Our Review of the Graco Turbo Booster Safe Seat Step 3 booster seat
The Graco TurboBooster Safe Seat (Step 3) is a sporty and detailed booster seat. The headrest is made of EPS foam for support and side-impact protection, which is now the standard for booster seats. The head support is height adjustable, and the seat can be converted into a backless booster for older kids. The adjustable armrests are a nice touch that add comfort and support for your growing child. We were a little surprised by how thin the padding was on the "Lazy Daisy" version of this seat (the Fairfax TurboBooster has padded armrests and additional GracoPedic memory foam in the seat).
Otherwise, the TurboBooster is a pretty standard booster seat - either model will work well for short trips, but we would definitely recommend the Fairfax for long commutes or roadtrips. It's an affordable option for children who have outgrown their convertible car seats, but are not yet large enough to safely use just the car seat belts.
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Car seat specs
- Min child weight
- 30 lbs.
- Max child weight
- 100 lbs.
- Min child weight - Forward Facing mode
- 30 lbs.
- Max child weight - Forward facing mode
- 100 lbs.
- Minimum weight for booster mode
- 30 lbs.
- Min child height
- 38"
- Max child height
- 57"
- Min child height - Forward facing mode
- 38"
- Min height for booster use
- 38"
Car seat dimensions
- Product weight
- 9 lbs.
- Seat Base / Foot Width
- 16.5"
- Seat height
- 20"-32"
- Interior seat width
- 12"
- Interior seat back height
- 23"-35"
- For children 3 to 10 years old, from 30 to 100 lbs and between 38 and 57 inches tall
- One-hand adjustable head support grows with your child
- E.P.S. energy-absorbing foam
- Open-loop belt guide for easy installation and added comfort
- Deep side-wings support your child while napping
- Easily converts to a backless booster seat
- Two hide-away cup holders for snacking on the go
- Height-adjustable arm rests
- Removable seat pad for easy machine cleaning
Graco Turbo Booster Safe Seat Step 3 booster seat Reviews
All Customer Reviews
- Average Rating:
- Highest Rating:
- Lowest Rating:
- Number of Reviews:
- 19
Great Booster!
Reviewer: Anonymous , Anchorage, AK
Date: January 13, 2009
I didn't need anything super fancy, just something to get the job done and this was PERFECT!
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Check Your Vehicle Before Purchasing This Booster Seat
Reviewer: Anonymous , Millsboro,DE
Date: July 06, 2008
We purchased two of these car seats for visiting grandchildren. We have two Chrysler vehicles. We live two hours from the airport so we installed the car seats and headed to the airport. We learned after putting the children (ages three and five) in the car seats that the seat belts do not engage in Chrysler vehicles until the brakes are applied. My daughter had to rent a Ford to drive herself and the children to Delaware and we had to drive another hour the next day to purchase two new seats. These may be perfectly fine booster seats; however, buyers should be aware that they may not work completely in certain vehicles. We even took our Chrysler to the dealer before we bought new seats because we thought something was wrong with our seat belts.
Comments from The Staff:
Hello there,
Thank you very much for your review. I understand your concern and it is true that when using a booster, your child's safety is solely dependant on the seat belt. However, I wanted to make sure anyone reading your review understands that there is nothing wrong with your seat belt and that it is a safe option.
Your vehicle seat belt uses what's referred to as an 'ELR' or 'Emergency Locking Retractor'. This type of retractor only locks in the event of sudden deceleration that occurs in a collision. Some of these seat belts also have a feature where you can lock the belt - simply pull all of the slack out in the shoulder belt part and feed it back through the retractor - whenever you stop feeding, the belt should stay locked. Check your vehicle manual to find out if your car has this feature or just check on your own as this may be a good compromise. It should however be safe to use without doing this as well.
Again, thank you for your review. Please let us know if there is anything else we may be able to help with.
Thank you,
Kelly
EliteCarSeats.com
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician
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A GREAT Seat for Travel
Reviewer: Anonymous , Monmouth County, NJ
Date: March 09, 2008
I was looking for a booster seat to take with us on vacation, since it costs more to rent a booster from a car rental place than it does to buy one. I bought the Compass B505 Folding booster and it was large and bulky. I would have had to purchase a special cheaply made bag to carry it in. I returned it and purchased the Graco Turbo Booster. Because the back can easily be separated to make this a backless booster, it can be taken apart and both pieces fit nicely in a large suitcase. We checked it, knowing that it was safe in the regular suitcase and when we got to our destination, it was unpacked, assembled and installed in less than 5 minutes. I had the security of knowing that I had a quality full booster seat for my son on travel and didn't have to worry. We love this seat. My son's head doesn't ever flop forward when he sleeps and because the back adjusts, it fits in a pickup truck with a straighter seatback and our cars which have a more angled seat back. I would buy another one of these if we need it. As he gets older, we can take just the seat base on travel with us.
