Britax Advocate 70 CS & Boulevard 70 CS Review – Pictures, Videos, and More Pictures!
I’ll admit straight off that I have a fondness for Britax seats. The first convertible seat I bought was a Roundabout with a DOM of May 2000. However, if you’ve read my other reviews here and in other places, I hope I’ve shown that I’m capable of being fair and impartial. I like all carseats 
. And to be absolutely fair, I have to admit that I’ve been very skeptical of the Advocate since it was introduced on the market because of the cost and the Side Impact Cushions. I’ve never played with one in person in depth until it landed on my doorstep, so actually having it was a learning experience for me.
Both the Advocate 70 and the Boulevard 70 are convertible (rear-facing and forward-facing) child restraints for kids 5-70 lbs. who are less than 49” tall. Rear-facing both models are rated from 5-40 lbs. Forward-facing, they can be used for children over 1 year old who weigh between 20-70 lbs. Britax redesigned their entire convertible line last summer and all of them have some of the same features, namely the base, LATCH, and EPP foam. Kecia did a great 3-part review of the Marathon 70 when it was first released.
*UPDATE: The newest version of the Advocate 70 CS is the Britax Advocate 70 G3. The newest version of the Boulevard 70 CS is now called the Pavilion 70 G3. For information on the Britax G3 updates, see our blog here.
This review will focus on the Advocate 70 model but most of the details and comments apply to the Boulevard 70 CS & Pavilion 70 as well.
All of the Advocate, Boulevard & Pavilion models come with an infant body support cushion, belly pad, and harness strap covers.
Features and Advantages of the Advocate 70 CS
Probably the biggest safety feature the Advocate touts that you see immediately are the white Side Impact Cushions on the sides of the seat. These look like airbags and Britax claims they reduce side impact crash energy by 45% for the child in the seat and provide protection for any passenger sitting next to the seat. The cushions aren’t soft like pillows nor do they deploy like airbags.
Other safety features are the energy-absorbing EPP foam that line the entire seat and head restraint area, the SafeCell™ Technology in the base, integrated steel bars, rip-stitch Versa-Tether®, new built-in lock-offs and the old standby, the rubbery HUGS pads on the harness.
Safety Features of Advocate & BLVD 70 CS Models:
SafeCell™ Technology: These cells compress in a crash, which lowers the center of gravity of the child and reduces head excursion.
Integrated steel bars: The steel bars are on each side of the seat (the LATCH straps are attached to them, just like on the old Marathon/Boulevard/Advocate models), but in this new seat, the bars are integrated into it from the front of the seat all the way to the top of it. The bars strengthen the seat and keep it from flexing forward in a crash.
Built-in Lock-offs: Note that these are built-in, not built-onlock-offs: there’s a distinction between the two. The new style lock-offs are built flush into the belt paths and using them is different than using the old style lock-offs, or any lock-off if you’ve ever used a lock-off before. The seatbelt is threaded loosely through the lock-off, the lock-off is closed, and then the seatbelt is tightened. The lock-off stays tight over the seatbelt as the belt is pulled through it. It’s an interesting concept and I’ll have more comments about it when I talk about my installations. If your seatbelt has a locking option, such as a locking retractor or a locking latchplate, you don’t have to use the lock-off if you don’t want to.
Other Features
High Rear-Facing Weight Limits: A typical child won’t be able to rear-face to age 4 in the Advocate 70 (so this isn’t the seat for you super extended rear-facers), but a short-torsoed, heavy child will be able to be accommodated in the seat because of the 40 lbs. weight limit.
10 Harness Positions: There are ten harness slot positions on the Advocate 70 CS. The lowest harness slot height is 9” and the top slot is about 17” when measured with the cover on. The seat is outgrown rear-facing when a child’s head is within 1” of the top of the shell (not the movable head restraint). A child will outgrow this seat by height when he exceeds the 49” height limit OR when the top of his ears are above the top of the shell (not the movable head restraint) OR when the shoulders are above the top harness position.
The harness height can be easily adjusted while the Advocate 70 CS is installed. Squeeze the gray handle at the top of the head restraint and pull up or push down. When I was adjusting the harness height into the highest position for the first time, I had to really finagle it into position. In fact, I had to manually adjust it on the back of the seat and push it into position. After that initial struggle, each time I adjusted the seat into the highest position, it went easily that position and locked there.
