Best convertible child safety car seats according to redditors
We found 73 Reddit comments discussing the best convertible child safety car seats. We ranked the 41 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 73 Reddit comments discussing the best convertible child safety car seats. We ranked the 41 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Just switched my 4yr old to this seat, he will remain in a 5 point harness as long as possible and this seat converts to high back booster when they are ready and then to a regular booster, so this should be the last seat we ever need to buy him.
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Nautilus-Car-Seat-Matrix/dp/B0011URFRE/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377792607&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=graco+nauti
>If it's tidy, in good looking condition, and a reputable brand, surely it's ok?
NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. Absolutely not true. Many structural defects in a car seat from a crash or any other damage are not visible. You just can't know.
Definitely get a cheaper new car seat. Amazon has this one for $46.79 and this one for 49.99 and this one for 79.99.
They are all subject to the same testing and requirements as the car seats that sell for $100, $200, $300. Sure, the ones that cost more might look prettier, the cushion might be made of nicer material, they might be easier to install, it might be lighter, etc. However, safety wise the cheap ones are still completely safe to use.
If you want to save money, you can also just skip the infant car seat and go straight to a convertible car seat. Yes, these are more inconvenient in that you have to take the baby out of the car and leave the carseat in the car as opposed to carrying around the baby seat, but again, these are perfectly fine and safe. You also don't have to buy another car seat that rear faces. Instead of a seat only going to 22-26 lbs, the convertible ones generally rear face until 40 lbs and might forward face for even longer. This convertible seat could last until your child was 3-4 years old. For $67.37. This one could keep your child in a 5 point harness until 65 lbs (that's the average weight of a 7 year old). Hypothetically you could use this car seat until your child does not need another car seat. For $90. That's $13 per year.
Your child's safety is not worth risking over saving a few bucks - you know this already, so don't let the idea of saving a little bit of money get to your head and cloud your judgement.
I'll do most expensive products compared to their competitors that I considered "worth the upcharge" -
Firstly - this is my list of products that have gotten us through my son's first 2 years. Check the blurbs for raves on my favorites.
Pretty much everything else... like... you (or we) could have gotten by with cheaper versions of. I like the products we purchased, but I don't think they added more utility than their alternatives would have at a fraction of the cost.
We have had these and like them. Diono Radian RXT All-in-One Convertible Car Seat, For Children from Birth to 120 Pounds, Shadow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PS61XS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AzyBCbY10RKQ9
figuring out the car was a nightmare. my kiddo would scream until he projectile vomited on his feet it was so bad. I tried white noise, toys, taking routes with no lights so I didn't have to stop, you name it. the ONLY thing that finally worked was changing the car seat. for whatever reason he just hated everything about his original seat. I got him this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00O9W3MUK/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile (sorry I'm on my phone) and I swear to god it was an immediate change. I think I cried the first time he fell asleep in his car seat. months later we needed an extra seat and I was like "what the heck, let's just use the old one." it was back to screaming. I know it sucks to fork over a ton of cash for another seat, but I too need to go in the car almost daily and I was willing to try anything to make my 5 min trip to publix bearable.
What's your time line for purchasing? If you're able to wait, Black Friday deals are an excellent time to purchase car seats. We bought our Graco 4ever (normally $299) for $117 USD on Black Friday with same day pick-up.
If you're looking to purchase sooner rather than later, some excellent and slightly more wallet friendly convertible car seats are:
Convertible car seat was a game changer! I hated lugging the infant seat with my giant baby inside. I’d just bite the bullet and do it- if you get one that can be used until LO doesn’t need a car seat anymore then it’s more cost effective. We got this one
These are mostly for the toddler and preschooler crowd. As R gets older, we have been leaving more and more of the in-flight toy entertainment at home and relying on the iPad. Since she doesn't get much screen time at home, it's a huge treat for her.
We got a Chicco Keyfit30. Amazon doesn't seem to have the combination exactly of what we got available anymore, but these are different color versions of our choices:
Stroller
Seat
Extra base
The convertible seat we got is a Chicco NextFit Zip. I chose that one because it was consistently rated at the top of lists, and the cover zips out for cleaning. This is the exact car seat we have.
If you have a tiny car (prius, etc.) these seats might not work well for you. The convertible one does have a variety of recline positions to choose from so you can sit your kid a little more upright to make more room (if they're able to sit up, don't do this if your kid doesn't have good head/neck control) but it definitely isn't the most compact seat available. It is REALLY easy to install, though - we took kiddo with us while test driving cars since we have to replace our current vehicle in the next month or so. We popped the seat out of the truck, installed it easily in the vans we were driving, and were on our way. Took less than 5 minutes (it is rated as one of the easier seats to install on several of the comparison sites) from "I'll go get the seat" to putting the kid in it.
