Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat in Matrix

Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat in Matrix

Just bought Graco Nautilus, diappointed. I have a older car that doesn't have the latch system. The shoulder belt is unable to be tightened correctly, so the car seat moves back and forth as the car moves. Also, when my 3 year old fell asleep his head had zero support and just hung forward, even in the "recline" position of the seat. We had a Brittax round about prior to purchasing the Graco Nautilis. Now, we need to buy another car seat. We are looking at the Brittax Regent or Brittax Frontier.

I purchased this after my 5 year old reached 40 lbs and grew out of his last car seat. I like that when he gets a little bigger (which won't take long) I can convert this into a booster. This seat was reccomended to me by the Car Seat Safety Check Point person at my local hospital. I had my car seats checked when my son was still in his old one, and she told be about this one as a good next purchase. I am happy with the purchase.

We bought this seat last week and we are happy with it. Couple if things i want to share:
1. Good safety metal frame, very comfortable for long drives
2. Though the seat has recliner, it doesn't recline alot.
3. It occupies a bit of more space in Camry. So if you want to accmodate 2adutls and this car seat in rear seat of your sedan, you have to think. We positioned the car set in center and my wife sits next to him after moving the seat a bit to other side.

Overall we liked this a lot. I got the best deal in amazon @122

Poor second child's hand-me-down car seat expired, but he was still such a peanut that he will be in a five point harness for a while. We looked at getting a less expensive replacement convertible car seat and then a booster in a few years for him, but he didn't like any of the less expensive car seats - the only ones he was comfortable in were more expensive. So, I didn't buy anything at the store and went home to stew a while and decide what to do. I decided that *I* liked this one the best in the store, even though he didn't *love* it like he did some of the others. I AM SO GLAD I BOUGHT THIS ONE!! He is really comfortable in it, and he loves having the little cubbies and the cupholder for his cars and stuff he likes to carry along with us. We took it on a 10+ hour trip and he was great in it. Sleeping in it is not the greatest, but he doesn't sleep that much in it. The wings are deep enough to give his head enough support that it doesn't look scary for him to fall asleep in it. I have raved about this seat to others and would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone with an older toddler/preschooler who needs a five-point harness and then a booster.

This product is perfect for a growing child. We bought it originally for my 3 year old son who out grew every car seat we have. I loved it so much we bought another one. After the holidays we are replacing the other two we have for my 1 year old daughter. I even bragged so much about it to my friends they bought it as well. I'm happy my son and daughter will both be able to be in a 5-point harness for a long time.

After shopping around and testing different car seats, this was the hands down winner. It's made well, looks good and is priced fair. We have two of them and have been using them for a few months with no complaints. All the Graco products (stroller, car seats) that we've had have been good.

I spent a lot of time looking for car seats for my daughter and found this one. It was reasonably priced and considering that it lasts a while in different stages it is definately worth the price. My daughter really likes it better then the last one. It was a little tougher to secure in the car then the rear facing one but thats about it.

My son is five years old, 45 pounds, 47 inches tall, and we were set to purchase a much more expensive seat for him as he was getting too tall for his Britax Boulevard. However, on the enthusiastic recommendation of my sister-in-law and another friend we purchased the Graco Nautilus and have been very happy with it. It has a quality feel to it with all the features of more expensive models. Not only was it half of what we thought we'd be spending, it was really easy to assemble and use and my son loves the cup holder and the "hidden" pocket/receptacles on either side of the seat. He loves to take his socks and shoes off in the car and now he stashes his socks in the pockets so we don't have to look all over for them.

GRACO NAUTILUS IS RATED FIVE STARS BECAUSE OF ITS FEATURES FOR SAFETY AND DURABILITY. SENT IT TO MY DAUGHTER IN VIRGINIA WHO IS EXPECTING HER THIRD. IT WAS DELIVERED TO HER HOME THE VERY NEXT DAY. NOW, THAT'S FAST SERVICE. THANK YOU AMAZON.COM
FROM A DEVOTED GRANDMOTHER IN CALIFORNIA

My 13 month old son loves this seat. Very comfortable & easy to get in & out.

