When our friends at Safety 1st asked us what our readers might think about the idea of a convertible car seat with a 50 pound rear facing weight limit, we were thrilled to pose the question on our Facebook page. The comments were clear — such a seat would be a welcome addition to the marketplace. Safety 1st responded with the release of the Advance EX 65 Air + and we couldn’t wait for our seat to arrive!
Safety 1st Advance EX Air +
CSFTL Quick Stats
- Rear facing weight range: 5-50 lbs
- Rear facing height range: 19-49″
- Forward facing minimum age: 2 years
- Forward facing weight range: 22-65 lbs
- Forward facing height range: 29-49″
- Shell height: 28″
- Lowest harness position: 7.5″
- Highest harness position: 18″
- Expiration: 8 years
- Lower anchor weight limit: 40 lbs
Features
- 3 crotch buckle positions
- No re-thread harness
- 3 recline positions
- Integrated cup holder
- Air Protect + GCell HX foam
For all intents and purposes, the Advance EX Air + is quite similar to the Safety 1st Advance SE Air +, but there are a few key differences.
- The 50 pound rear facing weight limit
- 2 year minimum age for forward facing
- 18″ top harness slot instead of 17″
- 49″ height limit for rear and forward facing
Advance EX 65 Air + installed rear facing
Make no mistake, this is a very large car seat. It’s not a good option for tight spaces where you’d need an upright seat (front-to-back, it measures 34 inches when installed at the most reclined level in my 2009 Mazda 5), nor is it likely to be any kind of option for a three across situation.
We took a closer look at how the seat fits front to back when compared to other convertible car seats if you’d like to see some actual size comparisons.
It’s also not particularly lightweight, though it does have a handle on the back that makes carrying it around pretty easy.
But.
And this is a big but.
This is a reasonably priced, plush seat that is likely to fit most children until they’re ready for a booster. The 50 pound rear facing weight limit means that following best practice of rear facing for as long as possible is truly an option for many families. Children who would have maxed out the rear facing capabilities of most other convertible seats on the market could remain rear facing for much longer in the Advance EX Air + than almost any other seat on the market.
Installation
Rear Facing
Safety 1st Advance EX Air + label
For as large as this seat is, installing the Advance EX Air + is pretty straightforward. Since my main model is 45 pounds, I needed to install the seat using the seat belt. This seat has a lower anchor weight limit of 40 pounds — that’s clearly described in the manual and clearly labelled on the side of the seat.
Because the seat is not small, I had to move my passenger seat up quite a bit to make room for the seat. Well, and for me to stand over it in order to do the installation. Once I wedged myself in there (sorry, no pictures), I was able to get a solid installation of the seat in about 2 minutes. Once installed, the seat takes up about 34 inches front-to-back.
When the seat is installed rear facing, the recline handle is pointing toward the front of the car. This does not mean that the seat’s recline angle can be adjusted while the seat is installed. The seat would need to be uninstalled, then have the recline angle adjusted, and the seat installed at the new angle.
Legroom in Front of the Seat
Since this seat is so large, it may require the seat in front of it to be moved forward quite a bit. If that’s the case, one option is to have the adult passenger who normally rides in the passenger seat sit in the back instead. We’ve done a size comparison of the rear facing size of this seat against a number of other popular seats if you’d like to see how it stacks up.
Rear Facing Crotch Buckle Position
The crotch buckle can be used in the 1st and 2nd positions for rear facing. This is clearly stated throughout the manual. Since crotch buckle position regulations are something we’re often asked about, we very much appreciate the clarity in the manual around this and a myriad of other installation guidelines.
The second position is the outermost allowed position. Knowing that my main model is at the larger end of the size range for this seat, I moved the buckle to that position before installing the seat. Pulling the cover back from the seat pan made this task fairly simple.
I was able to move the crotch buckle to the innermost position without uninstalling the seat when our 4 week old model posed in the seat. I had to recline my car’s seat back to gain access but the recline of the Advance EX Air + allowed access to the bottom of the seat pan so I could make the switch.
