Evenflo EveryStage

Posted on by jshapka

Baby in Evenflo EveryStageThe Evenflo EveryStage is an all-in-one (rear-facing, forward-facing, booster) seat from Evenflo. Sometimes these seats are referred to as multi-mode seats, 3-in-1s, or all-in-ones. You will find the EveryStage in several trim levels: (1) LX, which is much like what is shown here but has premium push-on UAS connectors instead of the EasyClick ones on the (2) DLX  shown throughout this review. There is also a Gold level, which comes with additional features.

Measurements & Seat Specs

Rear-facing

  • 4 – 50 lbs (1.8 – 22.6 kg)
  • 17 – 48” (43 – 122 cm)
  • Top of child’s head is at least 1” below the bottom of the headrest adjustment lever

Forward-facing

  • 22 – 65 lbs (10 – 29.4 kg)
  • 28 – 49” (71 – 124 cm)
  • Top of child’s ears are at or below the top of the headrest
  • At least two years old

Booster

  • 40 – 120 lbs (18 – 54.4 kg)
  • 28 – 49” (71 – 124 cm)
  • Top of child’s ears are at or below the top of the headrest
  • At least four years old

 

Seat Measurements

  • Lowest harness height (with infant padding in place): 7.5”
  • Highest harness height (without padding): 17.75”
  • Highest shoulder belt guide position for booster use: 18.5”
  • Seated bum to top of head while rear-facing: 26”
  • Width at widest point (cup holders): 19.75”
  • Size of base/footprint on vehicle seat: 11.5” wide x 15.75” deep
  • Crotch buckle positions: 3.25” with infant padding, 4” without padding, and 5.5” without padding

 

The EveryStage Elevator Pitch:

  • Lots of premium features
  • Easy to use
  • Innovative interior design to protect young baby’s airway
  • Innovative, easy-to-use UAS installation
  • Broad recline range
  • Anti-rebound bar
  • Medium in size front-to-back when rear-facing – not a good choice for tiny cars with tall adults
  • Medium torso height for forward-facing harnessed use

The Evenflo EveryStage has a lot going for it, and fits nicely into the all-in-one category…possibly front of the line, depending on your needs, size of vehicle, and what features you consider important. It boasts a long list of premium features, is easy to use, and is a great addition to this category.

Like all multi-mode seats it tends to do some stages better than others, but it is a very functional seat in all modes. Is it the last seat your child will ever need? Not likely, but no seat can really claim this for sure. It’s impossible to know what your 6 month old child’s build will be like as a pre-teen (yes, most kids do still need a booster seat at age 11!).

But, chances are excellent the EveryStage will be usable by most kids from the newborn size through to booster age. The vast majority will require a backless booster to last until seat belt readiness. Also? It’s a rare 8-11 year old who would want to sit in something that is obviously a car seat. By that age, most are ready for a more discreet option. Thankfully Evenflo offers some choice in that department, as do other brands. And if you have younger children to pass this down to you will enjoy the usability and plush features, and with the ten year lifespan you will have ample opportunity to put it through its paces!

Moving on! The EveryStage has a long list of premium features, some of which are shown here in photos for your viewing pleasure:

  • The amazing, aptly named EasyClick UAS adjuster system. It’s a beautiful thing, and available on DLX and GOLD models; on the LX model you will find a premium push-on Quick-Connector. Use this method of installation to a child weight of 40 lbs; after that, install with the seat belt.

Evenflo EveryStage EasyClick UAS

  • Cushy fabrics with optional padding. We like optional, because kids come in different shapes and sizes.

newborn doll in Evenflo EveryStage

  • Anti-rebound bar for use when rear-facing (mandatory – easy to add and remove when needed)

Evenflo EveryStage anti-rebound bar

  • Removable cup holder liners (2) for dishwasher-safe cleaning

Evenflo EveryStage removable cupholders

  • Cleverly designed and easily used UAS storage for when the UAS is not in use.

Evenflo EveryStage UAS storage

  • Tether anchor is red for added visibility and as a reminder to use it forward-facing (always!). We’d like to see this trend across all car seat brands.

Evenflo red tether

  • The manual is clear, the labels are clear, the recline indicator is clear, and Evenflo’s customer service is standing by to answer any questions you might still have. 

Evenflo EveryStage label Evenflo EveryStage recline indicator

Rear-Facing Installation and Fit to Child

This is a substantial seat and is cushy and comfortable as reported by our parent and kid testers (thank you baby and toddler models!). The optional body pad and head pad can be used, or removed, as needed, but are for rear-facing use only. 

