Graco Slimfit Review in 2024 – Is this the right choice?

Graco SlimFit 3 in 1 Convertible Car Seat Review
All in one solution, it grows with your child and saves you money…

Kids are our life and joy, so we do anything to protect them. Having a child car seat is mandatory in most countries. Thanks to this law, there’s an overflowing selection of car seats on the market.

Look:

You can spend hours and days trying to sort out the differences and figuring out what you need. If you go down the route of getting a car seat for each age range (infant, toddler, booster), you will be losing a lot of money.

Here’s the solution. Convertible car seats are a bit pricier than the rest. Once you have it, you won’t have to buy a new one. Plus, technologies are so advance that they last for years. This means that it can serve multiple children.

Whenever somebody asks which is the best car seat, I usually recommend an all in one or grow with the child. There’s no way to get it wrong.

Before we get any further, let me give you a quick preview. This chair grows with your child from 5 to 100 pounds. This chair will serve you well. It has a high safety rating and has been tested and approved for side crashes.

As the name suggests, its slim fit means that it is narrower than its counterparts. If three across is important for you, then it will be possible with this Graco. The last feature I have to mention is that it’s easily washable.

Let’s get this Graco Slimfit review started. If you stick with me until the end, I will tell you the pros/cons. Some of them are unexpected.

Related: Best Graco Car Seat

Who is the Graco Slimfit 3 in 1 convertible car seat for?

The Graco Slimfit is for those parents who invest in the long haul. This car seat grows with your child. From early infant days to 8 years old, it will serve you.

Also, this car seat has space-saving technology. If you choose this one, you can easily do three across or have an adult between two child seats.

What can the Graco Slimfit car seat do for you?

As the name of the Graco suggests, this car seat is narrower than others. According to the manufacturer, you will be saving 10% in space.

We know that kids don’t like change. So after a friend of mine had an accident, they had to change their car seat. So they have ordered the Graco Slimfit. To limit the fuss and crying, they didn’t mount the chair right away.

They have opened the box and let their daughter explore it a bit. She has climbed in it, played in it. And only after that, they have mounted it in the car. What do you know there was no fuss or crying what so ever.

If you want to take this car seat while traveling don’t. Choose another one because you will be in a world of pain.

The Graco is sturdy, and it’s comfortable. If you want to do three across, it’s a good solution for it.

We know how kids are they spill things and drop things, not to mention accidents. The Graco is well prepared. The fabric can be easily removed, and machine washed.

Graco Slimfit Convertible car seat shortcomings

If you’re accustomed to my reviews, you will know exactly what’s coming next. I tend to balance out my reviews by mentioning the negatives. Without this part, it would be a pure product promotion. So brace yourself let’s see if you still want the Graco after reading this part.

This isn’t the easiest car seat to mount.   If you have owned other Graco car seats, it will take you twice the time to get it installed. So transferring in and out of the car will be a hassle.

There were reports from parents who said that they couldn’t make it tight enough. From my experience, it’s possible. Though it’s not easy, it’s possible.

You will need a bit of dexterity to reach the rear-facing belt pad. It’s the design or what, but I always disliked tinkering there. The harness buckle seems short. I much prefer the ones which are long, and you can adjust it to your liking.

Now there’s no easy way to level this car seat when it’s in rear-facing mode. You have to use a rolled-up towel or pool noodle. Even the manufacturer suggests that. I wonder why won’t they fix it?

Still, in rear-facing mode, there’s not much tilt for this convertible car seat. This means that your little one will drop his head and might get uncomfortable after a while.

These are the issues of the Graco Slimfit car seat. Did I scare you? Or are you still with me?

How To Get The Most Out Of Graco Slimfit 3 in 1 convertible car seat?

There are two golden rules of car seats. First of all, you have to mount it right. There shouldn’t be any wiggle room after everything is fixed in place. If you have doubts, call up the manufacturer or an expert to help you out.

The second golden rule is the right spot to mount it. Don’t forget that the best is to rear face mount your child up to two years old. You can go longer. The safest place to mount the car seat is in the middle. If that’s not an option, go for the driver’s side.

By going with the Graco Slimfit, you get the narrowest convertible car seat possible. Even though it’s slim, it’s comfortable for the kids. It is as user-friendly as it gets. As you adjust the height automatically, the straps follow. There’s no more manual rethreading.

