We're so glad that you're interested in the Buckle Booster. At first glance, we know that it can seem like there is a lot going on, but here's the important thing to know: there are only two distinct kinds of Buckle Boosters in our family of products: the Long Neck Pullover and the Lil' Hugger. Each of these comes in two colors: Yellow Llama and Purple Sash.
The first thing to figure out, then, is which kind of Buckle Booster is best for your vehicle.
Prefer to skip the Learning Center and just get a Variety Llama Family Buckle Booster Pack with each kind of Buckle Booster? Click HERE. This is also a great choice when you're ordering Buckle Boosters as a gift.
What is a Receptacle's Home?
We describe the "home" of the receptacle as the area where it lives. If the entirety of your seat belt receptacle sits above the level of the back seat (like, above the level of the bottom of your tush), then its home is a high-rise. By contrast, some receptacles find themselves in a recessed groove cut out of the seat belt bench, which we call a basement.
Using the Long Neck Pullover
The Long Neck Pullover Buckle Booster is best for seat belt receptacles that are fully exposed, especially those living in a high-rise because the Long Neck Pullover is the taller kind of Buckle Booster. Therefore, it assures as much stability as possible for these seat belt receptacles.
The Long Neck Pullover will also work well in basements where there's enough room to go around the receptacle.
And Then the Lil' Hugger
Once we get into the realm of basements (spooky!) that's where the Lil' Hugger Buckle Booster really comes into play. Oftentimes, receptacles in basements have a coupled relationship status (as in, there are two receptacles living together in the basement - often from the rear middle and rear window seats). Now, this wouldn't matter - coupled or single - but when living in a high-rise, each receptacle in the couple has a little more room to themselves, so the Long Neck Pullover is provides great stability. But in basement living, coupled receptacles find themselves in closer quarters, which can lead to trouble using a Long Neck Pullover, and that's why we often suggest - if it's a tight basement in the back seat of your car - to try the Lil' Hugger. As we all know, relationships are complicated.
What makes the Lil' Hugger better suited to tighter fits and basement environments is that it can be put on from a bottom angle, which lets it create separation between receptacles a bit more easily and offers a better angle of leverage for installing the Lil' Hugger than you would get with the Long Neck Pullover.
If you're following this, you might be asking yourself, if the Lil' Hugger is more universal than the Long Neck Pullover, why go through all this trouble trying to decide which one to use? Why not just go with the Lil' Hugger?
This is a pretty good question, and if you're worried, based on the above, that the Long Neck Pullover may not work, then by all means just go with the Lil' Hugger. The difference is that because it's taller and a touch thicker, the Long Neck Pullover provides a bit more stability. Of course, the easiest route is to get one of our Variety Llama Family Packs that include both kinds of Buckle Boosters.
Where Buckle Boosters Won't Work
Finally, there are some basements (below tush-level receptacles) that no one wants to go down into, including our otherwise very brave Buckle Boosters. These are basements that are cramped and dark, and where it can generally be said that the top of the receptacle (like, the part with the red push button) aligns at its highest point with the level of the back seat (you remember, where your tush sits), and you just can't pull that receptacle up and out of the basement. It looks something like this:
In these cases, neither the Long Neck Pullover nor the Lil' Hugger are going to do it for you, and we're truly sorry about that.
Conclusions
Don't forget! We have Forever Returns and a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, so you simply can't go wrong; we'll always make everything right with either an alternative or your money back. We know you don't want to be wasteful, though, since shipping increases all of our carbon footprints, and useless product is a waste of the entire manufacturing process that got it to you and adds to landfills (jeez, guilt trip much!). Therefore, please do consider the above and try to make the best choice based on what you've read.
If you still don't know what to choose, consider two options. First, try one of our Variety Llama Family Buckle Booster Packs that include both kinds of Buckle Booster. Second, contact us, and include a picture of your vehicle's back seat receptacles where you want to use the Buckle Booster. We are always here for your and delighted to help in any way.
Next Steps
Once you know which kind of Buckle Booster you're going to get, choose your color - Purple Sash or Yellow Llama - and the listing with the pack quantity you want (the more you buy the more you save!), and you're ready to place your order.
So where does this fork in the road lead you?
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| Long Neck Pullover | Lil' Hugger |
A Note on Materials
While we're in the Learning Center, it's worth noting that all Buckle Boosters are made BPA-Free, Lead-Free, Phthalate-Free, and PVC-Free. We don't mess around with stuff that your children touch.
