# Chicco Keyfit vs Graco Safeseat



## goodmomma76 (Sep 2, 2008)

Hello all! My dh's aunt (more like mother) said she wants to get us a travel system for this baby...due in April...would like me to pick one out. I have been to the website and seen the ratings...but I would like to hear from some people who use these things about their opinions...

1. It looks like the Keyfit and the Safeseat have some of the safer ratings, and do come in the travel system, and are within the budget she gave me, which would you choose and why?
2. How heavy are they? I have a medical condition that makes it not easy for me to carry much weight some days.
3. Can you strap the carseat into a car without a base? Just in case?
4. Is the stroller sturdy and user friendly? Is the basket big?
5. Are the handles on the car seat easy to put up and down? (I ask because my friend had a flexloc and it was impossible to use)

Any other suggestions, hints, etc? Something else you would reccommend in this price range? thank you for your help!!!


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## filiadeluna (Oct 2, 2007)

I was debating between these two also, and I chose the Keyfit!







:

1. It looks like the Keyfit and the Safeseat have some of the safer ratings, and do come in the travel system, and are within the budget she gave me, which would you choose and why?
*I chose the Keyfit, and instead of the travel system, I got a Baby Trend Snap N Go. It fits perfectly! The Snap N Go is only $50 or so, and is VERY lightweight, compact, and easy to maneuver down aisles. The Keyfit is fairly lightweight too.*

2. How heavy are they? I have a medical condition that makes it not easy for me to carry much weight some days.
*I don't know the exact weight, sorry.








*

3. Can you strap the carseat into a car without a base? Just in case?
*I'm not sure about this one. This is my first babe, so that may be something for experienced mamas to answer.*

4. Is the stroller sturdy and user friendly? Is the basket big?
*It is pretty sturdy, has a large basket *underneath*, and is soooooo easy to use. I mean you literally just snap... and go... haha. Seriously - try one out at Toys R Us or Babies R Us.*

5. Are the handles on the car seat easy to put up and down? (I ask because my friend had a flexloc and it was impossible to use)
*Yep. It's super easy to unhook from the base too! Much easier than the Graco seats.*

*Also: The Keyfit just seemed sturdier to me. The Graco seemed kind of like it would fall apart easily... the plastic just felt cheap.







*


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

1. It looks like the Keyfit and the Safeseat have some of the safer ratings, and do come in the travel system, and are within the budget she gave me, which would you choose and why?
All car seats are safe. We have no way of knowing which are "safer" than others because they all have to pass the same test. I have a Keyfit 22 so I would probably choose the Keyfit 30 over the Safeseat, but that is partly because I've had a bad experience with Graco.
2. How heavy are they? I have a medical condition that makes it not easy for me to carry much weight some days.
I'm really not sure. The 30lb seats are probably going to be heavier than the 22lb seats, but I'm sure there are exceptions.
3. Can you strap the carseat into a car without a base? Just in case?
I'm pretty sure that both of these can be used without the base. I know my Keyfit 22 can.
4. Is the stroller sturdy and user friendly? Is the basket big?
The stroller that comes with the Keyfit is pretty nice, but I wouldn't want to use it forever. I'm not sure which models currently come with the Safeseat. Typically the strollers that come with travel systems are heavy and bulky. I would consider getting a frame stroller (like a Snap n go) and then later buying a stroller that you really like. The best thing to do is try them all out in person first.
5. Are the handles on the car seat easy to put up and down? (I ask because my friend had a flexloc and it was impossible to use)
On my Keyfit and old Snugride both handles were easy to use. Also both were allowed to stay up in the car. I'm fairly certain the new Keyfit allows it to be up as well, but I'm not sure of the rules on the Safeseat.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

I'm due in April and after playing with both, I'll be buying the Keyfit. The Safeseat is a heavy seat, I wouldn't advise it if you can't lift that much. I also found the chest clip/buckle much harder to open then the Keyfit. Do you have a store that you can go and play around with both of them?


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

yeah, both can be used without the base if necessary.

Can you go check out both seats and strollers at babiesrus? and see how they install in your vehicle, strollers fold up to fit in your trunk, etc.

