How T9 Take the Back of of My Baby Trend 3 in One
(Last Updated On: September 18, 2021)
Baby Trend Hybrid high dorsum booster mode
The Babe Trend Hybrid 3-in-i forward facing car only combination seat has been around for some time now. Our late admin and skilful friend Jennifer Penick reviewed the pink zebra print version of this seat several years ago. She did a wonderful chore, but since and so, this seat has undergone a few changes so nosotros're updating our review with the latest version of the seat.
The Hybrid has several updates that we noticed right from the start. The lower anchor weight limit is high – the lower anchors tin can exist used for the unabridged life of the seat, there are plenty of fun colors, and the seat is relatively lightweight. Those are the best parts of this seat.
In that location are too a few quirks that tin make the seat difficult to use properly. Nosotros'll explore those quirks in detail in this review.
CSFTL Quick Stats
- Forrard facing weight range: 22-50 pounds
- Forward facing height range: 29-48 inches
- High dorsum booster weight range: 40-100 pounds
- High back booster tiptop range: 38-50 inches
- Backless booster weight range: 40-100 pounds
- Backless booster tiptop range: 42-57 inches
- Expiration: Harness and high back portion expires half dozen years from the appointment of manufacturer – backless booster expires 10 years from the appointment of manufacture
- Lower anchor weight limit: 50 pounds
- LATCH permitted in booster mode
- FAA approval: approved in harness mode only
- Cupholders required
Measurements
- Highest harness position: 17.v inches
- Highest booster guide position: 18.5 inches
- Width at the widest point: 19.5 inches at the cupholders
- Harness mode seat weight: 15 pounds
- High back booster mode weight: 14 pounds
- Backless booster mode weight: five pounds
- Seat pan depth: 14 inches
- Seat pan width: thirteen inches
Assembly Required
Infant Tendency Hybrid assembly
The Hybrid comes in 2 parts, the backless booster portion and the back of the seat. To assemble the seat, set the booster portion on the flooring. Then lay the dorsum of the seat on the flooring with the "arms" of the back overlapping the bar on the back of the booster portion. Adjacent, rotate the back to a 90 degree angle and push the back down into the base of the booster portion.
Optional Inserts/Covers
- Caput insert (optional for both harness and high back booster modes)
- Torso pillow (harness mode only, cannot exist used with the 3rd and quaternary harness slots)
- Harness covers
- Crotch buckle cover
Features
Head Insert
The head insert is optional in both harness mode and high back booster mode. Information technology tin be removed by reaching under the head rest pad and undoing the hook and loop closure.
Body Pillow
The body pillow can be used in harness manner just, but must be removed when the child requires the harness in the 3rd from the bottom harness slot.
Harness Covers
The harness covers are optional. They are removable by removing the harness from the splitter plate at the back of the seat. Then pull the harness through the seat beat to the front end of the seat and slide the harness covers off. Supervene upon the harness.
Crotch Buckle Cover
The crotch buckle encompass is optional. The crotch buckle comprehend did brand buckling and unbuckling the crotch buckle more than difficult. To remove the cover, plough the seat upside down and find the metallic retainer clip for the crotch buckle. Plow the servant prune sideways, pull up on the crotch buckle to remove it from the seat, and slide the encompass over the metal retainer. Replace the crotch buckle by sliding the metallic retainer through the buckle slot.
Cupholders
There are 2 cupholders, they are required for utilise. This made our models pretty excited!
Multiple Harness Adjustment Slots
Baby Trend Hybrid high seat back
The Hybrid has 4 harness slots. The meridian one is a bit difficult to run across. It hides just under the bottom border of the headrest comprehend. I unfortunate discovery we made is that the headrest slides down easily when any small amount of force per unit area is put on the meridian of it.
LATCH Permitted in Booster Fashion
The lower anchors and summit tether can be used in high back booster manner. Since the lower anchors are attached to the seat back, if using the seat in backless booster mode the seat would need to exist buckled in if unoccupied.
Adjustable Crotch Buckle Length
Infant Tendency Hybrid crotch buckle shortening clip
The Hybrid has 2 buckle lengths. The seat comes with the buckle installed at the shorter length. This length is to be used until the child is 35 pounds or the buckle tongue touches the child'due south thigh, whichever comes first.
To lengthen the crotch buckle, turn the car seat over to betrayal the underside of the base. Locate the metal buckle shortening prune and remove it from the crotch buckle webbing. Store it on the designated storage spot nether the cover of the seat.
Intendance and Cleaning
Baby Trend Hybrid removing the cover
The cleaning instructions were hard to find. The manual says to follow the intendance instructions on the tag on the embrace of the seat. I searched the primary cover of the seat and did not see any intendance tags. I turned my search to the body pillow and caput insert. The care tag is located on the lesser of the trunk pillow. This is disappointing because the body pillow is required to exist removed when the kid is using the 3rd harness slot from the bottom. This leaves the potential for the insert, and the instructions, to be lost.
Removing the cover tin can exist difficult. Some of the elastics are tied into place and must be untied to remove the comprehend. Other parts were just hard to access.
