The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is one of the best-reviewed and most-awarded convertible car seats on the market. It earned a recommendation and won the Editor's Pick award from CarSeatBlog.org, won the 2015 PTPA award, and has been recognized by Babylist and Babycenter.
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is a convertible car seat rated for children 5-65 pounds, and with superior safety and crash protection features. The patented ClickTight system makes installation a snap, and premium paddings and fabrics keep kids traveling in comfort. It's no wonder that parents and experts alike continue to give this car seat such high ratings.
Overview of Britax Boulevard ClickTight
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight has the patented ClickTight installation system, which makes installation fast and easy using any vehicle's existing belt system, without the make and model restrictions of some car seats, and without the weight limits and complexity of LATCH installation. ClickTight is a fast, convenient way to make sure that the car seat is installed correctly on any vehicle, every time.
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight offers incredible protection, with an impact-absorbing base, and integrated steel frame, and two layers of side impact protection that far exceed federal safety standards. The Click & Safe Harness lets you know that your child's harness fits perfectly, and has 14 positions to keep pace with your child as they grow. Britax car seats are made in the USA, have a fantastic reputation for safety, innovation, and reliability.
Safety
What are this model’s NHTSA ratings? All car seats that are rated by the NHTSA meet federal safety and crash performance standards, so all NHTSA rated car seats are safe. However, the NHTSA also provides car seat ratings for usefulness factors beyond basic safety. The NHTSA has rated the Britax Boulevard ClickTight:
- Side impact protection? Yes
- Energy-absorbing base? Yes
- Metal frame? Yes
Longevity
Ease of Use
Does this model have:
Ease of Installation
Comfort and Quality
Expiration
Video Overview of Britax Boulevard Clicktight
Britax Boulevard ClickTight Specs
FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
Child weight – rear facing | 5 -40 pounds |
Child weight – forward facing | 20 -65 pounds |
Child standing height | 49 inches or less |
Child seated shoulder height – rear facing | 7.6 - 18.65 inches |
Child seated shoulder height – forward facing | 12 – 18.65 inches |
Car seat weight | 24.9 pounds |
Car seat dimensions | 18.5” wide x 23.5” high x 23” deep |
Seat area dimensions | 10.5” deep x 11.5” wide |
Shoulder width | 16 inches |
Harness slot heights | 8.35” - 19.4” in .85” increments per setting, 14 positions |
Buckle strap depths | 5.25 inches and 7 inches |
FAA approved |
Britax Boulevard ClickTight Features
FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
Safety features | |
Ease of use | ClickTight installation locks the car seat securely into place, in either front-facing or rear-facing installations, using just the vehicle's belt. It's an incredibly stable, sturdy installation that is simple and easy in almost any vehicle. |
Longevity features |
Britax is a company with a great reputation for making some of the best car seats in the business, and the Boulevard ClickTight has earned numerous recognition and awards for safety and quality
Who is the Britax Boulevard ClickTight Most Suitable For?
While the Britax Boulevard ClickTight comes with a LATCH installation system, because it is required by law, LATCH installation is a bit slower and more cumbersome than the ClickTight system. Installing the seatbelt with LATCH is a little bit slower, but removal can be particularly challenging.
If you are planning on using a LATCH installation, either because you need to seat a child in a booster seat next to the Britax Boulevard, or in a minivan where seat belt installation would block access to a row, you may want a car seat with a simpler LATCH install, or simply plan on rarely removing the Boulevard ClickTight.
For parents who need to frequently move, change, or adjust a car seat, the ClickTight system is a huge advantage, and Britax clearly designed the ClickTight system as an advancement and improvement on the LATCH technology they helped to invent. A LATCH system has more straps and tethers, and lower weight limits, than the ClickTight system.
Even better, the ClickTight system works with nearly any vehicles existing seat belt system, unlike some car seats that are only compatible with certain makes and models.
For parents who want a single car seat that will protect a child from infancy through their first several years of life, and who need a near-universal installation system that is fast and easy, the Britax Boulevard ClickTight is a fantastic choice.
What is included with the Britax Boulevard ClickTight?
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight doesn't come with any accessories, but Britax offers an optional anti-rebound bar accessory for additional safety.
