We got this as a Christmas gift but we were planning on buying it ourselves.  My son was about to outgrow his infant carrier so I had looked into convertible car seats since I wanted to continue rearfacing.  He was only 8 months old at the time so he legally couldn't be forward facing anyway.  However, with him being a little on the taller side, I didn't want to buy something that he would outgrow sooner than necessary.  I talked with a few car seat technicians online about my situation and they recommended this one and another one.  We were very happy with the decision we made and the price was fairly reasonable too.  The only thing that's negative, which really isn't a negative, is that when you install the removable head extension, it makes it quite big for rear facing in the back seat.  But it fits back there and I can't complain.  We love that it has easy to adjust straps that don't require rethreading.  The padding appears to be very comfortable for our son as well and we've taken 5 hour car trips with him in it just fine.   But the thing that really sold us on this car seat was the great ratings it got from Consumer Reports.  Ease of Installation I think most car seats are always a bit difficult to install, but that's because you want to be sure that it's in there very securely. Child's Comfort The padding is just the right amount. Support and Safety I feel very sure that my son is safe and well supported in his seat. Ease of Use When forward facing, it's great. But when it's rear facing, it is extremely difficult to tighten the straps because the pull strap is right against the back of the seat and you can't easily loosen the straps either. Design We have a gray one and it's a great neutral color. Durability It is very durable and it has stood up to some diaper leaks and spills as well.

carinyosa99

Gaithersburg, MD

We needed a new carseat and had heard alot about going with Britax. So we did the research, and found that Britax had very high ratings and safety, as everyone was telling us. But then we stumbled on the First Years brand, and saw that they were receiving even higher ratings, and cost about the same. We ordered it, and got it in a few days. Installation was alot easier and faster than the other brands we've had. We have used Evenflo and Eddie Bauer, but the First Years was definitely easier to get in, especially in our small sentra. The Eddie Bauer also had trouble staying in place in the rear facing position, but the First Years has a bar at the bottom that can flip to either front or back to hold it in place, so it sits so much more secure. We love how our son fits in it, and he seems very comfortable, especially when he sleeps on the longer car rides. The First years also has 7 years till it expires, and goes up to 65lbs, which will help alot with making this car seat last a very long time. This carseat is very highly recommended.

sambo0519

Oconomowoc, WI

I have three kids age 5 and under, so I am familiar with many different brands and models of car seats. The First Years True Fit is one of my favorites. The straps move up and down without uninstalling the seat, which is a huge plus. The cover comes off without uninstalling the seat, which is another huge plus. The seat itseslf is very plush and comfortable, almost more so than the much more expensive Britax seats we own that are usually proclaimed as being the best you can buy. I also love that the harness height on this seat is a bit higher than other seats that go up to the same weight limit, so if you have long and lean kids like me it will last them even longer. My tall for her age 5 year old daughter has outgrown the height on her Britax Marathon, but still has an inch or so of room left in the True Fit. The only reason I'd give this seat 4 stars instead of 5 is that it can be trickier to install initially that some other seats out there, especially rear facing. The lock offs (which you have to use in any installation scenario on this seat) can be a little annoying, but once you do it a few times it gets much easier, I promise. For the same quality but almost half the price of the pricy Britax seats, this seat is a great value!

elphaba826

Maricopa, AZ

We have 2 of the First years True Fit Convertible Car Seats for our children. We LOVE them!! The latch system is genius! I am a petite 5 ft. 3 in. and I am able to easily transfer them from the van to my husband's car. That was one of the main reasons I bought these car seats. It takes some reading up on the manual to initially understand how to install them, but once you get it, it's so easy. Another selling point for me was the ability to snap off the cover without having to rethread the harness. A woman had to have designed this seat! I'm looking at getting another one for our next child. I would highly recommend this car seat for it's ease of use, safety, cosmetics and comfort!

carolinamom08

Wendell, NC

I have loved The First Years True Fit car seat from the day we installed it in my car rear facing when my son was 10.5 months old. It is a big bulky for rear facing especially if you dont have a large vehicle but we knew that it only needed to be that way for a couple months so we weren't too concerned. He always seemed very comfortable and it gave him the space that he was lacking in the infant carrier. Once we turned it around and he was front facing, we knew we had bought the right car seat. He loves to ride in the car and I believe it is partially due to the comfort of the car seat. He has never once argued with me about getting in his car seat and lately he tends to stay in there reading his book even when it is time to get out. Recently we had a six hour drive and halfway through the drive I looked back at him and his arms were behind his head and feet kicked back and resting looking out the window almost as if he was in a lazy boy recliner. I never worry about the safety of the car seat and I know he is always comfortable!

