Pre-kids, my husband and I used to jet off to Tahoe to chase powder or up the coast to explore remote redwood forests with just a backpack and some snacks. Fast forward to 2021 when we have a 65 pound dog and two kids under three. While our interests haven’t changed, the way we travel certainly has.
Anytime we leave the house—from short excursions to longer road trips—we try to pack efficiently and maximize space in the car. This means choosing a car seat like the new Graco SlimFit3™ LX Car Seat, which is one of the slimmest ones I’ve seen. We recently took it for a spin and loved its design, comfort and ease of use. Read on to discover why this new car seat is ideal for families with limited space or multiple kids—and why we’ll be using it for years to come.
Things you’ll love about the new Graco SlimFit3™ LX Car Seat:
It’s slim. Yes, really.
While most car seats tout a compact design, Graco SlimFit3™ LX Car Seat actually lives up to its name. While I’m not a car seat expert, we do own two other car seats and my kids have used other brands in their grandparents’ cars, and I can confidently say that this new Graco car seat is noticeably slimmer. For those counting, it comes in at 16.7 inches across, which is narrow enough to allow for three car seats across in the back seat.
My 11-month-old son detests car rides (go figure this anti-car ride baby is stuck with a road trip-loving family), which means I’m often in the back seat with him and our toddler trying to entertain both. Before installing the Graco SlimFit3™ LX I could barely fit between the two car seats, but with the new seat installed, the back seat is so much roomier and I’m not sitting smooshed diagonal between two kids.
It’s easy to adjust and install
We had the car seat installed in mere minutes, and moving it from one car to another is equally as simple as it weighs 18.5 pounds. The car seat features a push-button InRight LATCH, which basically means that it provides an easy, one-second attachment to the car. Graco even manufactured the seat so there’s an audible click to help ensure secure and correct installation.
Adjusting the car seat straps and headrest is intuitive, which is saying something since let’s just say I’m easily confused when it comes to installation and assembly. I like that the seat is no-rethread so I can adjust the height of the headrest and harness to 10 positions with one hand and motion. There’s also a recline option that allows you to adjust it to four different positions allowing for a more comfortable ride for your child.
It’s comfortable
I was pleasantly surprised when my son actually giggled and babbled on our way to daycare on his first ride in the new seat (instead of his usual screeching). Car trips after that—both short and long—have been (and I hope I don’t jinx this)…pleasant. And, the best part of all: I haven’t had to ride in the backseat with him as much.
The car seat features breathable mesh airflow channels to ensure your child doesn’t overheat. For infants, the car seat comes with plush head and body inserts to keep baby cradled. While I’m realistic enough to know that all children react differently to various situations and products, it’s clear for my son that Graco SlimFit3™ LX Car Seat’s design offers him comfort, which has been a great relief for my family as we continue to enjoy time out of the house.
Removable, plush head and body inserts help to keep your infant feeling cradled and comfortable. You can take the cover off to clean it without uninstalling the car seat or removing the harness (bonus: it’s machine washable). The steel-reinforced frame provides strength and durability for years of use, and EPS energy-absorbing foam provides effective impact energy management. This car seat is Graco® ProtectPlus Engineered™ to help protect in frontal, side, rear, and rollover crashes.
It grows with your child and safe every step of the way
We love products that aren’t one and done and this new 3-in-1 car seat fits the bill. It isn’t just a car seat you’ll use for a few months; it grows with your child from five pounds up to 100 pounds. The car seat works in three different safe positions: rear-facing harness (5-40 pounds), forward-facing harness (22-65 pounds) and highback booster (40-100 pounds).
And, bottom line, this car seat is safe every step of the way from the first ride home from the hospital to your rides to and from elementary school. The car seat is made with a steel-reinforced frame that provides strength and durability and EPS energy-absorbing foam provides effective impact energy management. And, Graco tells us that this car seat is Graco® ProtectPlus Engineered™ to help protect in the event of frontal, side, rear and rollover crashes.
—Erin Lem
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