Britax is the premiere car seat manufacturer in the world, with a history of safety and innovation over the past 70 years that always leaves other companies trying to catch up.
In the 1990s, Britax worked with VW to pioneer the idea that infant car seats and car manufacturers could work together to devise a common installation system.
In 1997, Britax introduced the first convertible car seat and the first belt-positioning child booster seat. In 2000, Britax marketed the first car seat with a top tether, before these tethers became a mandatory safety feature.
In 2002, Britax began equipping car seats with the LATCH attachment system, before it was required in all cars and car seats. Also in 2002, Britax launched the first US car seat with side impact protection.
In recent years, Britax has received awards for their car seats from:
The National Parenting Publications Awards
The Juvenile Product Manufacturer's Association
And Britax is consistently recognized and receives the highest ratings from the impartial ratings organization Consumer Reports.
If you are looking for a car seat built to the highest standards, with the best safety record, and the most awards and recognition, there is simply no competition for the Britax.
About Convertible Car Seats
Current safety standards for child safety within a car call for children to be:
In a car seat in the rear seat, facing backward, from infancy until they are at least 1 year old or have outgrown their infant car seat
In a car seat in the rear seat, facing backward, from 1-3 years of age, or until they outgrow (height or weight) their rear-facing car seat
In a car seat in the rear seat, facing forward, from 4-7 years or until they outgrow (height or weight) their forward-facing car seat
In a booster seat in the back seat, from 5-10 years or until they have outgrown (height or weight) their booster seat.
In the back seat of the car using an adult seat belt until they are 12 years of old and over 100 pounds, and can withstand the impact of a front passenger airbag.
A “convertible” car seat is designed to be installed in both the rear-facing and forward-facing positions.
Many also have inserts to accommodate infants, and some even convert to booster seats for older children.
Convertible car seats offer a number of advantages to parents, primarily in that they reduce the number of car seats a parent needs to buy as their children's needs change.
Purchasing a single car seat and using it for years saves time and money.
Also, if a child is comfortable and happy in their car seat, it can be a challenge to disrupt their routine and put them in a new and different seat.
In fact, they are so convenient that they are becoming the normal car seat for parents with newborns.
However, there are a few downsides to convertible car seats, that are worth keeping in mind when car seat shopping:
Small, infant car seats
Usually compact and lightweight enough that they can be used to carry the baby around when they are not in the car. Many parents find this convenient, and it can't be done with a convertible car seat.
For families with multiple children
It may make more sense financially to buy a new car seat for each new phase of development, and pass the old car seat down to a younger child. It's a cost-effective way to give each child the level of protection appropriate for their age.
In other words, convertible car seats are generally larger, heavier, and more expensive than single-use car seats. They may not fit into the compact sports cars, they may be too heavy to frequently change vehicles, and they may be more expensive than a family can easily afford.
Finally, remember that a child's car seat always needs to be replaced after an accident, no matter how minor, so your car seat may need to be replaced sooner than you planned.
Advantages of Britax Convertible Car Seats
If a convertible car seat is the right choice for you and your family, there are several reasons that a Britax is a great choice. Britax convertible car seats all feature:
LATCH System
The LATCH system is an easy, universal car seat installation system pioneered by Britax.
V-shaped tether
The V-shaped tether on a Britax is a staged-release system that slows forward movement and minimizes rotation of the car seat in an accident
SafeCell Impact Absorbing Base
The impact-absorbing base compresses to absorb impact energy and to counteract forward movement, protecting your child from impact or excessive movement in case of a crash.
SafeCell Impact Stabilizing Steel Frame
The steel frame provides exceptional protection and durability
About the Britax Models
Britax has a number of different car seat models, each with different features and advantages. Today we will look more closely at some of the most popular Britax convertible car seats so you can see which is right for you.
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Overall dimensions | 23” D x 20.5” W x 23.5” H | 21” D x 18.5” W x 26” H | 21” D x 18.5”W x 26” H | 21” D x 18.5” W x 26” H |
Car seat weight | 30.1 pounds | 19.5 pounds | 17.6 pounds | 19.5 pounds |
Rear-facing, fits child up to (height) | 7.6-18.65" seated shoulder height | 9-16.75" seated shoulder height | 9-15.75” seated shoulder height | 9-16.75" seated shoulder height |
Rear-facing, fits child up to (weight) | 5-40 pounds | 5-40 pounds | 5-40 pounds | 5-40 pounds |
Forward-facing, fits child up to (height) | 12-18.65" seated shoulder height | 12-16.75" seated shoulder height | 12-16.75" seated shoulder height | 12-16.75" seated shoulder height |
Forward-facing, fits child up to (weight) | 20-65 pounds | 20-65 pounds | 20-65 pounds | 20-65 pounds |
ClickTight installation system | Yes | No | No | No |
Layers of side impact protection | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Removable cover | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Adjustable harness | 14 position | 10 position | 2 position | 10 position |
Car seat lifespan | 10 years | 6 years | 6 years | 6 years |
The Britax Advocate is the biggest, heaviest, and most durable of these Britax convertible car seats. It is also the most durable, and has the most side impact protection.
