The Lil Fan Box Seat Premium Slimline No Back Booster Seat is a little seat with a very long name! It also goes by the much shorter name “Box Seat,” so we’ll use that name. When we met the Lil Fan Club Seat earlier this year, we were impressed with the great belt fit on our models, the seat’s easy to follow labels and instructions, and the seat’s light weight. Oh, and the amazing sports-themed covers if you’re into that sort of thing.
We liked the Club Seat so much that we wanted to take a closer look at the Lil Fan backless booster. At CSFTL, we always advocate for children to ride in a booster for as long as possible. Any seat or booster that helps with that goal is a great thing in our book — a sports-themed backless booster could inspire many older Littles to stay in their boosters until they can pass the 5 Step Test.
Lil Fan Premium Slimline No Back Booster Seat
CSFTL Quick Stats
- Weight range: 40-110 lbs
- Height range: 40-57″
- Expiration: 6 years
Features
- Includes shoulder belt adjuster
- IIHS Best Bet
Measurements
- Width: 17″
- Depth: 15.5″
- Height: 7″
- Weight: 2.5 lbs
Installation
The Box Seat is what my booster rider calls a “plopper.” No, that’s not an official term! She means that you can just plop the booster onto the vehicle seat and go. This makes setting the Box Seat up pretty simple. Since it does not have lower anchors, caregivers should buckle it into the seat when it’s unoccupied.
Fit to Child
6 Years Old
LilFan Box Seat 6 years old, 49 bs, 47 inches tall
Our first model is 6 years old, weighs 49 lbs and is 47 inches tall. Most of the time, she rides in a harnessed car seat so testing the Box Seat was a pretty unique experience for her. She had the same troubles buckling herself in that our 9 year old model did — threading the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt under the armrest/belt guide was a bit of a challenge.
If this were her everyday seat, we’d have to spend some time teaching her how to buckle in properly.
The belt fit is passable but not great — the shoulder belt lies closer to her neck than I’d like to see but the lap portion sits nicely across the tops of her thighs.
Because the Box Seat is so shallow, we had guessed that it would offer a better belt fit on older, larger booster riders than on younger riders. That’s definitely the case for our models.
9 Years Old
LilFan Box Seat 9 years old, 60 lbs, 50 inches tall
This model is 9 years old, weighs 60 lbs, and is 50 inches tall. Thanks to her Mom’s gig as a reviewer of car seats, she’s used to riding a variety of seats and offering her opinions. That definitely makes my job easier!
She finds the seat quite comfortable and easy to carry. She struggled a bit with the belt path — both the lap and shoulder belts need to thread under the rather dainty arm rest. On our first trip riding in the Box Seat, it took her a couple of tries to get both parts of the belt into the right position but after that, it was fine.
Her main complaint about the seat is the lack of cupholder. More than drinks, she tends to store a variety of important trinkets in her cupholder so this is a big deal for her.
LilFan Box Seat without cover
After riding in the Box Seat for a while, she noticed that there’s a gentle slope to the seat that isn’t as comfortable as she’d like. We took the cover off and we could see what the trouble was — there’s a bump on the seat itself.
Overall, the lap and shoulder belt fit are good. The Box Seat provides a nice seat belt fit for this older model.
Box Seat vs. Club Seat
LilFan Box Seat
LilFan’s other booster offering, the high backed Club Seat, converts to a backless booster that we’re quite fond of. The Club Seat includes a cupholder, armrests that are long enough to buckle easily, and it’s a bit wider than the Box Seat.
LilFan Club Seat, backless mode
Of the two seats, our 9 year old model prefers the wider seating area and flatter seat pan of the Club Seat.From a budget perspective, the Box Seat is a great alternative for sports fans and their families who need a backless booster for an older child.
Labels
Lil Fan Box Seat label
Like the Club Seat, the Box Seat features clearly worded, easy-to-read, easy-to-access labels. This sounds like a small thing, but clear labels and instructions can be the difference between proper and improper use so we’re always thrilled when a manufacturer has such clear information right there on the seat!
Important Information: Where to Find
FAA Approval
LilFan Box Seat FAA Label
The FAA label is on the bottom of the Box Seat. This seat is NOT approved for airplane use in booster mode. Boosters require a shoulder belt, and airplanes don’t have shoulder belts.
It can, however, be carried on the plane and stored in the overhead bin for use in a car at the other end of the trip.
Expiration
LilFan Box Seat Date of Manufacture label
The LilFan Box Seat has a 7 year lifespan. The Date of Manufacture (DOM) label is on the bottom of the seat. It lists the date the seat was made and the date the seat expires.
Overall Thoughts
Like the high backed Club Seat, the Box Seat has some comfortable, eye-catching covers and clear labeling. I have no doubt that those covers are the first thing caregivers are drawn to when they see the seat. The seat’s light weight and easy to move between cars, making it a great option for carpoolers who need to carry their own boosters. Overall, we’re pleased with the portability of the seat and the belt fit for our older model.
