The 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.
- Cushy fabrics with optional padding. We like optional, because kids come in different shapes and sizes.
- Anti-rebound bar for use when rear-facing (mandatory – easy to add and remove when needed)
- Removable cup holder liners (2) for dishwasher-safe cleaning
- Cleverly designed and easily used UAS storage for when the UAS is not in use.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
One tester immediately noticed she could reach her cup holders, and excitedly told me the treasures she was going to put there.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.