Graco Toddler SafeSeat - Step 2

Belle's Mamma

New member
I hear a lot about the SS1, but don't recall ever seeing anything here about the SS2? I tried looking at the CS reviews here & searching for Safeseat but couldn't find anything other than info about the SS1. What do those of you who have, have had or inspected think of the Graco Toddler SafeSeat Step 2?
 
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I don't have one, but from what I know of it, it has a nice tall harness and it's comfortable. Other than that it's forward facing only, only goes to 40 pounds, starts at 20 pounds (so for 15 pounds or so most kids shouldn't be using this anyway, unless they're lightweights like my little one), and is the biggest seat known to man. For the price you can get something much better, either a dedicated forward facing only seat (like the Nautilus with higher top slots and a much higher harness limit and then turns into a booster) or an excellent convertible seat (the Evenflo Triumph Advance). Both of those will last longer than the SS2.

Wendy
 

mominabigtruck

New member
I have one for my mom's van and its a nice seat for what it is but its certainly not the most economical way to go. The harness slot heights are tall compared to other 40lb seats, my 2yo still fits in his even though he's outgrown almost all other 40lb seats although he is on the top slots. It's a dream to install with the built in lock offs and its very easy to adjust. The sides are super deep, which is great for sip protection and sleeping and it is one of the few seats that you can recline ffing.

My mom is in love with hers and for comparison she had a britax ma and blvd before that. It's not cheap though, I spent $140 on mine at bru and I'll get maybe a year a half use out of it. Although my child is extremely long torsoed so I'm probably not the best person to use to get an estimate of how long its good for.
 

Belle's Mamma

New member
I have one for my mom's van and its a nice seat for what it is but its certainly not the most economical way to go. The harness slot heights are tall compared to other 40lb seats, my 2yo still fits in his even though he's outgrown almost all other 40lb seats although he is on the top slots. It's a dream to install with the built in lock offs and its very easy to adjust. The sides are super deep, which is great for sip protection and sleeping and it is one of the few seats that you can recline ffing.

My mom is in love with hers and for comparison she had a britax ma and blvd before that. It's not cheap though, I spent $140 on mine at bru and I'll get maybe a year a half use out of it. Although my child is extremely long torsoed so I'm probably not the best person to use to get an estimate of how long its good for.

I see (in your siggy) that you also have the Boulevard. Are the top slots on the Blvd higher than those of the SS2? Hight for me is a bigger issue than weight as my DD is significantly lighter for her age than average but only a bit below average in hight.

I actually bought the Britax an am planing to return it b/c no matter how tight I pull I can never get a snug fit with the harnes...grrr.

Since I seem to be having so many issues with the Britax (unless someone has a way to fix this), I'm going to need another convertible to replace it. Suggestions?
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
The thing is children should be rfing till 30#+ in most cases, preferralby 35#. If you rf till 30# even, that's 10# (at most, if they don't outgrow the height) you get to use the seat. AJ rf to 34# and Evan is only 26# at 3 and still rfing. Ilana wasn't quite 22# when she outgrew her SS1 in height, she's now rfing in a Marathon and Evan is in his Boulevard. I want to say the SS2 has about the same slot height as the MA, but is less useful since it doesn't rf and doesn't ff past 40#.
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
I actually bought the Britax an am planing to return it b/c no matter how tight I pull I can never get a snug fit with the harnes...grrr.

Are you using it RF or FF? For RF many have said that it works better to buckle one side of the buckle and then do short tugs on the strap to tighten it and then buckle the other side.
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
See, I don't buckle either side and then give it a few tugs and then rebuckle. If it's still not tight, I unbuckle (w/ the chest clip snapped together) and do it again. Once I find a good spot, I just leave it and don't loosen it.
 

Belle's Mamma

New member
Are you using it RF or FF? For RF many have said that it works better to buckle one side of the buckle and then do short tugs on the strap to tighten it and then buckle the other side.

She's RF...DD's only 13mo & 17lbs. She'll definitely be RF to the limits of whatever convertible we end up with. I can definitely try the technique you're describing to see if I can get a more snug fit with the Blvd.

I love the comfort, weight limit & safety of the Blvd but the fact that I haven't been able to get it very snug negates it's safety ratings. I've also found that I only get a good "click" on one side of the buckle. The other side has a very weak click which makes me a bit nervous...am I being paranoid?
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
She's RF...DD's only 13mo & 17lbs. She'll definitely be RF to the limits of whatever convertible we end up with. I can definitely try the technique you're describing to see if I can get a more snug fit with the Blvd.

I love the comfort, weight limit & safety of the Blvd but the fact that I haven't been able to get it very snug negates it's safety ratings. I've also found that I only get a good "click" on one side of the buckle. The other side has a very weak click which makes me a bit nervous...am I being paranoid?

The SS2 is a FF only seat so if you are planning on keeping her RF then this isn't the seat for you.

I find when seats are difficult to tighten then I find a good spot and just leave it at that and don't loosen and tighten every time. It is often easier to tighten when there is no baby in the seat.