Recline Adjustments: There are 3 recline positions for forward-facing and 1 for rear-facing. Recline is achieved by pulling hard on the gray recline handle under the front of the restraint.
Click & Safe Harness Adjuster: OK. Skeptical Sally here (my apologies to all of you named Sally!). This was one feature I had “heard” was a waste of money, a “do not buy” if you have a choice (you don’t on this seat—it’s included, like it or not), a “I’ve never seen it work correctly!” kind of feature. So, once the Advocate 70 was installed, I put the doll into the seat, strapped him in, and pulled the harness adjuster snug. Click-click! I tested the harness snugness—Hey! Not bad! I loosened the harness and did it again, this time pulling the slack out of the thigh straps so the harness would start out snug on the thighs. Click-click! The harness was even snugger—*my* kind of snug, the kind of snug which actually leaves red marks on my kids <giggle>. I did it with other dolls (I didn’t have a live doll to practice with, unfortunately) and the results were the same. So, I guess we’ll have to see how it plays out with real kids, but with my fake ones, the results were nice.
The purpose for the C&S is really for parents who might not know how tight to make the harness. It’s supposed to be tight enough that you can’t take a pinch in the strap above the chest clip (which is called a chest clip because it’s supposed to be at chest height, or armpit level). The trick to using it correctly is to pull the slack out of the thigh straps first: buckle the child into the harness, pull the slack up from the thighs, then tighten the harness until you hear and feel the click-click in the harness adjuster strap.
LATCH: The LATCH connectors are the deluxe push-on style connectors and are non-handed, which means that you don’t have to reposition them when you switch the seat between rear-facing and forward-facing. There are clearly designated storage areas on the back of the base to store the LATCH connectors and tether strap when not in use (or you can use the fabric pouch at the top of the seat to store the tether—plus there’s an elastic band to wrap up the excess length so you won’t accidentally drive over it if it’s caught outside your back door). The tether strap is used rear- or forward-facing. Remember that when tethering a Britax seat rear-facing, you don’t need to tether to a designated tether anchor—Britax includes a tether connector strap (D-ring) that you wrap around a non-moving metal part, like a front seat leg, to which you connect the tether.
Note: Britax prohibits using the LATCH system for a child weighing over 40 lbs., unless your vehicle allows a higher weight limit. This is an issue with almost all child restraints that have a harness rated above 40 lbs. At some point, it will be necessary to use the seatbelt for installation. Seatbelt installations are just as safe as LATCH, providing that you can get a good, tight installation. Consult your vehicle owner’s manual for more specific information. You can use LATCH in the center seating position of the back seat if the distance between the LATCH bars is 11” and 20” AND your vehicle allows it.
Installation Card: There’s a pocket in the part of the cover that you pull forward when you install the Advocate 70 rear-facing and in that pocket is an installation card with diagrams showing you how to install it—a cheat sheet!
Crotch Strap Adjustment: There are two crotch strap positions located approximately 5″ and 7.5″ from the back of the seat without the infant pad in place. It easily adjusts by turning the strap sideways and moving between positions; however, it won’t shift position on its own 
.
Padding, Comfort and Appearance:The covers on the restraint I tested is called Opus Gray and the fabric has a soft, luxurious plush feeling. The infant body support is reversible and matches nicely. There’s a thick gray comfort foam pad attached (but removable to make installation easier) to the cover in the child’s seating area. It adds lots of extra padding. A common complaint from previous models of Britax convertibles is that the belly pad was frequently lost (mine included!). They’ve added a strip of elastic across the back of the pad which gives it a little more staying power on the crotch strap!
The cover for the carseat and the head restraint come off completely from the front of the seat without having to undo the harness or uninstall the carseat. It literally just peels right off! To clean the cover, hand wash with cool water and mild soap. The strap covers and infant body support pillows are entirely optional.
Fake Out!: For those little fingers that like to explore and loosen harnesses, the cover has a false flap over the harness adjuster AND the harness adjuster has a solid plastic cover over it to keep kid fingers out.
7 Year Expiration: The Advocate 70 CS has a 7 year expiration. Britax specifies in the manual it is not necessary to replace the seat after a minor crash if it meets the following criteria:
* The vehicle is driveable from the crash site.
* The vehicle door nearest the child seat was not damaged.
* No vehicle occupants were injured.
* There is no visible damage to the child seat.
* The airbags (if present) did not deploy.
If you are unsure about the severity of a crash, call Britax or replace the carseat.
