How We Chose the Best Lightweight Infant Car Seat

Many factors go into identifying what the best lightweight infant car seat is. We identified the top car seat model by evaluating safety features, design, comfortability, and ease of use. All of these factors tied together contribute to quality and durability.

It’s important these days to know your options and really evaluate the brands you purchase from to make sure they are meeting all required standards. A car seat that isn’t going to retain it’s quality will cost more down the line, and these days, we can’t afford that!

Best Overall: UPPABaby Aria

Price: $349.99

You might not believe this, but the UPPABaby Aria weighs just under 6 lbs. SIX POUNDS. This makes it the lightest infant car seat on the market today. This is super helpful for moms who are out and about that need the lightest weight car seat for their new baby.

What I love about this is the extended canopy that really covers baby. It is so important to make sure baby is protected from the sun and this UPPABaby infant car seat does the trick. There is also an attachment so this car seat can fit directly into the UPPABaby Vista and Cruz strollers easily making transport even more convenient with this travel system. Check out my post about these strollers here for more information!

Also, did you notice how beautiful this infant car seat is? I personally love the “Gwen”. It is a dark sage green color with a saddle leather handle. Other colors available are “Anthony” which is light gray with chestnut leather, “Greyson” which is a darker gray with saddle leather, and “Jake” which is charcoal (almost black in appearance) with a black leather handle grip. The design features are also unmatched when it comes to appearance.

Now for the cons. It appears that the release lever is positioned so low on the car seat that it’s difficult to get to. You need to almost reach under the car seat to get it to unclip. This is going to require some bending over which is definitely a design flaw. Number 2 for cons would be the price. This infant car seat is rather expensive for something that can only be used for babies 0-4 months.

This can be purchased from a wide range of stores such as Pottery Barn Kids, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Amazon, Crate & Kids, buybuyBaby, Babylist.. the list goes on.

Pros:

• Modern, attractive design
• Easy to find in store
• Excellent quality
• Extra large canopy to prevent sun
• Load Leg

Cons:

• Release lever positioning is inconvenient
• Only usable for a few months
• Expensive

Best Design: Nuna PIPA Aire RX + PIPA RELX Base

Price: $550

Nuna has long been known for their sleek and modern designs along with high quality standards. Another thing they’re known for? A high price tag, but it’s well deserved. Their products last for YEARS and can be used for multiple children (always remember to check expiration dates before reusing)! This car seat can be used for infants with a 4-30 lb weight limit.

One of the main highlights to the Nuna PIPA is the length of use. This car seat can be used for over a year in some cases which is a much longer use period than most infant car seats that can only be used for a few months. It is also EXTREMELY portable and can be used without a car seat base (cost is $350 is not purchased with a base). This is ideal for city living when you’re traveling with baby in taxis rather than having your own car. Not many strollers are taxi or public transportation friendly, but the Nuna PIPA Aire is.

Another aspect of the Nuna PIPA Aire RX that I love so much is their safety standards. They have a True Lock rigid latch system that is 50% stronger than regular seat belt latches. Side impact protection is also integrated along with an anti-rebound panel is also offered within this car seat which are excellent safety features.

Last, I want to touch on how comfortable this car seat is. There is extra cushioning and padding within this car seat to keep baby nice and snug! We need that to keep babies, especially when infants, as they are so tiny and fragile. The padding is covered in a blend of merino wool and Tencel fabric notorious for moisture wicking capabilities – necessary for keeping baby cool! The seat belts are also magnetic and will stick to the sides of the car seat so you don’t have to dig under baby for them when strapping in.

Ok, downside time.  We will start with the obvious – the price. The cost of this car seat coming in at a whopping $550 (for the base and car seat system) is out of budget for many of us Americans. It also comes in at a weight of 6.2 lbs WITHOUT the canopy. With canopy and inserts it weighs an additional 2.2 lbs coming in at 8.4 lbs total.

Pros:

• Beautiful design features
• Comfortable
• Extended period of use
• Can be used without car seat base
• Moisture wicking fabric

Cons:

• Canopy and inserts add to weight
• Rethread harness
• Expensive

Best for Safety: UPPABaby Mesa V2 Infant Car Seat

Price: $329.99

Coming in at 10.2 lbs is the UPPABaby Mesa. If you’re looking for an infant car seat that’s easy to use, has the best safety standards, a wide range of color options, AND is excellent quality – this is your match. The UPPABaby Mesa V2 has excellent cushioning for newborns up to 11 lbs that can easily be removed once baby gets larger. The car seat is very sturdy and will definitely last more than one child (again, pay close attention to your expiration dates)!

What I love the most about this infant car seat is how comfortable it is. The padding has excellent fabric and cushion quality which contributes so greatly to newborn sleep and offers added protection through cushioning. I can’t imaging having to drive long distances in an uncomfortable car seat, and this car seat does just the trick! Newborns can sleep nice and sound with the cozy infant insert.

