One of the many annoying complications with hiring a car since becoming a parent is the question of car seats. If we chose to hire one, do we then:
A. Take our own car seats from home.
B: Hire car seats from the car hire company or on arrival.
C: Buy car seats on arrival.
This question is further complicated with two preschoolers with A becoming impossible for us, B becoming expensive and C being a pain in the backside! Thankfully there is an option D – take along a cool backpack which is also a booster seat!
As you probably already know, we are already big fans of Trunki. Our kids ride on Trunki suitcases come everywhere with us. I was happy to learn there is also a Trunki car seat that fits along with their philosophy of fun, cute and functional travel items.
The best part is that this Trunki booster seat is also a backpack that can carry items and be taken on board as carry on luggage. It is a great option for 4+ year olds who just need a booster seat and meets safety regulation in many places including the UK and Europe (it does not in Australia however).
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Contents
Trunki Boostapak review
The Boostapak lived up to everything it promised except it is even cuter in real life.
Easy to use
The Boostapak could not be easier to use. You simply put it on the seat, pull the tab on the front of the backpack up, push a button in to release the sides of the booster seat and adjust a red clip to your child’s shoulder height once they are sitting. It only takes a moment.
You can see it in action here:
Works well as a backpack
My favourite part about this booster seat is how it works as a backpack. It’s an easy size for my daughter, she can pack whatever she needs for the day and she can carry it around.
I have found, however, that she can not handle much weight in the backpack as the backpack itself has some weight.
Can store items in the car
This is not a recommended use but since you can put things in the seat while it is set up in the car, we have used it to store things we are leaving behind in the car when we are sightseeing! I’m hoping a thief would be less likely to look in the booster seat than the glove box!
Cool designs
There are a few different designs. Miss 5 looooves her hello kitty one.
Easy to clean
The cover is fully removable and easy to clean.
Useful as a booster seat in general
This seat has also worked well for us for Mr 3 as a booster seat at tables in the apartments that we stay in and in restaurants.
Who should use a Boostapak?
Boostapaks are designed for 4-12 year olds, 15-35kg and up to 135cm. They are designed for use with a three point harness which is a normal sash belt in a car. You should have no problems fitting multiple Boostapaks across a back seat.
Our verdict
We love this seat/backpack combination.
I love how easy and convenient the Trunki Boostapak car booster seat is for us to travel with and that it is also a useful as a backpack. S loves it especially with the Hello Kitty design.
I especially love that this seat is compact, meets all legal obligations for us on our travels and still has a hard shell and some back padding. Although we liked using the Bubblebum as well, I feel this seat is more solid and does a better job of keeping S in position.
If you live somewhere other than Australia then this option would also make for a great back up seat for the grandparents or for a friend to come in the car.
We are not the only ones who are fans of the Trunki car booster seat. Boostapak reviews in Amazon are very positive. You can see them here in the UK and in the USA.
If you are looking for an easy, fun option to a regular booster seat next time you travel, check out the Boostapak. I’m sure you will all love it 🙂
You can find more information about Trunki Boostapak here or click here for the latest prices.
You can also read our full guide to the best travel car seats and booster seats for your kids.
Trunki gave us this product in exchange for an honest review. Where’s Sharon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and its partners. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Thank you for supporting my site and helping me make it the best family travel resource on the internet!