Airplane Certification: The Advocate 70 CS is FAA-approved for use in aircraft. It also is a heavy and wide restraint weighing in at 21.2 lbs., so if you do travel with it, you’ll want to use a Britax carseat travel cart or gogo Kidz Travelmate to avoid having to carry it.
Construction: The Advocate 70 is typical Britax quality and made in the USA!
Installation
I installed the Advocate 70 CS a lot because I waited for a long time to play with the “new” Britax seats with the new lock-off design. So how did I install it first? With LATCH, of course! How long did it take in my ’05 Sienna? About 5 seconds! Easy peasy, typical Britax LATCH install. Rock solid, perfect install—what else can I say about it? If you want a seat that installs easily with LATCH, Britax is it.
Because my seat has a date of manufacture (DOM) of 10/2010, I only used one lock-off when I installed the carseat (all new Britax convertible seats manufactured 7/29/10 and earlier use both lock-offs, all new convertibles made after 7/30/10 use the one closest to the buckle—see Darren’s blog post for more information). As I mentioned above in the section about the built-in lock-offs, I threaded the seatbelt loosely through the lock-off, closed it, then pulled the seatbelt tight. As I pulled the belt tight and pushed down on the carseat close to the buckle, I noticed the carseat stayed in that position. So, while the lock-off did its job of holding the belt tight, you’ll have to reposition the seat so that it’s not leaning in toward the buckle. Don’t worry, you won’t loosen the installation at all—remember the lock-off is still holding the belt tight, it’s just sliding the seat along the seatbelt.
A note about the lock-offs: there are 2 arms to the lock-offs that must be opened. We’ve covered this in prior blog posts and have even covered the sweet spot on where to push to close it. A trick I found to getting the lock-off to close more easily is to push down on the bottom arm of the lock-off (the “clamp”, if you’re following along in your manual) first, then close the top arm (“locking tab”) on top of it. This kind of crimps the belt a bit into the lock-off channel so it’s easier to close the lock-off over it.
Rear-facing installations in both my Sienna and my ’04 Lexus RX 330 were Britax-easy with LATCH. With the seatbelt using the lock-off in each vehicle, I got rock-the-vehicle solid installs. The problem with using just 1 lock-off is that the person installing the seat is going to have to reposition it so that it sits straight and doesn’t lean toward the buckle, even forward-facing. I got nice installs without using the lock-offs as well. There was about 1 ½” of space between the Advocate 70 at its full recline and the front seat pushed all the way back in the RX 330. I was never able to do that with my old style Marathon!
Forward-facing installations in both vehicles were nice as well. The shell is short (hmm, plus or minus?) so it easily fit underneath my vehicle headrests, which I usually have to turn around backwards or remove completely when I install HWH convertible carseats. Because of the Side Impact Cushions, the only way you’ll get 3-across with the Advocate 70 is if you drive a Lincoln Towncar or have the other 2 carseats rear-facing. I tried it out in the center position of my RX 330, which has a tight backseat for being a smallish mid-size SUV, and I could get 2 backless boosters on either side. I guarantee the kids wouldn’t want to buckle up like that on a daily basis, though.
Disadvantages
Bulk: At 21.2 lbs., the Advocate 70 CS is a hefty seat and that’s something to consider if you move it from one vehicle to another often, though it’s easy to install.
Height of the seat: It’s short and Britax says the seat is outgrown rear-facing when the child’s head is within an inch of the top of the shell. Forward-facing, it’s outgrown when the child’s ears reach the top of the shell. We know they make a seat, the Frontier 85, that has a head restraint that has support to handle kids taller than the seat shell, so why not put that technology on the convertibles?
Cover: While the cover is exceeding easy to remove for washing, it also popped off *all the time* from the seat’s elbows (that crook on each side of the seat where the horizontal armrest edge meets the vertical torso edge). Just another ½” of fabric would have kept the cover on the seat in that area.
Instruction Manual: I read instruction manuals—it’s my job both for contract work and as a part of being a technician. I’ve read lots of Britax manuals over the years and unfortunately, they’ve taken a step backward with this batch. They’ve gone back to illustrations for the installation sections, which I think will be terribly confusing for parents who will be trying to decipher what’s going on in the belt path while looking through the dotted lines of the vehicle seat with arrows pointing everywhere (yep, it’s that clear). Other illustrations are very clear—it’s something of a mishmash. I do like the tips listed throughout and it’s especially clear about how much base can be off the seat (no more than 20% or 3”). I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Britax prohibits the use of inflatable belts with their carseats and it is in the seatbelt section of the manual.