This is a great car seat. I plan to keep my daughters harnessed until they fight me tooth and nail about it, and this car seat will allow me to do so. I currently have my 2 1/2 year old in this seat and my 10 month old will probably switch from her SafeSeat to this at around 15 months.

As for the recline, there is a reason it does not lean back like an easy chair: safety. You and your children are safer sitting upright than leaning too far back. My daughter can undo the chest clip, but not the lower and she is learning that she should not undo it.

I would have loved to have bought a Britax because they have prettier patterns, but what really makes a car seat? This seat is well made and I believe it will last the entire 5 years it is recommended that you keep a car seat. By that time my oldest will be 7 and my youngest will be 6 before hers expires.

We are extremely pleased with the Graco Nautilus. My sons first convertible car seat was a Britax Marathon, which we loved. When we were looking for a second convertible seat, I didn't want to spend as much, or we would have purchased a second Marathon. The Graco Nautilus has a good weight and height range, which we need for our son, and it's a great price. It was easy to put together and install into the car. We are using it as the primary car seat, rather than the secondary for two reasons: my son loves the cup holder, and we love how easy it is to get our son strapped into it. I highly recommend this car seat!

I really love this seat! It is a heavy, but totaly worth it! It is really great when my son goes to sleep; his head doesn't flop around! He really loves the built in cup holder. He is a really small 4 and he thinks this is a great big boy seat because it has the seat belt slots like his other booster. Our state recently changed the law and they have to be in a 5 point seat until they are 40 lbs. At the rate we are going he will be 6 before he gets there! This is a great solution! The straps are great... No twisting!

we bought this car seat for my 3 year old. We wanted one with a 5-pt. harness and didn't want to pay a lot. It is very comfortable and easy to use.

Bought 1 for my 1 year old and 1 for my 4 yr old.. They fit great in my SUV and the boys seem VERY comfy.. taking a 6 hour ride tomorrow, so that should be the real test!

We had to buy this car seat even though I really wanted the Britax Frontier. I had a Britax Roundabout before this and really, really liked it. We actually did by the Frontier, but try as we might, we just couldn't get it to fit in my Honda Civic. The seat kept sliding within the seat belt even though it was tight as can be. Reluctantly, we had to look for something else. We ended up with the Nautilus.

The Nautilus is good, but doesn't have some of the conveniences of the Britax Roundabout. For example, the Roundabout has handy velcro on the seat belt and on the edge of the seat so that you can attach the belt to the seat so that the child doesn't end up sitting on the belt when he/she gets in. On the Nautilus, my child has hurt her back when sitting on the plastic clip. I might see about creating my own velcro for it. It's definitely convenient.

Another thing with the Nautilus is that my child's head flops forward when she falls asleep, even if the seat is in the recline position. This never happened with the Roundabout.

And the last thing is that I've noticed the fabric on the Nautilus just isn't as good as on the Roudabout. I already see evidence of wear on the seat and we've only had it about 4 months. We had the Roundabout for three years and still looks great. Not sure I'll be able to say the same about the Nautilus in 3 years. Plus it seems the fabric is also hotter and not as comfortable as the Roundabout. Britax just makes a really good product. Unfortunately, we just couldn't use it.

Overall, the Nautilus is good. And I certainly can't complain about the price. But if you can spend a little more, buy the Frontier because you'll have it a long time. Hopefully, you won't run into the same installation problems that we did. However, if money is tight, then you'll do fine with a Nautilus.

We LOVE this car seat! Easy to install and great-looking too!
Our 16 months old son is so thrilled to be out of his infant seat and into this.
It's incredibly well-made and comfy for your little one. The cup-holder is a bonus (just need to use the taller cups for this). Easy to get him in and out of too. 5-point harness is a must (and this has it) and we will be able to use this for a few years. And most important it meets all safety requirements! We will soon be purchasing a second seat and will get another Nautilus.

