Lek Foonf Rigid Latch Convertible Baby and Toddler Car Seat
If you lot're a route tripping family like us, you know that nothing is as important every bit keeping your kids both safety and comfortable on your trips. We've unfortunately had the feel of driving a long distance with a kid whose back hurt because of her machine seat and I don't wish information technology on anyone! Equally you lot shop for your child's next automobile seat, information technology'due south of import to pick the nigh comfy car seat you can detect – for their sake and yours.
In this circular upward, I'll share feedback from our family's experiences and existent-world opinions from parents in our community – with pros and cons for each 1. You'll besides observe out what features make for the most comfortable convertible motorcar seat for long trips. You won't want to miss these suggestions!
(Thanks to Diono for the featured photo to a higher place!)
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Quick picks: Most comfortable convertible car seat options
You can read in-depth reviews below to help you make up one's mind for yourself, but if you're in a bustle check out these top picks:
- Nuna Rava – all-around most comfortable
- Chicco Nextfit Max Null Air – for kids who run hot (save $fifty on Atmosphere color this week!)
- Diono Radian 3QX – for families with tight spaces
- Clek Foonf – for kids who like a firmer ride and parents who desire every single safety feature (also available here and here)
- Britax Marathon ClickTight – for tall kids (as well available hither)
- Britax One4Life – for kids whose families want "1 for life" (too available here)
If you demand something lighter weight for travel, detect our pinnacle picks hither.
➞ Make certain you grab this accessory likewise!
Features of comfortable toddler car seats
There are a few features to look for in a comfy motorcar seat, and if you're shopping for a babe who has just outgrown their babe car seat it'due south good to try to call up ahead a few years. If you make the correct choice at present, a comfortable convertible machine seat can last your family until your child is set up for a booster seat around 6 years sometime!
A nicely padded convertible car seat
It stands to reason that kids want to ride effectually in a padded throne. Wouldn't y'all? The car seats on this list all have nice, thick padding. Some are more than costly and others are more firm, but none of them will leave your child feeling similar they're sitting on difficult plastic or feeling every lump and bump behind their backs. For our kids, this has been a actually of import cistron in choosing the best car seat for long distance driving (which we do a lot).
A reclining toddler automobile seat
Pretty much all of the convertible car seats on this list offer multiple recline options. Why? Because they need to be able to safely rear-face a young babe and later on forrad-face a growing child. Some convertible car seats offer lots of recline options, which can exist helpful for finding the sweet spot that helps them sleep on long trips while also beingness able to run into out the window for those all-important games of "I Spy".
Actress ventilation or wicking fabric for sweaty kids
Car seats can be sweaty propositions! They're padded to keep kids safe, just that besides leads to decreased airflow. Rear facing kids are especially susceptible unless they have a vent straight higher up them. Some car seats take sweat-wicking fabric, ventilated covers or other features to continue kids cool on long drives.
Desire to upwardly your road trip game? Get a Noggle. This innovative hose safely clips on to your front air vents and redirects air back to your kids. It'due south especially helpful for rear facing kids and tin can fifty-fifty help those who are prone to automobile sickness. Fifty-fifty if your child is riding in one of the most comfortable automobile seats, they'll appreciate some AC in the back on those hot summer days.
The more than cup holders the better
Some motorcar seats take no cup holders, some accept 1, and some even take two. Consider that on a long bulldoze your child may want a safe identify to stow a water bottle and snacks or small toys. That'due south a huge benefaction to you since y'all won't have to constantly hand stuff dorsum and forth.
Room to grow
In that location are lots of ways the car seat manufacturers can make their convertible car seats fit the needs of growing kids. Here are a few to look out for as y'all read these convertible car seat reviews:
- Deep (or extending) seating areas for long legs
- Wide seating areas
- Shoulder harnesses that aren't too narrow
What's the nigh comfortable car seat for long trips?
