When you have two littles, it’s twice the blessing, and in many instances, twice the gear you need for raising a baby. There are some things you can get away with having only a single, like a bouncer or a play yard, but for most of the must have items, double the babies means double the purchase.
Selecting the perfect car seats for twins as they grow helps save money in the long run, allowing that upfront expense to last through many years of growth. Convertible car seats are perfect for getting the most value out of your purchase, growing from infant all the way through toddler years. No matter if you have one baby, two children of close ages, or are the blessed parents of multiples, you’ll want to select a car seat that provides the highest levels of safety, while fitting into your lifestyle.
Once twins are ready to transition out of infant carriers, it becomes a necessity to have one or more sets of car seats to be permanently installed. Infant carriers can often go between cars with a single base, but car seats for larger children are not as easy to transfer between cars in-between rides.
Unlike strollers, car seats at not made intentionally for twins, so selecting one that is perfect for your babies is a very personal decision.
Specifically designed to sit 3-across in a mid-sized vehicle, the radian® rXT from Diono is Daily Mom’s pick for best convertible car seats for twins.
Diono radian® rXT Features
- Rear facing up to 45 lbs
- Forward facing up to 120 lbs
- Ability to fit 3 seats per row
- 12-position adjustable headrest
- Machine washable cover
- Folds flat for travel and easy to remove and install
- Angled cup holder
- Safe Stop® energy absorbing harness
- 10 year life from date of purchase
Using the radian® rXT as a guide, we’ve put together a few of the things you may want to consider as you select seats for your crew.
What size is your car?
If your goal is to stay away from the minivan as long as possible, you may need to upsize your car to seat two rear facing seats in the back seat of a standard vehicle. When choosing your seats, consider the height of your drivers to determine if it may not only be time for a new car alongside the new seats.
Before ordering your seats, measure the width and depth of the rear seats. Move the front seats to the ideal positions for the front riders heights before taking your measurements. If possible, you do not want the car seats touching the back of the front seats, nor do you want the driver with the steering wheel up against their chest.
How will your get the babies in and out of the car?
Depending on how your garage or driveway is set up, getting two babies out of the car and into the house or store might be an adventure. If you drive a four-door vehicle and want to be able to remove both babies from one side, a the radian® rXT’s narrow base car seat is perfect for ensure that you can fit both seats side by side without a space in the middle.
How often will you be removing the seats from the car?
While it’s nice to have more than one set of seats for each car in your family, that might not always be feasible. If anyone else is responsible for picking up and driving your twins around town, you’ll want to be able to remove and reinstall the seats without difficulty. Easy to remove and install, the Diono SuperLATCH™ makes changing cars with your twins a breeze.
Will anyone else be riding in the car with you?
If you need to include a third adult in the vehicle, your back seat may be at capacity with two car seats depending on the size of the adult. If you have another child, choosing a narrow based seat, like those from Diono, allows you to seat three children in a row.
At less than 14 inches wide, the radian® rXT is perfect for seating up to three seats, or two seats and an adult rider all in a single row of the car.
No matter where the journey takes you, having seats that get the entire family there is the most important part of the experience. We love Diono’s dedication to safety through high quality steel construction and even the ability to trade in a seat that has been in an accident. What better peace of mind could you ask for!
Photo Credit: Rocky Mountain Bliss