The seat is fantastic. 3 seats for the price of 1. Easy to "assemble" and install in seat with the latch system. We're still using it as a harnessed seat.

Here's the issue I have with Amazon though, they dropped the price after I bought it and refused to do a price drop refund. It's not fun to see something you bought for less from the same place you just bought it. It's my issue, not anyone else, just thought I'd warn everyone that if you buy this and the price drops, you just have to deal with it. Amazon will not give you the difference like other merchants online will.

I bougth this car seat for my 1.5 year old baby and he really love's it. He feels like his in a throne, finally facing forward. Comfy and secure. It was easy to install. The cupholder is great entertainment for him. He sleeps very comfortably in it without slumping over. It does have a nice design and size. It fits wonderfull in my Grand Vitara. The best part.. i won't have to go through the searching process again, cause this will be the last car seat that he will ever need.

I bought this for my 18-month old daughter. We also have a Britax Marathon and it was just too big for my Jetta. This carseat fits perfectly! I love that she can sleep with her head against the sides and not be in pain when she wakes up. And, there's no more crying trying to get in the seat. This is a really great value and a smart seat with storage and the cupholder. Thanks Graco!!

First let me share that I did a ton of research while deciding the seat to go with for my son, with the first priority being of course safety. I read countless reviews both professional and those from other parents. I looked at seats both online and in stores. I was not thrilled with the price of a Britax seat, but was willing to pay it for my sons overall safety. That is when I stumbled onto this seat. Hallelujah! It is safe, affordable, and comfortable for my son. You are getting the safety and comfort associated with Britax, for a fraction of the price. Several reviews claimed difficulty putting it together - and I am certainly not 'handy' - but I had no trouble at all. It was ready to go in my car within fifteen minutes of opening the box. I plan to buy a second for the other vehicle.

The Nautilus is an awesome seat for a really awesome price. I wanted to be able to keep my four-year-old in a harness as long as possible so I purchased the Nautilus for him. It has tons of room for him to grow into. It was easy to install and use. He loves that it's comfortable, has padded straps, and has cupholders and little places to hide his toys and other items. I love that it was so affordable.

I hate carseats, and so does everyone I know--my son, my husband, my sister and my nieces. But, considering that despite being a pain, they are a necessity in life, I am thrilled with our Graco. It was easy to put together, easy to install, and now we are all set until he no longer needs a carseat. That fact alone, that we do not need to go through this process of scouting out and buying the next size--that's a thrill! Our 17 month old loves the little cup for holding snacks or small toys, and getting him in and out of the car is relatively easy. All and all, I give it 5 stars for an easy transition to the world of forward-facing! And the price was great!

This is a great seat. I too have a Britax(Boulevard), which I love, but this is equally as good for 1/2 the price. I needed a bigger seat for my son and this one is very easy to use and sturdy. I only wish it had come along sooner, with this you really only need one seat for as long as your kids need to be in one. NO COMPLAINTS!!

I recently bought two of these carseats for my husbands and my car for our son who will be 3 in January. I did a lot of research regarding a 5 point harness seat and knew that that was the only way to go. I narrowed it down to this seat and the Britax Frontier. A friend of mine had the Britax and she said that if she was buying again she would get the Graco prob. because the build and the seat were nearly the same and for $100 less per seat. These seats are very easy to install, my son loves it and falls asleep in it often. He calls it his racecar seat and loves the cup holder and cubbys on either side to hold the various items a 2 year old brings with him. They were easy to install in both a Ford Taurus and a Ford Explorer XLT. I would highly recommend this seat.

We use this carseat about once or twice a week in the second car. We use the Britax Regent in the main car. Britax is by far much easier to use and more comfy.

