Best in class legroom? A 50 lbs. rear-facing weight limit?? Superb height limits?? Extend2Fit 2-in-1 convertible is a winner!
What’s the most common thing people say when they see an older, rear-facing child? “What about their legs? Aren’t they uncomfortable?” Well… actually, no. But Graco was smart to address this common misconception with the Extend2Fit 2-in-1 convertible carseat. The Graco engineers designed a unique extension feature that slides out to provide more leg room for bigger rear-facing kids. They also gave Extend2Fit a 50 lbs. rear-facing weight limit and dual integrated cup holders! It’s almost hard to believe that they offer all of this in a seat that is often on sale for under $200. This seat is super popular and it’s easy to see why!
Weight and Height Limits
- Rear-facing 4-50 lbs. AND child’s head is 1” below gray harness height adjustment handle
- Forward-facing 22-65 lbs., 49″ or less, at least 1 year old*
*We recommend rear-facing to at least age 2 before turning your child forward-facing. Since the Extend2Fit has such high rear-facing weight and height limits, why not?
Extend2Fit Overview
- 50 lbs. rear-facing weight limit
- 4-position leg extension feature for rear-facing comfort: adds up to 5″ extra legroom!
- 10-position headrest with no re-thread harness
- Harness Storage pockets on both sides of seat for storing buckle tongs out of the way
- 2 crotch strap/buckle positions
- 6 recline options on base
- Steel-reinforced frame
- Premium push-on LATCH connectors
- Two cup holders (mandatory use)
- Machine-washable cover
- FAA-approved for use on aircraft
- 10 yr lifespan before seat expires
- MSRP $234.99
Graco also offers some other versions of the Extend2Fit. Here’s a quick overview of the differences:
Extend2Fit 3-in-1: Has all the E2F features plus the capability of being used as a highback booster seat from 40-100 lbs. MSRP $249
Extend2Fit 3-in-1 with ARB: Has all the E2F 3-in-1 features plus an Anti-Rebound Bar (ARB) that is used when the seat is installed rear-facing. MSRP $289
2023 Extend2Fit Fashions
(Pictured from left to right: Spire, Kenzie, Gotham & Redmond)
Extend2Fit Measurements
Harness height: 7”-18”
External widest point: 19.625”
Shell height with headrest: 27”
Shoulder width: 13.75”
Crotch strap depth: 4.5”, 6.5”
Seat depth: 12”
Seat weight: 18.4 lbs.
Installation
Installation was amazingly easy in my ’11 Acura MDX using either the vehicle seat belt or the lower LATCH strap. The LATCH strap is attached to the inside right side of the carseat with a metal bar, so it will never get tangled in the harness straps. The E2F comes out of the box set up with the LATCH strap set in the rear-facing belt path, so unless you are using it for an older child who will be forward-facing, there’s no need to move it. To move the LATCH strap, lift the cover and slide the strap up to the forward-facing belt path.
The lower LATCH connectors on the Extend2Fit are the deluxe push-on style, called the InRight LATCH system by Graco, which easily snap onto the vehicle’s anchors and remove with the push of a button.
Rear-Facing Installation
This is a feature-rich carseat and as such, there are several things to keep in mind when setting the Extend2Fit up for rear-facing.
4 rear-facing recline settings: Infants 3 months and younger must have a recline that allows the ball in the recline angle indicator to be fully in the light blue circle, but after that age, you can make the recline as upright as your child is comfortable. The recline handle is on the very bottom of the seat and you pull on it to engage the mechanism.
4-position extension panel: If you would like additional legroom for your child’s tootsies, squeeze the handle under the front of the seat and pull the panel out to one of 4 positions. To be fair, there are really 3 extended positions, since position 1 is fully retracted. For kids over 40 lbs., any of positions 2-4 must be used (any extended position).
80% of the base must be on the vehicle seat: To achieve a more upright installation and allow more room for the extender to be in positions 2-4, you can move the E2F base out on the vehicle seat. However, you must maintain at least 80% of the base on the vehicle seat at all times. I don’t know about you, but I don’t walk around with a ruler in my back pocket and Graco doesn’t expect you to either: they’ve put a handy dandy sticker on the base showing you the exact amount of E2F base that needs to be on the vehicle seat for both rear- and forward-facing installs. Cool!
