This page goes into detail about all Chicco infant seats – the Fit2 and all Key Fit models. Mouse over the above image and click on the seat you are interested in learning about, or just read this entire page to learn about all the seats.
Chicco Fit2
The Chicco Fit2 was introduced January 2017 and is Chicco’s first major change to a rear-facing-only seat in 12 years! The Fit2 earns a top pick from The Car Seat Lady due to several key design and feature changes not found on the Key Fits – to include a European belt path and the highest capacity of any rear-facing-only seat on the market.
This seat offers a good fit for preemies with the head rest insert removed (it simply pulls off the structural head restraint). As noted above, the seat can accommodate a 35 inch toddler when the head rest is in its highest position.
There is no rethreading of the shoulder straps – simply pull the head rest adjustment strap and pull the head rest up or down such that the shoulder straps come from at or slightly below the baby’s shoulders – and make sure there is at least 1 inch of room between the top of the baby’s head and the top of the head rest.
The straps are harder to tighten than on the Key Fits as no-rethread harnesses almost always make the straps harder to tighten as they introduce friction.
This 5 week old baby fits great – and is using the newborn positioner, and the head rest is in the second lowest position.
This is far and away the longest lasting rear-facing-only seat currently available in the US. It will truly accommodate a child to the 35 inch maximum (kids will likely not reach the 35 pound weight limit). 35 inches is the 50th% boy at 26 months, 75th% boy at 24 months, and 95th% boy at 20 months. The pictures below show two 2-year-olds who are both at the 35″ max Chicco gives for this seat (both had at least 1 inch of room between the top of their head and the top of the seat) to show that they had adequate leg room to both extend and cross their legs when installing the seat without the base. In the base they would have more leg room as the lap belt wouldn’t be over their legs.
The Fit2 carrier is 12.4 pounds – making it heavier than many. The Key Fit carriers are 9 pounds. However, all seats will feel heavy once you put the baby in them! At 5’2″ I was able to lift a 32 pound kid in the Fit2 into and out of a taxi and onto and off of a stroller. We’re willing to lift a few extra pounds for the convenience the longevity affords us.
Shoulder Pads: These are never required, and we suggest removing them from day one. The straps are easier to adjust without them on.
Newborn Positioner: This is the insert that is under the child’s bottom. It is allowed for babies 4-11 pounds (and will give a better fit for these babies), but MUST be removed at 12 pounds.
Head Rest Insert: This is an additional pillow that goes over the structural head rest (the structural one is NOT removable). The extra padding placed behind the child’s head with the insert only serves to increase the chance of the baby’s head going into a chin-to-chest position which is dangerous for breathing. We recommend removing this from day one.
Leg Pads: These covers on the leg straps might be helpful for babies in summer who are wearing just a onesie or a romper – as it is uncomfortable when the leg straps go directly into the child’s skin. We found these covers mildly annoying and since they are never required we took them off.
The following handle positions are allowed for this car seat when it is used in the car. There is one further position that is even lower than the stand position which may be used when the base is in the Stage 2 position.
When installing the carrier without the base using the European belt path you’ll want to use the carry position as travel and stand will interfere with the proper routing of the shoulder belt.
The taller the adults sitting in front, and/or the smaller the back seat is, the more attention you’ll want to pay to this image below. Many parents are shocked by how much room a rear-facing car seat can take up into the front seat’s territory.
The Fit2 takes up the exact same amount of room in the car as the Key Fit – but lasts a lot longer. The Fit2 will take up the same amount of room into the front seat in the Stage 1 or Stage 2 position.
The LATCH installation tends to be delightful in most vehicles, yielding a secure installation that requires just a few seconds of pushing & pulling the LATCH strap as shown in this installation video below (again, LATCH installation is nearly identical on the Fit2 and Key Fits, except for the recline adjustment).
The seat belt installation goes well in most vehicles. This video shows the seat belt installation of the Chicco base (yes, it shows the Key Fit base, but the technique is identical except that the adjustment of the recline is from a central pull lever on the Fit2, not the orange buttons on the sides of the base as on the Key Fit).
Because of the anti-rebound bar on the Fit2 base, the seat back recline trick (shown below) works exceptionally well to help you get the base really tight without having to work very hard – and it works with a seat belt or LATCH installation of the base.
If needing 3-across or 2 side by side, the Chicco is a good option to try (if it doesn’t work, try a Cybex Aton2).
Fit2 offers a more upright position (called Stage 2) for babies 9+ months who are able to walk or crawl – which is great as a lot of kids at this age don’t want to sit as reclined as they needed to as a newborn and want to get a better view out the windows – which the Stage 2 allows for. Switching between Stage 1 and Stage 2 is as easy as flipping a part in the base (no change in the installation is required thankfully!).
The Chicco Key Fit 22, 30, 30 Magic, and 30 Zip are identical seats except for their weight limits and fabric options. If getting a Key Fit, we’d suggest getting a 30, as opposed to the 22, as while babies will be too tall long before 30 pounds, you may want to use it a few extra pounds beyond the 22.
This seat offers a good fit for preemies with the head insert removed (it simply un-velcroes from the back). The head insert has padding behind it which pushes baby’s chin to their chest. We recommend removing the head insert for every baby – preemie or not. Make sure to take out the infant insert under the baby’s bottom by the time the baby reaches 11 pounds.
The straps tighten very smoothly, but will get twisted to some extent due to them being pinched in the buckle tongues.
Shoulder Strap Covers: Called neck pads in the manual, these are never required, and we suggest removing them from day one.
Newborn Insert: This is the insert that is under the child’s bottom. It is allowed for babies 4-11 pounds, but MUST be removed at 12 pounds. It is ONLY allowed when the shoulder straps are in the lowest of the 3 slots. We suggest removing it when your baby is tall enough that their shoulders reach the lowest shoulder strap slots withOUT the insert – or if you notice the shoulder straps starting to slide off to the sides of the baby’s shoulders.
Head Support: We find this to be a misnomer as the extra padding placed behind the child’s head only serves to increase the chance of the baby’s head going into a chin-to-chest position. We recommend removing this from day one.
The taller the adults sitting in front, and/or the smaller the back seat is, the more attention you’ll want to pay to this image below. Many parents are shocked by how much room a rear-facing car seat can take up into the front seat’s territory.
We recommend the LATCH installation if doing it on your own – as it is easier and more likely to yield the tight installation you want. Even Chicco agrees, and states as much in their manual. Remember, LATCH is only for the side seats in almost every vehicle.
The seat belt installation goes well in most vehicles – but some seat belts will slip through the orange lock-off. If this happens, Chicco has (at times) allowed folding the belt in half and slipping it into the lock-off, which stops the slippage.
If needing 3-across or 2 side by side, the Chicco is a good option to try (if it doesn’t work, try a Cybex Aton2).
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This information is applicable to the car seats as sold in the US. Car seats listed above with similar or identical names may be sold in other countries but are NOT the same seat.
