Going on a road trip is supposed to be a good time for the entire family. When you have young children that need to be looked after, it isn’t always going to be quite so easy. You want to do your best to keep your children happy and safe during the long car ride. This is why you really need to think about buying the best convertible car seat for travel.
The issue with this is that there are a ton of different convertible car seats on the market. With so many of them on the market, it can actually be kind of tough to narrow things down. Determining which options are worthwhile and which ones are not worth your time will be time-consuming if you don’t know where to start looking. Luckily, you aren’t going to have to go into this situation blindly.
Today, we’re going to take a deep look at the top five best convertible car seats for travel. All of these convertible car seats are going to be appealing in different ways. Depending on what you want out of a car seat, you might wind up swaying one way or the other. Either way, you’ll want to look at each of the options carefully to see what they have to offer.
1. Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat
This convertible car seat made by Graco is definitely one of the best options on the market. This is going to be a great car seat for protecting rear-facing infants that are between 4 and 50 pounds. It can also protect front-facing toddlers that are between 22 and 65 pounds. When you’re using the seat in rear-facing mode the head height should be below the red handle, but the front-facing height can be up to 49 inches.
[earnist ref=”graco-extend2fit-convertible-car-seat” id=”13235″]
You’ll be able to enjoy some peace of mind due to the fact that this car seat has been meticulously crash tested. It’s capable of keeping your kids safe and is among the best car seats on the market for overall protection. You want to be able to purchase something that has been put through the paces to ensure that it works well. This car seat checks all of the right boxes when it comes to protection.
The harness system of this car seat is decidedly simple to use. You can adjust the height of the harness and the headrest in one easy motion. This is very simple to get set up and it isn’t ever going to feel like a nuisance. It has been designed to be as user-friendly as it can be.
The latch system is similarly easy to use and you can latch your child in very fast. It should only take one second to make use of the latch attachment. Installation could not be much easier than it is here. It feels very secure and you’ll have no problems getting everything going.
It’s also worth noting that you can use this car seat in rear-facing mode for longer due to the included extension panel. This can provide more leg room so that your child can continue using the seat in this fashion. There is also a six-position recline that can keep your child happy and comfortable. It makes it easy for kids to fall asleep on long car rides.
Pros
- Six-position recline
- Very easy to install
- Great protection
- Latch system is easy to use
- Harness and headrest can be adjusted easily
Cons
- Some find it tough to tighten the harness
2. Evenflo Symphony Elite All-in-One Convertible Car Seat
Here is another car seat that you’re going to want to give some serious consideration. Those who are familiar with the Evenflo brand are going to understand that this is a reputable product. This brand has a commitment to providing parents with safe products for their children. This convertible car seat is going to be no exception.
[earnist ref=”evenflo-symphony-elite-all-in-one-convertible-car-seat” id=”13236″]
This is a fantastic all-in-one car seat that is capable of fitting children from 5 pounds all the way up to 110 pounds. This has been meticulously designed so that it will be the only car seat that you’ll need throughout your child’s life. It should be very capable of working for your children when they’re young infants and will continue to work well once they become toddlers. Everything about this car seat works very well and it’s all easy to understand.
When this car seat is in rear-facing mode, it’s going to be capable of protecting infants that are between 5 and 40 pounds. While in the front-facing mode, it’ll be capable of protecting toddlers that are between 22 and 65 pounds. The booster mode works to support children that are between 40 pounds and 110 pounds. This means that this car seat is very practical for your child no matter what age they are.
The latch technology that has been used in this car seat is truly exceptional. It makes it as simple as possible for you to latch your children into the seat safely. This will ratchet easily to make sure that everything is tight and that you have a wriggle-free seat. Your child will be stable and secure in this car seat.
This has been designed with safety in mind. It makes use of a five-point infinite slide harness that will adjust for an accurate fit every single time. If you’re worried about having a car seat that isn’t going to fit your child right, then having a reliable one such as this is important. It’ll make it easy for your child to get the right protection while also keeping things simple for getting them in and out of the seat.
Pros
- All-in-one design
- Great five-point infinite slide harness
- Latch technology is fantastic
- Fits children from 5 pounds all the way up to 110 pounds
Cons
- Some may wish that the seat reclined more
3. Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat
If you want to get a car seat that is going to be able to grow with your child, then this one definitely fits the bill. This is a car seat that is designed to support infants, toddlers, and young children. It makes it easy to travel long distances due to the overall comfort level of the car seat. Your child should be comfortable in this seat no matter what.
[earnist ref=”safety-1st-grow-and-go-3-in-1-convertible-car-seat” id=”13237″]
The seat is capable of supporting infants and toddlers that are between 5 pounds and 40 pounds while in rear-facing mode. In front-facing mode, the seat is capable of supporting toddlers that are between 22 and 65 pounds. Young children that are between 40 and 100 pounds can use this car seat in booster seat mode. This all works out very conveniently and it works to protect your children.