Pros and Cons of Britax Boulevard ClickTight
Pros
Cons
Britax Boulevard ClickTight Installation
Because the Britax Boulevard ClickTight can be installed rear-facing or front-facing, and with a LATCH system or with a vehicle's lap belt, Britax has a whole series of convenient installation videos.
Each video is short and covers a specific installation method, so you don't have to search for the right video for you.
The playlist also includes videos that show how to adjust the buckles, harness, and other features. The full list of Britax Boulevard videos can be seen here:
Britax Boulevard ClickTight Manual
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight user manual is available online in English and Spanish, and can be found here:
Britax Boulevard vs. Britax Marathon
The Britax Boulevard and Britax Marathon convertible car seats are extremely similar models with many of the same features. Both have ClickTight installation, and both are rated for children of the same size and weight.
Here are all the features both car seats have in common:
In fact, with all these similarities, it's easier to identify what is different about the Britax Boulevard and the Britax Marathon.
The Britax Marathon ClickTight is lighter in weight than the Boulevard, at 28.5 pounds instead of 29.4 pounds. The reason that it is a bit lighter is because the Britax Marathon has less side impact protection than the Boulevard. The Boulevard has two levels of side impact protection, with an energy-absorbing shell and the foam-lined head rest.
The Britax Boulevard, with two layers of side impact protection, has slightly larger headwings than the Marathon, and therefore weighs more. It also has the Click & Safe Harness Indicator system, which the Marathon doesn't have.
The Britax Marathon is a very safe convertible car seat, with ClickTight convenience, and is slightly more affordable than the Britax Boulevard. Depending on your upholstery choices, the Marathon averages $20-$40 less than the Boulevard.
Overall, because the two models are virtually identical in most respects, and the Boulevard is only slightly heavier and slightly more expensive, it seems a better choice to invest in the Boulevard. After all, a convertible car seat is the only car seat you need to help your child travel in safety from infancy through their school years, so it seems smart to spend just a little more and get the model with better protection.
However, if you are looking for almost all the features and benefits of the Britax Boulevard, for a slightly lighter weight and slightly lower price, the Britax Marathon ClickTight is an excellent choice.
Britax Boulevard Clicktight Review By Albee Baby
Conclusion
It is not always easy to narrow down which convertible child car seat is best for you and your little one. The Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible has a little bit of everything.
The one drawback of the Boulevard is that it is not easy to uninstall. The ClickTight feature adds security, but it can be difficult to open when you remove the seat. The same goes for the LATCH strap adjuster. It is also on the heavy side, weighing in at around 28 pounds. It may be harder to install than some seats because of the multiple safety systems; however, it is nearly effortless to use once installed.
Britax Boulevard Clicktight (click image for more info)
The Britax Boulevard convertible car seat has a lot of pros, too. It has outstanding crash protection, and the ClickTight secures it when rear-facing or forward-facing. Also, it has complete side impact protection because of its protective shell and energy-absorbing headrest.
While the Boulevard is on the pricier side, it is well worth it for the protection it provides. You can also purchase additional accessories such as a cup holder and anti-rebound bar for even more safety.
Growing up I was a carefree male going about life like there was no tomorrow. Naturally, I ‘grew’ up, settled down and started a family.
Going from an independent carefree male to a family man was somewhat of a U-turn and required a lot of learning. Luckily for me, my wife works in education and has always been the shining light always ahead of me on all factors kids related.
Initially, my wife didn’t have a driving license (luckily this has now changed and it does make life easier), and all things car related were my task. Child locks were the obvious starting point which lead me down a rabbit hole.
So far we have personally tested dozens of convertible car seats and have owned five despite neither of our kids having reached the age of 5! Simply put, a car seat can be great on paper, work great on trying out but can fail on you in real life.
This is why I have put together this website – to help inform and educate you!
Of course, as I mentioned above, at the end of the day your experience will be the best test so I’d love to hear your experiences and feedback in the comments.
To contact me personally, please do so through my contact page.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Peter
P.S. If you click a link on my site and end up buying a car seat on Amazon, I’ll get paid a small commission (or as the Amazon lawyers put it: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases”)
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