No Foonf’ing Around! Car Seat Review & Giveaway

by Sheree Wells

Who wouldn’t like to win a 2014 Clek Foonf Convertible Car Seat just in time for spring? Travelbug Baby & Clek Inc would like to offer you that chance today. Be sure to read our review below and find out why everyone wants a Foonf.

The Giveaway Has Ended. Click Here to Find Out Who Won!

Car-Seat Review Sections:

No Foonf’ing Around….We Love It!

Height, Weight Limits & Seat Dimensions

REACT Safety

Installation Manuals & Support

Extended Rear-Facing

Universal Anchorage System (UAS) & Installation Options

Modern Design & Fabrics

For information on Child Seat Safety

No Foonf’ing Around….We Love It!

My son has been using a Foonf for the past 7 months so my opinion hasn’t been formed overnight. If the Foonf had been available when I purchased his first convertible car seat then it would have been my choice hands-down. I’m a fan of the Foonf and the company who makes it. Clek is a Canadian company that was known for its Oobr booster seat until the Foonf hit the shelves. Now, it is a house-hold name winning the Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association Award in 2012. It’s eye-catching “WTF? What’s the Foonf” marketing is backed by a product that is engineered for safety that parents want and style parents crave. Clek is a well-known industry leader for their REACT safety system but for their environmental responsibility as well. They manufactured a car seat that is 100% North American made and completely recyclable. They think about the environment and take responsibility for what they make and put into our world. I find it impressive that the Foonf materials and components are all recyclable or reusable. When you need to dispose of the car seat or if it is in an accident, send it to Clek and they will recycle it.

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Height, Weight Limits & Seat Dimensions

Clek’s Foonf is designed for use either rear-facing or forward-facing by children who meet all of the following requirements in this chart.

Country Mode Height Weight Age Canada Rear-Facing 64–110 cm

(25–43 in.) 6.4-18 kg

(14-40 lb) Able to sit upright alone Forward-Facing 76–124 cm

(30–49 in.) 10–29.5 kg

(22–65 lb) 1 year

(2+ yrs recommended*) United States Rear-Facing 25–43 in.

(64–110 cm) 14-50 lb

6.4-22.7 kg) Able to sit upright alone Forward-Facing 30–49 in.

(76–124 cm) 20–65 lb

(9.1–29.5 kg) 1 year

(2+ years recommended*)

* The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to keep their toddlers in Rear-facing car seats until age 2 or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat.

Please refer to Clek’s instruction manual to review important checklists for proper use plus additional information on size and age limitations. For a preview of the instruction manual online, click Clekinc.ca for Canada and for the United States click Clekinc.com. For car-seat dimensions, refer to the website and select product to view the Foonf. The specification section has a handy diagram presenting all the measurements. It’s important to remember that the safest seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle and that you can use properly each and every time.

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REACT Safety

Foonf’s REACT (Rapid Energy-Absorbing Crumple Technology) safety system reduces the impact that your child would absorb in a car accident. According to Clek, REACT reduces the force transmitted to a child (in forward-facing) by 40 percent. The REACT system is built in to the bottom of the seat and features an aluminum honeycomb material that crumples in a crash and absorbs part of the force. This combined with the energy absorbing foam layers placed on both sides of the car seat structure makes me feel more confident in the product’s design. It was this feature that initially caught my attention.

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Installation Manuals & Support

Transport Canada’s research indicates that over 80% of car seats are not installed correctly. It doesn’t matter how many times I read this statistic it still makes me shudder. An important part of the installation process is taking the time to review all the instructional materials provided by the car seat manufacturer and the vehicle handbook. Clek’s Instruction Manual was surprisingly easy to follow and understand. Clek even offers a mobile-friendly video on their website to complement the manual and offers a useful FAQ section on their website. When I called the support line at Clek, I found the staff to be extremely helpful. You may be tempted to only watch the video for instruction, but it is not recommended. Your two primary documents will always be Clek’s instructional manual AND your vehicle handbook, but the videos really help to reinforce what is required to do in a step-by-step presentation.

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Extended Rear-Facing

One of the best features of the Foonf is the extended rear-facing option. Hands down, rear-facing is the safest orientation in the event of a crash. It is now recommended that a child be rear-facing as long as possible and until they reach the maximum height and weight of their car seat. The Foonf makes it possible to keep your child rear-facing for as long as 3 to 4 years of age (depending on your child’s size). Anything that promotes leaving your children rear-facing longer gets a huge check-mark in my books. There is additional assembly required for rear-facing that includes the anti-rebound bar and the base. The base was a snap to add, but the anti-rebound bar did take longer than I expected.