Nuna Rava review
Cardinal stats:
-Weight 27lbs
-Shell summit 25"
-Max harness height 17"
-Rear-facing size limits v-50lbs, upwards to 49"
-Forward-facing size limits 25-65lbs, upwards to 49", age ii+
Pros:
✔ Generous rear-facing size limits
✔ Extremely cushy
✔ Easy seatbelt installation with Only secure
✔ No-rethread harness
✔ ten year expiration
Cons:
✘ Very heavy
✘ Very expensive
E'er since the Nuna Rava convertible carseat hit the scene a few years ago, information technology became a fan favorite. In fact, in a contempo word in our Facebook group information technology was the easily-down winner for kid comfort and parent convenience.
Kids praise the Nuna Rava for its padded seat, its soft embrace, generous recline, roomy seating surface area, actress legroom and built-in double cup holders. Parents love how easy it is to install the Rava with the seatbelt (just recall yous withal accept to lock the belt) and to adjust the fit to your children as they grow.
The Rava is also an astonishing automobile seat for extended rear facing. With a 50lb weight limit and 49″ height limit, many kids could rear face up in the Nuna Rava well by 4 years old. At that signal it'll still fit forrard facing for several more years until kids are at a safe age to use a booster seat. It probably won't be your child's showtime car seat since the lowest shoulder harness setting is a footling loftier for young infants – for that, cheque out Nuna's excellent Pipa RX infant car seat or Pipa Calorie-free LX baby car seat.
The Nuna Rava is also ane of the all-time convertible car seat options for cars that are short on leg room. In its more upright settings, it'south the most compact car seat front-to-back.
Apart from the marginal fit on newborns, the only drawbacks of the Nuna Rava are the price and the size. At nineteen″ wide, information technology might exist tough to fit 3 beyond in the smallest cars. And the cost tag… well, for so many premium features yous accept to expect a premium price. Despite the price, the Nuna Rava is extremely pop among families who are willing to pay up for a seat they'll love and use for years to come.
Chicco Nextfit Zip Air review
Key stats:
-Weight 25lbs
-Shell height 26"
-Max harness acme 17.5"
-Rear-facing size limits 5-40lbs, up to 43" (50lbs for Max)
-Frontwards-facing size limits 25-65lbs, upwards to 49"
Pros:
✔ Generous rear-facing size limits
✔ Very cushy but well-ventilated
✔ Built in lock-offs for easy seatbelt installation
✔ No-rethread harness
✔ 8 yr expiration
Cons:
✘ Very heavy
✘ Loftier sides tin arrive hard for kids to climb in on their own
Ahhh, the Chicco Nextfit. I know it meliorate than whatsoever other auto seat since nosotros endemic three and used them happily for many years. The latest version, the Chicco Nextfit Max Aught Air, is a dainty comeback over the original ones nosotros had! You tin can salve $30 here by ownership straight.
The unabridged Nextfit line has excellent padding with only the right corporeality of "squish" to proceed kids comfortable for long drives. In many years of rides, nosotros never had a single complaint about comfort (note the sleeping child higher up). Non ane. The Nix Air has two neat improvements when it comes to the cover: first, you tin can zip off the comprehend for like shooting fish in a barrel cleaning if there's a spill; second, the cover has breathable mesh on the back that should keep kids less sweaty. It's one of the most comfortable toddler car seat choices around.
Ane of our favorite features of the Nextfit is the huge range of recline options, many of which are available to forward facers every bit well. Between the recline options and the deep seat, it's an amazing car seat for kids who like car naps. The egg-like shape also (in theory) provides some anti-rebound protection for rear facing kids.
In that location's but 1 cup holder included, which yous can attach on either side.
Our daughter rode in the Nextfit beginning at ane week former and our son rode in it frontwards facing until 6 (with room to grow). This is 1 of the best convertible car seats for infants, and it can exist used either with the included baby insert or by folding the bottom office of the back panel nether so you tin can access the lowest headrest setting. The Chicco Nextfit Cypher Air starts at 5lbs, while the Nexfit Zilch Air Max goes downwards to an ultra-petite 4lbs!
