After many MANY weeks of research, gathering information from several sites, reviews etc I decided that the Britax Boulevard was definitely the safest bet available on the market. The things that sold me: All the safety gadgets that other seats don't have like the side impact wings, the HUGS system, the LATCH system and 5 point harness and also the fact that it lasts up to 29Kg.
My toddler was using a Cosco seat which I really didn't feel comfortable with, it moved pretty easily in the back seat, it was near impossible to remove the fabric covers if I wanted to wash them ( which is often with little hands rubbing bits of biscuits into the seat, dropping raisins and drinking juice in the car) and IF and when I decided to go ahead and wash it, it would take more than 30 mins to get it all back together again. It was time for a change.
I did most of my research on the net, picking my top 3 choices I went and had a look at them in the shops. I looked at one the Graco Comfort Sport, the Britax Boulevard and the Decathlon and Marathon seats. By far it seems that Britax have the upper hand safely wise on the market, many professional reviews and crash tests agree on this so Britax was the clear choice for us.
If you are spending money on the safety of your kids I really believe that $300 is not a high price to pay for peace of mind. Obviously I think this the THE factor which makes parents doubt if this is the right seat, but look at how long the seat will actually last, if you opted for any other seat, you'd soon have to buy a second one when the child outgrows it.
I have the seat front facing in my Camry (2007) I worried about the size of the chair from reading other reviews but that is NO problem in my car, my son has plenty of leg room and can see perfectly out the window. He is nice and high up which is a bonus and when he falls asleep the side wings serve as support for his head whereas normally it would flop about with his old seat. Installation is not a problem, I suggest reading the instructions all the way through a couple of times first though because as with all things that require instructions, the first time I tried to install it got carried away and started doing things before reading the next step so do make sure you're not too overly confident!! I did actually put a small towel under the seat's base and removed the back headrest from my car to stop the leather from getting damaged. The seat is quite tall, although visibility isn't a problem, the marks on the leather could be.
I have yet to wash the covers but the onyx material is really plush and soft and the whole cover looks easy to remove. I could go on and on about how much I love this seat. We have had it for over a month now and have NO complaints and my 2 year old son is happy in it and a lot more safe. If you are worried about the size of this seat it's really not as bad as people say it is. In fact, the base of the seat is actually smaller (narrower) than the Cosco and you can still fit 2 regular sized people in the back of the car. It's just taller to accommodate taller children. The harness lengths are fine in my opinion and all the padding looks comfortable. Instructions are reasonable and with a couple of practice runs it's easy enough to change from car to car. CONCLUSION: If you're in doubt over the price, it's well worth it.
Pro's:
* The amount of safety features this car seat has
* It's unbelievably secure once installed ( it doesn't budge)
* The quality of the Onyx material is great along with the HUGS system, lips and padding
* You can adjust the height of the harness and side wings WITHOUT removing the seat and without any hassle. It has a sliding rail here which allows you to change the position of the harness and wings without pre-set holes, so it will always be just right for your child.
* The side wings move with the harness so you don't have to worry about whether they're at the right height or not.
* It will last you child a lot longer than any other convertible seat on the market

Con's:
* The price is higher than any other chair on the market
* It's really rather heavy, it's FAA approved but I can't imagine carrying it on a plane... although I have seen some celebrity photos of their kids in these seats and some sort of trolley you can get to wheel it around on. Have no idea where you can get them though!

I have made this as detailed as possible, I hope it helps with all your shopping decisions!

I did a lot of research before purchasing this car seat. I have a 20 month old and a 5 month old. We just purchased a new vehicle which has side curtain airbags. I wasn't so worried about a side impact crash since your much more likely to hit head on or be rear-ended. My main concern was when the side air bags deployed would the Alpha Omega my toddler was in withstand that kind of blow, probably not, especially since I could never get that seat good and snug. The wings on the boulevard look like they would protect your child's head from a side curtain airbag. (Airbags can cause a lot of facial damage) I was worried the wings would be too big that my kids couldn't see out the window, but she can. I love this car seat, I purchased 2, one for each of my girls. [...] It took me more time to take out the Alpha Omega than it did putting the Boulevard in forward facing. I just attached all 3 latches, sat on the seat and pulled each of the lower LATCH anchors at the same time. It is so tight! It doesn't budge. Plus it's so easy to remove the LATCH as well. Just remember that when your child hits 48 lbs to anchor the seat with the seat belt and not LATCH. It sits up a lot higher than the alpha too, which is good if God forbid you did get hit from the side, the car seat would be higher than the on-coming cars bumper. I also like that you don't have to take the seat out to raise the shoulder belt height, super convenient for growing infants. The wings are also nice headrests for a sleeping child. On the alpha omega my toddlers head would always flop down in an unnatural uncomfortable position. I really like the Hugs system which prevents children from pulling the chest clip down. On the Alpha Omega my toddler was able to push the chest clip down to the buckle and pull her arms out of the straps! I haven't yet installed the other one for my infant, still using the peg infant carrier. I will review it again as rear facing. These seats are pricey but I will pay anything to make my girls as safe as possible. If you have a toddler and are thinking of this seat the Wizard is the same, it just doesn't have the infant body pillow, plus it's much cheaper. I would have gotten one for my toddler but it didn't come in the onyx color, just blue or navy. I could not imagine ever purchasing a different seat and urge you to get this seat for the safety of your children.

