Putting the unpopular and confusing name spelling aside for a moment, the new Tranzitions seat from Graco is a very welcome addition to the current combination seat (aka harness/booster) market. Why? Because the current offerings for combination seats under $100 are slim and all fall short in some major way. Up until now there hasn’t been one easy-to-install, easy-to-use combination seat that functioned well in all modes and has good longevity both as a forward-facing 5-point harness and also as a booster – all for less than $100. Fortunately, I think that’s about to change!
Tranzitions is a forward-facing only combination seat (Graco refers to it as a “Harness Booster”) that can be used with the 5-point harness and also as a belt-positioning booster. In booster mode you have the option to use the seat with the back (highback booster) or without the back (backless booster). I like to think of combination seats as “Stage 3″ seats that are most appropriate for kids over age 2 who have outgrown their convertible seats. Despite being labeled as a 3-in-1 carseat, the Tranzitions cannot be used rear-facing which is confusing for many parents who have come to associate the term “3-in-1″ with a product that can be used rear-facing, forward-facing and as a booster. If you’re looking for a rear-facing/forward-facing/booster seat, see our reviews of the Graco 4Ever All-in-One and Graco Milestone All-in-One.
Graco Tranzitions Spec & Features:
- Forward-facing with 5-pt harness: 22-65 lbs.
- Highback Booster: 30 – 100 lbs.
- Backless Booster: 40 – 100 lbs.
- No rethread harness with 8 height positions
- Dual cup holders (outer plastic portion can be dismantled if space is more important than a functioning cupholder)
- Machine washable cover
- Open loop shoulder belt guide for highback booster mode
- Babies R Us exclusive (for now)
- Available October
- Lifespan is 7 years from date of manufacture
- MSRP $99
Graco Tranzitions Measurements:
- Top harness slot: 18″
- Top shoulder belt guide height for highback mode: 19.5″ to belt guide opening
- Width across armrests: 18″
- Seating area depth: 13″
- Crotch strap/buckle positions: 6″, 7.5″
- Widest area (across cupholders): 19″
- Width at bottom of base (widest part): 17″
A note about the energy-absorbing properties of a blow molded shell:
Blow molding is a manufacturing process by which hollow plastic parts are formed. The blow molded headrest on Tranzitions has an interior and exterior wall with a void (air) between them. This design absorbs energy in a controlled manner very similar to having an EPS/EPP foam liner. Graco uses a drop test procedure that measures G forces to validate the effectiveness of this design.
We tested both with an EPS head rest and also the blow molded head rest, both at the back most surface and the side wings. The results on repeated testing shows that this wall of the blow molded seat represents very similar G values as we see on the existing head rests with an EPS liner.
Some final thoughts on the name “Tranzitions”. Considering that Evenflo already has a combination seat on the market called “Transitions”, I can’t say that I’m pleased with the name choice. Carseats are confusing enough already without making things worse for consumers with these much-too-similar names. Imagine if another manufacturer came out with a combination seat and called it Nautiluz! Now, in Graco’s defense, they’ve had this idea for a name for years – but it was never a good idea as far as many were concerned. I know a lot of us cringed at the spelling when we first saw it attached to a completely different Graco seat at the ABC show a few years ago. Personally, I’m just going to refer to this seat as the Graco “Z”. That’s easy, not confusing and won’t hurt my brain to look at. On the bright side, at least they didn’t call it the SnugRide 65. 😉
How is the crash test rating on this one? In harness mode?
Consumer Reports is the only entity that crash tests carseats and they use their own, proprietary test to do so. They haven’t yet tested the Tranzitions: https://www.consumerreports.org/products/toddler-booster-seat/ratings-overview/.
Can you still use this seat with the LATCH system when in high back booster mode with car seat belt (no 5pt harness)?
One questions regarding the Graco Tranzitions Harnessed Booster Car Seat. Is it able to be installed in the middle back seat that does not have a head rest? Trying to find the answer for this question and I haven’t been successful yet. I know that some high back boosters are required to have that headrest.
Thanks!