Forward-Facing Installation
There are also some attributes to keep in mind when using the E2F forward-facing.
Use recline position 4 only for children weighing 22-40 lbs.: This is a very reclined position for forward-facing and will leave very little legroom for many kids in most vehicles. Unless your child has outgrown the carseat by height, it’s worth it to leave them rear-facing in this weight range. Kids over 40 lbs. must use recline 5 or 6.
Move the crotch strap to the forward position: The crotch strap/buckle has to be in the outermost position when forward-facing.
No extender: Put that leg extender away. It’s for rear-facing only! No exceptions.
No harness covers: Remove the harness covers and put them in a safe place when using the E2F forward-facing. It’s as if Graco wants you to use this seat rear-facing!
As always with any forward-facing installation, don’t forget to use the top tether regardless of whether you install the Extend2Fit using the seat belt or lower LATCH strap.
For fun, I put the E2F in my husband’s Tesla Model S and it fit nicely both rear- and forward-facing. In fact, it fit better rear-facing because the back seat doesn’t have the side bolsters like my back seat does, so the Extend2Fit was able to sit further back on the vehicle seat, leaving more room for the front passenger seat. Using the E2F in its tallest position, though, won’t work in this vehicle because of the low ceiling height. Even though our back seat is stained with red softball dirt, I didn’t want to risk damaging the headliner by installing the E2F and extending the headrest to it’s uppermost position. I did get it to one position below the highest.
Rear-facing and forward-facing LATCH weight limit: 45 lbs.
Center LATCH installations with Non-Standard Spacing:
Graco allows LATCH installation in the center seating position if the vehicle manufacturer allows it and the LATCH anchor bars are spaced 11” apart when measured at their centers.
Inflatable Seat Belts
Graco has determined that the Extend2Fit CAN be installed with inflatable seat belts found in some Ford Motor Company vehicles. Other types of inflatable seat belts are still incompatible for use with the Extend2Fit.
Locking Clip
Like most other convertibles of its generation, the Extend2Fit does not come with a locking clip. If your seat belts do not lock at the retractor or at the latchplate, you will need to contact Graco for a locking clip.
Fit to Child
The Extend2Fit is designed to fit children from 4-65 lbs. and to fit small babies, a body support and head pillow are included. The body support must be used if the baby’s shoulders are below the bottom harness slots, and it must be removed when the E2F is turned forward-facing.
Some versions of the manual require the harness pads to be removed upon forward-facing, but later versions don’t. Nothing about the carseat has changed through the years, so feel free to use those harness pads when forward-facing.
The head pillow can be removed at any time. Though it looks puffy, the pillow actually compresses pretty easily so bigger noggins will be comfy with it too.
My 4 lbs. preemie doll did not fit well in the Extend2Fit; this is not a carseat that will work for a very small newborn. The harness was too high and there was too much space around the hips and crotch. My doll, Romeo, is about the size of an 8-9 lbs. newborn and he fits well without the body support. In the rear-facing fit section, the instruction manual specifies that the harness height must be at or below the child’s shoulders.
Nora, left, is 1 and around 25 lbs. Emma, right, is 4 and about 30 lbs. You can see the abundant legroom the Extend2Fit offers both girls.
Here’s Emma forward-facing. At age 4, she’s very safe to ride in this position.
Cover/Maintenance/Ease of Use
The cover that shipped on my seat wasn’t the easiest to remove. It was attached in 4 places with tight elastics that had me saying some not-so-nice things and since this is a family blog, there’s no need to impress you with my knowledge of sailor vocabulary (no offense to sailors intended!). Two of the elastics are attached under the extender. If you undo one of those to lift the cover to expose the rear-facing belt path, it is impossible to reattach if the extender is retracted. It is nearly impossible to reattach if the extender is extended at all. I don’t think that over time a child will work the cover up in that location getting in and out of the seat since it’s so tightly attached around the cup holders, but it is poor design. There are also 2 little elastic loops at the top of the torso section that are used by Graco to hold marketing tags. You may try forever to hook those little suckers to something but they don’t go anywhere. It’s OK and not a failure on your part.
