Safety 1st EverSlim
This is one of the newest narrow seats on the market at 17″ wide. It’s touted as an all-in-one seat, but with the backless booster limit currently at 52,” you will need another backless booster once this seat is outgrown. But since backless boosters are inexpensive, this won’t be a dealbreaker for most people. This seat will still last many kids until 7 or 8 years old.
- You need to fit 3 across.
- You want to use a convertible seat from birth.
- Your child is below the 50th percentile for height.
- You want only to buy one seat ever.
- You have a larger percentile child.
- Magnetic Chest Clip
- Harness Storage
Our Review of the
Safety 1st EverSlim
This is one of the newest narrow seats on the market at 17″ wide. It’s touted as an all-in-one seat, but with the backless booster limit currently at 52,” you will need another backless booster once this seat is outgrown. But since backless boosters are inexpensive, this won’t be a dealbreaker for most people. This seat will still last many kids until 7 or 8 years old.
Our recommendation: From birth until the seat is outgrown (average 6-7 years old)
A 4-in-1 car seat that can be used rear-facing, forward-facing, in high-back booster mode, and in backless booster mode.
From birth (for average/large newborns) or after the infant seat is outgrown
Stand Out Features of this Car Seat
Magnetic Chest Clip
This magnetic chest clip, only found on the EverSlim version, is easy enough for us adults to buckle. But for a kid, they will struggle to undo it. This is a great thing for toddlers who like to unbuckle. It may be challenging for caregivers who have limited use of their hands to unbuckle this chest clip, however.
Harness Storage
For high-back booster mode, the harness stores on the seat, so you only have to worry about storing the insert and harness pads. The padding is optional anyways, so if you lose that, the seat will still be usable in harness mode in the future. The harness storage is a little unusual, but the manual has instructions on how to do it. We like to see harness storage on seats that convert to boosters to reduce the chance of caregivers losing integral pieces.
Seat is good for you if
You need to fit 3 across.
Since this seat is only 17″ wide, it can fit 3 across in some vehicles. It doesn’t have any ease of installation features, so it’s not as easy to install 3 car seats with this seat, but it is doable. Above, you can see 3 across in a 2012 Toyota Camry with a Safety 1st EverSlim, Safety 1st SlimRide, and Evenflo Litemax. You may need to try different configurations in order to fit seats 3 across in your vehicle. See our blog here for more narrow car seat options and our YouTube video.
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. Even a lower percentile child will need another backless booster once this seat is outgrown.
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 want only to buy one seat ever.
This seat currently has a 52″ standing height limit for the backless booster mode. We’ve been told that the manufacturer is working on raising that limit to 57.” But in the meantime, that means that a child would need another backless booster once this seat is outgrown. We’ve found that only around 50% of kids can pass the 5-Step Test at 57″, so far fewer would pass at 52″, likely 0% of kids. While this seat will still last many years, purchasing another booster will be necessary.
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 52.”
Quirks to be aware of
52″ Limit for Backless Booster Mode
While the manufacturer has mentioned raising the limit to 57″, the manuals have not been updated to reflect this higher limit. So at this time, caregivers must stop using the backless booster mode once their child reaches 52″. The backless booster mode gave a good seat belt fit for both of the kids that we tried in it. You will need to purchase another booster, as a child who is 52 inches will not pass the 5-Step Test and be ready to just use the adult seat belt.
Child Fit Information
Installation Information
Airplane Use
The Safety 1st EverSlim is an FAA-approved car seat. At 30 pounds, it is fairly heavy, so there are better options than this one, and you can find some of those here. If traveling internationally, you will need a locking clip in order to do a seat belt installation since this seat does not have a seat belt lock-off. Contact the car seat manufacturer for a free locking clip. We have a video here of how to use a locking clip. For help with all things airplane travel and car seats, check out our Wheels Up Course and private Facebook group.
Videos
SITS Bottom Line
If you have a child who is below the 50th percentile for both height and weight and you are looking for an all-in-one seat, this may be the seat for you! It’s narrow so that it may work in some 3 across situations. Remember that your child will need another backless booster in the future since this one currently has a 52″ limit.
Similar Car Seats
Specifications
Safety 1st
Product Information
Weight: 30lbs
Width: 17"
Highest Harness Height: 16.5"
Rear Facing Limits
Height: 19-40"
Weight: 5-40lbs
Head Height Rules: at least 1″ below the top of the headrest
Lower Anchor Connectors Weight Limit: 40 lbs
Forward-Facing Limits
Height: 29-49"
Weight: 22-65lbs
Head Height Rules: ears must be below the top of the headrest
Lower Anchor Connectors Weight Limit: 45lbs
No Back Booster Limits
Height: 43-52"
Weight: 40-100lbs
Head Height Rules: child must have vehicle head support to at least the top of their ears
Highest Belt Guide Settings
18.5"
High Back Booster Limits
Height: 43-52"
Weight: 40-100lbs
Head Height Rules: ears must be below the top of the headrest
Other Important Details
Newborn Fit
fits from birth
Expiration Limit
10 years
Crash Replacement Policy
replace after a moderate or severe crash
Harness
no-rethread
Lock-off
no
Vehicle Seat Protector
This brand allows a thin towel between the child car seat and the vehicle seat.