Hi Caitlin, the Graco Tranzitions does not require a headrest but if you need to install with seatbelt (most vehicles don’t have LATCH anchors for the center seating position) then make sure you can get a good tight installation with seatbelt before you commit to this seat. It can be impossible to obtain a tight installation with seatbelt in some vehicles. Try before you buy, if possible! If that isn’t possible, make sure you hold on to the receipt and the box until you are sure this seat will work for you. Good luck!
How would you say this compares to a My Size 65 in comfortability and safety? Im looking at switching to this seat soon from a My Size 65.
I bought this car seat for my grandson since he had outgrown the Safety 1st one. I have it installed in the middle of the backseat of my 2011 Mazda 3 sedan. Unlike the Safety 1st car seat, the Tranzitions does not seem secure, having a lot of left to right movement. I first installed with the Latch Strap and top tether latch only, then decided to also use the lap/shoulder belt in hopes for added stability. This did not improve the right to left movement by much. Has anyone experienced the same thing and/or have any suggestions?
Hi Christine – the Graco Tranzitions does have some incompatibility issues and that might be what’s giving you trouble. Do you have a CPS Technician in your area that can help you troubleshoot? That would be my best advice. You can search for a tech in your area here: http://cert.safekids.org/ (click on “Find a Tech” and search by both county and state).
Bought one, and I just don’t like it. It just seems so…flimsy. Like a good, tight install would break it. The section/seam that converts it to a backless booster pops apart when I install it firmly in my vehicle. We don’t use it regularly, it’s for Grandma’s car and perhaps we are use to the fortress that is the My Ride 65, but it doesn’t rub the right way.
Does the Transitions seat have a slight recline option? I’m torn between the Atlas and the Tranzitions seat.
Hi Kelly – the Graco TranZitions does not have a recline feature so if that’s something you want – I would steer you towards the Graco Atlas instead. HTH!
Anyword yet on Canadian launch?
Hi! My DD is 14 months old, and currently uses a Graco rear-facing infant car seat. Once she reaches the height and weight limit, we would like to switch her to a front-facing convertible car seat. Meanwhile, we will be using this “new” convertible as a backup one for her brother in the second car. She is a small and skinny girl, and I’m wondering if the “Graco Z” can be used directly for “Stage 2” a.k.a. Forward Facing or do we need to buy a “transition” seat for Stage 2 and then the Graco Z from Stage 3 onwards? Thanks in advance!
Hi Patricia. All safety and health organizations–the American Academy of Pediatricians, NHTSA, Safe Kids, the CDC, and CarseatBlog–recommend rear-facing until age 2 at the very minimum. This is because the neck bones don’t harden to protect the spinal cord until around that time and it differs by child. The back of a rear-facing carseat protects the head, neck, and spine in many types of crashes. Please see https://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/ for more information.
In the meantime, you’ll want a rear-facing convertible for her as she outgrows her infant seat. It’s bigger and will be more comfortable for her, then can be turned forward-facing when she outgrows its rear-facing limits. If you need suggestions for one, we have our favorites here: https://carseatblog.com/safest-recommended-car-seats/.
A combination seat, like the Tranzitions, is for older kids from preschool on who are already sitting forward-facing and typically have outgrown their convertible harnesses or are passing their convertibles down to siblings. Combo seats usually have taller harness slots which allow for taller kids, then they can convert to belt-positioning boosters, which make them very versatile.
I just received my Tranzition booster and the push button belt is impossible for my 5 yr old to press. Even I struggle. Have you heard of any complaints like this or did I get a bad belt?
Thanks,
Heather
How do you like the fit of the seatbelt in high back booster mode versus the Recaro booster. From looking at photos of the Tranzitions, there appears to be a lot of space on the buckle side of the lap belt opposed to other seats where the belt is snug against their body (per iihs recommendation). Thanks for your help!
Is this FAA compliant? Trying to find something for a small car and that will work on our Christmas plane ride home. I’m going to assume not or it would be advertised but you never know!!
