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The mifold is a variation of the traditional booster seat that folds up very small and is easy to transport for travel or move for carpooling. Unlike a more traditional booster seat, the mifold does not "boost" children up, and into a seatbelt-friendly position, rather it pulls the seatbelt down to fit the child as they sit on the vehicle seat. While the ease of transport is convenient, the crash tests results were some of the lowest in the group and the product itself is hard to use and hard for little ones to buckle around. Overall, it didn't fare well compared to the competition, and we feel there are better travel boosters available.
Read about our favorite car seats in our Best Car Seat review.
Editor's Note: We updated this booster review on December 21, 2021, with additional information on the boosters we would recommend to a friend and how they compare to this booster.
Reasonable price, better crash test analysis, super comfy, high-quality
Easiest to use, better crash test results, price
Lightweight and portable, budget-friendly
Cons
Lowest crash test results, hard to use, uncomfortable
Less padding, quality
Heavier, can't go backless
Average quality, widest seat bottom
Harder to use, lower quality
Bottom Line
Super easy to travel with but it has the lowest crash test results
Budget-friendly choice with better crash test results
This high-quality booster is super comfortable, with better crash test analysis and a reasonable price
Nicely priced, easy to use option with better crash test results
Acceptable performance for a travel friendly, inexpensive choice
Rating Categories
mifold
Diono Monterey XT
UPPAbaby Alta
Chicco KidFit
BubbleBum
Crash Test(35%)
3.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
5.0
Ease Of Use(30%)
3.4
7.0
7.4
7.8
4.4
Weight/Size(15%)
10.0
5.4
5.0
5.0
8.8
Comfort(10%)
2.5
7.2
8.0
5.9
5.1
Quality(10%)
8.0
6.2
8.6
6.0
3.4
Specs
mifold
Diono Monterey XT
UPPAbaby Alta
Chicco KidFit
BubbleBum
Crash Test HIC Score
733
556
390
557
603
Crash Test Chest G Clip
48
42
53
46
45
Modes
Backless Booster
High Back Booster,
Backless Booster
High Back Booster
High Back Booster,
Backless Booster
Backless Booster
High Back Booster Weight Range
n/a
40 - 120 lbs
40 - 100 lbs
30 - 100 lbs
n/a
High Back Booster Height Range
n/a
38" - 63"
38" - 57"
38" - 57"
n/a
Width
9.4"
18.4"
18.5"
20"
14"
Weight
1.5 lbs
14.2 lbs
16.1 lbs
10.4 lbs
1 lbs
Backless Booster Weight Range
40 - 100 lbs
40 - 120 lbs
n/a
40 - 110 lbs
40 - 100 lbs
Backless Booster Height Range
40" - 57"
38" - 63"
n/a
38" - 57"
40" - 57"
5 pt Harness Weight Range
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
5 pt Harness Height Range
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
LATCH Equipped
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Can you use LATCH in booster mode?
n/a
Yes
Yes
Yes
n/a
Recline Positions
0
0
0
2
0
Foam Type
None
EPS
EPP
EPS
None
Seat Lifespan
7 yrs
6 yrs
10 yrs
8 yrs
Not Listed
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The mifold booster was invented by Jon Sumroy after having children and experiencing the problems that inevitably arise with carpooling and having his children driven in other people's cars. Jon set out to create a small, tough booster seat that could easily be transported and moved from car to car that would still keep children safe and allow for three children to sit across in most back seats. They call the invention the "Grab-and-Go" booster, and it was officially released in 2015.
Performance Comparison
The mifold earned some of the lowest crash test results with the worst chest sensor (g) result in the review and the third worst head (HIC) score.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Crash Test
The mifold earned the lowest score overall for crash test results. This booster earned the lowest chest sensor score (g) and one of the lowest head sensor score (HIC). The sensors in the crash test dummy record the forces to the dummy that result from the impact of the sled crash.
This graph shows a comparison of the mifold chest sensor results (black) and the Peg Perego Viaggio Flex results (green), which is the best in the review.
Credit: BabyGearLab, MGA Research
The front chest sensor (g) for the mifold recorded a 48. This amount of g's is above the average for the group of 44. The maximum allowed result is 60 to pass Federal guidelines. The lower the score, the better. No other product had more forces than the mifold. The best outcome for this sensor in this group is 39 (see above).
This graph is a comparison of the mifold HIC results (in black) and the HIC results for the UPPAbaby Alta (in green) which has the best results in our crash tests.
Credit: MGA, BabyGearLab Staff
The head sensor or HIC score for the mifold is 733. The maximum allowed by Federal law is 1000, where a lower score is better. The group's lowest (best) result is a HIC of 390. The chart above shows the results of the mifold compared to the top performer.
For a simple product, the mifold is harder to use than the competition with side slides that move when you don't want them to and a shape that makes finding the buckle difficult for children.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The mifold is the most challenging options to use in the review. The mifold is hard to use and keep positioned correctly with the lap belt retainers sliding in and out when you don't want them to. Adjusting the seatbelt positioner is also tricky, and our little testers had significant trouble buckling the seatbelt because the mifold bottom gets in the way of the buckle. Overall, the children in our tests struggled to use the mifold when they didn't have trouble with the competition.
The side slides on the mifold help pull the seatbelt and hold it in the correct lap position. But something about the design makes it hard to buckle the belt while sitting in the right position.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The best thing about the mifold is its ability to be easily and quickly moved from car to car or carried in your purse for travel, and this is likely why parents are attracted to the product.
This booster is spot clean only, and there are minimal parts to clean.
The mifold is the smallest product in the group and the second lightest with a weight of 1.5lbs.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Weight and Size
The mifold is small and very lightweight. This metric is where the mifold shines. With a weight of only 1.5 lbs, it is one of the lightest in the group. This product is the smallest in the group, with a width of only 9.4 inches. This width makes it ideal for fitting three across for multiple children and carpooling, and it makes it small enough to fit in your child's backpack for travel in cars other than your own.
Child testers indicated this booster is not as comfortable as the competition and they had to repeatedly adjust the position to keep the seatbelt working properly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Comfort
The mifold isn't comfortable; it lacks a true cushion with just a small firm base and relies on the vehicle seat for support, unlike the competition. The seat feels nice, but the anti-slip fabric isn't soft and still slips out from under kids while driving, negating the reason for the less than desirable material. It has little in common with any kind of safety seat.
The mifold feels like a sturdy, well-built product with a simple design and attention to detail without stray stitching or misaligned components.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Quality
The mifold booster feels like a durable and quality seat. There just isn't much to it. The seat bottom is thermo-molded with thin, firm padding and a slip-resistant back. The exterior is simple and easy to wipe clean, with few places for gunk to hide.
Should You Buy the mifold?
We can see how parents looking for a travel-friendly or lightweight booster for carpooling would be attracted to the mifold. We see the appeal of "grab and go" safety seats, especially for little ones who manage their own seat in a backpack at school or camp. However, this seat's crash test results were so far below the average we think most parents would rather have a heavier or larger option that is safer.
What Other Booster Seat Should You Consider?
If you are in the market for a lightweight uber travel-friendly booster seat, the BubbleBum is the one we'd recommend. This unique booster inflates for use and is small and light, perfect for a child's backpack. The BubbleBum is easy to use and has better crash results.
BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.
