Britax... are they worth it?

[heathertexas80]

So, I have been knee deep in car seat research... I have noticed that the folks who have a Britax car seat hardly ever complain that they wish they had bought another brand. Am I correct in this? It seems like it always comes back to Britax. So what I'm wondering, is it worth the $200.00-$300.00 price tag? I mean one seat is just as safe as the other right? It seems to me like its based on comfort, ease of use, etc?

[diegosmom]

I think you will find most Britax owners are very happy with their seats and highly recommend them. I know I do and I"ve owned a Marathon, a Decathalon (my least favorite of them all), 2 BLVDs and 1 Frontier. As for the price, you usually can find good deals, get price matching and add additional discounts that take them below 200.

[Melanie]

Yep. No complaints here - 4 seats and 3 boosters later. We've owned 1 roundabout (back before they even had LATCH, still loved it), 3 marathon and 3 parkways. The only reason for three instead of two is a minor accident that warranted replacement and of course we wanted Britax again.

I'm considering getting one of the large 5 point booster for my precocious Dd when she outgrows the marathon, too, but we're not there yet. I know people love other smaller harnessed boosters but I have a hard time leaving Britax when we've been so happy with them.

You really can't go wrong with one.

[KrisM]

We've been quite happy with ours. I own a Wizard, 2 Boulevards and a Frontier. However, if I were buying a convertible now, I'd get a Radian so I could rear-face longer.

[pinkflamingo]

Yes! We owned a roundabout and then a parkway. The roundabout was seriously an amazing seat. My hubby had a cheaper car seat for his car - some kind of graco. There was no comparison. I am only getting Britax with this baby... there are some sales going on right now, good time to buy!

[Melanie]

Speaking of, and not that I need to know personally (don't want to start rumors - LOL), have they improved upon their infant seats? I remember when the first one came out, people weren't loving it.

[HIU8]

We have 3 Marathons that we LOVE. DS is getting a Frontier b/c he outgrew the MA. We also have a Scenera which I HATE. I won't be venturing far from Britax b/c they are so easy to use and we have been so happy so far.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Worth it to me, no doubt. Roundabout and Marathon users here. Both were great. They just seem so much sturdier, well constructed and easier to use than the non Britax seats my friends own. When you think about how much a carseat is used, I can justify the higher cost. I'll skimp elsewhere so I can get a Britax if necessary though there are often good deals to be had which makes them not significantly more than some other seats.

Beth

[arivecchi]

Love our Frontier and old Blvd (which we sold). They are great seats because they are easy to use, install and are super comfy for the kids.

[heathertexas80]

Well, I guess 7 replies... in addition to all of the reading I've done convinces me. I defintely want one that is comfortable (and safe)... my family lives in michigan, and we live in the country so to go anywhere its a drive.

[MoJo]

I love our Marathons (one for each car), but *might* have gotten something different if I knew how much they were going to impact passenger leg room when installed rear-facing, which is how we want to keep them as long as possible.

I'd recommend going to BRU where you can try them in your car before buying. And then, actually try one! They will let you take the floor model out to your car without buying it. (we went, but DH said taking it to the car wasn't necessary). I'm now afraid that I'll be forced to turn DD around sooner than I otherwise would, because neither of us could safely drive the car with either the MA or the infant seat behind the driver's seat, and we have our second child on the way.

If you share your vehicle type(s) and child's size, the gurus here will help. . . and if you decide on a particular seat, they can help you get the best price, too!

[DebbieJ]

We love them because they are easy to install, easy to use, and last a long time!

Sure, you spend $200ish on the seat, but ours lasted FIVE years! My son rode in it from 3 months to almost 6 years old. That is a BARGAIN!

[jjordan]

Even as recently as a few years ago, Britax was the clear leader in convertible seats. Now, not so much, but if you can get one for a good price, then they are still a good choice. However there are many other great convertibles on the market now, some of which have features that Britax seats do not. For example, the Radian convertibles will last longer, both RF, and FF, than Britax convertibles; the truefit works well for small infants (even in small cars), which Britax convertibles do not, and so on.

Both of my kids ride in Boulevards as their primary seats. The first I purchased March 2007 and the second in February 2009. I am very comfortable that I made two good decisions when I purchased those seats.

However if I were to get a convertible *today* for a baby outgrowing the infant bucket, I probably would get a Radian XTSL instead of a BV.

[arivecchi]

However if I were to get a convertible *today* for a baby outgrowing the infant bucket, I probably would get a Radian XTSL instead of a BV.:yeahthat: This is why we sold our Blvd, to get a brand spankin' new XTSL!

[WatchingThemGrow]

Speaking of, and not that I need to know personally (don't want to start rumors - LOL), have they improved upon their infant seats? I remember when the first one came out, people weren't loving it.
OP, are you talking about an infant seat or a convertible??? Exactly what the PP mentioned here...we (collectively I guess) aren't fans of the Britax infant seats. We're talking about the ones AFTER the infant seat.

For infant seats, though, check out the Graco or Chicco seats. They have a much bigger following for a reason. After that, though...Britax all the way, unless you need to fit 3 across or something special.

