Lightweight / travel car seats
Light seats that are easy to carry through an airport or move between cars.
Short answer: Going by each maker's manual, the highest rear-facing limit here is 40 lb (2 of the 31 seats). The forward-facing harness goes up to 50 lb on the 3 seats that have it, high-back booster mode up to 110 lb on the 5 seats that have it, and backless booster mode up to 120 lb on the 10 seats that have it. Useful life is 6 to 10 years where the manual gives one.
Weight limits and useful life, seat by seat
The weight ranges each maker prints in the seat's manual. Tap a seat to see it side by side with a similar model, with height limits and a link to its manual.
| Car seat | Rear-facing | Forward-facing harness | High-back booster | Backless booster | Useful life |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicco KeyFit 35 | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | 6 yrs |
| Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35 | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | 7 yrs |
| Nuna PIPA RX | 4–30 lb | — | — | — | — |
| UPPAbaby MESA V2 | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | 7 yrs |
| Maxi-Cosi Mico Luxe | 4–30 lb | — | — | — | 8 yrs |
| Cybex Aton G | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | — |
| Cosco Scenera NEXT | 5–40 lb | 22–40 lb | — | — | 8 yrs |
| WAYB Pico | — | 26.5–50 lb | — | — | 7 yrs |
| Evenflo Tribute LX | 5–40 lb | 22–40 lb | — | — | — |
| Graco TurboBooster 2.0 | — | — | 40–100 lb | 40–100 lb | 10 yrs |
| Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus | — | — | 40–100 lb | 40–110 lb | — |
| mifold Grab-and-Go | — | — | — | 40–100 lb | 7 yrs |
| Graco RightGuide Portable | — | — | — | 50–120 lb | 10 yrs |
| Chicco KeyFit 30 | 4–30 lb | — | — | — | 6 yrs |
| Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | 7 yrs |
| Britax B-Safe Gen2 | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | 6 yrs |
| Nuna PIPA Lite RX | 4–32 lb | — | — | — | — |
| Cybex Aton 2 | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | — |
| Maxi-Cosi Coral XP | 4–22 lb | — | — | — | 8 yrs |
| Clek Liing | 4–30 lb | — | — | — | 9 yrs |
| Evenflo LiteMax 35 | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | — |
| Graco TurboBooster LX | — | — | 30–100 lb | 40–110 lb | 10 yrs |
| Evenflo Big Kid | — | — | 40–110 lb | 40–110 lb | — |
| Clek Ozzi | — | — | — | 40–120 lb | 9 yrs |
| Chicco GoFit Plus | — | — | 40–110 lb | 40–110 lb | — |
| UPPAbaby MESA Max | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | 7 yrs |
| Chicco Fit2 | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | 6 yrs |
| Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35 Nido | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | 7 yrs |
| Cybex Cloud G Lux | 4–35 lb | — | — | — | — |
| Diono Solana 2 | — | — | — | 40–120 lb | 8 yrs from purchase |
| Cosco Topside | — | — | — | 40–100 lb | 10 yrs |
Common questions
Which lightweight travel car seats have the highest rear-facing weight limit?
The Cosco Scenera NEXT and the Evenflo Tribute LX list a rear-facing limit of 40 lb, the highest here. The lowest is 22 lb (the Maxi-Cosi Coral XP). These are the makers' printed limits; your child's height also has to fit.
How heavy can a child be in the forward-facing harness?
Between 40 lb and 50 lb, depending on the seat. 1 of the 3 seats here with a forward-facing harness go up to 50 lb.
Up to what weight can these be used as a booster?
In high-back booster mode the maximum is between 100 and 110 lb; the Evenflo Big Kid and the Chicco GoFit Plus go to 110 lb. As a backless booster the maximum is between 100 and 120 lb. A booster also needs the seat belt to fit your child, so check the height range in the manual too.
How long do lightweight travel car seats last before they expire?
The manuals list a useful life of 6 to 10 years. Most count from the date of manufacture; the Diono Solana 2 counts from the date of purchase. For 10 of the 31, the manual we cite gives no figure, so check the label on the seat. More by brand on car seat expiration.
Which of these lightweight travel car seats are narrow enough for 3-across?
11 of the 31 are made narrow for fitting three across: the Chicco KeyFit 35, the Cosco Scenera NEXT, the WAYB Pico, the Evenflo Tribute LX, the mifold Grab-and-Go, the Graco RightGuide Portable, the Chicco KeyFit 30, the Cybex Aton 2, the Clek Liing, the Clek Ozzi and the Diono Solana 2. Whether three fit depends on your back seat, so test-fit in your car.
Which of these lightweight travel car seats can be used on a plane?
21 of the 31 are FAA-approved for use on aircraft: the Chicco KeyFit 35, the Graco SnugRide SnugFit 35, the Nuna PIPA RX, the UPPAbaby MESA V2, the Maxi-Cosi Mico Luxe, the Cybex Aton G, the Cosco Scenera NEXT, the WAYB Pico, the Evenflo Tribute LX, the Chicco KeyFit 30, the Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX, the Britax B-Safe Gen2, the Nuna PIPA Lite RX, the Cybex Aton 2, the Maxi-Cosi Coral XP, the Clek Liing, the Evenflo LiteMax 35, the UPPAbaby MESA Max, the Chicco Fit2, the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35 Nido and the Cybex Cloud G Lux. Boosters are never approved for planes, because a plane seat has no shoulder belt.
Browse by stage · other needs: Narrow / 3-across · Extended rear-facing · FAA-approved (flying) · Converts as they grow