2024 Best Car Seats for Extended Harnessing
A Definitive Guide to the Longest-Lasting Harnessed Car Seats
Are you looking for a car seat with a 5-point harness that will fit your child for longer before being outgrown by weight or height? We’ve compiled a list of seats that will do just that!
Our exclusive criteria include weight limits, maximum height measurements (we personally check all measurements to make sure they are accurate), as well as some other factors that may affect bigger kids overall. We are NOT including standing height limits for forward-facing because those numbers are often unrealistic. Instead, we are focusing on the maximum harness height measurement since that is a much more reliable indicator of how long the seat might actually fit your child before being outgrown by height.
Generally speaking, the seats on this list will accommodate most 5- and 6-year-olds, and some 7- and 8-year-olds in the 5-point harness. Obviously, the tallest and heaviest kids will outgrow these seats before their average and smaller-than-average counterparts will, so your expectations should be realistic. However, this list should serve as a good point of reference.
Best Forward-Facing Combination Seats for Extended Harnessing:
These are forward-facing only “Stage 3” seats for kids who are at least 2 years old. They are often marketed as a “Harnessed Booster”. These seats can be used with their 5-point harness until the harness is outgrown by weight or height and then they can be converted into a belt-positioning booster.
Since combination seats are not designed to fit babies, they tend to offer more interior space for accommodating bigger, older kids. The seats on this list are rated on their ability to fit kids longer than average in harnessed mode. We are not evaluating their longevity in booster mode since this guide is focused on keeping kids harnessed longer. Just be aware that the weight and height maximums for booster mode are exaggerated in most cases.
Britax Grow With You ClickTight
Specs:
With Harness: 25-65 lbs.; at least 2 years old
Maximum harness height: 20″
Booster Mode: 40-120 pounds; 44-63”, at least 4 years old
Price: $$$
Comments: Based on the discontinued Britax Frontier model, the Grow With You ClickTight and its sister seat, Grow With You ClickTight Plus, have the tallest harness slots of any seat currently on the market. Add to that the amazing ClickTight installation system and you have an awesome, long-lasting harness seat that can also be used as a booster once the harness is finally outgrown. For kids who are past the rear-facing stage, this seat definitely goes the distance.
Chicco MyFit & MyFit Zip
Specs:
With Harness: 25-65 lbs.; at least 2 years old
Maximum harness height: 19.5″
Booster Mode: 40-100 pounds; 38-57”, at least 4 years old
Average Price: $$ – $$$
Comments: All Chicco MyFit models have super-tall harness slots but the seat itself is narrow-ish on the outside. This is another long-lasting harness seat that can also be used as a booster once the harness is finally outgrown. Better suited for kids who are tall but not stocky. The LATCH weight limit is 40 lbs. so once your kid reaches that weight you will need to install with seatbelt and tether, using the lockoff feature on the side of the beltpath.
Graco Nautilus SnugLock Grow
Specs:
With Harness: 22-65 lbs.
Maximum harness height: 18″
Booster Mode: 40-120 lbs., 43-57″, at least 4 years old
Average Price: $$$
Comments: While the top harness slot height doesn’t rival the MyFit or the Grow With You ClickTight, the Graco Nautilus SnugLock Grow is a solid combination seat that is tall, spacious on the inside, and easy to install thanks to the SnugLock lockoff and tensioning system. The LATCH weight limit is 45 lbs. so once your kid reaches that weight you will need to install with seatbelt and tether, using the snuglock lockoff feature behind the cover. It can also be used as a booster once the harness is outgrown.
Graco Nautilus LX 2.0
Specs:
With Harness: 22-65 lbs.