We owned this car seat for one month. It does have nice deep side wings and the chest straps are big and broad, so they don't cut into his chest. However, here are the issues:
-It does not have an adjustable crotch strap, so a bigger baby (our son is tall and skinny) probably won't be able to use it forever. I don't know how a chunky baby would last more than a few months without sitting on the crotch strap
-Trying to pull the straps tight was extremely difficult--I thought my wrist was going to break. I never felt he was actually snug enough but I just couldn't physically pull any harder
-As other reviewers stated, the crotch buckles don't always click, so you have to play games trying to make sure they are locked
-The strap release is hard to access, making it more difficult to remove him

We then bought The First Years True Fit Convertible car seat. In addition to identical safety reviews, they both have deep side impact wings. The First Years True Fit, however, is:
-$100 cheaper
-offers a removable headrest for installation in smaller vehicles in the rear-facing position
-has an adjustable crotch strap
-buckles click in place on the first try
-straps are easy to fully tighten
-strap release is easy to access and use

I bought this car seat because of the great reviews and safety ratings. It was well worth it. My son is 8 months old and actually about the size of a 12 month-old. The seat has so many adjustments that his bigger size does not cause concern. The only problem is that he is still rear-facing and his legs are scrunched up against the seat (but that would happen in any rear-facing car seat). I am so glad I bought this. The safety ratings alone make me feel better about him in it.

Nice car seat....very safe and lots of padding. The child is very protective along the head with side pads, etc. That is what sold me on the car seat. Con- A little difficult to fasten for a larger child. My little girl is 2.5 years and we thought this would last her until she is 65 lbs. The seat does not seem deep enough. Luckily I have an 8 month old who will be able to use it in a year or so. Our second choice was the Regent, which is what we will buy when the Boulevard is too snug.

This seemed to be the safest and most expensive seat available, but when we took it to be inspected by the Safe Kids car seat inspection, we found out the tether system was not compatible with the older Honda CRVs.
We had to turn our car seat around front facing for my 14 month old in order to have the tether hooked up correctly. Which was not what I wanted. In order to have it rear facing we would have had to move it to the seat by the window which was more dangerous to us. Just make sure you have your seat inspected if you have an older CRV.
Over all the seat is soft and my son likes it. The buckle does not click all the time to let you know it is locked, which I dont like. And sometimes It's a pain to get the buckle and locks in quickly. Also the strap between the legs is not adjustable. It felt very tight around my son's legs, but I asked and they said that was normal of the brand. I wish that would change. It makes it very hard to get the buckle in when its so close to the seat and legs.

My partner and I wondered if we were overspending on this -- twins equals expensive times 2 -- but if you are ever going to blow it out, a child's car seat is the place to do it. As others here mention, this is a *big* seat. It's great in our minivan, but be apprised. We are very happy with the seats.
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br /Regarding customer service: under stressful conditions, I needed to move one of our seats from our newer Odyssey, which has LATCH connectors, to our older Accord, which does not. This lead to some questions about where to install the seat, and whether I was doing it correctly, so I called Britax customer service. This kind of detailed phone support can be hard, and the person I spoke to was bright, articulate, precise, personable, and extremely helpful in ensuring that I was doing this correctly and in spec. So, wow, awesome.

I purchased this product for my daughter and also have one for my son that we purchased several years ago. We are very happy with the quality and construction of the seat. For infants who need to sit rear facing, be sure to try this product in your car before purchasing as it is quite large.

I purchased this car seat when my first son out grew his infant carrier, which was about four months. So, it was used in the rear facing position and it was easy to install and overall I was very satisfied with it in every way. I read some other reviews that stated it was hard to load the child in and that the buckle was not adjustable and it made it hard to fit the child in properly. My son was huge and still is and I never had a problem with loading or unloading him. In fact, when I was pregnant with my second, I went out and bought this seat for him also and used it from the time I brought him home from the hospital. This is by far the safest car seat on the market. Actually, I feel so strongly about it being the best and safest that now that I am pregnant with #3, I am going to get this same seat for the new baby.

Oh my god, I love this car seat. It's huge though. I have a 2002 4 door Saturn and it does fit in the back, facing the rear. I do not have to pull my seats up in the front. But there is very little room on either side of it. Other than that, it is so easy to use, doesn't tangle, my baby loves it. He falls asleep right away in it, and it is high enough so that he can see out the windows and he likes that. It's worth every single cent. I highly, highly recommend this car seat. I got it installed at the police station, and that helped a lot. It actually created a lot more room in my car after they installed it vs. when I did it myself.

