Graco My Ride 65 40-Pound Rear-Facing Limit
Heather has already done a full review of the Graco My Ride 65 convertible car seat. It was a great overview and also very thorough, so I’m not going to repeat it with another full review. Instead, I’m just going to add a few comments along with some photos and video.
Without a doubt, the 40 pound rear-facing weight limit is a very welcome increase. Rear-facing provides the most crash protection in the most common and severe frontal and side impacts. There is a stigma for a lot of parents regarding rear-facing. Many have the impression that kids should be front-facing once they are 1 year and 20 pounds. Even some physicians still give this obsolete advice, contrary to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Other parents just think their kids need to be front-facing for comfort or some other issue, or that turning front-facing is some sort of rite of passage or graduation award for being a year old. Well, now there’s a reason why front-facing shouldn’t be a reward for many kids until they turn 4-years old!
My son is 4-years old, plus a few weeks, and right at 40 pounds. At his 4-year checkup, he was over 39 pounds and over 42″ tall, above the 80th percentile for height. That also puts him right at the rear-facing height limit of the My Ride 65, as the top of his head is about an inch below the top of the shell. This tells me that the vast majority of kids can remain rear-facing until they are 3-years old (depending on their vehicle) and many could make it to their 4th birthday. That is a noteworthy and unique benefit of the My Ride 65.
Other likes? Need I mention what every parent wants? Dual Cupholders. Standard. The head pillow is a great touch and the infant insert and harness pads are nice, too. Installation with LATCH is relatively easy and the recline feet are straightforward and easy to adjust, though didn’t seem very robust. The 65-pound forward-facing weight limit is also nice, though like other similar 65-pound models, many kids will outgrow it by height well before they reach the weight limit. I also think it’s nice that Graco provided two separate sets of LATCH attachments. So, no re-routing of any kind is needed to convert from rear-facing to forward-facing or back, though one can envision other types of misuse from having an extra pair of attachments. Graco also touts that it is crash tested to the higher NCAP test pulse standards and is side impact tested as well.
I also have to rave that the My Ride 65 is made in North America. Kudos to Graco! In this case, the carseat itself is labeled as Made in U.S.A. and the cover appears to be made in Mexico. Speaking of the cover, while not particularly thick or plush, I like the look and feel of the Edgemont Dots pattern on mine. I do notice a strong new fabric odor and also that the elastic tended to slip off the side of the My Ride, as Heather noted.
Dislikes? Only a few things beyond what Heather mentioned. The crotch buckle depth is not generous and with no adjustment, it’s tight on older kids. Also, I do prefer separate LATCH attachments with their own adjusters on each side of the seat to make installation even easier. It would have also been nice to have push button releases, rather than basic hook hardware. These can make it a lot easier to uninstall, especially with only one adjuster in a very tight installation. Even so, the My Ride installed easy enough with LATCH. Plus, if it had four deluxe attachments and four separate adjusters, the cost would be higher, and the My Ride 65 is certainly a nice value at $149!
The last thing I’d mention is the wording in the manual about rear-facing limits, “When the child can no longer comfortably fit and knees remain bent, child should use car seat forward-facing only if child is over 20 lbs. and can sit upright unassisted.” This is a very subjective guideline. What does comfortably mean? Can the knees bend at all, if so, how far? What if the child hangs his legs to the side? What if the vehicle seat can recline? Or what about the photo to the right, “Look, no bent knees!” It may also imply there is some risk to having bent knees while rear-facing, though I am not aware of any data that has ever shown this. In any case, it is a confusing guideline, in my opinion.
Installation wise, it installed quickly and solidly in my 2006 Honda Odyssey 2nd row captain’s chair. Rear-facing, it installed easily with LATCH or seatbelt. The angle was somewhat more upright than 45 degrees without a noodle and still in the green indicator zone, perfect for an toddlers and those pushing that 40 pound rear-facing limit! A noodle would probably be needed for the 45 degree angle necessary for a newborn or small infant.
