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We received our Snowberry Oobr a couple days ago, and the seat is VERY impressive.
With the rigid LATCH system it feels as secure and solid as the Britax Regent we previously had our almost 7yo harnessed in; no sliding around as my child tries to get in it, it doesn't budge. It also makes it an utter breeze to install or remove it is literally a 5 second job. Plus, the rigid LATCH allows this booster to 'recline' which might come in handy for long road trips.
The seat itself is heavier than the Graco TurboBooster we had occasionally used up to this point, but it is SO much more substantial feeling that it almost makes the TurboBooster feel like a 'toy' in comparison. It genuinely feels like more than just a 'booster' to position my child so that the seatbelt can protect her in a crash (though it does that too), but rather that the seat itself will provide protection like her harnessed seats up to this point. Plus, the Oobr doesn't fall apart when carried by the back like the TurboBooster always does.
The headrest adjusts just like, and feels just like, those on my car. Again not flimsy plastic that feels like it might break just being adjusted; this feels like something that could actually stand up to a crash. Plus, the sidewings are deep enough to 'cradle' my daugher's head and look like they would provide protection in a crash, but do not seem to bother her or impede her view, etc.
The fabric is made to withstand spills, etc, though we haven't had any of those yet to test it out. I can say that it feels more like upholstery than just a 'fabric' cover.
Finally there is a booster that I feel comfortable moving my daughter to (who, yes, has been harnessed far longer than many others; even though she is very tall for her age). I'd give the seat well over 5 stars, but I do recommend shopping around for pricing as there seems to be some variance out there.
Edit to add 11/20/09: Like the other reviewer observed, we will likely be using this seat for 3 years (though my daughter is already about to turn 7), even though she will be allowed by *law* to ride w/o a booster in just over a year. Since automotive engineers design seatbelts for those 4'9" and taller, it will likely be at *least* 9-10yo before my tall-for-her-age daugther meets the height for which seatbelts were designed to be used safely. Yes, that means she will be using this booster after we are legally obligated to do so. But, we've always gone by her safety over the minimums established by law (ie. she rear-faced longer than the minimum required by law, and was in a 5pt harness long after she met the legal minimum to move to a booster). Because we will get this long use out of it (and then likely get another 3 years use with her little sister, before the seat expires), we too feel it was worth the expense.
Edit to add 12/23/09: Just a quick update since we just took it on our first long (8+ hr) trip the slight recline and the deep head wings made it very easy for my 50" tall almost 7yo to nap in the car! She was able to sleep without her head flopping about, and while remaining upright enough for the seatbelt to stay properly positioned. Also worth noting: the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety just named the Clek Oobr as one of their "best picks" in highback boosters for proper positioning (out of 60 seats evaluated).
Edit to add 10/22/12: 3 years later, and we're still VERY happy with the seat and with our decision to buy this one. Our almost 10yo has outgrown the need for it, but our 6.5yo still loves hers. We're still getting use out of our 2nd one though, as it now 'lives' in Daddy's car (for when our younger one rides in his car) he doesn't mind having it stay in there since it doesn't slide/knock around the backseat thanks to the LATCH system. They still look brand new and I'm still just as confident in their safety!
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Like many parents, we did a lot of research before we purchased a booster seat. We narrowed our choices down to this and the Britax Frontier, largely based on safety ratings and the fact that we wanted a booster with a back and headrest. We decided to go look at both models and have our daughter sit in them to make our final decision, only to learn that (where we live) neither model is available in stores. Both were listed as "online purchase only" everywhere we looked. So, we decided to order both from Amazon and return the one that didn't work. I always love hearing pros and cons from people who've actually compared to something else, so I thought I'd contribute here.For the Clek Oobr:
Pros:
Excellent safety rating
Super clear instruction manual. Very easy to read with great illustrations. Well done, Clek!
Very easy to install via the LATCH system
Nice fabric that looked to be relatively easy to remove for washing
Easy to adjust headrest
Generous arm rests
Excellent padding on sides of headrest for side impact protection
Contemporary look (according to our daughter (5): it looks grownup instead of like a "baby" carseat)
Easy to thread seat belt guides
Option to recline seat (easily) for more comfortable sleeping/riding
Storage compartment for instructions built-in *under the seat* BRILLIANT, Clek!
Cons:
Not as much seat padding as the Britax Frontier (or maybe just firmer? It didn't feel as cushioned)
No 5-point harness
Within 2 minutes of sitting in the car with the seatbelt fastened, daughter slid her arm our of the shoulder strap.
Without a doubt, this would be a common occurrence & an ongoing battle w/her
No shoulder belt = SERIOUSLY decreased safety (obviously)
Granted, the shoulder belt escape move is somewhat of a "discipline" issue, but it won't be accomplished overnight, and as easy as it was for her to slide out of it, I have to wonder if it would sometimes happen accidentally. (She's 44" and 43 pounds, FTR) Regardless of whether the action would be purposeful or accidental, it's one more thing to worry about, and when it's just one of us driving in the car with her, it would be difficult to constantly monitor.