I'm the grandmother, and my granddaughter grew out of her infant car seat (the one you can carry around). Yes, it's expensive, but the features and solid construction make it worth it. Best Feature: You can adjust the height of the straps while the baby is right in the seat, just takes a minute (shoulder straps must be above the baby's shoulders, not dipping behind their back, and this seat makes it SOOO easy to keep that safety feature in place). And, it's good through 65 lbs. Granddaughter #2 is on the way in April, and I will buy another Britax for her when she's about 6 months old. What helped the most in my purchase decision was a glowing review on the seat by a Mom, so I hope this helps another person trying to decide. PS: I suggest you sit with a cup of coffee or tea and read through the instruction booklet, then go get acquainted with the seat and features. In a short time, how to install and all the features will be very clear. My granddaughter is SO comfortable in it, I can tell, her head doesn't bob forward and she always falls asleep in this one.

I did a TON of research when looking into getting our first car seat. I first purchased a Britax Boulevard (Park Avenue) for my son back in 2006. We have loved it ever since and with the birth of our daughter in July of this year, we also purchased her a Britax Boulevard (Shannon).
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br /Yes, the buckle in the crotch can be annoying since it doesn't stay lifted when placing your child in the seat, but I love the fact that it is located so low on the child. This allows the seat belt to be crossing the child's upper legs instead of their belly - and in a crash, that is very important. All the belts are easy to adjust. The car seat itself is easy to install in the car (we first had a surbaru forester and now have a honda odyssey). The side impact protection (wings) are great and our child has never had a problem seeing past them. In fact, they are quite handy when the child falls asleep (nice resting spot for the head).
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br /Last week we were hit by an oncoming car. It was so scary and frightening - especially since I had my 2 year old and 8 week old in the car with me. I was so glad I had purchased our Britax Boulevards. The car was not drivable after the crash and I couldn't even open my driver door. I got whiplash, but the kids seem to be ok. We're going to the chiropractor again this week to make sure they are still doing ok.
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br /These car seats are truly the best and last a very long time. I highly recommend them.

The short buckle: loosen the straps , buckle, then tighten...the buckle length is not an issue when done this way...to take baby out...loosen, then unbuckle...easy
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br /To tighten: The straps are tightened by ratchet...simply pull, then release and check tightness...if not tight enough...repeat...easy
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br /Wings: lower until wings are next to your child's face...not above the baby's head...easy

I put off buying a Britax for a long time because of the price. I wasted money on 2 other seats until I finally went ahead and bought this one. I am extremely happy I bought this seat now, I will never buy anything but a Britax; I learned that you definately get what you pay for in terms of car seats. I put this in my Dodge Neon and it fits perfectly. It was super easy to install and there is no question that it is installed securely. Car rides are much more pleasurable now because my 10 month old is more comfortable so she is content to ride quietly. She used to fidget and twist endlessly in the car seat; not anymore!
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br /Do not be put off by the price, you will not regret buying this car seat!

My husband and I were very pleased with the quality of this seat- it's very sturdy and my 9 month old seems quite comfortable in it. The only downside that I have noticed is it's bulk- Once I have it in my 4Runner it's fine; but to move it in between vehicles or to take it on an airplane while traveling could prove to be a major ordeal! We're considering using the Britax for our primary seat but possibly purchasing a Cosco Scenera for the above scenarios. I love the color scheme on this particular seat- it's neither masculine nor feminine- perfect for the next baby no matter the sex!

Very easy to install... did alot of research and appears to be the safest on the market. only downfall it is too big to put in middle of back seat. i drive a 4 door 2002 honda civic and it fits perfectly on the passenger side backseat. Had to anchor to passenger front seat by the floor board, it does not budge now. my baby is 7months and 20lbs and loves it. worth the money in my opinion.

This is our second car seat. Being a dad, I didn't know this - but your kid outgrows the first one and you have to buy a second one, at least that is what my wife tells me.

I was dreading changing this one out as we had a tough time getting the first one installed well. Not that we couldn't figure the first one out, but it took some rigging to get it level and tight.

The Britax Boulevard installed easily and firmly right away and we love the adjustability of the headrest. The seat seems well made and safe - it even has side impact padding and it works great. The release to loosen the straps is easier to use than our previous car seat as well. The old car seat required you negotiate under the fabric to find the fingertip sized release, where this one is muck larger and can be pressed through the fabric without searching for it.

Overall, this is an expensive, but well-made and easy to use car seat and we highly recommend it.

I'm a big Britax fan and this is the third Britax car seat I have purchased. But it was BY FAR the most difficult to install. The Roundabout and Decathlon allow you to flip the orientation of the latch buckles; the Boulevard does not. The distance between the LATCH connector and the seat of my car is narrow. The LATCH clip has a thick top and a thin bottom. The Boulevard forces you to insert the LATCH clip with the thick portion at the bottom (this seems upside down when you look at it). I had to use a very large flat-head screwdriver to create the space needed between the seat and the LATCH connector to allow for the thick part of the LATCH clip to fit in and lock. It took me four times as long as it normally does for me to install this car seat.

