• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Because dads don’t always think like moms™

  • Dad
    • Celebrities
    • Gay Dads
    • Sex
    • Single Dads
  • Pregnancy
    • Labor or Delivery
    • Pregnant Wife
  • Baby
    • Baby Naming
    • Feeding
    • Sleep
    • Toilet Training
  • Kids
  • Teens
  • Activities
    • Local
    • By Age
    • Movie Reviews
    • Celebrations
  • Toys
    • We Recommend
    • Toys
  • Coaching for Dads
  • Great Dad Talks Podcast
You are here: Home / GreatDad Blog / 2009-2010 Car seats compared – New Clek Oobr

2009-2010 Car seats compared – New Clek Oobr

March 8, 2010 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

.

We’re doing a roundup of car seats unveiled at the 2009 ABC Kids show, the major annual convention for baby and kids products. This year, the biggest story on car seats in general was in side impact head protection. While car seats have made major advances, this is still an area where more technology can save young lives. There were also at least 2 new seats developed to evolve with a child from 20 pounds to 100.In this series, we will look at the following seats:

1. Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 (previously reviewed)

2. Britax Parkway SG (previously reviewed)

3. Safety 1st Complete Air car seat with Air Protect (previously reviewed)

4. Evenflo Symphony 65

5. Clek Oobr

The Clek Oobr is hands down the car seat that kids will prefer out of this bunch. While the others are functional and some even sleek, the Clek Oobr is of its time. It’s hot. It’s fashionable. It inspires awe. And, it’s a pretty good booster as well.

Unlike the other seats in this review series, this seat only functions as a booster, so usually for kids at least 4 years of age. While some suggest using boosters until they reach 4’9″, (tall enough to not slip under the belt), from 8 – 12 years old. Others say that booster use should continue to age 12. This likely will depend on the size of the child and, realistically, their willingness to stay in booster seat. My daughter at age 10, loves her Clek Ollie booster (backless) and enjoys the fact that it sits her up higher in the car. She also like the design and that is a key benefit of the Clek seats for enticing design-oriented kids (you know who you are!) to use the booster.

We’ve been using the Clek Oobr with the monkey design pictured here for a few months. My son (6) has two or three Paul Frank shirts and he’s a big fan of the big happy monkey. He likes the fact that this is “his” chair.

We like that the seat is super-sturdy. There is no plastic-y feel about it. It is built like a piece of steel, magnesium actually. It was designed by auto seat designers to be super-sturdy and protective. Unfortunately, that makes it very heavy compared to simpler seats. We’re grateful it almost never leaves the back seat. It has a cupholder and reclines slightly but these are not key features, but nice to have.

The seat also features a tracked reclining system that reclines the seat 12 degrees, which is a noticeable difference you will appreciate if you have a dozing child for more than a few miles.

The seat is also covered with Crypton® fabric. I have no idea what this is made of, but it really works. The other day, my six year old dropped his chocolate ice cream on the seat and onto the floor. I had to get a towel to wipe up the mess which seemed to be all over the place. The only place in the car though, where there was no trace later on, was on the Oobr.

We had challenges in installing the Oobr in our Audi wagon using the Latch system to attach the booster securely to the car seat. After a bit of wrestling, we figured out that we needed to put the seat in the full reclining position to expose the latch brackets fully so they can more easily click into the car’s latch system. As I learned from Clek several years ago, the Oobr (and Olli) latch system is a security feature for passengers when the child is not actually in the seat. In the event of an accident, you do not want a 25lb. car seat flying around the car and very few people buckle the seats down when empty. This is a key benefit for the Oobr, since it’s the only booster (without harness straps) that uses the latch system.

Pros:

  • Beautiful seat with optional Paul Frank monkey design adored by millions of kids, moms and dads.
  • Dissembles for use later as backless booster. Remember to keep kids in booster with back on as long as they will tolerate it for maximum safety.
  • 12 degrees reclining.
  • Crypton® fabric really does protect against stains.
  • Exists in lots of exciting colors and Paul Frank designs.

Cons:

  • This thing weighs over 25 pounds. It’s a heavy seat if you need to move it very often and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who is even thinking of being pregnant while using it for another child.
  • Oobr’s LATCH system may be challenging to some to install until you figure it out. It’s not hard, but you can’t just throw it in the backseat.
  • Easily $200 more than other serviceable boosters, the Clek Oobr is certainly not for everyone.

Product Dimensions: 18 x 17.5 x 27 inches ; 19 pounds

Shipping Weight: 26.1 pounds

  • GreatDad.com Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to us, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. We do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. We only review products that we have personally tested and used in our own homes, and all opinions expressed are our own.

Filed Under: GreatDad Blog

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks
Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

149. Winning College Applications with Hamada Zahawi
byPaul Banas

In this episode of Great Dad Talks, I sit down with admissions expert Hamada Zahawi to discuss everything parents and students need to know about getting into great colleges and universities. Whether you’re aiming for undergraduate, business, or law school, Hamada shares honest, practical advice on navigating the admissions process, finding financial aid, crafting compelling essays, and the power of authentic storytelling.

Check out Hamada’s website at writetrackadmissions.com

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC  

50% off for podcast listeners with code PODCAST50

149. Winning College Applications with Hamada Zahawi
149. Winning College Applications with Hamada Zahawi
June 10, 2025
Paul Banas
148. Healing Generational Trauma with Dr. Sasha Reiisi
June 3, 2025
Paul Banas
147. Discovering Dad’s Purpose with Adam Landrum
May 27, 2025
Paul Banas
146. Balancing Business and Family with Dr. Travis Parry
May 20, 2025
Paul Banas
145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
May 13, 2025
Paul Banas
144. Exploring Mindful Fatherhood with Odeani Mc Bean
May 6, 2025
Paul Banas
143. Overcoming Dad Burnout with Scott Anderson
April 29, 2025
Paul Banas
142. Building Resilient Kids with Dr. Richard Oelberger
April 24, 2025
Paul Banas
141. Exploring Men’s Sexual Health with Dr. Elliot Justin
April 22, 2025
Paul Banas
140. Instilling Values and Financial Literacy with Barclay Roper
April 15, 2025
Paul Banas
Search Results placeholder

More to See

Balancing Business and Family with Dr. Travis Parry

May 20, 2025 By Paul Banas

Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus

May 21, 2025 By Paul Banas

Copyright © 2025 . GreatDad