Trunki Boostapak Review

I'm mum to a school aged daughter who is beginning to get to the age of play-days after school.

This is great (when she heads off to their house, not so much when they come here from a noise point of view!), but does pose a problem. We walk to school, while most of her friends are driven. This means I can't swap car seats at the gates with the parents - and her car seat would be too heavy for me to carry to school.

Then there is storing it during the day.

This is where the Trunki BoostApak comes in very handy. It is a booster car seat which can be worn as a backpack - perfect for swapping between cars for short journeys, and small enough to store on her coat peg at school.

The BoostApak is suitable for children aged 4-11 years of age and is certified to regulation ECE R44.04 for group 2 and 3.

As well as being a booster seat, it also has a compartment to store things in. We've found this easily fits pyjamas, toiletries, a book and a teddy for an overnight stay at the house, but it would also hold a change of clothes, shoes and a snack for after school visits.

The storage compartment actually holds up to 8 litres, so is more than enough room. The plastic shell (which is also the seat) stops the contents from getting squashed, and they are zipped securely in place.

The BoostApak has extra large padded straps which make it easy to wear, and they are adjustable so can be used by most children of the right age.

Being a booster seat this is only really suitable for 4 years and upwards, and obviously isn't as safe as the high-backed car seat we usually use. But for trips out in other cars, taxi rides or to take on holiday, it works well.

We used the seat on a recent outing where 3 people needed to squeeze into the back of our car. Unless you have a huge car, having two full-sized car seats and an adult in the back is near on impossible. And with me being the shortest of the adults, I'm always the one riding in the back with the children, lucky me!

By swapping Emmy's high backed booster seat for this Trunki BoostApak, it was a much more comfortable ride. I had more room overall and the children weren't so squashed in the process.

Installing this seat into the car is simple - in fact my 4 year old can (and does) do it herself. You place the seat (flat side down, so that the rucksack straps are now under the seat) onto the car's seat. Next, you pull the top up and lay it flat against the back of the seat. Once you've then pulled up both plastic flaps to secure the seat belt in place, you can then secure the child with your normal 3-point seat belt. Finally, you attach the loop over the top of the seat belt to secure the belt into the correct position.

Easy.

The BoostApak is currently available in four different designs: Green, Pink, Lotus and Hello Kitty and prices ranging from £44.99 for the original Green or Pink versions to £49.99 for the Lotus and Hello Kitty versions.

Ours is the Hello Kitty option and we adore it. It's very girlie and bright, though maybe not so good for passing down to younger siblings of a different gender!

Trunki are mostly known for their ride-on children's suitcases which, much to the annoyance of some on Dragons Den, are a HUGE success and known everywhere.

They also have a range of children's sleep travel accessories, toy boxes and even swimming bags. I have to admit, we are huge Trunki fans and have the entire range at home for the children.

I know that Emmy's car seat is very heavy and it has been a frustration in the past, swapping between cars just for a one-off trip to the shops or to go to the park with a friend. The BoostApak makes things much easier. Plus, as it uses the 3-point harness in your car, there is more chance that Grandad can do it up unaided!

It's a really handy thing to have around, and definitely easier and cheaper than buying a separate car seat for Nanny's car. Not forgetting that it is the law that children under 12 have a car seat at all times.

The only downside is that it is on the bulky side for a four year old to carry themselves. So while suitable for short periods, you'll most likely end up having to carry it for them.

We have used a blow-up car seat which is similar, but while that one deflates and folds down smaller than the Trunki, it is lower and offers less protection as well as missing out on being useful for carrying things. The blow-up seat might be better for older children who are almost at the age of not needing a car seat anymore, but the BoostApak has a better seating position and is a better overall bet.