Best Reviewed
Booster Seats
- Best booster seat Graco Highback TurboBooster *Est. $50
- Best five-point harness booster seat Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 *Est. $160
- Backless car booster seat Graco Backless TurboBooster *Est. $25
- Portable high-back booster seat The First Years Compass B570 Pathway *Est. $95
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- Lightweight
- Uses LATCH anchors
- Comfortable
- No head support or side-impact protection
- Expensive
- No cup holders
- No shoulder belt adjuster
The backless Clek Olli gets a lot of attention from reviewers, due in part to a celebrity connection (Celebrity Parents Magazine counts Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner and Heidi Klum as Olli fans). Experts say the Olli is worth considering despite the high price tag thanks to its lightness and portability. Parents also say the Olli is easy to install and buckle. However, experts say backless boosters don't protect children as well in side crashes as high-back boosters do. If you prefer the extra padding and protection, the Graco Highback TurboBooster (*Est. $50) has side wings and expanded polystyrene (EPS) crash-protection foam. If backless works for your child, you might also consider the much cheaper Graco Backless TurboBooster (*Est. $25). However the Graco boosters lack the Olli's LATCH connectors, meaning they must be buckled up or stowed when empty to keep from becoming a dangerous projectile in a crash.
CarSeatBlog.com's child-passenger safety technicians name the Clek Olli to their list of favorite boosters after testing the seat. The parenting book "Baby Bargains" has long been a trusted resource for baby-gear advice. This book's section on car seats covers all the popular brands, with individual reviews of most models. BabyGizmo.com doesn't have the same clout, in part because Hollie Schultz's reviews aren't as unabashedly direct about a product's flaws. We also found a long, detailed review of the Clek Olli at the Safety Squad blog, and plenty of user reviews at Amazon.com. British consumer testing agency Which? magazine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia both find that backless boosters provide less side-crash protection than high-back boosters.
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Our Sources
The Clek Olli is one of three backless booster seats recommended by CarSeatBlog.com's child-passenger safety technicians. One of them, Heather Watson, tests the seat with her 8-year-old son. He likes that it's comfortable, and she likes that it's lightweight yet sturdy and easy to install with LATCH. She does find a few downsides, including a short seat that may not give enough thigh support to all children, and a LATCH-release strap that kids may be able to pull.
Review: Magna Clek Olli Backless Booster, Heather Watson, May 10, 2008
2. Baby BargainsDetails/Subscribe
"Baby Bargains" evaluates the Clek Olli with a focus on features and value. Denise and Alan Fields explore the question of whether or not the Olli is worth its high price relative to other backless booster seats.
Review: Booster Seats, Denise and Alan Fields, Eighth Edition, 2009
3. Which? magazineDetails/Subscribe
Backless booster seats don't provide as much protection in side crashes as high-back boosters do, according to Which? magazine (a British publication similar to ConsumerReports.org). Which? says backless boosters should be phased out.
Review: Backless Booster Seats a Safety Risk, Which? Says, Editors of Which? magazine, June 21, 2010
4. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
In side crashes, children in backless boosters are more likely to suffer injuries than children in high-back boosters, a study by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia shows.
Review: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Researchers Release New Findings on Protecting Children in Side Impact Crashes, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Press Release, Sept. 13, 2005
BabyGizmo.com gives the Clek Olli a 5-star rating in this well-researched review by site editor Hollie Schultz, who says this booster is on the pricey side but "totally worth it" for being lightweight, secure and easy to use.
Review: Clek Olli Booster Seat -- Blue, Hollie Schultz
6. Safety Squad
This long review of the Olli is detailed but not highly critical. The blogger calls it a "very nice backless booster," except for the lack of cup holders and shoulder belt adjuster. This article also offers general information advocating and explaining booster seat use.
Review: Clek Olli Review, Editors of Safety Squad, May 23, 2008
7. Amazon.com
Contributors to Amazon.com love the Clek Olli. More than three-fourths give it a perfect score, and only a handful report any negative experiences with this booster seat.
Review: Clek Olli Booster Seat Blacktop, Contributors to Amazon.com
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