Because the identify implies, a convertible automobile seat is designed to evolve as your little one grows. Your child shall be prepared for this bigger, five-point security harness seat as soon as they’ve outgrown their toddler seat’s peak and weight limits (normally round 30 inches or 30 kilos); it will probably occur at any level between 6 months and a pair of years of age. When you transition to the convertible seat, you’ll begin out with a child or toddler sitting in it rear-facing and ultimately find yourself with a a lot larger child using in it forward-facing. Getting the dangle of convertible seats might be daunting—what with their varied set up modes and positions, a number of seat belt paths, and security tethers—which is why we got down to discover the fashions which might be the only and most secure to put in and use. No matter seat you select, we’ve additionally included loads of useful suggestions on the way to navigate the highway forward.
Our choose
Graco Extend2Fit Convertible
The Graco Extend2Fit Convertible does a superior job of conserving your little one rear-facing longer—and it’s simple to put in and use.
The Graco Extend2Fit Convertible has quite a bit going for it, together with fairly straightforward set up, considerate options, and nice worth for the value. However most significantly, this seat excels at conserving your child snug whereas they trip rear-facing—the most secure place for a younger little one—for longer. Many giant toddlers and preschoolers battle to remain rear-facing of their automobile seats as a result of at a sure level they begin to really feel squashed. The Extend2Fit Convertible addresses that drawback by including an extension panel to the seat that pulls out to supply 5 inches of additional legroom in rear-facing mode. Youngsters can stay rear-facing within the Extend2Fit Convertible till they attain 50 kilos, the best capability of the seats we examined. (Our also-great convertible choose, the Clek Foonf, has a 50-pound rear-facing weight restrict too.) We discovered putting in the seat to be fast and intuitive, significantly when utilizing LATCH (which stands for Decrease Anchors and Tethers for Youngsters, a system that allows you to connect a pair of steel hooks on the seat to a set of anchors constructed into the automobile). The Extend2Fit Convertible’s LATCH set up system can be utilized for youngsters who weigh as much as 45 kilos, the best LATCH weight restrict of any of the seats we examined. Additionally, the seat is light-weight and has a no-rethread harness, in order your child grows, you don’t should take the seat aside to regulate the straps. Though the material isn’t as stain resistant as we’d like (think about going with a darkish shade), the quilt is machine cleanable.
Weight of seat: 19 kilos
Seat dimensions: 18.5 inches extensive by 23.7 inches tall (with the headrest in its lowest place)
Passenger rear-facing weight and peak vary: 4 to 50 kilos; head should be a minimum of 1 inch beneath the headrest’s deal with
Passenger forward-facing weight and peak vary: 22 to 65 kilos; as much as 49 inches tall (the highest of the kid’s ears should even be beneath the highest of the headrest)
Runner-up
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
Like the opposite seats in Britax’s ClickTight line, the Boulevard ClickTight requires much less effort to put in than every other seat we examined. Plus, it seems to be and feels plusher than our high choose.
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is a classy and user-friendly seat that stands out for its extremely straightforward set up. It options Britax’s revolutionary ClickTight set up system: You thread the automobile’s seat belt by way of a path beneath the Boulevard’s seat cushion and shut the seat cushion, after which a built-in mechanism tightens all the pieces securely into place—no grunting, sweating, or swearing required. (You can too use LATCH to put in the Boulevard, however Britax recommends the seat belt methodology, and we agree.) Like our high choose, the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible, the Boulevard has a no-rethread harness that makes ongoing strap changes hassle-free. However like the vast majority of convertible seats on the market, this seat can solely be used within the rear-facing place for teenagers weighing as much as 40 kilos (10 kilos lower than with our high choose). And in our expertise, the Boulevard doesn’t present a lot legroom in rear-facing mode, so it could encourage caregivers to show their youngsters forward-facing earlier than consultants advocate. If conserving your little one rear-facing for so long as attainable is the number-one precedence, then we predict you’d be higher served by our different picks. Nonetheless, if a quick and handy set up issues most, then the Boulevard is your finest guess.
Weight of seat: 29.4 kilos
Seat dimensions: 18.5 inches extensive by 23.5 inches tall (with the headrest in its lowest place)
Passenger rear-facing weight and peak vary: 5 to 40 kilos; head should be a minimum of 1 inch beneath the highest of the headrest
Passenger forward-facing weight and peak vary: 20 to 65 kilos; as much as 49 inches (the highest of the kid’s ears should even be beneath the highest of the headrest)
Additionally nice
Clek Foonf
The Clek Foonf is a high-end convertible seat that’s nice for prolonged rear-facing use. Additionally, it’s slim and straightforward to maintain clear, and it comes with the added security function of an anti-rebound bar.