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Works Great
Reviewer: Anonymous , San Jose, CA
Date: June 26, 2006
Booster seat design doesn't seem to be rocket science but so many maufuacturers just get it so wrong. This seat is convertible so it will grow with our kids. It was one of the only seats with any cushion at all in the seat. There are two retractable cups in the corners of the seat that work great for snacks and toys. Just plain and simple, it's a great seat.
Regarding this distributor, we've now purchased a car seat and a jogging stroller from them. The transactions have been effortless, the prices have been the same or better than the local baby warehouse and their inventory is better than any local shop.
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Works Great
Reviewer: Anonymous , San Jose, CA
Date: June 26, 2006
Booster seat design doesn't seem to be rocket science but so many maufuacturers just get it so wrong. This seat is convertible so it will grow with our kids. It was one of the only seats with any cushion at all in the seat. There are two retractable cups in the corners of the seat that work great for snacks and toys. Just plain and simple, it's a great seat.
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Great Booster!
Reviewer: Michelle , Germany
Date: June 24, 2006
I love this booster and so does my 5 year old son! It is cushioned nicely and the side supports of the headrest are great for napping. He loves the drink holders, too. Great product, great price. Highly recommend. Elite carseats has great service and they ship to APO boxes overseas.
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This is a great carseat
Reviewer: Robin , Vermont
Date: June 23, 2006
I love the memory foam. I'm not sure if its a lot more comfortable than the regular padding, but it has to help some. It is kind of difficult to use with the seatbelt. My only advice would be that it would be GREAT if it was latch compatible and had straps that held the baby in like a regular carseat.
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Suffers in Comparison
Reviewer: Seth , Los Angeles, CA
Date: June 23, 2006
A friend recommended this car seat and it had a few features I liked so I bought it after I bought a .Compass seat
I regret that decision every day I use this seat. Seat belts get tangled in it. It's far less padded. It feels far less solid. When you move it out of a car, it falls apart. We'll buy the Compass
when we need another.
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Stylish, Comfortable, Kid-Approved
Reviewer: epinions.com , USA
Date: October 28, 2005
Finally, after much searching, researching, reading and asking friends I do believe we have found a seat that the whole family can love. I was looking for some information on the web when I came across the Graco website. There, front and centre was the TurboBooster! I have to admit, I got excited, I did the whole Turbo Tour! Then I realized I had to have that seat. After a year with a seat I hate, I had finally found something that looked like everything I wanted.
First the seat is for children 30-100 pounds, perfect for my daughter now and right until she can sit in the car on her own. The seat can be used either backless or with the back, making it more versatile. So I ordered it and waited anxiously for its arrival.
It came in a small box which was quite light, which I felt was a bonus, as our last seat was very heavy. The seat came in three pieces and was very easy to put together. The only tool needed was a Philips screw driver to attach the arm rests.
The seat has large seatbelt guides and easy to adjust head rest. One hand can lower or raise the head rest and this can be done even with the child in the seat. The seatbelt rests perfectly across my daughter and there is no twisting or loosening of the seatbelt. The only problem is that it is hard for my daughter to reach the release button because of the arm rests, but I think she will get used to it and it will become easier for her.
The head support has EPS foam for side impact protection and is curved in such a way that napping should be comfortable. The seat bottom could be more padded but in comparing this seat with our other seat, there is little difference in the padding. Also cover removes easily for cleaning.
If the seat is used backless it comes with a shoulder belt positioning guide to help position the belt across the child. It looks easy to use, but we are still using the seat with the back so we haven't actually tried it yet. The seat can be used backless for children 4-10, 40-100 pounds and 57 inches tall. With the back the seat can be used by children 30-100 pounds and 57 inches tall.
The seat has retractable cup holders on both sides, a feature that thrilled my daughter. She puts her drink in one and her treats in the other. The holders are not very deep so some containers will fall out. But my daughter loves them regardless, so that is all that matters really.
Overall this is the seat I have been waiting for! It has all the features and the look I wanted. The price is very reasonable and I do believe we have purchased our last car seat!
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