Installation was more difficult in our 2000 Subaru Outback using a lap/shoulder belt. It took some fiddling and a lot of compression with my weight into the seat in order to get an acceptable forward-facing install. The seat tended to move side-to-side. Part of the issue may have been the combination of a very upright vehicle seatback combined with a generous natural recline angle on the My Ride. Nonetheless, I did get an adequate installation and I will have some more photos and comparisons in another blog in the very near future. Given the size and recline of the My Ride, it may not fit well in some vehicles, especially forward-facing.
Overall, the My Ride 65 is a very nice convertible. It doesn’t set any trends for how well it fits small newborns or by extending weight/height limits for older kids who are forward-facing. It does set an important trend for extended rear facing (ERF), and it does this very well. In doing so, it allows older toddlers to remain more safely restrained in a vehicle. If the few drawbacks of the My Ride 65 aren’t an issue for your situation, it’s also very reasonably priced for a convertible child seat with a 65 pound harness limit. If you haven’t already, be sure to read Heather’s full review!
I have a major problem with this seat after using it for about a year. My 21-month-old grandbaby can very easily unlock the chest clasp. Found this out riding down the road and looking back, she had it unlocked. Now what?!
My almost 4 year old is still rear facing and she never once complained about her legs. When we ride in other vehicles and she is foward facing she does the same thing with her legs as she does when she is rear facing. She would probably start complaining on long rides if she was foward facinng about her legs and butt because there is less support for them and they would be dangling. She never complains on long rides when she is rear facing. It is more uncomfortable to be foward facing with legs dangling than to have something to support them on. I always use an ottomen when it is avialable. Plus I noticed my kids get head flop when they are sleeping in foward facing seats and they can’t fall asleep in them like they do there rear facing one. My dd
If you look at crash test video the legs of a foward facing child move much more in an accident then a rear facing one so it definately is safe for their legs even. It is safer at every age to be rear facing. Sure the benefits are higher when they are babies and toddlers but it is still there. It really isn’t uncomfortable and mean at all. Quite the opposite. I prefer to have less kids die in accidents like in Sweden than to turn a kid because to us but not them it looks uncomfotrable.
I have never read something soooo unbelievable ever. YOu parents who are making your children RF that long are ridiculous. I was absolutely stunnned when I saw those pics of that poor boy with his poor legs shoved agaisnt the back seat with nowhere to go. I have never seen anything so unbelievable. I mean come on!!! Your children will be ok. HOw insane to keep a child of that size still RF! Im shocked.
Hi SHOCKED. We’re shocked too- at how many kids continue to be injured and killed in motor vehicle crashes. We’re also shocked that most kids ride around improperly restrained in one way or another. It turns out that rear-facing is the safest way for kids to travel, particularly when it comes to protecting the head in deadly side impacts. If keeping a child protected from head and spinal injury is shocking to you, I’m sure you are also shocked at parents who force their kids to wear helmets while cycling, wear helmets while playing baseball/football, use mats or cushioning material around gymnastic & park equipment and keep firearms locked and out of reach. These happen to be the other top causes of brain injury for kids. It might also be shocking to find that many parents keep poisons out of reach of kids, don’t allow young kids to be in water unsupervised, make their kids wash their hands before eating and numerous other activities proven to keep children from harm with basically zero negative impact on the kids. We’re all entitled to our opinions, of course. What I find insane is when parents don’t do something so simple and something that has no side effects and that is proven to significantly help protect their kids from their #1 killer.
Just a word of the whole legs/RFing discussion. Kecia is right on about comfort and leg support. My son sat FF in a Britax Blvd until 6yrs old. Because his legs were unsupported and dangled, he nearly always sat cross legged, by choice, front facing. So comfort-wise, RFing might actually be more comfortable for kids.
I have a 2001 Lexus IS 300 and im concerned about having enough room for this carseat. I was just about to purchase it online but then started reading some reviews about the size. My daughter is 9 months old and is 22lbs and 28in so she is at the weight limit for her infant carseat.I am not only concerned about the room RF but when I eventually face her forward is there going to be enough leg room? The backseat in my car is extremely small. I got the dementions and measured and I think it might fit but it will be really tight I think especially if I want to keep her in the middle. I also looked at the britax diplomat and know it will fit but is is so much more money and only holds up to 40 lbs. FF. The more I read online, the more confused Im getting. Just really need to know if this carseat is a good choice for someone with a very small backseat?
so my mother(63) sister(31 a mother and worked corp. daycare for 10 years) and i all read the reviews and comments. we found it to be great entertainment for the last hour. i am going to register for the seat for my baby that is due in july but we were wondering how old most of you are and how you managed to make it this far in life when your parents barely strapped you into the car with a seatbelt?