Shopping for Choices
*On the time of publishing, the value was $440.
The Clek Foonf gives an interesting mixture of security options, good-looking aesthetics, and intelligent engineering. At 38 kilos, it’s heavy as all get-out—one thing persons are prone to both love (as a result of it appears like a tank) or hate (as a result of it’s a monster to maneuver). Just like the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible, our high choose, the Foonf can comfortably accommodate a toddler within the rear-facing place till they attain 50 kilos. This seat doesn’t have a pull-out extension for added legroom just like the Extend2Fit Convertible does. However the design of the Foonf and the best way it reclines each make it really feel roomy and spacious when rear-facing, even for taller youngsters. The Foonf additionally comes with an added security function: an anti-rebound bar, which is a metal assist piece that, within the case of a crash, will help to scale back the rebound movement of the seat. Putting in the Foonf within the forward-facing place with LATCH is past straightforward. Nonetheless, the rear-facing set up of the Foonf is a bit tough—it positively requires extra pressure and energy than both the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible or the Britax Boulevard. As soon as the Foonf is put in, it feels rock-solid, however it could be a greater match for households that don’t want to maneuver the seat steadily, particularly when it’s in rear-facing mode. The Foonf’s footprint—17 inches at its widest level—is among the many narrowest within the convertible class, which makes it a very good candidate for households that want to suit three seats throughout in a single row. The seat is available in a spread of fashionable, refined shade and material choices, and the fabric is unusually straightforward to maintain clear.
Weight of seat: 33 kilos when forward-facing, 38 kilos when rear-facing (with added base and anti-rebound bar)
Seat dimensions: 13 inches extensive on the base, 17 inches on the widest level, and 28 inches tall (forward-facing, with the headrest within the lowest place)
Passenger rear-facing weight and peak vary: 14 to 50 kilos (or 5 kilos if you are going to buy a Clek Toddler-Thingy); 25 to 43 inches (19 inches with use of the Toddler-Thingy)
Passenger forward-facing weight and peak vary: 22 to 65 kilos; as much as 49 inches (the highest of the kid’s ears should even be beneath the highest of the headrest)
Additionally nice
Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1
The Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 has most of the similar qualities we like in our high convertible choose, the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible, plus it converts to a booster seat. However there are some caveats.
An all-in-one automobile seat is supposed to be a utility participant: It may be used as a rear-facing toddler seat, a rear-facing toddler seat, a forward-facing toddler and massive child seat, and at last a booster seat. Shopping for a single automobile seat (versus three and even 4) is cost-effective, and it seems like a genius thought, in principle. However we’ve discovered that every particular person sort of seat tends to do a much better job at its devoted goal than an all-in-one seat can. So we predict most households shall be happier going with an toddler seat, then a convertible seat, after which a booster seat. Nonetheless, if you happen to do determine to purchase an all-in-one, the Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 is a stable selection. It’s the all-in-one model of our top-pick convertible seat, the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible, and it has all the similar options, together with an extension panel for added legroom—to allow youngsters to stay rear-facing for longer—and a no-rethread harness. The simple set up, whether or not by way of seat belt or LATCH, is identical, too. However the LATCH methodology, which we desire, can solely be used till your little one reaches 40 kilos. (The Extend2Fit Convertible has a 45-pound LATCH restrict.) Additionally, the Extend2Fit 3-in-1’s highest shoulder-harness setting is over an inch shorter than the one on the common Extend2Fit Convertible, so you might find yourself needing to change your child from convertible to high-back booster mode earlier than you’d like.
Weight of seat: 21.9 kilos
Seat dimensions: 19 inches extensive by 24.5 inches tall (with the headrest in its lowest place)
Passenger rear-facing weight and peak vary: 4 to 50 kilos; head should be a minimum of 1 inch beneath the headrest’s deal with
Passenger forward-facing weight and peak vary: 22 to 65 kilos; as much as 49 inches (the highest of the kid’s ears should even be beneath the highest of the headrest)
Passenger booster mode weight and peak vary: 40 to 100 kilos; 43 to 57 inches; additionally, a minimum of 4 years previous (however most consultants advocate ready till a minimum of age 5)
