All Chicco NextFit convertible carseats made during or after October 2013 have some minor updates. The harness strap covers are now entirely optional and remove easily thanks to Velcro on the sides. These new strap covers lack the grippy material that lined the back of the original strap covers. The new strap covers are also slightly shorter as you can see in the comparison picture.
The 2-position chest clip can now be used in either the more narrow or wider setting with no restrictions – use your best judgement. Newborns and younger babies with narrow shoulders will benefit from the more narrow setting which will draw the harness straps closer together and keep them positioned properly over the baby’s small shoulders. Older babies and bigger kids can use the wider setting. When you switch is entirely up to you.
The crotch strap has also been lengthened just a little bit. The new crotch strap is almost (but not quite) 1″ longer. Replacement [longer] crotch straps will be available after March 1.
You can order NEW style harness pads directly from Chicco here.
If you own a Chicco NextFit made prior to October 2013 – you may remove the harness strap covers that came with your seat, if desired. Please carefully follow the removal directions provided by Chicco here: http://www.chiccousa.com/nextfit/pdf/NextFit_Pad_Installation.PDF
The replacement directions in the link above were written prior to the update so you can ignore the language that says “Never use your NextFit car seat without shoulder pads”. Just follow the directions on how to remove them, put the chest clip and buckle tongues back on properly and reattach the harness safely. *At the end of the process, once the harness pin has been fully re-inserted, check to make sure that the plastic tab is back in its original position preventing the pin from moving forward again.
There is also a video detailing the process here: http://www.chiccousa.com/nextfit/installation.aspx (the link to the video can be found in two places: on the left side of your screen under “Shoulder Pad Replacement Kit” or under the Rear-Facing Videos “Installing Shoulder Pad Replacement Kit”) Again, this is an existing video meant to detail the process of swapping out the original harness strap covers with identical replacement strap covers so you can ignore the language that warns you to never use this product without the harness pads.
Were you able to test out the new crotch strap? I have always had problems where it was a bit difficult to tighten the pull strap. I read somewhere that with the extra length in the new crotch strap it helps make the tightening easier.
Hi Jack, I don’t have the longer crotch strap so I’m no help but I can’t imagine how that would effect the harness adjuster. I guess it’s worth a try but I wouldn’t be too optimistic about it. Have you removed the harness strap covers?
@Renee – 16 months is a tough age because you can’t really reason with him yet. Now that the weather is turning colder and you’re probably using a jacket – try putting the jacket on backwards over him (like a painting smock) after you’ve buckled him in nice and snug. With any luck out-of-sight will mean out-of-mind. Also, toddler music can be a great distraction in the car at this age. My second child went through a phase at this age where he just HATED the carseat and music was the only thing that worked to keep him distracted and calm. We had a bunch of the Fisher-Price Little People CDs that were his favorite. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Little-People-Favorites/dp/B000067Q3I/?tag=carseatblog-20
I hope that helps! He will grow out of it – I promise.
My 16 month old son can undo the chest buckle by himself. Do you have any advise on something thin to place over the buckle so he cannot undo it? I talked to chicco and they sent me a new buckle which he can still unbuckle. I know it is not recommended to add anything to the carseat but Chicco is not helping at all with the fact that he can unbuckle it himself. thank you
@Crystal – have you called Chicco customer service? They should be able to help you order whatever you need.
Checked the Chicco replacement page for Nextfit, crotch straps AND harness pads are NOT listed on the replacement page.
I just checked the Chicco replacement parts website and the new crotch straps still aren’t available. Any word on when they will be?
It looks like the replacement pads open with velcro? So can I just cut the old ones off, and velcro on the new pads? It seems like this would be faster than taking out the pin… Also, is it fine to just use it without the pads in the meantime? I have a pre-October seat and the tough, sticky pads are terrible.
Thank you!
I just purchased the Nextfit and the manufacture date is October 2013. The straps are the old, rubber-backed style which I immediately removed because I was having such a tough time tightening the harness with my daughter in it. Since the strap covers are the old style, do I assume that the crotch strap is the old, short style as well?