Now that it is tightly installed, adjusting the shoulder harness height is also difficult. The turn knob is pressed into the back of the car bench which makes it very difficult to turn, and the knob itself is painful to maneuver.

After having the first few car seats I installed safety-checked, I consider myself pretty good at installing them. But installing the Boulevard was incredibly difficult. I will avoid having to re-install it at all costs and I will certainly NOT buy a second one for my second child.

I purchased this seat for a second car. I liked it so much we moved it to the main vehicle. The headrest is good to lean on for sleeping on long trips. The crotch area is a little tight. My son is 100th precentile for height and weight, so we expected this. Britax makes a version with adjustable crotch, but we are glad we went with the safer Boulevard version. The color works good with my gray leather interior.

I'm so glad I sucked it up and spent the money on this seat. I just love it. The "true" side impact protection is what sold me. I have the car seat on the side because I have a van with two bucket seats and no middle seat. I feel more at ease driving knowing there is added security and protection for my little one.

I have had this seat for about 9 months and am overall very happy. My only complaint is that I can't get it to recline in the forward facing position as it is already snug with the back seat. But, since the side impact protection doubles as a headrest for comfortable sleeping, that complaint isn't enough to detract any stars. Other than that, it is easy to adjust, comfortable for my toddler and the fabric is easy to wipe clean. I feel really secure with my daughter in this seat. Hint: putting your weight on the seat before securing the shoulder strap is key to a snug fit.

I just recently bought this carseat and I couldn't be happier!!! I wanted to get the BEST and SAFEST carseat for my daughter and I am SO glad there was the sale cause it made the price drop just low enough for me to convince my fiance that it was worth the price lol. It was SO easy to install (into our 01 Jeep Grand Cherokee, rear facing in middle). It fits fine and very securly, I was worried that it would be too big. It actually fits better on the seat than our Graco snugride (the snugride was too skinny and leaned into the crack of the seats, this seat has a wide enough base to be stable over the crack! I am so glad I got this car seat my daughter loves it, shes fallen asleep in it already! I am a little disappointed with the pattern it looks different in person than online, but the safety is what I really care about! About the size it is a little big like I have one of those fisher price mirror things and I cant see her in it from the drivers seat but I can from the passenger seat, but I leave the mirror where it is cause she enjoys looking in it lol. I am VERY happy with this car seat!!!! I feel that my baby is protected! Shes only 9 months old and still fit in her infant carrier but rarely took the carseat out of the car I just took her out so I figured it was time to get a better carseat. Another big reason I chose this carseat (and a selling point to my fiance lol) was that it will last her a long time!!!! The only bad thing I can say is that I accidentally cut off the user guide, I didnt know you were supposed to keep it on there lol, oh well lol. GREAT CAR SEAT!!! WORTH THE MONEY TO PROTECT YOUR BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

when I bought this chair I though it was expensive, but now that I have use it I love it!!! is really comftrable and my baby do not cry any more... we can go for hours and he is happy finally he is able to move his head, arms and legs without any problem... I strongly recomend this chair for any one, my baby is 5 months old and this chair is rear facing and front facing and is fantastic...

We've had an earlier version of this seat for 4 years. It's relatively easy to install and operate and certainly feels safe (although our LATCH clips were installed backward on the seat so we've always used the seatbelt installation). I do agree with the short crotch strap comments other reviewers have had. Fishing around for the strap under your kid's bum is not fantastic.
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br /My greatest complaint about this seat is that if you have a situation where, let's say, a child throws up in the seat and you can't get to really cleaning it out for a day because you're in the emergency room for hours, this seat is very cumbersome to take apart, and there are these long plastic "tubes" in the construction of the seat that unfortunately collect chunky liquids that fall into the seat. If your chunky liquid happens to dry in the bottom of the tubes, you'll be spending a lot of time getting it out. Since most kids either have a blow-out diaper or car vomit incident at some point, this doesn't seem like the best design feature. Although maybe the designers intended the tubes to act as a catch basin of sorts to protect the car upholstery, and it's my fault for not being able to get to it right away. Draw your own conclusions!

After reading all the reviews on this seat - i almost didn't buy it. We bought the boulevard in particular because it has the side impact safety and she leans her head up against the wings to sleep - much better than most car seats where their head flops forward. . . that just can't be comfortable.
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br /The strap to click into is a bit short and a bit of a pain and that is why i rated 4 not 5 stars. . . My son rides in a Recaro and that would get 5 stars from me as it is easier to get him in and out of (and has been since we got it). I would have bought another Recaro for her but they don't have the pretty designs and this one is rated as well as the Recaro and has the pretty girlie designs. . .
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br /Great seat and very pretty - my daughter seems comfortable - but really doesn't like to be strapped into anything so she does whine when we initially strap her in. she is fine shortly thereafter and i have never seen any marks from the straps. we have been using the seat for 5 months now.
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br /You really can't buy a better seat than Recaro or Britax.

