In today’s Graco Tranzitions, we aim to give you an unbiased in-depth analysis of the product so you can decide whether this is for you.  

With your child growing day by day, every move is important, especially when it comes to safety. 

Choosing a booster car seat that is safe and reliable can be a daunting task, especially when having numerous options to choose from.

We understand your plight and our review is in an attempt to help your decision process.

Overall, the Graco Tranzitions is a good booster seat that grows with your child (from 22 – 100 lbs), lightweight and perfect for families who often travel or need to switch between vehicles frequently.

The Graco Tranzitions is one of the best booster car seats along with the -098, in our recommended Booster Car Seats.

Let’s read on and see if this is what you are looking for. 

Pros & Cons of the Graco Tranzitions Booster

Pros

• Lightweight
• 3 fashionable color options
• Seamless conversion between 3 modes
• Machine washable fabric pads
• Removable cup holders
• Headrest is adjustable to 8-positions

Cons

• Seat may not install tightly because of the lightweight
• No storage compartment
• Installation may be difficult in some vehicles
• The seat is not well padded.

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What is the Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 Harness Booster?

Booster seats have several unique features and come in many different designs, but they are not commonly found to have three modes of use. The Graco Tranzitions is just one of the booster seats that are 3-in-1.

Graco Tranzitions booster seat is a 3-in-1 harness booster seat designed to grow with your child and go wherever with you.

This car seat easily transitions from harness booster (22-65 lb) to highback booster (40-100 lb*) to backless booster (40-100 lb) and features the Simply Safe Adjust™ Harness System, which adjusts your harness and headrest to 8 height positions, with no rethreading. 

Graco Tranzitions car seat features two integrated cup holders on either side to keep your child’s drink at arm’s length, and a machine-washable seat pad, body insert, and harness covers. 

Graco boasts that this car seat is lightweight and ideal for active, busy parents and families who travel and need to switch between vehicles frequently.

We still wonder what is lightweight about the car seat because, in our chat with Graco’s support team, we confirmed that the actual weight of the seat is 17.9 pounds, which makes it way heavier compared to some booster seats such as the WAYB Pico and the Mifold Hifold which are both more compact and foldable for easy carry around. 

Graco Tranzitions booster is safe and meets or exceeds the child restraint criteria for a frontal crash test under the US FMVSS 213.

This booster seat can be used in 3 modes:

• Highback booster mode
• Backless booster mode
• Harness booster mode

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What comes with the Graco Tranzitions Booster Car Seat?

This model comes with the seat, easy-to-clean dual cup holders to keep your child’s drinks and snacks close at hand, and the chest clip. The 3 items make a complete package of Graco Tranzitions booster. 

The cup holders are not removable but could be folded in to shove off some inches. 

Who is the Graco Tranzitions for?

Whether you are traveling by car or by plane, taking kids along can be stressful. Carrying your luggage, your kids’ luggage, travel car seats, and whatever the kids want to snack on is not easy. In addition, you have to keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t run loose.

This car seat is for parents who travel a lot and parents who would want to fit in 2 to 3 booster seats in a vehicle. Graco Tranzitions measures 17.4 inches in width, this makes it narrow enough to fit 3-across in some mid size vehicles.

Tranzitions is ideal for children ages 1+ and within 22 – 100 pounds in weight and within 27 – 57 inches in height. Note that this seat is not meant to be used as a toddler car seat. 

Also one of the cheapest booster seats and suitable for parents who are on a tight budget.

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Where can I buy a Graco Tranzitions booster seat?

In general, Amazon will be a fast and easy option. 

Overall Rating

• Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.0 out of 5)
• Safety: ⭐⭐⭐(3.3 out of 5)
• Durability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.2 out of 5)
• Ease of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.0 out of 5)
• Market Reviews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.6 out of 5)

Our evaluation of this product is based on 4 metrics: 1) Safety, 2) Durability and 3) Ease of use, and 4) Market Consensus. We write about each of these metrics in its own section below.

#1. Safety – How Safe is the Graco Tranzitions Car Seat?

Total Safety Score = ⭐⭐⭐(3.3 out of 5)

In terms of Safety, we rate the Graco Tranzitions based on the formula below: 

Safety Score = Safety Features + Certifications + Recall/Quality Issues 

Safety Features ⭐⭐⭐

Graco Tranzitions provides safety for your child and it is reliable during crashes.

With the Graco ProtectPlus Engineering, the Tranzitions has undergone a combination of the most rigorous crash tests that help to protect your little one in the frontal, side, rear, and rollover crash. It is safe to say that Graco Tranzitions has been rigorously crash-tested. 

Side-impact tested for occupant retention solely with the built-in 5-point harness system, rear-impact tested based on the European Rear-Impact Crash Pulse and tested to Graco’s RollSafe™ testing standard based on the European rollover testing procedure.

Although most booster seat manufacturers often pay more attention to design and ease of use than the safety of the car seat, Graco gets it right with the blow-molded plastic seat, though thinly padded, it can absorb more energy than eps and epp foam lining seats.