Pros:
- has high back for 5pt harness
- relatively inexpensive
- son loves cup holder and storage under armrests

Cons:
- hassle to take apart to clean and reassemble
- son's head bobs forward when sleeping - virtually no recline
- fabric isn't very soft

I bought this for my 1 yr girl & she is very very happy to be front seated to enjoy the view and for me its about her safty which is perfect for this car seat. I would recemend this to to any one.
-- Peddi

We are happy with our purchase of the Graco Nautilus. I had been looking to keep my twin boys in a 5 point harness without spending over $[...] per seat and this was our answer. I use it on the recline, so when they fall asleep they do not slump forward. The boys can buckle themselves, which is a plus. My only grip is the cup holder, the cups fall out easily, which is frustrating.Otherwise great seat for the price!

This is our third car sear for our 2 1/2 year old and it is the most secure, comfortable and solid of all the previous ones.

I just received the Graco Nautilus. It was already assembled I just had to sit it up and snap it into place. I was worried about it fitting in my car which is a Olds. Alero ( 2dr.) I put it in the middle and its a perfect fit. With my sons other carseat a Evenflo Triumph there was no side head support and when my son would sleep his head would ALWAYS fall foward. With the Nautilius there is good head support and doesn't seem to be a problem which was one of my main concerns. Overall this carseat seems to be a great value for a 5 point harness until 65 lbs. I'm not sure he will be able to remain in the harness until that weight limit because of his height but until then it is perfect and I would definately recommed it to everyone!!

I have been researching online for days, looking for a great, well made, safe booster seat for my 3 year old. after reading a lot of different things, I realized it is best to keep my son in a 5-point harness as long as possible. This one goes all the way up to 65lbs, then turns into a booster, so this is the last car seat we will buy him. he loves it, he says its comfy, so we are happy! this one has the best ratings on every website, people love it, and its a great deal here on amazon for $[...] and free shipping!

We really like the Graco Nautilus. It is one of the only car seats out there that can seat our 45 pound three year old safely with the 5 point harness and an older car that has no latch or tether points. It seems very comfortable.

I love this car seat. We looked for a long time to try and replace our son's Britax carseat. The only bummer is that the hand rest are a little high it makes it hard to lift my son over the hand rest and into his seat especially when you are pregnant, other than that it is really easy to use (buckles, ajusting height and converting the seat) and I love the colors!

I just purchased this item for my 4-year-old daughter. She is a bit taller than average for her age and has outgrown the other Graco 5-point harness/booster seat we had. She is not yet old enough to be trusted with a belt-positioning booster but she wanted to "graduate" like her older brother and sisters. This seat is wonderful! First of all, it is incredibly sturdy and installs easily. Secondly, it is very comfortable for her! She always has a place to rest her head if she's tired without slumping forward like her old one and the wings are wide enough that they're not obstructing her view or restricting head movement. I adjusted the headrest a little bit to fit her height but she still has quite a bit of growing room AND she's only in the second to top harness position so I love that it's going to meet our needs for quite some time. If my daughter were writing this review she'd say, "I like sitting so high - I feel like the queen because I can see everything.", "Cubbies are great", and "I love my cup holder." The seat sits higher off the seat than my older car seats so she really has a great view of everything. The cup holder is very deep, unlike most, so the likelihood that the cup will tip over has been greatly reduced. There are "cubbies" on the insides of the arm rests for storing little snacks, tissues, etc.
Although I am extremely happy with this purchase, there are some drawbacks to having all these great features. Because it's so safe, it is quite heavy (not a problem unless you're constantly moving it from car to car) and it is a bit wider and higher off the seat than most. We have a Honda Odyssey and we carpool with friends. At times there are 6 children getting in the back. I've found that it's very difficult for the passengers to maneuver around the car seat as they are entering/exiting if it's placed on the seat by the door they frequently use. For me, it's the right side. It works out fine for me because I just install it by the other door. The best place for it is probably on either side in the back row but she's my youngest and still needs to be within arms reach of me so I'm not ready for that yet. There was an instance when I put her seat in the middle position in the back row and found it a bit difficult to see out of the back window through my rear-view mirror because of the height. It also took her a little longer to figure out how to buckle herself out of this one so that can be a + or - for you, depending upon your situation. (I kind of like it). All in all, it's a great seat. I don't regret it at all and wish I had started out with it years ago, although I'm extremely happy with the idea that she will be able to graduate from the 5-point harness to a belt-positioning booster, to a backless booster and we'll be getting our use out of it. Sorry, I haven't had to wash the seat covers yet so I don't know how difficult or easy it will be to undo and redo it all.

