Safety 1st grow and go 3 in 1 convertible car seat

Hashem_Yaazor

Sun, Jun 04 2017, 3:18 pm

How about you start off explaining what it is that appeals to you about it? What features are you looking for in a car seat that made you lean toward this? There are so many car seats on the market, and I just did a little research (again) for a new convertible, so I can give you some insight, but this didn't make my list of what I was looking for. I ended up getting a Graco Extend2Fit for about $130 which I like for the most part but it's not super narrow and that may be an issue. It's great in terms of front to back space for a small child which was a huge factor for me....

Hashem_Yaazor

Sun, Jun 04 2017, 6:14 pm

It's not about thin to move up the driver's seat but leg length. My husband is skinny whereas I am not, but he needs more space since he's a half foot taller than me (but still short Smile

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How is she height wise? How long are you planning on keeping her RF?

If I were to compare/contrast the Extend2Fit I just got vs the GnG:
1)The Graco doesn't have a booster mode, but to me it's irrelevant as boosters are very inexpensive, and I would like this to be able to always be used as a car seat itself and not waste it on booster mode. The booster mode of the Safety 1st requires the harness being removed before using it in booster mode, so it doesn't help for using it for multiple kids at a time.
2)Both have rethread harnesses -- MAJOR plus
3)Both have good height/weight limits, but E2F has higher ones. E2F has more recline positions, but for FF, you have to use a fairly reclined one until 40 lbs which may be awkward in your car if your baby isn't 40 lbs when you switch her (though if she is heavy, no reason to switch her before then as the seat can last her RF even past then and she may be still young enough). My 3.5 yo fits in it beautifully RF.
4) LATCH connectors are WAY better on the E2F -- push button vs hook == ease of use
5) Level indicator on the GnG is a line which is harder to read accurately (I have another Safety 1st seat and other Cosco/Dorel seats with it) to make sure you have a good install vs Graco's ball indicator. I also found Graco easier to install in general than my Safety 1st seats in terms of getting a tight fit, but that could be vehicle specific.
6)Price is similar, so the only thing really lacking is booster mode in the E2F, but again, maybe that is not something you really need.
7)E2F has a steel reinforced frame for extra safety IIRC, but it's not a heavy seat because of this. Something like 16 lbs or so.
8)I love the recline handle on the E2F. I had it more upright for my 3.5 yo and then reclined it (though hard to access when installed RF, still doable) for my 1.5 yo when we put her in it for our recent long car trip without needing to remove and reinstall.
9)Both have 10 year expirations, you can't get better than that!

There are other seats on the market. They're all good. All have different features. I've seen some models that have easier to remove covers for those who get car sick or have accidents...there was actually a model on Target.com, maybe of a Size4Me, I don't remember, with RapidRemove that I was considering, but it had other drawbacks to it compared to the E2F that made it not the best decision for us...but if the E2F wasn't around, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. (I think it was slightly heavier and my husband really wanted a lighter weight seat for the carseat shuffling we're constantly doing and a 6 or 7 year expiration which at this point seems not in my best interest as I have so many car seats already, I feel like I should be on my last round of buying them with a 12 yo son already Wink

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