Maximum harness height: 18″
Booster Mode: 40-120 lbs., 43-57″, at least 4 years old
Average Price: $$
Comments: The Graco Nautilus LX 2.0 is a basic combination seat that lacks the bells and whistles of the other combination seats on this list but it’s tall and priced under $200. This model does not feature the SnugLock lockoff and tensioning system found on the more expensive Graco Nautilus SnugLock Grow model but this “LX” model does offer a 10-position no-rethread harness, harness strap covers and premium push-on LATCH connectors. The LATCH weight limit is 45 lbs. so once your kid reaches that weight you will need to install with seatbelt and tether. It can also be used as a booster once the harness is outgrown.
Best All-in-One Seats for Extended Harnessing:
These seats can be used rear-facing and forward-facing with the harness and can be converted into a booster once the harness is outgrown.
The seats on this list are rated on their ability to fit kids longer than average in harnessed mode. We are not evaluating their longevity in booster mode since this guide is focused on a seat’s ability to keep kids harnessed longer. Just be aware that the weight and height maximums for booster mode are exaggerated in most cases.
There are some exceptions but in general, All-in-One seats tend to be outgrown sooner than combination seats simply because they are designed to also fit babies and toddlers, unlike combination seats which are specifically designed to accommodate bigger, older kids.
Britax One4Life ClickTight:
Specs:
Rear-facing: 5-50 lbs. and child’s head is at least 1” below top of headrest
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs.
Max harness height: 19″
Highback booster: 40-120 lbs., 44-63”, at least 4 years old
Average Price: $$$$
Comments: With a 19″ top harness height measurement, plus the awesome ease and security of a clicktight seatbelt installation, the Britax One4Life all-in-one can definitely go the distance. Seatbelt is the preferred method of installation for all Britax seats that feature the ClickTight installation system, so no need to worry about those pesky LATCH weight limits.
Chicco OneFit
Specs:
Rear-facing: 5-40 lbs. and up to 43″ tall
Forward-facing: 25-65 lbs.
Max harness height: 19″
Highback booster: 40-100 lbs., 38-57”, at least 4 years old
Average Price: $$$
Comments: With a 19″ top harness measurement and no added flame-retardant chemicals, the Chicco OneFit ClearTex can fit every age and stage with the bonus of less chemical exposure. Just be aware that the incredibly easy SuperCinch LATCH installation is only an option until your kid reaches 40 lbs. Once your child is over 40 lbs., you must install OneFit with seatbelt and tether, using the lockoff feature on the side of the beltpath.
Evenflo EveryFit
Specs:
Rear-facing: 4-40 lbs. and up to 40″ tall
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs., at least 2 years old
Max harness height: 18″
Highback booster: 40-120 lbs., 44-57”, at least 4 years old
Price: $$
Comments: The Evenflo EveryFit is a budget-friendly all-in-one with tall top harness slots. There are some tradeoffs at this lower price point so this seat doesn’t have some of the features and options that the more expensive all-in-one seats offer. However, EveryFit (and its sister seat, Evenflo EveryKid) do feature a no-rethread harness and they will fit taller kids in the harness. The LATCH weight limit is 40 lbs. For kids over that weight, install the EveryFit/EveryKid with seatbelt and top tether.
Evenflo Revolve 360 Extend
Specs:
Rear-facing: 4-50 lbs. and up to 48″ tall
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs., at least 2 years old
Max harness height: 19.5″
Highback booster: 40-120 lbs., 44-57”, at least 4 years old
Price: $$$$
Comments: The Evenflo Revolve 360 Extend is a rotating car seat that swivels so you can load and unload your child from the side! Not only is Revolve 360 incredibly cool, but it also has a 19.5″ top harness height! This is one very long-lasting harnessed seat with unique and innovative features. The 2-piece modular design is similar to that of an infant car seat that connects a seat with a base. The base is installed once and the seat rotates in either direction so you don’t have to make any adjustments (or reinstall the seat) when you transition from rear-facing to forward-facing. The LATCH weight limit for Revolve 360 is 35 lbs. rear-facing & 40 lbs. forward-facing. When your child exceeds those limits, you must switch to a seatbelt + tether installation. However, seatbelt + tether is the preferred installation method for the base of this seat, and LATCH weight limits are just another reason to skip using the latch system altogether. Revolve 360 requires tethering so you need to make sure that you always have an available tether anchor to secure it.