Hi Britoutofwater – the Graco Tranzitions should be FAA certified for use in an airplane *with* the harness. All of Graco’s combination seats (Nautilus, Argos, etc) are FAA approved so there would be no reason to think this one would be different. HTH!
Whatever happened to them naming the Contender the Tranzitions?? Or what that a mistake? A few years ago you posted on the new Graco Tranzitions convertible. Now it’s called the contender….
I was really excited for this seat too, but saw it on Toys R Us site today for $129. Bummer, thought it would be under $100.
Ditto! I was hoping to buy this seat during the car seat trade-in event, but they won’t honor that for online, and it doesn’t look like this seat will be in stock in the stores at Babies R Us in time for the trade-in deal. That’s a real bummer! And that’s just for the pink color. The black color won’t ship until October.
Check your local BRU! I was there this morning and they had these seats in stock. Not on the floor for sale yet but I asked an associate and they retrieved me one from their stock room. It was $129.99, but down to $81 after the 30% trade in discount and 10% TRU credit card thursday discount!
As excited as I am for this seat to be on the shelves, the name is a huge issue. The Evenflo Transitions/Graco Tranzitions is one thing, but there already IS a Graco Transitions. It’s a step stool. http://www.gracobaby.com/products/pages/transitions-step-stool.aspx
No more companies can use this name. No Transitionz in the works anywhere, I hope.
Seriously, though, I’m excited for this to be released. It looks like a fantastic seat in the under $100 market.
So, with as much tact as I can put into this without sounding foolish, does Graco still apply its ridiculous minimum age limits to this new seat? As in 3 and up for HBB mode and 4yrs for BB mode? And 1year minimum for harness mode? Bc if they do, Graco really needs to get with the program that there is no logical reason to FF a sleepy head-slump-prone 10-24 month old as soon as they outgrow a Snugride. Why can’t they see the science, the AAP recommendations, the human anatomy and biology reasons for ERF, or just RF to 2yrs? Daily out of habit I watch the back windows of passing cars and vans and trucks, automatically labeling “BRITAX!”/”MAXI COSI”/”DIONO” playing car seat I Spy when I’m out and about, also REARFACING! But then there’s the people who ff their 8-24 month olds in Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Dorel, Graco seats, especially the Nautilus, and it annoys me so much, so much that even though their harnesses go up to height weight high enough for 6yrs minimum, they still feel it’s okay to market the booster mode as 3yrs and up, even though 3yrs is the target consumer age group for harness mode car seats. This is why I don’t like 3-1 seats, they add too much temptation to carseat ignorant parents to switch to the next mode before the child is behaviorally AND skeletaly ready. I want to design my own harness-only FF car seat, ages 3 and up, at minimum 3’2″ and min 25 lbs, up to 4’10/100lbs, and it widens in lateral width as the child grows, whereas other seats just grow in height and are outgrown in width. I’m extreme.
I like your ‘extreme’ ideas although I’d go even more extreme & make the minimum weight for FF 35lbs as opposed to 25lbs..although I’d prefer they make the minimums 40lbs to be honest but I know that won’t happen granted the minimums are obtained based off of the minimums that pass a crash test! I definitely like the idea of up to 4’10” height granted my oldest is 8.5yrs old & very tall for her age (55″ as of a few months ago) & I think she was 71lbs then as well so there’s no way I can get her to fit in a high back booster granted she’s got a very long torso! I quit using her backless booster seat after she turned 8 (per Ohio law) but made her start using it again a little over a month ago after recently going child restraint safety crazy due to extensive research thanks to my youngest! My youngest will be 15 months Friday & she’s just about 20lbs & 30-30.5″ tall & she’s rear facing in her Graco 4-ever & will remain RF as long as possible..we still use her Graco SnugRide ClickConnect 35 sometimes but a friend I babysit for has been using it for the past wk due to her baby being asleep in it when I met to drop her off & she didn’t want to disturb her then I watched her again today & she took the seat again w/out even asking & I looked at my husband after she left like “they must think it’s there’s now lol” but it’s ok cause the seat she has is only rated to 22lbs & 29″ & she was still using it even though her baby is 23lbs & I’m guessing she’s at least 29″ granted she fits perfectly on the same harness slots in the SnugRide as my baby & she’s a tad bit taller than her so I know she’s better off in our seat until they can get a new one for her!!! I was appalled that she was still using the infant seat her daughter had outgrown by weight for sure & even after I told her it’s only rated to 22lbs & 29″ & she’s bigger than that she still continues using it like it was no big deal & to think she has her 2nd baby on the way & isn’t even properly protecting the one she has (SCARY)!!!