How did we manage to survive unrestrained in the back seat or on the parcel shelf? That’s easy. We were very, very lucky. Look at the death rates for children who die today from car crashes because they are unrestrained. Being unrestrained or incorrectly restrained is the main reason why crashes are the #1 killer of kids in USA. That’s today. It was far, far worse 40, 30, 20 and even 10 years ago. Plain lucky to be alive. Yup.
Thanks for this review. I may get one of these for my youngest son even though I know it will not last him until he is 3 or 4. My children are both very large with my oldest just turned 2 yesterday and is 45 lbs and 38 inches tall. When my oldest hit the weight limit on his infant carseat, I looked everywhere for something that would keep him rear facing longer. He was 35 lbs when he turned 1 so I only kept him rear facing until he hit the limits on his carseat. I will keep this seat in mind.
Thanks for this in depth review. Currently we have a Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite for our 2 y/o and our 10 month old is going to switch tomorrow to a convertible seat. We have our 2 year old RFing…She loves it. She is 29 lbs and 32″…our 10 mos old is 21 lbs and 28″ (1″ shy of the height on her graco snug ride punkin seat). We are hoping to get the MyRide 65 for our 10 mos old and if I can swing it, one for our 2 y/o as well!
Way to go Graco!! We traded in a suzuki forenza for a Grand Caravan strictly so we could continue to RF!! So we will do it til the limits are reached or they are old enough to voice their discomfort
(broken leg= cast it; broken neck=casket…I love this…it truly does say it all…)
I have a big problem with this carseat, my 16 month old unlocks the chest clasp-easily! I’m going to try & return it today but of course I don’t kow where I put the reciept so hopefully it doesnt turn into a big nightmare
Thanks for all the reviews and comments. After reading both Heather and Darren’s blogs, as a Grandmother, I am sold on the MyRide 65 and will be purchasing to install in my Sienna for my 15 month old granddaughter. It will be rear-facing although my son and dil have their’s forward facing. I will be talking with them about than!
Just to follow-up on what SNOWBIRD25CA said – there is literally decades of crash data (like 30+ years of data) on older rear-facing kids from Sweden. And based on what the Swedes have accomplished in terms of reducing childhood death and injury in crashes – there is just no doubt that this is the safest way to transport any young child in a motor vehicle. It’s no coincidence that Swedish carmaker Volvo recommends rear-facing for all children until 4 years old. Also not a coincidence that in its policy statement on child restraint usage our own AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends “Manufacturers should be encouraged to develop car safety seats that accommodate children rear facing to 4 years of age (45 lb).” Reference Summary Statement here: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550
Honestly, I understand why many adults would think (based on the pictures in this review) that this child would be uncomfortable or that his legs would be at risk for injury in a crash but actually the opposite is true. Injuries to the “lower extemities” is fairly common in forward-facing children who have been involved in moderate to severe crashes but these same types of injuries are not being observed in rear-facing children.
Also, contrary to popular belief, legs are usually more comfortable when rear-facing simply because there is always support for them. Forward-facing the child’s legs are usually left to dangle without any support. Next time you sit on a bar stool – let your legs dangle without propping your feet up on the cross bar and see how long you feel comfortable. LOL!
For more info, links and rear-facing mythbusters please check our “Why Rear-Facing Is Better” blog post: https://carseatblog.com/?p=5168
Parents often worry about the comfort of their child’s legs when rear-facing, but if any of you watch your kids play on the floor and the positions they voluntarily place themselves in, I am sure you will have a changed perspective on whether or not it’s uncomfortable for an older child to be rear-facing.
I will not deny that some kids are uncomfortable, and if my 3yr old complained of being uncomfortable, I would turn him forward facing without hesitation – but he’s also 30lbs and over 3yrs old.