The Advocate features
Premium fabrics are east to remove, easy to clean, and comfortable for you baby |
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Side impact protection
An energy-absorbing shell, foam-lined headrest, and external cushions for a total of 3 layers of side impact protection
Auto-level indicators
Auto-level indicators insure that the car seat is installed correctly
Click & Safe Snug Harness
Click & Safe Snug Harness indicator makes an audible click when the harness is properly fitted
Premium fabrics
Premium fabrics are east to remove, easy to clean, and comfortable for you baby
ClickTight installation
While it is compatible with LATCH systems, the ClickTight installation system is faster and easier than LATCH
Multiple recline positions
Multiple recline positions help make it easier to install the car seat at the proper angle, whether it is rear-facing or forward-facing
Adjustable headrest
Adjustable headrest and 14 position harness grow with your child without complicated rethreading
With all these great features, the Britax Advocate is a great way to provide the maximum comfort and safety for a growing child. But, with its big size and weight, it won't easily fit into a compact vehicle.
Even though it is FAA approved, it's still a lot of car seat to take to an airport and try to fit into an airline seat. With a number of good installation features like ClickTight, level-indicators, and recline positions, it still may be too big and cumbersome to easily move to different vehicles.
So the Britax Advocate has a lot going for it, but may be too heavy and cumbersome for some lifestyles.
The Britax Boulevard is smaller and much lighter than the Advocate, but still offers superior protection and durability. The popular Boulevard has the following features:
The Boulevard features
Side impact protection
Side impact protection PLUS includes a deep protective shell and an energy-absorbing headrest to protect the vulnerable head and neck in case of an impact
Quick Adjust Harness
The five-point Quick Adjust Harness has 10 positions and never needs rethreading
Easily removable cover
Easily removable cover for quick and easy cleaning without uninstalling the car seat or disassembling the harness
Three recline positions
Three recline positions for correct use, installation, and comfort
Two buckle positions
Two buckle positions for adjustment as your child grows
EZ buckle and harness system
EZ buckle and harness system keeps straps out of the way as you place your child in the car seat
Easy on/easy off LATCH
Easy on/easy off LATCH connectors for faster and easier installation
Click & Safe Snug Harness
Click & Safe Snug Harness indicator makes an audible click when the harness is properly fitted
The Boulevard is a great Britax car seat, but it is worth knowing that this is a discontinued model. Britax has replaced the Boulevard with the Essentials Emblem, which has substantially the same features.
The Boulevard may continue to climb in price as they become more limited in number, but, unless you have a compelling reason to purchase a Boulevard, we don’t recommend purchasing a discontinued car seat.
Car seats expire within a set amount of time of their manufacture, and it's best to choose one that hasn't been sitting in a warehouse.
The Britax Roundabout is the most compact and lightweight of these Britax convertible car seats. That makes it a great choice for all the famous Britax protection for your child, along with easier transporting of the car seat itself. If you frequently fly with your car seat, change vehicles, or have to fit multiple car seats in a compact car, the Roundabout is a good choice. The Roundabout features:
The Roundabout features
Deep shell
Deep shell protects your child from debris in a crash and absorbs energy
Three recline positions
Three recline positions for correct use, installation, and comfort
Quick-adjust
Quick-adjust, 2 position buckle provides comfort and safety as your child grows
Removable pillow
Removable pillow for extra comfort and safety for infants
Tangle-free technology
Tangle-free technology keeps the 5-point harness from twisting, making it easier to secure your child correctly
Easy on/easy off LATCH
Easy on/easy off LATCH connectors for faster and easier installation
The Roundabout offers great protection in a compact size. The big tradeoff is that this model is only rated to hold children up to 55 pounds, unlike our other models that protect children up to 65 pounds.
This means that you may not get as many years of service out of the Roundabout as other Britax convertible car seats.
The Britax Essentials Emblem is the updated model of the Boulevard; it is the same size and weight, and has many of the same features.
The Emblem features
Two layers of side impact
Two layers of side impact protection with a deep protective shell, and an energy-absorbing headrest to protect the vulnerable head and neck in case of an impact
Easily removable cover
Easily removable cover for quick and easy cleaning without uninstalling the car seat or disassembling the harness
Quick Adjust Harness
The five-point Quick Adjust Harness has 10 positions and never needs rethreading
Removable body pillow
Removable body pillow for use with infants and very small children who need extra comfort and safety
Easy on/easy off LATCH
Easy on/easy off LATCH connectors for faster and easier installation
The Essentials Emblem does not have the recline positions of the Boulevard, and doesn't have the Click & Safe harness indicator, so the Boulevard does have some nice features that would be great to see in the Essentials Emblem.
However, it is still wiser to purchase a convertible car seat with as recent a date of manufacture as possible. This not only helps the car seat last longer, but it helps to make sure that your car seat meets all the latest safety standards, and may help avoid recalls.
Conclusion
The truth is, whatever Britax convertible car seat you choose, you are still protecting your child with the award-winning Britax Safe Cell technology, that combines a steel frame with an impact-absorbing base and the V-shaped tether.
These are the best, most protective, most durable car seats on the market, and there really isn't a bad choice in the group.
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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