Baby in Evenflo EveryStage
16 lbs and 26″
Baby in Evenflo EveryStage
21.5 lbs and 28″
Toddler in Evenflo EveryStage
22 lbs at 19 months – tons of leg room.
Toddler in Evenflo EveryStage
Almost 4 and 33lbs, still tons of room to grow.

One tester immediately noticed she could reach her cup holders, and excitedly told me the treasures she was going to put there.

Evenflo EveryStage
27 lbs and 35″ with lots of room left (and very happy about that cupholder).

The harness covers are also optional and can be used in any direction of installation.

The fabric is machine washable and dryable. This is important if you have places to be, but the cover just came out of the wash. Check the manual for full cleaning instructions. A word of warning though – the harness is not replaceable on this model, so be sure to wipe up any spills as soon as they happen.

When installing the seat rear-facing we found the combination of clear, easy to read rolling ball level and the mechanical recline system easy to work with and manoeuvre. Note: if needed, it is allowable to use a small rolled towel to increase the recline even further. This is likely only in vehicles with very deeply sloped seats combined with young babies who need to be in the max recline position to avoid the dangerous chin-to-chest position.

Evenflo EveryStage recline indicator Evenflo EveryStage recline handle

On that note, the EveryStage is designed with a very ingenious mechanism that positions the baby at a more reclined angle when they are smaller, tilting the seat back to keep that airway open. See that feature in action here!

A common worry we hear from parents is that their infant’s head is tilting forward. The chin-to-chest position is very dangerous for newborns, and potentially uncomfortable for older babies. Often the problem can be fixed by ensuring the car seat is as reclined as allowed, but in some seats the dreaded head slump can’t be avoided even when fussing with positioning options such as adding or removing body padding. Parents of small babies will appreciate this internal recline feature. 

 

With an ability to hold a child up to 48” or 50 lbs, and plenty of leg room to go with it, the EveryStage should easily fit kids up to at least age 4 in the rear-facing position. 

 

Rated from 4 lbs and 17” it’s possible this seat will fit even very small babies from birth. Certainly it fit my small tester doll well, and my best guess on her is as an average 6 lb baby. If you’re intending to skip the rear-facing only infant-style seat and go straight to a larger convertible or all-in-one, the EveryStage should be in contention. Double check that you have adequate space to fully recline the seat in your vehicle. I could put it nicely behind the passenger of my 2012 Civic with room to sit in front (at 5’8) but it would be a tight squeeze in smaller cars with taller people.

newborn doll in EveryStage

 

It installed easily and quickly in a variety of vehicles, using the magnificent EasyClick or the seat belt. If I had access to lower anchors I would choose that with this seat every time. If you didn’t watch the video above, watch it now to appreciate the genius of EasyClick. 

Evenflo EveryStage rear facing
2012 Honda Civic
Evenflo EveryStage rear facing
2012 Honda Odyssey

Forward-Facing Installation and Fit to Child

Installation forward-facing is easy peasy. Remove the ARB if it’s there (simple to do). Recline the whole seat into position #4 or #5 (more upright), and confirm that the recline indicator (also used forward-facing for this seat) is in the correct zone and that the seat bottom is flat on the vehicle seat. The EveryStage headrest slides up and down, so ensure the vehicle head restraint doesn’t interfere or force it forward. 

Evenflo EveryStage ARB Evenflo EveryStage forward facing recline

Evenflo EveryStage label

If the vehicle head restraint interferes, you have a few options: check your vehicle manual to see if you are permitted to remove the head restraint (store it somewhere safe). If it must remain on, see if you are allowed to recline the vehicle seat a wee bit to account for this. Alternately, try making the EveryStage more upright (try recline position #5 if you’d been using #4), or, try a different seating position. Sometimes the geometry of the middle seat is different from the outer seats.

Make sure to use the tether strap always! It’s nicely visible in a red housing, and we commend Evenflo for making this easy change to encourage tether use. It’s a very important step! Check your vehicle manual for designated tether anchor positions.

Kid testers found it comfortable. Shown here are older kids who no longer fit rear-facing. This seat will accommodate average torso heights for most kids through age six. If your child is really tall or really long torsoed, a different seat may be a better option. Remember that a seat can be outgrown by torso height, as well as by standing height, or weight.

