Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Graco AFFIX Highback Booster Seat with Latch System {Review}

Graco logo
Although our weekends are often busy with birthday parties, visiting family, running errands and more, there are times when my husband and I look at the calendar and are happy to see that Saturday and Sunday are wide open.

I'm especially thankful, as my wonderful husband will then plan a variety of outings for himself and the girls, leaving me home to revel in the peace and quiet that I typically don't have all week long. Ahhhh.

However, as much as I would like to say that I spend my hours to myself completely and utterly relaxed, that just doesn't happen. Putting aside any cleaning, laundry or blogging, there's also the issue of my constant worry.

Is it an irrational fear to spend the day fretting that something terrible might happen to the three most important people in my life? Maybe. But that doesn't stop me from looking out the window every time I hear a car drive by to see if it's them returning home safely.

Thankfully, I can usually ease some of my nerves by reminding myself that we have done what we can to keep our children as safe as possible. After all, while I never want to receive a phone call about an accident, at least I know that choices such as the Graco AFFIX Highback Booster with Latch System have decreased the chances of anything serious happening.

Graco AFFIX booster

Regardless of your state's laws, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends children remaining in booster seats up to age 12. But while parents spend a great deal of time picking out their newborn's first car seat or the convertible seat that they will then transition to, how much is known about booster seats? And how do we convince our children that they're "cool" enough that they won't mind sitting in them?

Luckily, Graco has a variety of booster seats ranging from harnessed to belt-positioning in high back and no-back to meet the needs and personalities of preschool and school-aged children who may be reluctant about sitting in a booster seat.

And, when the box containing a Graco AFFIX in Atomic red arrived, I knew that it was just the right blend of fashion and function by embodying a child's personal style and keeping them safe and secure in a vehicle as well.

Graco booster seat

Available in red, pink and silver, the AFFIX Highback Booster is for use forward facing with the back for children that are 3-10 years old, 30-100 lbs and 38" to 57" tall. Then, as it easily converts to a backless booster, the AFFIX can also be used for your 4 to 10-year-old who weighs 40 to 100 lbs and is 40" to 57" tall.

With hardly any assembly required, it doesn't take much more than pulling this car seat out of the box before it is ready for use.

Graco AFFIX assembly

It only took a minute or two to pop the armrests in, snap the headrest into place and connect the back to the booster seat. By easily locking the pieces together and standing the back upright, I soon had a high quality, durable, comfortable booster ready for use.

Graco AFFIX booster seat review

Catching a first glimpse of the Graco AFFIX, Big Sister E was excited about the bright red coloring and the "big kid" look and feel.

She immediately pointed out the integrated cup holder and hide-away storage compartment and how pleased she was with the convenience of being able to keep her own drink and belongings right within reach.

booster seat extras

Heading out to the car, my husband and I were both excited to find that there was barely any installation involved, as Graco included a One-hand Latch System to secure this booster seat to the vehicle seat. Even better, the unique front adjustment of the Latch allowed us to quickly and easily tighten the AFFIX into place without having to reach under or around.

Not only does this secure connection prove convenient for parents to know that the booster seat is properly in place, but it keeps the whole seat very steady so that the child won't have any problem buckling themselves right in.

Graco AFFIX booster seat

Once the AFFIX was safely in place, I took a minute to admire the thought that Graco put into its safety features. As well as the ease of installation, the adjustable head support and energy absorbing foam are both great additions for reducing impact and keeping my precious cargo safe in the car.

As an added bonus, I love the open-loop belt guides up at the shoulders to help ensure that Big Sister E correctly positions her seat belt when getting in and buckling up.

Graco AFFIX highback booster seat

All in all, Graco has done a wonderful job reducing my fears and easing my worries, while also keeping my big girl safe and secure. I have no doubt that we will be using the AFFIX with the Highback in place for quite a while... and, considering how extremely easy it is to simply remove the back and turn it into a backless booster, we'll be using it even longer after that!

When it comes to car seats, strollers, high chairs, swings, activity centers, monitors, and much more, Graco has the items that meet all the needs of children from birth to the preschool years in an affordable way — this booster seat will last for years to come and sells for $79.99 on Amazon or in stores near you.

Find out more about the AFFIX Highback Booster Seat with Latch System on the Graco website and be sure to connect with this award-winning company on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Other than the AFFIX Booster Seat I was provided by Graco to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this review in any way. This post is solely my honest opinion of this product and this company.

11 comments:

AMERICAN ARTICLES said...

This looks like a great stroller, my son just had a baby and he is looking for a good one, I will pass this along to him, thank you,

LeeAnn said...

This looks like an awesome booster seat! I love that it uses the LATCH to secure the seat to the vehicle seat so it doesn't become a projectile if your child isn't in it. I also like the little hidden compartment...that might keep some of Rylie's "stuff" off of the floor of my truck!

We are in the market for booster seats for Rylie, and this definitely looks like everything I am looking for in a seat!

Lisa R said...

This is a nice booster. I like that it has a back to it. It looks like it is really padded too.

sibabe64 at ptd dot net

slehan said...

Where was this 40 years ago when I needed it? Looks like a great system. Love the non-essential, but neat, cup holder & compartment.

slehan at juno dot com

Anonymous said...

this looks very sturdy and safe

Liz Mays said...

I must say I like the compartment for a drink, and that seat belt guide is fabulous!

Helga said...

Graco is a good brand and I like these features

Unknown said...

this is a nice booster. I should check into this for my grandson.

Lily Anne said...

I know that a lot of kids and parents think this is silly, but I feel the way people drive these days, it is a great thing to have our children be safe and mad at me for a few minutes, than to not use a car seat and not have a child. This was not available when my kids were young. I would definitely have used them. My kids were all stick thin. I made the wear their seat belts until they were a full head above the back of the seat. My kids kind of fussed, but they knew I wouldn't start the car until I heard all 3 buckles click. They really didn't mind.

Unknown said...

This is a really cute and practical booster for any little one.

Paula V said...

cool booster seat for the growing little ones. :-)