Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Review in 2024

My friends got T-boned by a car while his son was…

…riding with them. The parents suffered severe whiplash. The boy got off safe and sound. There wasn’t even a mark on him because the car seat didn’t move an inch.

Look:

This could’ve ended differently if the child hadn’t been in the seat or if the seat hasn’t been installed correctly. Luckily it wasn’t the case the boy was safe from harm.

Before we get any further, let me give you a quick preview. This car seat comes with click connect tech, which means you know your child is safe after you hear the click. It has only one mode which is rear-facing. It can be utilized until they reach 32” or 35lb. Super easy to install.

If you get the stroller, you can create your travel system. It’s compatible with Graco strollers. Choose from four recline positions for maximums comfort.

Let’s get this Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 review started. If you stick with me until the end, I will tell you the pros/cons. Some of them are unexpected, to say the least.

Who can get the most out of this Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 car seat?

This Graco car seat is for people who value safety and comfort. There’s a price to pay for safety, and I don’t mean the monetary one. This safe car seat is heavy.

The pattern design is a thing of beauty. You’re not only keeping your child safe and in comfort, but you will be stylish as well.

What can the Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 car seat do for you?

The Graco Snugride delivers two things at the same time. This is safety and comfort. Some kids simply don’t like car rides. From my experience, if they find the right car seat, everything changes.

Everything comes down to comfort. If they don’t like the seat because something is off, then it’s going to be a long, long road. I have learned this lesson the hard way. It’s extremely hard to pay attention to the road for hours if your little one is screaming their lungs out.

I can’t get enough of the fabric. It feels so good for the skin. This adds an extra layer of comfort to little ones. When I’ve unpackaged it, there weren’t any harmful chemical smells.

I had the luck to get a different brand, which had to be degassed for a few days. That’s a story for another day.

The Graco SnugRide can be mounted on a compatible stroller. If you buy the system, you’re saving money and gain convenience.

What if you have a newborn?

There’s a padded insert that gives great head support.

Let me tell you about a canopy. Finally, one that covers the whole face and it’s quiet. Some manufacturers forget about this aspect. I had the misfortune with a different car seat to pull down the canopy, and it squeaked. Did my daughter wake up?

You bet she did. For a few minutes, which seemed like an eternity, she entered chainsaw mode. I’ve tried to add machine oil, but I couldn’t manage to get rid of the squeakiness. With Graco, you don’t have to worry about that.

The car seat is not entirely black, so it doesn’t overheat during the summer. I heard about horror stories that the child was sweating as soon he was seated. People who have designed this chair apparently have children. No wonder it’s so good.

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 shortcomings

There’s no such thing as the perfect product. This Graco car seat has a few flaws. Let’s see if they are a deal-breaker for you.

If you don’t have time to hit the gym, this carrier will give you a decent workout. All you have to do is park far away and carry your child. I’m in good shape, and I felt the burn after one of these longs walks. Remember, you have to carry them until they learn to walk.

Some people have complained that no matter what they’ve done, the car seat was wiggling. The majority, on the other hand, said that it doesn’t move even a fraction of an inch. Even my friend with the T-bone accident said that.

In case you have the wiggling issue, then it’s a good idea to get it checked by a professional. Remember the story above, if the seat hadn’t been installed correctly, there would’ve been consequences.

How To Get The Most Out Of Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35?

The most important part of the car seat is the installation, and you have to get this right. Remember that the car seat shouldn’t move after the install. If you want to double sure get it checked by a professional.

What the best place to put your child? This depends on how many passengers s you have. The safest place is facing backward in the middle. The second safest place is behind the driver.

You are in luck this Graco car seat is easy to install. There are only three steps involved. You have to buckle the latch, remove the slack and lock for the secure install. That’s it, you’re done.

This is the most user friend car seat I’ve come across. You don’t need any special type of degree to get it right. It’s so easy that even grandparents hands can get it done. There are car seats that require the strength of an elephant, or the positions to make the right fit are so awkward or hard to reach. Not with the Graco.

After you have installed everything does adjust the height according to the needs of your little one. For newborns, use the head support for the ultimate comfort.

