mifold Review
Pros: Portable, nicer quality, lower price
Cons: Lowest crash test results, hard to use, uncomfortable
Bottom line: Super easy to travel with but it has the lowest crash test results
Editors' Rating:
High Back Booster Weight Range: n/a
High Back Booster Height Range: n/a
Manufacturer: mifold
The Skinny
The mifold is a variation of the traditional booster seat that folds up very small and easy to transport for travel or move for carpooling. Unlike a more traditional booster seat, however, 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 the BubbleBum, another small and lighter weight booster, is a better choice for travel thanks to the better crash test results.
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Review by:
Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz
Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz
Last Updated:
Wednesday
October 18, 2017
Wednesday
October 18, 2017
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The mifold "booster" doesn't actually boost children up, but instead pulls and holds the seatbelt lower for proper alignment on smaller bodies.
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 following chart shows each booster tested in this review arranged by overall score. The mifold (in blue) earned the lowest score in the group.
The sections below explain in more depth the performance of the mifold compared to the competition.
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.
Crash Test
The mifold earned a 3 of 10 for crash test results. This booster earned the lowest chest sensor score (g) and the third 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.
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 Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120 earned the best result for this sensor with a result of 39 (see chart above).
This graph is a comparison of the mifold HIC results (in black) and the HIC results for the Evenflow Spectrum (in green) which has the best results in our crash tests.
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 Evenflo Spectrum has the lowest result (best) in the group with a HIC of 456. The chart above shows the results of the mifold compared to the Evenflo Spectrum.
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.
Ease of Use
The mifold earned a 3 of 10 for ease of use. This score is the lowest in the review for this metric. 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 too. Adjusting the seatbelt positioner is also difficult, 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.
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.
Weight and Size
The mifold earned a 10 of 10 for weight and size. This metric is where the mifold shines. With a weight of only 1.5 lbs, it is the second lightest in the group after the smaller and transportable BubbleBum. 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.
Comfort
The mifold earned a 2 of 10 for comfort. 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.
The mifold feels like a sturdy, well-built product with a simple design and attention to detail without stray stitching or misaligned components.
Quality
The mifold earned an 8 of 10 for quality. This 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.
Manufacturer Video
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz
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Most recent review: October 18, 2017
Summary of All Ratings
BabyGearLab Editors' Rating:
(2.0)
Average Customer Rating:
(0.0)
Rating Distribution
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