A safe ride from the Snugride
Written: Jul 29 '07 (Updated Jul 29 '07)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
|
|
|
Pros: Safe, not as heavy as some competitors, adjusts in front
Cons: Carrying handle can be stiff
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this seat to others, particularly those who anticipate having small to average-sized baby.
|
|
|
| limona's Full Review: Graco 8646SML3 Infant Car Seat |
This review is of the Graco Snugride seat model 8646. I have the Park Meadows pattern, but it is the exact same seat. I have a 4.5 month old baby, and I use the seat daily for walks (in the Snap-N-Go stroller frame by Baby Trend) and several times weekly for car rides.
In addition to Samuel and Park Meadows, this seat also comes in the patterns Green Tea and Fiesta. Now, you may be saying to yourself that you have visited a baby superstore and you know the Snugride comes in more than four patterns. I tell you to BEWARE. While all Snugrides share the same basic shell, and all Snugrides fit in the same removable base, Snugrides differ in more than just pattern of fabric. There is a crucial feature difference that makes the model 8646 more appealing, than, say, the average Snugride. The 8646 adjusts IN FRONT. This makes a huge difference in terms of car seat convenience, and it is the primary reason I bought this particular model vs. other cuter patterns.
There are also different price points for different Snugride models. This is a middle-grade Snugride. When I purchased it a several months ago, it was the cheapest Snugride available that adjusted in front. The most expensive ones have fabric “boots” that go on the end of the seat to shield your baby from rain or snow, and they have nicer headrests. These are not features that I thought were worth the extra money. Graco has an excellent website at http://www.gracobaby.com, where you can do a search for a car seat based on features. One of the features is whether a particular model adjusts in front. I highly recommend screening the car seats in this way; it made shopping so much easier.
Other car seat basics:
You can easily take off the car seat fabric cover to wash it. This car seat has a five-point harness restraint. It also has a removable base. This is handy, since we were able to purchase an extra base for my husband’s car for about $30. Technically you do not need to use this seat with a base, but we prefer to do so.
Installation:
We have a 2006 Toyota Highlander and were able to install the Snugride without any difficulties or rolled up towels. We were also able to easily install the Snugride in our 1999 Toyota Camry. There is a convenient level indicator on the side so that you know it is installed correctly. We installed the Snugride in the middle seat on each car for optimum safety. Since we have no LATCH for the center seat, we used the seatbelt. This has worked well for us.
What I love:
• I believe my baby is very safe in this seat. That is the most important thing for me.
• The front adjustment. This makes it easy to have the straps at the optimum level of tightness, regardless of the thickness of her clothing.
• The seat is so common that it works well in most strollers designed for car seats. I use my Snugride with the Baby Trend Snap-n-Go.
• It seems comfortable for our baby. When we first brought her home from the hospital, it was her favorite place to sleep.
• The size. I like that this seat is for babies 5-22 pounds, less than 29 inches. I think that makes it extra safe while my baby is extra tiny and vulnerable. This could be a disadvantage for some, though, because the child will grow out of it faster than, say, the Graco SafeSeat. I have heard of some larger babies growing out of the seat before 6 months of age. My daughter is on the 25th percentile for weight/length, and at 4.5 months of age she has plenty of room to grow with the seat.
• The weight. At a little more than 7 pounds, the infant carrier portion is not as heavy as some.
• The canopy. Although I have heard some people complain that the canopy is flimsy, I have used and adjusted the canopy everyday without issue. When I walk in the mornings with the baby with the carrier in the Snap-n-Go, I am able to shade the baby almost completely from the sun. Sometimes she will get sun from her ankles down, but this does not overly concern me. It is certainly more than adequate for shielding her from sun in the car.
What I don’t love:
• The handle! The cheap plastic handle is difficult to adjust. I have found I have to push in the red levers on the opposite sides at exactly the same time in order to get it to move. I keep thinking it will loosen with use, but my baby is now 4.5 and if anything it is worse. I was prepared for this possibility, because the sample model at the baby superstore was like this. My cousin has the same seat and her handle works fine, so not all of the seats are this way. I tried the handles of every brand of car seat in the superstore, and all of them were plastic and cheap—even on the expensive seats.
• The headrest. The headrest did not fit my baby at first, and her head would tilt in what looked like an uncomfortable way. We rolled up a towel inside it to prop her head (Note: while you can buy a headrest to add on, this would void your warranty). Once she reached about 9 pounds, it fit her fine. Of course, now she is holding her head up and we have no use for it so we took it out.
In all, I am pleased with the seat and would recommend it to others, particularly those who anticipate having small to average-sized baby. For those who anticipate a larger baby, I might look toward a different seat.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 89.99
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
limona
|
|
Location: NC, USA
Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
New mother. Wife. Tax accountant. Obsessive shopper. Avid traveler.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.