If your child is on the heavier side or demand more than legroom (and your car has enough space), you can also await into the new Chicco Nextfit Zip Air Max. The "basic" are the same as the original, merely with extra reinforcement to arrange kids up to 50 pounds rear-facing and with a deeper seat pan to offering more leg room rear facing and more than thigh support forward facing.
It's extremely piece of cake to install in either direction, whether you utilise the SuperCinch LATCH or the simple seatbelt lock-offs. That said, it'south non quite as easy as installing the Nuna Rava or Britax Marathon with a seatbelt.
The only major downside of the Chicco Nextfit is that the high sides and the high seating position tin brand information technology a bit of a nuisance to get kids in and out. That's particularly truthful when you take a big toddler who's still rear facing close to the limits. We taught our kids how to climb in using the door frame, then the edge of the seat and finally throwing themselves over the side of the seat. They had no problem getting themselves out… when they were awake. When they were comatose, there was e'er plenty of head bonking.
Information technology also has a maximum standing peak of 43″ for rear-facing (older models were 49″, and hopefully they'll consider returning to that). That'south the average height of a five year former male child, then information technology'southward fine for most families. Merely if you have a budding NBA or WNBA star and you want to them rear-facing by iv, you might be better off with the Nuna Rava or Britax Marathon.
Clearly we couldn't get plenty of the Nextfit. We loved it so much we bought it three times over, and fifty-fifty though information technology's been around for a few years now information technology all the same stands up well against the competition.
Chicco Fit4 review
Cardinal stats:
-Weight 25lbs
-Shell top 27"
-Max harness height 18.5"
-Max booster height 21"
-Rear-facing size limits 5-40lbs, upwards to 43"
-Forward-facing size limits 25-65lbs, up to 54"
-Loftier back booster size limits 40-100lbs, 38-57"
Pros:
✔ One car seat from birth to (almost) seatbelt historic period
✔ Cushy, historic period-specific padding
✔ Built in lock-offs for seatbelt installation
✔ No-rethread harness
✔ Lower sides than the Nextfit
✔ 10 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Very heavy
✘ Harness can be a trivial narrow for some forward-facing kids
✘ Padding can make seatbelt installation a nuisance for rear facing
If the Chicco Nextfit and the Chicco MyFit harnessed booster got together and had a infant, it would look a heck of a lot similar the new Chicco Fit4 all-in-ane car seat. And that'southward a really good thing!
The Fit4 offers a peachy fit from newborns through booster seat riders past using unlike inserts for each weight range. Newborns utilize the Stage one and 2 inserts together, while rear facing kiddos over 16lbs only use the Phase 2 insert. All of the inserts come out once you switch the seat to forward facing, and booster riders have the selection of a seatbelt pad for added comfort (I'thousand a piddling jealous of that!). Thankfully all of the pieces are clearly labeled to avoid confusion.
Merely like the Nextfit, the Fit4 has 9 different recline position. The fantastic news is that you can utilize whichever 1 your child prefers as long as the bubble level on the side is in the right position for that stage. They requite you plenty of options for recline in forward-facing harness mode and even some in booster mode. It'southward a corking machine seat for kids who similar to sleep in the car!
The Chicco Fit4 comes with two of Chicco'southward splendid "cupfolders", loving cup holders than can fold in to make infinite if you have a tight clasp. These work not bad for us and it's so nice for kids to have two loving cup holders on a long drive! In instance there'due south a spill while you lot're on the road, Chicco gives you the choice to car wash the cloth cover. Since you'll be gradually peeling off the seat'southward layers over a few years, it'll have a better shot at looking new for the long booty.
Ane of the biggest downsides of the Chicco Nextfit is the high sides. They make it hard for parents to lift their rear facing babies in and for older kids to climb in themselves. Fortunately the Fit4 has lower sides to avert that issue.
The biggest downside of the Chicco Fit4 is that it can exist a nuisance to install with a seatbelt when rear facing due to the extra padding you'll have in place. You can go around this past installing with LATCH until 35 pounds, simply that'south only allowed in seats that have dedicated lower anchors – usually just the outboard seats rather than the centre seat.
