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
Hello,
I have figured out how to remove the crotch extender piece to make it longer because the harness piece is digging into my daughter’s thighs. It seems like the one I have is at the longest length and that is not long enough. 🙁 Anything else I can do? My daughter is 35 pounds and will turn 3 in May. Thanks for your help!
Hi Alexandra. First, make sure that you have the crotch buckle through the same slot in the fabric as through the shell, e.g., if it’s in the closest slot through the fabric, it should be in the closest slot in the shell.
If your daughter is still rear-facing, you can move the buckle to the outer position as long as it doesn’t create a gap between her body and the buckle. To do so, uninstall the carseat and recline it (TBH, you may be able to slide your hand in from the side if you have a skinny arm). There’s a metal piece, called a slide, holding the buckle in place—turn it to the side and slide it up through the bottom of the carseat. Position it through the same slots in the fabric and the plastic and make sure it lays flat on the bottom of the carseat. That may free up some space for your daughter. If it doesn’t, please post a pic on our group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/carseatorg .
How much room is required between the front seat and the rear facing Graco Extend2Fit? It is not motioned in the manual.
@Ashley – great question! You are correct that it’s not addressed in any of their manuals. Graco does allow the Extend2Fit (and all their other RF car seats) to make light contact with the back of the front seat as long as it meets some specific criteria. Here is a link to the info on the FAQ section of the Graco website: https://help.gracobaby.com/s/article/Can-my-Graco-car-seat-touch-the-back-of-the-front-vehicle-seat-in-rear-facing-mode Hope that helps!
Hi Ashley, unfortunately this can vary by an inch or more depending on the vehicle seats, how upright or reclined the installation is, and in what position the leg extension panel is used. We always recommend purchasing car seats from retailers that have free returns policies in case it doesn’t fit where you need it to fit. Compact vehicles in particular will be problematic with taller rear-facing car seats, especially if they are reclined to the limit for newborns.
Heather, this is a helpful review! I just have one comment/question. You mention that the harness straps are replaceable if they can’t be thoroughly cleaned. I have been trying to get Graco to replace mine and they say they’re not replaceable. It’s my fault, I washed the straps before I knew you’re not supposed to and I’m willing to pay for a replacement. I don’t see how it’s possible that they simply can’t send me a new harness, but that is what I’m being told. Did you actually get confirmation that they can be replaced, and if so, can you advise on how? Because right now I’m stuck with having to buy a new car seat.
Thanks!
Shaya, sorry to hear about the harness! I haven’t checked in a while, but if you’ve recently called and they aren’t replaceable now, I’ll edit the article. I’m not aware of replaceable harnesses on any Graco carseats, so I don’t doubt it. They’re currently on sale, so at least you’re not paying full price ☺️ https://amzn.to/2vAvx0n
Hi! I have an E2F 2in1 and am preparing to upgrade. Is the Atlas a good option or is it basically just my E2F with a HBB option? My kiddo is tall but light. I want to keep him in a harness, so if the 5point boosters and the 5point E2F are the same, I then think I should save my money and wait for him to he ready for the HBB outright, correct?
Thanks for your time and attention!
Hello! Yes, you’re correct in your thinking here. Since the two carseats have very similar top harness heights, it doesn’t make sense to buy an Atlas at this time (despite the excellent sales price!). The Chicco MyFit has higher top harness slots as does the Britax Grow With You, and both are on sale this weekend. https://carseatblog.com/deals
I heard that Graco changed the ‘no strap covers while forward facing’ rule, Spring 2021. The rule was retroactive for all E2F to allow use of shoulder strap pads in ANY facing direction. Has anyone else seen this too?
Hi Erin. I’ll have to get back to you on that one. It’s not in their FAQ and it’s written such that they can be used at any time in the online manual. I’ll have to check with Graco to see when it changed and if it’s retroactive because there’s a label on my strap pads that say not to use them FF.
what is the difference betweent the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat | Ride Rear Facing Longer with Extend2Fit, Redmond, and Graco® Extend2Fit® Convertible Car Seat in Davis?
Color! Seriously :D. Redmond is an Amazon exclusive for now.
Hi! How do I change it to a booster for my 5 yr. old? I cannot figure out out to use without the built in straps that attach to the crotch strap. I want to only use the car’s seat belt but tether the car seat also. Thank you!