In terms of advanced safety features that can ensure maximum and comprehensive protection for your child, we score the Graco Tranzitions a little above average score.

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Safety Certifications ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Car: This child restraint meets or exceeds all applicable requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 for use in motor vehicles. 

Aircraft: This child restraint is certified for use in aircraft only when used with the internal harness system. Use only on forward-facing aircraft seats and not rear-facing. Follow the instructions for vehicle installation.

This child restraint is NOT certified for use in aircraft when used as a booster seat because aircraft do not have shoulder belts.

Recall/Quality Issues ⭐⭐

At this time this Graco Tranzitions review and according to the NHTSA database, there has been no recall for the booster seat.

But we spotted 2 complaints on the NHTSA database, one was a complaint about the chest clip that got melted when the weather was at 96 degrees while the other was about the center strap anchor that has a large latch that can pinch the leg or groin of a child and cause pain and cuts. 

Tips: Keep your receipt. You should examine all sections of the seat as soon as you receive it. The sooner you can reach out to customer support, the better, as they might be slow to respond at times. Be ready to take pictures of the product defects if any.

#2. Durability: How Long Can You Use Graco Tranzitions Booster Car Seat?

Total Durability Score = ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.2 out of 5)

In terms of Ease of Use, we rate the Graco Tranzitions based on the formula below: 

Durability Score = Range of Use + Expiration + Warranty

Range of Use ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Minimum weight limit recommendation is ‎22 pounds (10 kg) which should be equivalent to a 1-year-old child.  

We recommend that children be at least 2 years of age before using a forward-facing child restraint.

• The maximum weight limit recommendation is ‎100 pounds (45 kg) suitable for children between 8 – 10 years of age. 
• The minimum height limit recommendation is up to 49 inches (124 cm).
• The maximum height limit recommendation is 57 Inches (144.78 cm)
• Weight range: 22 Pounds (10 kg) – ‎100 Pounds (45 kg)

For the best use of the car seat, the manufacturer recommends the Range of Use. Exceeding those limits might be okay if you had to. In the end, though, it is about risk, safety, and your child’s comfort.If your baby weighs less than the minimum weight and height limit, you should not put them in the car seat. Additionally, the maximum weight and height limit also tells you if your child has outgrown the car seat, if you can’t already tell or if they aren’t complaining about it.

Expiration ⭐⭐⭐

The Graco Tranzitions car seat expires 7 years from the manufacture date and Graco advises that you STOP using this child restraint after expiration. 

Keep an eye on the expiration date as a safety precaution for your youngster. This information is provided by baby car seat manufacturers depending on the design and materials they employ. Due to the typical predicted wear and tear, car seats that have beyond their expiration dates are more likely to have safety hazards.

Warranty ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Graco warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship existing at the time of manufacture for a period of one year from the date of the initial purchase (sales receipt is required for proof of purchase). If such a defect is discovered during the limited warranty period, they will, at their sole option, repair or replace your product at no cost to you.

#3. Ease of Use: How Will Graco Tranzitions Fit into Your car?

Total Ease of Use Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.0 out of 5)

In terms of Ease of Use, we rate the Graco Tranzitions booster car seat based on the formula below: 

Ease of use = 

Installation + Adjustability + Maintenance + Carry Around+Stroller Compatibility

Installation ⭐⭐⭐

The ease of installation of the car seat depends on your vehicle type and seat belt type. It may be difficult to install in vehicles with a shoulder belt anchored at the side or in front of the seatback, instead of behind it.

Some users complained about the difficulty in installing this car seat, however, we feel installation will be easy if you check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for available seating positions because some vehicles have specific requirements for where the car seat can be installed.

For example, sometimes the center rear seat has a lap belt-only vehicle seat belt, which cannot be used when this car seat is in Booster mode.

Installation can be done using:

• Latch system
• Vehicle seat belt 

We will be giving an overview of the latch installation system based on the car seat manual. Do not install this method for a child weighing more than 45 lb (20 kg).

Here is a video on how to install a Graco Tranzitions car seat using Latch

Graco advises that you review your vehicle’s owner manual for LATCH location and use. 

• Remove LATCH and Top Tether Hook from storage locations, unhook the tether and lay it in the seat.
• Place forward-facing in the vehicle seat. The bottom of the seat should sit as flat as possible on the vehicle seat.
• Extend the LATCH strap to its maximum length by pressing the gray button and pulling out the strap.
• Attach LATCH to the vehicle’s lower anchors. Ensure that the LATCH strap is not twisted.
• Tighten the LATCH Strap by pressing down firmly in the center of the car seat while tightening the strap.
• Attach Top Tether Hook. Extend the tether by pressing the gray button and pull out on the strap and attach.  
• Remove all the slack.
• Test for tightness by grabbing the sides of the seat where the lower anchor strap is and sliding the car seat side-to-side and front-to-back. If the seat moves less than 1” (2.5 cm), it is tight enough.