I also don’t like elastics because they’re hard to thread through tiny holes or slits to attach to hooks and they don’t last more than a single hot season here in Las Vegas. OK, so I’m clearly not a fan of the logistical design of this cover, though I do like the look. I’m especially fond of the seafoam blue-ish “Spire” cover on the sample I was sent; it’s lovely, though all the E2F covers are sharp-looking. Some of the covers are mesh in the seating area and my experience with mesh is that crumbs can be ground into those little holes and never see the light of day again, so stay on top of the snacks. The cover can be washed in the washing machine on cold and air-dried.
The harness is one long length, but it has a butterfly attachment in the middle under the child’s bum area, so there’s not a possibility of one side being longer than the other. It can be cleaned like any other: dip a washcloth in water and use a drop of mild soap (Dawn, Dreft) to clean it. Be sure to wipe off that soap with the wet washcloth and let the harness thoroughly dry. Set it in full sun if it still stinks.
Graco has gone to a 1-harness-slot design on their no re-thread convertibles, which means that it will be more difficult to tighten and loosen the harness in lower “slot” positions because the headrest is pushing on it, causing friction. As your child gets older and taller, there will be less friction and it will be easier to use.
FAA-Approval/Lifespan/Crash Guidelines
The Extend2Fit is FAA-approved, but you will most likely need to raise the armrests on the airplane seat to get it to fit because of the cup holders.
The Extend2Fit has a lifespan of 10 years and Graco wants you to replace it after any crash.
Extend2Fit Advantages
- 50 lbs. rear-facing weight limit—a leader for Graco’s convertible line!
- 4-position leg extension for rear-facing comfort
- 10-position headrest with no re-thread harness
- Harness Storage pockets on both sides of seat for storing buckle tongs out of the way
- 2 crotch strap/buckle positions
- Replaceable harness
- 6-position recline
- Steel-reinforced frame
- Push-on LATCH connectors
- Easy install in both rear-facing and forward-facing positions
- Two cup holders
- Machine-washable cover
- FAA-approved for use on aircraft
- 10 yr lifespan before seat expires
Disadvantages
(In fairness, these aren’t necessarily problems but I list them here to inform you of specific Extend2Fit issues)
- Lacks a lockoff device for easier installations with seatbelt
- Takes up more space rear-facing when the legrest panel is extended
- Tightening the harness takes some effort and is not as smooth and easy most other Graco convertibles
- Recline position #4 is required when the seat is installed forward-facing for a child weighing less than 40 lbs.
- Cover is difficult to remove and reattach in front
In a carseat universe increasingly dominated by All-In-One carseats, the standard Graco Extend2Fit is a great convertible carseat that is also a tremendous value when on sale.
Thank you to Graco for providing the Graco Extend2Fit used for this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are those of CarseatBlog.
CarseatBlog Experts Rating
Editors’ Pick Midrange Category: Extend2Fit
We have just bought the Britax romer first class Plus.
With the seat belt holding the seat in place (door side) it s not possible to get the baby in our out as the seat belt is tightly secure and there s no room to get baby ????
Has anyone any suggestions or ideas ……..please help
Hi Sandra. Any time you have a seat belt (or tether) routed behind a rear-facing carseat like that, it will be difficult getting a child in and out of it. You could loosen the seat belt each time you load your child, which means uninstalling it and potentially installing it incorrectly. Or you can find a different carseat that will work better for your situation. I’m not familiar with Euro seats unfortunately, so I can’t make a recommendation :(.
Do you know what the depth is rear-facing WITHOUT the extension used at all? I am having a hard time figuring out depth. Graco says it’s 5 inches deeper than the 4Ever but it’s not clear whether that’s WITH the foot extension fully deployed, or without. That is a deal breaking detail for us. Would love an answer!!! TIA
Hi Leah. We have the 2 seats compared here: https://carseatblog.com/22818/the-ultimate-rear-facing-convertible-space-comparison-review-size-matters/. I know the extension panel gives about an extra 5″ of leg room, so I think that’s what Graco is talking about in terms of the E2F being 5″ deeper. I don’t have a 4Ever and my E2F is in storage, but I think they are similar in the seat pan area. Front to back, the E2F will give you more room.
Can I attach this seat to a base for easy switching between cars?
Hi Brad. No, as a convertible carseat, this does not come with a base like a rear-facing only infant seat does. That would sure make life easier!
Why do I have to remove the straps covers when facing forward?
Hi there. I don’t know, but it’s required in the manual. It could be that it gives too much or too little friction in a crash or otherwise interferes with crash performance.
