If you’re in the market for a convertible carseat that will allow you to keep your child rear-facing for “as long as possible” – you’re in the right place! This guide will help you navigate many of the most popular options currently available in the U.S. market and help you to identify which seat(s) may in fact allow your child to stay rear-facing for as long as possible.
First, let’s define the term “Extended Rear-Facing” because that term is often thrown around loosely and to my knowledge there isn’t a general consensus in the Child Passenger Safety field of what that term means exactly. In its most basic sense, Extended Rear-Facing can be defined as use of a carseat in the rear-facing position beyond the bare minimums generally established and accepted by carseat manufacturers for forward-facing usage. Since many (but not all) convertible and combination carseats still allow toddlers as little as 12 months and 22 lbs. to use the seat forward-facing – you could define Extended Rear-Facing as anything beyond 12 months and 22 lbs.
However, that’s not what most parents and advocates think of when they hear the term. Some car seat manufacturers (mainly Evenflo) and some state laws require rear-facing until at least 24 months before turning a child forward. NHTSA and the CPS Technician Certification Curriculum define “Best Practice” as rear-facing to the limits of the carseat.
For the purposes of this guide, we will focus our attention on the convertible seats that have proven themselves to last longer than most of the seats on the market today, specifically in the rear-facing position. For the record, this isn’t meant to be an all-inclusive list so there are probably a few good ERF seats that weren’t included simply because I didn’t have access to them during the project period.
Convertible seat recommendations have been sorted into three groups. The first group is a list of seats that are very tall and rated to 40 lbs. in the rear-facing position. The second group is a list of seats with higher RF weight limits but they aren’t the tallest seats on the market and most of them are likely to be outgrown by height before the weight limit is reached. The third group includes very tall seats with higher RF weight limits.
If you already have your child’s stats from a recent visit to the doctor – great. If not, use the links below to the WHO & CDC Growth Charts and plot your child’s height and weight on the graph.
Boys under 2 years old / Boys over 2 years old
Girls under 2 years old / Girls over 2 years old
Keep in mind that just because a baby might be 20 lbs. at 5 months old doesn’t mean he or she will be 40 lbs. by age 2. A baby’s weight gain almost always slows down – usually by 9-12 months old as they become more mobile. However, if mom is 5’9″ and dad is 6’3″ and built like a linebacker then it’s reasonable to assume that this child’s growth pattern may continue to be way above average.
If your child’s weight and height are average, slightly above or below average, and your child doesn’t have a very long torso, then ANY of the seats on this list will last your child a very long time in the rear-facing position and you should make your decision based on all the other factors (price, features, ease of use, etc.).
In most of the pictures below, my beautiful, gracious and very accommodating model is 40″ tall and 34 lbs. at 4 years old. She is average (around 50th percentile) in both height and weight for a 4-year-old.
*Please note: most of the pictures purposely depict misuse because I was attempting to show how much growing room she still had height-wise. In cases where the carseat had an adjustable headrest, I raised it to its maximum height to show how much growing room there could be for a taller child. The proper placement of harness straps on a rear-facing carseat is to have the straps coming from a point that is “at” or just “slightly below” the child’s shoulder level.
Tall convertible seats with 40 lbs. RF weight limit:
These seats in this group are well-suited for children who are either average height & weight for their age or more tall than heavy. If your child is at or above the 75th percentile for height but average or below average in weight, these seats will accommodate your child’s growth nicely. These seats are also excellent choices for children who carry most of their height in their torso. If your child’s weight and height are average, then ANY of the seats on this list will last your child a very long time in the rear-facing position and you should make your decision based on all the other factors (price, features, ease of use, etc.).
Britax ClickTight Convertibles (Marathon CT, Boulevard CT, Advocate CT)
These ClickTight convertibles from Britax are so tall that there is no way any child could ever outgrow them by height before reaching the 40 lbs. RF weight maximum! We have a complete review of the Boulevard CT here. And a complete review of the Marathon CT here.
