9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Britax Regent Car Seat
Date of Review: Jun 15, 2008
The Bottom Line: The seat always stays in place and I never have to worry about my child's safety. Easy latch install, higher weight height for your growing child, very roomy
In the past 11 years, and 3 children, I have gone thru my fair share of car seats. My youngest daughter is now 19 months and we are up-grading her to a car seat booster, that she will be in for the rest of her years, that she is to be in a car seat.
We have had a lot of seats, but this time around I took my daughter into the store and had her sit in the seats, and test them out.
I did a few more tests to see how the seats worked and what worked best for her, and what she liked. In 2 hours, we tried about 15-20 sets, in 3 different stores. The seat that she kept going right back to was the Britax Regent, Madison Print., as she was drawn to the pattern and color first off. Then after sitting in the seat, she enjoyed the comfort. When I buckled her into the seat, she never fussed once, not like her other seats she has been in. My daughter isn't one to like car seats much at all. She seemed very content in this seat.
She had a lot of room, and the shoulder harnesses were well cushioned, as well as the fabric was very soft.
I liked that the fabric cushion was removable and was machine washable. With a lot of my other car seats, it was a hassle to clean them. My daughter loved that the seat had a mesh cup holder just for her that could also be used for her snacks or toys. After the 3rd store and 20 seats later, we asked the store assistant if we could try the seat out in our car, and they helped us out to our van and we tried it out.
My daughter sat peaceful in the Britax Regant and decided it would be a nice and comfy place to take a nap.
The seat itself weighs about 30 pounds, so it weighs about what my toddler weighs now. So, it is a bit on the heavier side for car seats.
I do suggest that you measure your back seat before you buy this and or any car seat to make sure you have the proper space. The Regant measures, 21.5 x 30 x 25, as are the manufactures specs from their website (www.britaxusa.com).
The car seat is very durable. I really like that this car seats weight limit is 80lbs, which is the highest weight for a car seat on the market.
That means that almost all children can use this car seat until they are ready to be in a seat beat on their own or a smaller booster seat for older children.
Across the stomach is a soft, well cushioned pad, as well as a flexible Latch system. It is very easy to get your child in and out of their seat. The seat is also very easy to remove from your vehicle and reinstall over when needed.
The straps are equipped with Britax's exclusive HUGS system. The HUGS are the rubbery pieces on the straps that help to distribute the force from a crash in the event of a possible accident; your child will not budge from the seat. I am glad we did not have to find this out the hard way. The 5-point harness
The straps are tangle-free, and made from polyester, which I like as my child likes to squirm and try to sometimes get out of her seat.
The Car Seat is also equipped with the Latch system, making putting the seat in and set up a breeze, compared to the long-path seatbelt install.
There are four shoulder slots so you can adjust the belts to fit your child's height correctly, and keep them snug and safe.
I feel very good knowing of Britax's Safety Ratings and the company stands behind their products. My sister also recommended Britax Car Seats to me a few years ago, because of its safety ratings also. I also have a friend in the UK, who explained to me that Britax follows the safety standard of Europe and the US safety standards are far lower then there's.
The only down-side on this car seat was the price. For me the car seat seemed like a luxury item, but over-all is worth the price. I would never want to get in an accident and feel guilty later on that I tried to save a few dollars on a car seat and risk my child's life.
Below are the Specifications and Features directly from the manufactures
Web Site. You can view them @ www.britaxusa.com
Key Features:
Car Seat Booster
Seating Direction Forward Facing
Stay-in Car Base No Detachable Base
Restraint System - 5-Point Safety Harness
Adjustable Harness Height
Weight Limit - 22 - 80 lbs.
Height Limit - Up to 53 In.
No Carry Handle
Head Protection with Headrest
Latch System
Belt Holders
Storage Pouches
4 Different Cloth Cover Colors
Product Dimensions:
Product Weight (lbs) 25
Exterior Product W x H x D (in) 21.5 x 30 x 25
Seating Compartment Height (in) 27.75
Seat Area Depth/Width (in) 11.75 / 12
Shoulder Width (in) 15
Harness Slot Heights (in) 12 / 14.4 / 16.75 / 19.1
Buckle Strap Depth (in) 7.4 / 9.4
