Safety 1st EverSlim (Meets New Standards)

Seat is Good for You If:

You want to use a convertible seat from birth.

This seat’s lowest harness height is 6.5″, so it will fit average or larger newborns from birth if you want to skip the infant seat. This seat has a good recline setting for infants, so it works well in that regard too, but it does take up a lot of space front to back at the required recline. The harness pads are very bulky and will need to be removed for a newborn. If you are expecting a premature or low birth weight baby, we would recommend a different seat like one of these.

Your child is below the 50th percentile for height.

The highest harness height is only 16.5″ tall, while many other seats in this category have harness heights that are 17+.” Harness height is one of the indicators of how long a seat will last. However, if you have a child who is below the 50th percentile in height, this harness height will likely be adequate to get them to a safe booster age. The highest belt guide position on this seat is only 18.5″, so it lasts about two years longer than the harness mode. 

You have a child who likes to unbuckle the chest clip.

The EverSlim has one of the hardest chest clips around for a child to unbuckle. It’s magnetic, and you have to squeeze two buttons while also moving half of the chest clip away from the other half, which is very difficult for most toddlers to manage. If you have a child who has escaped from multiple car seats already, try this one.

Use Caution if:

You have a larger percentile child.

The highest harness height is only 16.5″ tall, so if you have a child with a long torso, this is probably not the best seat for you. This is relevant because you need the harness to come from even with or just above their shoulders when forward-facing. Many other seats in this category have harness heights that are 17+ inches. The highest belt guide position on this seat is only 18.5″, so it’s not long-lasting in the high-back booster mode either. But it does have a backless booster mode that can be used until the child is 57.”

You need a rear-facing seat that is compact from front to back.

The Safety 1st EverSlim/SlimRide must be reclined until the red line on the side of the seat is parallel to the ground. In this position, it takes up quite a bit of space, so it would not be a good choice for smaller back seats. 

You need to fit 3 across. 

Quirks to be Aware of:

52″ Limit for Backless Booster Mode

The backless booster mode gave a good seat belt fit for both of the kids that we tried in it. But you will need to purchase another booster when this one is outgrown, as a child who is 52 inches will not pass the 5-Step Test and be ready to just use the adult seat belt.