- Specs: Rear-facing 5-40 lbs.; Forward-facing 20-65 lbs., up to 49″ tall
- Features: ClickTight installation system, no-rethread harness with 14 height positions, base with 7 recline positions, optional anti-rebound bar is available for purchase separately, ARB models are sold with the anti-rebound bar
- Pros: Easiest convertibles to install with seatbelt using CT system; CT system acts as a lockoff device; rebound management features via RF tether or ARB; various energy-absorbing features built in; doesn’t take up a lot of room front-to-back when installed RF; well padded; fits newborns well; Made in USA
- Cons: Heavy; designed for seatbelt installations so it’s not especially LATCH-friendly
Chicco NextFit Sport & NextFit Zip
Even tall, skinny kids should be able to rear-face in the NextFit until they reach the 40 lbs. weight limit. These models are very well padded and the Zip version has a zip-off cover for easy cleaning. We have a complete review of the Chicco NextFit here.
- Specs: Rear-facing 5-40 lbs.; Forward-facing 20-65 lbs., up to 43″ tall
- Features: SuperCinch LATCH system; no-rethread harness with 9 height positions; base with 9 recline positions; lockoffs for seatbelt installation
- Pros: One of the easiest seats to install with LATCH; easy seatbelt installation using lockoff; doesn’t take up a lot of room front-to-back when installed RF; extremely well-padded; fits newborns very well
- Cons: Heavy and bulky; Can’t use SuperCinch to install with LATCH once child weighs more than 35 lbs. rear-facing or 40 lbs. forward-facing
Evenflo SureRide (aka Titan 65)
This is the rare extended rear-facing seat available for less than $100! Evenflo does limit the child’s height to 40″ tall which is very conservative because as you can see this 40″ tall child has a mile of growing room left above her head. Still, it’s a nice seat at a great price that will get most kids to age 3-4 rear-facing.
- Specs: Rear-facing 5-40 lbs., 19-40″; Forward-facing 22-65 lbs., 28-54″
- Features: 6 sets of harness slots; energy-absorbing EPS foam, basic hook-style LATCH connectors
- Pros: Fits newborns well; also fits older, taller kids well; lightweight; budget-friendly; can use LATCH up to 50 lbs. (forward-facing), made in USA
- Cons: Large gap between harness slots 3 and 4; deep sides make loading and unloading RF child cumbersome; continuous harness; no lockoffs for seatbelt installation; 40″ standing height limit for rear-facing is limiting
Graco Size4Me 65 & Graco Contender
These popular convertibles are impossible to outgrow by height before reaching the 40 lbs. weight limit. They also don’t cost an arm and a leg which is great for families on a budget. Some models come with a “rapid-remove cover” for easy cleaning. We have a complete review of the Graco Size4Me here and a review of Graco Contender here.
- Specs: Rear-facing 4-40 lbs.; Forward-facing 22-65 lbs., 49″ or less
- Features: No-rethread harness with 8 height positions, premium push-on LATCH connectors
- Pros: Fits average-sized newborns well; can use LATCH rear-facing to the limit of 40 lbs.; doesn’t take up a lot of room front-to-back when installed RF
- Cons: No lockoffs for seatbelt installation; rated down to 4 lbs. but may not be a good fit for smaller newborns or preemies
Graco 4Ever DLX All-in-One & Graco SlimFit All-in-One
The Graco 4Ever DLX All-in-One and Graco SlimFit All-in-One are rear-facing/forward-facing/booster seats that work well in all modes. Both the 4Ever (pictured) and the SlimFit are seats that just can’t be outgrown by height in the rear-facing position. Look how tall they are! We have a complete review of the Graco 4Ever here and a complete review of the Graco SlimFit here.
