When choosing a convertible car seat for my oldest son, as he began to grow into an infant seat, I did a lot of research. The single car seat manufacturer has received many excellent reviews from national and safety organizations as well as from users themselves. I knew I would try the Britax car seat based on the reviews I’d read.
The cost of the Britax car seat was a little more than I budgeted for the car seat but I found the Britax convertible car seat online at a great price and combined with the free shipping offer I couldn’t pass it up. I bought this seat in 2002 and it has survived three children. (On a safer note, Britax Roundabout car seats expire six years after the date of manufacture and should not be used after that time).
From the top vanity side, Britax has amazing car seat covers, bright, fun colors and designs that match the interior of the car and/or just plain fun for a boy to ride in. I chose the unisex “Denim” design, which has now been discontinued, but has been replaced by the softer “New Blues” denim-like cover.
When it comes to safety, Britax car seats are in the top line. They are tested and retested and go above and beyond basic safety regulations. Britax Circum has a five point harness around the chair, with a secure clip box that also holds five Years born cannot be unbuckled. I have to admit that the Britax Around me, since the four year old is a “puzzle” buckle that is problematic for birds and others who don’t use the seat every day. The newer Britax uses separate and easy-to-use buckles. Around the buckle is a belly pad that matches the seat cover and is placed for comfort and is easily removed. In my experience, the harness straps do not tangle or twist easily.
My favorite convenient feature is the Britax Round Around harness. The adjustable harness allows for loosening and tightening of the harness straps with a “push button, one pull” feature. This makes the seat safer and easier to use, as the child grows, or wears heavier or lighter clothing. (See this article to check if your baby’s coat is too thick to be safe to wear in the car seat: http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/a/carseatcoat.htm)
Other comfort features in the Britax range include comfort foam under the seat and two reclining positions. This allows you to ride comfortably on long car trips. We often take horroad trip three and a half, so that I never visit my children. He complained of discomfort in his Britax seats.
The Britax Round also comes with Expanded Polystyrene foam (EPS foam) for child safety. This foam is the type used in bike helmets and helps to cushion and protect the head in case of an accident. Britax has always been in the front seat of the car.
My favorite safety feature of the Britax Roundabout is the seat’s rear facing weight limit. From five to thirty-three pounds, a child can ride the train backwards in a Britax. Because the heads of babies and children are incomparable in the weight of the rest of the body, the head is in collision. it can cause serious damage to the neck or worse. This means that riding in the rear-facing position is safest for the child as long as possible. On the other hand, the Britax Round is safe for children up to 40 pounds.
Of course, even the safest car seat is not safe unless it is properly installed and the child is properly harnessed. Many car seats on the market are difficult to install correctly. I found the Britax Circumcirca to be easy to install both forward and backward. There are handy buckles that keep the seat belt secure in the forward and rear facing positions. Of course, the lock system has the required seat. The cover has handy side pockets for storing system pins when not in use.
Also, to aid the convenience of the rear seat, Britax has the patented Circumcirca Versa-Tether in a neat pocket in the rear seat when not in use. The Versa-Tether provides added security and gives Britax a great all-around convenience.
Although I had planned to spend a little more money around the Britax Round, I’m glad I got it back. It gave me peace of mind knowing that my child is riding in one of the safest, most comfortable and comfortable car seats on the market.
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- To view the entire Britax product line www.britaxusa.com.. li>