There'due south currently no "Air" option for the Fit4 fabric, which I sympathise because the Stage 1 and Stage 2 padding would make that tricky. Hopefully we'll encounter that in the next version!
Diono Radian 3QX review
Key stats:
-Weight 26lbs
-Shell top 25"
-Max harness meridian 16.5"
-Rear-facing size limits v-50lbs, upwardly to 44"
-Forrad-facing size limits xx-65lbs, upwardly to 57"
Pros:
✔ Great for plumbing fixtures iii-across
✔ Prissy fabric
✔ Low contour, fold-downwardly sides to expand seating surface area
✔ Adaptable headrest makes newest version longer lasting than its predecessors
✔ eight yr expiration
Cons:
✘ Complicated rules – be sure to read the manual closely
✘ Fit for newborns may non be ideal
✘ Very reclined for immature babies, must add bending adjuster wedge for more upright installation
✘ Numerous actress parts
We had the pleasure of borrowing an older Diono Radian from a friend earlier this twelvemonth and I confess: I wasn't expecting to exist a fan, just when my 5 year old declared it one of her favorite car seats ever that carried a lot of weight with me. She loved the cover's cushy padding but also the soft-bear upon material.
I could tell she was especially comfortable when I folded down the sides of the seat and she could sit "criss-cross absurdity" instead of having her legs dangle awkwardly, a frequent issue for forward facing kids.
The latest Diono Radian 3QX tops out at 50 pounds and 44″ for rear-facing, which will get well-nigh kids to around 5 years quondam. While the stated acme limit for forrard-facing is 57″, many kids volition outgrow the seat forward-facing when their shoulders striking the bottom of the headrest. The adept news is that the 3QX (and its newborn-friendly cousin the Radian 3QXT) has a higher headrest than the Radian R series, so that should help with longevity – you tin see its adaptability in the photo below (and check out the color choice!). If your kid is leggy, she'll become more time than if she carries more than acme in her body.
While it'south non a huge deal for many families, if you're looking for a pinkish or purple car seat for your toddler the 3QX is a great choice! Information technology as well comes in yellow, red and bluish in improver to the more standard black and gray options. Anything to get kids more excited about their car seats, amIright?
While nosotros didn't get a cup holder with the one we borrowed, if you're buying a Diono Radian 3QX convertible car seat y'all'll get 1 that can go on either side of the car seat if y'all have room. But if you lot need to fit three auto seats (or even two automobile seats and an adult passenger), simply leave that cupholder off and the Diono has your back.
The new Q series also features an anti-rebound bar to improve crash performance for rear-facing kids, an upgraded steel frame, boosted side impact protection, and Diono subjects it to additional crash testing compared to its other seats. These area great improvements that should help functioning in the worst crashes.
Diono recently launched their "Diono Departure" plan. Directly purchases include free shipping over $200, an extra 2 years of warranty, free one-on-1 virtual consultations to assist y'all through installation and membership in their VIP club! Read more than virtually it here. For first-time parents or those who aren't sure most their "car seat skills", this is the best convertible carseat client support package around.
The biggest downside of the Diono Radian 3QX can be summed up just: #ItsComplicated. If you aren't extremely diligent, it'southward easy to mess upwardly the installation or usage (I'm 100% sure I did, despite my best efforts and existence a CPST). In addition to all the usual automobile seat parts and rules to call back virtually, the Radian as well includes a detachable rear-facing base, a rear-facing tether connector, Safety Cease (used on the superlative tether if forward facing xx-40 lbs), a lap belt pad (used for lap belt just with no pinnacle tether)… and so you lot'll probably want to buy the split up angle adjuster to make your rear-facing installation more than upright. There's besides a weight-based bending adjustment for frontward facing to consider.
The Radian can as well exist tricky to install in some cars, and it's very car-dependent. Sometimes information technology's even depends on where in the car you're trying to install it. If y'all opt for the Radian because you need to manage lots of kids in a minor infinite, definitely purchase information technology straight from Diono so that you can get their gratis one-on-one installation assistance.
