Buckling in all of the dolls and my daughter was very easy, as expected. The straps did not easily twist, even moving them around as much as I did for all of these sizes. The headrest adjusted easily through all 10 positions, though the flap that lifts as the headrest goes up did get caught under the cover every time I moved it back down. This was quite annoying for me, but most caregivers will not be adjusting the headrest 20+ times a day, so I don’t see it being a large problem at all.
In terms of overall size, convertible car seats tend to be some of the largest car seats on the market as they must be versatile enough to convert from rear- to front-facing and beyond. The Graco is 21.5 inches wide (with the cup holders being the widest part), 20 inches deep, and 24 inches high. When you install this seat as a booster, you can choose to keep it anchored to your car with LATCH, or you can stow away the LATCH hooks and go without.
Graco recommends checking with the state you live in to make sure you’re following all regulations. While many babies outgrow their rear-facing infant seat quickly, studies show that children under age two are 75% less likely to die in a crash if they are seated in a rear-facing car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics has urged parents to keep children rear-facing as long as possible, which is why some models allow children to stay rear-facing longer, with extra legroom and higher weight limits.
The forward facing belt path is more open than the rear facing one, so seat belt installation is easier in the forward facing position. In addition, if the headrest is moved up to its highest position, it’s easy to get hands under the cover to feed the seat belt through the open belt path. We tested the Diono Radian 3QXT all-in-one, which is part of Diono’s line of seats specifically designed to fit three across. (In 2018, we tested the similar Diono Radian RXT, which has since been discontinued.) Like our also-great convertible pick, the Clek Foonf, the Radian 3QXT is a slender 17 inches wide. With low sides, a deep recline, and high rear-facing limits, the Diono Radian series is a favorite among people who are trying to keep their kids rear-facing longer; the rear-facing weight limit of the Radian 3QXT is 50 pounds. The design of Radian seats may help stave off carsickness, as well, since they have an L shape, rather than a more typical C shape.
Adjusting the recline moves smoother than some of the competition, but it is low on the seat, so you need to adjust before pressing the seat against the back of the vehicle seat. The seat material can get in the way, so it’s up to the installer to handle this. To install the Foonf forward-facing with the seat graco turbobooster belt alone, you route the lap portion of the belt through the forward-facing belt path and the shoulder portion of the belt through the forward-facing belt lock-off, and then buckle it in. To get it extra-snug, you pull on the belt while pressing down on the center of the seat, removing any extra slack.
I’d be wary to recommend using it without the insert for newborns, however, as they will often slouch a little as the ride goes on, and so his shoulders may end up under the bottom harness height. Engineered for families who want to spend more time adventuring, SlimFit R44 is an all-in-one car seat for young riders from birth to approx. This combination car seat provides all the flexibly your family needs with top safety features like energy-absorbing EPS foam that works hard to evenly distribute impact forces in the event of a collision. Adjusting the Extend2Fit harness height is better than most with non-rethread adjustment on ten levels with two different buckle strap possibilities.
We actually brought the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 on a flight, which prevented us from worrying about any damage it might incur as checked baggage. It fit easily into the airplane seat and our son, who was 2 years old at the time, enjoyed a flight strapped into his familiar spot. For crumby messes, we use a handheld vacuum with a crevice tool; baby wipes work well for cleaning spills and debris that accumulates in the cup holders. Here’s the view from the vehicle seat right in front of this installation. Note that there’s still quite a bit of space between this adult passenger’s legs and the dashboard.
There are many resources online that can provide both general installation tips and specific advice for your particular seat; we like The Car Seat Lady and Car Seats for the Littles. Safe Kids Worldwide provides information on how you can find a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) in your area, so you can get your seat installed correctly, and learn how to do it yourself the next time. The Safe Kids Worldwide website also provides schedules of free car seat check events and locations of inspection stations. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to get a free car seat install or check by your local fire or police department (often by appointment only). Or you could consider hiring an expert to come to your home to do an installation and training on one or more seats; just be sure that the person you choose is a trained CPST. As previously described, the Foonf’s rear-facing install takes more effort than the rear-facing install of our other picks.
The location is open and easy to access and works well with a basic design that is only average. On a day-to-day basis, the Extend2Fit Convertible is convenient and pleasant to use. The sides of the Extend2Fit Convertible are fairly low (the sides of our runner-up pick, the Britax Boulevard ClickTight, are noticeably higher). So it is slightly easier to maneuver your child in and out of this seat. And there are two built-in cupholders, which are handy for storing snacks, drinks, or toys on the go. Using the above criteria, we narrowed down our original list of over 90 convertible and all-in-one seats to 12 that we field tested in late 2021 and early 2022.
We provide high quality baby furniture and equipment to visitors all over the Island of Oahu. Our goal is to make both you and your baby’s trip as safe, comfortable and fun as possible. Yes, you can wash the covers in your washing machine graco convertible car seat with cold water only on the delicate cycle. The average weight is 24.3 lbs, and the average width is 18.6 in. The shell is more open than some that are encased in sleek plastic, and it could create more cleaning challenges.