- Specs: Rear-facing 4-40 lbs., (SlimFit starts at 5 lbs.); Forward-facing 22-65 lbs., 49″ or less
- Features: No-rethread harness with 10 height positions, 4Ever base has 6 recline positions (3 for rear-facing), 4Ever DLX has a lockoff for use when FF, Milestone base has 4 recline positions (2 can be used for rear-facing), both models can be used as a booster when harness is outgrown, premium push-on LATCH connectors
- Pros: All-in-One (RF/FF/Booster) features grow with your child; can use LATCH rear-facing to the limit of 40 lbs.; doesn’t take up a lot of room front-to-back when installed RF
- Cons: Heavy and bulky; no lockoff on Milestone for seatbelt installation
Maxi-Cosi Pria 85
Maxi-Cosi does limit the rear-facing child’s height to 40″ tall which is conservative because as you can see this 40″ tall child still has plenty of growing room left above her head. Still, the Pria 85 model is a very nice seat with a ridiculous amount of padding that will get most kids to age 3-4 rear-facing. We have a full review of the Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 here.
- Specs: Rear-facing 9-40 lbs. (Pria 85 starts at 14 lbs.), 40″ or less; Forward-facing 20-65 lbs., up to 52″
- Features: No-rethread harness with 9 height positions, deep head wings with Air Protect technology, premium push-on LATCH connectors
- Pros: Low sides make it convenient to load and unload child from seat; very well padded; doesn’t take up a lot of room front-to-back when installed RF; can use LATCH rear-facing to the limit of 40 lbs.; Made in USA
- Cons: No lockoffs for seatbelt installation; not suitable for use with newborns; 40″ standing height limit for rear-facing is limiting
Convertible seats with higher RF weight limits
The seats in this next group are more likely to be outgrown RF by height than weight. They are better suited for children who are at or above the 75th percentile in weight but who are average or below average in height.
Clek Foonf & Clek Fllo
The Clek Foonf and Clek Fllo convertibles are highly regarded for their advanced safety features and high rear-facing weight limits. They aren’t as tall as many of the models listed above so they will likely be outgrown by height before the weight limit is reached. However, since they are rated to 50 lbs. in the rear-facing position, they are a great ERF option, especially for kids who are more heavy than tall. We have a complete review of the Clek Foonf here. And a complete review of the Clek Fllo here.
- Specs: Rear-facing 14-50 lbs., 25-43”, able to sit upright alone, head is at least 1” below top of headrest; Forward-facing 22-65 lbs., 30-49” tall
- Features: 5 sets of harness slots, structural headrest, anti-rebound bar (ARB), REACT safety system, lockoffs for seatbelt installation
- Pros: Advanced safety features, rebound management using ARB, narrow, Crypton super fabrics
- Cons: Very heavy, pricey, Foonf LATCH limit for rear-facing is 25 lbs., not suitable for young babies unless you purchase the additional “Infant Thingy” insert.
Diono Radian 3R & 3RX
The Diono Radian 3R & 3RX models both have a rear-facing weight limit of 50 lbs. but they aren’t as tall as many of the models listed in the first group. They will likely be outgrown by height before the weight limit is reached. The Diono Radian seats but are better suited for kids who are more heavy than tall. We have a complete review of the Radian 3RXT here.
- Specs: Rear-facing 5-50 lbs., up to 44″ tall and requires at least 1.5″ of shell above head; Forward-facing 20-65 lbs., less than 57″ tall
- Features: 5 sets of harness slots, RXT model has a 12-position adjustable headrest, steel frame, allows RF tethering, folds flat for travel or storage
- Pros: Optional angle adjuster (not pictured, sold separately) allows the seat to be installed more upright for older kids who have complete head and neck control; rebound management features using RF tether; low sides make it convenient to load and unload child from seat; narrow
- Cons: Heavy; takes up a lot of room front-to-back without optional Angle Adjuster; LATCH limit for rear-facing is 35 lbs.; lacks a lockoff for seatbelt installation; challenging install in some vehicles, may not fit small babies.
Diono Radian 3RXT
This convertible model from Diono adds side wings for increased side-impact protect and is rated to 50 lbs. rear-facing. However, it isn’t any taller than the Radian models. Like Radian, the Rainier is a great option for ERF but will likely be outgrown by height before the weight limit is reached. These seats are best suited for kids who are more heavy than tall. We have a complete review of the Diono Rainier here.
