We needed a new carseat for my 2 year old, since her little sister would be moving out of the carrier carseat and into her FP SafeEmbrace. We wanted something that will convert into a booster seat and will hopefully be the last carseat we buy for her.

We started out with a very cheap Safety First carseat and used it for a week or so before returning it. It is ridiculous to buy a carseat without shoulder straps that adjust from the front. In order to re-adjust or tighten the straps, I need to REMOVE the carseat from the vehicle and unhook the straps at the back, adjust length and then put my daughter back in to check if the length is right - if not, repeat the whole process. Needless to say we were sick of that whole performance and went shopping for a seat that adjusts easily. THIS IS THAT SEAT.

I liked the looks of this seat from the start. The grey plaid covering is subtle and matches well with the interior of the van. I have found it to be scrubbable, so far we just wipe it with a wet cloth and it comes clean every time. The main part of the seat is that scrubbable plaid material, the sides are a soft vinyl covering and the rest is soft black material.

This seat is very versatile - it has lots of slots to suit children of different shapes and sizes. There are three sets of slots on the seatback, and two sets on the seat itself. And that is just for when it is used as a carseat. It has three belt guides on each side for when your child is old enough to use it as a booster seat. Unlike many other booster/carseats, this one seems it will be large enough to be comfortable for children when they are in the 40-80 lb range. My two year old daughter looks tiny in the seat right now but at least there is lots of room to grow.

Adjustment and installation is very easy. We sat my daughter in the seat and selected the slots which were best for her size, threaded the belt through and we were set up in less than five minutes. The best part is how the belt adjusts and tightens easily from the front, and is easily released or loosened with the press of a button. Much better than the previous carseat and will certainly come in handy in the winter when the kids are bundled up in snowsuits.

Installing the carseat in the vehicle is also very easy, and the instructions provided are simple to follow. We recommend reading all the instructions for use before setting out, which might take awhile. But just following the steps to get it installed correctly is easy to do and only takes a few minutes.

The carseat is equipped with a LATCH system which I really like since our van (Dodge Caravan) is LATCH equipped. The previous carseat (remember, the one we hated) was also LATCH equipped but it was so hard to attach, I thought I hated the LATCH system. But with the Graco seat it was so easy to click on and adjust the length of the straps, I was really impressed. We have also tried securing the seat with the seatbelt and it was very easy to do. A locking clip is included and may be required depending on the kind of seatbelts in your vehicle.


GREAT EXTRAS!!

This carseat comes with a cupholder which attaches to the side. The cupholder is well-designed and will hold most toddler-style sippy cups, or a can of pop, or a juice box. There is also another little indentation which is great for holding small amounts of food - we have used it for a handful of crackers or pretzels and its really handy.

There is another attachment on the other side, similar in shape to the cupholder but instead with a mesh and canvas pocket which appears small but will hold smaller toys and books within the child's reach. We use it to keep sunglasses, a beanie toy, and a couple of small board books.

Another great extra is the vinyl-covered pillow which attaches with a velcro strap to the top of the carseat. It is out of the way when not in use and easily adjusts for comfort. The seat also comes with a neck support which fits in either of the two lower strap slots. My daughter almost always sleeps on long car trips so we use it to keep her head and neck comfortable when she falls asleep. It is easily removeable when the child is out of the carseat so we don't use it for short trips.

I couldn't be happier with this carseat and when my second daughter needs to move out of the convertible carseat, I hope I will be able to find another one just like it.

Please note, I bought this carseat in Canada and it was $159 at Sears. I did a lot of comparison shopping and that is about average for this type of carseat. There were a few $10-$15 cheaper with not as many extras, and some were more expensive still with the same or fewer features.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 120
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years