Wish my car seat was like this

Our toddler turned 1 year and it was getting increasingly difficult to get her to fit into a rear facing seat - it was time to change the car seat.

And here is our story of how we ended up with car seat and why we like it so much :) and why you might want to consider the evenflo triumph depending on your child's height and weight

Even though the government allows a child above 20 lbs to be placed front facing - it is always better to sit the child rear facing - even if your baby and you do no like it - safety comes first. With this point in mind - we started looking for a bigger rear facing seat, unfortunately this seat (Graco Nautilus) cannot be rear faced, so we went with the evenflo triumph.

Evenflo triumph is a great seat, it supports up to 65 lbs, can be rear faced or front faced, comes with a harness adjustment ... + it feels like a very safe seat, but we had a problem : our baby girl is one of the tall ones - she is at a 97 percentile height (only 3 percent of girls at her age are taller than her) - which means we could not sit her rear faced in the evenflow triumph without making it extremely uncomfortable for her - a bit of discomfort is ok, but having to fold legs and and struggle through a long journey is not worth it.

So we had an option - to either keep the evenflo triumph and make it front faced and use it until she is 65 lbs or buy a new car seat like the Graco Nautilus which we can use till she gets to 100 lbs. We went with the Graco Nautilus and cannot be any more happier.

Good:
+ Solid build quality - Aluminium backing, feels heavy and sturdy
+ Very comfortable - Been on a 6 hr drive and our baby just slept through it
+ Cup holder is nice thing to have - use it to keep water, small toys ... whatever it takes to keep the baby through the journey
+ Easy to install (i have a 07 Camry)
+ Easy to adjust harness, fasten the child and unfasten
+ Lasts from 22 lbs to 100 lbs - so the only thing you will have to buy after the infant seat

Bad:
- Nothing particular I found, except that if I wish if could also use this rear faced.

And remember - if you can fit your baby rear faced - try to keep him/her rear faced for as much longer as you can

More Reviews : Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat, Matrix

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Graco Nautilus Car Seat

This car seat is wonderful! It was relatively easy to adjust and very easy to install. My son loves the cup holder, and I love that the straps have a place to stay off to the side while I get him into it. The reclining feature is a bit of a laugh - the change is almost imperceptible - but in spite of being barely reclined he was able to fall asleep in it on a long trip recently without too much difficulty (and no head slung forward).

In short, I love this car seat and for that I'm glad, because with how much weight it can sustain I think it'll be in our family for a very long time.

By jacquesnic

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Great buy!

This product is everything it says it is. It converts to the child's growth. It is very durable and seems that it will last for a
long time. The cup holder is a great idea. My grandson, age 3, loves his new car seat.

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So far so good

We have a 3.5yr old and a 12mo old. The older one needed a new seat because the straps of her old one was getting twisted and also would come undone. The younger one is creeping up on 20lbs. This meant 2 new car seats at the same time. We ended up buying 2 of these hoping they will be the last ones we buy for them. My initial reaction to it is that I love it. It was easy to put together. I love how the slip covers come off, just some elastic loops hooked around plastic hooks. This means I'll be able to fix it myself if one of the elastic loops breaks. The older ones car seat slip cover started coming off and a plastic piece broke. The drink holder location is exactly what I wanted - again the old one had it on the side and having two car seats side by side (one front and one rear facing) we had to remove the drink holder. The older one said it was more comfortable. It's very easy to buckle and unbuckle and it was pretty easy to install. One note is that it's heavy! We've done a lot of traveling this year and I'm so glad we weren't lugging this thing around with us! If you are transferring the car seat make a note of the weight of it. We have this next to a rear facing Peg Perego right now and they worked fine together. The younger one sat in it after we put it together and I can tell she's going to fit well in in. Very happy with the choice we made. And the price was right!

Update after a couple of weeks: still like the car seat. The only thing I didn't like was the liner that sits inside the seat. If you have to adjust the straps to a higher notch the liner doesn't fit well and makes it hard to tighten/loosen straps. I removed the liner and problem solved. So the black part you see inside the seat comes out leaving the silver liner.

