The BRITAX REGENT , the PORSCHE of all carseats!

My daughter was beginning to outgrow her toddler carseat way back in October when she reached 40 inches. I thought I would be able to push her several more months and then get her a booster. Boy was I not thinking clearly. Then on my mommy’s board a woman posted this link for everyone to see what happens to a small child who isn’t in a five point harness. Please see it as soon as you are done reading this review at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ.

That same day, I purchased the Britax Regent in Sahara. I chose the Sahara because I just like lighter colors.

The reason why every parent should get this

The Britax Regent is made with a five point harness and can be used for children between 20 and 80 pounds and whose height does not exceed fifty three inches.

It is important for young children to stay in a five point harness for as long as they don’t exceed that weight and/or height limit. Their little bodies cannot handle even a minor car accident in a booster seat or a regular seat belt. Their bodies can be jerked forward and their necks can crack, causing immediate death.

This seat can last up to six years. So, in other words, you will never have to buy another carseat. By the time your child outgrows the Britax Regent he or she will be able to sit safely in the backseat with a regular seatbelt.

Installation

Impossible! Okay, for a petite person like me it is. The seat itself weighs over 20 pounds and in order to install it, it must be lifted up into the car and I couldn’t even do that. But, my fiancee had absolutely no problems whatsoever. If you read the manual, it may confuse you even more. Please check out this carseat board for any questions: http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=bcus9421

It comes with a recline bar and you will use it when using a lap belt because it will cause the carseat to tilt at a different angle.

It is important to position the chest clip even with the child’s armpits. This can slide up and down to adjust to the right spot for your child.

Another great part of the Britax Regent is that it comes with a belly pad which is also adjustable. It is nice because it fans up from the crotch area onto the child’s belly and during the summertime if they are wearing a thin or short shirt or even a bathing suit, their bellys won’t get marks on it from chafing.

There are four slots for the shoulder straps to go through. The rule of thumb is when your child’s shoulders surpass the current slot, it’s time to take the seat out and move the straps up to the next slot.

Comfy factor

This says it all. As quoted by my daughter, “mommy, I love my new carseat!”. It’s very soft and the padding is more than adequate for little butts.

The shoulder straps come with a shoulder pad on each strap that can be moved up or down to make the straps more comfortable and to not chafe the child’s skin. My daughter likes it right on her shoulders because she’s thin and that’s where it feels better.

The cloth is soft and never gets hot in the Florida sun. Another great thing about the comfy factor is one for the mommy actually. The seat is completely flat so your child can climb in himself. You don’t need to lift them into the seat anymore. There are two elastic side pockets. Sorry guys, no cupholders. Anyway, in this seat, you wouldn’t want your child to drink or eat in it, at least for the first couple of weeks!

Cleaning it

We just recently took the whole carseat out and cleaned it. Uggh, you wouldn’t believe what we found down inside it. A few fruit snacks that had melted and got gooey, several missing toys, and lots of dirt!

With the help of my fiancee we were able to remove all of the straps and take the cover off. It is not recommended to put the cover or any other part in the laundry. You can just spot clean it using dish detergent and a damp cloth. For the actual seat and the belts, I just used a Clorox wipe to get all the grime off.

Putting it back together is like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. It takes time, so make sure you have about a day to do it just to make sure you put all the straps back in the correct way.

Where to get it

I got mine at www.AlbeeBaby.com for $269 and free shipping included. I placed my order and received the carseat in perfect condition through Fed Ex Ground within two weeks. They are difficult to find in stores now because since the YouTube video came out, this seat has become increasingly popular across the nation. Another place to look is http://www.babyuniverse.com/pro/baby/83692/RegentCarSeat-Sahara.html. The average price is $270 and free shipping.

The proof

I was in a minor rear end collision with my daughter back in January. She was in the Britax Regent. I was rushed to the hospital to get X-Rays of my neck and back because I couldn’t even turn around to make sure she was okay. I was very sore for months and had to visit the chiropractor several times a week for months until I was back to normal.

That entire week, we asked her if her neck or back hurt or anything else and to tell us immediately if anything hurt. She never complained about anything. She was fine. And the carseat did not budge one inch.

I am convinced that if she had been in any other carseat, she would have been injured.

Final remarks

I am so glad that I got the Britax Regent. I believe every parent who has a child between the ages of three and eight should get this. And if you think the price is hefty, keep in mind that this will be the last carseat you purchase. It will last for six years.

Okay, now go watch the video I posted at the top about a three year old who was named Kyle Miller. And after that, go out and check your carseat and see where your child’s shoulders are. And go order a Britax Regent. You’ll never regret this purchase. It is your child’s life.