So far, a great seat for the price!! Don't know what the true difference is between this and the britax marathon besides price of course.

My two year old son loves his new car seat. I looks very comfortable and will be the last car seat we will have to buy.

I have been very happy with this car seat. I was glad to find a car seat with a 5 point harness for children up to 65 lbs, that is lighter and less expensive than the Britax Frontier. My husband had no problems installing it. It has a great built in cup holder and storage for snacks or my son's little trucks that come with us everywhere we go. It seems very sturdy and of good quality. I'm very glad I didn't spend twice as much on the Britax seat.

We needed a car seat for our 3 year old that would convert to a booster, so that we could use her old car seat for a younger sibling without buying a seat w/harness now and a booster later. We're very pleased with this seat, as it allows her to be strapped with the harness to 65 lbs and will be the last seat she will need. It is comfortable for her, and she loves the cup holder, which is in a much better position for regular use than most. Also, the head rest wraps around her head so that when she falls asleep, her head doesn't wobble around. It is easy to adjust and easy to put together/install. She is safe and secure in this seat, and for the price I couldn't be happier!

After owning only Britax seats through the years, we recently bought this seat as an extra. It will be used for quick trips in the communter car... but... it is a fantastic seat! It is built solid, with great features similar to the Britax. It has a wraparound head area, and adjustable height that is easy to change. The belts do not twist, and are adjustable in the front, with rollers in the back to keep them moving smoothly. My daughter was slumping forward when sleeping, but with the recline it is not an issue. We attached with the top tether and LATCH (she is still under the max weight) and it was a breeze. It is a wonderful alternative to the belt-positioning booster, for now, until 65 pounds! It can easily convert to three different seats as she gets older. This will truely last a long time. We are pleased in every way and think that it was well worth more money. The harness is the biggest feature that we bought it for, and would buy it again. Hope that this helps anyone on the fence~ Britax are great seats, but this is as well.

Here's how your review will appear:

Previous Britax Owner...Love this seat!, September 6, 2008
Reviewer: Margaret Jones (Glendside, Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

I recently purchased the Britax Regent for my 4 1/2 year old son and was convinced that by spending more money for the car seat, my son would be safer in it opposed to a less expensive one. I couldn't be more wrong. The Britax Regent is a sturdy seat and I am impressed that the harness goes up to 80 lbs and I plan to use it in the future for that reason, but it was such a pain to install. I was looking for a second car seat that had a high harness weight limit and came across the Graco Nautilus. After doing some research on it and having my son try it out in the store I was convinced that this was the seat for us. The install in the car was a breeze with the latch and the tether strap and I actually got it tighter than the Britax Regent. I was so impressed with the seat overall that I decided to use it in my primary vehicle and put the Regent in my parent's car for when they pick up my son from school. The Regent is a great car seat, don't get me wrong but it is large and bulky and it is insanely time consuming to install and to get tight. I am in love with this car seat and only wish that I had discovered it sooner. I still plan to use the Regent when my son exceeds 65 lbs and can no longer be harnessed because the Regent can accommodate an 80 lb child with a 5 point, but I can not get over how impressed I am with this seat. Way to go Graco!!

For more information regarding why it is so important to keep your child in a 5 point harness for as long as possible, please visit www.kyledavidmiller.org

So our son is a hefty one. He's two, 35 lbs and 36" tall. He needed to get out of his baby car seat and in to a booster seat. After a couple of months of research we settled on this one. It's great! It is very easy to put together, the headrest comes off if need be and the back will come off when he weighs more for when only the bottom seat is needed. Plus there's a cup holder for his road soda. Can't beat that! There is also ample padding for his keester and back for long trips...which is a plus and the seat reclines. It took him about two days to get used to it but then again, we're more "Suck it up. Change is the only constant in life" kinda' parents. So he got over his new seat juuuuuust fine.

