Graco SS1

Wow!!!!! This is all I keep saying. I finally got to see one IRL today at Sears. My almost 22 month old, 32.5inch, 25lb son fit in this seat with about a 1/4 to 1/8 inch to spare!! I just can't believe it was actually true. Both my boys outgrew their infant carriers by 5 months due to height. Aiden was in an Evenflo On My Way Position Right V and only 12lbs and Mikkel was in a Graco Snugride (20lb, 26 in) and was 13lbs.

The really amazing thing was that I did not find it that heavy to carry... don't get me wrong, it was heavy, just not really much heavier than carrying just Mikkel. I am soooo getting one of these for the new baby that we are planning for spring'08. Yes, I'm one of "those" planning people.

So I have a few questions...

I have read that small babies fit better in the SS1 than the Snugride. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Both boys were 6lbs 5oz coming home from the hospital (one 21in and the other 19in). They also stayed small for a long time (only 13lbs growing out of infant seat at 5 months old). I'm kind of expecting another one like them.

Does anyone know the slot heights on both seats for comparison?

I've been thinking that since I am definitely getting the SS1 for the next baby that maybe I should sell my Snugride now, but I want to be sure that the SS1 will fit a newborn better than my Snugride. The snugride I have is in the Metropolitan fabric, with a double headhugger, harness covers, winter boot and gracopedic foam.

The double headhugger is important to me as Mikkel used both until he was just over two months old and then I took out the small one and just used the big one until 4 months old. I also want harness covers as the straps were digging into Mikkel's neck today in the SS1. I also want the gracopedic foam just for comfort since we will be using the seat for up to two years and we do a lot of long car trips (6 hours). Is there a SS1 that comes with all these features?

If the SS1 does have all these features and is truly better for small babies, how much could I get for a top of the line Snugride manufactured in 2005 that is in brand new condition?

Thanks for any and all help!

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, 35lbs, 43in, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, 25lbs, 32.5in, RF Marathon

I believe the bottom slots on the SS1 are actually lower than the bottom slots on the SR, but I don't know the exact measurements off the top of my head.

skaterbabscpst said:

I believe the bottom slots on the SS1 are actually lower than the bottom slots on the SR, but I don't know the exact measurements off the top of my head.

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Thanks, I just remembered carseatdata.org and they have it listed as 7 for the SS1 and 8 for the snugride. Good news!

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

I asked about this recently, and I think the conclusion was that those measurements are wrong. The SS1 doesn't have particularly low slots. My daughter is (very) small, and she is still using the lowest SS1 slots at a year. There is no way it would have fit her as a newborn. Of course, she is small and all leg.

Here is my guy in our safeseat at 1 week, 2 months and 6 months. The first pic is in a paper diaper, the others he would have had a cloth diaper on, making his torso longer.


He came home at 8 pounds, 1 ounce, 20.5 inches


2 month check up had him at 15 pounds, 10 ounces and 23.75 inches


6 month check up- 19 pounds 6 ounces and 27.75 inches

He is still using the second slots at 7 months and has good room above his head. I love this seat and find it easy to carry, even with a 20 pound kid in it.

Dillipop said:

Here is my guy in our safeseat at 1 week, 2 months and 6 months. The first pic is in a paper diaper, the others he would have had a cloth diaper on, making his torso longer.

He came home at 8 pounds, 1 ounce, 20.5 inches

2 month check up had him at 15 pounds, 10 ounces and 23.75 inches

6 month check up- 19 pounds 6 ounces and 27.75 inches

He is still using the second slots at 7 months and has good room above his head. I love this seat and find it easy to carry, even with a 20 pound kid in it.

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How far above the bottom slots were his shoulders when you brought him home? My guys don't reach 8lbs until they are almost two months old! Definitely daddy as I was never blessed with being that skinny! lol

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon

He was just above them. Maybe 1/2 inch. It's so hard to tell when they are that little and just slump...I just measured the bottom slot and got 7-7 1/2 inches from the seating area. ThePeach80 has a safeseat and her daughter is about 10 pounds at 4 months! IIRC, she came home at about 6 1/2 to 7 pounds. She may have some pics for you.

I saw one IRL for the first time on Saturday, I put my ds who is 30 pounds and 36 inches in it (he was two a few weeks ago), and he was JUST at the point where I would say I would need to move him to a convertable that week. He had an inch of hard shell above his head, and he was at the weight limit. I was really surprised!

Bumping for any extra input.

6#7oz, coming home. The straps could only have tightened about 1/2"-1" more before she would've been too small to use it.

About a week later, 6#13oz.

Same time in the SR.


If I can find my card reader, I'll post new pics from Monday. She's 4 mos tomorrow and right at 10#.

I like the headrest much better for the SS1 than the SR...I think it actually holds the head in kind of a bowl shape (that holds all sizes of head nicely)rather than that rainbow wraparound that needs two sizes...
I still use my SS1 as a carrier even with dd being 13 mos old (she's not walking yet, it's SO nice to have the convenience...)

This was Tuesday.

thepeach80 said:

This was Tuesday.

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She is so sweet! Thank you so much! Guess I'll be selling my SR then, as I definitely want a SS1 next time.

That style of headrest does seem to do the trick. The whole body pillow looks like it hugs her into the seat really nicely. The boot also looks like it comes up a lot higher on the SS1 than on the SR.

Thanks again! I really appreciate the photos.

Jen in Canada
Aiden 03/28/02, FF Radian
Mikkel 05/05/05, RF Marathon