Weight Range: 20 to 70 lbs
The Good – The Recaro ProRide is easy to install using the push-button LATCH system; Custom-fit recline to help you fit the seat into your particular vehicle; Side-impact protection system; Convenient storage pockets for drinks and snacks; Comfort enhancing & energy-absorbing EPS memory foam; Twist-resistant buckle; Cool Mesh Air Ventilation; No re-thread 5-point harness.
The Bad – The seat cover is not machine-washable; It is difficult to fit in some vehicles due to its size.
The Bottom Line – The Recaro ProRide is a convertible car seat that manages to combine comfort and safety. It also looks great with it’s sleek racing-car inspired design.
Recaro ProRide – Overview
The is my fully independent and objective Recaro ProRide Review.
The Recaro ProRide is undoubtedly a very good convertible car seat. It is a premium high quality product at a very reasonable price given the huge discounts not available.
The company’s long history of expertise in manufacturing car safety seats is very reassuring and you will be hard-pressed to find any negative comments/reviews from owners of this seat, other than a few people complaining that they can’t fit it into their particular vehicles.
It looks comfortable and stylish, yet solid and sturdy. It is suitable for use as a rear-facing seat from 5 – 40 lbs and forwards-facing between 20 – 70 lbs. The child height limit for the Recaro ProRide is higher than many of its competitors (50 inches) and so you ought to be able to get a little more use out of it.
One of the best features of the Recaro ProRide is its very impressive side impact protection system that has been tested to international standards. The seat comes with enhanced head wings that shield your child’s head and face while a head rest limits their neck movement in a collision. For added safety, the seat has reinforced at the sides to help stabilize the torso and pelvis areas.
From a convenience perspective, one of the most annoying things about some cheaper convertible car seats is that you need to keep rethreading the 5-point harness as your child grows to ensure a safe fit. Anyone that has had to do this multiple times will tell you that it is not much fun and can be a very fiddly job. However, the ProRide’s 5-point harness adjusts with a simple turn of a knob without the need to rethread any of the straps.
Finally, the TrueLock belt lock-off mechanism prevents any slippage from your vehicle’s seat belt when used in the forward-facing mode.
Watch This Great YouTube Review
Key Features
- Forward- and rear-facing car seat with side-impact protection for head, neck, face, torso, and pelvis
- Safety Stripe System to alert parents that a twist could occur, or has begun, thus preventing a safety hazard
- Front-adjusting five-point harness, built-in LATCH system, universal top tether system (forward-facing)
- EPS foam to absorb forces; protective and comfortable automotive PUR foam in the head restraint
- Ergonomic shell structure for comfort and mesh fabric for air circulation
- Weight limits: 5 to 40 pounds in rear-facing position; 20 to 70 pounds in forward-facing position.
- Height limits: Under 50 inches (and under 22-1/2 inches when seated) for rear-facing position; under 50 inches when seated for forward-facing position.
- Certified for air travel when used in harness mode with the plane’s seat belt
- Gets excellent User Reviews
Peace of Mind
Recaro have a long history of producing high quality racing car seats. The one one safety feature that stands out for me is the fact that the side impact head padding is positioned very close to the side of the child’s head. This ought to reduce the risks associated with side impacts by restricting the lateral movement of the child’s head more than other car seats.
Value for Money
The Recaro ProRide is less expensive than many of its competitors.
I really like the look of these car seats – you can tell that Recaro has a background in racing car safety when you look at the styling of them. More importantly, the ProRide comes with a whole host of great safety features, yet it is cheaper than the Britax G4 Series of Seats and most (if not all) of the other premium convertible car seats.
Find More Detailed Images of the Recaro ProRide Seats here.
February 2014 LATCH Guidelines
Recaro now advises that the LATCH lower tethers should only be used on this model until the child weighs more than 45 lbs. You can still continue to use the seat until the child weighs 70 lbs, but only if you re-install the seat using the adult seat belt instead. You should still use the top tethers as they are not affected by the law change.
Since this car seat weighs only 20 lbs, you can install it using the premium LATCH tethers for longer than many other car seats. For example the Britax Marathon G4 must be belt-fitted when the child weighs more than 40 lbs.
Read more about this law change.
Where to Buy the Recaro ProRide
Get Big Discount on the Recaro ProRIDE here
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?
Click Here if you are undecided and want to read some more User Reviews.
If you need any further advice or assistance whatsoever, please feel free to contact me and I will do my very best to help.
If you have any other feedback about my “Recaro ProRide Review″, please just leave a comment in the box below or send an email to kristian@kidsafetyfirst.com
I have already purchased the Recaro ProRide but I’m trying to find an compatible stroller for it. Recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you.
I am afraid that the Recaro ProRide seat (and other convertible car seats) are not designed to be used as part of a “Travel System”. Instead, they are intended to be left installed in the car and your baby will need to be transferred into a normal stroller when out and about. There are Infant “Bucket” Seats on the market that are designed to click in and out of cars and stroller units.