The first thing that you will have to decide is whether you want a car seat that is solely designed for babies or one that can also be used into the toddler years.
If you want a car seat that can last into the toddler years, you should be looking at convertible and “all-in-one” child seats. These seats obviously have the advantage of lasting longer and avoiding the need to upgrade until much later on, but they also have some big drawbacks.
One problem with convertible and “all-in-one” car seats is that they are not solely designed for use with babies and, therefore, lack some of the more specific newborn “baby features” that can be found on infant car seats.
Another very big downside is that those seats are not designed to be carried around or used as part of an integrated travel system. So, a convertible car seat stays installed in your vehicle and you have to remove your child from the seat in order to transfer them into a stroller or your home. With an infant seat, you can actually remove the seat from the car seat base and either carry your child around while he or she is still in the seat, or quickly and easily click it into your chosen stroller frame.
If you think that you would like the added convenience and safety features of an infant car seat, then read on.
Since an infant car seat is designed to be manually removed from your vehicle at various times, the weight of that car seat can be an important factor if you wish to be able to do so comfortably and/or reduce the risk of injury.
In this post, I will look 3 of the best lightweight infant car seats. I have excluded very low cost seats as their low weight can often be due to poor safety features or limited lifespan rather than clever design. All of the seats described below are premium infant car seats manufactured by reputable companies. They all weigh no more than 9lbs and can be used until your baby reaches the upper limits of 35lbs in weight or 32 inches in height.
So, in no particular order, what are the best lightweight infant car seats in 2023?
#1 Clek Liing
The Clek Liing Infant Car Seat weighs in at just 9lbs, making it the heaviest of the 3 options discussed here.
That extra pound or so of weight does, however, get you a high-quality car seat and car seat base crammed with safety and convenience features.
The main features include:
#1 Clek Liing Child Weight/Height Limits
The Clek Liing infant car seat is suitable for use by children weighing between 4lbs and 35 lbs.
The maximum child height limit for the Liing seat is 32 inches.
#1 Clek Liing Seat Dimensions
Not only is the Clek Liing seat lightweight, but it is also quite narrow, making it much easier to install it alongside 2 other seats in the back of your vehicle. It is also deliberately shorter from front to back, than many other premium infant seats, which can provide adults sitting in the front seats of your vehicle with a little extra leg room.
#3 Clek Liing Seat Shell & Side Impact Protection
The Clek Liing seat comes with a 2-piece seat shell and 2 layers of advanced side impact protection to greatly improve the safety of your baby in a collision situation.
There is a 2-piece energy-absorbing shell that is lined with EPP foam in order to add more protection to the head and torso areas of your baby’s body, which are naturally the most vulnerable parts.
Newborn babies using this seat can also take advantage of the Clek 2-stage infant insert system, which is specifically designed to provide proper head support and a snug seating position for the youngest of babies while using the seat.
#4 Clek Liing Stroller Compatibility
For those who wish to use an infant seat as part of an integrated travel system, the Clek Liing is compatible with a number of different stroller systems, including those made by UPPAbaby, BabbyJogger, and Bugaboo.
Transitioning the seats between vehicle seat base and the stroller is made very easy by the one-handed quick release button.
#5 Clek Liing Seat Base
The Clek Liing comes supplied with a Clek infant car seat base.
The most convenient way to install the Clek Liing in your vehicle is to first install the car seat base, and then simply click the seat in and out of that base when you need to move it between your vehicle and your destination or stroller travel system.
The Clek seat base supplied with the Liing seat comes with an easy-to-use rigid LATCH connection system. If, for some reason, your vehicle doesn’t have LATCH (or it needs to go on a middle seat), you can install the Liing model using a belt-tensioning system.
If you don’t want to use the seat base or need to secure the Liing seat in an Uber, taxi, or unfamiliar vechicle, there is also the option of installing it using a European Belt Pathing system.
#6 Clek Seat Base Safety Features
There are also some important safety benefits to using the Clek Liing seat while it is clicked into the Clek seat base.
The Clek infant seat base is fitted with an energy-absorbing metal load leg that is specifically designed to reduce crash forces. This metal load leg works by providing extra stability to the base and is said to reduce crash forces by up to 40%.