- Specs: Rear-facing 5-50 lbs., up to 44″ tall and requires at least 1.5″ of shell above head; Forward-facing 20-65 lbs., less than 57″ tall
- Features: 5 sets of harness slots, 12-position adjustable headrest, steel frame, allows RF tethering, folds flat for travel or storage
- Pros: Optional angle adjuster (not pictured, sold separately) allows the seat to be installed more upright for older kids who have complete head and neck control; rebound management features using RF tether; low sides make it convenient to load and unload child from seat; narrow
- Cons: Heavy; takes up a lot of room front-to-back without optional Angle Adjuster; LATCH limit for rear-facing is 35 lbs.; lacks lockoff for seatbelt installation; finicky install in some vehicles, may not fit newborns well
Very tall convertible seats that also have high RF weight limits
The seats in this last group offer the best extended rear-facing opportunities to children at the top of the growth charts in both height and weight.
Graco Extend2Fit
Extend2Fit is a convertible seat from Graco with a unique legrest extension feature which can provide additional legroom for an older rear-facing child if you have enough space in your backseat to accommodate that (it does take up more room when legrest is extended). Extend2Fit is very tall and rated to 50 lbs. in the rear-facing position, making it one of the best choices currently for kids who are both very tall and very heavy. The child outgrows this seat rear-facing when the top of their head is 1″ from the plastic adjuster on the top of the headrest or when they reach 50 lbs. The same child modeled this seat but these photos were taken a year and a half after the others so she is obviously taller and a little heavier. She is 37 lbs. and 43″ tall in these pics. As you can see, she still has plenty of growing room left in the rear-facing position.
- Specs: Rear-facing 4-50 lbs., head at least 1” below plastic adjuster at top of headrest; Forward-facing 22-65 lbs., 49″ or less
- Features: No-rethread harness with 10 height positions, 6 recline positions on base (4 for RF; 3 for FF; position #4 can be used RF or FF), 4-position legrest extension (for RF use only), premium push-on LATCH connectors
- Pros: Best-in-class legroom for older kids when legrest is extended; can use LATCH rear-facing to 45 lbs.; doesn’t take up a lot of room front-to-back when installed RF without extending the legrest, fits average-sized newborns well.
- Cons: No lockoffs for seatbelt installation; takes up more room front-to-back when installed RF with legrest extended.
Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit
4Ever Extend2Fit All-in-One is a rear-facing/forward-facing/booster seat that works well in all modes. This 4Ever model offers Graco’s unique legrest extension feature which can provide additional legroom for an older rear-facing child if you have enough space in your backseat to accommodate that (it does take up more room when legrest is extended). 4Ever Extend2Fit is very tall and rated to 50 lbs. in the rear-facing position, making it one of the best choices currently for kids who are both very tall and very heavy. A child outgrows this seat rear-facing when the top of their head is 1″ from the plastic adjuster on the top of the headrest or when they reach 50 lbs. The same child modeled this seat but these photos were taken 2 years after the original photos so she is taller and heavier. In these 4Ever Extend2Fit photos she is 42 lbs. and 44.5″ tall. As you can see, she still has plenty of growing room left in the rear-facing position.
- Specs: Rear-facing 4-50 lbs., head at least 1” below plastic adjuster at top of headrest; Forward-facing 22-65 lbs., 49″ or less
- Features: No-rethread harness with 10 height positions, 6 recline positions on base (4 for RF; 2 for FF), 4-position legrest extension (for RF use only), premium push-on LATCH connectors
- Pros: All-in-One (RF/FF/Booster) features grow with your child; best-in-class legroom for older kids when legrest is extended; doesn’t take up a lot of room front-to-back when installed RF without extending the legrest, fits average-sized newborns well.
