Hiccapop UberBoost Review: An Inflatable Booster for the Car at Your Destination

The hiccapop UberBoost is a backless booster seat that you inflate when you need it and deflate to pack. It is for children who have outgrown a harnessed car seat and are in the booster stage (hiccapop lists 40–110 lb, typically ages 4–11). It is a car product only: booster seats cannot be used on an airplane. Pack it for the taxi, rideshare, rental car or friend's car at your destination. On the plane, your child uses the aircraft seat belt.

Hiccapop UberBoost Inflatable Booster Car Seat, Portable Backless Booster for Travel

Best Portable Booster Seat

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Inflatable, FMVSS 213 certified, packs flat — a portable booster for rideshares and travel at a budget price.

type:Inflatable booster car seat

age Range:Backless booster stage (40–110 lbs, typically ages 4–11)

fold:Deflates for compact travel

design:Narrow backless design, 14.5 × 14.5 in

Pros

• ✓Inflates and deflates for easy packing
• ✓Narrow enough for three across in many back seats
• ✓Lightweight and portable
• ✓Great for rideshares and rentals

Cons

• ×Backless only—no head support
• ×Needs manual inflation
• ×Not for younger toddlers

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This product is featured in our Best Road Trip Gear roundup.

Quick verdict

Buy the UberBoost if your child is booster-ready and you regularly ride in cars that are not yours: airport rideshares, hotel shuttles with seat belts, a grandparent's car. It is budget-priced and deflates small enough to live in a backpack. Skip it if your child still needs a harness (under 40 lb, or not mature enough to sit correctly for a whole ride), or if you will spend long highway days in one rental car. In that case, a high-back booster gives better belt positioning and head support.

How we assessed this

We have not tested this booster. This page draws on hiccapop's published specification, FAA and NHTSA guidance, and comparison with other travel boosters. Full methodology: How We Research.

Can you use the UberBoost on a plane?

No. The FAA's Flying with Children page says passengers may not use booster seats or backless child restraints during taxi, takeoff or landing. A booster works by placing a car's lap-and-shoulder belt across a child, and aircraft seats have lap belts only. Carry the UberBoost deflated in your bag or suitcase. On board, a booster-age child sits in the aircraft seat with its belt fastened. A child in the 22–44 lb range can use the FAA-approved CARES harness instead.

Is my child ready for a booster?

A booster is the stage after a forward-facing harness, not a replacement for one. NHTSA's car seat guidance is to keep a child in a forward-facing harnessed seat until they reach that seat's top height or weight limit, then use a booster until the adult seat belt fits properly. For many children that is somewhere between ages 8 and 12. The AAP's car seat guidance says the same. Your state may set its own minimums, so check the law where you will be driving.

The fit check in the car:

• The lap belt sits low across the upper thighs and hips, not the stomach.
• The shoulder belt crosses the middle of the collarbone and chest, not the neck.
• Your child can sit like that for the whole ride without slouching or moving the belt behind them.

If any of those fail, your child is not ready for a backless booster.

How does it work while traveling?

You inflate the seat through its valve before the ride, close the valve fully, and check that it is firm enough that your child does not sink when seated. A valve that is not fully closed lets the seat lose height during the ride, and the belt moves with it. Check firmness before every ride.

Hiccapop states the UberBoost meets FMVSS 213, the federal standard for child restraints. That standard is the difference between a booster and a cushion or folded jacket, which do not position a belt safely.

Backless vs high-back: which should you pack?

A backless booster relies on the vehicle's headrest to support your child's head, so only use it in seats that have a headrest at the right height. For a week-long road trip in one rental car, renting or bringing a high-back booster is the better choice. See the rental car car seat guide.

Packing it for a flight

Deflated, it goes in a carry-on or checked bag like any other soft item. If it is in your carry-on, TSA screens car and booster seats by X-ray, so take it out if an officer asks. Pack it where you can reach it at arrivals, so the booster is ready before the rideshare does.

Who should skip it

• Children still in a harness. For a younger child who needs a travel seat that also flies, look at the Baby Trend Trooper Slim instead.
• Children who fall asleep and slump. A high-back booster keeps the shoulder belt in place better.
• Families who only drive their own car. A conventional booster that stays in the car is simpler.

Final verdict

The UberBoost solves one travel problem: having a certified booster in your bag when a car turns up without one. It belongs in the luggage, not on the plane. Use it for short, unplanned rides, and choose a high-back booster for long drives.