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Safety 1st Guide 65 Review (2021): Lightweight + Compact + Very Affordable

January 5, 2021 by Sam Webster Leave a Comment

Safety 1st Guide 65 Convertible Car Seat, Chambers

Please click image for more info

Many parents are looking for a robust convertible car seat that can hold a child for extended rear-facing, and up to 65 pounds forward-facing. But these convertible car seats are often big and heavy, taking up a lot of space in a car.

The Safety 1st Guide 65 is a convertible that holds children from 5 – 65 pounds, and yet is only 18.5 inches wide, slim enough to fit 3 across in most vehicles. It's a space-saving design in a popular, affordable car seat.

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Quick Navigation
Who is the Safety 1st Guide 65 Most Suitable For?
Pros and Cons of Safety 1st Guide 65
Overview of Safety 1st Guide 65
Safety 1st Guide 65 Video Overview
Safety 1st Guide 65 Specs
Safety 1st Guide 65 Features
What is included with the Safety 1st Guide 65?
Safety 1st Guide 65 Installation
Safety 1st Gudie 65 Manual
Safety 1st Guide 65 vs. Safety 1st Guide 65 Sport
Marcus Thackeray's Safety 1st Guide 65 Car Seat Review
Conclusion

Who is the Safety 1st Guide 65 Most Suitable For?

source

The Safety 1st Guide 65 is a convertible that is rated for extended rear-facing, and front-facing up to 65 pounds or 52 inches in height. And yet it is remarkably lightweight and compact, small enough to install 3-across in most vehicles. That makes the Safety 1st Guide 65 a great choice for growing families  who need to use multiple car seats at once, or for parents with a small car that need a car seat that doesn't take up too much space.

It doesn't have a lot of the convenient features you will find in more expensive car seats. It doesn't have a non-rethreadable harness. It isn't very easy to install, and doesn't recline. However, it's a functional, compact, affordable car seat that is small enough to fit three across, light enough to easily carry in an airport or on a plane, or affordable enough to give to a family member or care giver as an occasional use car seat. When space or cost are an issue, the Safety 1st Guide 65 is a great choice.


Pros and Cons of Safety 1st Guide 65

Pros

  • Narrow enough to fit 3 across in many vehicles
  • Side impact protection
  • Up-front harness adjustment for fast accurate fit
  • Adjustable head rest
  • FAA approved

Cons

  • Can be difficult to install
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Overview of Safety 1st Guide 65

Safety 1st Guide 65 Convertible Car Seat, Chambers

The Safety 1st Guide 65 is an incredibly affordable car seat that is light in weight and compact in size, but still rated to protect children up to 65 pounds or 52 inches in height. It has side impact protection, a five-point harness with up front adjustment, and adjustable head rest, and a removable cup holder.

It also comes with removable newborn body pillows for better fit and comfort over time. And it has a slender width that allows growing families to install as many as three car seats in the rear seat of a vehicle, making it easier to transport multiple children in comfort and safety.

Safety

What are this model’s NHTSA ratings? The Safety 1st Guide 65 sport has an NHTSA rating, but the base model does not.


Does this model have:

  • Side impact protection? Yes
  • Energy-absorbing base? Energy absorbing foam
  • Metal frame? No

Longevity

  • What is this model’s child height limit? Rear-facing: 40 inches, forward-facing: 52 inches
  • What is this model’s child weight limit? Rear-facing: 40 pounds, forward-facing: 65 pounds

Ease of Use

  • Does this model have the LATCH system? Yes
  • Seat belt installation? Yes
  • Non-rethread harness system? No

Ease of Installation

  • What is this model’s weight? 15 pounds
  • What is this model’s width? 18.5 inches
  • What type of harness adjustment system does this model have? Not easy to adjust according to reviews
  • Is the seat cover machine-washable? Yes

Comfort and Quality

  • What is the quality of padding (overall)? Adequate Padding
  • What is the quality of padding in the head area? Yes
  • Is the seat fabric breathable? Better than average
  • Does this model include an infant insert pillow? Yes