You’ll also like that this car seat has an adjustable three-position recline. This should work to help keep your kids comfortable while you’re going on your trip. It’ll certainly go a long way toward helping them relax and it should allow them to sleep when they’re tired. It’s a very comfortable car seat that is going to keep your children feeling good even during long car rides.
Integrated cup holders help you to keep your child’s snacks and juice cups close. You can put their stuff close to them so that they can access it during the trip, assuming your child is developed enough to do that. You’ll also like that these cup holders are very easy to clean. If there is an accident, then it won’t take too long to clean things up.
Getting your child in and out of this seat is going to be very simple, too. There are harness holders that keep the harness open while you’re getting things situated. You should be able to get this seat to work for your situation very easily. It’ll be fast getting your kids in and out, so you won’t feel like you’re wasting any time.
Pros
- Capable of supporting infants, toddlers, and young children
- Easy to get kids in and out of the car seat
- Has cup holders
- Three-position recline
Cons
- Might make some rattling noises from time to time
4. Safety 1st TrioFit 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat
Here is yet another offering from the folks over at Safety 1st. This is another 3-in-1 convertible car seat that is meant to be used by infants, toddlers, and young children. This winds up being a bit different than the previous model that is listed above. Even with the differences, it manages to be a similarly effective convertible car seat option.
[earnist ref=”safety-1st-triofit-3-in-1-convertible-car-seat” id=”13238″]
You’re going to notice that this car seat only has one cup holder instead of two. Some might not like having to lose a cup holder, but this should still work out fine. You’ll be able to keep your child’s drink in the cup holder or you could put some snacks there. It’s still pretty easy to clean too, which is nice.
This has been designed to fit kids at the same sizes as before. Infants will make use of a rear-facing mode and it fits infants that weigh between 5 and 40 pounds. The forward-facing mode is meant for toddlers and this is going to fit those weighing between 22 and 50 pounds. The booster seat mode is meant for young children and it’ll fit kids that are between 40 and 100 pounds.
Another noteworthy addition to this car seat is the fact that it has special side impact protection. This is going to help to keep your child a bit safer in the event of an accident. When planning a road trip, you’re going to want to take extra precautions just in case. This car seat works well when it comes to providing protection.
The harness is going to be pretty easy to adjust here and you won’t have many problems. Getting kids in and out of this car seat is fast once you get used to things. Overall, we think that this is a very user-friendly product. It’s a recommended convertible car seat that’ll appeal to many parents.
Pros
- The harness is easy to use
- Has a cup holder
- Fits infants, toddlers, and young children well
- Side impact protection
Cons
- Installation is a bit of a pain
5. Cosco Apt 50 Convertible Car Seat
Finally, we’re going to take a look at this car seat from Cosco. This seat has two modes of use and it’s going to be good for toddlers and infants. Infants will need to use this car seat in rear-facing mode, while toddlers will be making use of the front-facing mode. It’s designed to fit kids up to 40 pounds in rear-facing mode and up to 50 pounds in front-facing mode.
[earnist ref=”cosco-apt-50-convertible-car-seat” id=”13239″]
This has a five-point harness that is easily adjustable. This features six different heights and has three buckle locations. You shouldn’t have a problem getting used to using this car seat. It will buckle your child in well and you’ll be able to enjoy going on your trip without any hassles.
You’ll also be able to rely on the built-in side impact protection of this model. This does a good job of keeping your children extra safe. If you want to have the maximum protection possible, then this should work out well. This is a solid car seat when it comes to protecting your kids.
Also, you can remove the car seat pad when it needs to be cleaned. Chances are that your kid is going to get this thing messy over time. Being able to remove the pad and wash it makes a lot of sense. This pad is great because it’s machine washable and it can be placed in the dryer.
This seat is even certified for use on an aircraft. If you want to use this seat for your child when traveling on a plane, then things should work out nicely. This is an easy seat to recommend based on that alone.
Pros
- Aircraft certified
- Side impact protection
- Machine-washable car seat cover
- Easily adjustable harness
Cons
- Might not be the most comfortable seat for air travel
Our Final Thoughts on the Best Convertible Car Seats for Travel
Being able to pick out the right convertible car seat for your child really matters. We recommend trying out the [earnist_link ref=”graco-extend2fit-convertible-car-seat” id=”13235″]Graco Extend2Fit[/earnist_link] due to its overall versatility and build quality. The other options on this list are also fantastic and you really can’t go wrong either way. Simply take your time and make your choice after you’ve gone over all of the information.
Once you have the right convertible car seat purchased, it’s going to make traveling a lot simpler. You won’t have to feel so worried about anything and you can just look forward to your vacation. It’s good to take the time to pick out the best option for your child. Their safety and happiness are certainly what matters the most.
