Boulevard Onyx Convertible Car Seat
- Additional Features: Latch System Top Tether Strap
- Type: Convertible
- Seating Direction: Rear / Forward Facing
- Restraint System: 5-Point Safety Harness
- Stay-in Car Base: With Detachable Base
- Adjustable Harness Height: Adjustable Harness Height
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Definitely worth it
Pros
The maximum weight it takes (65 pounds) and it's overall quality and saftey aspects
Cons
Price and the weight of the actual seat itself
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you're looking for the safest seat for your child to ride in this is the one. I would buy this seat over and over. 100% satisfied.
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 are in doubt over the price, it's well worth it.
PROS:
- The amount of safety features this car seat has
- It is unbelievably secure once installed properly (it doesn't budge)
- The quality of the Onyx material is great along with the HUGS system, straps 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
CONS:
- 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…, you would need one adult just to carry the seat and the other to be in charge of the toddler (I travel to the UK a lot and often without my husband)
I have made this as detailed as possible, I hope it helps with all your shopping decisions!
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 are in doubt over the price, it's well worth it.
PROS:
- The amount of safety features this car seat has
- It is unbelievably secure once installed properly (it doesn't budge)
- The quality of the Onyx material is great along with the HUGS system, straps 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
CONS:
- 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…, you would need one adult just to carry the seat and the other to be in charge of the toddler (I travel to the UK a lot and often without my husband)
I have made this as detailed as possible, I hope it helps with all your shopping decisions!
