Graco SnugRide Car Seat Review

Graco's SnugRide car seat is the natural companion to any of the company's strollers. Clicking the carrier from the car seat base to the seat of the stroller really preserved peace and tranquility while my daughter was tiny. Transporting her in the car seat from the road to the restaurant and back home again allowed me to follow the adage "Never wake a sleeping baby" without being a prisoner in my house during nap-time. Since the carrier was often hooked over my arm, I appreciated the many and varied fabric options. Ours was purple.

Installing the car seat base is moderately difficult whether you use LATCH clips or the vehicle belt, and I recommend visiting a child seat safety tech to make sure it is done correctly. After installing the base the first time, though, you don't have to move it around. The carrier portion clicks in and out, and can be installed without the base if you ride in someone else's car. Additional bases are sold for about thirty dollars if you frequently use more than one vehicle. The infant's harness is tedious to adjust because it requires re-threading, and the straps can get twisty, but it is simple to buckle and tighten on a day to day basis.

The carrier itself is a great place to let baby play or sleep when you are not at home or need to keep her contained. Although it is not thick with padding, my daughter always seemed happy and comfortable. I could rock her with my foot or hang toys from the handlebar, making a separate bouncy seat purchase redundant.

My only real problem with this seat is the short window for usage. While nobody can expect their infant car seat to last long, there are others (even made by Graco) with a higher weight and length capacity. In my tiny car, it would have been nice to keep her in a compact, rear-facing seat for as long as possible. For that reason, I would recommend that friends stick with the Graco brand if they want a durable, safe seat for a good value, but consider a larger model such as the SafeSeat.