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Since finding out you’re pregnant, you will have to purchase a lot of things, and a car seat is one of them. There are three types of car seats: an infant car seat, a belt-positioning booster seat, and a convertible car seat. They all have a different weight limit and positioning but the same safety standards.
When speaking of the safety standards, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently published some updates about car seats and when can babies be in a forward-facing car seat and when in rear-facing, likewise some useful tips on baby’s safety that you should check while in the look for the best car seat for your baby, so this, along with our Graco Extend2fit Review will help you make a decision whether it’s right for you, or whether some of the above-mentioned choices would be better to opt for.
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Graco Extend2Fit Car Seat
There are not enough good things that can be said about purchasing a car seat for your infant that can be used well beyond the infant stages, much like the Graco Extend2Fit. It may not be one of those car seats that can be used from the newborn stage all the way to the booster seat stage, meaning that you’ll never need another one, but it does offer you literal years of use.
This is why it, and others like it, are so useful. They tend to take you from the time you bring your newborn home from the hospital to the time when you finally get to shop for an inexpensive booster seat to transition to. Because of this, you really can’t beat the value that the car seat provides, even if it’s not necessarily the only car seat you’ll ever need.
Besides being a car seat that can effortlessly transition from a rear-facing to a forward-facing style, the Graco Extend2Fit can be adjusted in other important ways to best fit your growing child and keep them both comfortable and safe throughout each car ride.
Adjusting the harness and installing the car seat itself is also designed to be simple enough for pretty much any parent to adjust to, even those who are new to parenting. There’s also ample room for harness storage (excess seat belt or when not in use).
Of course, it isn’t without its faults, but that’s where the Graco Extend2Fit review comes in to help you in deciding if it’s right for your baby and your family. It can be used for children from 4-50 pounds when rear-facing and from 22-65 pounds when forward-facing.
Graco Extend2Fit Features
- It has a four-position extension panel that extends to offer more foot room for your growing toddler.
- There is a level indicator to help make using the one-handed LATCH installation process easier each time.
- It’s designed for babies and toddlers from 4-60 pounds and can be transitioned from a rear to a forward-facing car seat.
- The car seat offers six different recline positions.
- Adjustable Headrest: You can adjust the seat headrest to 10 different heights to accommodate your growing child and continue to give him or her support.
Graco Extend2Fit Pros
- With up to five inches of additional legroom, the car seat offers more legroom space than most other similar car seats.
- Four of the six recline settings can be used when the car seat is in the rear-facing position.
- You can use it from the time your child is a tiny newborn up until they reach 65 pounds, which can span quite a long time for most kids.
- At less than $200, the Graco Extend2Fit is affordable for most families, especially since it can be used for infants as well.
Graco Extend2Fit Cons
- The straps can twist easily when buckling your child in the car seat and can be a pain to untwist and untangle each time.
- The square dual cup holders may not fit snack cups or sippy cups, which defeats the whole purpose of them.
- Given all of the thick padding, which can be comfortable for some, the car seat tends to make kids hot more often than not.
Graco Extend2Fit Alternatives
These are the best Graco Extend2Fit alternatives:
Evenflo Triumph LX Convertible Car Seat
The Evenflo Triumph LX Convertible Car Seat is quite similar to the Graco Extend2Fit car seat in that it can also be used from infancy up to the toddler years and can transition from a rear-facing to a forward-facing car seat. It’s also got knobs on each side to use just one hand for easy tightening of the harness straps and an adjustment on the front so you can change the incline position as your baby or toddler needs it.
For your child’s safety, the car seat has three layers of side impact protection and a five-point harness strap system to keep them buckled in safely during car rides. And, of course, it also grows with your child, as it can be used as a rear-facing car seat from 5-40 pounds and forward-facing from 22-65 pounds.
Pros
- It offers multiple recline positions that can be changed back and forth as you see fit.
- Adjusting the harness straps can be done with relative ease, even for those who aren’t as experienced with babies or car seats.
- With multiple layers of protection under all of the comfortable cushions, your child can feel both comfortable and safe while in the car seat.
- Since it’s made for growing children, your little one will have plenty of space in the Evenflo Triumph LX Convertible Car Seat as time goes on.
Cons
- It is very large for a car seat, so it might be hard to fit more than one across the backseat in your car.
- The knobs on the sides of the car seat that you can use the adjust the straps can be noisy and downright annoying, especially to babies.
- If you want to recline the seat when it’s forward-facing, it can be difficult to do.
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Maxi-Cosi Pria 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat
Just by looking at the Maxi-Cosi Pria 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat, you can tell that it’s comfortable for a child from infancy all the way up to toddlerhood, which is kind of the point.
It’s designed for infants as tiny as four pounds when rear-facing and for toddlers up to 65 pounds when forward-facing, which allows for a very wide range and a long time your baby and toddler can get use out of it before transitioning to a booster seat. Plus, you’re saving money since you won’t have to constantly buy new car seats!
You can see right away that there are built-in cushions for each stage your child will progress to in the car seat, but the Maxi-Cosi also prides itself on being top in safety. Thanks to its FlexTech for multi-directional crash energy management and Air Protect for side impact protection, you can have a great sense of peace of mind when your child is riding in the car seat. For rear-facing, it’s suitable for babies from 4-40 pounds, 22-70 pounds when forward-facing, and up to 100 pounds in the booster seat!