swtkel

Carmel, IN

We recently purchased the First Years True Fit Convertible Car Seat for our 22 pound almost ten month old. We researched safety ratings online and came to the conclusion that this was the safest option for our son. One of the Britax convertible car seats was highly recommended by my sister, but this one seemed to have slightly higher safey ratings. This car seat was very easy to install in our 1996 Nissan Sentra, in which we do not have the car seat hooks available in newer cards. The car seat feels super snug and secure. We also have an Eddie Bauer convertible car seat installed in our 2006 Pontiac G6 which does have the car seat clips. This one does not feel nearly as secure as the First Years and we will be double checking to make sure it is installed properly. Cons: very high safety ratings, easy to install, easy to adjust straps. You don't have to rethread the straps to make the fit a taller child. This makes it safer as you can't reinstall them incorretly. Fits the child for a long time and keeps them the safest in a five point harness.

LeahRUttech

Oconomowoc, WI

I purchased the First Years True Fit in June 2010 for my then 18-month-old daughter. She previously had been in a Graco Safeseat. That seat had a higher weight limit (30lbs) and she was no where near that, but was getting close to the height limit so we decided to upgrade. Straight out of the box, the car seat was extremely impressive. It felt very well padded (I would have loved to sit in it). The no rethread pad was a huge selling point as well. The only complaint I have is that my husband and I did not have the easiest time installing the seat in our 2004 Honda CRV. I know that the newer model has a built in level instead of a line sticker which may make it easier to install. For some reason we just could not get that line to go horizontal without some serious elbow grease. But now that its installed, it isn't going anywhere! My daughter is now front facing at 26 months and even now, rarely fights to go in the seat. Its definitely a great buy if you can figure out how to install it without a headache.

kbugnitz

Columbus, OH

When I started looking for a toddler car seat, I did a lot of research all kinds of toddler car seats.  My child was on the small side so we wanted to keep her rear facing as long as we could.  But she was starting to become cramped in the infant car seat, so we needed to find a different seat.  I decided to purchase convertible car seats.  Then I made the decision to purchase The First years True Fit Convertible Car seat.  This car seat seemed to be the best fit for our toddler and it was within our price range.  I really liked that it is rear and forward facing.  Once our little one reached the weight limit we turned it forward facing.  I thought that each way was fairly easy to install in our suv.  I have washed the fabric cover a couple of times and have found it easy to remove and replace.  I have had no problem with the fabric cover losing its shape after being washed and dry.    

froglilies

Fort Worth, TX

We purchased this seat for my 18 month old when he started to grow out of his bucket seat.  He is now a very tall four year old and is still using this seat.  We used this seat in a rear facing position in our Mazda Tribute until my son hit the 35lb. mark (he was about 3 and a half years old).  We now use the seat forward facing.  We also purchased a second True Fit seat for our second son.  He is 21months old and it is still be used in the rear-facing position.   I I find it very easy to install this car seat using either the latch or seatbelts.  I most often use the latch, but when we need to fit a third seat in our vehicle, I use the seat belts as they allow room for a third seat between the two True Fits (We CANNOT fit three true fits across in the Tribute).  The best fitting seat between the True Fits is a Sunshine Radian.  In truth, I find it easier to buckle the seat when it is being used in a forward facing position.  The belt adjuster is very difficult to reach when the seat is installed rear-facing.  But that really is my only complaint.

mum2simon

Millville, MA

This carseat is absolutely wonderful. When my son was born, we were given a carseat as a gift. It did the job (kept my son safe in the car) but he hated it. He screamed and screamed any time we drove somewhere. I thought it was simply becasuse he didn't like the car. When we went to visit family in another country, however, they had a carseat that he didn't mind. So... we looked for a new one, and The First Years True Fit Convertible Car Seat is the one we chose. Now, my son love car rides. It is so comfortable for him, and it's a breeze for me. It's so nice to know that this car seat will grow with him. It's made to convenienty adjust as my son gets bigger. It has top-notch safety features, and I'm rest assured that now my son can enjoy a comfortable and safe car ride with this carseat for the next several years of his life.

Beccysan

Apo, AE