head and neck.  The Graco Highback TurboBooster® Elite has hidden cup holders, that slide out like drawers, in each side of the seat for left or right orientation that easily hold a 20oz. bottle of water.

As an owner of 6 car seats (not including the ones we gave to relatives to help with our kids) I consider myself an expert and I am happy with the Graco Highback TurboBooster® Elite. The quality is fantastic considering its price ($69.99 retail) and we are enjoying it very much. Since the back is removable, we will be able to use this seat for years to come.  The overall design is handsome and simple. I certainly recommend this car seat for any child 30 to 100lbs.

To learn more about this highback booster, visit GracoBaby.com.


Thank you to Graco for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Combi Kobuk Air-Thru Booster Car Seat

When I was shopping for car seats for my first born, I believed that convertible car seats were the way to go because I thought they would be a good fit for many years.  What I did not consider was that an older child would not be very happy strapped into a restrictive harness.  That is why we just switched our last child over to a booster car seat.

Since I began looking at car booster seats, I noticed a couple of well-respected brands utilizing air flow as part of their design.  Combi was one of those brands.  This Combi Kobuk Air-Thru Booster Car Seat came to us from Hayneedle.com, an online retailer widely known for its vast assortment of home furnishings.  What may surprise some shoppers is that Hayneedle also offers everything for babies and infants for feeding, bathing, and safety above and beyond room furnishings.

The Combi Kobuk Air-Thru has all the features I normally look for in a high-back booster car seat, including being able to grow with my child, good head support and sufficient side-head protection, extra padding for comfort, a removable and machine washable cover, at least one cup holder, and the ability to transform into a backless booster someday.

Some pluses beyond the basics I was looking for are the user-friendly seatbelt guide, the ability to move the cup holder from one side to another, comfy upholstered and padded armrests, and a sleek look.

The most unique feature is the vented shell, which allows for hot air to escape, keeping my son cooler during the warmer months.  These vents are located in the headrest, the shoulders, and behind the knees.

My son is super-happy with his Combi booster car seat, as am I.  It is recommended for children between 33 and 125 lbs and my son is currently 33lbs.  Although this is not an extra wide car seat, there is definitely room for him to grow.  The one thing I would change about this car seat is to have just a bit more space underneath the padded armrest to fit the seat belt through more easily.  Although it is more secure, the space is very snug, so the seat belt does not retract on its own.  I have to adjust it manually after I fasten it.  Also, my son had to learn that he has to slide the seatbelt forward after he unfastens it.

To learn more about the Combi Kobuk Air-Thru Booster Car Seat, visit CarseatSuperstore.com, where it currently sells for $89.99 (Listed at $99.99) with Free Shipping within the continental United States.

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Have you tried your hand at designing your dream virtual backyard?  I did and it was so much fun!  As part of its Backyard Escape Giveaway, Hayneedle will be giving away a $10,000 shopping spree this summer.  All you need to do is design your dream backyard using the Hayneedle products made available to you.  The finalists will be chosen based on creative use of the products and how life-like the designs are.  A $100 Hayneedle gift card will also be awarded each week to two random entrants.  Then voting will take place to determine the grand prize winner.  You have until July 1st, 2011 to enter.  Visit Hayneedle on Facebook to learn more about the contest details.

Thank you to Hayneedle for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a Combi Kobuk Air-Thru Booster Car Seat (ARV $90).

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Browse the selection of baby and nursery products or kids' products offered by Hayneedle. Then leave a comment telling me the name of a product you would be excited to purchase for a child in your life (aside from the product featured in this article). You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1)  For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.


2)  For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3)  For 10 extra entries, sign up to receive email savings and updates from Hayneedle. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments telling me you did.

4)  For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5)  For 1 extra entry each, follow Hayneedle on Twitter and/or "Like" Hayneedle on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.


6)  Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)  Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)  Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)  Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, June 13th, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Review: Kiddie Catch-All Car and Car Seat Organizer

If you have kids, you know what a mess they can make of your vehicle. In our SUV, our children have toys, paper, pencils, and more stashed throughout the various places inside. When I was offered the Kiddie Catch-All to try out, I jumped on the chance for some organization for my car.

Kiddie Catch-All is a perfect storage accessory to fill with books, toys, games, or whatever else you can think of and it makes what kids need within perfect reach. Designed to hook neatly on your child's car seat, everything children need is right at their fingertips, keeping them entertained and keeps you from being distracted. Plus, it keeps your car neat and orderly instead of looking like a tornado ran through it.

I want to point out that the Kiddie Catch-All also hooked perfectly to the car door handle and the pocket on the back of the front passenger seat. Both my kids loved that their stuff was able to stay in the car and that it had a place to “live”. I thought it was well-made as well from durable plastic and strong, sturdy netting, which is removable and machine washable. It will surely last for a while with regular use.

You can learn more about Kiddie Catch-All on their website, KiddieCatchAll.com, where this product is currently selling for $12.95 plus S&H for a set of two.


Thank you to Kiddie Catch-All for sending us a complimentary product sample to base this review upon.  This article has been written as part of a Family Review Network campaign.

Giveaway & Review: The First Years Compass B540 Booster Car Seat [CLOSED]

Strangely enough, even though our 3 year olds are fraternal twins, our daughter is a few pounds heavier and a couple of inches taller than her twin brother. For this reason, she was ready to graduate into a booster car seat first.

I really wanted to find a booster car seat that would last my daughter until she did not need to use any type of booster in the car any longer. This meant that I needed something that was of high quality and was fully adjustable. The Compass B540 Booster Car Seat from The First Years seemed to be everything I was looking for.

