NOTE : Product prices, availability, ratings and save money information are accurate as of the date/time indicated on post time (as seen right bellow the tittle) and are subject to change. Any price, ratings, availability and save money information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Graco is one of the best choices when it comes to safety car seats and it is for good reasons. Their seats are easy to use, high quality, and protective such as Graco Extend2Fit Vs Extend2Fit 3 in 1. These seats are very similar when it comes to what they can offer yet they also carry one big difference that makes you may want to choose one over the other. If parents wonder what it is, let’s see the comparison below and get the new seat.
In this comparison we are going to talk about:
- Why Installing a Safety Car Seat
- What are Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1
- How are the Design of Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1
- How are the Installation of Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1
- How are the Fitting of Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1
- What else Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 can offer
- Graco Extend2Fit Vs Extend2Fit 3 in 1
Safety Car Seat Importance
Being a parent means we have to provide our kids with everything they need and it is mandatory to use a safety car seat until they are old enough to be secured properly with the seatbelt. There are plenty of good car seats to choose from based on which seems to work best in the vehicle because we drive different cars and each of them may have different systems too. However, as long as the seat is secured and fitted properly, they should work as designed.
Safety car seats are not a new thing and while they are usually only mandatory in developed countries and big cities, there is no reason not to use one. The function of a car seat is to secure the passenger in case of an impact like a car crash. The adults are already secured using the car’s seat belt but this seatbelt is not designed for smaller kids and is not going to fit their body yet. This is why safety seats have 5 points harnessed to replace the function of the seatbelt.
The safety seat is acting like your car seat when installed in front facing and in fact, the kid should sit in the rear-facing seat as long as possible or until exceeding the seat height and weight limit because it is the safer installation. The reason being it absorbs most of the crash forces and supports the head, neck, as well as spine better compared to when the kid is sitting in their forward facing mode. In forward facing mode the head may be thrown forward during a crash and causing injuries.
In most cases the car seats such as Graco Extend2Fit Vs Britax One4Life will allow children from 5 to 50 pounds sitting in this position so we can make the passenger sit in this position for quite a long time. The weight may not exceed first but the height of the kid usually will reduce the time of use especially if they grow up faster or have longer legs and limbs. In addition, the car seat is acting like a padding too in case of a crash.
The impact happens to the body when the car is hitting something or bump by another vehicle will be delivered through the component that comes in contact with the body itself. Manufacturers can design their seats to be more shock absorbing in order to reduce this impact force for children and the way their harness is designed is meant to retain the passenger so they won’t hit the items in the cabin.
| Graco Extend2Fit | Graco Extend2Fit 3 in 1 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 19.2 x 25.2 x 22.1 inches | 19.25 x 22.52 x 25.16 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 19 pounds | 21.6 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1
Now for the most important part, let’s see which car seats to choose and it is actually quite simple since you only need to match the seat capacity with the kid’s height and weight. The other factors can be their installation system and additional features that ease the job or increase the protective ability yet, this is something that can be subjective to the owners. If you are worried about the installation, do check the car’s manual and seats with advanced installation systems.
There are plenty to choose from based on which seems to work best in your vehicle or lifestyle. Graco for example is one of the best options if you are going to choose from a wide range of options because they carry a wide range of models and variants to consider. The seats are usually very similar however but if you want to use them for longer, we can choose the models that have a booster mode or higher weight and height range.
For parents who want to keep the seat for longer, the Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 are perfect solutions. Graco seats have an expiry date of 10 years so make sure that the use of the seats is lower than how long it should last. Depending on the seat they may last for 10 years of use as well when they are freshly manufactured and we are getting an all in one solution. Both of these models are coming from the same line yet they are very different.
The reason is because initial Extend2Fit is not made as a booster seat since it is only a convertible seat so once the kid starts to turn 6 or around this age they may need to have a new seat. On the other hand Extend2Fit 3 in 1 is an all in one solution with a built-in booster seat meaning we can use it for longer as well and of course, the cost to have it in your vehicle will be higher than the convertible seat.
Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 Design
Before getting into what these seats can offer, let’s take a look into the unit first and as you can see, they are very similar in terms of design and the material or padding options. The fashion is not the same however and you can find plenty of attractive shades or combinations as well from both collections. We initially guessed the 3 in 1 will be heavier than the original variant but surprisingly they are similarly about 18.5 lbs. in weight and 20 inches in width.
The construction is adjustable meaning the height is coming in a range so we can make it taller to fit older kids and as they grow up. The seats equally come with an insert or infant padding to improve the fit for smaller babies. What’s noticeably different is how they shape the side padding because as you can see, the 3 in 1 variant has a side padding that is separated from the front of the seat. As for the base, they are narrower than the seat and equally made of plastic.
Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 Installation
Moving further, let’s check the most important part and it is the installation system. The Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 are very much the same in this area because they are best when installed using the LATCH system since it is more straightforward and they can be installed using the belt too. What’s a bit annoying itself is threading the belt on the belt path which is difficult since it requires tweaking the seat and not helpful at all with small access.
Once the belt is threaded, it is easy to put everything together and just for a tip, we can open the lower portion of the seat to show the belt path for an easier process. What you need to do next is lock the seat belt and apply some pressure as we pull the slack out of the lap portion of the vehicle belt until the seat is not wobbly anymore.
Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 Fitting
Next we want to talk about the fit of Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 which is a bit different as well and this is because the latter can be used in booster mode. When in convertible mode, the rear facing weight limit is the same or up to 50 lbs. and until the top of the head is at least one inch from the headrest when fully extended. The front facing weight limit is also the same or from 22 to 65 lbs. and up to 49 inches in height.
Once the kid is surpassing the height limit, Extend2Fit 3 in 1 can still be used until the height limit of 57 inches is exceeded and still useful until the maximum front facing high back booster weight limit of 100 lbs. is exceeded. The seat is featured with a routing slot near the headrest to position the belt.
Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 Features
Lastly for the features part, both Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 are pretty much the same and come with all the basics your car seats are usually featured with and yes, it is a pair of cup holders located on the arm rest. When the seat is in rear facing mode, there is an adjustable foot panel below the seat to help provide more leg room for the passenger. Parents can also adjust the reclining position for installation and comfort.
Graco Extend2Fit Vs Extend2Fit 3 in 1
Both Graco Extend2Fit and Extend2Fit 3 in 1 are similar yet different seats. It is easy to mistake them for each other since they are called by the same model but you can easily tell them apart by checking the design or shape of the seat. Overall the main difference is 3 in 1 being a booster mode as well once they reach the height or weight limit for forward facing mode. The features stay the same and rear facing mode stay the same as well.
Conclusion
NOTE : Product prices, availability, ratings and save money information are accurate as of the date/time indicated on post time (as seen right bellow the tittle) and are subject to change. Any price, ratings, availability and save money information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The decision is all yours but we do think it is wise to consider how long the kid will use the seat because the expiry date is 10 years after manufacturing date. If you want to use the seat for longer, we recommend getting the Extend2Fit 3 in 1 for its booster mode.