@ Jenny – any seat made in Oct 2013 (or later) will have the longer crotch strap. If your seat has the new harness strap covers then it also has the longer crotch strap. HTH!
if the manufacturer date is oct 2013, will it have the new straps?
@ L Cat – something isn’t right. It shouldn’t be that tight on a child who isn’t even a year old yet – even if she’s wearing a bulky cloth diaper. Is the infant insert removed? What position is the crotch strap in? Can you take a picture of her buckled in the seat and post it on our forum? http://www.car-seat.org/forumdisplay.php?f=5
I just bought a NextFit and the date on registration says Oct 2013, but there’s no way we have the longer strap. My 11mos old who never cries has started crying every time we put her in the seat (just installed yesterday am). I couldn’t figure out what was wrong – kept checking the neck area and wondering how the straps that are supposed to fit her until she’s 3 or 4 are so tight. Then I realized that crotch clasp is jutting into her inner thighs when all 3 pieces are together. Very, very frustrated considering we went w/ top of the line (We thought). Most likely to return.
I have a seat made earlier than October and am going to order the new pads today – thank you for the update! I really dislike the rubbery backing; makes it so hard to get into place some days!
RE: JP – do you have a boy or girl? I feel like if you have a girl you may not have noticed the strap being too short. With my son (and the extra bulge down there) it’s hard to squeeze the straps into place and a longer crotch strap would come in super handy!
@Stephanie – I’m glad we were able to provide you with good news! Chicco is going to update their website soon to reflect this new information. I guess they haven’t done that yet but I know it’s on their to-do list. In the mean time – feel free to call Chicco customer service to confirm or ask questions. Enjoy your new harness strap covers!
Thanks so much for this information, it’s exactly what I was looking for. As I struggled to snap my daughter in (AGAIN) this morning, I grabbed the manual out of the bottom of the seat hoping I could remove those darn harness pads. I was quite dismayed when I read that I wasn’t supposed to remove them, so upon Googling the issue found your post and was SO relieved. I went and ordered the new harness pads, so thank you for that. I’m curious though, where does chicco list this information, I looked (albeit briefly) at their site to see where they talked about it and couldn’t find it. I wanted to know so that I can check back for further updates in the future. Again, thanks!
Update – I have received info from Chicco that replacement [longer] crotch straps will be available for purchase after March 1. I have updated the blog to reflect this new info.
@Kay – currently, the only way to know for sure that you’re buying an updated NextFit is to buy the seat from a local retailer and check the date on the sticker on the outside of the box (small white label located on the bottom of the box which lists the model number and the date of manufacture) before you buy it. There is no way to guarantee a new DOM if you order the seat online.
How can I be sure I’m buying a seat made October or later? Thanks!
There is at least one amazon review where the reviewer says chicco sent them both.
I am kind of surprised at the crotch strap, though – I don’t notice it being short on my 2 1/2 yo, I feel like if it were any longer it would be too long for a younger kid, but maybe we are just used to short straps there? Have mainly used Britax seats.
@LANWENYI – you will need to call Chicco customer service regarding the longer crotch strap because it doesn’t show up as a replacement part (yet) on the Chicco website like the harness strap covers do. I can see that the replacement strap covers are $5 but I don’t have any info on the crotch strap at the moment. If you call Chicco and get an answer on that – please let us know. Thanks!
I know we can order the new harness covers if we want them (I don’t need to as I’ve found a work-around that works for us), but can we order the longer buckle strap too? That one would be helpful for us. Any idea on the costs for the replacement parts?
I love that they listened to the people. 🙂
I kind of wish they would just sell the seat with two chest clips, though. I find it kind of fiddly to have to stop pushing, to leave it at the bigger setting. It’s more natural to push all the way – but I’ll take what I can get. Excellent tweaks to an excellent seat.
They listened to people? I am trying to buy them and they are not available in any color!
@ARON – Yes, the NextFit chest clip can now be used in either position – regardless of when your seat was made. There will be info posted on the Chicco website in January that will reflect this updated position.
Are the chest clip changes (narrow/wide) retroactive as well?