Edited to add: we moved kiddo to the convertible seat around 11 months, because he was constantly trying to sit up in his infant seat. He'd get really frustrated since it was such a recline. Car rides went from frustrated baby to happy kiddo as soon as we switched seats because he could look out of the window. Technically he's not too heavy for his infant seat even now (27.5 pounds at his 15 month appointment last month) but he is too tall for it (it goes up to 30 inches in height; he was 30.25" at his 15 month appointment.
We've got both of our sons in the Graco Nautilus seat.
I use this one. It's currently $85 and I have been totally satisfied with it, and it goes up to 40 lbs rearfacing.
https://www.amazon.com/Cosco-Mighty-Convertible-Seat-Heather/dp/B01ETUBQZ4/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2IQO0YBMQMYLE&keywords=cosco%2Bconvertible%2Bcar%2Bseat&qid=1554595210&s=gateway&sprefix=cosco%2Bconvertibl%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-4&th=1
FWIW - we really like our Graco Nautilus, and it fits in my Dodge Neon.
EDIT - NVM, saw you're looking for RF, and mbnd96 already covered the Nautilus.
Work out childcare backups -- people you can call if you have an emergency, need a date night, need a daycare.
Work out a pediatrician -- ask friends, your girlfriend's OB-GYN.
What I'm glad I had:
What I could have waited on:
We use the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Carseat
I love how light weight and compact it is compared to the one we initially bought Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1 which was so freaking heavy and HUGE.
Our son is a big boy (35lbs at 12mo) and is reaches the tops of my husband's thighs (he's 6'8) and the seat is very comfortable and spacious with room to grow. We bought 2.
We have this one and we love it! We went straight to a convertible car seat when LO was born and 7 months later we have no regrets!
That said, some people prefer the infant ones because you can keep a base in each car, and use the carrier part for baby so you don’t have to take them in and out of the car seat as much. We didn’t mind not having these perks and wound up getting a second (cheaper) convertible car seat for our other vehicle that we don’t usually use and for traveling (I was afraid the airport luggage system would beat up the car seat). I’ve had to remove and reinstall the car seat several times, and you eventually get the hang of it. (Not gunna lie, the first couple times were a shot show though lol)
I read a lot of reviews on amazon to make sure I got a quality seat that was easy to clean. Another thing to look for if you go the convertible route is wether or not a certain seat it will fit in your car rear-facing if you have a small vehicle.
You overpaid I think. Amazon has that model for $130. http://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Triumph-Convertible-Seat-Everett/dp/B00O8RRR7U/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1451956228&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Evenflo+triumoh+lx
If you see the 1 and 2 star reviews from amazon, everyone is complaining about the straps and not being able to install properly.
Anyway, Britax is around $250-300+ I want to say. You can find it on sale and it depends on the model. But it is so worth it! Think of how many times each day you get the kid in and out. I have no complaints about my Britax click-tight. http://www.amazon.com/Britax-USA-Boulevard-ClickTight-Convertible/dp/B013YCWASA/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1451956481&sr=1-1&keywords=britax+clicktight
YouTube the britax clicktight. Amazing.
Just realized you say your biggest problem is getting the straps tight enough on the kid. Mine routinely tells me "mommy its too tight", haha! I just strap kid in and pull at the bottom and wham, its done. Loosening it is a simple button. Do you have a toys r us? Go try them out and see the difference. Even if you can't try before, I promise you won't regret the britax :)
I have done lots of international flights with kids, but never with Aegean, so here's my input:
The booking office often has no fucking clue what is going on. Trust your cabin crew and gate staff.
There are US-made car seats that are cheap and often used for travel - the Cosco Scenera comes to mind - that you could look at purchasing if you wanted a travel car seat. I have seen those frequently in use for the children old enough to fit in them (not usually newborns) as a family's travel car seat, keeping the gigantic setup at home.
We brought an approved car seat on a KLM flight once and were shown by the cabin crew how to put it in for Leg A - and then told we couldn't use it for Leg B, because that "wasn't an acceptable installation method" (...) and it affected the arm rests, and the arm rests had to be able to be down during the entire flight. The cabin crew will have final say, and if they are saying to your family you only need a booster - that's all you need.
Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9W3MUK/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
We got the Evenflo tribute, because it had a little more padding than the Cosco. Very cheap, fairly easy to install. We have some difficulty with getting it level in the car. It's super light.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O8RRYDW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It sounds like she's got lots of room to grow in the Frontier, which gives you some good options.