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Universal Anchorage System (UAS) & Installation Options

UAS is a way to secure a car seat to the vehicle using metal anchors found in the crease between the vehicle seat back and cushion. The main features for the Foonf include built-in lock-offs for seat belt installations, flexible UAS for rear-facing installation, and rigid UAS for forward-facing installation. Your child’s age, weight and height plus your vehicle requirements will determine the best installation option for you.

There is legislation in the United States that affects all seats manufactured from Feb 28th 2012 and later. It requires car seat manufacturers to list the maximum weight the lower anchors can be used up to on seat stickers and in the manual. There are no changes that have been made to the Canadian regulations. It’s important to remember that your vehicle manufacturer has a maximum lower anchor weight limit. Parents in either Canada or the United States should follow the lower of either the vehicle manufacturer or the car seat’s limits. I have installed our car seat forward-facing using UAS. Here are some observations:

The Foonf is heavy at 32lbs (forward-facing) and if you plan on moving it then would recommend investing in the Weelee bag. It is a universal travel bag. When I don’t need it for the car-seat I use it for weekend trips.

The car seat does require re-threading the harness to adjust to your child’s height.

The crotch-strap was easy to adjust to his size. Clek has listened to customer feedback and has released a new crotch-strap that has two lengths available. The longer length is to be used with the outer crotch strap slot to accommodate larger children. For those with a 2013 model, you can order a longer crotch strap online.

The buckle pad that is used up until 22lbs is not attached to the car seat. Every time you take your child out of the seat, it falls on the ground and is frustrating.

The top tether, required for all forward-facing installs, was stored neatly in the back of the car seat, a cinch to release and fasten to the vehicle’s tether anchor.

All in all, it was a surprisingly simple and quick installation.

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Modern Design & Fabrics

This car seat is sleek and has clean lines. It is not bulky but narrow in width yet my son has plenty of space. It doesn’t appear to be heavily padded and you initially wonder if it would be comfortable on long trips. The test for comfort was passed when my son fell asleep in it. He would never sleep in the car until he was in the Foonf. You can only imagine how much I was smiling when I saw him asleep in the rear-view mirror. He has also never complained about his bottom being sore like he did in the other car seat.

Every new shiny object that you bring into the house doesn’t escape the little ones sticky fingers and the Foonf was no exception. Within 24 hours, there was milk and a bit of his lunch on the seat. I was able to remove the bottom of the seat easily and clean the mess without any lingering stain. The Crypton Super Fabric used on the car seat is water-proof and protects against stains, moisture plus odor-causing bacteria. The car seat fabric has been designed to stay on the seat and cannot be removed. I know what you are thinking that it must have toxic chemicals giving it that invisible shield of ‘don’t mess with me’ special powers. Yet, the fabric is certified by a third party for having ultra-low or no VOCs (volatile organic compounds). In addition, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is not used in the manufacture of the fabrics. It isn’t self-cleaning so spots can be removed with soap and water. Wow, can I get my whole house cryptonized?

Overall, I’m still as delighted with the Foonf as I was when I first learned about it. I’m not alone in thinking this way as my little one loves sitting in his car seat. His first words when he saw it was “I love it” and when he sat in it he noticed he was higher up and grinned saying “oh…I’m bigger”. It’s the right car seat for my little guy’s weight and height, our vehicle and I find the installation to be beyond easy – it’s a perfect fit for our family. Can you say…”Road Trip”!

For information on Child Seat Safety, please visit:

For Canada: Visit Transport Canada

For U.S.A.: Visit Safer Cars (NHTSA)

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Please Read This:

1. This giveaway is open to residents, 18 years of age and older, in Canada & the U.S.A. Unfortunately, due to provincial regulations Quebec residents are not eligible.

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3. Send questions regarding the giveaway to contest@travelbugbaby.com

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Full disclosure: The Foonf was sent to Travelbug Baby for review, no monetary compensation has been received in exchange for this write up, all opinions are purely my own. Disclaimer: This review does not present instruction on a car seat installation. As a mom, I am sharing my opinion based on using the Clek Foonf for a 7 month period in a Dodge Grand Caravan. Travelbug Baby’s Privacy Policy