A high-quality infant car seat is a safety requirement, but not all seats are created to be the same. The most effective ones have features that improve the crash test’s performance, for instance load legs, which are shock absorbing components on the base of the seat that reduce movement in collisions.
A popular choice among CPST instructors is the Chicco KeyFit, which has a high rear-facing weight limit and height limit as well as bubble level indicator and a spring-loaded reclining foot that makes it easy to install.
Graco Mesa Max
The Graco Mesa Max is one of the highest-ranked infant car seats for user-friendliness. It has an easy-to-use design and top fabrics. It also comes with an excellent feature that allows you to attach the harness of your child directly to the headrest. It also comes with a huge canopy that makes it easy to keep your baby cool while traveling. The only issue is that it’s a bit heavier than normal this could be a problem if plan to lug it around or if you want to pair it with your UPPAbaby stroller that has won awards.
Mesa Max’s remarkable results in crash tests show its commitment to safety. It scored a top score in the frontal impact test and a high score in the side impact test, which means that your baby is protected from both sides in a collision.
The anti-rebound panel is another important safety feature. It reduces the forces of rebound in a crash and protects the child’s head. This feature is rare in car seats for infants and makes the Mesa Max stand out among its competitors.
Graco Mesa Max can easily and securely be installed in your vehicle with LATCH when it is used in conjunction with the base. The load leg, the recline angle adjustment as well as the tightness indicator help ensure a quick, accurate installation. The base weighs 12.6 lbs which is slightly heavier than an average car seat for infants but not enough to be an issue.
The UPPAbaby Mesa V2 uses the same double-knit fabric that was used in its predecessor. It is free of chemical that are fire retardant. It also has an infinitely adjustable headrest and an infant insert that helps improve fit and body positioning for infants weighing between 4-11 pounds. The fabric is GREENGUARD gold certified, which tests for low VOCs and chemical emissions.
The UPPAbaby UPPAmax Mesa Maxi may be slightly more expensive than other options, but offers premium features and advanced technology for the most secure travel experience. The base is included and is available in a variety of fashionable colors. This adds to the value proposition. Its thoughtful design and robust features provide peace of for parents on every trip.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is a fantastic choice for anyone who wants an automobile seat that can expand with their child. Its rear-facing limit is 40 pounds, which is higher than the majority of infant car seats. Additionally, it can be used as a forward-facing child seat until your child weighs 65 pounds.
The ClickTight Installation System is its major selling point. It is the safest, easiest and most secure system available. The seat belt can be tightened by pressing a red release and pulling the harness strap. This eliminates the need to remove and rethread your seat belt. This decreases the chance of incorrectly tightening a seat belt which is the main cause of car seat failure.
Another security feature is the EZ-Buckle Pad, which holds the buckle away from the way when you’re putting your child in the car seat. This feature together with beltpath cutouts on both sides of the seat, makes it simple to get your child in and out of the car.
The three ClickTight convertible seat models (Boulevard CT, Marathon CT, Advocate CT) share the identical features. They include the ClickTight Installation System and an impact-absorbing base, with seven recline positions, a rip-stitch energy-absorbing harness pad, a tether that is HUGS and a steel-reinforced frame and EPP energy-absorbing foam.
It’s a heavy seat, so it may be worth considering a lighter alternative if you intend to use it frequently for car swaps or traveling. Also, the seat is large, which means it might not fit well in smaller vehicles, particularly in the case of in the rear of the vehicle.
If you’re looking to find a budget seat that is of similar quality the Graco 4Ever is a great option. This seat has lower crash test scores than the Boulevard however it is still an excellent choice for your child.
The Graco has also connectors with push-on connectors for LATCH which makes it easier to remove the seat. Boulevard’s LATCH connectors utilize an alternative release system that requires you to pull on the webbing and press an orange button. This can be difficult if the webbing is tight. However the seat comes with a convenient storage compartment for belt straps when they are not in use.
Clek Liing
If you’re looking for an infant car seat that has all of it — style, safety, convenience and luxury -you’ll be delighted with the Clek Liing. This rear-facing car seats by age seat can be easy to install, has a high crash test rating and a wide range of features.
The Liing is designed to protect infants with features that meet or exceed both US and Canadian safety standards. It is designed for easy, secure installation in any seating position. It also has advanced safety features such as an energy-absorbing metal leg and two pieces of shell lined with EPP for enhanced side impact protection. The base has 7 recline positions and an indicator bubble that informs you whether the seat is just the right angle for your baby.
The Liing is a sleek, modern stroller that parents are raving about. It comes with innovative safety features like rigid lower anchors which are easier to attach than hook-and-loop connectors. The Liing comes with a single-handed release, making it simple to remove the base and use with strollers that are compatible with it. With less than 17 inches in width it’s just narrow enough for 3-across in most vehicles and fits nicely into many convertible best car seat infant seats to act as a travel booster.
This infant seat is an impressive 1st place in terms of the ease of installation due to its unique rigid-LATCH system. The Liing’s lower anchors click directly into the lower seat belt slots. Additionally, the top rated baby car seats tether strap snaps into the headrest of the vehicle, creating an extremely secure, tight fit that eliminates any chance of the child being thrown around during the event of a crash.
The seat is light, with the base weighting 9 pounds and the carrier itself at just 10.5 pounds. Other rear-facing seats are heavier, but the difference is not significant if you plan to transport the car seat and base around. ).
Parents appreciate the Liing’s built-in canopy and 100+spf sun protection with the mesh peekaboo window. Parents love the merino cover that keeps baby warm and also appreciate the handle’s ability to pivot past the canopy which makes it more comfortable to grab whenever they need.
Graco Trio Grow SnugLock LX
The Graco Trio SnugLock LX is a 3-in-1 car seat that can be used from rear-facing infant to forward-facing harness and then to highback booster. It has the SnugLock system which allows for a simple and smooth installation using either lower anchors or car seat belts. It can be installed using the top tether in booster mode. (We recommend always using the lower anchors for extra security.)
We like that this seat does so much for children of various ages. It comes with an infant insert for younger babies that supports their backs and necks. As they grow older the insert can be removed and the seat is used as a normal car seat for toddlers. This car seat is among the few that allows you to use the top tether in booster mode, which is what we recommend.
Its base is quite compact from front to back and it shouldn’t be hard to find a space for it in the majority of vehicles. The headrest has to be raised to allow for the lower anchor webbing to pass through. Fortunately, there’s a headrest adjustment knob to easily do this, and you’ll be able to see the headrest position in the display window.
The SnugLock system is one of the most unique features of this seat. It’s an anchor that is located within the belt path. This makes fitting this car seat with the lower anchors a breeze and almost as easy as using the seat belt of your vehicle.
The manual also includes an excellent diagram of how to correctly route the lower anchor connectors while traversing them along the new belt path, which can be confusing at first. Keep them away from the chest clip and the crotch loop to avoid interfering with the buckle system.
The Graco Trio Grow belongs to the Protect Plus Engineered Family, which means it has been put through some of the most rigorous tests in the industry. This includes tests for side, rear and rollover crashes as well as frontal impacts.