- Cons: Heavy & bulky; rear-facing latch weight limit is 35 lbs. (over 35 lbs. must install with seatbelt); no lockoffs for easier seatbelt installation; takes up more room front-to-back when installed RF with legrest extended.
Looking for info on which convertible seats take up the least amount of room when installed rear-facing? Check out our popular Ultimate Rear-Facing Convertible Carseat Space Comparison.
Special thanks to my lovely little assistant and her mom, who is a fellow CPST-I. I couldn’t have completed this project without their help. If you’re wondering how one bribes a child to sit and smile in carseat after carseat….
What does “No lockoffs for seatbelt installation” mean? You listed it as a con on the Graco Extend2Fit.
Lockoff devices are a clamp or some type of cinching device that holds the tension on the seatbelt. Lockoffs make it easier to achieve a good, tight, seatbelt installation and it eliminates the need to understand how your seatbelts lock. We have a list of carseats that have this feature here: https://carseatblog.com/28049/lockoffs-what-you-need-to-know-which-carseats-have-them/
HTH!
Great article! One question about the Britax seats. We have a 2016 Explorer with inflatable seat belts. As a result we could only use the non click tight convertible car seats from Britax. Would your review change at all for those seats or are they similar in weight and height requirements to the click tight minus the installation? Our son will likely be tall and I’m really leaning towards Britax because our seat belts limit our choices immensely. Thanks!
Hi Julie – inflatable seatbelts do limit your choices. You are correct that you cannot install a Britax convertible with ClickTight using those seatbelts.
Are the Height limits for the britax CT seats based off the shell height, or headrest height? I *think* the older models were based on the height of the shell (head had to be 1 inch + from top of shell). I have always found the britax to have a really flimsy headrest, but I haven’t checked out the CT models 🙂
Hi Robin – the height limit on all the Britax ClickTight convertibles is based on headrest height. The height limit on the Britax G4 convertibles is based on shell height which is why we only list the ClickTight models here. The ClickTight models are nothing like the old G4 models. You should check them out if you have a chance.
Have you thought about doing a similar review/rating on some of the less expensive seats? I install a lot of seats in 2 door cars and parents are always asking for an inexpensive convertible seat because they can not afford most of those listed about.
They do have a post on carseats under USD100 at https://carseatblog.com/30022/comparison-of-budget-priced-convertible-carseats-under-100/
Grandson is 4 travelng from ohio to myrtle beach,,,, need rear facing recling seat so head does not drup,,, which car s see at is best
Hi Chris – none of the seats on this list recline on-the-fly (which means you cannot adjust the recline without uninstalling the seat). Of the seats on this list, the Britax ClickTight convertibles, Chicco NextFit and Graco 4Ever offer the most recline settings for a rear-facing child. More recline settings should mean a better chance of finding just the right angle to keep the child happy and comfortable both while awake and asleep. HTH!
Can you help me with something like the Evenflo Sureride? My 21 mo old is 36″ and I would love to keep her RF for much longer. When you say things like 40″ is conservative does that mean my LO can sit in there until her head is within 1.5″ of the top even if beyond 40″? Thanks
Hi Andrea, it’s one or the other (whichever comes first). Most kids will outgrow the seat by reaching the 40″ height limit first.
The article is great! The lists are very helpful. Did I misinterpret the recommendations for each list? I believe the first set is recommended for tall, slim kids and long torsos, and the second set for kids that are big all over, tall & heavy? It seems that the seats in the second set have much higher height limits both rear and front facing. These seem like they would be the better suited seats to tall, slim kids and long torsos. (Except the Diono seats. We tried them all and the head rest hits our 3 year old in the shoulders even at its highest setting.) Did I get it wrong?
Thanks.
Thanks for your article, which has put my mind at ease about turning my kid forward now. With all the safety data on rear facing being better, I was thinking that maybe I should be finding a seat that could just keep on going until–I don’t know–college :-)? So I read your article to see if there was something else I should buy (have the graco my ride 65) for my 40 pound, 42 inch, long torso four year old. And I see here that except for a couple of seats that would give me an another half inch before we hit the top of the shell, we’re at our rear facing limit. I have a nice evenflo convertible harness/ then booster I got on your site’s recommendation. Looks like it’s time to install that and face the (forward) future!
