Britax Car Seat

I had no idea that buying a good toddler car seat would be so maddeningly complex and frustrating.

I have a 3.5yr old girl, weights 28lbs, and is 40.5" tall (she's adorable). We had a Britax Roundabout Convertible Car Seat Onyx before which we loved! We'd had bad experiences with car babyseats before. We had a Graco whose straps were very hard to adjust and that made it a very frustrating car seat....but we loved our Roundabout.

So when we went out to look for the next toddler seat we wanted a few things;

a) 5 point restraint
b) High weight 5 point restraing (more than 65lbs)
c) Easy to Adjust
d) Tilt back mechanism
e) Easy to install, uninstall (travel)
f) Durable (she's going to have it for years
g) Repairable (replaceable seat covers etc


We wound up narrowing it down to two: this Britax Frontier and Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat, Matrix. In the process we wound up abandoning the tilt mechanism because apparently it's not as safe.

PROS of this SEAT:
- 5 point harness ( I have heard horror stories, I'll only put my kid in 5 point restraints and if tanks were legal, I'd transport her in one)
- 80lb 5 point harness (highest in industry...watch for this some 5 point harneses from other brands are only rated to 40lbs)
- Very Durable
- Easy to Adjust (height, one hand)
- Easy to Install (the latch system is great)
- Easy to Travel (the latches snap into their own recesses if you have to drag this through an airport)
- Cup holders (on both sides) fold into the seat very snuggly
- Foldable Armrests (she likes that, it's empowering to her)
- Easy to Adjust straps Pull cord tab in front with easy release for parents (but not so easy for munchkins)
- Three Point attachement to car (2 latches + clip on top)
- MADE IN THE USA .... hey, it matters these days (creates jobs right here)
- her head doesn't fall forward when she sleeps (nice) and she has side headrests
- Side Impact protection (which doubles of headrest)
- She said to me, "Daddy, I can see better out of this seat (compared to roundabout)....that made it worth it"

CONS:
- You do have to loosen up the top back strap on the seat and reach behind to adjust the height (not a big deal but though you'd know)
- It's pricey but you get what you pay for in this case.
- Doesn't recline (but I hear that's not as safe so it might be best if she sits up)
- Not a 3 in 1 or anything like that (but you lose some sturdiness I think....and pedestals are very cheap when she's over 80lbs which is going to be a long time from now)

We wound up buying two of these suckers, one for each car, and we're very happy (if financially ruined).

So overall, I'm very happy with this purchase - I feel my daughter is safe and comfortable and I feel very comfortable that this produce will grow with her for years to come. And that's one thing that I highly recommend you keep in mind --- your child will be in her toddler seat for a long time so if you put her into a sample car seat, don't just picture her as she looks now, picture her how she'll look in 2 or 3 years. That was a big thing about this Frontier and a big selling point over another brand -- I worried that she wouldn't be comfortable in a year or two when her legs get longer, hips get wider, and she gets taller. The Britax has the room to grow with her. The other thing was the construction, it's very sturdy and will last for years, and with the replaceable covers I think it'll serve me for the next munchkin (whose on the way).

Notice: I cannot provide any installation advice (I'm just a dad and wholey unqualified)...I recommend you read all instructions or have your seat professionally installed. It can be a matter of life and death -- be very thorough in your installation process.

Highlight Feature

• Deep side walls and adjustable head support provide true side impact protection to distribute crash forces, shield from vehicle intrusion
• Highest five-point harness seat capacity allows children to remain harnessed up to 80 pounds or in booster mode up to approximately 100 pounds
• Quick-adjust headrest and harness re-positions head support and harness height effortlessly without having to re-thread the straps
• Tangle-free, five-point harness with eight harness heights and three buckle positions for a snug and secure fit
• Premium push-button LATCH connectors ensure a quick, simple and tight installation

Editorial Review

imensions: 19.5 x 22 x 26.5 inches Weight: 23.5 pounds