Those are my top two choices for infant car seats atm (until britax's new infant seat comes out) but I don't think I'd care for either stroller. My guess would be that the chicco is better. You don't have to get a travel system, though.

The graco will give you a couple more inches in height with the infant seat, chicco seems to be made of better quality materials and is more likely easier to install.

you gotta go check 'em out!!


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## goodmomma76 (Sep 2, 2008)

Thanks for all of your responses so far! We have a store, but it's over an hour away, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to get there. I'll probably try to check them out sometime soon, but I just wanted opinions of people who used them...because I went with my friend and helped her pick out that absurd car seat she had, and we didn't realize how hard the handles were to put down until we did it over and over. I was sometimes taking him out of the seat around the dumb handle, trying not to bump his little head! I thought people with experience would be better than my going in and saying oh, this one is nice! Thanks!!!


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *goodmomma76* 
I was sometimes taking him out of the seat around the dumb handle, trying not to bump his little head!

Is she leaving the handle up while in the car? I believe with the Baby Trend the handle is required to be down. I'd have her double check the manual.


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## goodmomma76 (Sep 2, 2008)

No, it was supposed to be down (she replaced this with a different seat) I was talking about after carrying him in to the house in the seat, and trying to remove him from it!


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

I would choose the Keyfit over the Safeseat. I'm not impressed with the fit of newborns in the Safeseat, and the Keyfit fits tiny babies much better. I also cannot stand the SS1 chest clip.


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## kluella (Jan 10, 2007)

We have a safeseat. Here's what I think:

1. It looks like the Keyfit and the Safeseat have some of the safer ratings, and do come in the travel system, and are within the budget she gave me, which would you choose and why?

When we bought it, the safeseat did not come in a travel system so I can't speak to that. I chose the safeseat for its ease of use rating from the NHSTA and the fact that it goes to 30lb instead of 22 like others. Everyone thought I was nuts and now that my 8 month old is outgrowing it, they see why.

2. How heavy are they? I have a medical condition that makes it not easy for me to carry much weight some days.

The safeseat is a BIG carseat. I have held other people's snugrides and realized how much of a difference there is. The seat just by itself weighs several pounds.

3. Can you strap the carseat into a car without a base? Just in case?

I use it without the base in my husband's F-150 extended cab, and I also mostly use it without the base in my Kia Optima. The only car I preferred the base in was my Toyota Corolla I got rid of recently, it seemed to fit better with the base. It is super easy to use without the base, I might even say easier than using it with!

4. Is the stroller sturdy and user friendly? Is the basket big?
"Typically the strollers that come with travel systems are heavy and bulky. I would consider getting a frame stroller (like a Snap n go) and then later buying a stroller that you really like. The best thing to do is try them all out in person first."

Quoted from PP because this is good info. The snap n gos are so lightweight and easy to use, I would not get the travel system stroller. Those things are gargantuan.

5. Are the handles on the car seat easy to put up and down? (I ask because my friend had a flexloc and it was impossible to use)
I think it's easy to use, for sure. And the handle does have to be down when in the car, for those who wondered above.

I don't know anything about the other seat you're asking about but I am very pleased with my choice. I am now having to pick out a new seat since Bob is so fat, and I am going to miss it. It def. is a bigger seat, though, so if you're not up to hauling it around you might investigate lighter options, or have some help. 

HTH!


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

They are both great seats and high on the list of ones that I like to deal with as a tech. Both can be installed without the base, but I would not recomend it unless you have to, those aren't always the easiest installs! Both have 5 point harnesses with front adjusts, bases with adjustable foots and built-in lockoffs. The lock off on the Safeseat is easier that the Chicco, in my opinion. However, the Chicco definitly fits smaller babies better. The Safeseat will probably last a little longer. They are both heavy-ish, Elite Car Seats has exact weights under their "specs" section, but after researching this for a friend that recently had a c-section, we found the Snugride was about 7.5 and the Companion was about 11, everything else was in between, the Chicco is around 9, if I remember correctly. There really isn't a huge difference. You'll be happy with either!


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