Prolonged rear-facing up to 5o pounds, with extension panel for child leg room and support, Easy-to-read level indicator for correct installation, Harness adjustment is fast and easy to fit correctly, Fuss-free harness system holds buckles out of the way while putting a child in the seat, It can be difficult to remove and replace the cover correctly for cleaning, Square cup holders aren't sized to fit conventional round cups, cans, and bottles. Can we go for a ride? My 6 year old, 54 pound daughter, is 46 inches tall. Im a research nerd whos on a mission to make the world a safer place for kids starting with car seats! Since the Extend2Fit uses a no-rethread harness, adjusting the headrest also adjusts the harness height. Others had a lot of trouble tightening the harness straps. Youll see a recline angle ball indicator on the side of the seat that will help you get the right recline for babies 3 months and younger. Even tall children, like the 6 year olddoll, have allowed us to see thatthis seat is tall enough to last rear facing. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The Graco Extend2Fit is specifically designed for extended rear-facing, so in the forward-facing mode, it's a decent, but not extraordinary, car seat. Apparently, they are screen-printed on and can get really hot. So you may have some room for adjustments there to help keep her from slouching. The Extend2Fit is a bit bulky, too. Thanks so much for this thorough and easy to understand comparison/review! The padding of the Extend2Fit is comfortable and attractive with a few different color choices like grey/black and pink/black. A few had issues getting the LATCH and seat belt installations tight enough to hold the seat securely. However, the Canadian manual makes a few different rules and recommendations for the Extend2Fit in Canada. The width does not work if multiple people ride in the backseat. The Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I need to know if the Extend2Fit fits, properly reclined, into a Corolla/Prizm rear-facing behind a seat that is fully rearward and/or in the middle when both seats are fully rearward. For parents who want to keep their child rear-facing for as long as possible, as experts recommend, and who have vehicles that can fit the unusual depth, the Graco Extend2Fit is unlike any other convertible car seat. What are this models NHTSA ratings? You can use positions 2 4 for kids over 40 pounds. With a 45 pound weight limit for the lower anchors, many parents will not use the seat forward facing while the lower anchors are still usable. Its unfortunate that the cover is difficult to remove and replace in this model and that the versions with easy-to-remove covers are so much more expensive. This model is 6 years old, weighs 45 pounds, and is 46 inches tall. Heres the Extend2Fit installed fully upright in rear facing mode with the panel fully extended for an older rear facing child. With its adjustable leg support for children sitting rear-facing, the Graco Extend2Fit is an excellent choice for parents who want to keep their kids sitting in the rear-facing position for as long as possible (which is recommended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). First of all, we were happy to discover that the seat performed well in some real life crash experiences. He weighs 48 pounds, and is 46 inches tall. However, if space is of an issue, and a parent is not comfortable disregarding the manual (rightfully so, were hoping an official statement comes out that revises the manual), a caregiver can always use extender position two, which is barely extended.There are two cupholders with this seat, and both are required to be assembled when the seat is bought. Though not the bulkiest seat on the market, it will be a challenge to fit 3 car seats in a row unless you have a larger vehicle. Expiration:The manual states 10 years from the date on the sticker, and the seat is alsostamped as such on the back, within sight of the sticker. Now we see the Extend2Fit installed forward facing for a child who weighs less than 40 pounds. I need to clean out the cup holders. If extended rear-facing (ERF) past 2 years old is important to you, the Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat is definitely a good option. She weighs 29 pounds and is 38.5 inches tall. Who is the Graco Extend2Fit Most Suitable For? Learn more, January 1, 2022 by Sam Webster Leave a Comment. Manual:There is a manual storage pocket at the lower back of the seat. How do you get extra slack for the harness straps? Extended rear-facing: AAP changes recommendations for 2018, Maximum 1 inch below headrest adjuster handle at full extension, 4-position leg extension which adds an extra 5 inches of legroom, InRight LATCH system with push-on connectors. The Extend2Fit includes everything you need to provide your baby with a safe and comfortable seat in the car. Graco Extend2Fit forward facing recline 4 passenger legroom. Widest point of Graco Extend2Fit is 19 inches. That simply means not tucked all the way in. When you have babies and young toddlers, having an easy to clean seat cover is a huge time saver. Im at my wits end. In another, a 16 month old was involved in a spinout with side-impact crash and had no injuries. This model is 4.5 years old, weighs 36 pounds, and is41 inches tall. I am having an extremely hard time getting the latch strap to tighten down. In forward-facing, the crotch strap needs to be in the forward-most position, you cant use the leg extension, and you cant use the harness covers. Sometimes, it seems like the easiest way to create more space for cramped passengers is to turn the car seat around and have the child ride forward facing. To loosen the straps, theres a button under the seat bottom where the strap comes out of the front of the car seat. It is also steel-reinforced. This seat has some tricky recline rules that could possibly affect that. According to the NHTSA, the Graco Extend2Fit