What backup lightweight ERF car seat for 3 year old

Naurelover · Jan 31, 2014

I'd like to get a back up car seat for my 3 year old daughter. She turned three end of November.
We are hoping to ERF as long as possible. Want a car seat that is light weight, we can use for traveling, rear face as long as possible and will fit in a variety of cars and not too much of a pain to set up RF and then use FF, .

We had a Britax Marathon and just replaced it with Foonf after our car was stolen. We still have a rental car, so just have to make sure it fits, but like it so far.
Our DD is 36" and weighs 30lbs.

I've been reading all the past posts and the most recommended is the Graco My Ride! Graco Mysize and Evenflo SureRide DLX.

I thought the Graco MyRide would be my best choice for longest RF and picked one up at BRU for $99 last week.
But now I wonder if the Evenflo Sureride or the Mysize would be a better choice and will return the MyRide.

MommyShannon · Jan 31, 2014

Is the MySize available in Canada yet? It is the tallest RF, but not sure it's available. Unless your DD has a tall torso, the MyRide and SureRide will likely last about the same time RF. The SureRide is taller FF.

Pixelated · Feb 1, 2014

Wow OP, where did you get a MyRide for $99? Did BRU have them on clearance or something? That's extremely unusual!

Lightweight, and good for travel is going to be tough for a child that size. The height is the biggest barrier for sure, but if she's shorter in the torso then you do have more options.

I would try her in the SureRide and see how you like the fit of the straps. You can only use the bottom three slots for rear-facing. Shorter torsoed kids will get the full 40" height limit out of it, longer torsoed kids may find that the straps slip off the shoulders. Overall the SureRide will last longer and be generally easier to travel with as it's narrower and lighter weight at only 10lbs. However, it doesn't allow a more upright angle so can take up more room when rear-facing than a MyRide.

I think both are very good options, similarly priced, and it's going to come down to what you like best in your vehicles. At age 3 she would also be very safe forward-facing, in which case I'd go SureRide all the way. I absolutely understand your desire to not travel with a Foonf

TechnoGranola · Feb 1, 2014

Since she's a small 3 year old, unless she's really long in the torso, I'd totally keep that $99 MyRide! My DD RFed in the MR until 42.5" (and still had a half inch growing room). She was 50th percentile for height/weight with average torso.

Naurelover · Feb 1, 2014

Pixelated said:
Wow OP, where did you get a MyRide for $99? Did BRU have them on clearance or something? That's extremely unusual!

Lightweight, and good for travel is going to be tough for a child that size. The height is the biggest barrier for sure, but if she's shorter in the torso then you do have more options.

I would try her in the SureRide and see how you like the fit of the straps. You can only use the bottom three slots for rear-facing. Shorter torsoed kids will get the full 40" height limit out of it, longer torsoed kids may find that the straps slip off the shoulders. Overall the SureRide will last longer and be generally easier to travel with as it's narrower and lighter weight at only 10lbs. However, it doesn't allow a more upright angle so can take up more room when rear-facing than a MyRide.

I think both are very good options, similarly priced, and it's going to come down to what you like best in your vehicles. At age 3 she would also be very safe forward-facing, in which case I'd go SureRide all the way. I absolutely understand your desire to not travel with a Foonf

Oops, I made a mistake, I took a look and it turns out I bought the Evenflo SureRide. Not the Graco, I had looked at it, it was on clearance for $209, but it didn't look as tall as SureRide. It looked less tall and more wide.
I sat DD in the SureRide and buckled her up, her shoulders come above the third slot. But quite a bit below the fourth.

kmw · Feb 4, 2014

Above the third slot is fine - you want the harness at or below shoulders for RFing.. but not too far below or the straps can slip off her shoulders

The MyRide does go on sale for as low as $160...

What backup lightweight ERF car seat for 3 year old

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