Hi Joann. Does your seat look like the ones in the photos? Or does it have red seat belt guides attached to the bottom of the headrest and at the hips? If yours doesn’t have the red belt guides (and looks just like the seats in the pics), then your carseat does NOT convert to a booster seat and you’ll have to buy a separate one.
If yours does convert to a booster, follow the directions in the manual for how to convert it to a booster.
Hi there
I just wanted to share something that was really helpful for us when replacing the cover, which was a nightmare!
A crochet hook! Really helped get the elastics through the holes, quickly and easily
Hope this helps someone!!
That’s a great idea, Sarah! Thanks for sharing!
I use a pair of needle nose pliers myself and it works great! (yeah, gotta find work-arounds for those pesky things)
Hi! I LOVE this website and just wanted to share something that I couldn’t find anywhere while I was doing research. I recently flew with two toddlers in Extend To Fit car seats and they for backwards on every plane we rode! Even the small ones. I had the seats in the most upright rear facing position and the extender all the way retracted. My three year old and two year old had no issues with leg room and were comfy all flight. So yes, you can rear face the grace extend to fit on a plane!
Thanks for sharing, Emma! We love to hear reader experiences like yours :).
Hi Emma,
We are planning a trip here soon on Southwest airlines. What airline did you fly with when you used the seat?
Brianna, the Extend2Fit should fit in most major airline seats, though you’ll probably have to lift the armrest to get it to fit. When rear-facing, any convertible seat will install very upright because the pitch between the airplane seats is so tight, so don’t worry about that unless you’re flying with a newborn.
How hard was it to fit onto the plane seats? Did you have to lift up the arm rests?
Hi Sunette. Yes, most likely you will have to lift up the armrests, so don’t book a bulkhead seat.
I found this site while looking for examples of the graco Extend2Fit in a forward facing position. We just turned my son forward (3 yrs, 40”, 33 lbs) and his weight means he’s still on the “4” potion for recline, which is not as upright as he’d like to be. He gets in and sits up saying “I want to sit like this” but once trapped in he’s forced into that slight recline. Per the pic of your daughter I see it’s the same way so not just me. I turned him forward because the extender was out so far that it was affecting the front passenger seat position, but now I’m debating turning him back since he’s not going to make it to the position 5 any time soon.
Love the seat though! We got the Platinum model so the EZ Latch and quick clean covers have been great!
Glad you love the seat, Cherish! You don’t have to use the extender or don’t extend it as far, so that would buy your front passenger some room. The extra legroom is certainly nice, but kids went a long time without it before this seat came along ;).
Hi! We just moved to “forward facing” And I couldn’t figure it out how to move the crotch strap into the forward position… not because we really need it but because I’ve read it’s necessary for this position. Any tips? Thank you. Excellent review!
Hi Maria. Thank you for your kind comments! It’s easiest to move the buckle strap by pulling the extension panel all the way out first. That’ll give you access to the metal buckle retainer underneath the seat. Turn the metal retainer on its side and hold it tight while pulling the buckle from the top of the seat. It should slip through the slot, though you may have to push it up too. Then push it down through the the outside slot in the fabric and the carseat shell. This part is easy! Lift up to make sure the retainer is secure beneath the seat shell. Push the extension panel all the way back and you’re done.
hello- I have been deciding between the extend2fit 3 in one with true shield vs a 4 in one. I have noticed that the 4 in ones have a different seat cushion than the rest of the line. They look more like the seat cushion covers on the DLX (which is a velcro attachment which seems to come off easier) any thoughts? Hard to get the covers off in general or does that velcro seat pad come off easily?
I think the velcro seat pad is an optical illusion. It is sewn on. The covers aren’t difficult to get off, though the Platinum versions are easier to remove (and you get extra features, like a LATCH system that’s supposed to be easier to use-meh-and upgrading padding). I don’t think the backless booster is “all that” because it’s bulky and when I had kids try it out for a review (https://carseatblog.com/42465/2017-graco-4ever-extend2fit-4-in-1-carseat-review/), they thought it was uncomfortable due to the recline and bulkiness.
Hi Marissa. I’m getting my daughter a 2019 Graco Extend to fit. I’ve been reading the reviews and the only thing I’m worried about is the cleaning of the car seat straps. It looks like you have to talk them out for cleaning. Can I put strap covers on the Graco Extend to fit 2019 model.