The manual states, “Rear-Facing:Harness straps should be at or just below the child’s shoulders. Top of head must be 1” (2.5 cm) below the headrest adjustment lever.” If the top of my daughter’s head is only 1 inch below the headrest adjustment level, the harness straps are too low. Is it safe to have the headrest adjustment level farther than 1 inch from my daughter’s head?
Hello. I have a graco extend to fit car seat. It is not the newest model. I do have 2 different models. My daughter had really bad diarrhea and it got allllll over the car seat. Even the straps. I had to remove them completely to wash. I can’t remember how the leg area is attached. I swear there was some type of metal piece, but maybe not. My daughter is at the age where she likes to take things. I honestly just cant remember. I can send pics if you like. It does kind of look like the back of the one you have. Thank you for your help in advance.
Hi Raelynna. How did you wash the harness? It attaches to the carseat with a piece of sewn on folded-over harness. The buckle has a metal piece on the end. Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of?
Hi,
do you have any estimate how tall child will fit in the Graco Extend2Fit when rf? My son is 3.5yo and his Chicco Nextfit is soon too “small” for rf (my son is 43″ tall and almost 40lb). I do not want to turn him to use 5-point harness but would prefer to have him rf for at least another year and the switch to high back booster seat using car seat belt (so never ff with 5-point harness – yes, I’m Scandinavian 😏). Would Extend2Fit work for us or should I start looking for booster seat already?
The E2F definitely is taller than the NextFit and has a height limit of 49”, so he’ll have more growing room for sure. I don’t know for sure because every kid is different. Since you want to go RF-booster, I would definitely look at an E2F since he’s still so young.
Hi, I have the Extend2fit. Am I supposed to take the inserts out? I have an 18 month old. He doesn’t seem squished, but it occurred to me that these may be infant inserts! Thanks!
Hi Lauren. The inserts can be removed at any time, but they *must* be removed once your son is turned forward-facing.
Hi, can a graco extend2fit go side by side with evenflo chase on a 2019 toyota rav4 hybrid? Graco E2F will be installed in the middle (for a 2month old child) while the evenflo chase installed on the drivers side (for a 4 year old). thank you.
Hi CJ. You’ll have to check your RAV4 owner’s manual. In prior models, you can’t because the seat belts cross over but some trim lines in the 2019 are different and I don’t remember which ones.
HI! I just got a 2015 Ford Explorer and was wondering how the correct install would be for the inflatable seat belts. With the latch or the seatbelt itself??
Hi Amanda. If your child is under 45 lbs., I would use LATCH because it will be easier. Once you have to transition over to the seat belt, it’s the lap belt that locks. So thread it through the belt path like any other seat belt, then pull the rest of the lap portion of the seat belt out to lock the retractor and let it retract back in. Push down on the carseat while feeding the seat belt back into the lap belt retractor. If you don’t have a manual, it’s on Ford’s website: https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/how-tos/owner-manuals.html?gnav=header-owner
I got this car seat for my toddler who’s too big to sit in the infant car seats but one thing I don’t like about this car seat is that her head hangs every time she falls asleep. If I adjust it any lower, the ball will go to the red. She’s currently on the 3rd setting, rear facing. Even if by chance she gets into a good enough position, her chin is touching her chest. Any suggestions?
Monica, so the recline number on the base is 3? Is the recline ball in the light blue circle? What vehicle is the carseat in?
You can take out the head pillow if you haven’t yet. You can also remove the body support, but that shouldn’t affect her head falling forward. For toddlers, chin to chest isn’t a problem unless there’s an underlying medical problem. At that age, they have the ability to shift themselves as they need to keep their oxygen levels up.
We recently bought this carseat for our 17 month old and every time we put her in it, she cries. It appears that the buckle for the strap digs into her inner thighs. Have you ever heard of this problem before? Any suggestions about what we should do? Thank you!
Hi Alexis. I haven’t heard of this problem with this particular carseat. Have you removed the body support insert? That should provide more room.
If you look at the pics in the review, you can see that the harness geometry is actually quite high over the thighs, so let’s check to make sure that she’s buckled into the seat properly. Are the leg straps sitting on top of her thighs–more over her hips? The harness should also be only “snug as a hug”. You can see how to properly tighten the harness by referring to this post: https://carseatblog.com/32635/the-pinch-test/.