The lightest weight, longest lasting and least bulky for travel are going to be the Evenflo Secure Kid 300(also branded Secure Kid LX) or the Evenflo Secure Kid 400(also branded Secure Kid DLX). There are marginal differences in features. The 400 has Evenflo's SureLatch, the 300 still has push-on connectors, but a more standard design. The 400 has an extra 10lbs of approved booster weight (which isn't likely to get used by the vast majority of kids anyway).
If you don't like the Evenflo seats, the Graco Nautilus is another option. It's heavier and bulkier, but installs well in most vehicles. A benefit to this one for travel is that when she is out of the harness, the back can be removed and it can either be used as just a backless booster, or you can pack the back of the booster in your luggage (padded by clothing) and have her bring the backless portion on the plane as a carry on so that if your luggage is lost, you at least have a usable booster at your destination.
All of these seats are approved for use on aircraft when used in harness mode.
Cheaper than that - $65 shipped...for an age appropriate one
https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Tribute-Convertible-Car-Seat/dp/B00O8RRYDW
But let's be honest here, they probably wouldn't bother even if they were cheaper than that. It's not about the money so much as the personal effort to get one, fit it and use it and this lady does not strike me as the sort of person to make much of an effort at anything.
I personally would suggest just getting a convertible seat. Technically she is still a ways away from the weight limit for most infant seats (how tall is she though?), so you could definitely get another infant seat, but then you are going to end up getting another seat in the future- so it might save you some money to just buy one car seat instead of two.
We just got a convertible seat since our 9 month old is a freaking beast (he hit the height limit on his infant seat, weighs 22 lbs). It takes up a little more room than the infant seat did, but my guy seems to like it better. It's roomier for him. I linked to the one we got, so far no complaints. It's actually gone down a little in price since we got it.
http://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Tribute-Convertible-Seat-Saturn/dp/B006PB2B6O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404746146&sr=8-1&keywords=tribute+in+saturn
We've used the Evenflo Tribute for 2 years now on every single flight for our toddler. It's under 10lbs and the tether strap has something to hook onto on the back of the chair, so if you hook the tether strap loosely, it then becomes a shoulder strap to conveniently carry around.
Click here. It's on sale! Hurry before it's gone!
I've got a Convertible R57. One of my daughters (4) uses the Graco Nautilus. My other daughter (2) uses the Alpha Omega (though I cut off the stupid "pillow" thing). The kiddos both have room, and cup holders Whee!!, and the wife has no problems. Admittedly, the wife is pretty short (she's Asian), and the 4 year old is behind her, but the kiddos have never complained, and the wife feels fine, too.
Hope that helps!
Diono Rainier All-in-One Convertible Car Seat, For Children from Birth to 120 Pounds, Midnight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PQVCF1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uoW3CbYE1ZSSF
Or check these out. Might fit three side by side.
Diono Radian RXT All-in-One Convertible Car Seat, For Children from Birth to 120 Pounds, Shadow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PS61XS/
I'm still on infant seats. I've used a Britax seat and a Graco one. I always install them in the center as recommended for safety in side collisions, which requires using the seatbelt instead of the anchors.
The Britax one is much better in several ways. It's easier to adjust, easier to install with the seatbelt, and also more secure as it clamps down on the belt. They actually recommend the seatbelt method even if you have anchors available. I do think that it's probably wise to get the optional anti rebound bar though.
Amazon has it for sale for just $140 right now.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011URFRE/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
After we found out that we're expecting twins, this bringing our total to 3 kids, we traded my husband's Camaro for a Traverse that has 3rd row seats. We also decided to go with these car seats which are known for being able to fit 3 across: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DWBPM42?colid=PICBWQCGSTKK&coliid=IF53CYDZH3HU9&ref=br_mb_ov_item_detail
I love this one, it's perfect: http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Nautilus-Car-Seat-Matrix/dp/B0011URFRE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375123899&sr=8-1&keywords=convertible+car+seat
Are you perhaps talking about something like this? http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Nautilus-Car-Seat-Matrix/dp/B0011URFRE
I provided a link to where Walmart sells it for 38 dollars. It's available on Amazon for about 50.
Cosco Scenera NEXT Car Seat OTTO https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TZMED20/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_p51YBbQEQNGN4
I didn't see it online for anywhere close to a hundred dollars. Maybe you're thinking of a different seat?
