Graco Size4Me 65 – Overview
The Size4Me’s recommended retail price is just $179.99 but, in fact, it is possible to find them online at the moment for under $150.
If there is a better budget convertible car seat on sale today, then I haven’t found it yet.
No Graco Size4Me 65 Review could fail to mention the “clone issue”.
Now, you may have heard about a number of other similarly named Graco convertible car seats and wondered what the differences are. You may even have searched the internet for comparison reviews of these seats.
The truth is that there are no meaningful differences between the Size4Me 65, MySize 65 and Fit4Me 65 car seats. They are essentially the exact same seats. The reason for the slightly confusing name differences is that certain retailers appear to have exclusive agreements with Graco to sell certain fabric color styles of the seat from their stores and, in order to differentiate between them, they used different model names to sell what are essentially the same seats.
So, unless you are desperate to buy a certain fabric color, everything that I say in this post about the Graco Size4Me 65 applies equally to the MySize 65 and Fit4Me 65 seats.
So, let’s start with a run down of the main specifications of the seat and then go on to look at some of them in more detail.
Graco Size4Me 65 at a Glance
| Full Price | $179.99 |
| Rear-Facing Weight | 4 - 40 lbs |
| Rear-Facing Height | 1" below headrest button |
| Forwards-Facing Weight | 22 - 65 lbs |
| Forwards-Facing Height | up to 49" |
| No-rethread Harness | Yes |
| LATCH Installation | Yes |
| Harness Height Range | 7 - 17.5" |
| Infant Insert | Yes |
| Top Tether | Yes |
| Cup Holder | Yes |
| Seat Expiration | 7 years |
| FAA Approved for Flights | Yes |
Graco Size4Me 65 – Main Features
#1 Height & Weight Limits
The great news is that this seat is suitable for use from 4 lbs, which makes it an excellent choice for those who have, or who are expecting, very small babies.
Many convertible car seats start from 5 lbs and upwards and some, like the Clek Foonf, even require a baby to be at least 14 lbs before using them.
So, the Size4Me 65 can be used from birth and will last until your child is either more than 65 lbs in weight or 49 inches in height. These are fairly standard maximum weight and height limits for convertible car seats, both at the budget and premium ends of the market.
The only slight downside with the Size4Me 65 is that its rear-facing weight limit is just 40 lbs. Again, this is within the normal range for convertible seats, but does not allow the sort of extended rear-facing that you can achieve with one of the Clek seats or the Graco Extend2Fit.
The weight limit of 40 lbs ought to still allow your child to rear-face until they are at least 3 years of age (which is a year longer than the minimum recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics), but if you are determined to rear-face even longer than that, then you need to look for a genuine extended rear-facing seat. Just be prepared to pay more money for this feature.
Remember, just because you can switch your baby around to forwards-face at 22 lbs it does NOT mean that you have to. Rear-Facing is much safer than forwards-facing and I recommend that your child remains that way as long as they are within the required height and weight limits.
You will have noted from the table above that the rear-facing height limit is not related to your child’s standing height, but requires that the top of their head is at least 1 inch below the headrest adjustment button when it is fully extended (see image above). Logically, this means that if your child has a shorter than average torso they may well be able to get more use out of the seat than if they have a long torso.
In reality, this method of measuring has been found to enable most children to use the seat for the full 40 lbs weight limit, whereas in many other convertible seats, the height limit is reached long before the child is able to take full advantage of any alleged extended rear-facing limits.
The overall limit of 65 lbs or 49 inches ought to mean that most children could use it until they are 6 or 7 years of age.
#2 Harness Height and Adjustment
In addition to the 4 lb minimum weight limit, there are 2 other reasons why this seat is excellent for small babies.
Firstly, it comes with an infant insert which helps to provide added support around the vulnerable parts of your baby’s body and also boosts them up so that they can be seated in a safe and secure manner.
Secondly, the bottom harness slot heights are low enough to enable you to get a snug fit around the shoulder and crotch areas of your baby. This is because the lowest shoulder harness slot is at just 7 inches (with infant insert) and the crotch strap positions are at 4.5 and 6.5 inches.
The Size4Me also comes with a harness adjustment system that you would ordinarily only expect to find on a much more expensive seat. The Simple Safe Adjust Harness system allows you to increase the height of the headrest and the shoulder harness straps without having to rethread the harness or make any other fiddly changes to the seat’s configuration.
You simply squeeze and pull the button in order to adjust the height to the required level.
#3 InRight LATCH Installation
The InRight LATCH installation system is very simple to operate. Instead of using hooks, you simply have to click the connectors onto your vehicle’s lower anchors and pull the strap. Removing the LATCH connectors is equally easy to do.
#4 Other Features
The other features found on the Graco Size4Me 65 convertible car seat are pretty self-explanatory.
They are:
- EPS foam lined head wings for side impact protection
- Cup holder
- Shell height of 28 inches
- Machine washable seat pads
- 3-position recline with indicator
- 7-year expiration
- FFA approved for aircraft
Videos of the Graco Size4Me 65
My Verdict
This is regarded by many people to be the best budget convertible car seat on the market today.
It has some of the features that you would expect to only find on one of the more expensive seats, like the automatic harness adjustment system, premium LATCH connectors, and generous height and weight limits.
It is an excellent seat for smaller babies due to the low harness height slots, the infant insert, and the fact that it is usable from just 4 lbs.
It would be nice if the rear-facing weight limit was a little higher, but there is only so much that you can reasonably expect from a car seat that is less than half of the price of the more expensive models.
All in all, I highly recommend this seat for those who do not wish to spend $400+ on a top-of-the-range convertible seat.
Note: There is a RapidRemove version, which simply means that it comes with a seat cover that can be more easily removed for cleaning without having to remove the seat from your vehicle (see below).
Where to Buy the Graco Size4Me
Check out the Size4Me 65with RapidRemove Cover and Fit4Me.
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.
Do You Need More Help?
If you have any other feedback about my Graco Size4Me 65 Convertible Review, please just leave a comment in the box below or send an email to kristian@kidsafetyfirst.com
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