I am making the switch from infant seat to a convertible for a 2yr old. I’ve narrowed it down to this Graco E2F or the diono Rainer(rear facing being a priority) Unfortunately there is no way to try before I buy or even view in person before I buy. I am relying on the internet reviews to make a decision. The only thing is ….I cannot find any review regarding the comfort of the padding in any of the car seats on the market. Safety is always priority but with so many seats being super safe, I would like to choose one my child will like to sit in. We road trip and travel a lot, the graco infant seat we have been using in my opinion is hard like sitting in a cheap folding chair, there is virtually no padding. A seat that potentially last ten years should have padding that won’t be broken in after 1 year. Does any one have any insight or thoughts about comfort if car seats , specifically the 2 I mentioned? Thank you . I would have gotten this far without your blog! Thank you for the details!
In terms of padding, the Rainier may be more comfortable because it has memory foam padding in the bum area; however, it falls short of the E2F as an extended RF seat because the E2F adjusts higher and is taller. It’s also more difficult to install and has various rules to follow, which are OK just as long as you remember all of them.
The Platinum E2F is a little more padded, but the EZ Tight LATCH is awful so if you intend to install with LATCH it may or may not work for you. Installation with the seat belt is fine so that won’t be a problem, but you’re paying more for a feature you won’t be using KWIM?
I purchased the Extend2Fit 3in1 for my truck when my grandson Sebastian made 20lbs and the infant seat was just too little for him. (in my opinion) Well, I love it so much I got 1 for his Mom’s truck and 1 for Dad’s car. I ‘ve. also purchased the 4ever extend2fit 4in1 for my granddaughter Brynlee and very soon her little sister Isla will be needing the same… I can’t praise GRACO enough. Best Car seats made!
1HappyGammy
Glad to hear you’re loving your Graco seats!
Trying to put in rear facing position with the latch strap.
The fabric will not pull through to tighten the strap. The fabric strap is very difficult to move when
out of the car. It will not move even when I’ve pushed on the bottom center of the seat, pulled it
inside the seat. So–I can’t get the car seat tight enough. Any suggestions? I think Graco should send me a new latch strap mechanism. I see the videos where they attach the latch, pull the strap and everything works easily. I’ve watched the videos with suggestions for pulling at a different
angle. It doesn’t work when out of the car and trying to pull on the strap. HELP!!
Hi Diane. This sounds like something you need to call Graco about. Graco doesn’t tend to have LATCH straps that are easy to loosen, but you want to tilt the adjuster perpendicular to the strap while you press the release button to loosen.
Since you can’t use LATCH to install, just use the seat belt. Check your vehicle manual under the “Child Restraint” section for how to lock your seat belt and you can get more info here: http://carseatsite.com/lockingclips/.
i want to know in a toxicity rating where this fall. As most US car seats use flame retardants in their car sests, and those are toxic for children to be sitting on for on almost daily basis. thanks
Hi Rosalyn. There’s an updated report on flame retardants here: https://www.ecocenter.org/healthy-stuff/reports/childrens-car-seats-2018. We have an article that may help put them in some perspective and gives tips for reducing exposure: https://carseatblog.com/33513/should-you-toss-your-toxic-car-seat/.
Hey, thanks for your incredibly detailed review. I was just wondering how this seat would do in a 2012 Honda CRV? I need to replace my carseats (due to a fender bender), and I was wonder if this would be a good fit. I have a 3 year old and 1.5 year old rear facing. Thanks.
It fits perfectly in my 2013 CRV, which is the same as the 2012.
I don’t know if anybody has asked this but do you know where does the elastics on the top of lower half of head support go? I know one pair on the top of the head support and another pair on the side and they easy to figure out. But the third pair which is just below the harness path give us trouble. They are too short and we cannot find a place for them. The manual doesn’t mention them, neither does youtube videos.
Those are awful, aren’t they? They’re for retail hang tags, so just ignore them or carefully cut them off.
My granddaughter is 20 lbs. We just bought this seat as she was outgrowing her infant seat. Do we remove the inner pads for bigger toddler child? I’m not sure if they are in the seat just for infants and if we are to remove them for bigger child. Thanks.
I’m wondering the same thing.
My LO is 2 and 27lbs, still rear facing.
Kyndel, you can if you’d like to. The only time they are required is if your infant’s shoulders don’t reach the bottom slots. Since your child is older and bigger, they are optional for rear-facing. They are not allowed to be used forward-facing.