Great article! I purchased an Evenflo SureRide/Titan 65 convertible car seat for my new grandbaby to be arriving this summer. It did not come with a base. The instructions say it can be used with or without a base, which is confusing to me. The pictures look like it sits in a base, and looking at the seat itself, it looks like it would sit better in a base. I have yet to find out what base to purchase, and when I should or should not use the base. Can anyone help me with this?
Hi NanaPat – congrats on the new grandbaby! The SureRide/Titan 65 does not come with a separate base. Generally speaking, infant carseats (aka bucket seats) come with separate bases (and you can buy additional bases, if desired) but convertible seats do not. The SureRide has a little kickstand that flips out from under the base. You need to flip that down to install the seat in the rear-facing position. HTH!
Ftm here…. When you refer to latch installation is that at the base of the seat or the hooks at the top of the vehicle seat?
Hi Sabrina – if I’m using the term “LATCH” when talking about rear-facing I am specifically referencing the lower anchor connectors at the bottom of the seat. The tether anchor strap at the top of the carseat is generally just for forward-facing. HTH!
Thanks Keica,
As always, an excellent article.
I read this a several months ago and it inspired thoughts on extended use rear-facing. New seats may provide even better options very soon.
Keep up the great work!
Our 7 month old is 20 lbs, 30″ long and we have a Lincoln MKX. Right now we use the Uppababy Mesa in the middle back, but he has about 1″ before he outgrows it. We are really leaning towards the Chicco Nextfit to make sure he can rear face as long as possible but have heard mixed reviews. Seems that most say the straps either slide or are hard to tighten? I am 6′ and my husband is 6’7″ so extended rear facing is imperative! Would you agree that is the best choice for a seat?
Second question is if convertible seats can still fit in the middle back? I really want him in the center for safety as long as possible.
Thanks so much! LOVE your blog!
Thanks for this article — bookmarking it for later! I have to laugh though… I have a 4 year old girl, and that may as well be her in the last photo — sushi is EXACTY what I would bribe her with too! These 4-year olds and their expensive tastes, I tell ya… 😉
Advice Please!
I have a 16 month old who is 22 lbs and 30 inches tall. He is rear-facing in a Chicco NextFit convertible carseat. We have a Ford Edge 2010 and it is installed using LATCH. We would like to do extended rear-facing.
He just started telling me that his neck hurts when he is in the carseat. It looks like the shoulder straps or shoulder strap covers (we have the new velcro strap covers) are rubbing against his neck leaving some red marks. I have tried removing the shoulder strap covers but that seems to leave worse red marks on his neck. I called Chicco and they told me those were my only options–either use the shoulder strap covers or take them off. But either way seems to hurt his neck.
Do you have any suggestions to fix this problem with my current carseat? If not, I am thinking about getting a different carseat. Are there any carseats you could recommend for this specific problem? Which convertible carseats have wide-set straps?
Thanks so much!
Hi Meghan – sorry to hear you’re having issues. Is the chest clip in the wider position? That’s my first thought. If it is – try moving the chest clip down just a little bit. It doesn’t have to be exactly at armpit level. As long as it’s placed mid chest it’s going to do it’s job. Can you take the harness covers off and just pull his shirt up a bit so the harness webbing isn’t touching his skin directly?
I had a similar issue. I noticed that out car seat was leaving red marks on my daughters neck sometimes with the Velcro covers but it’s worse without them so I made some new Velcro covers using a soft minky type fabric using the covers that came with the car seat as a pattern. It took less than an hour, doesn’t require any crazy sewing skills and I bought the fabric as a remnant so it was only about $10 to make but you could even use an old blanket or a micro suede towel. Way cheaper than buying a new car seat!