Installation Quirks
Before we delve into installation and fit, information technology should exist noted that there are MANY install methods for the Hybrid. We know that the manufacturer adult these many methods with the well-intentioned intent of offer caregivers the adventure to find the method that works the all-time for them. Unfortunately, nosotros accept found over these many years that these many methods lead to confusion and misuse in many cases.
These methods are based on a few different factors such as the child's weight and the utilise of the height tether — some of the methods do not crave or explicitly prohibit the use of the top tether. This gives u.s.a. a fleck of pause because nosotros always recommend the use of the height tether because it reduces head excursion past quite a bit.
One potential workaround is to install the Hybrid using the lower anchors — the seat tin be installed with lower anchors for the total weight range, and so it'due south possible to install it with lower anchors and utilize the pinnacle tether someday the lower anchors are used.
Baby Trend Hybrid installation chart
This chart institute in the manual tin can help a caregiver decide the proper install method based on the child'southward weight.
At that place is as well a graphic on the side of the seat shell with the installation methods. We're still non convinced that this makes using the seat properly whatever easier.
Baby Tendency Hybrid installation methods
Pro tip: always utilize the manual that came with your specific seat. At that place have been several versions of the Hybrid over the years and the rules and install methods vary between them.
There are 2 dissimilar chugalug entry methods for both the lower anchors and the vehicle seat chugalug – front and rear entry. The front entry method is how most forward facing harnessed automobile seats are installed, with the belt routed direct through the forward facing chugalug path. The rear entry method (sometimes chosen the long belt path) is entirely unlike and can be difficult to master.
Installation
Forward Facing Harness Mode
Lower Anchors
Rear Entry Method
Rear entry method with lower anchors
Remove the lower anchors from their storage location on the seat vanquish. Place the Hybrid on the vehicle seat with the harness facing the front of the vehicle seat. Road the lower anchors through the belt path. Adhere the lower anchor connectors to the lower anchor bars in the vehicle seat. Press downwardly on the seat pan while removing the slack from the lower anchor webbing.
Check Your Work
Baby Trend Hybrid belt path
After the seat is installed, give it a firm handshake at the belt path, make sure the seat moves less than an inch at the belt path.
Front Entry Method
Baby Trend Hybrid belt path
Start by removing the lower ballast connectors from their storage spots on the seat shell. Set the car seat on the vehicle seat with the harness facing the front of the vehicle. Starting on one side of the seat, connect one lower anchor hook to the lower ballast bar in the vehicle seat. Route the lower anchor belt in front of the arm rest on the car seat, through the slot in the seat trounce on that side (from the front side), behind the seat shell, through the slot in the other side of the seat shell (from the back side), and around the other arm rest, connecting the loose lower anchor to the anchor bar in the vehicle seat.
Babe Trend Hybrid installed with lower anchors
Slack likes to hide in the lower anchor webbing when installing with the front entry method. To remove it, work the slack toward the side with the lower anchor adjuster. Then push downwards in the seat pan while removing the slack from the lower anchors. Remove the slack from the top tether anchor webbing.
Check Your Work
Once the seat is installed, give information technology a firm handshake at the belt path, brand sure the seat moves less than an inch at the chugalug path.
Vehicle Seat Chugalug
Rear Entry Method
Baby Trend Hybrid belt path
Place the Hybrid on the vehicle seat with the harness facing the front end of the vehicle. Road the vehicle seat belt through the forward facing belt path and buckle the vehicle seat chugalug. Consult the vehicle manual on how to lock the vehicle seat chugalug. Lock the vehicle seat belt and remove the slack while pressing downwards in the seat pan of the automobile seat.
Bank check Your Piece of work
Once the seat is installed, requite information technology a firm handshake at the chugalug path, make sure the seat moves less than an inch at the chugalug path.
Front Entry Method
Baby Trend Hybrid front entry
Disclaimer: This method is incredibly hard to remove from the vehicle once it is installed. This install method uses up near the entire length of the vehicle seat belt webbing, leaving very little slack to remove the seat.
Babe Tendency Hybrid front end entry
Hither's how to install the Hybrid via this method: set the car seat on the vehicle seat with the harness facing the front of the vehicle. Road the vehicle seat belt route the lap and shoulder belt in front of the arm rest, through the slot in the seat shell on the same side (from the forepart), backside the seat shell, through the vanquish on the reverse side (from the dorsum), and around the front of the arm rest.
Infant Trend Hybrid forepart entry
The shoulder portion of the vehicle seat belt goes over the armrest, while the lap portion goes under the armrest. Buckle the seat chugalug. Consult the vehicle transmission on how to lock the vehicle seat belt. Lock the vehicle seat belt (if it hasn't locked itself already) and remove the slack while pushing downward on the seat pan.
Check Your Piece of work
In one case the seat is installed, requite it a firm handshake at the belt path, make sure the seat moves less than an inch at the chugalug path.
