So today I am going to be doing a review on the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 car seat. I bought my sons almost two years ago after looking over the specs and reviews of many other car seats. One of the selling points for me was its steel reinforced frame and safety reviews! Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a bit of a fanatic when it comes to car seat safety and I won't just settle on something.
My biggest concern aside from safety was finding something that would last longer then a year, something that would grow with him as he grows. One of the Nautilus’ biggest selling features for me was the 5 point harness that can be used from 20 to 65 pounds and from 27 to 52 inches tall. Being able to keep him harnessed for as long as possible was something that was very important to me and there were not a lot of car seats at the time that had this option. It also can be used a high-back booster seat from 30 to 100 pounds or a backless booster from 40 to 100 pounds, their are height restrictions but my point is….this car seat will grow with him as he grows and it will be the last one that i will have to purchase for him! It has an adjustable head rest that you can adjust to fit your child’s current height…its simple you just press the button and pull up on it or push down. The shoulder straps are also very easy to adjust!
When it first arrived I was little nervous about having to follow the directions and put it together but it comes apart and goes together pretty easy...which is great for when the cover needs to be washed....which ours does A LOT!
It's simple to install into the car even though it is a little on the bulky side and a bit heavy but it fits fine in the backseat of my Honda Civic.
I have never attempted to try the latch system so I'm not sure as to how easy that is to hook up…but its something i will have to try in the future!
Overall I was very pleased with this purchase, it was around $180 when i bought it two years ago but it averages around $140 now. I would spend the money again in a heartbeat if needed to feel as confident as i do when my son is strapped into his nautilus! As you can tell he loves it just as much as i do…he sleeps in it even when its not in the car!