The 5-pt harness on the Britax Frontier was the main selling point for us. For a comparable price, it seemed like a fairly large safety difference. Even though it means a little more time for fastening, we feel like it's worth it for the safety factor. Not only does the 5-pt harness keep her secure and avoid the shoulder-escape-maneuver, it also prevents "submarining," which is common in safety tests with standard boosters (when the child slides out of the shoulder belt and under the lap harness.
Our daughter (5) declared that she liked the Britax better because the 5-pt harness felt more comfortable (she said the shoulder belt felt tight and rubbed her "funny" with the Clek), it was more "cushy," and it had two cup holders (versus only one on the Clek).
The Britax featured all of the same "pros" as the Clek, with the exceptions of:
A more complicated instruction manual, even though installation and adjustments are just as simple
More complicated removal of covers for washing (although I've done it w/a Britax carseat & it's doable)
No option to recline the seat
The arm rests don't seem as long (might be a "pro" when getting in & out, though)
One of the features that drew us to the Clek was the recline feature because we frequently have LONG car trips to grandparents' and medical specialists. We thought reclining might make it more easy/comfortable for our daughter to sleep. Even though the Britax does not recline, every other positive feature (and especially the 5-pt harness) still sold us.
Both look to be excellent, well designed/constructed seats with many positive features and excellent safety ratings. In a nutshell, the 5-point harness of the Britax wins out for us.
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Was looking for the next-step seat to replace the Britax Roundabout. Loved the Roundabout & Britax products so I went searching through their lineup but was unhappy with the installation of the Frontier and all the mixed reviews it had received. The Clek Oobr is just what I was looking for the highest safety rating possible with a simple installation that will likely be the last seat we need (as it converts to a backless booster for children up to 57" and 100 lbs). This seat is definitely the most sturdy booster I have looked at and makes the Graco booster (leftover from my first child) feel like a toy. The reclining feature is a bonus for a booster seat, but we have yet to use this feature for snoozing yet as most of our car trips are under 15 min. You do use the recline to install the seat when using the ridged latch. I had never seen a ridged latch prior to this seat and it was one of the reasons I was unsure about ordering it. For all of you out there like me, I'll do my best to describe it. Instead of the latch hooks hanging on the end of an adjustable belt that loops through the back of the seat (as in the case of the Roundabout), the "ridged latch" hooks are built into the base of the seat. To install this seat, you pull the recline handle and the base of the seat towards you. This action extends the two latch "arms" from the back of the seat, which you then line up with your seat latch eyes (not sure if thats the right term?) and click into place. You can then adjust the seat to your preferred recline. It is very easy and (I feel) even more secure than the latches on the adjustable belt because there is never any "slack" to worry about. We used this seat recently in a vehicle without the latch system for the first time and although it is not as obviously not as stationary as when it is used with latch, I felt it fit much more snug than the other boosters I have experienced. At 35 lbs and 39" my child is at the very bottom of what is recommended for this seat, but the seat does a perfect job of keeping the belts in the correct position even on her small frame. Only had the seat a month, but the fabric appears to be durable so I am optimistic only time will tell. Amazon had the best price I could find, and although it isn't cheap I feel the price is justified by the quality of the seat and the length of time we will be using it. Definitely would recommend to others. As always, quick shipping from Amazon!Honest reviews on Clek Oobr Booster Car Seat
We had looked at the Clek Oobr Booster Car seat at a baby shop 90 miles from our home, and so we had what we thought was a pretty good idea of what we were getting.So when this car seat arrived we were terribly disappointed in the fabric. IT was nothing like the colored fabrics!
As soon as we pulled it from the box our granddaughter, who was so excited that it was coming, reached out, touched it and immediately pronounced it "Prickly & Scratchy," and "not at all like the green or blue one..."
The seat installs beautifully, with the rigid latch system, but the fabric made it a no go.
Ella has very sensitive skin and just sitting in the seats while we made the car seat adjustments, caused her legs to rash...
So... back it went, sadly.
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Very sturdy seat and my son says it's comfortable. Relatively easy to install once you get the hang of how to recline the seat to fully expose the latch connectors. I was conflicted about buying this vs. the Clek Olli (backless booster) as my son is nearly six years old. However, after tons of research, the consensus was that he was safer in a high back booster that better positions the seat belt on him until he is taller and weighs more. He also tends to fall asleep still on longer car trips, and this allows him to rest his head in a comfortable position and the seatbelt still stays properly positioned and he's not flopped all over.Also worth noting that I ordered 2 of these (one for each car)and one of them arrived damaged (small tear in the fabric on the side for the price I was paying, I was not willing to overlook the minor defect). Amazon was fantastic about sending out a replacement at no cost via one day shipping even before they received the damaged one back from me. Great customer service will use Amazon again for similar purchases.