Using the Clek Liing with the seat base also provides you with 7 different recline options to suit your situation. There is a simple bubble indicator to tell you when you have installed the seat with the correct amount of recline.
#7 Extra Clek Seat Bases
If you need an extra Clek infant seat base in order to easily use your Liing seat in an alternative vehicle on a regular basis, the seat bases can be purchased separately.
Other Clek Liingo Features include:
- SPF 100+ Canopy with Peekaboo window
- Fabrics naturally flame retardant
- 1-Hand Harness Buckle Release
- Certified for Aircraft Travel
- 9 year seat expiration
You can read my full review of the Clek Liing here.
Here is a video review of the Clek Liing …
Check Best Price of the Clek Liing.
Read User Reviews of the Clek Ling.
#2 Graco Snugride Lite LX
The Graco Snugride Lite LX infant car seat weighs in at just 7.2 lbs, which is makes it the lightest option.
Here are the main features:
#1 Graco Snugride Lite LX Child Weight/Height Limits
The Graco Snugride Lite LX infant car seat is suitable for use by children weighing between 4lbs and 35 lbs.
The maximum child height limit for the seat is 32 inches.
#2 Graco Snugride Lite LX Seat Shell & Side Impact Protection
The Graco Snugride Lite LX seat comes with Graco’s ProtectPlus collision protection system.
Newborn babies using this seat can also take advantage of the Graco infant head and body support insert that comes with this seat.
#3 Graco Snugride Stroller Compatibility
For those who wish to use an infant seat as part of an integrated travel system, the Graco Snugride Lite LX can be used with Graco Stroller Systems.
#4 Graco Seat Base
The Graco Snugride Lite LX comes supplied with a Graco infant car seat base.
The seat can be installed using the LATCH connectors on the seat base or by using the vehicle seatbelt.
Other Graco Snugride Lite LX Features include:
- Rotating Full Coverage Canopy
- Ergonomic Handle
- Integrated belt lock-off system
- 7-year seat expiration
Here is a video review of the Graco Snugride Lite LX …
Check Best Price of the Graco Snugride Lite LX.
Read User Reviews of the Graco Snugride Lite LX.
#3 Evenflo LiteMax 35
The Evenflo LiteMax 35 infant car seat weighs in at 8.17 lbs, which is makes it a little lighter than the Clek Liing, but heavier than the Graco Snugride Lite LX.
Here are the main features:
#1 Evenflo LiteMax 35 Child Weight/Height Limits
The Evenflo LiteMax 35 infant car seat is suitable for use by children weighing between 4lbs and 35 lbs.
The maximum child height limit for the seat is 32 inches.
#2 Evenflo LiteMax 35 Seat Dimensions
The Evenflo LiteMax 35 seat is also a relatively narrow infant car seat at 19 inches across.
You should be able to install it within your vehicle alongside 2 other car seats if necessary.
#3 Evenflo LiteMax 35 Stroller Compatibility
For those who wish to use an infant seat as part of an integrated travel system, the Evenflo LiteMax 35 can be used with Evenflo Stroller Systems.
#4 Evenflo LiteMax 35 Seat Base
The Evenflo LiteMax 35 comes supplied with an Evenflo infant car seat base.
The seat can be installed using the LATCH connectors on the seat base or by using the vehicle seatbelt.
Other Evenflo LiteMax 35 Features include:
- Full Coverage Canopy
- Ergonomic Handle
- Parentlink service for installation assistance
- Tested at 2x federal safety standards
- Integrated belt lock-off system
Here is a video review of the Evenflo LiteMax 35 Infant Car Seat …
Check Best Price of the Evenflo LiteMax 35 Seat.
Read User Reviews of the Evenflo LiteMax 35 Seat.
Safety Information
After purchasing any child car seat, you should always read the User Manual thoroughly before using it. It is also advisable to visit your local Fire Department or NHTSA Child Car Seat Inspection Centre to ensure that the seat is definitely suitable for your child’s specific requirements and that you have installed it correctly. These services are usually provided free of charge.
You can find your nearest NHTSA Centre here.
Get in Touch
If you have any comments to share or questions to ask about my Best Lightweight Infant Car Seats 2023 Post, please leave a comment in the box below or send me an email.
Leave a Reply