If I had to choose a dead kid or an alive kid with a leg injury, I would choose a leg injury every single time over the dead kid. And while wording it that way may seem dramatic, any crash bad enough to cause a severe leg injury is going to be severe enough to cause severe head and neck injuries – if not fatal injuries, in a young forward facing child.
We have the most North American data on rear-facing children up to age 2, but Sweden has decades of data on children age 4 and under rear-facing. In fact, the very small number of kids who die in collisions in Sweden are often kids who are in vehicles that either catch on fire in the collision or become submerged.
As with most issues pertaining to kids, it’s usually a good idea not to apply adult standards and beliefs and assume that that matches the child’s perceptions and experiences.
Severe rear impacts account for less than 10% of crashes with serious injuries or fatalities. Frontal and frontal offset account for almost half, while side impacts account for about 25% and rollovers and other modes account for the rest. Side impacts account for the most fatalities to properly restrained passengers, due to the minimal protection you get from the side compared to the crush zones and restraint systems optimized to protect in frontal crashes. Side impacts are another area where studies have shown that rear-facing seat excel in protection.
In slower and less severe crashes, rear impacts are more common. These crashes do not usually involve vehicles traveling at high rates of speed toward each other. Usually, it is one vehicle hitting a stopped vehicle at much lower speeds. While this can certainly cause serious whiplash type of injuries, it is generally not an issue for children properly restrained in a child seat that provides integral head support. Even for rear-facing kids, the lower energies in these crashes is not typically a problem, and certainly nowhere near the magnitude of forces normally seen by front facing children in typical frontal or side crashes. That is also why there are no current crash protection ratings for rear impacts. The IIHS has a rear crash rating, but it is an evaluation of whiplash protection for adults and does not involve any actual vehicle crash testing.
In a collision:
broken leg = cast it
broken neck = casket
that about does it…
I think I’m just confused about this research with rear-facing safety. Have there been enough older children placed rear-facing when their legs are significantly longer than the seat to get a good sample for statistical purposes? And also, I’m curious about the front crashes being more common than rear crashes. Seems like we have too many parents not paying attention – otherwise I would imagine side and rear should be just as common – after all it usually takes two or more cars to be in an accident (one-car accidents of course being possible). For me, being completely biased, I see myself getting rear-ended rather than crashing into someone else, and therefore I’m more concerned about the safety issues with the former.
Common sense is telling me that when the child’s legs are dangling to the side, that you are putting the knees in danger of a stress fracture, dislocation, or other injury if they are jostled in any direction due to an impact. I hear everyone (parents, doctors, etc) constantly talking about making sure kids don’t even sit on their legs crooked due to eventual knee and skeletal issues, so the idea of letting a kid keep their legs crooked while travelling at 60 mph and in danger of an auto collision sounds risky to me – riskier than forward-facing a preschooler.
Conventional wisdom based on current research indicates that injuries, including those to the head, spine and legs, are more common for kids who are front facing than those who are rear facing. Bent legs are not a safety issue whether they are crossed, hung over the side or whatever. It may be a comfort issue, but like most things, kids seem to do just fine unless they believe they can complain and cause a change. As for Graco’s intent, you would have to contact them, of course.
In regard to being rammed from behind, severe rear impacts are far less common than frontal or side impacts. Also, unlike frontal crashes, most rear impacts are less energetic because the vehicles are usually at lower speeds and not moving toward each other. Plus, you still have a lot of crush space in the trunk or cargo area between the child and the point of impact. That is why you maximize protection for frontal and side impacts.
I have questions/comments. I have this seat for my DD and LOVE it for rear facing. My SIL also has this seat and her DS needs to FF … putting this seat in my Town and Country FF was near impossible. We ended up having to recline the captains chair to be able to get it on the seat properly. The problem I have is that then he was ultimately staring at the ceiling of my van … for that matter, the green indicator (yes, I know that’s for RF only) was within the green …. I can’t imagine this is how it’s supposed to fit (I also didn’t install it), but couldn’t see another way, any one else have this problem or a remedy?
Also, you attempted to address the RF guideline of bent knees … while yes, it may be subjective – in neither of your pictures would the child be safe in an accident. I do believe it’s Graco’s intent that when they can’t sit with their legs within the seat with reasonably straight legs that they need to turn around.