Pros
- Your toddler can use it up to 65 pounds, which is more than a lot of other convertible car seats are built for.
- The different technology specific to the Maxi-Cosi brand’s safety can help keep your little one protected in the event of a car crash, possibly even more so than the technology of some other car seats.
- On longer drives, the car seat is particularly comfortable for your child, regardless of what stage he or she is in.
- For most families, it’s an affordable and safest convertible car seat, especially for the comfort and safety that it provides.
Cons
- Getting the straps to tighten to keep your child properly strapped in can be difficult.
- It will typically take up a substantial amount of room in the backseat in terms of impacting the front passenger seat.
- When in rear-facing, you can’t use the tether to install it, which can be a deal-breaker for some parents or caregivers.
Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat
Two of the main selling points for the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat are its safety and its easy installation. And when you compare each to the Graco Extend2Fit, the latter definitely has some competition.
With the ClickTight installation system, you simply buckle the seat belt across the seat and click the seat shut and it’s ready for strapping your baby or toddler in it for a car ride. It also has an integrated steel frame and impact-absorbing base to help keep your child safe during a crash. And of course, it’s truly meant to grow with your little one, as there are multiple recline positions, a 14-position quick-adjust harness straps system, and a two-position buckle.
When rear-facing, the car seat is suitable for babies from 5-40 pounds and toddlers from 20-65 pounds when forward-facing.
Pros
- Since it’s made to grow with your baby and toddler, it’s roomy enough to accommodate larger toddlers.
- You can recline it in multiple different recline positions, so your child can feel a little more comfortable on long car rides when they might fall asleep
- 14 different positions for the harness straps, ensuring ultimate comfort
Cons
- Although the strap can be changed as your child grows, it can be difficult to do so when the time comes.
- The straps tend to get in the way while you’re buckling your baby in.
The Britax Marathon has two positions (rear-facing and forward-facing) and installing it is a breeze. The car seat is super comfortable for your baby and the memory foam in it will make every trip enjoyable and easy for both of you.
Safety 1st Grow and Go All-in-One Convertible Car Seat
The Safety 1st Grow and Go All-in-One Convertible car seat looks so cozy and it does an excellent job of keeping your babe secure too.
It has enough protective and plush cushioning to keep your child comfortable from the time you bring them home from the hospital to the time they grow out of it altogether. This car seat was built to grow with your child; it easily transition through all three stages of your child’s car seat needs. It can be used for babies from 5-40 pounds when rear-facing and toddlers from 22-65 pounds when forward-facing. As for the booster seat, this car seat can stay with your child from 40 to 100 pounds!
Unlike some other car seats, this car seat has a special design to keep the straps out of the way. You’ll spend less time trying to get your baby in a car seat and more time doing the things you want to do! Plus, there’s as QuickFit harness too, so you won’t have to struggle with an improperly fitted harness when you’re putting your baby in the car seat.
And since it is designed for growing children, you can adjust the seat headrest to maintain support and keep your child comfortable even as they grow taller.
Pros
- Specially designed to allow you to have more leg room; this car seat is compact enough to allow for 7 additional inches of leg room for you
- There’s a Grow and Go car seat pad that comes with this car seat, making cleanup for any accidents or spills super easy
- Very affordable, considering the quality of this car seat
Cons
- The booster seat has a lower weight maximum compared to other alternative car seats.
- In one of the recline positions, you may have to readjust it multiple times to get it right.
- Once you install it, the car seat is slightly top-heavy, which can make it feel not as steady, even when properly installed in your car.
Conclusion: Graco Extend2Fit Review
The Graco Extend2Fit is going to be the only car seat you’ll ever need. Additionally, it’s an affordable solution to take you from a newborn to a toddler before your child is ready for a belt-positioning booster car seat (using a traditional seat belt mechanism).
In the long run, it will still potentially save you money, since you won’t need to purchase a newborn infant car seat and then another one when your child reaches 40 pounds. And it offers so much protection and comfort that it’s easy to look past the fact that it doesn’t also eventually transition into a booster seat for your older toddler.
FAQs
Answer: The Graco Extend2fit lasts 10 years, which is stated on the label on the car seat. This does not mean that the car seat will be comfortable once your child becomes 10 years old, but it is really reassuring to know that you get a long-lasting quality car seat for the price you pay.
Answer: As with most of the Graco car seats, the Graco Extend2Fit is FAA approved, which means it is safe for use in airplanes rear and forward-facing. If you are not sure whether your Graco car seat qualifies for flying, you can check it in the label that is on the left raised rib.
Answer: For infants and babies that are between the age of 1 and 2, it is better if they ride facing the back of the car. Once they become older, it is safer to ride front-facing, as they will have more legroom and be more comfortable this way, and on the bonus side, they will be interested in the window view, which will be more peaceful for the driver.
Answer: Each car seat manufacturer has a different height and weight limit standards regarding babies who are sitting rear faced. Most car seat manufacturers allow children from 35 to 50 pounds to be seated in this position while the height limit is at least 1 inch from the child’s head and the top of the car seat.
