It is not a secret that we have always been advocates for an extended use of the rear facing position. This means that whenever a model with a high rear-facing weight limit comes along, we can’t wait to get our hands on it. The Graco Extend2Fit is one of the most popular convertible models on the market – and for a reason. It is easy to install, easy to use, compact, has extra leg room, a 50lbs rear-facing weight limit, and quite a reasonable price. We think that it deserves a more in-depth look – feel free to join us!
Specifications:
- Weight limit – 4-50lbs (rear-facing), 22-65lbs (forward-facing)
- Seat dimensions – 22.1″ x 19.2″ x 25.2″
- Seat weight – 19.8lbs
- Lowest harness position – 7″ (with the insert)
- Highest harness position – 17.5″
- Material – Polyester
Features of Chicco KeyFit
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Extended rear-facing
The first thing on the mind of every parent is, of course, the safety of his kid. The rear-facing car seats are the safest solution for the children when it comes to car rides. With this model, Graco allows you to keep your kid in the rear-facing position for a longer period of time than many other models. The manufacturer claims that most kids will be able to be held in this position until they’re two years of age, and even longer.
Some parents even reported that they have managed to use Graco Extend2Fit in this position until their kids were four years of age, which is absolutely outstanding. This is accomplished by making some parts of the seat, like the leg room or the headrest, completely adjustable.
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The steel reinforced frame
As far as we’re concerned, the key component of every good convertible car seat is certainly its frame. And this model comes with a steel reinforced frame, which is as sturdy as it gets and is guaranteed to keep the seat from falling apart in the case of a possible collision. In our book, this is always a huge plus.
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No-rethread harness
Another great feature of the Graco Extend2Fit is the presence of the Simply Safe Adjust Harness System. This system allows the parent to adjust the headrest’s and harness’ height in just one simple motion, making things a lot easier. You can adjust both of these components without the need to rethread the harness straps. It is even possible to adjust the crotch buckle in the same way.
Many other models do not have this – with them, you have to rethread the harness straps every time you want to move the straps up. The no-rethread harness feature is a real frustration saver and one that deserves special praise.
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Handy harness storage
Once you unbuckle the straps, you will be able to hook them into the convenient harness storage, and then get your child out in one swift movement. If you’re often in a hurry, you will definitely appreciate this fuss-free feature.
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Extra recline options
The Graco Extend2Fit has six reclining positions, four of which can be used in the rear-facing position. This allows a great degree of comfort for the child.
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The dual cup holders
These are a great location to place things like bottles, sippy cups, and snack cups. This gives your child the ability to eat and drink whenever he or she wants, removing the need to stop the car.
Ease of Installation
- REAR-FACING INSTALLATION
There are two different ways to do this – the seat belt approach and the LATCH installation. If you decide to go with the LATCH method, you’ll have to make sure that your vehicle’s anchor spacing is correct. If it is, you can simply use the model’s connecting hooks to attach the car seat to the vehicle.
The seat belt installation is also easy, but maybe a little bit more challenging because the model’s seat belt installation is smaller than on the other seats of this type. This makes threading the belt through somewhat difficult, but, once it’s done, you just have to click it into the belt buckle that’s on the other side, and you’re done.
- FORWARD-FACING INSTALLATION
Just like in the case of the rear-facing installation, the forward-facing one can also be done in two ways – with the seat belt and with the LATCH system. If you decide to use the LATCH method, you will have to switch the included anchors into the forward-facing position by sliding the lower anchor strap to the forward-facing belt path.
The seat belt method is quite similar to that in the rear-facing installation. You just have to thread the belt through the channel and then buckle it. Also, don’t forget the top tether – swing it around the seat and connect it to the top tether anchor.
What’s wrong with the product?
- It’s hard to remove and reattach the seat cover
The seat cover of Graco Extend2Fit is machine washable, which is great, but comes with a minor flaw. Removing and reattaching it is somewhat difficult, and we hope to see this fixed in the next revision.
- It’s bulky
We know that the convertible car seats are often big and heavy, but we would really like for this great model to be just a little bit less heavy. Its bulkiness is especially noticeable when you’re using it together with the extension panel.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, the greatest feature of the Graco Extend2Fit is that it allows the parents to use it in the rear-facing position for a long time. If you’re looking for a model that will get your child from infancy to the toddler age, the Graco Extend2Fit is certainly an excellent choice.
The model also offers a great number of user-friendly features, like the six reclining positions or the no-rethread harness, and using it is completely fuss-free. As it provides the parent with a peace of mind and use of use, we can do nothing else but recommend this model for purchase.