Available in 6 colors, in addition to being very stylish and attractive, the Compass B540 is very well-made. The first thing all three children noticed was how soft the fabric is. There are no scratchy tags sewn into the body, but rather the brand, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "Ease of Use" rating, and the weight limit is embroidered into the fabric.

One of my favorite safety features is the extra large foam padded adjustable headrest and side wings that would protect my daughter's head should we ever have a collision. The yellow handle on the back of the head rest makes adjusting the height and width an easy task. The back of the seat is fully adjustable, so it can truly accommodate a child that is 30lbs up to 100lbs and fits the child properly. The seat back grows with your child. I know many people take their children out of booster seats when each child reaches a certain weight, but it is nice to know that parents who want to keep their children in a booster seat longer as a precaution have the option to do so.

The Compass B540 is extremely easy to install. You need only put the seat in position and it is held in place by the car's seat belt. Having arms that flip up makes it much easier to fasten the seat belt.

This seat also has one cup holder on each side. Although we do not usually have drinks in the car, these are perfect for storing other things, such as tissues or small toys. Both the cup holders and the arm rests are user-friendly enough for my daughter to move them herself.

Another extremely well-thought out feature is the built-in spot for the user-manual. This is perfect if you ever need to pass the car seat off to a friend or relative during an emergency. Also this seat only weighs 9lbs, so it is easy to transport.

The back of this seat folds down completely and is also removable. The green area on the bottom of the car seat is the lock and is clearly marked with easy-to-follow instructions. Having the seat fold down is a great feature should you need to put it in the trunk to make another seat available for an adult or older child.

Normally, I would have at least one suggestion for an improvement on a product, but neither my husband nor myself can think of even one. We are extremely pleased with the comfort level and functionality of this car seat.

To learn more about the Compass B540 Booster Car Seat, visit LearningCurve.com . This particular car seat retails for $99.99 . You can purchase The First Years Compass car seats at most major retailers of child car seats, such as Babies R Us, Amazon.com, Target, and Walmart.

Thank you to The First Years for sending us a sample car seat free of charge to base this review upon and for providing a second car seat as our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a Compass B540 Booster Car Seat in the color of their choice (Subject to availability) ARV $99.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Visit the Compass B540 product pages. Then leave a comment telling me what feature of this booster car seat is most important to you AND tell me what color you would choose if you won this contest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2)

For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND The First Years . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4)

For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 1 extra entry each, follow The First Years on Twitter and/or "Like" The First Years on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.

6)

Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)

Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)

Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)

Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10)

Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, August 16th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Giveaway & Review: Monterey Expandable Booster Car Seat [CLOSED]

Our 5-1/2 yr old son Jake has really sprouted up these past 12 months. I've had to purchase a completely new wardrobe of pants for him twice this year already. I sure hope these new ones will carry him through to the end of the winter.

Because Jake has grown so quickly, my husband and I decided it was time to trade in his 5-point-harness seat for a booster car seat. Even though our son is tall, he is still a little on the slim side, so we needed to find something that would, not only keep him safe, but something that would be comfortable for him as well.





What my husband and I thought about the Monterey Expandable Booster:

1) I may have mentioned once or twice (or a hundred times) that my husband is very particular about safety items and children's gear in general. He actually said that he was "extremely impressed" by this booster seat.

2) This booster is adjustable to fit a child up to 120lbs and up to 5' 3" tall. The 12-position headrest has a 6" adjustability. We know that this seat will last us a long time even if my son does some more sprouting.


3) The back can be removed completely for when my son is even older and is ready for a backless booster.

4) I like how the seat is extra deep. That is one main problem we had with Jake's previous car seat. It did not support his legs very well and could not have been comfortable during long rides.

5) Jake says his new seat is very comfortable. The seat is padded with energy absorbing foam on the sides to help reduce the effects of impact should he ever be involved in an accident.

6) This booster seat comes with LATCH connectors, but the second row of our minivan does not have LATCH capabilities. I was concerned that the seat belt being the only thing holding Jake and the booster in place would not be enough, but it actually does the job. When he is sitting in the seat, the combination of his weight and the rubber gripping bottom keeps the seat in place very well. When he is not in the seat, we make sure to fasten the seat belt around the booster seat anyways because it would not be ideal to have a large free moving object in the car during sudden stops or any kind of impact. If it was in a LATCH capable seat, then the booster would already be attached to the car and this would not be necessary.

7) This booster is extremely user-friendly. To adjust the back and the headrest, simply turn the red dial. My husband thinks this is such a nice change compared to the infant/toddler car seats that need to be removed before one can make adjustments.

8) The Monterey booster is clearly well made and has a strong metal frame.

9) The fabric turned out to be extremely easy to clean. The cover is removable and hand washable, but it actually wiped clean to our surprise. We found this out after our son experienced motion sickness while reading in the car one day.

The list above are the main reasons why we love our Monterey Booster. Of course there are little things that we also appreciate, such as the deep cup holders on both sides that can be hidden when not in use. The seat also has 2 reclining positions, but we have not yet had the need for that feature. However, it will definitely be handy if we ever decide to go on a long road trip.

You can find the Monterey Expandable Booster plus an array of car seats and accessories at One Step Ahead. Through August 31st, 2009 you can receive Free Ground Shipping on a purchase of $85 or more when you use Code: FREE85 at checkout.


Thank you to One Step Ahead for providing us with both a review product and a contest prize free of charge.

What you can win:
One lucky readers will receive a Monterey Expandable Booster (which retails for $129.95).

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Visit One Step Ahead's Halloween Shop. Then leave a comment telling me which Halloween costume you think is the cutest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) Add this blog to your Technorati Favorites. Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so and under what username. Add to Technorati Favorites

4) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND One Step Ahead. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

5) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

6) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

7) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

8) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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9) Add my "Monterey Car Seat" giveaway button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Monday, September 21st, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!