Infant Trend Hybrid front end entry
Fit to Child
Forrad Facing
v Years Old
Infant Trend Hybrid 5 years sometime
Our newly 5 year old model weighs 49 pounds and is 44 inches tall. He wasn't peachy on getting out of his jammies, just he was ready to model! He is just 1 pound away from the weight limit on the harness for this seat. He is not mature enough to ride in abooster seat just withal and then a different combination seat would be in his firsthand future.
He did find the seat comfortable just wasn't a fan of the crotch buckle comprehend. The harness sits just in a higher place his shoulder and the crotch buckle has been diffuse. The harness was piece of cake to tighten and loosen. One perk we found is that there is a cover over the cam lock that makes information technology more difficult to access for lilliputian hands.
Splitter Plates
Baby Trend Hybrid splitter plate
Another affair that makes the Hybrid unique is the splitter plate — it's 2 plates that are sewn together. To convert the seat to and from booster mode, remove the harness from both sets of splitter plates. When the harness is put dorsum on, the harness loops must be attached to both of the plates.
Converting to High Back Booster Mode
Baby Tendency Hybrid converting to booster mode
Converting this seat to booster fashion basically entails removing the harness and storing it in a location you'll call up.
To catechumen the seat to loftier back booster mode, unhook the harness from the splitter plate and pull the harness through the front of the seat. Turn the seat over to expose the crotch buckle servant clip. Turn the servant clip sideways and elevator the crotch buckle off the seat base. While the seat is turned over, locate the metal harness retainer clips on the bottom of the seat base. Turn each one sideways and pull the harness upwards out of the seat base.
Shop all the components in a rubber identify for time to come utilize. We recommend a resealable bag, labeled with the seat proper name.
Booster Manner Setup
Baby Trend Hybrid shoulder chugalug guide
Once the seat is converted to booster mode, ready the Hybrid on the vehicle seat with the cup holders facing the front of the vehicle. Thread the vehicle seat chugalug through the belt guide. This was no easy job. The belt guide consists of ii plastic slots. The vehicle seat chugalug must remainder inside the inner slot. This took practice and our models were unable to do this themselves, different many other high back boosters in our drove.
High Back Booster Mode
7 Years Old
Babe Tendency Hybrid booster manner 7 years one-time
This model is 7 years old and weighs 57 pounds and is 49 inches tall. He said "I really similar this seat" when I first pulled it out of the box. His opinion didn't alter much when he was finally able to put his bum in it. The seat'south broad base of operations meant that he wasn't able to attain the buckle to secure himself in the seat — we had to help him each time. Once he was in the seat, nosotros were pleased past the fit — the shoulder belt sits eye over his collarbone and the lap belt is low on the hips, touching the tops of the thighs.
Converting to Backless Booster Mode
This process has a few steps to it and involves a flake of manual labor. First. place the Hybrid on the floor and lightly place a articulatio genus into the base of the seat. Grab the seat dorsum on either side of the shoulder surface area. Gently wiggle the seat back side to side while lifting up. Once the seat back is all the way out of the seat base, rotate the seat back toward the basis and separate it from the seat base.
Fit to Kid
Backless Booster Mode
10 Years Former
Babe Trend Hybrid 10 years old booster fashion
Our ten twelvemonth old model weighs 63 pounds and is 53 inches tall. The lap chugalug is nice and low on the hips, touching the tops of the thighs. His shoulder belt is centered nicely over his collarbone. This model was able to buckle his seat belt on his ain.
Important Data: Where to Find
Date of Industry
Babe Tendency Hybrid appointment of manufacture label
The engagement of manufacture is located on the underside of the bottom of the seat base of operations. The transmission states the harness and seat back expire half dozen years later on the date of manufacture, the seat base expires 10 years later on the date of industry.
Lower Ballast Storage
Infant Trend Hybrid lower anchor and top tether storage
The lower anchors shop on the back, bottom of the seat base of operations. They are a flake difficult to go on in place.
Superlative Tether Ballast Storage
The top tether anchor stores on the back, bottom of the seat base along with the lower anchors. Information technology'due south a pretty crowded lilliputian storage area!
Manual Storage
Baby Trend Hybrid manual storage
The manual storage pocket is located under the encompass of the seat base of operations, near the child's hip. A big portion of the cover needs to be removed to access it. The belt shortening clip also stores here, on a small-scale elastic ring.
FAA Blessing
Baby Tendency Hybrid FAA approval label
The FAA approval label is located on the bottom of the seat base.
*The Hybrid is FAA canonical in harness mode Only.
Overall Thoughts
The Hybrid is a mix of pros and cons. It'south very budget-friendly, which nosotros always applaud. Notwithstanding, the front entry installation method tin confuse even the most seasoned CPSTs and the harness weight limit of fifty pounds means some kids won't be booster ready before they outgrow the harness. While the Hybrid is well-priced and comes in a variety of interesting colors, we worry that the challenges that the install presents mean that this seat is pretty tough to install and use correctly on every ride.
The good news is that booster mode fits a variety of kids well and the models loved the fun color. It is lightweight and the wider seat interior is nice for wider built children.
We'd primarily propose this seat for budget-conscious families who are willing to invest the time required to install and use the seat properly.
Source: https://csftl.org/baby-trend-hybrid-combination-car-seat-review/