It’s a well-known story, and it usually goes like this:
You get interested in a product, go online, find a parent’s forum, ask for recommendations, and boom: you get several different suggestions, and you can’t decide which one is the best. So you choose the product that was repeatedly mentioned. In the case of a booster seat, it’s probably a Graco Affix high-back booster.
But is it that good?
To get that answer, you should look for a more reliable source. I’m a CPS technician, so car seats fall into my area of expertise. Today, I’m giving you a nonsense-free Graco Affix review with all the details you should know.
Best Offer
Amazon frequently offers discounts for its best-sellers, so at the moment, Graco Affix high-back booster is 30% OFF. Hurry up to get your discount, because these offers usually expire quickly.
Here’s the deal:
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About The Brand
Graco is one of the leading baby equipment manufacturers in the world.
For more than sixty-five years, Graco has been focused on safety, durability, comfort, and convenience, creating everything from infant seats to strollers and travel systems.
Their patented technology includes the Simply Safe Adjust™ harness system and InRight™ LATCH system, enabling safe and effortless installation. Also, their seats are known for the highest number of recline positions and a high level of adjustability, in general.
Graco produces both harnessed high-back boosters, classic high-back boosters, and backless boosters when it comes to booster seats.
Design
What we have here is a child restraint system with two modes: a high-back booster mode and a backless booster mode.
The high-back booster accommodates children from thirty to one hundred pounds, while the backless booster supports children from forty to one hundred pounds. This is a standard weight capacity of a booster, not the highest on the market since some models go up to one hundred and twenty pounds, but pretty solid.
It weighs 9.8 pounds, so it’s pretty lightweight and portable, excellent for carpooling and traveling. Since we’re talking about design, the seat is available in two variants: Grapeade and Atomic. It’s very subtle and blends nicely into your car upholstery.
All in all, the design is pretty standard, nothing too extraordinary, yet very functional.
Installation
The seat features a LATCH-system, enabling easy one-hand setup and adjustment.
Now, the purpose of the LATCH is to attach the booster to the car seat while you’ll use the seat belt to safely secure your child. However, the Graco high-back booster was designed to help your children be more independent and buckle themselves up.
Here is a video made by Graco to help you understand the installation process better.
Adjustability
Generally, booster car seats are not as adjustable as convertibles and infant car seats.
This car seat offers different levels of LATCH tightness, which you can control from the front. Also, it has a multi-layered headrest which allows you to find a perfect fit for your child.
Once your little one gains forty pounds, you can take the backrest off and install the backless booster.
Safety
This car seat meets or exceeds the FMVSS 213 US standard, and it was rigorously crash-tested to meet the federal standards and provide protection in accidents. It includes the EPS, energy-absorbing foam that offers effective impact protection.
However, Graco has changed the minimum weight capacity for this car seat from thirty to forty pounds to meet the safety standards. Even though it’s still noted in the product’s description the weight capacity from thirty to a hundred pounds, there’s a special footnote indicating the changes.
Additional Information
This car seat is fantastic for traveling since it doesn’t weigh much, and it includes many useful additions.
It includes two cup holders and a hideaway storage compartment for snacks, crayons, or toys. These useful compartments help you keep the refreshment close to your child and take off the responsibility to constantly turn around and give your child water, food, or whatever they need. I like that this booster seat was really built to make your child more independent.
When it comes to the question of care and maintenance of Graco Affix, the pad can be machine-washed in cold water with a mild soap.
It’s very hard to compare two booster seats from the same brand.
Boosters generally have identical features, let alone the models from the same brand. So, when we observe Graco Affix and Graco TurboBooster, they seem identical.
Both seats have the same weight capacity, the same safety features, the same two modes, and the same adjustability.
The point where these two seats differ, though, is the installation.
Namely, while Affix has the LATCH system for a quick and secure installation, TurboBooster has no installment system.
The only thing that holds the seat down is your child’s weight and the seat belt once you buckle him/her up. It’s important to mention that TurboBooster has won awards for the best booster seat in the past, yet I’d rather buy a booster with a LATCH.
Another difference is the price.
TurboBooster is slightly more affordable, but it’s really negligible.
Disadvantages
As I have already pointed out a couple of times, this seat was designed to allow self-buckling and make kids feel more independent.
However, parents have been complaining about this system because it is too easy for kids to unbuckle themselves as well. Many disobedient children will quickly figure out they need to press a button and release themselves.
As much as this is a personal problem, child restraint systems shouldn’t be that easy to use for kids. For example, a Graco booster with a harness is much more secure and way harder for kids to manipulate.
Another complaint that parents had is the headrest.
Namely, a few parents reported that the headrest doesn’t lock in the highest position, limiting the adjustability and not allowing the parents to find the perfect fit for their children.
Recap
All in all, it’s one solid booster seat. I wouldn’t say that it’s bad, but I think that a couple of improvements could make it way more advanced and easy to use.
Let’s see the final pros and cons:
- Two modes
- LATCH installment
- Sturdy
- Adjustable headrest
- One-hand installment
- Front LATCH adjustment
- Two cup holders
- Hidden storage compartment
- Safe
- Meets the federal safety standards
- Too easy for kids to unbuckle
- The headrest doesn’t lock in the highest position.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Graco Affix is a solid high-back booster.
What I really like is the LATCH system for installing, since it offers more stability, more security, and safety in general. It’s also very functional, offering one-hand installing and front LATCH adjustments. It’s also great that the seat can be used as a high-back and backless booster.
I find it admirable that Graco wanted to build a seat that would give children more independence and make them feel older and responsible. However, if you’re child is not very obedient, do not buy this car seat. It’s going to be too easy for them to unbuckle themselves and impede their own safety.
I hope you found my Graco Affix high-back booster review useful, and I helped you decide whether to purchase this car seat or not. If you still have doubts, check out some other booster reviews I wrote.