Is your head spinning withal? If not, just be glad it no longer comes with two different sets of harness pads with dissimilar rules. Yep. In an era when every other automobile seat manufacturer is trying to make motorcar seats easier to use, the Radian still has a lot of the aforementioned quirks that it did when Sunshine Kids released the original version back in 2006.
I should note that the Diono Radian 3QX is technically an all-in-one car seat because it tin can convert to a highback booster seat. However, the booster size range is then unrealistic that I don't even have it listed. Kids have to be at to the lowest degree 40 lbs to ride in booster fashion, which is on the low side given that kids are allowed to continue riding in the harness until 65 pounds.
Unfortunately once almost kids are five+ and mature plenty to ride in a booster seat, they may not accept much room to fit their shoulders under the head wings and to employ the fixed-height chugalug guide. Fortunately the 3QX improves on its predecessors in this regard, but information technology's definitely not the last booster seat your kid will need before he passes the 5-step test to safely ride in an adult seatbelt. In betwixt you'd demand something like Diono Cambria 2 or Diono Monterey XT. Simply that'south ok and typical for almost families.
Then no, the Diono Radian 3QX isn't perfect. But if you demand a narrow convertible car seat that'll keep your kids comfy until effectually age vi or 7, it may be a fantastic choice for your family unit. Just exist sure to review the manual with a fine-toothed comb to make certain you don't miss whatever critical details at each phase.
Clek Foonf review
Key stats:
-Weight 36lbs
-Shell height 25"
-Max harness height 17"
-Rear-facing size limits fourteen-50lbs, 25-43"
-Forward-facing size limits twenty-65lbs, 30-49"
Pros:
✔ Great for fitting 3-across
✔ Nice, stain-resistant fabric
✔ Anti-rebound bar for better rear-facing crash performance
✔ Rigid LATCH for like shooting fish in a barrel forward-facing installation
✔ Lock-offs for rear- and forward-facing seatbelt installations
✔ 9 year expiration
Cons:
✘ Extremely heavy
✘ Extremely expensive
✘ Detachable rear-facing base
If you similar the concept of a super narrow, very padded convertible car seat then it doesn't get whatever fancier than the Clek Foonf.
Get-go, let'southward talk near kid comfort. The Foonf is very padded and lots of kids dear it but Clek's padding is pretty firm, and so if your child wants to feel like they're sinking into an easy chair it may not keep them happy. Overall nosotros've heard great feedback from Foonf owners about the condolement of the seat.
The Clek Foonf is just 17″ wide, making it 1 of the all-time convertible car seats for 3-across. If you lot're squeezing three Foonfs in your backseat, naturally you lot won't have space for cup holders for anyone – which tin be tough when you lot're road tripping. But if yous have room for a cup holder, you'll need to purchase one separately. That'south kind of a bummer for such an expensive seat!
The Clek seat fabrics are really interesting. Their latest offers include soft-touch jersey knit, wipe-make clean C-Zero Plus (which comes in fantastic colors!) and even a chemical-gratuitous merino wool knit.
The safety upgrades are where Clek actually shines, which is so important for long drives. For rear facers, the Foonf comes with an anti-rebound bar to stabilize the car seat in a crash. Every bit a bonus, it also provides a few extra inches of leg room for extended rear facing. You tin upwardly the ante with an optional rear-facing tether equally well.
In one case your child is forward facing, they'll exist protected by the Foonf's crumple zones – the same way a car manages crash free energy. As a convenience to parents, the forward facing installation uses fancy rigid LATCH so in that location'southward no strap to tighten. But click and go (and don't forget to install your summit tether).
For kids who similar to sleep in the machine, the Foonf offers three dissimilar recline positions. At that place are rules for when y'all tin use each recline, and then make sure you check the manual for details.
The Foonf does sit really high up rear-facing due to its base, and so many families observe that it's non ideal for flight with a auto seat. If you want lots of the awesome Clek features but a more plane-friendly design consider the Clek Fllo, its sis seat.
Overall, the Foonf is an first-class selection for safety-focused parents of kids who like a firmer ride.
