Which convertible car seat to buy?

Hello!

I was a CPST from 2006-2008, and used to be totally up on all of my car seat knowledge, but as my kids have gotten older (my youngest is now 8.5), I've fallen out of the loop. I am expecting a new baby in December, and need to buy a car seat for the first time in many years. I drive a 2008 Honda Odyssey (for now; this is baby #7 so we will be outgrowing the minivan with its arrival, but we don't have any actual plans to buy a bigger car).

I've just been assuming that I'll get a clek fllo for this baby (and use the infant thingy; I am not planning to get a separate infant seat), but now that the time is coming to make the purchase, I'm wondering if there are other seats I should consider. Things I like about the clek: that we can use it very long-term, including many years of RF; that is is narrow which will be quite necessary given all of the humans riding around in our minivan (and the fact that no one likes sitting next to a big car seat). My two youngest kids (8.5 and 9.5) have been riding in clek boosters, and we've been happy with them.

But, I'm open to being swayed in a different direction! Is the clek fllo the way to go?

Thanks!

Lex

It's a reasonable option, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

If I were starting over and just wanted one long lasting seat that lasted a long time rear facing, I'd either get a Graco Slimfit (if your kids aren't particularly heavy; 40 lb RF limit) or a Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 (if they are).

The Slimfit is nice and narrow, easy to install and use. The E2F 3-in-1 isn't as narrow, but if it's going in the captain's chair of an Odyssey, it has some space. It's also shaped in a way that makes buckling next to it easier than next to a Fllo. (I like the 3-in-1 better than the regular Extend2Fit for some ease of use reasons; I don't actually expect to use it as a booster ever.) The Extend2Fit will last longer than the Fllo rear facing; for skinny kids, even the Slimfit might last slightly longer than the Fllo.

Oh, also, there's a known issue where the Clek lockoffs slip on Honda seat belts that has driven multiple people around here nuts.

Oh, and they both have higher top harness slots than the Fllo, so they'll last longer forward facing, too.