Pros:

If you value safety and comfort, this is the car seat for you

It’s easy to use even grandparent hands can adjust it

It’s compatible with Graco strollers no converters are needed

Cons:

It’s a heavy car seat, and it will give you a decent workout until the child learns to walk

Few people reported that the chair wiggled

Conclusion for Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 Review

My friend has learned a valuable lesson from that crash. Now he has to change the car seat. And he will buy this Graco Snugride. His son was protected, so he’s sticking with this brand.

We have reached the end of this Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 review. I hope you’ve got the info that you were looking for. If you have questions, feel free to contact me.

If you have any experience with this car seat, let me know. I love to read other people’s experiences.

Catch you next time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

What’s the difference between Graco SnugRide and SnugLock?

There are two differences between the Graco SnugRide and SnugLock. First of all the Snugride has 6 levels of recline while the Snuglock ClickConnect only has 4. The big difference is between the installation. The Snuglock uses the graco click connect which is a fancy way of saying level 1 latch connectors. The Snugride is more evolved and easier to use latches.

How long is a Graco SnugRide 35 Good For?

The Graco SnugRide 35 is good for 7 years after the manufacturing date.

Is the Graco SnugRide 35 FAA approved?

Yes the Graco SnugRide 35 is FAA approved. Only the carrier part can be taken on the airplane and the seat has to stay behind.

Which graco infant seat is better the snugride click connect 35 or the Snugride Snuglock?

The graco click connect infant car seats are the older versions. The snugride click connect uses the oldest latches possible which are tricky to use.

Do I get an infant insert with my infant car seat?

Yes there’s and infant insert included with the infant car seat.

How do you install the Graco Snugride Snuglock infant car seat?

You can only install them in rear facing mode with or without the base using the latch connectors or the seat belt. They are known for the ease of use. Make sure you level indicator before the installation of the infant seat and read the user manual. With the seat belt install you need to feed it through belt path and remove the slack. Install the base first then comes the carrier part. The baby car seat installation is straight forward. Since it’s an infant carrier you can install it with the car seat base or without the base. With the snugride click connect 35 you can use the latch system (latch installation) or the vehicle belt installation method. Just to keep in mind the snuglock base is not FAA approved only the carrier portion. When you start the installation make sure that there’s not recline angle for that check out the recline level indicator. As you know the vehicle seat belt (vehicle belt) is harder to install than the latch system. With the latch system you connect the latch clips to the latch anchors. Make sure that there’s a click sound coming from the latch anchors and after that you have to pull tight the latch strap (latch straps). After that you can adjust the recline positions. With the vehicle belt you have to feed through the belt guide the shoulder belt.

How comfortable are Graco seats?

The graco seats are super comfy and they are known for the ease of use. The crotch strap is adjustable for the best comfort. This is very important with an infant car seat.

What would be a good alternative for the snugride click connect 35?

The perfect alternative for the snugride click connect 35 infant car seat would be the Britax B safe infant car seat. There’s a bit of base design flaw with this infant carrier and it’s with the canopy.

What is the weight range for the snugride click connect 35 infant car seat?

For the graco nugride click connect 35 infant car seat the weight range is 4 to 35 pounds. The carrier weight is under 9 pounds. The height limit is 32 inches. You can play with the height adjustment for optimal comfort. As you can see these graco infant car seats are a good choice even if you go with the base models (base model).

What kind of safety features does these graco infant seats have?

As you know the snugride click connect 35 infant car seat has high safety standards. It’s advised to install it on the back seat. It’s one of the safest car seat brands out there. It has passed all safety tests and obeys all state laws. The snugride click connect 35 infant car seats come in multiple color options. The crash test results were all favorable. Thanks to the side impact protection and EPS foam crash forces are absorbed and your growing child isn’t hurt. This baby car seat is compatible with airplane seat belts. The seat depth is sufficient for bigger babies. The preemie doll insert is great for premature babies.

What other features should you check out with the graco snugride click connect 35?

With the snugride click connect 35 you get an easy to remove seat cover. The harness straps are padded. The harness slots can easily be adjusted and the recline foot level indicator offers extra comfort.

Which car seats are better Graco or Britax?

Both car seats are good, if you can spend a bit more money Britax is the better choice, however Graco has pretty good car seats too. Take a look at the car seat comparison post.

Last Updated on November 1, 2023 by Brian Beasley