Adjustability ⭐⭐⭐

This car seat features the No-Rethread Simply Safe Adjust™ Harness System that allows the headrest and harness to adjust together in one motion. The height of the harness straps can be adjusted without rethreading. 

The headrest is adjustable to 8-position to ensure that the booster grows with your child.

Maintenance⭐⭐⭐⭐

This booster seat is made of machine-washable fabric pads that are removable for easy maintenance, hence, the 3-star.

• CLEANING SEAT PAD: Machine wash pad & canopy in cold water with gentle soap on delicate cycle & drip dry. Do not use bleach
• CLEANING BUCKLE: Place in a cup of warm water and gently agitate the buckle. Press the red button several times while in the water. Do not submerge the buckle strap. Do not use soap, detergents or lubricants
• CLEANING HARNESS: Surface wash only with mild soap & damp cloth or wipes. Do not immerse harness straps or latch straps in water
• CLEANING HARDGOODS: Metal and plastic parts may be cleaned with mild soap & cool water 

 Carry-Around ⭐⭐

Its lightweight makes it easy to be carried in and out of the car. But this car seat might be too heavy to be carrying around for long.

Stroller Compatibility ⭐⭐

Graco Tranzitions is not stroller compatible. Only meant to be used as a booster car seat. 

Measures & Specs

• Model#: 1947464
• Seat Weight: 17.9 lbs
• Car Seat Depth: 17.4 in
• Car Seat Height: 26.5 in
• Product Dimension: ‎19 x 17.4 x 26.5 inches
• Minimum User Height: up to 49 inches (124 cm).
• Maximum User Height: 57 Inches (14.78 cm).
• Material: ‎Plastic, Metal

#4. Market Consensus: What others say about Graco Tranzitions booster seat

Total Market Consensus ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.6 out of 5)

In terms of Market Consensus, we rate Tranzitions with a 4.6 star based on the formula below:

Market Consensus =
Customer Feedback (Quantitative) + Expert Reviews (Qualitative)

Customer Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overall Rating (4.8 out of 5 based on 33,811 ratings)

Note that for highly-rated products, we will avoid bombarding you with more praises about the product. We intentionally look for substantiated negative reviews or criticisms that add to our knowledge. 

So, if you’re going to jump right into this section, know it has its own merits we’ve discussed before. 

Selected Critical Graco Tranzitions Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“I LOVE this seat. It is well worth the money! It has the features and comfort of a far more expensive seat. My 4-year-old, 37 pounds, 41-inch daughter is very comfortable and has many years to grow in it. The only other seat I should need to buy is an Incognito booster when she is old enough to be embarrassed by the fact that she’s the only kid in her class whose mom still makes her sit in a booster. Two thumbs up!” – Amazon review

⭐⭐⭐” Oh my god, this thing is so hard to install. I have never had an issue installing a car seat, and we moved our old car seats between cars pretty often. But with the Graco Tranzitions, I just cannot get the darn thing to sit tight in my SUV. I’ve tried installing it with a seatbelt and LATCH, and neither one gets tight enough. I’d return the stupid thing if I still had the box, but for now, I’m going to have to keep trying to tighten it. I’ve been getting a heck of a workout trying to install it, so there’s that” – Amazon review

⭐⭐ “My child is about 47 lbs and he’s 4 years old. He did not fit in this seat properly. It sits very straight up and is uncomfortable for him. The bottom buckle is too far in and squishes his groin. We cannot use it as a car seat. We do use the booster seat version on occasion.” – Amazon review

Expert Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Selected Expert Graco Tranzitions Review

Graco Tranzitions is rated as the overall best booster set by BabyCenter

Conclusion of Graco Tranzitions Booster Seat Review

The Graco Transitions 3-in-1 Booster Car Seat is a great option for families who are looking not to spend too much for a safe and reliable car seat. We love the fact that it can be used as a high-back, backless booster, or harness booster, making it perfect for growing kids. 

The no-rethread adjustable system for the headrest and harness makes it comfortable for long trips, and the removable cup holders make it easy for your child to drink or munch a snack. Our only concern is how difficult the installation process was for some users, but once you’ve verified the car seat is compatible with your vehicle and checked both the car seat and vehicle manuals, installation should be straightforward.

Overall, we think the Transitions 3-in-1 is a great car seat for traveling families and families with multiple children.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Is Graco Tranzitions a Good Car Seat?

The Graco Tranzitions is a good booster car seat that is safe, and comfortable and comes in 3 modes of use – A backless booster, harness booster and high back booster. 

Q2. Is Graco Tranzitions a 5-point Harness?

Yes, Graco Tranzitions is a 5-point harness booster.

Q3. What Age is The Graco Tranzitions For?

This booster is typically for children between 1 – 10 years of age, within 22 – 100 pounds in weight and up to 57 inches. 

Q4. How Much Does The Graco Tranzitions Weigh?

In our chat with Graco’s support team, we confirmed that the seat weighs 17.9 pounds.

Q5. How Long Are The Graco Tranzitions Good For?

This seat expires 7 years from the manufacture date.