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WONDERFUL Car Seat

Third child got this one and only wish they had made this great seat a long time ago, so all my girls could have enjoyed it! Great DEEP cup holder, (could use another one on the other side) VERY nice and heavy/sturdy, beautiful color! AND $30. difference between my two local stores.....Paid $50. less on line. Glad I shopped around!

By flossnmom , Illinois

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Great seat except for a few things

I gave this 4 stars because it is NOT easy to remove the pad if you have to wash it. The seat is also very heavy, however I realize it's because it's a steel frame. Also, there is not a one-handed harness adjustment on this so you have to remove the seat from the car when you have to raise up the harness when your child grows. The comfy seat pad you see in the photo- the instructions say you are not supposed to use this past the bottom harness slots, so the picture is very misleading. Underneath, it's not so comfy. I like the fact that this can be used as a belt positioning booster once the child is older, and the harness to 65 lbs, so you definitely get your money's worth out of this seat.

By ClothAddict , NJ

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Love this carseat!

I bought this seat two weeks ago for my six-year-old and we both love it. She's pretty close to 40 pounds and was about to outgrow her current seat. I'd like her harnessed a little longer in one of our vehicles that has "backseat issues". I was thrilled when this seat came out. I really like Graco products and since this was more of a want than a need, I couldn't justify $300 for some of the other higher-weight-harnessing seats.
Putting it together was a little weird. It was difficult to pop the arm rests in. It's supposed to make a click, but it was a very quiet sound. They must be in right, though, because she puts her weight on them getting in and out and they haven't wiggled.
The strap adjuster took some time to get used to. It has a shield over the release so a child can't loosen the straps. But this also means you can't see it, so you have to feel around for it.
The cupholder is great. It actually holds a real bottle of water rather than just a sippy cup. Big kids use water bottles!
I've installed it in my Camry with the lap/shoulder seatbelt and it went in like a dream. It will eventually be in the Jeep Cherokee. Although I haven't tried it in there, I don't anticipate any problems.
The headrest sticks when you raise and lower it, but it should loosen up and that won't need to be done all that often, anyway.
Be sure to pay attention to the specifics. Children must be one year old and weigh 20 pounds (both, not either/or) to use this seat and it's forward-facing only. Even though you can use it at 20 pounds, I'd recommend leaving your child rear-facing until 30-35 pounds (depending on the seat) in a convertible seat. Not only will your child be much safer, you'll get more use out of the Nautilus. Since the Nautilus expires after six years, if you get it for your one-year-old it'll expire when he's seven and you'll still need another booster. If you get it when he's two or three, it'll expire when he's eight or nine and can go straight into a seatbelt.

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Amazing Car Seat - Design and Value

My Wife, a Pediatrician, did a ton of research - with the first priority being safety, safety, and, I'll say it again, safety.

We were Britax users for our first car seats and found it a fine car seat, though pricey.

So, this time around, with our son growing too long for the Britax seats that we had, we decided to look at all the options.

Price was not part of the equation.

Design was not either.

Safety was it.

We highly recommend this Graco car seat (We have three now)

1) The price blows Britax away.

2) The design is very nice. Our son loves the drink holder as well as the toy "compartment" in the arm rests. He "hides" toys in the arm rests and has a lot of fun fooling us.

The installation was simple.

The headrest is extremely easy to use and to "fit".

The five point harness is critical to our son's safety and it is very easy to use. Though, it is slightly different than Britax, so there is a few days of getting used to a "new" system. After that, there is no problem.

Overall, we are very happy with Graco.

