Not all infant car seats are created equally. The most effective ones have features that enhance crash test performance, like load legs, which are shock absorbing components in the base or car seat that reduce movement in collisions.
Chicco KeyFit is a favorite of CPST instructors. It comes with an upper-right rear-facing weight and a the height limit is high, a bubble-level indicator, and a spring loaded foot that can recline to make it easy to install.
Graco Mesa Max
The Graco Mesa Max ranks as one of the most simple infant car seats to use. It features an easy-to-use design and top fabrics. It also has an innovative feature that lets you attach the child’s harness directly to the headrest. It has a huge canopy that can be put away to keep your child protected when traveling. The only drawback is that it’s slightly heavier than the average, which might be an issue if you plan to lug it around or if you want to pair it with your award-winning UPPAbaby stroller.
Mesa Max’s impressive crash test results reflect its dedication to top-tier safety. It scored a high mark in the frontal test and an excellent score in the side impact test, which means your baby is safe from both sides of a collision.
The anti-rebound feature is a notable safety feature. It reduces the force of a crash’s rebound and also protects the child’s head. This feature is unique among infant car seats and makes the Mesa Max standout among its peers.
Graco Mesa Max can easily and securely be fitted into your vehicle using LATCH when combined with the base. The load leg, recline angle adjustment, and the indicator for tightness ensure a fast, accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 pounds which is slightly heavier than the average infant car seat but not enough to cause an issue.
The UPPAbaby Mesa V2 uses the same double-knit fabric that was used in its predecessor. It is free of chemicals that are fire-proof. It has an infinitely adjustable backrest as well as an extremely durable insert for infants who weigh between 4 and 11 pounds. The fabrics are GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which tests for low VOCs and chemical emissions.
The UPPAbaby Mesa Max is slightly more expensive than other alternatives, however it comes with premium features and advanced security technologies to provide the best travel experience. The included base and a variety of fashionable colors add value to the. Its thoughtful design and sturdy features offer peace of mind for parents on every journey.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Blvd ClickTight is a great choice for parents who want a car seat they can develop with. The rear-facing weight limit is 40 pounds which is more than most infant car seats. It can also be used forward-facing until your child weighs 65 pounds.
The ClickTight Installation System is its most popular selling feature. It is the safest, easiest and most secure system available. It lets you tighten the belt by pressing an orange release button and pulling the harness strap without the need to untie it and then re-thread it. This minimizes the possibility of not tightening correctly the belt that is the primary cause of car seat failure.
The EZ-Buckle Pad is another safety feature that holds the buckle in place while you place your child in the car seat. This feature along with beltpath cutouts on the sides of the seat makes it easy to get your child in and out of the car.
All three ClickTight convertible seat models (Boulevard CT, Marathon CT, Advocate CT) share the same features. ClickTight Installation System is one of them. Also included are an impact-absorbing frame with 7 recline positions.
The seat is quite heavy, however, so you might want to consider a lighter option if intend to make use of it for frequent swaps of cars. Also, the seat is large, which means it might not fit well in smaller vehicles, particularly when it’s in the rear of the vehicle.
If you’re looking for a affordable option that is comparable to, check out the 4Ever DLX from Graco. This seat has lower crash test scores than the Boulevard but is still an excellent option for your child.
The Graco has also connectors that can be pushed on for LATCH, which makes it easier to remove the seat. Boulevard’s LATCH connectors have a different release system that requires you to pull on the webbing and then press the gray button. This isn’t easy if the webbing is tense. However, this seat does come with a handy storage cubby for the belt straps when they are not in use.
Clek Liing
Clek Liing is the ideal infant car seat for you if you want it all in terms of style, safety and comfort. This rear-facing only car seat has an excellent crash test score, a wide variety of features, and is easy to install in most vehicles.
The Liing is made with features that go beyond US and Canadian safety regulations. It is designed to allow for simple, secure installation in all seating positions. It also comes with advanced safety features like an energy-absorbing metal leg and a two piece shell that is lined with EPP for increased side impact protection. The base has seven recline positions and a trusty bubble indicator that lets you know precisely when the seat is at the right angle for your baby.
Parents love the Liing’s modern and sleek design, and also its innovative safety features like rigid lower anchors that are easier to attach than standard hook-and-loop connectors. The Liing has a one-handed quick release, making it simple to remove the base and use with compatible strollers. It’s also narrow enough to fit three-across several vehicles, and it fits well into many convertible car seats for a travel boost.
This infant car seats cheap seat is rated first for its unique rigid-LATCH installation method. The Liing’s lower anchors click right into the vehicle’s lower seat belt slots and the top tether strap snaps into the headrest of the vehicle, creating a tight, secure fit that eliminates any chance of the child being thrown around in the event of a crash.
The seat is light, with the base weighing 9 lbs and the carrier itself coming in at just 10.5 lbs. Some other rear-facing only seats have a much heavier weight however if you’re planning to carry this car seat for newborn seat and its base all over the place the slight difference will not be too obvious (especially once you add a baby into the equation! ).
Parents appreciate the Liing’s built in canopy and 100+spf sun protection with an open mesh window. Caregivers love the merino blanket that keeps the baby warm, and the capability of the handle to pivot past the canopy. This allows parents to grab the seat when needed.
Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX
The Graco Trio SnugLock is a 3-in-1 seat that can be converted from rear-facing infant car seats uk to forward-facing harness, and then to an highback booster. It has the SnugLock system that allows for an easy and smooth installation using either lower anchors or car seat belts. It can be installed using the top tether when in booster mode. (We recommend always using the lower anchors to provide extra security.)
This seat is ideal for children of all different ages. For younger babies, it has an infant insert which helps to support their backs and necks. This insert can be removed once the child is older and the seat can be used as a regular car seat for toddlers. It is one of the only car seats that allow the top tether to be used in booster mode. We recommend it.
Its base is fairly compact from front to back, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a space for it in the majority of cars. It requires the headrest to be raised however, to allow an open route for the lower anchor webbing. Luckily, there’s a headrest adjustment knob that allows you to do this, and you can observe the position of the headrest in the display window.
The SnugLock system is one of the coolest features about this seat. It’s a bar that is within the belt path. This makes installing this car seat using the lower anchors an easy task, and it’s nearly as simple as using the seat belt of your vehicle.
The manual also includes an excellent illustration of how to properly connect the lower anchor connectors while routing them through the new belt path which may be confusing at first. It’s important to keep them out of the crotch buckle loop and away from the chest clip so that they don’t hinder the buckle system.
The Graco Trio Grow belongs to the Protect Plus Engineered Family, which means that it has been subjected to some of the most rigorous tests in the industry. This includes tests for side, rear and rollover accidents and frontal impact.