Hi,
Do you know if this seat can be used in the front seat (passenger seat) of a car? Would it block the view? And mainly – would it fit?
Thanks!
Hi Robyn,
In general, we do not recommend that any child 12 or under be in the front passenger seat. Kids should always be in an appropriate back seat position if at all possible, due to proximity of the airbag and dash.
Rear-facing seats are NEVER allowed in the front passenger seat when there is an active airbag present.
The exceptions for placement of a carseat in the front passenger seat would be in older vehicles with no passenger airbag, or in trucks or other vehicles where the airbag can be disabled. Also, if there is no available rear-seating position because they already have children in them, an older child in a booster or forward-facing harness seat can sometimes be placed in the front passenger seat if absolutely necessary.
If you can please provide us the make/model/year of your vehicle, the ages/weights of your children and the make/model of their carseats, we may be able to offer suggestions here or in on our forum at http://www.car-seat.org
Has anyone tried using this car seat on the Plus one seat of a Hinda Odyssey?
Leeta, you should be able to get it installed there. Graco allows 20% of their carseats to hang over the edge of the seat.
Why is it that the harness covers cannot be used FF? I’m fine not using them. I just can’t think of a way they could be hazardous. My curiosity gets the best of me 🙂
Honestly, I don’t know. It may be that it provides too much or too little friction during crash testing and increases the head excursion. Just a guess!
Have yall heard of any issues with the foam breaking? I have been seeing people say that the foam on the headrest has been breaking on graco seats. I’m not sure if its all graco seats or a particular one but this has caused some concern.
Hi Marty. EPS foam breaks—it’s styrofoam. Graco doesn’t have any more of a problem with it than anyone else, so I wouldn’t be concerned about it.
Silly question, but are the CUP HOLDERS REMOVABLE for easy cleaning? I hate cleaning those things out.
I don’t think so. There’s nothing in the manual about cleaning them—just installing them.
The cup holders do come out. Reach underneath and pull the tab while also pulling up on the cup holder.
👍
Is there a difference between the original extend2fit and the more expensive versions listed above when it comes to depth (front to back) of seat when rear facing for a 1 year old?
I really did think that this was THE one… (GRACO wouldn’t post my review…)
“I bought this specifically to keep my daughter rear facing as long as possible, I didn’t care the cost nor did I care how uncomfortable my front seat passenger would be to accommodate the seat. However, the safety of my tall 22 month old is going to now be jeopardized by the fact that I cannot see anything out of the rear passenger window due to the harness having to be raised so high to accommodate her height. The top of the seat/headrest is so big that it blocks the entire window! She doesn’t even come close to the weight limit for rear facing and has four more inches height-wise, but I’m going to have to turn her front facing ASAP and I am completely destroyed about it. This seat is fantastic in theory, is easy to use, has great features, but the reality is that it just can’t live up to all the hype! Rear facing with blocked view or turn the seat…I don’t have a choice and that just stinks.”
Kristin, thanks for your comments! Blocked view really is going to be a problem with any of the taller seats, so it doesn’t surprise me. It was a problem when my dd was RF in her 2003 Britax Marathon. Some people are able to work around it by moving the carseat to a different seating position.
Hi I just watched some reviews on the britax too and it looks a lot safer with their safecell technology and anti rebound bar and 3 layers of side impact protection however do u think the graco is still better with the 50lb weight limit rear facing and leg extension? Wish i can get all these features together.
Anna, we don’t have any data on whether safety features like SafeCell make a difference in injury reduction, nor do we have any data on whether RF to 50 lbs. makes a difference. The Britax convertibles do have less legroom than the Graco seats do, even without the Extend2Fit’s leg extension tray, so that’s something to consider when comparing them. As with any purchase, I would consider all the features of the seats and choose one based on ease-of-use and if my child is comfortable in it.
We just got this seat for my 1 year old. Are we able to remove the infant padding and head support? I know it is ok to leave it in while rear facing, but I can not find anything in the manual saying if it is ok to remove it while rear facing. Thanks!
Hi Bethany. Yes, you can remove them. The infant padding is to boost infants up to the bottom slots in case they’re too short when they’re itty bitty. In fact, all padding, including harness pads, must be removed when the seat is turned forward-facing.