Meghann, since the covers you made did not come with the seat (despite being patterned after the ones that did) they are, unfortunately, an aftermarket accessory and potentially unsafe.
@Cnidaria – the Peg convertible is really nice but it’s not tall enough to make this list. The 45 lbs. max weight limit isn’t realistic because almost all kids will outgrow it by height first and it’s not very tall. The max height position for RF is the 7th notch on the headrest and that’s only 24″ tall.
What about the Peg convertible? It RFs to 45 lbs.
Why are the shoulder straps installed above the shoulders in so many of these seats ? I thought for rear facing that you wanted the shoulder straps to come from at or below shoulder level?
@Lindsay – there is a disclaimer in the article that states: *Please note: most of the pictures purposely depict misuse because I was attempting to show how much growing room she still had height-wise. In cases where the carseat had an adjustable head rest, I raised it to its maximum height to show how much growing room there could be for a taller child. The proper placement of harness straps on a rear-facing carseat is to have the straps coming from a point that is “at” or “slightly below” the child’s shoulder level.
@Alina – unfortunately there is no way to compare crash test results. All seats in the U.S. are designed and engineered to pass numerous safety standards and to our knowledge all the seats on this list do that. There is no way to determine if one is safer than the other so chose the one that fits your child, installs properly in your vehicle and has the features you want. HTH!
Thanks for the article!
But what about crash tests results? Wanted to know which car seat is the best concerning safety of a child??
Please help to understand! (Or where can be found this information?)
Thanks!
FANTASTIC article! Thank you!
This is exactly the info i was looking for thank you for such a thorough review!
Hi Jenny! Those seats also have height limits, so you can rarely use them as long as the weight limits suggest. It’s not especially hard to buckle a baby into a bucket when the bucket’s in the car, and it’s nice to have the *option* of hefting that big ol’ sleeping kiddo into a stroller or snap n go when you have a more active lifestyle with older kids and their activities. Mostly, though, it’s harder to get a seat with a lower weight limit, even if you want one, and it doesn’t make it any lighter or easy to deal with, so go ahead and check out the list of recommended seats and pick one of those. You’re bound to find one in your budget that fits your car among those.
This is a very thorough post! I’m saving it for later for sure. 🙂 I have a question about moving from the infant carrier to a RF convertible. My older boys were 20 pounds by 6 months, (and at that time, our infant carrier only went up to 20 pounds) so they moved into a RF convertible well before they were a year old. Now I’m expecting a third boy, but there are so many new options in infant car seats, I’m not quite sure what to buy or what to expect. I see that several infant car seat carriers go up to 30 or 35 pounds. I remember the carrier being unwieldy by the time my boys reached 20 pounds, so I can imagine how cumbersome it would be with an extra 10-15 pounds added on. My question is, when you’re ready to give up carrying the car seat around, do you go ahead and move the baby into a RF convertible, or leave him in the infant seat since technically it still fits him? It seems like a convertible might be a little easier to work with when buckling a baby in while the seat is in the car, but I’ve never tried buckling a baby into an infant carrier when it wasn’t out of the car, so I’m not sure. I guess my main debate is whether or not to buy one of the higher weight-limit infant carriers knowing that at some point it will be too heavy for me to lift and I’ll be buckling the baby into it while it’s installed in the car. Any thoughts? Thanks!
For our little boy we bought a convertible car seat from the get go. I’m 5’8 and my husband is 6’5. At work (I’m a nanny) I used their infant car seat a Chicco key fit 30 so that way I could put off buying a second car seat for awhile. By 5 months my child’s head was sticking past the top of the car seat. It is different not using the infant carrier because you have to take a stroller or plan on baby wearing but those options seemed best to us. We use a Graco my size 65 for work and a Graco milestone for our car and I love them both (milestone more since it goes to 110lbs and is steel reinforced).
What an awesome article!!!! Thank you thank you thank you for this! And I gotta say, the Click Tight seems to have way better legroom than I’d expect, given what my tape measure tells me 🙂