Graco 4Ever DLX & 4Ever DLX Grad
Specs:
Rear-facing: 4-40 lbs. and top of head is at least 1” below the headrest adjustment handle
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs.
Max harness height: 18″ (4Ever DLX)
Max harness height: 18.5″ (4Ever Grad)
Highback booster: 40-120 lbs., 43-57”, at least 4 years old
Price: $$$
Comments: The Graco 4Ever DLX features a simple lockoff device for forward-facing installations with seatbelt. This is handy since installation with LATCH is only an option until your child reaches 45 lbs. For children over 45 lbs. you must install the 4Ever DLX with seatbelt and tether, using the red lockoff that is hiding behind the cover in the middle of the beltpath.
The Graco 4Ever DLX Grad model features two awesome tensioning lockoffs, one for rear-facing and one for forward-facing installations plus a built-in “Seat Belt Trainer”. The tensioning lockoffs are used when installing the seat with LATCH, OR with seatbelt. The SnugLock tensioning lockoff makes achieving a tight installation almost effortless regardless of whether you are installing with LATCH or seatbelt.
Graco Slimfit
Specs:
Rear-facing: 5-40 lbs. and top of head is at least 1” below the headrest adjustment handle
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs.
Max harness height: 18″
Highback booster: 40-110 lbs., 43-57”, at least 4 years old
Price: $$
Comments: The Graco SlimFit is popular because it’s more narrow externally compared with the other Graco all-one-seats. It’s also less expensive than most other Graco all-in-one models. The LATCH weight limit is 45 lbs. For kids over that weight, install the SlimFit with seatbelt and top tether.
Best Convertible Seats for Extended Harnessing:
These seats can be used rear-facing or forward-facing. They can only be used with the harness and they do NOT convert into booster seats. There are some exceptions but in general, convertible seats tend to be outgrown by height sooner than combination seats simply because they are designed for the birth-to-kindergarten crowd. Below, we’ve listed the convertible seats with the highest maximum harness heights.
Britax Marathon & Britax Boulevard
Specs:
Rear-facing: 5-40 lbs. and up to 49″ tall
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs.
Max harness height: 18.5″
Price: $$$ – $$$$
Comments: The Marathon ClickTight & Boulevard ClickTight models are all based on the same platform. Marathon is the base model and Boulevard features a more robust headrest with deeper wings. Both models offer the same weight/height limits, the same 18.5″ max harness height, plus the awesome ease and security of a clicktight seatbelt installation.
Evenflo Sonus 65
Specs:
Rear-facing: 5-40 lbs. and up to 40″ tall
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs.
Max harness height: 18″
Price: $$
Comments: The Evenflo Sonus 65 is a lightweight, budget-friendly seat which make it a great option for an everyday seat, or for airplane travel, or as a backup seat for secondary vehicles. Since the Sonus 65 is so lightweight, the LATCH weight limit for forward-facing is 50 lbs.
Graco Extend2Fit
Specs:
Rear-facing: 5-50 lbs. and top of head is at least 1” below the headrest adjustment handle
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs.
Max harness height: 18″
Price: $$$
Comments: The Graco Extend2Fit is one of the most popular convertibles in the Graco lineup. It’s known for being a great rear-facing seat but with 18″ top harness slots, it’s also an excellent option for keeping forward-facing kids harnessed longer. The reasonable price is another huge selling point for Extend2Fit. The LATCH weight limit is 45 lbs. in either direction, rear-facing or forward-facing. Once your child weighs more than 45 lbs. you will need to install Extend2Fit with seatbelt (and if the seat is forward-facing, with the tether as well).
We hope you find this information to be valuable in your research for a long-lasting harnessed car seat! For more detailed info, please see our list of Carseat Reviews and our list of Recommended Carseats.
