Graco is probably the most known manufacturer of baby products. They produce car seats, playards, baby monitors, high chairs, and a whole lot more. In fact, we have even used Graco products for our kids, including a very popular infant carrier. When I found out Graco made the My Ride 65 child convertible car seat. I had to take a look at it. Safety is my number one priority when it comes to my kids. I wonder though, if Graco had spread itself to thin with the many different baby products they produce. It is possible the focus for the convertible car seat is not what it should be.
Graco My ride 65 Specifications
- 5 to 40 pounds rear facing
- 20 to 65 pounds front facing
- 49 inch standing height limit
- Product weight 15.8 pounds
- Product dimensions in inches 20.8 W x 26 H x 27 D
- Certified for aircraft use
Graco My Ride 65 Video
Here is a general overview video from graco on their convertible car seat. This will give you a good idea of the quality that goes in to each seat, and Graco’s commitment to safety.
Thoughts on the Graco My Ride 65
Recent studies have shown that it is up to five times safer to have your child remain rear facing. The My Ride 65 allows you to keep your child rear facing until they are 40 pounds. Graco was the first car seat manufacturer with a 40-pound limit for rear facing. Keep in mind though; having a child convertible car seat installed for rear facing can cause some issues in some cars. The seat is high and is more likely to hit the back of the seat in front of it. In small cars, this is definitely something to keep in mind.
The majority of most car accidents occur with some kind of side impact. Very few crashes are exactly head on. This is why Graco has done extra testing and research to make the Graco My ride 65 safer in side crashes. The deep car seat shell and the five-point restraint harness assist in keeping your child inside the car seat and protected from side crashes.
The deep car seat shell not only protects your child during a crash, it provides a nice cozy place for your toddler or infant to snuggle into and sleep. The extra padding and the toddler headrest provide your child with all the comfort they need. Graco has kindly packed an extra insert to be used with small infants. The insert helps to insure the infant is positioned properly for their protection.
One of the biggest issues I found with the cover is that it slips off. I think the cover needs a little more elastic on strategic areas to help secure it to the car seat shell. The problem is made worse as your child grows. As the child gets heavier, their weight is enough to compress the extra padding and make the cover slip in some areas.
When installing the Graco My ride 65, you can use the LATCH system, or your vehicle’s seat belt system. The manual states to use the seat belts in your car if the child is over 48 pounds, but you should also check with your vehicles manufacturer and find out what weight the LATCH system is rated for. Go by the lowest weight rating to be on the safe side. Two lower LATCH anchor straps are included for your convenience. Ones strap is for installing the seat rear facing, and the other for front facing. They are even color coded and already installed through the right part of the car seat. The LATCH straps have basic hooks on each end to connect in to your cars LATCH anchors. On some vehicles, this can be difficult to get to because the lower anchors are usually located between the seat bench, and the seat back. To finish the installation, simply pull the strap tight. There should be one inch or less of movement at the belt path. I like to put a knee in the seat and push it down with my weight when tightening any kind of child car seat. Graco does not recommend that the included LATCH tether strap be used in the rear facing position, only in the front facing position.
If the LATCH system is not available in your car, or your child exceeds the weight limit, it is possible to install the child convertible car seat in either the rear or front facing position with your vehicle’s seat belts. The belt path is somewhat snug, so those of use with bigger hands have a little more trouble getting the seat belt threaded through. We only have one car, so the car seat will not be removed very often.
As with other child car seats, Graco has included a five-point harness for your child’s safety. The five-point harness is able to distribute the forces more evenly over the strong parts of the body in case of an accident. The harness has five different heights available to fit your growing child. The bottom slot is only to be used in the rear facing installations, and the top slot is only for the front facing installations. To adjust the height of the harness, it needs to be disconnected from the back and unthreaded and threaded back through. The tallest slot is approximately 17 inches. Plenty of room for your child to grow. Three loops are stitched in different locations on the harness for connecting to the harness adjust system. This allows the straps to be shortened or lengthened as needed.
If keeping your child safe is a priority, as it is for us, you cannot go wrong with the Graco My Ride 65 in my opinion. It does seem to have a few minor glitches, as if with the cover coming off at times, but that is something I can live with. There is no automatic harness adjustment, as on some more expensive models of child convertible car seats, but honestly, I do not need to adjust it very often. As the child grows, their growth slows down; it is not as the height needs to be changed every week. Installation is fairly easy and straightforward. The size of the seat could be an issue in some smaller cars though, but as I said before, any convertible car seat is probably going to have some issues fitting in smaller cars. Graco’s eye towards safety and comfort shows the My Ride 65 has not been lost in the midst of the many different products Graco produces.