Fit to Child
Rear Facing
Advance EX 65 Air + newborn doll is 7 pounds, 17 inches long
Newborn
Our Huggable Images model is newborn, weighs 7 pounds and is 17 inches long. This model fits well in the seat with plenty of growing room left!
Infant: 4 Weeks Old
Advance EX 65 Air +: 4 Weeks old, 9 pounds, 19 inches long
This tiny model didn’t quite meet the lowest setting on the harness, even with the padding in. She also wasn’t pleased about posing on a warm day so we didn’t have a lot of opportunity for retakes.
We’re lucky enough to have a slightly older model available and the fit was much better for our 6 week old model below.
This makes us a little hesitant to recommend this seat for the average newborn. However, the fit was close enough that it could be an option for larger or longer newborns.
Infant: 6 Weeks Old
Advance EX Air +: 6 weeks old
This model is 6 weeks old. The model weighs 9 pounds and is roughly 22 inches long. At the lowest setting, this young model fits in the seat even without the infant insert.
Toddler: 2.5 Years Old
Advance EX 65 Air +: 2.5 years old, 27 pounds, 34 inches
Here we see a 2.5-year-old model. She weighs 27 pounds, and is 34 inches tall. She’s got plenty of room to grow in this seat. The crotch buckle is on the 2nd position and unlike our 5-year-old model, it’s plenty long enough to buckle her in without any concern over pinching her skin while buckling.
Her feet rest comfortably on the edge of the seat pan. She is a big fan of the seat, calling it “the big seat.” With the headrest raised to the proper height for her, she’s still got plenty of padding behind her. And lots of room to grow!
5 Years Old
Advance EX Air +: model is 5 years old, 45 pounds, 44 inches
Our model is 5 years, 4 months old. She’s 45 pounds and stands 44 inches tall. Size-wise, she’s the ideal model for this seat since she can show both how well it fits her now and how much room she’s got left to grow in it. This model has been riding forward facing for about a year — when she hit 40 pounds and outgrew her previous seat by weight. She was VERY excited about the possibility of riding rear facing again.
Plenty of legroom!
What about her legs? This is a common question. She’d like you to know that her legs are quite comfortable. She prefers to stretch them out, or bend at the knees, resting her hands on her knees.
Getting her in and out of the seat is a bit of a challenge. I won’t pretend that it’s not.
The Advance EX Air + is a fairly deep seat so climbing in and out isn’t the easiest thing with this model. However, she uses all of her long legs plus the car’s convenience handle to kind of vault herself in and out.
Optional Padding
When the headrest is raised to the correct position for her, this creates a section directly behind her back that’s not as padded as the rest of the seat. Because she’s rear facing, the angle of the seat pan kind of pushes her back into the seat and she notices this unpadded section of the seat more than she would while forward facing.
To resolve this, I’ve added the padding that comes with the seat back into the seat. The manual does not specify any weight limit for the use of this padding so it can be used at any weight. The padding covers that spot pretty well so our model was comfortable once again.
However, adding the padding back in makes the accessing crotch buckle and buckle tongues a little harder . The crotch buckle isn’t terribly long, so this presents a bit of a challenge. I have to kind of hold the buckle out-of-the-way while our model climbs in, then carefully buckle it so I don’t pinch her legs in the process. We’ll ask Dorel if there are plans for a longer crotch buckle.
Installation
Forward Facing
Lower anchor weight limit: 40 lbs
Always use the top tether when installing this seat in forward facing mode.
Installing the Advance EX Air + in forward facing mode was as straightforward as the rear facing install. In some ways, it was easier since it doesn’t take up as much room in this mode. That gave me more room to maneuver around the seat and access the belt path.
Advance EX Air +: 2 year minimum for forward facing
Throughout the manual, there are reminders of the importance of rear facing until at least 2 years old. The forward facing section includes several mentions of this, each of which warm our collective CSPT heart just a little more.
As far as actually installing the seat in forward facing mode, it wasn’t too difficult. With some pressure from my non-dominant hand, I was able to remove enough slack from the seat belt to install the seat correctly without too much grunting and sweating.