Safety 1st Guide 65 Video Overview


Safety 1st Guide 65 Specs

FEATURE

DESCRIPTION

Rear-facing height limit

19 – 40 inches

Rear-facing weight limit

5 – 40 pounds

Forward-facing height limit

34 – 52 inches

Forward-facing weight limit

22 – 65 pounds

Car seat weight

15 pounds

Car seat dimensions

27.2 x 18.5 x 20.2 inches

Car seat life span

10 years


Safety 1st Guide 65 Features

FEATURE

DESCRIPTION

Safety features

  • Side impact protection
  • Meets or exceeds federal safety standards
  • EPP energy absorbing foam

Ease of use

  • Narrow enough to fit 3-across in many vehicles
  • Up-front harness adjustment
  • Machine washable fabric cover

Longevity features

  • Adjustable head rest for accurate fit over time
  • Five harness heights and three buckle locations for comfort and protection as a child grows

Quality and comfort features

  • Removable body pillows for comfort and fit
  • Removable cup holder can keep drinks or snacks close by, or be removed when extra space is needed
  • Comes with a 1 year limited warranty
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What is included with the Safety 1st Guide 65?

The Safety 1st Guide 65 comes with removable body pillows for support and fit as a child grows.


Safety 1st Guide 65 Installation

The Safety 1st official YouTube channel does not have installation videos for this model of convertible car seat, but other YouTubers have stepped in to help out.

YouTubers Keepingupwithpenny

and Christine C have both made Guide 65 installation videos.

The PlayRightParent channel has also made a video showing how to adjust the headrest, which can be seen here.


Safety 1st Gudie 65 Manual

There are different versions of the Safety 1st Guide 65 owner's manual depending on the date of manufacture. All the manuals can be found here.

Click to download Safety 1st Guide 65 manual here. 


Safety 1st Guide 65 vs. Safety 1st Guide 65 Sport

Safety 1st Guide 65

VS

Safety 1st Guide 65 Sport

At first glance, the Safety 1st Guide 65 and the Safety 1st Guide 65 Sport are extremely similar car seats. They are both 2-in-1 convertibles, with many of the same features. Both car seats have:

  • Rear-facing weight limits: 4 – 40 pounds
  • Forward-facing weight limits: 22-65 pounds
  • Five point harness with up front adjustment
  • Side impact protection
  • Adjustable head rest
  • Removable cup holder
  • Machine washable seat pad
  • Slim, compact design

In fact, there are just very slight differences between these two models. The Safety 1st Guide 65 Sport:

  • Has a lower front-facing height limit, at 34 – 42 inches, vs the 29 – 49 inches of the base model
  • Is the same width but lighter in weight, at 14 pounds vs 15 pounds
  • Does not come with the infant pillows
  • Is slightly less expensive

If you are considering the Safety 1st Guide 65 particularly because it's an incredibly compact, light weight, convertible car seat, ideal for 3-across installations or for frequent travel, then the Safety 1st Guide 65 Sport may be an even better alternative. It's even lighter, and is more affordable, and has the same narrow width and convertible convenience.

If you have an infant, then the Safety 1st Guide 65 base model is the better choice, because the newborn support pillows are usually necessary to help the harness fit correctly in infants. It's also never recommended to use infant support pillows that are not specifically designed for that make and model of car seat, since harness fit is so crucial for safety, so it isn't a good idea to pick up different infant pillows from a different manufacturer.

As the name implies, the Safety 1st Guide 65 Sport is a smaller, lighter, less expensive, sportier version of the popular Guide 65 car seat, and is a great option for portability and travel. For daily use, the Guide 65 base model might be a better choice.


Marcus Thackeray's Safety 1st Guide 65 Car Seat Review


Conclusion

The Safety 1st Guide 65 is a compact, lightweight, affordable convertible car seat. It offers an adjustable fit for children up to 65 pounds or 52 inches tall, convertible convenience, and is still light weight, portable, and thin enough to install three across in most vehicles. 

For convenient protection at an affordable price, the Safety 1st Guide 65 is a great choice.

Safety 1st Guide 65 Convertible Car Seat, Chambers

Safety 1st Guide 65 (click image for more info)

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Sam Webster

With two kids of my own, I’m passionate about child safety! I’m a research nerd who’s on a mission to make the world a safer place for kids – starting with car seats!

To contact me directly please click here.

Filed Under: Safety 1st

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Hey! I’m Sam, mom of Sadie and Xavier.

When I started searching for a convertible car seat I was overwhelmed by the choices out there.

But being a research nerd, I relished the challenge of finding the best seat for my needs. And in the process, I gathered a ton of info!

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