https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:17:23 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2821833 Thu, 10 May 2018 16:24:57 +0000 catgirl 2821833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would not get a diono convertible for an already forward facing child unless you know for a fact you want to pass it down and use it rear facing soon. It does not make a usable booster for the vast majority of kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2821813 Thu, 10 May 2018 15:38:02 +0000 emilye519 2821813@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’d get another convertible car seat (but our daughter is 3+ and still rear faces and we plan to do so for as long as possible) and then pass it down. We have two Nextfits, a Graco Extend 2-fit, and a Clek Fllo. The Clek is by far the favorite of both parents and kids, I wish I would have just bought all Cleks even though they are $$$. My daughter has been in it so long that I think the cost works out. The straps never tangle, it has such a narrow profile, and the materials wipes clean really easily. The Nextfit zip is great but I don’t really have time to zip it off wash it and wait for it to dry. I like the wipable fabric of the Clek better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2821804 Thu, 10 May 2018 15:03:46 +0000 lindseykaye 2821804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We bought a Diono Radian RXT for my DD when she was just over 2 for RF and now FF. She should be able to use it for years to come yet (she is now 5.5) until she's outgrown the need for a high-back booster.<br /> I love the fit, it's easy to install (the latch system has these quick-click and button-release functions) and both DH and I have done this ourselves and swapped this seat into his parents car before. It also folds up with backpack-type straps if you travel with it (we have not done this. Though that thing is pretty heavy, it is made of a steel frame so I appreciate that it's really solid. Also it's a narrow seat so I don't worry about fitting another infant seat in our cars come December.</p> <p>We also just upgraded her seat in my DH's car which we use for school drop off and pickup. We wanted something more affordable since it's not the primary vehicle and went with an Evenflo Maestro. It can be used as FF with 5-point harness up to 50 lbs so we'll get some life out of that before it will be used as a belt-positioning high-back (110 lbs). It's not too wide (19 inches compared to the Diono 17 inches). Again, this should be the last seat of its kind we will buy for her. It's less than $80 on amazon so it's a LOT cheaper than the Radian. LO is comfortable in both seats. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2821208 Tue, 08 May 2018 17:06:45 +0000 agold 2821208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: I have the nuna Rava and it’s amazing! I can install it myself. I love it so much. Absolutely worth the price. I have it behind passenger seat. I just put in the infant UB Mesa seat in the middle seat. I use seat belt installation for both. So far so good! Good luck. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2821071 Tue, 08 May 2018 11:33:16 +0000 Foodnerd81 2821071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: there have definitely been times when I wish we could comfortably seat a small adult. Like, I have squeezed back there in a pinch and can’t get both hips down at once. We have a mid size suv. Maybe look into a narrower combo seat- I think the Graco transitions is? My two seats are definitely on the wider side. We have two cars though so if we have visitors we just have to take both cars when we go somewhere. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2821021 Tue, 08 May 2018 10:06:54 +0000 LindsayInNY 2821021@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I've heard the same about the NextFit sides, especially when rear facing!</p> <p>@Foodnerd81: I feel like I have to keep the option of a person in the backseat open? Although, I have two parents so it wouldn't work. I'm not sure when we travel with just one extra, LOL.</p> <p>@Mrs.Someone: Thanks, will look for her post!</p> <p>@Becky: I've seen Diono recommended a couple times now so I'll have to look into that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820934 Mon, 07 May 2018 20:57:44 +0000 Becky 2820934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely a combination since she’s already FF. That way she keeps the seat until she’s ready to be out of a car seat/in a backless booster, and baby 2 gets his/her own convertible car seat until then. We really like the Britax Frontier, definitely preferred over the Graco seats DH and MIL have. The straps have never gotten twisted, and it’s easy to tighten. It was also really easy to install (I think that has more to do with the type of car though). I also like all the Diono seats and would choose that over the Britax. One thing I especially love about Dionos is the actual buckle itself: it’s sort of bulky, which makes it easier for preschoolers to buckle themselves. If you’re going for something a little lower priced I really like Evenflo and don’t hear those seats mentioned much here. My mom has convertible and combo Evenflos in her car and they’re super user friendly, easy to install (in anything but a Subaru), and the kids like them too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820929 Mon, 07 May 2018 20:16:56 +0000 avivoca 2820929@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We purchased a Graco Trazitions for our oldest when the baby needed the convertible. I really like it, so much that we bought a second for her when we purchased our second vehicle. It’s very easy to take in and out and the harness tightens easily. I like that it converts to a high back and then a backless booster. It only lasts seven years, but by that point DD1 will be 10-11 and probably big enough to ride safely without a booster. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820927 Mon, 07 May 2018 20:13:25 +0000 bhbee 2820927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree on going combo. Your oldest can use until the younger needs it at which point older may be in a seatbelt booster. (Mine are 3 years apart and this is what we did ... older used from 3.5-6, then she was ready for booster (we put the combo in booster mode for a few weeks to try it, then switched it back) and younger got the combo which was helpful since he was about at the latch limit for his convertible and I didn’t want to deal with the seatbelt install). We have the frontier clicktight and I agree the straps are definitely easier than on britax convertibles. Clicktight was worth it to me since most kids that age are nearing the 40lb latch limit. It is kinda big and heavy but we rarely move it and it’s in a bucket seat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820926 Mon, 07 May 2018 19:57:29 +0000 Mrs.Someone 2820926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Love our Evenflo Symphony. So easy to install and tighten. Mrs. Marshmallow made a blog post about seats a few years ago and I’m glad she did the research for us :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820910 Mon, 07 May 2018 18:31:24 +0000 Foodnerd81 2820910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: if you want the option of keeping your older one harnessed for longer, I’d probably do combination (harness to booster) now and get a new convertible when the baby needs it. My older daughter is 4.5 now and a number of her friends have moved to boosters. I know that my girl is definitely not mature enough for a high back booster yet, but it would be really hard to shell out a bunch of money on a combination seat knowing she would probably be in a booster within the year anyway. </p> <p>We have a britax frontier harness to booster for her. She seems comfy and has a lot of room to grow, although she’s somewhat short. It’s very easy to install and tightening it or adjusting strap height is easy. But it’s very heavy and pretty wide- so we cannot fit a person in the middle seat between our two car seats. Our other seat is a nextfit which is also wide. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820905 Mon, 07 May 2018 17:58:45 +0000 gingerbebe 2820905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a Chicco NextFit for both our boys. DS1 is turning 4 in September and still rear faces in his NextFit. He is long and lean. He's like 35lbs but 43? inches tall - he's like at the top of the percentiles for height and rear faces just fine. Its possible he may exceed the height limit of 48" at some point in the next year, but again, he will be over 4 years old when that happens, so I'm okay with it.</p> <p>DS2 has the Zip and its a breeze to clean and wash. Its a big heavy seat, but it installs super easy, the straps are easy to tighten and loosen, and right now if we have a third, we are planning on passing down one of the seats and moving DS1 to a harness to booster when the time comes.</p> <p>The only complaint I have heard from people with the NextFit is that it has high-ish sides so that its harder for parents to get their kid in and out without bonking their heads on the roof of the car or whatever, but my 2 year old is also tall and we haven't had that much of an issue. My older son can climb up into his seat by himself, so its not an issue either. But we drive a minivan, if that makes a difference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820891 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:22:08 +0000 Sams Mom 2820891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: They're fairly easy to clean, but not the easiest (like the Chicco Zip). If you and your husband are tall they do make a 4Ever version of the Extend to Fit. They didn't have it when I got my first one, but next baby will have one because husband and I are both 6'+. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820889 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:16:01 +0000 Sams Mom 2820889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: The Extend to fit is rear facing up to 50 lbs and head 1" below the top of the seat. Forward facing 5 point harness up to 49" and/or 65 lbs.</p> <p>4Ever all in one is for 10 years, and has rear facing to 40 lbs and 1" below the top of the seat, forward 5 point harness 49"/65 lbs., highback booster 57"/100 lbs, and regular booster 57"/120 lbs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820888 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:11:26 +0000 LindsayInNY 2820888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catgirl: I think a combination makes sense... I worry she won’t be ready for a booster by 4 1/2 either and then we’ll be stuck (because kid 2 will be out of a infant seat then). I had looked at chicco originally too. I want something easier to clean because kid is fillllthy!! 😂 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820887 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:10:05 +0000 LindsayInNY 2820887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sams Mom: How long (age-wise) do they last?</p> <p>@shabang: We only have one car. I only take it out to clean. Sometimes we’ve moved it to my parents car but rarely. So kinda moot lol. But a friend has a car seat that needs two people to install so I don’t want that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820885 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:09:14 +0000 catgirl 2820885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: I would get a combination seat for DD1 (a harness to booster seat) and worry about DD2 when a convertible is needed. New seats are always coming out so I would wait to see what best fits your needs then.</p> <p>If you like the clicktight installation you could look at the britax frontier or pinnacle.<br /> You may also like the chicco MyFit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820884 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:07:07 +0000 shabang 2820884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: Because we've only bought Britax seats before, it did take a little time to figure it out. I don't switch it between cars, but it may not be the best seat if that's what you plan on doing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820883 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:06:06 +0000 Sams Mom 2820883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have any experience with the seat that you currently have, but we have the Graco 4Ever All in 1 and the Graco Extend 2 Fit for our son and both install very easily and are easy to adjust and tighten the straps on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820882 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:03:40 +0000 LindsayInNY 2820882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catgirl: She’s forward facing now. But if we get a seat that baby 2 will also use, it’ll need to be rear facing too. That’s where I’m torn - whether to get a convertible, pass to baby 2 and then get baby 1 (wah - big kid!) something else? Or get baby 1 something that we can use forever now and get baby 2 something else later? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820881 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:02:21 +0000 LindsayInNY 2820881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shabang: Same here!!! The straps will click and they’re nowhere near tight. Nevermind it takes all my strength to tighten them! I’ll look at Radian... Was it hard to install? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820880 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:01:37 +0000 catgirl 2820880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: is your DD rear or forward facing? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820879 Mon, 07 May 2018 16:00:58 +0000 shabang 2820879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just went through this and switched from a Boulevard to a Radian RXT. Our Boulevard straps were always getting tangled and it was really hard for me to tighten enough (which was more than ClickTight thought). Now, it's super-easy to tighten by pulling the strap from behind the seat then using the front strap. Much better!</p> <p>We also have a (forward-facing) Britax Frontier, and I find that easier to tighten than the Radian RXT. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-new-convertible-seat#post-2820878 Mon, 07 May 2018 15:54:20 +0000 LindsayInNY 2820878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Looking for a new convertible car seat. I have a 2014 Ford Edge. Will have an infant seat in as of December but I don’t believe the vehicle allows for a middle installation of either because of the seat belt locations.</p> <p>We currently have a Britax Boulevard ClickTight that insurance will be replacing following an accident. I like how easy the Britax is to install BUT absolutely hate how hard it is to tighten the straps. The “pull to click” is garbage. It was also a pain to do when rear facing.</p> <p>I’m torn between something that will last forever (until my almost 3 year old daughter is done with it) OR something similar for daughter to use until #2 needs it and then get something else for her (I feel like this may not work because she would be in a convertible beyond age 4, right? Basically baby 2 would need it in December 2019 and DD will be 4 1/2 then).</p> <p>What should I be considering or avoiding? </p>