When my husband and I purchased a smaller vehicle, part of the deal was that I would be able to buy the best car seat on the market for our son. After much research, the Britax Boulevard always was the top recommendation. However, the crotch belt strap is extremely short and is NOT adjustable. Had I known this before, I would not have purchased this seat. There are several other seats by Britax with the adjustable strap (I believe the marathon has one, except it only holds up to 40 lbs in comparison to the Boulevard which holds 65). I can't imagine how my son will fit in this seat when he weighs more (He only weighs 20 lbs now and it's tight!)
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br /Pros:
br /Safest on the market-- has side impact protection
br /Fairly easy to install
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br /Cons:
br /SHORT CROTCH STRAP!
br /Bigger car seat
br /Instruction manual not the most user friendly I've ever read

I purchased this seat about a month ago, and I'm very pleased with it. You can really see the quality in the structure and the way it was designed. We use this seat foward facing, which is very easy to install and fits real tight against the back seat. Some people complain that the seat is too big, but I have 98 Altima and it fits just fine. When it comes to saftey you shouldn't skimp. We tried to install the seat rear facing, but we didn't feel comfortable with that position...there was too much play from side to side. No matter how much we tried, we just couldn't get a tight secure fit with the rear facing position. My son loves the seat too...it real comfy!

it is a bit difficult to get the baby into the carseat in the rear facing position. the wings on the sides make it very safe and comfortable for the baby. but also hard to get him in and out. not too much of a problem. but something to consider. i may have been happier with the britax seat that is rated up to 65 lbs without the wings.

This is our 2nd Boulevard and 3rd Britax. We'll be getting another in the Spring when our Roundabout --another fantastic seat!-- expires.
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br /The best feature on the Boulevard (besides the high weight limit) is the ability to adjust the strap height just by turning a knob. This is an immense time saver! It's also a great safety feature since you are able to always get a custom fit for your growing child.
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br /For those interested, I ordered this September 20th 2008 and the manufacture date was April 2008. Most Britax seats expire in 6 years.

br /This seat is perfect, the way in which it attaches to your car will not let you down, The only issue is that when your child gets wise enough
br /they can figure out how to loosen the belts. It is easy to move from car to car and seems very safe. Our child loves it!!!!
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I searched and searched for a car seat when it became apparent the baby seat for my little one was not working for him (He got hot and sweaty and got a rash from it). He needed one that would allow his skin to breath. This seat is great! He sits up high so he can see out the windows, he doesn't get too hot in it, and it is easy to install both with the latch system and the regular seat belt (we transfer from my car to grandma's every morning). If I would have known I would have used this seat from the very beginning! It fits in my car and my mom's just fine (Sportage and Tuscon). Don't mess around with the little baby seats - just get this one! It may seem expensive, but you will not have to buy another one until they are about 5 and ready for a booster.

We were not really able to use it rear facing for our 13 month old daughter in the BMW 325 (E46) - there was no space for her legs between the seat and the rear seat. However, it was just perfect forward facing. She is always quite happy in it - the straps only occasionally get twisted and even then are quite easy to sort out. I like the added stability from the top tethers. Quite happy with this seat

This is a car seat designed especially with kids in mind along with great safety features not found in other car seats. Its so cozy that my daughter likes it so much that some times she doesn't want to be taken out of it. Overall, i'd recommend this product.

I wouldn't have any other car seat after using this one. It's great. I would say this is the best, or one of the best, car seats on the market. A little pricey but you pay for the quality and support.
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br /The only gripe I can make is that it is difficult to move in/out of the car into another car because it is rather tall and bulky.
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br /So if you plan on moving it between cars... just buy 2.

It's true what you've read about this seat. It's absolutely great! My 9 month old is very comfortable in it, and falls asleep so quickly when he's in it. He doesn't mind the side-impact pads at all. I'm definitely happy I have a Ford Explorer to put the seat into, since it's on the large side....I have it installed in the middle seat, but am still able to get 2 adults to fit on each side of the car seat without any trouble. I can even get into the 3rd row seats by folding down the seats on either side of the car seat. The seat is worth the extra money. Good peace of mind, and Aiden is clearly comfortable in it. Easy to install and adjust to make sure it's reclined enough in the rear facing position. The straps are designed really well, and they don't twist...it makes it easy to get Aiden in and out of it, especially if he's squirmy. I researched car seats for a couple weeks, and it came down to this one and the Recaro Como seat...bought Britax Boulevard for my car and the Ricaro Como for my husband's car. Both great seats: the Ricaro is rated for 5-70lbs, the Britax 5-65lbs, side impact on both, size comperable, Recaro $250, Britax $310, both stylish designs. Can't go wrong with either choice.

