Harmony Folding Booster review with lots of pictures + video!

PikkuMyy · Aug 28, 2013

We've had this seat for about a month now. I finally got a chance to take pictures/video of the seat in use. Overall, I like it, but no seat is perfect.

My vehicle is a 2008 Mazda 5. I have not been able to test this booster in a 3 across situation. One of the reasons I got the Mazda 5 was to get away from the 3 across dilemma in my old car.

My 6.5 year old son in the 3rd row of the Mazda 5. The Harmony Folding Booster is *incompatible* in the 3rd row, vehicle head restraint in place or not!

This is why it's incompatible with my vehicle:

Holy bunching Batman!

Video to show just how badly the seat belt gets stuck in the guide:

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My son in a 2nd row captain's seat, being oh so cooperative:

Good belt fit! :thumbsup:

Pretending to be asleep. The head rest looks high. Not sure if he slouched a bit...

The booster is also incompatible in the second row when the head restraint is removed. I played with seat angle and position to no avail. Thus, the head restraint stays. It does push the head rest of the booster seat forward a bit.

Even with the vehicle head restraint in place, I had to play with the seat angle before I got it to work properly. This is what happened before I found a good angle:

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(This video was supposed to show how well the booster worked in this position.

It didn't go as planned.)

Second try!

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PikkuMyy · Aug 28, 2013

Close up of the belt guide:

Back of the seat:

I'd say that the top belt guide is between 19.25" and 19.5" high. Not terribly high considering that this booster does not turn into a NBB.

Seat depth, about 12.5"

Seat width, about 14"

Width at armrests, about 17.5"

Seat width on underside, about 14"

EPS foam on head wings, back support and under child's bottom:

PikkuMyy · Aug 28, 2013

To fold:

#1 Remove head rest.

When removing the head rest for folding, you must pull up on the grey handle while pushing up this tab at the back of the seat:

#2 Fold head rest.

You must first open the snaps on the head rest cover.

Then pull on these grey tabs and push the head wings inward.

#3 Fold bottom half

Pull on grey handle at the back of the seat and fold.

Voila!

I was even able to stuff the cup holder in between!

This strap comes over and keeps the seat closed in its folded position:

I bought the Harmony Folding Booster for an upcoming trip in October. I'm not sure that it will fit as carry-on because the dimensions according to Harmony are 17.5"x16"x11". Delta, who we're flying with, says their max carry-on dimensions are 22"x14"x9". I will be packing the Bubble Bum just in case the belt guides are incompatible in our rental van, but would rather have my 6 year old in a high back booster for the 1.5 hour drive from the Tampa airport to our final destination.

Brianna · Aug 28, 2013

Thanks for all the pics! I can't get the videos to work- it says they're not found.

Patriot201 · Aug 28, 2013

Wow! Great pictures!

I just may have to get one of these. I need to find one in store, though. Not one of my local Walmarts (three stores) sells it.

PikkuMyy · Aug 28, 2013

Brianna said:
Thanks for all the pics! I can't get the videos to work- it says they're not found.

I don't know what the deal was with the embedding. I attached them differently. Can you see them now if you click on them?

PikkuMyy · Aug 28, 2013

Patriot201 said:
Wow! Great pictures!

I just may have to get one of these. I need to find one in store, though. Not one of my local Walmarts (three stores) sells it.

None of my local Walmarts sell it either. There's one about 45 minutes away, via a toll road, that sells it. I ordered mine online when it was still in stock.

Brianna · Aug 28, 2013

PikkuMyy said:
I don't know what the deal was with the embedding. I attached them differently. Can you see them now if you click on them?

yep! now they just open up in a new window in PB and play.

Frenchgirl · Aug 29, 2013

Thanks for your excellent review!
By the way, don't ask too much to this booster; beside the Nautilus (in booster mode), I don't know ANY other booster that are compatible in the 3rd row of our 2006 mazda5.
Did anyone tried the harmony folding booster in a sienna pre-2011, 3rdrow, middle seat? I'm wondering if it coulf fit there.

henrietta · Sep 1, 2013

We love our Harmony Folding booster. We've had it since spring. Works well in most cars we've used it in. Great review!

Stelvis · Sep 2, 2013

These are down to $33 from $50! At that price it is a great little seat. We loved ours for vacation, we were able to gate check it in the original box w/carry handle (it did NOT fit in the overhead bin), and it fit DS well.

Kac · Sep 2, 2013

Thanks for posting! It's not a very deep seat.

PikkuMyy · Sep 3, 2013

Stelvis said:
These are down to $33 from $50! At that price it is a great little seat. We loved ours for vacation, we were able to gate check it in the original box w/carry handle (it did NOT fit in the overhead bin), and it fit DS well.

I paid $33 for it.

Nothing to loose! I will be sure to bring the box so we can gate check.

PikkuMyy · Sep 3, 2013

Kac said:
Thanks for posting! It's not a very deep seat.

Not deep at all. I guess with the convenience of it folding into a small-ish form, you have to loose something. My friend's 7 year old daughter fell asleep in it when they were with us a few weeks ago and she kept pulling up her legs.

I pulled over to fix that issue and she just kept pulling them back up. I even put towels/soft bag under her feet for support. It didn't help. I strongly dislike transporting other people's booster age children.

PikkuMyy · Oct 4, 2013

We're leaving for FL tomorrow morning! Now I'm second guessing my plans for bringing this booster along.

My son has been telling me lately that he prefers his harnessed seats and requested a harness even for travel. I can get my hands on a SecureKid (if he still fits the harness) but would that be ridiculous? He'll be 7 in December.

Also, I just pulled out the box and it looks so ridiculous attached to my rolling hand luggage. I'm 99% positive it won't fit in the overhead compartment. Should I check the booster in the original box at check-in, ditch the box and take just the folded booster to the gate, or take the booster in its box to the gate? I already packed a backup Bubblebum in my hand luggage in case the Harmony guides don't work well in the rental. We have to drive 1+ hour from Tampa to Anna Maria Island and we'll be making a trip to Lego Land (2+ hours?) at some point.

ketchupqueen · Oct 4, 2013

Considering it is marketed for travel, incompatibility could be a big issue for some users.

glockchick · Oct 4, 2013

PikkuMyy said:
Also, I just pulled out the box and it looks so ridiculous attached to my rolling hand luggage. I'm 99% positive it won't fit in the overhead compartment. Should I check the booster in the original box at check-in, ditch the box and take just the folded booster to the gate, or take the booster in its box to the gate?

Ditch the box and take the folded booster to the gate. It fits perfectly in the overhead storage. I used one for our trip in July.

PikkuMyy · Oct 4, 2013

glockchick said:
Ditch the box and take the folded booster to the gate. It fits perfectly in the overhead storage. I used one for our trip in July.

Will do!

I spoke to Kecia on the phone earlier and that was her suggestion as well. I tend to over think these things...

Dorothy · Oct 16, 2013

How did it go?

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Harmony Folding Booster review with lots of pictures + video!

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