Hi Janet. You can’t remove the Extend2Fit’s harness straps to clean them, but you can clean them while they’re on the seat (see this blog for tips: https://carseatblog.com/50264/coronavirus-and-carseats-cleaning-faqs/). The seat comes with harness pads, but they must be removed when it’s turned forward-facing. You can’t add anything to the seat that doesn’t come in the box with it because it may affect its crash performance.
I’ve had this seat about 3 months and loved it. However my 18 month old figured out how to unbuckle the chest piece while I’m driving. A little one that young should not be able to do that so easily. Has this happened to anyone else? I’m going to call Graco but im probably stuck with this and can’t afford another seat. He’s only 23 lbs.
Hi Trisha. Some chest clips are easier than others for kids—even 18 mo olds—to unclip. I agree that calling Graco is your best first step. A second step is to keep his hands busy with soft toys that are safe for the car; rotate them so he doesn’t get used to them. Toys that buckle (https://amzn.to/31xMESF), soft fidget-type toys (https://amzn.to/3hyvIRo), and soft books (https://amzn.to/2G1mz6d) are great to keep minds and hands busy.
Were you able to get any solution of the problem?
why is the extender rear facing only? Where is this in the manuel?
On pg. 49 in the manual, one of the (many!) bullet points outlining instructions for forward-facing installations is to not use the leg extender forward-facing. Part of the reason, I surmise, is because it’s hard plastic so the child’s legs will stick straight out into the front seat. One of the main injuries, aside from head injuries, when a child is forward-facing is leg injuries, so anything to avoid those types of injuries is best.
Hi there! I have two versions of the extend2fit seat, but my question is do I need to remove the head pillow and body pillow at the same time? It seems with both of them in my daughter is pushed forward too much making her chin touch her chest, which is not good. Can I remove just the body pillow and leave the head support or vise versa? I can’t seem to find details on this particularly.
Thanks!
Hi Megan. The use of the pillows is optional, but if your daughter’s shoulders don’t reach the bottom slots, you must use the body pillow to boost her up. If her chin looks like it’s touching her chest, I’d start by removing the head pillow since that’s the one that will make her head go forward. Leaving the body pillow in will help keep her back on the same plane as the carseat’s headwings.
You should also check that the recline is correct. Even if she’s over 3 months old, the carseat can still be reclined so that the ball is in the light blue circle. The instructions make it seem like once a child is over 3 months, the seat needs to be in the darker blue, but what it actually means is that a child under 3 months old must use the light blue recline circle.
Hi, thank you for all of this wonderful information. We just got this seat for our 13 month old. We will be rear facing but I’m not 100% sure on the extra pads. Do I leave in or remove the head support pad and the bottom seat pad? I read that they need to be removed when forward facing. Do you know if this is a preference thing at 13 months or if it’s a must leave or must remove? Thanks for any help!
Hi Sharon, page 70 of the instruction manual talks about the “Accessories” that come with the seat. Since your child is already 13 months old, you can definitely remove the extra head support insert and the extra bottom seat cushion – those are really only needed for newborns. HTH!
Thanks for the informative post! Why do the harness covers need to be removed when switching to forward facing? I can’t seem to find an answer to this question. Thanks again!
Hi Vivien. It’s in the manual on pg. 49 in the orange section where they introduce switching to forward-facing. As far as to why they require removing the covers? It’s purely speculation on my part. It could be that it didn’t pass testing with the covers on or that there’s too much or not enough friction on the harness with the covers—we don’t know other than it’s in the manual.
I have a 2006 Kia Rio, and just ordered this seat for our baby, due in July. I realized I may have jumped the gun, not having any info on whether or not it would fit my little car properly. Is there a way to find out if this seat is recommended for my tiny, older car? Thank you!
Hi Erica. Unfortunately, I don’t know if it will fit in your car because I’ve never tried that combination before. When you receive it, you can try it out and see if it fits in the newborn recline and send it back if it doesn’t.
Someone told me recently that carseats are not returnable once opened, as you could have used it and been lying? I hadn’t heard this, and ordered the seat off of Amazon.
You would need to check who you bought it from off Amazon. If it’s directly from Amazon, there’s no problem. They’ll sell it as an open box item. A different retailer selling on Amazon may charge you a fee for shipping, but most I’ve seen for baby stuff take returns.