has earned (for the rear-facing installation): The Graco Extend2Fit has earned an overall ease of use rating of 3/5 stars in the forward-facing mode, for different reasons. Manufacturer information:On the back on the inside of the right rib, opposite the aircraft approval statement is the sticker with the model number and date of manufacture. The straps were nicely below his shoulders, and I was able to tighten the harness easily so that it passed the pinch test. tighten the lower anchors or vehicle seat belt from inside the seats shell, Converting a Convertible: Going from Rear Facing to Forward Facing, Rear facing height range: Until the childs head is 1 inch below the adjuster handle on the headrest when fully extended, Forward facing weight range: 22-65 pounds, Forward facing height range: under 49 inches, Lowest harness position: 7 inches with insert, Infant pad and head pad for added comfort, Two position crotch buckle 4.5 inches and 6.5 inches from the back of the seat, Four position foot extender for use rear facing. Hi Stacy, thanks for your comment. Its difficult to find all of those results in one place, however. Shes got so very much room to grow in this seat and it fits her well. Note that theres still quite a bit of space between this adult passengers legs and the dashboard. What is this models child height limit? Extended rear-facing (ERF) in car seats has been a huge topic in the car seat realm ever since the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended rear-facing for a minimum of 2 years. However, some children may be old enough to safely forward face before they reach 45 pounds, so they may make use of the anchors. Graco Contender 65 Car Seat Tutorial: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions, Graco Sequence Review (2022): A Compact Convertible Car Seat at a Very Affordable Price, Graco My Ride 65 Review (2022): A Solid, Competitively-Priced All-Rounder, When Do Graco Car Seats Expire? Shes almost at the top end of the height and weight limits for the seat but shes got one click of headrest left to grow. If shes less than 3 months old, heres what Graco suggested to one customer: The fourth image shows the space gained by putting in the extender. Note that LATCH can only be used up to 45 pounds on this car seat. The harness, buckle strap and chest clip are all standard-issue Graco hardware. I was having a hard time understanding the differences between the models. This can be due to the angle of your vehicle seat and fit of the car seat to that angle. Check your manual but you should definitely consider rear-facing until a minimum of 4 years old. Car Seats for the Littles Inc does not solicit charitable contributions from donors who are residents of Florida, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. With the insert in, fit was good, and he just fit without the insert. That second part has made a world of difference in how easy it is to tighten them!! Parents love that this seat is still affordable even though it has a large feature set. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Both models areac'gineered & rigorously crash tested to meet or exceed US Standard FMVSS 213. Youll have more recline options with rear-facing, which allows you to set it anywhere from positions 1 4 for kids under 40 pounds. Both models have dual cup holders that keep drinks within your child's reach. The lowest harness position is 7 inches (with the infant insert in place), while the highest position is 17.5 inches. I took out both inserts to see if that helped and it did not. All CSFTL website contributors are Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians. The lower extension is designed to allow more leg room in the car seat without taking up significantly more back-to-front space in the car, impeding front-seat legroom. But it has different height limit in different positions. Taller front passengers have reported only a slight decrease in legroom when the seat is rear-facing and the foot extender is fully out. With the extender tucked into the seat, this model was still comfortable, but had5 fewer inches of leg room. The belt path for vehicle seat belt installation is smaller than typical of convertibles, so it took a little more work than expected to thread the vehicle seat belt through the belt path, but the install itself was otherwise easy. Or does it have to be completely out of the light blue color after 3 months? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This post is also available in: Graco Extend2Fit forward facing lower anchor and top tether installation. I regret buying this model. Hi Pam, thanks for your question. Forward facing it should also be a fairly easy fit. At this age, the boys are the same percentile with 48 inches being the 90% boy at 6 years old. Bestcarseathub.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites. You should be able to adjust the recline with the seat still installed. It says it has 4 positions, but the first position is the default, fully retracted position. In the forward facing position, your adjustment options are limited. Can you recline the seat without unlatching it? The harness adjusts easily without rethreading, it's sturdy and safe, and the built-in cupholders are convenient. If you have any other trouble, give the Graco Consumer Care Department a ring at 1-800-345-4109 Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm est. Combine that with Graco's long safety track record and you've got one of the safest car seats on the market. Shes using the eighth headrest position with room to spare above her head VERY comfortably sitting rear facing in the seat *for demonstration purposes only*. The piece de resistance is in the knees. That would allow easier access to tighten the lower anchors or vehicle seat belt from inside the seats shell. Like many car seats, this one has some rules regarding the recline positions, but they can be a little tricky to keep up with.