Britax Marathon ClickTight review
Primal stats:
-Weight 28lbs
-Shell tiptop 27"
-Max harness summit 18.five"
-Rear-facing size limits v-40lbs, upwards to 49"
-Frontward-facing size limits 20-65lbs, upwards to 49"
Pros:
✔ Generous size limits
✔ Easy seatbelt installation with ClickTight
✔ No-rethread harness
✔ 10 twelvemonth expiration
Cons:
✘ Very heavy
✘ Expensive
✘ May not fit the tiniest preemies or newborns well
The Britax Marathon ClickTight is a great accommodating pick for families, particularly those with tall kids. It's less expensive than many of the other premium automobile seats on this list, only it'll final the longest thanks to its towering 18.v″ maximum harness elevation.
What makes the Britax Marathon a standout among convertible car seats? If you opt for the Dual Comfort textile, your kids volition enjoy a libation ride cheers to extra ventilation and wet wicking. Kids mostly detect information technology well-padded and it offers nice recline for machine sleepers. The ClickTight technology makes installation a breeze whether you're at dwelling or on the road and the no-rethread harness makes adjustments easy.
The lowest harness slow (when you use the infant insert) also makes the Marathon suitable from birth for well-nigh full-term babies. That's swell news for families who desire to use a convertible car seat from birth – you can use this from birth through roughly age 7, and then pass information technology along to some other sibling or cousin.
Britax has a few other options worth because. If you aren't worries nearly your kids being sweaty, you tin grab the Britax Marathon with an anti-rebound bar. You tin also upgrade to the Britax Boulevard with anti-rebound bar, which adds another layer of side touch protection. For families who want to buy 1 car seat to last them all the way through, it's hard to beat the new Britax One4Life; information technology works extremely well for rear-facing, frontward-facing and boostering and is loaded with features for child condolement and parent convenience.
One small simply important detail is missing from Britax's ClickTight car seat line up: a cup holder. Sadly, they don't include one. You can purchase it separately hither, though lots of parents aren't impressed with it. Hopefully Britax will fix this in the future!
Choosing the right convertible auto seat can be stressful for many families. With whatsoever luck, the seat y'all buy at present volition be a comfy car seat for your toddler as they grow into a large kid!
Have a large sibling in need of an upgrade? Check out our meridian picks for the about comfy booster seats.
Convertible car seat FAQs
What is a convertible car seat?
A convertible car seat is one that can serve as a rear-facing harness and a forward-facing harness. Some "all-in-one" automobile seats too transition to a booster seat down the line.
When should I put my baby in a convertible machine seat?
If you lot offset off with an babe automobile seat, you'd generally move to a convertible auto seat betwixt 12 and 18 months depending on the limits of your babe car seat. If yous plan to use a convertible car seat from birth, be sure to choose one that fits newborns well similar this one.
Is a convertible car seat prophylactic for an infant?
Equally long as information technology fits your infant properly, a convertible auto seat is safe for an infant. There are a few important considerations. First, make sure that the harness straps come up out of the shell below your infant'southward shoulders. 2d, make sure that the seat reclines enough to continue your baby's airway open (some seats do this with a recline lever, while others change the seat shape with a newborn insert). Third, bank check that the car seat caput rest doesn't push your infant'due south head forward then that mentum and breast are touching.
Is a convertible automobile seat more than comfortable?
Convertible car seats usually have more than condolement features than baby automobile seats, every bit they're intended to exist used longer and toddlers are usually pickier about their auto seats (and everything else) than they were as babies.
Does a convertible car seat need a base of operations?
Convertible automobile seats exercise not generally have a base like an baby machine seat, though some have a detachable portion to facilitate rear-facing installation.
How do I choose a convertible motorcar seat?
Make certain that the convertible car seat you choose fits your kid, fits in your car, fits your family's budget and can exist used correctly 100% of the time. The rest is icing on the cake! In that location'southward no accolade for the "best convertible machine seat of 2020" because every family unit's needs are unique.
Source: https://travelcarseatmom.com/most-comfortable-convertible-car-seat-for-long-trips/
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