For me, that’s a good day in car seats!
Forward Facing Crotch Buckle Position
When in forward facing mode, the crotch buckle can be used in any position. This is also clearly stated in the manual.
Fit to Child
Forward Facing
2.5 Years Old
Advance EX 65 Air +: 2.5 years old, 27 pounds, 34 inches
Here we see our 2.5 year old model once more. She normally rides rear facing so this is a new position for her. She’s got plenty of room to grow, so much so that her feet barely reach past the end of the seat pan!
In terms of the harness, she’s also got quite a bit of room to grow. This seat would easily last her until she’s ready for a booster.
5 Years Old
Advance EX 65 Air +, model is 5.5 years old, 45 pounds, 45 inches tall
Here we see our 5.5 year old, 45 pound, 45 inch tall model from earlier. She finds the seat quite comfortable. Because the seat is quite large and the seat pan spills over the bottom edge of the car’s seat a bit, she has a harder time climbing into this seat than some seats that sit lower. With the help of the bucklebopper, she’s able to unbuckle the crotch buckle, but she struggles to unbuckle the chest clip. This may be a feature for children who tend to unbuckle themselves when they shouldn’t!
Her seated shoulder height is right around 17 inches. She’s got a bit of room to grow in this seat, it should last her until she’s ready for a booster.
6 Year Old
Advance EX 65 Air +: 6 years old, 51 pounds, 47 inches tall
Our tallest model is at the top end of the seat’s size range. She’s 6 years old, weighs 51 pounds, and is 47 inches tall. She also found the seat quite plush. She’s at end of the harness length and the top range of the seat’s harness height. She may have about a half-inch left of harness height above her shoulders.
Important Information: Where to Find
Advance EX 65 Air + manual storage
The manual stores in a handy little pocket under the cushion behind the child’s left ear. The location is clearly marked by a sewn-on tab on the seat cover.
Advance EX 65 Air FAA Certification
If you take the Advance EX Air + on an airplane, you may be asked to show the seat’s FAA Certification. This is the red lettering and the picture of the airplane on the label at the base of the seat. You’ll find this on the child’s left side. This sticker is completely obscured when the seat is installed rear facing.
Because this sticker is on the seat’s base, moving the base between positions causes the seat to rub against this label. I suspect that this label will eventually come off due to this location.
Advance EX 65 Air + expiration date
Advance EX 65 Air + date of manufacture label
The Date of Manufacture (DOM) sticker is located on the base of the seat, on the child’s left side. This sticker is completely obscured when the seat is installed rear facing.
Because this sticker is on the seat’s base, moving the base between positions causes the seat to rub against this label. I suspect that this label will eventually come off due to this location.
Advance EX 65 Air + locking clip storage
Though this seat doesn’t come with a locking clip, there’s a storage spot for it on the base of the seat. If your car requires one, just call Safety 1st to order one for use with this seat.
Pros
- 50 pound rear facing weight limit
- Easy to install
- No re-thread harness
- Three crotch buckle positions
- Four recline positions
Cons
- Very large front to back, especially for a child under 22 pounds
- Does not come with harness strap covers
Overall Thoughts
The Advance EX Air + is many things. Small, is it not. But. It has the highest rear facing weight and height limits of any seat on the market — at a price that’s about half of its closest competitor. This brings extended rear facing into the forefront of the mid-price market, making it an option for even more families.
Advance EX Air 65 +: 2 year minimum in the manual
The manual reads like a showcase for best practice. Highlighted on every relevant page is a message about the importance of rear facing, even on the forward facing installation instructions!
We could not be more excited to see this seat hit the market. Though not every child will need a seat that can accommodate rear facing up to 50 pounds, for a lot of families, this seat could mean that best practice is within reach.
Thanks to Safety 1st for providing this seat for review, but also for generously giving us one for our readers! This seat can currently be bought at Babies R Us for under $200, or enter the giveaway below for a chance to win. As always, Safety 1st provided no compensation for this review and all the thoughts are our own.