I agree with keeping a child rear facing for as long as SAFELY possible, but I’m sorry the fact that that boys legs very obviously don’t fit in the video/picture is totally unsafe not to mention totally uncomfortable for him. What happens if someone rams you from behind and his legs are going to get injured or crushed because they are not in the right position.
People shouldn’t be encouraging others to place their children in car seats like this.
Mary, the fact that the MyRide is new should not be a strike against it at all. I think that it is a well constructed seat and very safe. Graco carseats are safe and I will tell you that I have had my 1st MyRide since earlier this year and just got another one for our other car just a few days ago to replace a carseat that was involved in a wreck. I have read a lot of reviews about this carseat and heard first hand the safeness of this carseat from a few people involved in wrecks while their child was in the carseat. Both Graco and Britax make great carseats so really the choice is up to you.
Hi Dan, I am not aware of any stroller compatible with the My Ride 65. Most convertible seats do not have matching or compatible strollers, especially larger ones like the MyRide. You might try some aftermarket carriers like the GoGo Babyz Travelmate ( http://www.gogobabyz.com/product-i14550-c26-g6-b0-p0-gogo_Kidz_Travelmate_.aspx ) for quick trips. There is one convertible I know offhand that has a nice matching stroller system, it’s the Combi Coccoro and Combi Flash. We have a review of the Coccoro and some photos of the flash and Coccoro system in other blogs!
Hi everyone. I have read all of your comments and I found them extremely helpful. Does anybody know if the Myride 65 is compatible with any stroller frame? I am looking to buy a car seat and a stroller frame instead of a travel system. I am sold on the Myride 65 but I would like to make sure that there is a stroller frame for it. I have read about the Graco stroller frame but its reviews only say that it is compatible with the Graco Snugride Infant car seat. Your input will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
Hi! Thanks so much for your review. I have a question about the MyRide. The fact that it’s a new carseat kinda worries me. I’m going back and forth b/t wanting this one OR a Britax. (My daughter just turned 2 and I’m hoping to rearface her for at least another year.) I like the price of the MyRide but I know Britax is known for being safe. My question is…Is the fact that this is a new seat a strike against it? Should I wait for it to be on the market for a while before buying it to make sure it is safe?
I have a MyRide 65 and until a car wreck on Friday I also had a Alpha Omega Elite. My daughter is 20 months old and quite a big girl. I originally bought the Alpha Omega Elite, but after my husband and I got married we saw the MyRide about a week after it came out and got it for his car. My daughter normally rides rear facing EXCEPT for our long car trips normally although after Friday she is gonna be permanently rear-facing as long as she is under the height and weight for rear-facing. On our trips we ALWAYS use the MyRide for the actual drive and then we also have the other carseat with us so we dont switch them back and forth. With having to replace the our other seat I am planning to buy another MyRide so that it is in both of our cars. We own an ’07 Pontiac Torrent and a ’99 Camry and the seat fits in both of them with NO problems. I can put it in both cars properly installed and she has no issues with it regardless of which direction she sits and she doesnt fight with me. She loves the cupholders because she has easy access to her sippy cup in the car. Right now my daughter has really long legs and wears 3T pants because anything smaller are capris on her and her legs dont seem uncomfortable RF in either one of our vehicles. We have been using this seat since we got it and I have had no problems with it and even having to change the height of the harness was easy. I would recommend it because you will for sure get your usage out of it for the weight that it allows rear-facing. BTW when my daughter was forward facing one day in my husbands Camry there was no issue about space for her legs between the seat and his chair all the way back.
Katie says “The boys legs are completely bent at the knee.”
Mmmhmm. My legs are completely bent at the knee when I sit, too.
I just bought this seat for my grandson, he’s 11 months, 97th percentile for height. I hope to RF him to at least 3 years, if his growth pattern slows!
At 3-4 years old, the child is certainly old enough to tell you if they are so uncomfortable that they need to switch. Most kids tolerate being rear-facing quite well if they are not give a choice. It’s not so much different than making kids eat vegatables. It’s good for them, but they may not want to do it. How much hassle are you willing to accept to make them? For my kids, I could argue it’s overdoing it to make them eat anything but candy and snacks, given how much they complain.