A Must Have For Families With Multiples!
February 23, 2021
One of the first things my husband and I said to each other when we had a 2-year-old and learned we were expecting twins was "Well, I guess we'll need to buy a minivan!" In our minds, there was no way that we would be able to fit three car seats side by side in the back of our crossover. I was intrigued when I was given the opportunity by the Stellar Product Testing Panel to try out the Graco True3Fit LX 3-in-1 car seat. The box claimed that you could safely install 3 of these car seats side by side in a single backseat. I was a bit skeptical. Would the seats all truly fit safely across the back of my crossover without overlapping? Would the kiddos feel comfortable and be protected? You guys...IT WORKS! I cannot tell you how thrilled I was when I (fairly quickly!) safely and successfully installed the three Graco True3Fit LX 3-in-1 car seats in the back of my vehicle! We celebrated by taking a little joy ride around the city, and it was so special to see my three-year-old engaging her baby brother and sister in play, replacing their pacifiers, and holding her brother's hand--things she had never been able to do in our minivan! I hadn't realized how much I had missed driving and having my babies right behind me.
The design of the Graco True3Fit LX 3-in-1 was thoughtful and is both parent and kiddo approved in our family. As parents, we appreciate the harness height adjustment level that lets you change the height of the shoulder harness by simply moving the headrest up and down, rather than having to re-thread the harness every time your kiddo goes through a growth spurt. We also love the little slits on the side of the car seat called the "Buckle Tongue Storage" that hold the metal part of the seatbelt harness away from the base of the car seat, so you don't have to do the dreaded "dig the buckle out from under your kiddo" move after you set your child in their car seat. My three-year-old was obsessed with the double cup holders. "One place for my water, one place for a snack!" she exclaimed with glee. Surprisingly, no one looked or felt squished and the seat fit my three-year-old just as comfortably as it did my 10-month-olds.
I worry about safety, so correct car seat installation is a huge priority of mine. The instruction manual was incredibly easy to read and contained many tips and suggestions that made installation easier, including a section all about installing the car seats three across. I was especially appreciative of the "Installation Quick Start Guide" that summarized installation, gave quick tips, and told you page numbers to reference within the larger manual. I also loved the "Is Everything Correct?" section of the manual, which leads you through checking your work after the install is complete. The thoughtfulness of these materials left little room for guessing and helped me feel completely confident that I was installing the car seats safely and correctly.
The Graco True3Fit LX 3-in-1 has a streamlined look that allows it to easily fit two or three across in the back of most vehicles. This does make it appear less padded than other, bulkier car seats I own that. Personally, I would probably opt for a bulkier seat in vehicles where space was not an issue and go for the Graco True3Fit LX 3-in-1 in any situation where I was looking to save space or fit multiple kiddos across a single backseat while maintaining safety and comfort. These seats truly are a game changer for our family of five! I will absolutely be spreading the word to every family of multiples I know!
This product review was collected by the manufacturer.