Seats are not required to meet those standards and are not currently designed to. The addition of side-impact protection can mean a bulkier, wider, and heavier seat, which Jessica Jermakian, a senior research engineer with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, cautioned isn’t always more effective in furthering overall safety: In order to meet those requirements for the bigger children, child-restraint manufacturers might decide to make car seats bigger and bulkier, which would make them more difficult for parents to fit in cars. The best convertible car seats on the market can be found here.
Each family was interviewed about ease of installation, how difficult it was to get a child in and out of each seat—unlike smaller, usually more-compliant infants, toddlers can be challenging to manipulate into car seats—and how easy it was to adjust the straps and find the right fit. Unlike an infant seat that can rely exclusively on LATCH if you choose, most convertibles will require a seat belt installation when a child hits 40 pounds. The best toddler convertible car seat may cost more than a regular child safety seat or booster seat; however, it’s cheaper to buy baby convertible car seats than both a car seat and a booster seat separately.
Peace of mind safety elements such as superior side-impact protection”, plus an easy installation, see the baby-safe carrier as a popular pick among new parents – in fact, this was the seat the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose to take their three little bundles home from the hospital. Convertible seats – Similar to the infant seat, the convertible seat can be used in a rear- or forward-facing position and is used for children typically beginning at 5 pounds (2.3 kg) up to 50 pounds (23 kg). There are also 3-in-1 car seats that can first be used as a rear-facing baby car seat, then as a forward-facing seat, then finally as a booster seat when the child reaches the recommended height and weight.
Many convertible seats allow for 2.3-18 kg (5-40 lb.) rear-facing, allowing children to be in the safer rear-facing position up to a weight of 18 kg (40 lbs). Group 0 baby seats, or infant carriers, keep the baby locked up in a rear-facing position and are secured in place by a standard adult seat belt and/or an ISOFIX fitting. A child safety seat is a seat designed specifically to protect children from injury or death during vehicle collisions Most commonly these seats are purchased and installed by car owners, but car manufacturers may integrate them directly into their vehicle’s design and generally are required to provide anchors and ensure seat belt compatibility.
The amount of safety your little one experiences during each phase depends upon properly fitted harnesses and correct car seat installation using the Universal Anchorage System or built-in seat belts. A wide variety of car safety products , including rear-facing and convertible child safety seats and car beds, are sold at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Safety Center. With that said, there are many brands and models when it comes to convertible car seats and the features they provide in terms of safety, comfort, durability, ease of use and installation will vary depending on the model and price.
In the extended rear-facing position, it can fit children from 5 – 45 pounds and in the forward-facing position, it can fit children from 20 – 65 pounds secured safely in a 5-point harness. The graco 4ever is a 4-in-1 convertible car seat capable of lasting up to ten years of use and it comfortably supports children from 4 – 120 pounds in weight plus it boasts of useful features that cater to both children and parents alike. What we like about convertible car seats is that some of the models are 3-in-1 or all-in-one car seats which means they can be converted to different modes of use such as rear-facing, forward-facing and booster seats to cater to the different developmental stages as your baby continues to grow and these features make convertible car seats to be more cost effective over the long run.
In this in-depth guide we’ve listed and reviewed ten of the best and safest convertible car seats for 2019 to help parents pick the top rated convertible car seats that will provide their children ultimate safety, comfort and protection whenever they are on go. Some convertible car seats can even transform into a belt-positioning booster seat and be safe for your child as he reaches school age. So there you have it. The differences between infant and convertible car seats safety, comfort, installation and overall use.
( LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tether for Children, which is a system used for installations without the traditional seat belt, designed to make it easier for parents to install their seats correctly each time. IMPORTANT: Both installation methods are designed to work with the tether to achieve the highest level of safety for child passengers restrained in forward-facing car seats. This includes appropriate installation angles, thresholds for the amount of play (wiggle-room) in a seat, the distance from the front seat when rear-facing, how to recline beyond car seat adjustment ranges to compensate for a pitched vehicle seat, when to switch from LATCH to vehicle belt, vehicle belt routing, appropriate crotch and shoulder belt positions for your baby’s size, and how to use tethers correctly.
Graco’s safety seat can carry infants up to 40 pounds in a rear-facing position and toddlers up to 65 pounds in a forward-facing position. We are proud to provide parents with convertible car seats from top brands including Britax, Clek, Peg Perego, and Diono featuring revolutionary safety technology and convenience features so you know your child is always safe and secure. AND at least 2 years old; booster from 40 to 100 lbs.; 9-position no-rethread harness; 2 crotch strap positions; 4-position adjustable base, lockoffs for seatbelt installation, EPS foam; dual integrated cup holders, LE version features SuperCinch Latch tightening system.
Drawbacks: Heavy and bulky; may not fit newborns well; top harness slots not as tall as many other convertibles; true tension door” is not considered a lockoff for seatbelt installations so parents must still put seatbelt in locked mode if seating position has a switchable retractor. Drawbacks: Lacks lockoff for seatbelt installations; 10″ bottom harness slots means most babies won’t fit until about 6 months old; recline position #2 is required when the seat is installed forward-facing for a child weighing less than 40 lbs. And at least 2 years old, booster up to 120 lbs.; no re-thread harness with 10 position headrest; 2 buckle positions; base with multiple recline positions; innovative EasyClick LATCH system ratchets to achieve a rock-solid installation; EPS foam; infant insert; removable dishwasher-safe cup holders, 10-year lifespan before expiration.
The payoff for your time and effort is that you get one of the most advanced convertible carseats on the market, with unique, high-tech safety features and exceptional rear-facing weight and height limits. Forward-facing; no-rethread harness; 2 buckle positions; SuperCinch LATCH tightening system; premium push-on LATCH connectors; 9 position base; energy-absorbing EPS foam; non-twist straps; built-in lockoffs for seatbelt installations plus a zip-off cover for easy washing. Drawbacks: Very heavy; LATCH installations are limited due to LATCH weight limits; if seat is attached with LATCH the hook connectors can be very challenging to disconnect from the lower anchor bars in the vehicle; grippy rubber HUGS pads on the harness straps can be bulky and annoying if you are using the seat for a small baby but they are optional for rear-facing so you can remove them if they get in the way more than anything else – just remember to put them back on before using the seat forward-facing.
Features: 4-35 lbs.; up to 32″ tall; no re-thread harness with 5 height positions; 2 buckle positions; adjustable base with tension indicator and auto-retracting lower LATCH connectors; built-in lockoff for easy seatbelt installations; EPS foam; integrated canopy made with SPF 50 material; handle can be in any locked position during travel. Features: 4-35 lbs.; up to 32″ tall; 4 sets of harness slots; 3 buckle positions; Air Protect” technology for enhanced side-impact protection; energy-absorbing EPP foam; adjustable base with premium push-on lower LATCH connectors; built-in lockoff for easy seatbelt installations; adjustable canopy; handle can be in any locked position during travel. This car seat starts from 5 pounds as rear-facing for infant, converts to a forward with the child from 20 to 65 pounds and finally transitions to a belt-positioning booster up to 100 pounds.
Convertible car seats provide longevity and safety by transitioning from rear-facing harness to forward-facing harness. The Clek Fllo Convertible Baby and Toddler Car Seat allows you to keep your child in the safest, rear-facing position in their car seat until they weigh 50 pounds. Everything in this car seat is designed to grow with your kiddo, starting with the weight range: It can be used rear-facing from 5 pounds to 40 pounds; forward-facing from 22 pounds to 65 pounds; and then as a belt-positioning booster seat from 40 pounds to 100 pounds.