Like the UPPABaby Aria, this infant car seat is part of a travel system that can fit into Vista and Cruz strollers for added convenience. It also has “European routing”, or European belt path, when it comes to car seat installation. This means that instead of routing the seatbelt around the base of the car seat as most American car seats do, it wraps around the high back of the car seat for added protection. European seatbelt routing is thought to offer more protection babies head and neck in contrast to American routing, so I’d say this car seat offers a more secure fit.

With the many pros to this car seat comes a few cons. The first con was that the fabric appears pretty thin and not as sturdy as most car seats. I have a fear of it ripping because of this. I also didn’t like how thick the infant cushioning was. It was almost as if it pushed my infants chin into his chest a little, so a few adjustments needed to be made to make it comfortable. I also noticed the straps were a little tight when it came to the padding insert. Overall, I don’t think this is a major issue since the insert is only needed for up to 11 lbs.. so that’s practically a only a few short weeks.

Pros:

• European seatbelt routing for safety
• More comfortable than most car seats
• More color options
• Wide availability in store
• Sturdy

Cons:

• Infant cushioning is too thick
• Fabric is a bit thin
• Weight of 10.5 lbs

Most Affordable: Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX Infant Car Seat

Price: $107.99

If you’re looking for a great value, the Graco SnugRide is your best option for an infant seat. This is the best option if you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck. Coming in at 7.2 lbs, this is one of the lightest infant car seats on the market as of the date of this post.

The weight range for this car seat runs from 4-35 lbs giving it a longer use period than most. Maximum height is 32 inches meaning it will last for a while given baby is not growing too fast (let’s be real though, they ALWAYS grow too fast and it hurts my heart a little)! Asides from that, it is SUPER easy to install and comfy for baby. It pairs well with Graco stroller systems and fits into a variety of car seat bases which is great if baby will be travelling in different vehicles frequently.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Graco based upon their safety standards and LATCH system (system that tethers the car seat to an anchor rather than through seatbelts). They not only follow the requirements of the national highway traffic safety administration but take it a step further and adhere to European guidelines. European guidelines are a bit more strict. These car seats are engineered to withstand, rear, front, and side impact in the unfortunate event of a car accident through their “ProtectPlus” standard.

What I really didn’t like about this was the canopy. It is not the most secure canopy I’ve ever come across as it tends to fall down rather than click into place. This is a minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience, nonetheless. I also felt the head support could be a little more padded to prevent a newborns head from bouncing around, but it wasn’t too bad.

Pros:

• Most affordable
• Easy installation
• Fits a variety of car seat bases

Cons:

• Not snug enough to fully support babies head
• Canopy does not lock in place

Best Quality: Clek Liing Infant Car Seat

Price: $499.99

Clek is not as well known as other car seat brands, but they really are worth a try. They put quality into every aspect of their design along with upholding high safety standards. Like the UPPABaby Aria, this car seat follows the European belt path which is known to be more safe than the traditional American belt path.

An additional safety feature that is not common amongst infant car seats is their use of a load leg. Load legs are essentially an extra support stand that connects from the back of the car seat to the floor of the vehicle designed to absorb impact in the event of a crash. I would say with the use of their LATCH system on top of the load leg, this is one of the safest infant car seats on the market.

So, why do I claim this to be the best quality car seat? Among many reasons, it’s got an amazing length of use! This car seat lasts a whopping 9 years (4-30 lbs maximum weight and 32 inch height limit). That’s several children. I would never recommend reusing a car seat unless it’s your own and you know that it hasn’t been through crashes or excessive exposure to heat and/or cleaning chemicals as those are factors that can decrease quality.

Another benefit to the Clek Liing is its design. It is absolutely beautiful to look at and they use the softest, most durable fabrics that are designed to be stain resistant. Spills seem to pool up on this fabric so they are easily wiped up and do not sink into the fabric. This is a lifesaver for so many parents who don’t have time to steam their car seats. You can even request fabric samples here.

Downside time. I think we can all agree that the price tag of this car seat is astonishingly high. Most parents cannot afford to pay a price point of $500 for a car seat that maxes out at 30 lbs (including myself). I also don’t like rethread harnessing as it means the straps need to be rethreaded every time baby gets a little bigger, but that’s a personal preference.

Pros:

• Load leg
• Fashionable design
• Best fabric
• Easy to clean
• Comfortable padding

Cons:

• High price tag
• Base is heavier than most
• Rethread harness

It is SO important these days to do your research when it comes to baby products – especially products that are designed to keep baby safe. Safety is non-negotiable and it’s important we not only know that car seats meet standard guidelines but exceeds them as well. Look for a car seat that is engineered to meet the most stringent standards and has features such as a 5 point harness system, side-impact protection, and impact absorbing padding at minimum.

Finding the perfect balance of portability, convenience, comfort, and design can be challenging, but hopefully this post has guided you to a car seat that works for your family. Each of the contenders listed above are excellent options allowing you to cherish every moment of your adventures together. Safe travels!

Please note this post may contain affiliate links for some of my favorite products. I hope you love them as much as I do!