With the Britax seats you only get a positive click when both tongues are buckled in so the 2nd one should be the one to give you the click.
 

mominabigtruck

New member
I didn't even look at your siggy:eek: At that young an age I wouldn't buy the ss2 unless your were dead set against rfing, I didn't get mine until Peyton was 2 and pushing 30lbs since really its safest to be rfing as long as possible.

But back to your original question, no I don't think the ss2 highest slot is taller then the blvd, the bvld is probably an inch taller give or take a little. I've never had any poblems adjusting mine, when using rfing I buckle the baby in then I pull the harness adjuster while pulling the straps tight from the back at the same time. Ffing I just pull to tighten. What issues are you having with the adjuster?
 

Belle's Mamma

New member
The SS2 is a FF only seat so if you are planning on keeping her RF then this isn't the seat for you.

I find when seats are difficult to tighten then I find a good spot and just leave it at that and don't loosen and tighten every time. It is often easier to tighten when there is no baby in the seat.

With the Britax seats you only get a positive click when both tongues are buckled in so the 2nd one should be the one to give you the click.


Wow do I feel dumb :eek: I completely thought it was a convertible...Hi my name is Alexa and I'm a total flake. Can I blame it on being pregnant?
 

Belle's Mamma

New member
The SS2 is a FF only seat so if you are planning on keeping her RF then this isn't the seat for you.

I find when seats are difficult to tighten then I find a good spot and just leave it at that and don't loosen and tighten every time. It is often easier to tighten when there is no baby in the seat.

With the Britax seats you only get a positive click when both tongues are buckled in so the 2nd one should be the one to give you the click.

That would explain why I only get a click after I insert the 2nd one...Yep, I'm going to blame all of this on baby brain
 

Mommy2Marcus

New member
[QUOTE

Since I seem to be having so many issues with the Britax (unless someone has a way to fix this), I'm going to need another convertible to replace it. Suggestions?[/QUOTE]

Hiya Hun! I would suggest an Evenflo Triumph Advance as it gives you the abilty to RF to 35lbs & then FF to 50lbs. It is SO easy to use in every way. I :love: the infinatly adjusting harness & I have had absolutly NO problem getting it to tighten properly. I would deffinatly suggest this seat if you're having a problem with the Britax seats & you want a different seat. Also I own a Marathon & :love: it as well. It is super easy for me to get tight enough on my son to. He is RF still at 17 months. You can see him in both seats in my sig!
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
I would suggest an Evenflo Triumph Advance as it gives you the abilty to RF to 35lbs & then FF to 50lbs. It is SO easy to use in every way.

Not always, sometimes it can be pretty hard to tighten RF if the knobs are right up/against the back of the seat. Depends on the vehicle. I would recommend trying it out in your vehicle to see if you like the way it adjusts, some do and some don't.
 

aunt83me02

Senior Community Member
One's rational mind might think that if step 1 is an infant only seat, that step 2 might be a convertible, but one's rational mind would be wrong...;) I wish they could take the current step 2 and make it a convertible w/ a RF limit of 35lbs and FF Limit of at least 50-55 (steps 1.5-2), the Nautilus could be 2.5-3 and tweak (taller back, deeper seat, etc.) the Turbo and call it step 3-3.5 (3.5 backless mode)

Marie
CPS TEch
 

Belle's Mamma

New member
One's rational mind might think that if step 1 is an infant only seat, that step 2 might be a convertible, but one's rational mind would be wrong...;) I wish they could take the current step 2 and make it a convertible w/ a RF limit of 35lbs and FF Limit of at least 50-55 (steps 1.5-2), the Nautilus could be 2.5-3 and tweak (taller back, deeper seat, etc.) the Turbo and call it step 3-3.5 (3.5 backless mode)

Marie
CPS TEch


Yep...I had just decided in my head that since the SS1 was an infant seat the SS2 must logically be a convertible. Well, logical to me at least :) apparently not logical to Graco though. I'm glad I'm not the only one that at least thinks that this would make sense.
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
Tightening the Britax seats is a learned skill. It's not a long, steady pull like you would expect. It's a tug, release, tug, release motion. It's hard to get used to, especially with new seats that are a bit stiff anyway, but you'll be a pro in no time ;)

The EFTA can be hard to adjust--it's fine in my car, which has flat seat backs, but we had it installed between two other seats and it was really hard, almost impossible.
 

Belle's Mamma

New member
Tightening the Britax seats is a learned skill. It's not a long, steady pull like you would expect. It's a tug, release, tug, release motion. It's hard to get used to, especially with new seats that are a bit stiff anyway, but you'll be a pro in no time ;)

The EFTA can be hard to adjust--it's fine in my car, which has flat seat backs, but we had it installed between two other seats and it was really hard, almost impossible.

Okay, I'm sold...I'm going to give the Britax another try. If I can actually get a nice snug fit on DD then the Blvd will be perfect.

I really hope that I can get DD harnessed tightly...I really want to love the Blvd .
 

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