Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Baby Car Seat Review

Once your child outgrows her rear-facing infant car seat, she's still required to ride in a car seat or a booster for several more years to come. So rather than investing in a succession of seats and boosters, try the Graco Nautilus 3-in 1 Toddler Car Seat, the only forward-facing car seat your child will need. Its five-point harness accommodates children up to 65 pounds, and its convertible booster/backless booster can hold children up to 100 pounds in weight--longer than most other convertible car seats.

Benefits:

• Very easy to install and adjust
• Machine-washable cushion and cover for easy cleaning
• Comfort and fit features developed with your child in mind

Graco's Commitment to Safety

Top-rated by leading consumer publications, the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat grows with your child by offering three forward-facing positions. In addition to meeting or exceeding all US safety standards, the Nautilus 3-in-1 car seat has been side impact tested for occupant retention with the built in 5-point harness system and in high back belt positioning booster mode to keep your child secure in a side-impact collision. This car seat features EPS, energy absorbing foam for effective energy management in the event of collision. 

Age/Weight Requirements:

Five-point harness use from 20 to 65 pounds; high-back booster from 30 to 100 pounds; backless booster from 40 to 100 pounds.

What Other Parents are saying (Reviews from Amazon):

The Good: 

Amy G.Van Hoose: The week I bought it, we made and 8 hour trip to VA to see my husband, who is in the Navy. She did great in it. She didn't even get fussy until the last 20 minutes of the trip. There is a lot of padding in the seat, so it doesn't hurt her little booty to sit in it. She spilled milk in the seat and I had to take it apart to wash it. It is very easy to take apart and put back together.She seemed very comfortable in the seat.

James Fuller: First and most important, with the older Graco car seat the car's shoulder belt can be easily latched into a firm, solid embrace of the baby's car seat so that there is no play or rocking back and forth or side to side.

M. Napierkowski: I did a ridiculous amount of research before I went ahead and bought this seat and I am not sorry I did! My son is 3 years old, 40 inches and about 36 pounds. He is not a skinny child but not overtly large. I know a lot of reviewers complain about the crotch strap issue and when I first tried my son in the seat a year ago he didn't fit well, but suddenly then he did closer to 2.5. I realized later it's The Diaper Situation.

The Cons:

CBR: When you purchase the seat the bottom/seat strap is in the smaller setting, and it is very difficult to change it to the larger setting. But once it's there you don't have to change it any more. The shoulder straps aren't difficult to change, but you do have to take the seat out of the car in order to change their height.

M. Napierkowski: I noticed most of the online review complaining about this are from parents with younger boys and I can only assume most of them were in diapers. I cannot see him fitting as comfortably at 65 pounds bur that is a bridge we'd cross later. I spoke with the folks at SafeSeat and they confirm that is perfectly ok for the crotch strap to be under the child's rear as long as the child is comfortable with it being brought around to the front to be fastened properly.