Graco’s Head Wise 70 convertible car seat with Safety Surround is the third in a great trilogy. We’ve already reviewed the nearly identical Graco Size4Me 70 and it’s twin, the My Size 70. The Head Wise 70 is very similar, with only minor changes that include the addition of the “Safety Surround” technology for enhanced side-impact protection and some variations in soft goods (covers and infant inserts). So, this will just be a quick update and video review. Please see our Size4Me 70 review for measurements and more information. The Head Wise 70 is currently a Target exclusive, retailing around $199.
Video Review:
And here is a quick feature summary:
Photo Gallery:
To show you how similar the HeadWise 70 is to the Size4Me 70, here are a couple comparison photos. There are some differences, but the shell is very similar overall, along with the height and weight limits of the seat:
Below are a few shots with kids of various sizes. On the far left, a nearly 8-year old boy who is at the harness system limit of 52″ tall. He still barely fits in the Head Wise 70 at 60 pounds. Next is an almost-4-year-old who weighs 33 lbs, is 40″ tall, and wears a size 4 shirt. After that is a 17-month-old, 20 lbs, 33 inches, size 18 month shirts. On the far right, a 7-pound infant doll, using the included infant inserts.
Pros:
Rear-facing legroom seems better than average- Handy recline indicator for rear-facing (photo, right)
- Deep EPS foam-lined head wings w/ Safety Surround system
- Enough shoulder room for older kids to fit comfortably
- Front adjustable 3-step Recline
- Tall harness limit should get many kids to at least 6-7 yrs
- Integrated cupholder
- SimplySafe Harness one-hand height adjustment is easy to use, no re-threading straps or uninstalling to adjust to 8-positions!
- Extremely generous rear-facing height limit, nearly all kids can remain rear-facing to 40 pounds in this seat
Cons:
- Harness System. Can be a little hard to tighten, especially for babies. May be somewhat difficult to buckle/unbuckle, especially for younger kids. Harness straps can twist.
- Somewhat large and bulky, but this is the tradeoff for the very generous height and weight limits
- Like most convertibles, a 65 or 70 pound weight limit is unrealistic for most kids who will reach the height limit much sooner
- Low birth weight infants and very small newborns may not fit well, despite the 4 pound minimum rating
- Made in China
- Slightly more expensive than Size4Me 70 and My Size 70. Available only at Target.
Conclusion:
Like the Size4Me 70 we reviewed last year, the Graco Head Wise 70 is a great seat for larger, full-term newborns all the way up to 6 or 7 years of age. In particular, it offers one of the best height limits for rear-facing, the safest way for kids to travel. Nearly all kids will be able to use this model rear-facing all the way up to the 40-pound rear-facing weight limit! For the extra $10 or $20 over the cost of a Size4Me 70 or MySize 70, you add Graco’s Safety Surround system for extra side impact protection, along with different cover choices and infant inserts. All three models are great choices, so find the style you like best and follow the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to keep kids rear-facing as long as possible!
Thank you to Graco Baby for providing the Head Wise 70 used in this review! No other compensation was provided.
Hello,
does anyone know if this car seat meets Canadian safety approvals?
Hi Shelly,
As I’m asked about this from time to time, so I thought it would be a good idea to discuss it-
I buy products from China all the time. Sometimes there simply isn’t much choice. But we also respect that many of our readers do things their own way. From extended rear-facing, to cloth diapers, to insisting on non-toxic bedding materials, to BPA-free containers, to organic food, really anything and everything they feel will keep their little ones from any possible, preventable harm. We don’t know if “Made in China” represents any possible safety issue from having less control over parts and manufacturing, even compared to a manufacturer who owns and operates their own facility in the USA. We do know that there is a lot less oversight in many countries in the far east when it comes to environmental concerns and also concerns over pay and treatment of the laborers. Not to mention the economic loss of jobs for local economies.
On the flip side, when it comes to what sells, that usually means what is priced most competitively, and that’s often the item made in China. I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to that making choice for many of the products we buy. Obviously, a lot of the pros and cons we list may or may not apply to any particular parent, as everyone has their own preferences and circumstances! The HeadWise 70 is a very good product and is worthy of consideration regardless of its origin.
All else being equal, I would usually prefer a product made in North America, Western Europe or Japan. But, of course, all else is very rarely equal! Many of CarseatBlog’s recommended products are made in China. Place of manufacture is not a consideration for products we review or recommend, but we do often list this for reference in our reviews because it may be important to some readers.
Was just looking at this one on the Target website as my daughter claims she wants a purple seat next. Glad to see one of the pros was more leg room for rear-facing as she’ll be 2 on Sunday!
I’ve been very interested in the graco size4me for our 4month olds next seat. Target is a lot closer than babies r us, but are the improvements worth a few extra dollars and the difference in gas money? Maybe. Honestly the price for both seats isn’t too scary to me, unlike an orbit or radiant seat who’s price tags kind of make me tummy sick a little. Do I care that its made in China? I don’t know, not really. It seems like a pretty good option for us with the majority of the features on my must have list.
I like that it can go from birth all the way up to 6-7 years.
Well if nothing else – i prefer the color of the headwise! Totally trivial, but well it’d something i would consider 😉