I bought this in the Regal fabric and was extremely happy!
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br /4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
br / Great car seat! , December 25, 2007
br /By Denaelen
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br /I spent several weeks researching carseats from all different sources. (Word of mouth, internet, consumer reports, etc.) Friends said that the cheaper car seats were just as safe and not to spend the extra money for a Britax. Many websites have reviews that have parents saying spending more is worth it. It comes down to a personal choice. While the more inexpensive car seats have to be safety approved they do not feel as secure to me. We drive a SUV and I love the sturdy feel of the Britax car seats. It works great with our latch system and even has an extra tether for rear-facing use. The carseat does not wiggle when pushed. It seems as if it is a part of the vechicle itself. I would not want to take out/reinstall often, so I wouldn't recommend it for those who need a two-vehicle car seat. I would recommend it for those who want to feel like they have bought the best they could for their child. Our 9 month old used it for the first time this past weekend and he loved it! The Boulevard has a nice adjustable head rest that allows a sleeping child neck support. The material is not scratchy or rough like another review stated. It may not be fluffy soft, but it seems very durable and easy to clean, which is important if the child will be eating in the seat.
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br /The front harness latch does have a small issue, it does not click loudly like our old Graco infant seat. After reading the reviews, I have made it a habit to make sure that it is latched by giving a firm tug. It has always been latched, I think I am just used to hearing a loud click.
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br /Overall, I am very happy with our purchase and will never go back to the other brands for a second car seat.

My twin girls just outgrew their Peg Perego infant car seats. I purchased the Britax car seat based on it's safety ratings. I love this car seat. I have an Odyssey with the LATCH system. These were a breeze to install. My daughters love them, not only because they can see out the window now, but they are very comfortable. They are still rear facing because they are still under 20 lbs, and they still look very comfortable. I would recommend spending the money on these car seats because of their safety, durability, and longevity.

This car seat is very nice. My only gripe is that the strap that fits between the legs is set back too far. Otherwise, this is a heavy-duty, premium car seat. Much more plush than our EvenFlo infant seat. I like the side impact protection that this seat offers- it is very substantial compared to other car seats. The seat fits snugly in the minivan. It is quite heavy but I see that as a plus in terms of additional protection. The weight limit is up there too so you can use this seat for many, many years. I know that this is pricey compared to other models but you will definitely get the mileage out of it in terms of use over several years.

Our son's second car seat was a Britax with the side impact protection and it literally saved his life when someone plowed into our van on his side. We would not go with anything less for our children after that experience. I love this car seat even more - the material is so soft and the padding feels wonderful! Our daughther has Down Syndrome and the extra support really helps keep her body and head in alignment like her physical therapist recommended. Bear in mind that this is a large seat; in the rear facing position, it just fits behind the passenger seat in our van.

My baby loves the car seat.
br /It looks very comfortable. I am disappointed about the reclining feature, it is not useful facing forward. Every time we try it we cannot get it to recline, I hope it works as good as the manufacture claims in an actident, although I really do not want to find out.
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Another great Britax carseat. Easy and fast to install. Baby seems super comfortable. The seat seems very safe. Absolutely no complaints.

Easy to install and very safe. This seat came highly recommended to me, and I would buy it again.

We bought this car seat a couple of months ago, and my daughter (20 months) loves it, she fell sleep in it all the time.

Shipped quickly and is easy to use. We can tell our 8mo old is much more comfortable as well.

This carseat works great for us. We have both the Britax Marathon and the Britax Blvd. and they both work great. The product shipped very fast and it arrived in excellent condition. It's hard to buckle in the crotch area (hence the four stars) but other than that it's perfect! Our daughter seems very comfortable.

I have had this car seat for a few weeks now, and absolutely love it! My son is 8 months old, and while still within the height and weight range of the carrier/car seat, we have a long commute in the morning and I was concerned about his comfort (he's a big boy). This carseat was a cinch to install. It is extremely stable-after installed no amount of pushing or pulling on it could get it to budge. The padding is superb, and it truly offers great side protection. My little one loves it, and I feel that he's truly safer with this seat. I would recommend it to anyone! Although it is a little more expensive than other convertibles, I think that my child's safety is well worth it.
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I bought this car seat for my son when he was 6 months old. Before I got it, I bought another popular brand and spent nearly $100, but it just a terrible design over all for an infant, my son's head would nodding in the air when he fall in sleep while i was driving...
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br /after I went over so many reviews online, I decided to spend $300 on this car seat. at that time, he weights 25lb,he fells very comfortable in that chair and the padding is just enough to comfort him while he falls in sleep... now my son is 2 year old, he still likes to seat in his car seat and waiting for us to bring him out...
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br /Overall, I like this product very much and it's great design, even I paid triple of the price than the other product, but I am very happy... I truly got what I paid for.
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br /Definitely a recommended item!!!
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We researched so much for the right car seat for our then 1 year old daughter. We had much apprehensions but the Britax Boulevard was the perfect buy. Our daughter could not stay put in her old car seat but she sits very comfortably on this one, enjoys locking herself in, eats her cookies, and falls asleep eventually during long drives. We have medium size salon and a small Suzuki SUV and have no problems fitting it in the cars. Aside from the comfort, its safety features are excellent. We would recommend this to any interested buyers.