[mom2binsd]

Yup, a lover of all my Marathon's (5 of them), 2 Regents and Frontier....and the Marathon's were bought for 229 and under and have lasted my kids a long time. I also love the Britax cover choices and the super easy install and the fact that they generally fit in most cars.

I don't have really little ones anymore so I might look into the Radian XTSL, but I got my kids to age 3 1/2 rearfacing in Marathons so I'm happy with that.

[american_mama]

I very much like my Britax Marathon and am in a good place to compare since my other seats were/are Evenflo, Graco, a Safety First, and a Recaro.

The Safety First Apex and the Britax Marathon are both harnessed seats that go up to 65 pounds, so fairly equivalent. The Britax is much better: easier to install, sturdier plastic, plusher fabric, better padding. There are also little conveniences I like; velcro tabs for the harness, storage pockets for the LATCH straps, storage for the instruction manual. I bought the Apex first becuase I could not stomach the price of a Britax but a few years later, when I needed another harnessed seat, I decided to get a Britax and see if it was worth the hype. It is.

I am not keen on a seat bigger or costlier than the Marathon, so I don't know if I would graduate from a Mararathon into another Britax, but I would definitely buy a Marathon again.

[Momof3Labs]

We love them because they are easy to install, easy to use, and last a long time!

Sure, you spend $200ish on the seat, but ours lasted FIVE years! My son rode in it from 3 months to almost 6 years old. That is a BARGAIN!

Yeah, when you realize how much you use a car seat - how many times a day in and out, how many hours riding in the car - it's not worth it to save a few bucks if you end up with something that is a pain to use or uncomfy for your kiddo.

There are plenty of other ways to save $100-200 on baby gear and not really feel the pain at all; IMO the car seat is worth spending a little more on.

[wellyes]

It is worth it IMO to keep an eye on the bargain board here, and to subscribe to Slickdeals with keywords "Radian" and "Britax" to see if you can get a deal. I have a Radian & a Boulevard and I paid less than $150 each using the methods above.

I don't want anyone who can't afford them to think they are shortchanging their child's safety. Many, many cheaper seats are wonderful and safe. These are great seats and "worth it" from some perspectives but I do not believe they are required at all. Not that anyone has said anything like that - just wanted to put it out there.

Britax sells luxury seats, and boy are they nice, but I also use a Cosco Senera we got for less than $40 when we visit my folks and I'm comfortable with that seat too.

[codex57]

I don't want anyone who can't afford them to think they are shortchanging their child's safety. Many, many cheaper seats are wonderful and safe. These are great seats and "worth it" from some perspectives but I do not believe they are required at all. Not that anyone has said anything like that - just wanted to put it out there.

Britax sells luxury seats, and boy are they nice, but I also use a Cosco Senera we got for less than $40 when we visit my folks and I'm comfortable with that seat too.

:yeahthat:

I love our Cosco Scenera just as much as our Britax. Just for different reasons. And no, our Britax Blvd isn't my favorite seat we own. First is our Recaro Como. Second is the Graco SnugRide 22 infant seat. Then it's the Britax. Britax is very nice, but far from perfect.

And yeah, when DD outgrows the SnugRide (which may be far sooner than I expected, it looks like the Radian XTSL is gonna be her seat. Still debating my options tho.

[jackyl08]

I love my Britax seats. I have a Diplomat, which I got for a steal, less than $100. I also have a Marathon that I just got $180 shipped. I love the install, ease of use, plushness and general sturdiness. I did own a Radian and while a nice seat, the install bugged me to no end. I also own a Scenera and HATE it. Hard to install and hard to use. I CAN use it right, but it is annoying. Safe, but a PITA. My Graco Safeseat is nice, too, but my Britaxes are still nicer.

[lorinick]

I love our MA and BV and think the main reason I love it so much is for how easy it is to install and use in so many cars. For me it's worth the money.

[ourbabygirl]

OP, when I was in the market for a convertible seat, I had no idea what to be looking for, either, and most of what I heard was "Britax, Britax, Britax!" I e-mailed about 20 friends & relatives who are also recent/ new moms (since they'd have more current car seat experience & advice), and all but probably one or two said to get a Marathon. I have two friends who have an Evenflo Triumph, so I also looked into that, but honestly the cost of the Marathon isn't that much more, and I liked the looks and fabric options of the Marathon so much more. It's SO easy to install and just simple/ clean looking & feeling, and the straps are so easy to use. We have a Boulevard in DH's car (a bit pricier/ higher end because of the sidewings for the head and the harness height that adjusts more easily than the MA), but I really prefer the Marathon, which is why it'll stay in my car! :) We kind of inherited the BV from my parents as they got it for my nephew. We also recently went on a trip and bought a Scenera at BRU while we were there (paid ~$70 for it versus about $160 to rent one from the rental car place). It is light and therefore easy to carry when traveling through the airport, but the straps are SUCH a PITA to use- they twist around a ton and they're just so much less user-friendly than the MA. Of course, we'll only use it for air travel or as an extreme back-up car seat.
So yeah, I was skeptical at first, too, but I'm SO glad I got our Marathon. DD likes it and I was able to get the Granite fabric one for $208 shipped last May (I know that others on this board have found better deals, but that's the best I could do at the time).

Good luck!