Just a tip I've heard. Is you can go to Babys r us and possibly buy buy baby and use their demos so see how they fit in the car. That way you can try a few out first before you buy it. I mean you can't drive off but it will give you and idea how putting it in and how putting baby in/out will be. Part of me feels that's getting a car seat meant for a small car( https://blogs.babycenter.com/products_and_prizes/got-a-small-car-8-compact-car-seats-sure-to-fit/ I almost bought this one with my old car https://www.amazon.com/Cosco-Mighty-Convertible-Seat-Heather/dp/B01ETUBQZ4 ) will be your best bet but it's hard to say. It's one of those things it might be best to try a few out and see what works.
https://www.amazon.com/Cosco-Mighty-Convertible-Seat-Heather/dp/B01ETUBQZ4/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1517589165&sr=8-1&keywords=cosco+mighty+fit
I actually posted on that a couple weeks ago and didn’t get any help :(
The cpst I talked to told me this seat was known for not fitting infants til 9 plus months.
Thank you!
Car seats are very hard and confusing lol
Oh, good point! We did make sure that our car seat would fit in the particular planes we were flying in. We were able to use our infant car seat (FWIW, Graco SnugRide 30) without the base, but when we flew after he outgrew that we did have to buy a narrow car seat (again, FWIW, the Evenflo Tribute worked really well on the plane). As it happened, we needed a second car seat at that time anyway, but I'm not sure what we would have done if we hadn't.
We just got our convertible for $142 on Amazon. It goes up to 100lbs forward facing. You can find coupons too. Here's the link - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015KFDKB0
Safety 1st brand is what I’ve used for 2 kids. Stylish, affordable, great safety ratings, easy to install. They started out with the baby carrier seat with 2 bases (one for each car, highly recommend this). Then switched to a rear facing convertible seat . That seat will last you until 4-5yrs old, then we used the high back booster. They clip into my 09 Outback no problem.
Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat
No upgrades necessary, this thing should last birth to childhood. I'm not a fan of infant carseats though. I'm pretty impressed with it, but we went super cheap with our first (Evenflo, $45) and I didn't want to do that again. Not because of safety, but comfort.
Full disclosure: I don't have a baby yet, so all of my "it will totally work" is positive thinking. That being said, it sounds like we have the same Pack-N-Play! (Or at least with the same functionality.)
It sounds like we're in the same boat registry-wise. We opted for the Fisher Price Rock-N-Play, my girlfriends' kids like it, so hopefully baby girl will too. I initially wanted the Puj, but a friend got me something else, and it seems like it'll work just fine. It collapses nicely and fits under our sink. We have the Baby Jogger City Lite Stroller, and the Britax Roundabout Convertible Carseat. Some of our friends surprised us with a BoB running stroller, so my husband is pumped to take the kiddo out on the lake shore path.
I want a carrier, but I'm holding off on buying one until I have a baby to put in it. I liked the Baby Bjorn and the Baby K'tan. I've heard great things about the Ergo, though, so that's another reason why I'm holding off.
Again, we don't have a baby yet, but I don't anticipate adding too much stuff. It'll be some time till baby comes home, so I'll know in about 4-5 weeks whether my plan worked. :) Best of luck to you and your family!
We got the Safety First Grow and Go: https://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Grow-Convertible-Coral/dp/B015KFDJAM/ We used our completion discount so it came out to be about $109. Not half bad!
You might consider buying the Britax Clicktight seats to move back and forth. I don't have them myself, but I have several friends who say they work incredibly well. Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Britax-USA-Marathon-ClickTight-Convertible/dp/B013YCX22I/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1474085125&sr=8-2&keywords=britax%2Bclicktight&th=1 and watch this installation video to see how easily they install: https://youtu.be/bbx2NC5w7QQ
Our strategy is to have enough seats for every child in every car; we tried having one kid-car, and it was challenging to have to switch cars and rearrange things, so we sprung for the extra set of seats.
Britax seats are very well made. Their Clicktight line is super easy to install. We use the Marathon. Also this site has a good explanation of what to look for and a chart to sort by rear facing weight.
Nailed it.
Hilarious how they basically change the colors and add 'SIMPSON' to the strap pads to market towards our industry.
I just moved my little man up to the Britax Boulevard Clicktight and this thing seems more than adequate to keep him in place while bouncing around off-road!
We're going straight to a convertible, specifically the Chicco Nextfit. I'm too weak to carry an infant seat and the way our day-to-day life goes, it's not worth trying to make one work. For carrying around the baby we have K'tans, a Lillebaby, and a Chicco Liteway stroller (it's technically an umbrella stroller but reclines so newborns can use it) as options.