The moral is, buy this seat. Your kid will love it or your money back...from wherever you bought it from 'cause you're not getting it back from me.

Enjoy!

Nice seat. My child outgrew a Britax Roundabout and the Britax Regency was way too big for either of our vehicles. The Graco provides the 5 point harness up to 65 lbs, which was a requirement in our decision. While the Graco doesn't have the same quality feel of a Britax it does fit, and it solid and will built. My child loves the seat and is very comfortable

This is the second forward facing car seat that I purchased, and I could not be happier with the choice. It is very comfortable for my son. The one that I replaced did not have enough room for his chubby thighs and due to that, I had pinched them trying to get it buckled. Where this car seat has an easy to use adjuster so that it doesn't happen. And, I went ahead and checked out how it would be when he does get older with the adjustments and it truly is one time purchase car seat. I am extremely happy with the results and would definitely recommend it to everyone. He loves the cup holder too. Uses it all the time.

I have never taken the time to write a review before. I just got my Nautilus carseat less than 25 mins ago. In that 25 mins, I put it together w/o directions, varified it was together correctly, and both girls 3 1/2 and 1yr took turns sitting in it. I love it!!! It is so sturdy, looks nice and really seems to be comfortable. My 1yr old is a little small for age but fits in this one perfect. When I tested her in our other carseat, Alpha Omega Elite (cosco), she looked so tiny and cried the entire car ride. The recline doesn't go back a lot. I also kept trying to push down the button where the strap comes out b/w the legs to adjust the straps and thought this is so hard. Well you are suppose to push it up. I was just so excited and fell in love with this car seat I didn't read how to adjust that part!!!! So I love this, you have to have one. I want both of the girls to have it, how do I decide who gets to use it now??? Buy it! I also ordered yesterday and got it today! Awesome!

Love the comfortable head rest with sides to lean on. The cup holder and under the armrest "cubbies" are great for snacks and toys!

Ok, I've read the reviews and raves, but honestly I cannot share the excitement over this seat. Coming from Europe and being used to reclineable seats (both booster and toddler) I was highly disappointed by the much advertised "3 position recline", which is a joke at its best.
Our daughter is 4yo, rather tall and notorious for falling asleep in the car. Her slumping fwd while asleep is not only a safety but also comfort concern of mine, so we went for the Nautilus and were awed by the almost nonexistent recline.

Now we've got the Eddie Bauer Deluxe Booster Seat and it's not only cheaper but it also has a nice recline position in which she doesn't slump fwd everytime she falls asleep and we have to break.

Love it, very secure, easy to install. Have 2 Brit** std car seats and this is much easier to install than they ever were plus it's rated just as high in safety.

Our son is almost 3 yrs old, 41 inches tall and 43 lbs. He'd outgrown the limits for his Eddie Bauer convertible as a forward facing seat. We were not ready to put him in a belt positioning booster due to his young age. We bought the Britax Regent (5 pt harness to 80 lbs) for the family SUV. Then we heard about this seat from a friend. We wanted a second seat for times when he wanted to ride in daddy's truck (almost daily now that daddy is a SAHD). We bought the Graco Nautilus and are so glad. I wish I'd known about it before spending over $[...] more on the Britax Regent. Our son loves the seat (especially the built in cubby holes and drink holder). We suggest this seat as an affordable seat for the bigger kid who needs to stay in a 5 pt harness.

I LOVE that an affordable 65lb TALL, affordable seat is finally available!

Things I don't love:
-Spaces inside the armrests - food is constantly trapped. Gross!
-Cupholder is too far for my 18m old to reach, should be more accessible for younger children. Two cupholders would be really nice, like many boosters.
-Needs to be available in more colors, would love bright pink!