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Best Car Seats for Extended RF – Chicco NextFit Zip Max

We’ve all heard the news by now- children should stay in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible for maximum safety.

Chicco heard the news as well, and designed the NextFit Zip Max,  a car seat with 25% more legroom in rear-facing mode, so your little one will stay comfortable until they max out the height or weight limits for rear-facing.

Bonuses that busy moms will love about the seat:

  • It is incredibly easy to install. The click-on LATCH connectors and push-button release make it easy to move from car to car and transition to forward-facing when needed. The ReclineSure leveling system has 9 positions so you can find the exact right level for your vehicle.
  • Washable seat pad that zips off. No disassembling the entire seat to clean the ground up goldfish or spilled milk. Zip off, wash, dry, zip back on.
  • No hassle of rethreading harness straps when your child has a growth spurt. When you adjust the headrest, the straps move up with it.

The safety specs for this seat are top-notch, and it will last your child for years to come. (It doesn’t max out until 65 pounds or 49 inches tall.)

Editor’s Thoughts: “I can safely assume the seat is comfortable because my 2-year-old and 3-year-old fought over who got to ride in it for our test! I was amazed at how easy it was to adjust the strap height for each child. You don’t have to disassemble anything to raise or lower the straps, which has been a huge project for other car seats.

The same concept applied when switching the LATCH connectors from rear-facing to forward-facing. You simply pop open the compartments on the sides and move the LATCH belt without having to dig your hands under the seat. And you can store the LATCH clips in that compartment when you aren’t using them.

If you are using a seat belt to secure the NextFit, the zip-off cover makes it easy to thread the seat belt across the seat. The lock off clips on the side of the seat are a bonus for peace of mind about the belt staying tightened.

I love the detachable cup holders (one for each side- YES!) that are easy to pop on and off to clean. The entire seat cover can zip off to be washed, which is necessary after a long day of car snacks. Our kids sit three across in our car and I found that the NextFit was still fairly compact for all the features it has.”

-Katie Saltz, Baby Bump editor and mom of three

For more info about the seat, click here and read about all the features.