As a self proclaimed Safety Mom I obviously value a good car seat. Science shows that extended rear facing is safest so finding a convertible car seat with limits that allows for that is a must. When I researched back when Henry was born the Nuna Rava was pretty new and one of the best out there. 3+ years later and it still is, so when it was time to order Leo his new seats it was an easy decision. Now, I do want to say - regardless of what you read and see, the best car seat for you is the one that best fits your vehicle, budget, and needs. For us, the Rava works!
The Nuna Rava allows for extended rear facing with limits of 49" and 50 lbs. With those limits most kids can remain rear facing until around age 5! While we haven't yet decided when we'll turn the boys around, we know we'll keep them rear facing as long as possible. Henry is still happy as can be at 3.5.
We ordered from our favorite baby gear retailer, who just happens to be local - Strolleria. I considered switching up the colors, but ultimately chose black for my car to match the interior and Henry's seat and Tyler chose Lake to match the seat in his car. It comes in several fun colors though and is a great looking seat in general. It's got cup holders, padding for comfort, and these awesome little tabs to hold your buckles out of the way, as well as an easy to adjust harness.
I wont dive too deep into car seat safety on this post, but it's very important that you know your seats. Unbox the car seat, sit down in front of it, and read that manual front to back. Then you can go install it - yes, you! You should be able to comfortably install your own seats. Did you know most fire/ police stations don't actually have qualified people? Don't rely on them for your child's safety. If you'd like help from a certified tech, you can find one here or do a virtual consult with Michelle at Safe in the Seat.
The Rava is actually one of the easiest seats to install and they recommend you use the seat belt over latch. It takes me about 5 minutes from the time I carry it out to the car until I've successfully installed it! My car took me a bit longer this time as I had to move Henry's seat over and install a Noggle (If you live somewhere warm, I highly recommend!)
That's it! Now I have 2 boys "big boy seats"! At this point I just need to ensure the harness is correctly set. At or below their shoulders since they're rear facing. All slack removed, passes the pinch test, and chest clip properly placed at nipple/ armpit level.
September is actually Child Passenger Safety Month so I'll be doing a few more in depth posts on car safety, but the IG account Safe in the Seat is the best resource. Please give her a follow and educate yourself. If you want a more a technical, in depth review of the Rava, check out CSFTL.