Evenflo EveryStage forward facing Evenflo EveryStage forward facing

 

Booster Mode & Fit to Child

Our booster riders reported that the seat was comfortable, and despite it sitting up higher than a standalone booster seat, it wasn’t too high to prevent the child from buckling themselves. The thighs had good support, the padding was comfy, and the seat belt retracted well through the shoulder belt guide (shown below) in the vehicles that were used. The testers did  not notice the feel of the harness stored behind them (more on that shortly), and attention to padding placement makes us believe they won’t notice long term.

Evenflo EveryStage belt guide Evenflo EveryStage label

 

Parents reported that the seat was easy to convert between harness and booster mode, which is definitely appealing to those who purchase this seat intending to use it for a range of kids (daycare, grandparents, etc). We like it when, after converting between modes, there isn’t a huge pile of parts to keep track of.

Evenflo EveryStage harness storage

At age eight and on the taller side, this tester has nearly outgrown the seat; however, he found it comfy and easy to buckle and did not protest helping out with this review!

 

Final Thoughts

We like this seat a lot. It is well-priced, comes with a long list of premium features, and fit well in a range of test vehicles. Thumbs up on this one!

Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway is now closed.

 

Note: comments are moderated – add your reply, and we’ll approve them periodically. Thank you for your patience!
Disclosure: Vancouver Island Car Seat Techs is not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and any other social media are not affiliated with this giveaway. Open to Canadian residents, 19 years of age and older. Confirmed winner(s) will be contacted via email and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of the sponsor(s). For questions or to see your product featured on the Vancouver Island Car Seat Techs blog contact us at info@vicarseattechs.com. 

Comments

    • jshapka says:

      It’s in the range of 20lbs I think – I haven’t weighed it. If you were using lower anchors in both cars then it would be a quick unclick-reinstall process.

      Reply
  18. Veronique says:

    We have an EveryStage in grandma’s Honda HRV and it is wonderful! It is spneasy to use and install (love the UAS installation), and my son (2.5 years old and 80th %ile) will be able to stay rear-facing longer than most other seats. The extended RF limits was the main reason for purchasing this seat – everything else great about it is a bonus!

    Reply
  26. Tannis W says:

    The easy click system sounds great! I always feel the worst part of installing a car seat is trying to get a tight, wiggle free install. This system makes it look easy.

    Reply
  36. Nadia Rowsell says:

    Super excited about this review! I was looking at this car seat as a possibility for my baby due in January. My car is rather small so I’m happy to hear it was able to fit into a Civic. Thankfully neither my husband or I are particularly tall so it will definitely fit into my husband’s car & probably mine as well.
    I prefer an all in one carseat. Less seats to have to buy & less seats to put out on the curb after expiry.

    Reply
    • Jillian says:

      That it will be suitable for my son through all the car seat stages! The easy click system is also great to make sure the seat is secure.

      Reply
  39. Nicole says:

    I think I love this car seat. The easy installation sounds great since I’m taking out a car seat frequently that seems best.

    Reply
  42. Becky Johnson says:

    How is the headrest size for older children (the 1″ rule)? Does it have any of the issues say like the peg does, where they can reach the 1″ before reaching the limit?

    Reply
  46. Kari Barone says:

    I love the fact that this seat rear faces until 50Lbs. and 48″.A machine washable cover is a wonderful addition to any carseat.

    Reply
  59. Laetitia Belanger says:

    I love the extended rear facing options. My kids are heavy at a young age. This seems like a good option for my youngest daughter.

    Reply
  80. my villa says:

    wow this one has a diff recline stages, wow that’s good! it was always hard to see my daughter falling asleep with her head going forward all the time.

    Reply
  90. Camille W says:

    I love that this could be adjusted to fit both my girls (6mo and 4.5yrs). It would be a great option for the grandparents’ cars.

    Reply
  93. Aidan says:

    Thanks for another fantastic review, with so many great seats on the market I am still undecided on what to purchase for my daughter in a few months.

    Reply
  97. Lesley H says:

    I like that it seems to be comfortable at all stages (well, with the ages that can talk). Very important that they are comfortable!

    Reply
  98. Jennifer P. says:

    I am most impressed by the EasyClick UAS adjuster system – it looks so easy to use! Our current seat is really difficult to adjust tightly, and on a road trip I was so frustrated at how I couldn’t seem to get the seat tight enough, and how by how it seemed to keep coming loose. Maybe I’m just not strong enough to tighten our current seat, and this easy adjuster would certainly be much better for me.

    Reply
  104. Angela says:

    Thanks for the thorough review. I just purchased this and am excited to move my little guy up to the next level seat. Our first was an Evenflo so glad to stay with a brand that’s worked well for us.

    Reply

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