The headrest moves easy, and this car seat is here to serve you for many years to come.
Graco SlimFit 3 in 1 Convertible Car Seat Review

Pros
  • It’s a perfect car seat who wants three across
  • It has everything you need: safety, comfort, and sturdiness
  • Easy to use no manual threading of straps everything is automatic
Cons
  • You will need the force of Hulk to strap it down right
  • Not much tilting options if you want to mount it in rear-facing mode

Conclusion for the Graco Slimfit Review

Parents who have smaller cars like the Honda Civic should go for a narrow car seat or a car seat for compact cars. This comes handy if you have more than one child. It does what’s advertised and then some. It’s comfortable, sturdy, and easy to wash. In the long run, it saves you because you don’t have to buy another one.

We have reached the end of this Graco Slimfit review.

If you have experience with these car seats, let me know if you have a question you know what to do.

Catch you next time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

How wide is the Graco slimfit?

The Graco Slimfit is 19.9 inches wide.

What is the slimmest convertible car seat?

The slimmest convertible is Clek Foonf and Diono Radian 3RTX they both are 16.9 inches wide.

What is the safest car seat?

The safest car seat is the Britax Advocate with three layers of side impact protection it’s the best.

What is the weight limit for the Graco slimfit all-in-one?

For the Graco slimfit all-in-one car seat here is the weight limit. For the infant car seat it is 40 pounds. For the belt-positioning booster, it’s 65 pounds. For booster mode it’s 100 pounds. The booster (backless booster) seat lower weight limit is 30 pounds. The child weight range should be between 5 and 65 pounds. The forward facing weight range is 20 pounds up to 65 pounds. The height range taps out at 49 inches.

What kind of modes does the new car seat Graco slimfit have?

The Slimfit graco car seat can be installed in rear facing as an infant car seat. It can be a rear facing convertible seat. There’s the forward facing belt-positioning booster mode. The booster seat also known as booster seat is super easy to install. My favorite mode is the backless booster.

What’s the expiration date on this Graco car seat?

The expiration date is 10 years for this graco car seat. This means that you will be able to use it without any problems for 10 years.

What kind of safety features do these graco car seats have?

These car seats come with the simply safe adjust harness system. There’s also the inright latch system. The core is made out of steel-reinforced frame. As you know the steel-reinforced frame will keep your little one safe from harm. The simply safe adjust harness system can be hidden away in the storage compartment. These car seats are highly recommended by the american academy of pediatrics. They have high safety standards even if we’re talking about an infant seat. The eps foam will perform well in a car accident. It also won the best booster car seat award. The child safety is the most important thing for parents. These car seats have passed the crash tests. The harness system provides great body support.

How can you install these Graco car seats?

Before starting the installation make sure you check out the manual. After that, you can use the vehicle seat belt or the inright latch system. Since it’s a convertible car seat you can use the inright latch system in booster mode (booster seat). As we all know the seat belt install is finicky so make sure it’s tight. The simply safe adjust harness system is super easy and keeps your little one safe. The vehicle belt fit is possible with the latch belt and the seat belts. The seat belts have to go through the belt path. The latch attachment can be found in all newer cars. You connect the latch connectors to the latch attachment to secure the bench seat.

What kind of features do these graco seats have?

Here’s a quick rundown of features: dual cup holders, good leg room for the back seat, removable and washable seat cover, multiple recline positions.

What would be a good alternative for the slimfit graco car seat?

For the Slimfit graco car seat the Graco 4ever convertible car seats would be the best alternative. When you’re looking for baby products the Graco 4ever should be top of your list. With the protectplus engineered you can’t go wrong. For all these reasons plus the high safety standards i consider the graco 4ever as a good alternative. It’s also known as an all in one car seat. It doesn’t have an infant carrier portion. Long car rides are comfortable with these car seats.

What are the best uses for these Slimfit car seats?

The seat cover is machine washable. It has two cup holders, one cup holder typically is not enough. The seating modes can be changed. The next stage would be a high back booster for road trips. You can hide the harness straps and the harness strap covers in the harness storage compartment. There’s a headrest pillow for additional comfort. The harness setting is easy to adjust thanks to the level indicator.

Last Updated on November 1, 2023 by Brian Beasley

Written by Linda Reid

Hey there, I'm Linda, a mom of three cool kids. I've tried so many car seats, you could call me a "Car Seat Detective." Searching for the perfect car seat can feel like finding a needle in a haystack, but don't worry! I've committed to researching and reviewing car seats that are super safe, cozy, and great for growing kids. Together, we'll find the perfect car seat that keeps your child safe and cozy, and makes you feel like a super-parent!