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Better than radian or britax in my humble opinion

So I did a LOT of reseach before buying this, read multiple message boards, then to the store to look at them, etc. This replaced a britax that was passed down to DD #2 for my rather large 4 yo girl(40lbs, 40inches)I want to keep her harnessed for as long as I can. I finally decided to go for it b/c of

1)price (though it really wasn't an object) but I am a big fan of bang for your buck,
2)sturdiness, i was never a fan of graco until i bought this seat. It's got a nice weight, sturdy frame.
3)comfort, memory foam! DD loves it, she sleeps very comfortably in it without slumping over like she used to.
4)size, not gigantic like the regent but large it enough to have a big kid sit in it
I was concerned about its looks but it's much better looking in person.
Finally, who can beat amazon's price!
I highly recommend it, I think it will last my DD until she's prob 7-8 yo (My average sized 8yo nephew fits!)

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Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat - Product Description and Best Price

Product Description

Once your child outgrows her rear-facing infant car seat, she's still required ride in a car seat or a booster for several more years to come. So rather than investing in a succession of seats and boosters, try the Graco Nautilus 3-in 1 Toddler Car Seat, the only forward-facing car seat your child will need. Its five-point harness accommodates children up to 65 pounds, and its convertible booster/backless booster can hold children up to 100 pounds in weight--longer than most other convertible car seats.

 

The steel-reinforced structure ensures your child's safety

By removing the back, the Nautilus will accompany a child up to 100 pounds.

Versatile, Convertible Design Lasts through Early Childhood

The Nautilus features an extended five-point harness design that can accommodate children over the age of one, from 20 to 65 pounds in weight--a wider range than most other forward-facing car seats. As your child grows, the seat easily converts to a high-back booster and then, lastly, to a backless booster for a child up to 100 pounds in weight. A steel-reinforced frame and superior construction help to ensure safety and durability through years of use.

Built for Comfort and Superior Safety

You can rest assured that your child will have superior protection while riding in the Nautilus, thanks to extensive crash testing and a steel-reinforced structure. The car seat meets or exceeds US Safety Standards, including U.S. Compliance Standard FMVSS 213; the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), with peak Crash Force approximately twice the Car Seat Standard; and tests for Extreme Car Interior Temperatures. EPS energy-absorbing foam provides additional security and comfort.

As well as being secure and safe, your child will feel extra-comfy, too, with an easily adjustable head support, cushioned seat, and wide armrests; a cup holder and side storage keeps snacks and treasures close at hand.

About Graco

In 1942, Russell Gray and Robert Cone formed Graco Metal Products, in Philadelphia, PA. For 11 years, the firm fabricated machine and car parts for local manufacturers. In 1953, Gray left the firm, leaving Cone as sole owner. Cone decided to manufacture his own line of products, but had trouble coming up with ideas. Enter David Saint, an engineer, tinkerer, and stained glass artisan who worked for Graco. Saint, himself a father of nine, was intrigued when an associate told him how his wife would soothe their tired and cranky baby while swinging in a backyard glider swing. Acting on this inspiration, he went to the drawing board and 18 months of hard work later, the world's first wind-up infant swing, the Graco Swyngomatic, was born. Graco sold millions of Swyngomatics in the coming years, becoming one of the world's leading manufacturers of juvenile products in the process. Today, Graco is a Newell Rubbermaid company, with 1500 associates worldwide. While a half-century has brought many changes to Graco, their dedication and commitment to designing and manufacturing top-quality products remains, and continues on.

What's in the Box

Graco Nautilus 3-in 1 Toddler Car Seat (Matrix).

From the Manufacturer

The Graco Nautilus Car Seat is a 3-in-1 multi- mode car seat for children 20 pounds to 100 pounds. This is the last car seat you will need to buy for your child. The Nautilus is ideal for your children from one to ten years old. First, it is an extended 5 point harness seat for children 20 to 65 pounds that features an easy to install system with a lock off buckle for easy secure installation. Second, it works as a high back booster for children 30 pounds to 100 pounds, and finally as a backless booster for children 40 pounds to 100 pounds. The Nautilus Car Seat has a steel reinforced frame for durability, and has a 3-position recline for proper installation and comfort. The car seat offers easy access storage and cup holders for your child’s enjoyment. Nautilus transforms into three modes to go the distance.

 

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