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Bottom Line
Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat is one of the most reliable car seats when it comes to safety and comfort. Unlike other convertible car seats, it has extended weight limits to provide pleasant rides to your little ones. From installation to flexibility, it has more charms to offer that you might have thought about.
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Have you messed up with the uncountable options of car seats? Quality and the cost becomes the main focus when you start finding the right car seat for your little ones, but there are hundreds of options. Some of them fulfill your requirements but comes with an unexpected price, and others are of cheap quality.
Choosing the best car seat that remains within the budget constraints and all the quality considerations become our primary focus. Luckily we have researched, analyzed, and measured every aspect of many car seats on the market and come up with a tremendous one in this Graco Extend2Fit review. Let’s get more insights!
Graco has a wide range of convertible car seats with various features. Quality has always been one of the primary considerations of Graco. Strong safety measures back the entire Graco product line from Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 convertible car seat to Extend2Fit.
One of the main charms of using Graco Extend2Fit is its extendable tray that enables your kids to be in the rear-facing position for longer by providing additional legroom of 5 inches. Though 5 inches doesn’t sound a lot, it makes an impact while your child is enjoying the ride.
It offers various worthy features within a mid-range price tag that makes it one of the best choices if you need to fulfill primary requirements. Now your child can enjoy the flexibility of 10 headrest positions and six recline positions for extra comfort.
Installation is quite smooth and straightforward as well. The user manual guides you through the entire set up process no matter how familiar you are with the convertible car seat. It comes with a sleek design and a sturdy structure backed by a steel-reinforced frame and an energy-absorbing foam to cope with any impacts.
Moreover, it has a long ten years of lifespan that makes it even more dependable. Parents have also loved two cup holders and washable covers. Overall, it is a great convertible car seat that grows with your child and provides them cozy ride experiences.
See also: Best Convertible Car Seats
There are many aspects to consider before buying a car seat from your child’s age and comfort to the design and structure of the car seat. Price plays an essential role when it comes to a limited budget. Some of the crucial elements to look at are listed as follows.
There are many car seats in the market, but the way Graco provides flexibility and comfort is one of our recommendations. The Graco convertible car seat is made for you if your child is somewhere between the ages of a newborn to 7 years old.
If you travel a lot through airplanes with your family, you surely need a car seat approved by the FAA. There are other considerations as well, such as how many car seats do you want to place in the backside of your car. Considering every element in mind, we have gone through the hard part for you. Let’s head over to all these necessary aspects.
Is it your very first time installing a convertible car seat? Luckily, the Graco Extend2Fit has the solution with its convenient and straightforward setup. You can install the car seat using the LATCH system or the vehicle’s seat belt. The LATCH strap can never get tangled with the harness straps because it is attached to the inside right side of the car seat with a metal bar.
Graco calls the lower LATCH connectors of the seat InRight LATCH system as their design consists of a deluxe push-on style. These connectors can easily be removed with a single button push. As it is a convertible car seat, it offers the rear-facing and forward-facing configurations.
Rear-Facing Installation
Since younger children are recommended to use the rear-facing, there are many considerations before installing the seat in this mode. Make sure to follow up with the following instructions.
The ball should be fully in the light blue circle on the recline indicator to host kids of 3 months or younger. After that specific age range, you have the complete right to do whatever the recline position you feel the most appropriate. The recline handle is placed on the bottom of the seat for your convenience.
You can pull the panel out of 4 positions by squeezing the extension handle for additional legroom. The extension panel can be found under the front of the seat. For kids over 40 pounds, it is suggested to use the extended positions 2-4. When the extension panel is fully extended, it can be said as the Extend2Fit is a car seat with the most legroom as compared to the market. Use the chest clip after you have placed your baby in the seat.
Moreover, you should maintain 80% of its base on the vehicle’s seat to ensure proper installation and safety. There are stickers on the car seat to help you with the exact amount needed to be on the base of the vehicle’s seat.
Forward-Facing Installation
Until your child weighs 40 lbs, you should use the recline position of 4 only as it helps the younger children to stay in a proper position with safety parameters. Kids more than 40 pounds can use the recline positions of 5 and 6. When installing the car seat in forward-facing, you must move the crotch straps to the forward-facing positions.
Since the extender can only be used with the rear-facing mode, you should put that away. The harness covers are also to be used with the rear-facing configuration. You should use the top tether, no matter if you are installing the car seat using the seat belt or the LATCH system.
Recommendation: If the weight of your little one is less than 45 pounds, you can use the LATCH set up, and if your child weighs more than 45lbs, seat belt usage is a must.
Installing the Graco Extend2Fit using InRight LATCH Connectors
Store the top tether and route the LATCH strap through the belt path provided for the rear-facing or forward-facing mode. Adjust the recline by 1-3 for rear-facing and 4-6 for forward-facing configurations. Now place the seat into the rear or forward-facing position into your car’s back seat. Without twisting the LATCH straps, just attach them with the lower anchors of the vehicle. Tighten the LATCH strap and top tether to assure the seat doesn’t move even an inch in any direction. That’s it!
