However, the Cybex Sirona S can support children ages four and up who weigh up to 65 pounds. Many parents may not like or want this option, but for preemies or newborns, it may be the best option. You will need to purchase another car seat, but at least this one will help you greatly for the years your child needs help into their car seat. This convertible seat has excellent results for LATCH installation. Your baby will stay in the position you put them with a click and move again when you lift the lever and rotate the seat. Graco created a premature baby stage for the car seat too, that allows babies to lay flat from 0 to 10 kilograms (or up to 22). From proper positioning to avoid positional asphyxiation to narrower shoulder harness straps, serious engineering goes into a safe infant car seat. After you get the baby in the car seat, swivel it back to front or rear-facing depending on their age, weight, and height. This booster earned the highest combined crash test results in our booster test, and it is easy to install with a rigid LATCH system. Who knew Graco was in Europe and not just in America? You can use this car seat for the first four years of your babys life, but the real benefit is the rotating seat. Overall, The Aton 2 is a great seat if your budget allows it. The same is typically true of the convertible seats. That is why we feel that ease of use and installation are critical components of seat safety, potentially more so than the crash test results. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Well, we did, and we love what we are seeing as the Graco Turn2Me 360 Rotating Isofix Car Seat looks amazing. Multiple layers of padding are removable for infants to help babies fit more comfortably as they grow. It is comfortable and well-made and is relatively light compared to other high-scoring seats. Infant seats claim to be appropriate for a baby from 4 lbs to typically up to 30-45 lbs; convertible seats also have limits, usually between 5 to 55 lbs (or higher depending on the seat). Not many seats make putting your baby in the car or taking them out so easy. Mind you, the car seat does not face in the reverse mode for this option but sideways. However, if your budget allows and limited stroller options aren't a concern, this Peg may be for you. Last, while we understand budget can be a concern, and some new parents have the tightest of budgets, we believe that car seats are not the time to try to save a few bucks. While the Graco Turn2Me 360 Rotating Isofix Car Seat is not available in America yet, you can buy this innovative car seat from Europe and find out why its so popular. Adrina is a Christian hoping to help other stay-at-home moms find the joy and simplicity as a mother and wife. We combine crash test results with our extensive hands-on testing to analyze which competitors are the top performers. BabyGearLab is reader-supported. A small collection of just some of the convertible car seats we've tested over the years. We buy two of each product and send one to MGA for crash testing. Do not turn them around until their legs no longer fit or they reach the maximum weight. Rear facing seat belt installation of the Boulevard is easy to achieve with the ClickTight system. We are not big fans of a one-and-done approach to car seats and think an infant car seat should be used until your little one either grows out of it or ages out according to manufacturer directions. Installing the Keyfit 35 carrier without a base can utilize the American (shown here) or European belt path (uses the shoulder strap across the back of the carrier) for installation. The Cybex Sirona S is a fantastic car seat and quite comparable to the Graco Turn2Me. So while having a general idea of how long your baby can use a seat is helpful, it is only an estimate. Booster seats are the last style of safety seat your child will use before graduating to the vehicle seat belt alone. Changing the recline is as simple as pushing in a bar and moving the seat into the desired recline position. Weighting varies somewhat for each car seat category, as some features or functionality could be more critical from one product type than another. This team is led by our founder, Dr. Juliet Spurrier uses her experience as a board-certified pediatrician to select products with safety and installation in mind, as these are the key factors in creating a safe car environment for little passengers. While convertible seats can work for babies from 5 - 50 lbs and beyond, we don't believe it is good to choose a one-and-done seat when it comes to safety. The Alta has a rigid LATCH system that lets you secure it to the car so it isn't free-floating in your car. Moreover, the Cybex Sirona S has a stability bar just like the Turn2Me. Installing the Cybex is a breeze with one-time vehicle belt installation in both rear-facing and forward-facing. However, if you need to catch a taxi with your seat and your baby, you'd probably prefer the lightest seat possible. The Chicco Keyfit 35 is an impressive infant car seat. However, the Evenflo car seat works in three modes, so kids can use it for a full ten years, while the Graco Turn2Me only works for four years. The moniker "convertible" is related to the seat facing backward and then "converting" to a forward-facing seat. Furthermore, the Evenflo car seat does not include a stability bar which may be a priority to parents. The weight of your booster seat could play a role in your decision-making if you carpool or travel. Suburban parents typically have a personal car and a semi-permanent location to install their seats with limited alterations. This booster will please children and parents with better crash test analyses and a comfortable seating area. The other advantage of infant seats is they are handy. We originally recommended the Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Rotational All-in-One Convertible Car Seat for its 10-year life span and 120 pound weight limit. However, the back is removable for occasional travel needs if you need to. We contracted with the same crash test facility used by NHTSA to test the seats in this review. MGA is the same crash testing facility used by the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA). Clearly, the Evenflo car seat has fared better than the Graco version, so we stand by that recommendation. seat convertible extend2fit gotham facing graco longer ride rear safety continuum baby In fact, an NHTSA study showed that 84% of infant seats exhibited a critical misuse related to either installation of the seat or incorrect restraint of the infant, or both. Abriah has been testing car seats since 2016. We like the rigid LATCH connection that prevents a free-floating seat, and passengers like the belt retainers and adjustable height headrest. From there, you can narrow your search by the ease of installation and crash test results or budget (depending on your situation and goals). Alternatively, you can skip the pre-packages in favor of creating your own mix where you purchase a seat and compatible stroller separately (which may require buying adapters). The buckle and chest strap on the Chicco NexFit Zip are stiffer than much of the competition. Watch this video to see just how simple and secure installing the Turn2ME is so you can get on the road with ease. Car seat testing is divided