Graco SlimFit3 LX 3-in-1 Review

Graco is a well-known baby gear brand that offers budget-friendly products that are easy to find. Their baby line was inspired by the original baby swing, which was modeled after a co-worker's porch swing.

Crash Test

The LX should be on your short list if you want excellent crash test analysis results. Like all seats in the review, the LX is assumed to meet the federal minimum safety guidelines and is considered safe. However, we run faster tests on a more modern sled, looking for safety seats that stand out above the crowd.

The LX performed well in our tests, with lower sensor readings in the HIC and chest clips. Lower means fewer g-forces on little bodies, which is the desired result. Much like golf, fewer is better.

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The LX's HIC results are some of the lowest in the group, with only a handful recording fewer forces. The chest clip sensor is almost the lowest in the group. These results combined indicate that the LX could offer an additional protection margin over the average car seat.

Ease of Install - LATCH

No matter how you tackle it, the LX is an involved installation. While not the worst in the group, we can see it creating anxiety for parents who worry about getting the installation done correctly.

The LX has push-style LATCH connectors that we believe are easier to get on and off. Pushing onto the vehicle's LATCH anchor points is straightforward, and pressing the red button releases them.

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Our installation experience varied significantly from car to car and the kind of upholstery (cloth vs. leather/vinyl). If you install it once with each configuration, it can be less of a concern, but if you plan to move the seat frequently, we suspect it will be more annoying. We had a much better experience with the cloth interior than the slicker leatherette.

The real issue with this seat is the lack of a tensioner or lockoff. In our experience, a lockoff makes installation easier and faster and gives a more secure feeling when it's all done. Two testers felt this seat was hard to get tight enough, with the seat sitting straight and not “cattywhampus.”

The recline adjustment is on the foot portion of the base. This is a common location, which can be more complicated to operate. Angle adjustments are required before installation, especially in the rear-facing configuration. Finding the best angle during installation was harder for this option because the variation in the settings is so wide. Each could be too severe in its own way, with little noticeable difference.

The LX has a ball-style level indicator on both sides. It is easy to read, and ours worked well.

Ease of Install - Belt

Installing the LX with the vehicle belt is one of the hardest in the group. If this method is your only option, it wouldn't be our preferred seat. It's important to note that you will likely be required to install this seat using this method at some point due to passenger weight.

Installing the seat rear-facing does not have a lockoff, but there is a color-coded belt pathway. Feeding the belt through is easy after you lift the cover.

However, getting it tight is where the trouble comes in, and a lockoff or tensioner would have been useful. As you pull the belt to tighten, the seat tends to want to follow the path of the shoulder strap, moving up at an angle. While it passes the wiggle test, it still has more movement than we like.

For forward-facing installation, the LX has a lockoff and color pathway. You pull up the headrest to expose the pathway, thread through the lockoff, and close the lockoff. Closing can be tricky if the belt is too tight or too loose. Pushing the lockoff closed on an overly tight belt is hard. We preferred a forward-facing installation when using the vehicle belt, when you're more likely to need it.

Ease of Use

The LX is harder to use than the average seat. While nothing is truly difficult, and if you've never used something different, you will probably get used to it, it doesn't offer much in terms of ease of use.

Harness

This Graco has a non-rethread adjustment, ten shoulder strap positions, and three crotch strap options. Moving the assembly is easy with a little one in the seat. Three positions help avoid the unclear moment of whether it's too tight or too loose.

The buckle and chest clip are standard with no standout features or functions. Pushing the button is stiff, and the prong requires manual release. The chest clip is easy to put on, and you press both tabs to unlock.

Tightening the harness is a pain. It is hard to do incrementally, with some pulling seeming to do nothing, then pulling it again tightens it too much. Loosening is easier with a button that is easy to find and press.

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LATCH Storage

LATCH storage tucks out of the way, and the location is a pain to use. They store under the seat, and you need to be organized to get the straps and buckles in place.

The user manual slides under the seat base, keeping it from being damaged by possible messes.

Cover

The Cover on the LX is unbelievably easy to remove and replace. It attaches essentially with snaps, like breakaway warm-up joggers. If you like to clean things frequently, this is a compelling choice.

Comfort/Quality

Gracos aren't known for comfort or quality, with a leaning toward reasonably priced instead. However, the LX performs better than the average seat and the average Graco.

The fabric feels non-abrasive, but not super soft. Some testers preferred it over some competitors as it feels somewhat silkier. It is smooth over most of the seat with mesh on the sides that might help with breathability or regulating body temps.

The padding is comfortable overall and better than several other Graco options. While it could be denser and more supportive, we appreciate the nod to comfort over other Graco contenders.

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The LX shell is a busy nightmare of stickers and warning labels. The back is an open mess that you can't see when forward-facing, but could collect gunk when rear-facing.

This seat has dual cup holders that can be removed by pressing a button. They taper somewhat near the bottom, making it harder to remove wider-based bottles, but they were also less likely to topple out.

Weight/Size

The LX is lightweight and narrow. If you need to fit multiple seats in one vehicle row, this could be the seat for you, with a width measurement of 16.5 in. The average is closer to 2 inches wider, with several options measuring closer to 19 inches.

While not the lightest option in the group, if you need to carry it, the weight of 19.5 lbs makes this far easier than the average, which is closer to 26 lbs. The weight might be less of a concern if you plan to install it in a single car and rarely move it, but lighter is better for travel or frequently moving the seat from place to place.

Should You Buy the Graco SlimFit3 LX 3-in-1?

The LX is essentially a narrower version of the SlimFit3. It performed equally well in crash testing, earning one of the highest analysis results, and it is super narrow and lightweight. However, it is more challenging to install than the non-LX version in our tests, and you pay more for the smaller footprint and slightly harder-to-use features. If you simply must have the narrowest seat available to fit your brood in one car, we think you'll be happy enough with the LX, but if your family could fit just as easily using a seat that is wider, we'd choose something else.

What Other Convertible Car Seat Should You Consider?

The Britax Poplar S is a narrow seat with a width of 17 inches, just a half inch bigger than the LX. However, it costs more and has an average crash analysis result. If you can manage two more inches of width, the Graco SlimFit 3-in-1 shares similar crash test results to the LX but is easier to install and use. It can also save you money with its lower price tag. The Romer Veni is also relatively narrow with a width of 17.2 inches, but it weighs almost 28 lbs, and the crash analysis is only slightly above the average for a big price jump.

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