By far one of the most important items for a new baby is the car seat. Whether you’ve got a toddler or a newborn, you’ve likely spent plenty of time taking your little one in and out of their seat and adjusting the straps.
Some little ones aren’t too keen on being strapped into their car seat, so it is extremely important to make sure that their car seat straps are adjusted properly for safety and comfort.
Keep reading if you’re looking for a deep dive into Evenflo car seat straps and how to be sure they are properly adjusted.
1. Press down on the harness release button (located on the lower front edge of the seat directly in the middle) and pull on the straps to loosen them.
2. To tighten the straps, look for the harness adjustment strap, a long strap that hangs from the bottom of the car seat. Pull the harness adjustment strap to tighten the straps of the car seat. Car seat straps should fit snuggly around your child but not be too tight.
3. Keep the chest clip at armpit level and be sure it is cleared from your child’s neck.
Note: When adjusting Evenflo car seat straps, the steps may vary depending on the type of Evenflo car seat you have. Later on, we will discuss some of the most popular types of Evenflo car seats and what sets them apart.
Step-by-step guide to adjusting Evenflo car seat straps
Adjusting the straps on an Evenflo car seat is essential to ensure the safety and comfort of your child. Here’s a general guide on how to adjust the straps on most Evenflo car seats. Please note that specific models might have variations, so it’s crucial to refer to the user manual for your particular model.
1. Use the harness adjustment strap to tighten and loosen straps
The harness adjustment strap and the harness release button will help you tighten and loosen the straps of your Evenflo car seat. Find the harness release button located on the lower front edge of the seat, just between where your child’s knees should rest when sitting in the seat.
Loosen the straps by pressing down on the harness release button and pulling on the straps away from the car seat. Locate the harness adjustment strap by looking just beneath the harness release button, for a long strap. Pull on this long adjustment strap to tighten the car seat straps.
2. Be sure the chest clip is in the proper position
Once the shoulder straps are adjusted properly, you can check the chest clip to ensure that it is safely and comfortably fit for your child.
The chest clip is meant to line up with your child’s armpits and should never be pressing on their neck. You can move the chest clip up and down as needed to help ensure comfort and safety for your child.
3. Adjusting the tilt
Some Evenflo car seats come with an included base that you will install in your vehicle. The car seat will click into the base and can be taken in and out as needed. When installing the base you may have to adjust the tilt to accommodate for your child’s unique weight.
Your Evenflo car seat will likely have a small dial on the side that will show how much it needs to be tilted for given weight ranges. For front-facing car seats, you may need to adjust the tilt by using a recline button.
Rear-facing vs. front-facing car seats
If you’re a new parent you may be confused about the difference between rear and front-facing car seats. Below, we’re answering some of the most common questions asked by new parents, when it comes to rear and front-facing car seats.
When do children transition from rear-facing to front-facing car seats?
Car seat requirements will vary by state, and can become outdated quickly as this information is regularly updated. So it is important to get up-to-date on your state’s current recommendations and avoid trusting the advice of others, as past methods can become quickly outdated.
Most areas recommend keeping a child in their rear-facing car seat until the age of two, or even longer if possible.
Some parents have switched their children to a forward-facing car seat at far too young of an age due to some state laws allowing infants in convertible car seats to ride forward-facing as young as one year old. Unfortunately, this is still far too young for a child to ride forward-facing.
What’s the real difference between rear and front-facing car seats?
The difference between forward-facing and rear-facing car seats is the way they absorb impact in the event of an accident. Rear-facing car seats prevent the stress put on the neck and back of a child upon impact by cradling the back and evenly distributing impact.
When it comes to installing your car seat, rear and front-facing car seats don’t differ too much. Rear-facing car seats allow children to lay back while front-facing car seats are upright and allow room for the older child’s longer legs.
Why do younger babies require rear-facing car seats?
The idea behind car seats is the need to absorb impact, in the event of a car crash. When adults are in a car accident, their seat belt helps to distribute the force to stronger areas of the body such as the chest, collarbone, and hips.
If a child is forward-facing, in the event of a car accident, their head will jolt forward and stress will be put on the neck. When infants are rear-facing, their neck and back are more protected because their body will move in unison, thanks them being cradled by the shell of the car seat.
Since most young children don’t yet have solid bones along their neck and back, these bones can stretch when jolted in a car accident. The stretching of these bones can lead to stretching and breakage of the spinal cord.
Since children often have a much heavier head in proportion to the rest of their bodies, front-facing car seats can put them at serious risk if put in them too young. By riding rear-facing the risk of serious injury is greatly reduced for younger babies.
Is there a weight requirement with certain car seat models?
All baby car seats will offer a weight requirement that corresponds with that given model. Some car seats have a narrower range such as 5 – 20 lbs. More versatile car seats with a higher weight limit can go all the way up to 110 lbs and will be the only car seat you’ll ever need.
Every state has it’s own unique car seat requirements in terms of a child’s height and weight. For example, in California, children under the age of 8 and under 57-inches tall must be restrained in some type of car seat.
Similarly, in Hawaii the law requires children ages 4 – 8 to be restrained in a car seat unless they are over the height of 57-inches or weigh more than 40 lbs. In Kansas, children must weigh over 80 pounds to do away with the car seat. Check your home state’s unique policy on car seats to determine the proper timeline for your child.
Types of Evenflo car seats
Evenflo offers an affordable and high-quality variety of baby products, and their car seats are no exception. Here are a few of the most popular Evenflo options and what makes them so great.
1. Evenflo Symphony Elite All-In-One Convertible Car Seat
The Evenflo Symphony Elite All-In-One car seat is the only car seat you’ll need. It only takes 60 seconds to install this car seat which is a selling point in itself if you’ve ever installed a car seat.
The main benefit of this car seat is that it is safe for infants who weigh 5 – 40 lbs but also works for older children up to 110 lbs. This is literally the only car seat you’ll need, and it even boasts benefits like expandable cup holders and SureLatch technology.
2. Evenflo Nurture DLX Infant Car Seat
If you’ve ever been on your way out with a diaper bag in one hand and an infant car seat in the other, then you can appreciate a lightweight car seat like the Evenflo Nurture DLX. This car seat is budget-friendly, ideal for travel, and has a separate in-car base.
The lightweight design of this car seat can reduce the strain put on your back and shoulders when carrying the car seat with your baby in it.
3. Evenflo LiteMax 35 Platinum
This Evenflo car seat offers a full-cover canopy that can protect your baby from sun, rain, or just provide privacy for a nap. The fabric is temperature regulating and the padding is ergonomically designed, so to say that this car seat has “all the bells and whistles” might be an understatement. This car seat is also lightweight and easy to carry.
4. Evenflo SafeMax
This car seat has been roll-over tested and is designed to absorb impact in the event of a car accident. Potentially one of the most thoroughly tested car seats, the Evenflo SafeMax is a great option if safety is your greatest concern. This car seat is safe for infants weighing 4 – 35 lbs.
Final Thoughts
Being sure to adjust your child’s car seat straps properly could make all the difference in keeping them safe and comfortable when riding in the car.
Take note of the height and weight requirements of your chosen car seat and be sure to upgrade when necessary. When it comes time to transition your child out of the car seat altogether, follow your state’s local requirements.