across five test metrics (with some variation based on car seat type): Each metric's weighted contribution to the overall score is based on how important we believe it is to the purchasing decision. This installation style is a safe practice, and the seats have a method for this practice. The extra-large head cushioning will help to keep the shoulders in place and the head too. This design means you can move a sleeping infant from a car to a stroller or car with ease and without disruption. Most car seats include a cupholder, but this one does not. However, some seats are significantly easier to install without the base than others, so choosing the easiest, high-ranking option could make your life easier. If you plan to attach your carrier to a stroller, the weight is less critical, but if you plan to hold your carrier or travel frequently, its weight might be more of a concern. For crash testing, we work with MGA Research, the same certified testing lab the US Government relies on for their safety certification tests. Also, the headrest has built-in ventilation to keep your baby comfortable and cool during any season. Moreover, the Sirona offers SensorSafe Technology with chest clips to send alerts if there is a problem with your child paired right to your phone! You should not have any issues using the Isofix into the LATCH hooks in an American car. We remember all too well wondering what to choose, when to switch to a new seat, and why it was so darn complicated to install them. The Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Rotational All-in-One Convertible Car Seat definitely wins as its made to last for a full decade instead of just for the first four years. Keep in mind, its best to keep kids rear-facing as long as possible. We do NOT accept free products from manufacturers to assure our readers that our opinions are entirely independent and unbiased. The Evenflo Spectrum is significantly lighter and can go backless for even easier carpooling. We believe the 5-point harness and side shell of the convertible seats potentially offers more protection. Above you see the Phil and Teds Alpha seat on the test sled with a 12 month old crash test dummy strapped in. A travel system is a package deal that includes an infant car seat and a compatible stroller it can attach to. While many parents are concerned with crash test safety (as you should be), few parents know that improperly installing a seat or not using it as indicated is a significant cause of infant injury in car accidents. One note, this car seat does not have a clip like most American car seats. The Chicco Keyfit 35 is a nicer quality infant car seat with a ridiculously easy LATCH installation with the SuperCinch center pull strap. We National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Infant seats are designed explicitly with little bodies and systems in mind, Convertible car seats are appropriate for older babies, How to Avoid Infant Car Seat Installation Mistakes, contact a certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians in their area, study by Portland's top Children's Hospital, CDC's infant boy age vs. weight growth chart, rear-facing is still the safest installation within the seat's limitations, Most infant safety seats are compatible with at least a couple of strollers. Therefore, a lightweight, easy-to-install car seat is more critical to urbanites than others. Infant seats have a carrier with a handle for easy carrying from one location to another. Pay special attention to weight and height restrictions as most children outgrow one before the other. Many award-winning seats are easy to install, with at least one installation method. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. Something unique? This seat includes an eye-pleasing design and features for passenger comfort. Manufacturers advertise these ranges and make them seem very important. If you have safety on the brain and won't move the seat from car to car very often, the Oobr is an excellent seat for you. No sponsored content. Ninety-three percent is a significant number. For infant seats, the weight of the carrier can play a role for similar reasons. The Evenflo is the lightest seat in the group and one of the most narrow at just over 9 pounds and 17 inches, The Peg Perego Primo uses the European belt path method for installation without the base. The harness design is narrower and more appropriate for an infant than that on a convertible seat, designed for older babies, but is modified for infants. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. This option has a polished look with a rubbery grip handle and a headrest with a non-rethread harness adjustment. Luckily, we have the information you need to make an informed decision on which safety seat is the right one for your little one. Simply swivel the seat to face you and buckle your baby in. Not all kids will do this, but still, the clip helps to keep kids and seatbelts in place. Here are all the details to help you decide if the European Graco will work right for you. Adrina Palmer is a stay-at-home-mom to three wonderful children and a wife to an amazing husband. Looking for the right diaper for your little one? Carriers can be cumbersome and can be ridiculously heavy when combined with the baby's weight. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care. The Emblem is arguably not as easy to install as the Britax ClickTight options, and it has less padding than the more expensive Britax options. However, despite its shortcomings, the Evenflo would make an excellent second seat or budget-friendly primary seat that you can feel confident is as safe as they come. Because safety is paramount, we believe you should choose your car seat before the stroller. It is a poor choice for carrying or stuffing in a backpack even without the back. Rear-facing is much safer for babies. This transition will depend on the manufacturer's guidelines and your child's size. Next, the Cybex offers 12 positions of recline and magnetic buckle holders. This booster is somewhat heavy and perhaps not the best choice for travel or carpooling. Forward facing configuration using the LATCH connectors is one of the easiest installation methods for this seat. You can see from the data that even the fastest-growing boy will fail to exceed the maximum weight of the majority of seats in our tests, but he might grow too tall, which means a transition to the following safety seat style before his weight impacts a change. However, the European car seats use Isofix, and in America, we use the LATCH. The Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35 is a higher-quality product with impressive crash test results, indicating a potential additional margin of protection when correctly installed and used according to directions. These reviews include more products in each category than you'll find in this comprehensive review. Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. Also, the Evenflo has a chest clip, level indicator, and two cupholders. If a cupholder is something you cannot live without on a convertible car seat, do not get this option. Some even have perfect scores and were practically foolproof, or at least as infallible as possible. The first stage is rearward from birth to four years or 0 to 18 kg, which translates to roughly 39.5 pounds.