My Wife, Daughter, and I All Love This New Car Seat. Even The Firefighters Who Installed It Were Impressed.

This is the sturdiest and safest car seat! It will simply not move at all once in place!

We bought this seat to accomodate our very difficult to fit 2003 Land Rover Discovery SE. The stadium seating configuration made it nearly impossible to fit a convertible in a rear-facing position. The Boulevard and the Marathon are the most compact models out there (26" deep horizontally when reclined for rear-facing installation) - smaller than other models by approximately 2.5".
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br /We bought the floor model of the Boulevard, since it was on sale for just $5 more than the Marathon. We are very pleased with it. Not only does it fit the vehicle with snug connections, it's easy to adjust, easy to get in and out of, and it's a comfy fit for our 20-lb little one.
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br /We've owned many makes and models of car seats, and this is our favorite. Our price was $235, and for that, we are happy to have a product with great features that is made in the USA.

I had a hard time deciding which car seat I wanted to buy for my 8-month old daughter. All my friends who have kids recommended Britax car seats, so I knew that I wanted a Britax but couldn't decide between the Marathon and Boulevard. In the end I decided on the Boulevard for the side impact protection. Even though she is in the rear middle seat and my 2007 Toyota Sequoia has side curtain airbags, I wanted the extra protection "just in case". I am a police officer and see too many nasty car accidents.
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br /The Boulevard was very easy to install rear facing with LATCH (didn't need my husbands help at all!).
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br /The Onyx fabric is also very nice but I wish it was plush all over. The center gray portion is a wind breaker type of fabric. I guess so it is easier to clean up messes. My only complaint is that the fabric gets very warm, sitting in the hot car all day. If you live in a climate that it warm year round, you might want to get a different pattern.
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br /Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. I got a great price through Amazon and the shipping was free and super fast!

Although pricey when compared to other car seats, this particular model is very easy to install, and the safety ratings are outstanding. The harness never gets tangled, and the fabric is cool for baby, even during the hottest days. It's rather large, but I can tell that we're going to be using this carseat for a loooong time.

LOVE this seat! My daughter rides great in it(7 months). It cradles her nicely so she looks comfortable even in the rear facing position!
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br /My only concern is the belt buckle strap length. It seems really short and I am worried about it later on. My daughter is chunky so it makes the belts cut into her legs more than I think they should.
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br /I love the pattern! My 4 year old has the Regent in Madison and this compliments it quite well! Although my husband says it looks like a florist threw up in my car now! :O)

We like this seat a lot. It is easy to install into any car. Our son is a big infant, so it sits rear facing in our older Jeep. It fits snuggly, but it works great.
br /The lumbar cushion is removable, and the head support works nicely to keep his head from rolling around.
br /It is pretty easy to get him in and out, he is an infant so not a lot of assistance on his part yet. He seems very comfortable in his seat, he loves to nap in it!!

This is the best car seat out there in my opinion. It is super easy to install with either latch or seatbelt. It is the easiest car seat I've installed. I like the side impact protection. I feel that my daughter is very safe in this seat. It is a bit tall, so if you are using it rear facing it does take up a lot of space. My daughter loves this car seat compared to a cheap seat that was our extra for the grandparents car until recently. This seat's seated shoulder height is higher than our cheap seat. That is why we had to replace the grandparents car seat. She is still in her Boulevard, but she is too tall for the cheap seat now.

It is clearly far superior to other models we checked - overall construction and everything else is very good, especially the padding, as you would expect in a car seat at this price.

My wife and I own the Britax Infant Car seat and loved it. Worked great, was well built, VERY protective of our child's head and body. The Boulevard is even better with the easily adjustable headrest and shoulder straps, great cushioning and easy installation. The price was a key selling point to get a great made in the USA car seat for a great price I now wish I bought another one for my car. Don't waste your money on a made in China car seat just because it might be cheaper than this. BUY THE BOULEVARD. You and your child will be glad you did!!!

I LOVE this car seat - I will be purchasing another for my husband's car. It is pretty easy to install but the most important thing is you can really get this one tight and it really feels incredibly safe. My son loves it - it sits up enough so he can eat if we are traveling but is still comfortably reclined so he can sleep. It is very cushiony and has protective padding on all sides. Only set back may be for people with small cars - it is pretty big. Very good buy with Amazon too. Cheaper than anyone else.
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I bought this car seat after a friend said it was recommended with the side-impact protection. It's a little expensive, but after talking with her, I knew I'd have "mommy-guilt" if I didn't get it. It doesn't have the cup holder convenience features like some do, but I'll take safety over a place for a sippe cup.

this seat is the highest rated seat out there - and it is quite handsome - is theoretically goes up to 65pounds (I was in Jr. High before I weighed that much) so it should be my child's last seat (2 of 2) - sure its expensive, but when you consider how long it lasts, it is totally worth it - even if it costs $1e3, wouldn't you buy it to protect the most important person in your life?