Installing the Graco Extend2Fit using the Seat Belt
Setting up the car seat Graco convertible Extend2Fit with the seat belt is one of the most manageable tasks. Only you need to adjust the proper recline and headrest and then place the car seat into your vehicle. Extension panels can also be used if you need that; however, just push the seat belt round to its connectors through the proper belt path. Each belt path is colored and labeled to be identified for which mode it should be used.
Graco convertible car seats always have a sense of parent and child requirements. That’s why parents, as well as children, love the Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat because of its adaptability and flexibility. It is here for you if you are thinking of welcoming your new baby with a cozy car seat.
The weight limits for the rear and forward-facing modes are as follows.
Approximately a newborn or two months old weighs around 4lbs, and a 7-year-old weighs 65 pounds, which is its maximum weight limit. The Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat is believed to be the best for younger kids because of its versatility through various recline positions, leg-room, and adjustable headrest.
The Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat comes with exquisite design as it takes care of the user’s perspective. The design features it comes with are worth mentioning. The six recline positions prove their sense of flexibility in designing good quality car seats.
The bubble level indicator helps to define the perfect recline positions for a smooth installation process and comfortable journey. The versatility of the car seat starts with the two buckle positions and ten headrest positions. Now your children can get adjusted in the seat comfortably.
The extension panel, which gives 5 inches of extra leg-room, is also one of the unique capabilities that couldn’t be found in other car seats. Luckily, the Extend2Fit comes with a 5-point harness that can be adjusted without rethreading. Moreover, the harness, and the headrest, both can get adjusted simultaneously by the Graco SimplySafe Adjust Harness System.
Does your little one love to have toys all the time or drinks along the way? Yes! The Extend2Fit is here with two cup holders to fulfill the requirements of your champion. Within an arm’s reach, your kids can now enjoy snacks, drinks, and even place mini toys in these cup holders to make their rides memorable.
In some car seats, there becomes a mess of buckles when putting your baby in and out of the seat but not anymore with the Extend2Fit. The fuss-free pockets hold the buckles out of the way so that you can found them easily without digging around to find those buckles.
Although the cover is not quite easy to remove, the cleaning process is as smooth and convenient as never before. The covers are machine-washable, and the fabric is also of exceptional quality. The cover is a bit tricky to remove because it is attached in 4 places with tight elastics, but you can remove it with a little effort.
You can clean the spills and messes on the cup holders as well as the cushion by wiping them out using a towel and an ordinary cleaning liquid. The weight of the car seat itself is not that heavy, and you can easily pull the car seat out from the car and then reattach the covers.
Read more: Car Seat Cleaning Guide
When it comes to safety, the Graco Extend2Fit is one of the top picks in the safest car seats around. It has a sturdy structure backed by a robust steel-reinforced frame, which proves to be quite efficient in hard times. Your little one will get immense protection while enjoying the comfort the car seat provides.
The EPS energy-absorbing foam also plays an essential role in the safety of your child as it absorbs energy in case of a crash. From the chest clip to the stability of the car seat, almost all of the precautionary measures have been taken to prevent any severe damage.
If installed correctly, the car seat should not move even an inch from its place. It makes it more crash-proof and reliable as a moving seat can be more vulnerable to damages. Some of the critical safety features of the Graco Extend2Fit are as follows:
Since it comes with reliable side-impact protection, you wouldn’t need to worry about your children’s safety. As a precaution, you must always follow up on the recommendations of the weight and size limits in different configurations.
The Graco Extend2Fit comes with a price range of $180 to $220, which is a reasonable for various worthy features. Since the car seat consists of quality-oriented material, its mid-range cost is worth paying. The leg-room extension capability – providing 5 inches of extra legroom is one of the examples of its modern architecture; however, the inches of additional-room doesn’t sound great, but to be practical, it matters a lot.
The adaptability of the seat for your two months old kiddie up to a seven-year-old youngster makes this seat a reliable one with more prolonged usage. The extended rear-facing weight limit of 50 pounds is also a unique capability that can rarely be found in any other convertible car seat. From the installation with a good grip of the chest clip to advanced safety measures, the Extend2Fit worth the price.
Although the Extend2Fit is undoubtedly a great car seat, other car seats offer competitive values too. Some of them are low-priced but with average features and others with different combinations of comfort and safety. We have analyzed each of these car seats and listed down the essentials as follows.
Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat
Britax Marathon comes with quite the same price range as the Extend2Fit. Its range is $190 to $220, which makes it a great competitor of the Extend2Fit. The rear-facing weight limit is 5 – 40 pounds and the forward-facing limit is 20 – 65 pounds. Both weight limits are also the same as the Extend2Fit offers.
It offers ten positions harness that can be quickly adjusted and fortunately without the need for rethreading. The seat covers are somehow easy to remove and wash. When it comes to safety, the Britax Marathon offers in-depth side-impact protection, SafeCell technology backed structure, and an impact-absorbing base. Still, it cannot beat the Extend2Fit in this department.