While I understand your stance, I personally NEED to look for seats that have lower minimums to use. Britax’s 25lb minimum on their combo seats and 40# minimum to booster is a HUGE deterent for me since I have a very short, very light weight almost 4 year old.
With a 38″ minimum to forward face, he would be unable to use this seat until 5 YEARS OLD — where as he is skeletally ready to forward face (and possibly even be boostered) at that age.
Honestly a 35 or 40lb MINIMUM TO FORWARD FACE is even more ridiculous. These kinds of “limits” would not allow my child to use a forward facing seat unti he is 6 or 8 years old. I’m sorry but it is important not to take away freedoms.
You still have time to change the name Graco! Come on you can do it!
I think it looks narrow enough in the right places it might fit some 3 across situations?
But the name debacle is bad. Especially with the Evenflo Transitions looking almost identical to a Nauti!
I agree! Let’s find a better name:
Synonyms: change, passage, move, transformation, conversion, metamorphosis, alteration, handover, changeover; segue, shift, switch, jump, leap, progression; progress, development, evolution, flux
Ooo, I vote Segue, but can only imagine how they would try to spell that!
YES! I agree! There is still time to change the name. Perhaps choosing a name that is spelled correctly so the children using the seat (or at the very least, those seeing the box) will be exposed to correct spelling rather than “kree8iv” spelling would be a wise choice, Graco?
Thanks for the post Kecia~I look forward to working with it!
NiiiiicZe…. Hope it installZ well…
Got really excited… and then saw the harness limit. Womp. Would’ve been a great opportunity for Graco to offer extended harnessing to a population that can’t afford a Diono or Britax.
Keep in mind that anything with a harness rated beyond 65 lbs. has to fit and pass with the 10 year old ATD which is VERY difficult. That’s why most higher-weight harness seats had to backtrack to 65 lbs. when these new FMVSS 213 standards went into effect. Still, 65 lbs. is pretty generous and you don’t really need more than that if you have a seat with 18″ top harness slots. Kids are going to outgrow the seat by height before reaching the 65 lbs. weight limit. Honestly, I have no idea what it would take to get this design to pass with the 10 year old ATD but I guarantee that the $99 price point would go right out the window. Would you rather have a better option rated up to 65 lbs. that most families can afford or have another expensive seat rated beyond 65 lbs. that kids are going to outgrow by height anyway?
SnugRide 65. Bwahaha! You kill me Kecia!
I’d love to know if it has any height limits standing or other wise. 🙂
I don’t know the answer but expect that it will be the same as Nautilus since the seats have similar specs and measurements.
What is the expiration on it? And how do you like it compared to the defender in a similar price point
I don’t know what the lifespan is but I’ll follow up on that and keep you posted. I can’t form too many comparative opinions until I have the seats side-by-side so I’m going to reserve my judgement. I do think it will be easier to use than the Defender which comes in pieces and has a difficult assembly process. I’m certain that it will be easier to install compared with a BT Hybrid and it will have greater longevity in booster mode compared with Maestro.
What about versus the SecureKid?
Expiration is going to be 7 years from date of manufacture. Evenflo SecureKid has a higher MSRP so it’s not necessarily fair to compare them but SecureKid has pros and cons and Tranzitions will too. They might both be good solid options but ultimately it will be up to parents to decide which seat will work better in their situation.
Any word on Canadian launch? 🙂
The word is that they are “testing and reviewing this seat for the Canadian market” but there is no timeframe for when or if it will happen. Sorry that I don’t have better, more specific news.
Sigh. I am excited about this seat, but just can’t get past the name. It is awful. Just awful.