This is a great product feel very comfortable knowing my baby girl is safe in this seat. It was easy to install fits very well in my car. I feel it takes up less room then our infant seat. Granted it is higher so I can't use here baby mirrior to see her unless I put my visor down use the mirror in there to see her. As for the delivery it was awful. UPS just threw it on my door step in the rain! I called Amazon Customer service they where supposed to ship me a new one. Per UPS they delivered, but I never received. So I kept original seat Amazon gave me a credit for my trouble. Other then the delivery it was a good experience.

I have 12 month old twins and needed to upgrade their carseats. After reading reviews and talking with friends, I decided on the Britax Boulevard. I am very happy with it and would recommend it as well. It is a large carseat and may not be what some are looking for if they have a small car. I have an SUV so it isn't a problem at all for us. I love the extra head support on this particular style and am completely satisfied with my choice.

I was a little hesitant at first at the price tag on this one, but this carseat is top notch. Your baby's safety is priceless, and we really have peace of mind when we are on the road with our little boy. He outgrew his infant seat at 5 months, so he's a big boy, and we bought the Britax Boulevard Convertible carseat. It is extremely comfortable, and will adjust to his height and weight up to 65 pounds, so we'll have this one for a while. It has a lot of padding on the sides, so if you aren't able to put your carseat in the middle backseat, I highly recommend this carseat, it tested wonderfully for side impact crashes. It's not for a smaller vehicle, it sits pretty tall but he loves that he sits up high and can watch out the window. We are very pleased with this carseat (We ended up buying 2, one for each vehicle)

I am really disappointed by this seat. We have 2 Britax Marathons for both of our cars, and when we needed to buy one for my mom's car, we "upgraded" to the Boulvard due to the side impact protection. The big problem is the placement of the buckle on the bottom of the seat - it is significantly farther back in the seat than the buckle on the Marathon, so much so, that my 35 lb daughter barely fits in the seat, even when she's sitting all the way back - it hurts her, and it's kind of indecent trying to get her buckled/unbuckled! It's very hard to get in and out because of that, and I don't think there's any way we're going to make the 65 lb weight, with this issue.
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br /Also the buckles are incredibly difficult to latch and release - I'm hoping they will loosen up with use, but my mom, being older, could not work them, and it usually takes me about 5 tries to get the bottom one released, it's just so tight and you have to push so hard.
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br /Finally, we read the entire manual twice and there was no mention of where the headrest is supposed to be placed in relation to the child - touching the shoulders? Way above that, like ear level? Frustrating that that's why we bought the seat and we have no idea of we're using it correctly.
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br /I wish we'd just bought another Marathon!!!!!

Got two of the Britax Boulevard Convertible car seats; one for my ten months old and one for my three year old. I have used Takata seats in the past so I know that child seats can be bulky but these seats where just massive. Especially when in the rear-facing position. When I drive; the seat is up against my headrest actually forcing me to sit in a more upright position than I would normally do. (And this is in a van.)
br /In terms of usability I do appreciate the adjustable back harness but the crotch strap is positioned so that the kids end up sitting on it in 90%+ of cases making it a hassle to get the kids seated.
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br /In sum, the safety that this product provides is probably good but I am sure that there are better alternatives out there. For rear-facing I have yet not tried anything else but for forward-facing I would definitely recommend the Graco Nautilus product Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat in Matrix, which I have recently switched to for my older kid.

Why not? Our son, had outgrown his travel system and we wanted something that was going last a long time and this seemed to fit the bill. We researched this site and others and on the basis of the good reviews decided to buy it. Perhaps there was an element of "nothings to expensive when it comes to my child's safety" in our decision making. But we have found that there are some major design flaws with this car seat which I think are mind boggling bad, given how expensive it is. My biggest complaint is that when our child falls asleep in this seat ( rear facing ) his head falls down and gets caught under the 'wing' of the adjustable hear rest. The 'wings' of the headrest extent out quite a way. So each time my wife has been on a longish trip he arrives home screaming because his head is jammed under one of 'wings' and she can't stop in the middle of traffic to fix it. Also the attachment for the harness, located in-between the child's legs, is very low and not adjustable. In general, I think more thought should go into making a safe, functional, comforatable car seat. But this one poorly designed and expensive !

I recently purchased this car seat for my 6mo. old daughter, and was very excited due to all the positive reviews on saftey and comfort. Come to put her in the seat and I find myself looking for a buckle adjustment for the clip. It is so short I have to dig it out from under her, and fource them into the clip. This is terrible exacution and desighn. I am VERY disipointed to spend that much to end up retuning the seat. For all the hype about Britax, I thought it was a waist.