When compared, the Extend2Fit wins in the department of safety and reliability, whereas the Marathon is best at providing comfort. Both of these car seats are of good quality and can be dependable. If your primary needs revolve around comfort more than safety, then the Marathon has a bt edge over it; otherwise, the Extend2Fit is a car seat also loved by parents for its comfort.
Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat
With a reasonable price range of $140 to $180, the Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1 convertible car seat is one of the main charms in the car seat industry. As its name suggests, it is a 3-in-1 convertible seat that can be switched to three positions: highback booster, rear-facing mode, and forward-facing mode.
It has a 5-point harness and various recline positions to offer more comfort to your child, no matter if he/she is a newborn or 8-year-old. The seat cushion is pretty easy to remove and wash the cushion is also not a big deal. All you need is an ordinary washing kit or towel with a bar of soap. The pads are even machine-washable.
As far as safety is concerned, it consists of side impact protection capability and an energy-absorbing exterior shell. Moreover, it offers extra front-seat legroom and durability with ten years of lifespan. Overall, it is a good car seat, and if you have a limited budget, we prefer going for the Safety 1st as it is more long-lasting than the Extend2Fit due to its 3-in-1 capability. Otherwise, Extend2Fit is an excellent choice with added safety and comfort.
Nuna Rava Convertible Car Seat
Nuna Rava is a famous car seat because of its high-end price and worthy capabilities. It comes with a price range of $430 to $460, which is quite high if we compare it with the Extend2Fit’s cost. It offers two convertible modes with the same weight limits as the Extend2Fit. It does have an extension panel for extra legroom and a 10-position headrest with no need for rethreading.
It provides much flexibility with 10-recline positions from which five are reserved for the rear-facing and the other five for the forward-facing configurations. However, there is no bubble level indicator to aid in the positioning process. The infant cushion is a value-added feature that it provides. The cover can also be easily washable and removed. The fabric is of good quality.
The strong and sturdy steel-reinforced frame and retractible side-impact protection add a boost to its safety ratings. Your child will get the ultimate comfort from the Nuna Rava. Although you can try the associates program to get the Rava at a bit affordable price, if your budget is limited, then it’s not made for you. Extend2Fit is also a great choice compared to Nuna Rava because the quality is pretty much the same except for some additional features.
Without any doubt, the Graco Extend2Fit is a safe and super reliable car seat as the Graco takes precautionary measures seriously. The firm architecture of it represents its robustness in case of a crash. Steel-reinforced frame and the EPS energy-absorbing foam helps it a lot to reduce the impact of a crash as much as possible.
We have tested and analyzed every aspect of its safety and have confidence in its powerful structure to be effective in uncertain situations. Many parents have also reported the seat’s reliability during accidents and found it pretty intense and flawless.
A significant difference between the Graco 4Ever and the Extend2Fit is the unavailability of the booster mode in the Extend2Fit. Since the 4Ever offers highback and the backless booster modes along with the rear and forward-facing configurations, Extend2Fit only has rear-facing and forward-facing capabilities.
The Graco 4Ever can host children up to 120 pounds (in the backless booster mode), which is almost double the Extend2Fit offers (65 pounds). However, the price range of the 4Ever is $290 to $320, which is a lot higher than the Extend2Fit.
Moreover, the Extend2Fit provides an additional weight limit of 50 pounds in the rear-facing position, but the 4Ever only provides 40 pounds. The expandable tray is also a plus for the Extend2Fit in this competition. As far as the quality is concerned, it is almost the same in both the car seats. If you have the budget, 4Ever is also a good choice to consider.
Fortunately, the Graco Extend2Fit is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Now you can easily use it on airplanes without the worries of the luggage. It can be easily placed in the plane’s seat, and you can attach it to the seat with the appropriate and recommended methods. Since a flight is more vulnerable to seat movement, you must install the Extend2Fit in the firmest grip and positioning.
From the date of manufacturing, the Graco Extend2Fit has a lifespan of 10 long years, which means you can use it until your child needs a booster seat. You should always check the manufacturer guidelines and use the car seat appropriately to expand its lifespan and usage.
Some of the instructions are usually printed on the backside of the seat, and other necessary information like the model number and the manufacturing date is stamped on the sticker. Proper usage of the car seat always proves to be effective in its longevity, and the more you make it dust-free, the more it will retain its shine, design attractiveness, and safety structure.
A car seat that matters!
A car seat that cares about your little one’s needs and yours as a parent is not other than the Graco Extend2Fit convertible car seat. It’s a car seat that matters from the flexibility of various reclines, headrest positions, and even extra legroom to ease of installation and setup. We recommend purchasing the Extend2Fit because it is affordable as well as super safe and provides the ultimate comfort.
Didn’t find what you’re looking for? See more: 10 Best Convertible Car Seats
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