Graco’s booster car seats have long been a favorite of both the parents and of the car seat experts. The reason behind this is the fact that they’re usually inexpensive and often provide a good fit for a broad spectrum of kids and vehicles. That’s why we were quite pleased to get our hands on the Graco Affix Youth, which is one of the company’s best-selling models and something that certainly deserves a more in-depth look.
It’s made out of shock-absorbing foam, offers plenty of soft padding, and sports an adjustable head support. Is it worth the money?
Specifications:
- Car Seat Type – Booster Car Seat
- Weight – 9.8 pounds
- Weight Recommendation – 40-100 pounds
- Dimensions – 25.6″ x 16.9″ x 9.2″
- Maximum Height Limit – 57
- Expiration – 10 years
Features of Graco Affix Youth
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The Design
When it comes to the design of this model, we have no particular complaints. It looks similar to the booster seats of the other manufacturers, and can also be purchased in several different colors. The variant we had on testing is called “Atomic” and sports a lovely combination of red and black colors.
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The Assembly
Unlike the other trendy model of this company, the Graco Turbobooster, this model won’t require you to add some screws to its armrests. But that doesn’t actually make the assembly a lot easier – the Affix Youth comes unassembled. Its back, base, cup holder, and the armrests are all separate pieces in the box, and you’ll have to put them together by yourself.
This whole process shouldn’t take too long since all the pieces come labeled and you can always consult the (well-written) user manual. The armrests are labeled right and left, and the seat’s back easily snaps onto the bottom part.
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The Comfort
Unlike some other models we’ve reviewed, this booster car seat indeed provides your kid with maximum comfort. The thing that makes this possible is the presence of well-cushioned padding with multiple layers of comfortable fabric. It easily turns the Affix Youth into one of the most comfortable products of this type we’ve had a chance to test so far. Your kid will find this seat quite convenient for sleeping during the long rides. Our only complaint here is that the armrests aren’t fully adjustable.
Another great thing here is the presence of the integrated cup holder and the hideaway storage compartment. The cup holder will allow your kid to always have a favorite drink by his side, while the storage compartment enables easy storage of things such as games and toys.
It’s also worth mentioning that the cover is removable and machine-washable and that the cup holder is elastic and easily accommodates cups of all sizes.
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The Safety
One of the main materials used for the manufacture of this model is the EPS foam, which can efficiently absorb all sorts of impacts. This makes the seat very safe, and should prevent serious injuries in the case of a car crash. The Affix Youth fits children weighing from 40 to 100 pounds, and can be used as your child is growing. Its unique front adjustment features allows the parent to always find the most secure and comfortable position for the kid.
Fortunately, the seat also boasts the ability to be installed via the LATCH system, which is undoubtedly the most secure kind of connection between a car seat and a vehicle. The seat can use your car’s LATCH connectors to keep itself steadily in place, thus providing the kid with the necessary safety and the parent with a peace of mind.
Ease of Installation
This car seat fits pretty nicely into family vehicles. One can tighten the LA (lower anchor) straps by pulling the frontal straps on the seat – there’s one strap per each LA connector strap. The LA connectors of Graco Affix Youth are the standard clip-style ones, with connectors on the elastic webbing straps.
Some models of boosters sport rigid LA connectors, which are situated on a fixed bar and not on the elastic webbing. To use the standard connectors, one has to attach each of the connectors to the car’s LA’s, and then tighten it. One thing that makes using LA connectors on a booster seat convenient is that you won’t have to buckle the seat when your kid isn’t using it.
This is not an overly wide seat since it measures some 18″ at its widest point, although some 2.5″ of width are added when you pull out the hideaway compartment. When used in the high-back mode, this model doesn’t require any headrest support from the car, which is quite convenient.
What’s wrong with the product?
- Does not bear the FAA approval
Unfortunately, this booster car seat carries no FAA certification, which means that you won’t be able to use it on an airplane. This might be pretty important to parents who travel a lot with their kids.
- Armrests are not adjustable
Even though this is among the most comfortable seats on the market, its armrests aren’t fully adjustable, which could have an adverse effect on the kid’s level of comfort. We hope that the guys and girls from Graco have realized this issue and are working to resolve it in the next revision.
Conclusion
Even though it’s not perfect, we can safely say that Affix Youth is quite a reliable and versatile product and something that’s guaranteed to bring joy and comfort to your kid’s car rides. There are a lot of things to like here – like the energy-absorbing foam that protects the kid from impacts, the impeccable, eye-catching design, or the ease of installation in both modes.
The low price is yet another great thing here, and when we combine it with these useful features, we get one of the best booster seats that the money can buy today. In our opinion, it’s definitely worth considering for purchase.