We went to this seat after using Graco Snugride and I hate the extend2fit. The seat itself is very “C” shaped making me feel like my son doesn’t have enough back support and is forever slouching. He also cries for the majority of the car ride where he never did this before in the infant seat. Could you recommend a more “L” shaped seat for us so that he can have proper back support just like I would want out of my own seat?
Hi Kelly. I haven’t found Graco seats to be “C” shaped. Does he have space between his crotch area and the buckle which is causing him to slide down to the buckle strap? If so, you can fill that space with a rolled washcloth.
In a similar price range—but a little more expensive—is the Britax Emblem (https://amzn.to/2w47oEz). The Evenflo SureRide (https://amzn.to/33ZJhDG) is very “L” shaped, but it takes up a lot of front-to-back space in the back seat, unfortunately. If you have a small car, this may not be a good choice.
Is the latch weight limit just for the child or the child AND the weight of the seat?
Hi Cara, the LATCH weight limit listed on the seat is the child’s weight limit. Once the child exceeds that weight then you have to switch to a seatbelt + tether install. HTH!
We just turned our Graco Extend2fit to forward-facing and we are having a terrible time adjusting the harness when we get our kid in and out now. There is just so much friction!! We can no longer access the back of the car seat to pull in the straps back there since it’s pretty much flush with the regular seat of the car. Our straps are clean. Any advice on troubleshooting this?
Ugh. Saying it gets easier as the headrest gets higher doesn’t help in the moment, does it? One way to get around it is to not adjust the harness each ride. I’d complain to Graco about it because they won’t change it if they don’t hear about it.
In the Tesla model S, it looks like you installed it using the seatbelt- does the LATCH system work as well? Thanks so much for your thorough review.
Yes, I’m sure it would. It looks like I was just being lazy because the LATCH strap was threaded through the forward-facing belt path. We no longer have the S, so I can’t test it out for you, but there’s nothing out of the ordinary about the combination.
Heather, I apologize for the typos in my previous comment. I took the time to edit it. Please utilize this version below if you choose to post it to your website. Thank you!
Thank you Heather for your detailed review and guidance. We have been using a 4Ever since birth, and with a second family car we now purchased this Extend2Fit. My toddler became carsick and we had to take off the padding for cleaning. In the past, when I cleaned the 4Ever, the padding came off in three sections, whereby on that car seat you do not need to handle the straps/harness at all unless the strap needs spot cleaning or removal for deep cleaning. However, with the the Extend2Fit, I was very disappointed to discover that the padding cane off into only two, not three sections. This meant I had to remove the click crotch buckle and chest harness buckle on one side, thread out the strap through multiple slots, and only then could I take off the padding for washing. I took photos of the process and will be careful when replacing the strap and buckle pieces but candidly this was incredibly disappointing. There is too much room for human error when a parent has to take out the strap and buckles simply to get the padding off for washing. I think this was very poor design. If I retread then strap incorrectly or it gets twisted it would inherently compromise safety.
My inquiry thus Heather is, what is your experience/advise on best Graco convertible car seat when specifically looking for easy removal and reattaching of padding for cleaning?
Thank you very much for your important efforts!
Hi Marissa. It’s pretty standard practice to have to remove the harness to remove the cover for cleaning, though manufacturers have been implementing cover designs that pull off from the front lately to eliminate that error point! In the Extend2Fit line, you’d have to go all the way to the Platinum version (or the similar Sequence Platinum) to get a RapidRemove cover, which is Graco’s easy-to-remove cover, and it also gives you their EZ Tight LATCH, which is hit or miss in its usability.
Otherwise the all-in-ones like the 4Ever DLX, 4Ever TrueShield, 4Ever SafetySurround, 4Ever DLX Platinum, 4Ever Extend2Fit Platinum, SlimFit Platinum will have the RapidRemove covers.
Thank you sincerely Heather for your very detailed and thorough response. I feel much more empowered now in purchasing a future car seat. I could be mistaken but this is something I did not find advertised, and I think it is a feature that’s important – for safety is a priority. Thank you for helping me understand best products to purchase for RapidRemove cover convenience. Best to you in your endeavors!
Glad to help, Marissa!
If the foam breaks can you glue it back together or does it make the whole car seat defective
Hi Miranda. You’ll need to contact Graco to see what their response is. I’ve heard that sometimes you can put it back in and if the cover holds it in place, it’s OK to use and other times the seat is no good to use anymore. Unfortunately, we can’t make the determination. 🙁