Seats for Heavier/Taller Babies

Best car seats for older, heavier or taller babies

A common complaint among parents is how quickly their babies outgrow infant car seats. More and more manufacturers are beginning to address this issue with car seats rated to 30 pounds rather than the standard 22 pounds, and to 32 inches in height rather than the standard 29 or even 30 inches.

Buying a seat that accommodates a taller, heavier baby will also allow you to keep your child in the rear-facing position longer; the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends rear-facing seats for babies up to 2 years of age. Keep in mind, though, that the increased capacity tends to come with an increase in weight, making these infant car seats harder to use as carriers (a 10-pound carrier plus a 30-pound baby is a lot to carry on your arm).

The Britax Chaperone (*Est. $200) is one of the more expensive infant seats on the market, but it gets excellent reviews for both its convenience and safety features; in one independent crash test it received the highest overall score among higher-capacity car seats. And in a comparison review at Babble.com, Kate Bayless also rates this seat highly based on its safety and ease of use. The Chaperone will fit babies up to 30 pounds or 32 inches.

Extra features include an anti-rebound bar -- an extra metal bar intended for additional stabilization in front- and rear-end crashes. The Chaperone also has two very large and very deep foam wings for side padding. Bayless says she finds these wings prevent babies from getting "crumpled neck syndrome" -- having their necks squashed against their chins when sleeping. (We found an article from ABC News that addresses concerns over studies from the Medical City Hospital in Dallas as to whether or not newborns sleeping in infant car seats receive enough oxygen, since their necks are often slumped over in a position that limits oxygen intake. These concerns are still being investigated by scientists.)

Note that on Nov. 8, 2010, Chaperone car seats made between April 2009 and May 2010 were recalled for a chest harness clip that could break (the recall was issued after the date of our update). Owners can contact Britax for a free replacement clip; it turns out that the clips were manufactured using a plastic that proved too brittle. However both Britax and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend that parents continuing using the car seat while waiting to receive the replacement buckle. More details can be found here.

Parents love the Chaperone for reasons other than its excellent safety ratings. They say the ergonomic handle makes it easy to carry and that the long canopy provides excellent shade from sun and protection from bad weather. User reviews also indicate that the seat is very easy to install and even easier to adjust through the seven different height settings as baby grows. Parents also like the fun colors the Chaperone is available in, the cow-print pattern being the most notable. Babble.com tester Kate Bayless notes some drawbacks; the carrier is on the heavier side at just over 10 pounds, for example, and the seat lining must be washed by hand. One other caveat: The seat's base has a depth of 30 inches, which may make it a tight fit in smaller cars or those with smaller rear seats.

There are plenty of other lower-priced car seats holding babies of up to about 30 pounds, and though they don't get the same rave reviews as the Britax Chaperone, they still meet federal safety regulations. The Graco Infant SafeSeat Step 1 (*Est. $130 to $185, depending on model) is rated for babies weighing up to 30 pounds. It also has a generous 32-inch height limit. This seat gets thorough coverage in professional reviews, and parent feedback on user review sites is enthusiastically positive. Owners say the Graco Infant SafeSeat Step 1 is comfortable, easy to install and quick to adjust, and they like the fact that it accommodates both tall and heavy babies. The 9.8-pound weight is on the heavy side for an infant seat, but parents say it's reasonable considering the expanded height and weight limits. However, at this time the Graco Infant SafeSeat Step 1 has not yet been independently crash tested by ConsumerReports.org.

Graco also now offers the SnugRide 32 (*Est. $150), which can accommodate babies up to 32 pounds in weight and 32 inches in height, and the SnugRide 35 (*Est. $160), which has limits of 35 pounds and 32 inches. We haven't seen many reviews of the SnugRide 35 version yet, but the SnugRide 32 has been the subject of recent professional crash testing and additional reviews. Babble.com gives the SnugRide 32 its Best Pick award for overall best car seat for its "ideal combination of safety, comfort, style, convenience and price." However, the Graco SnugRide 32 receives a good rating in only one professional crash test (the Britax Chaperone receives an excellent rating in this same study) and only a fair rating for fit to vehicle.

Consumers give the Graco SnugRide 32 above average ratings; more than 140 reviewers at BabiesRUs.com give this infant car seat 4 out of 5 stars. The main complaint we found is that it is bulkier than the standard Graco SnugRide, and thus does not fit in all cars, but that is probably to be expected in a seat meant to hold a larger baby. At 9.5 pounds, it's 2 pounds heavier than the standard Graco SnugRide, and is also more expensive than the lower-priced Graco SnugRide car seats. 

The slightly more expensive Chicco KeyFit 30 (*Est. $170), rated for babies up to 30 pounds, performs very well in tests and receives very good reviews from parents. Owners are especially positive about the Chicco KeyFit 30's easy installation and quick adjustments, and most say it's reasonably easy to carry as well. At 9 pounds, the Chicco KeyFit 30 is a bit lighter than other infant car seats with 30-pound weight limits. Still, it doesn't get the rave reviews that we read for the Britax Chaperone.

Peg-Perego's Primo Viaggio SIP (*Est. $275) is rated for babies up to 30 inches tall who weigh 30 pounds or less. Parent feedback has been mixed so far, though. Owners generally say the Primo Viaggio SIP is stylish and easy to install, but some don't like the heavy weight (11 pounds without the base) and the bulkiness of its side-impact protection wings. It's also very expensive.

Less expensive car seats for larger tots

If you want a car seat with a higher height/weight capacity, not all cost $200. The Baby Trend Flex-Loc (*Est. $100) gets high ratings from parents, and one professional crash test gives it a very good rating (though not as high as the Britax Chaperone). The NHTSA also gives it good scores for ease of use. The Baby Trend Flex-Loc transports babies between 5 and 30 pounds and up to 30 inches tall.

The Flex-Loc is named the best value in the Babble.com comparison. High points are a large canopy and a funky-looking triangular-shaped handle that allows for a lot of flexibility while the seat is carried. The side wings of the seat are filled with EPS foam, offering some extra side-impact protection. Parents also like the harness-height adjustment knob.

The Flex-Loc does not come with some of the extras found in more expensive car seats for heavier/taller babies, such as harness covers, cold weather boots or head/newborn padding. However, parents still report they're very happy with what the seat does offer for its price. Some parents do say that the car seat is difficult to unhitch from the base and that the seat padding does not look or feel comfortable. The Baby Trend Flex-Loc car seat weighs about 9.5 pounds without the base. The Baby Trend Flex-Loc car seat is a little harder to find in stores than other popular models; some models are exclusive to Babies "R" Us or Target.

The Safety 1st OnBoard Air 35 (*Est. $130) is a good second choice for a budget seat that can hold heavier/taller babies. Although it's about $30 more than the Baby Trend Flex-Loc, it comes with some features usually found in more expensive seats and accommodates even larger babies (up to 35 pounds and up to 32 inches tall). Babble.com says this seat is a good choice if you want something that can go from newborn (as small as 4 pounds) all the way up to a 2-year-old. An infant pad is included to snuggle small babies better into the seat.

The Safety 1st OnBoard is one of the lighter infant carriers, at 8 pounds (most seats that accommodate larger babies weigh 9 or 10 pounds). Parents say it comes with a nice canopy, and the seat pad is machine washable. Rather than EPS foam side wings, the Safety 1st side wings are air-filled (which might be one reason the seat is a bit lighter in weight). While the Safety 1st OnBoard Air 35 meets federal guidelines for safety, it has not been crash tested by an independent source such as ConsumerReports.org. Some drawbacks: Parents say the seat is difficult to unhitch from the base and that the straps are hard to readjust.