Conclusion
The Advocate 70 CS has lots of plusses and minuses—I’m going to have to call it a wash in my book, I think. I still love the Britax quality and user-friendly features: I think the Click & Safe feature worked nicely when I tried it, the harness height adjuster is a big step forward over the old turn-the-knob-twist-my-hand-into-a-claw system they had with the old Boulevard 65 and Advocate 65 CS, the cover is soft and plush and padded, and the harness is non-twist. The lock-offs have received some negative press, but mostly from technicians who are set in their ways. My biggest beef is the shortness of the shell—I’m not convinced it’ll carry tall kids long enough to get them to booster readiness. But it does have lots of great safety features and you can always purchase a forward-facing only combination seat like the Britax Frontier 85 SICT if your child outgrows this seat before being ready for a booster. Since we don’t have side impact testing mandated in the U.S. to give us standards which we can apply to all carseats, only you can decide if the features unique to the Advocate 70 CS are worth the premium.
The webpage for the Advocate 70 CS – www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/advocate-70-cs
Thank you to Britax USA and The Reynolds Communication Group for supplying CarseatBlog.com with the Advocate 70 CS used in the review.
Reader Comments
Great review Heather! I’ll also mention that for larger newborns, you need an optional accessory insert to fit them. I have a review here http://carseatblog.com/7148/britax-convertible-infant-positioning-insert-and-cupholder-review/ . The Advocate 70 CS will probably not fit smaller newborns. I also think the side impact cushions could provide a real safety advantage, though we may never know how they compare to other models without such external impact energy absorbers. The downside, of course, is the price and the space the Advocate takes in terms of width.
I have a Britax (well 2 actually since I drop our daughter off in the morning and my husband picks her up in the afternoon) because they are Britax. I have in my car the Advocate CS because and only because it has the side impact cushions. I drive a sedan in Miami — crazy drivers and a lower car that if hit would be hit on the doors! And so I decided that the side impact cushions were worth every extra penny. My husband has the Boulevard CS in his SUV and is also very happy with it.
I am guessing the price of these seats have gone way down in the last few weeks. My husband was able to get the Britax Advocate CS 70 for $150 at Target. That is about the going rate for any car seat these days.
We live in Japan and having a safe car seat was my number one priority!
Wow, SabrinaT, are you sure on that price? Did he use any coupons or other special deals to get to $150? I just looked at Target’s website and the only seat they had for close to that was a Roundabout 50 Classic. Do they have Targets in Japan or did he order online?
So which one would you suggest…the Advocate 70 CS or the Marathon 70? Which one would you rather use for your own child?
Shellie, it really depends on the situation. If I have a smaller backseat with airbags, I’d probably go with the Boulevard 70
(I like the headwings). If I had a vehicle without airbags or that had a lower side impact rating, I would probably go with the Advocate 70. We don’t have any studies showing that the side impact cushions actually make a difference in crashes, but they are an extra energy absorbing feature and logically it makes sense they would provide more protection.
Thank you so much for that video about installing with the lock-off. My hubby and I just bought a different Britax seat and almost returned it because it was next to impossible to get the lock-offs clamped correctly…and I love the seat other than that factor! Your trick worked like a charm and our seat is installed nice & tight. Thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!
Yay, Amber! I’m so glad the video helped!
As you found, the lock-offs are the same across all the new Britax platform seats.
My grandson is 11 months old and 22 pounds and is ready to graduate to the next car seat level. I drive an SUV Acadia. Any suggestion as to which of the models is best suited for my vehicle?
Appreciate your feed back.
Hi Martha. Are you asking which of the Britax models is best suited for the Acadia? If so, I don’t know because I haven’t installed one in an Acadia. However, if you go to a store like Babies R Us or a smaller baby store in your town, you should be able to take one out to your SUV and try it out. All of the Britax 70 models and the Roundabout 55 seat have the same base, so they will all fit the same way.
Great review! The Advocate CS review was really helpful when I was considering it for my toddler. I am very happy with that purchase and am looking to purchase a second one for my younger baby. The one I bought for my son is currently on sale and I am debating whether or not the CS 70 upgrades merit the price. My initial reaction is yes because money is not an object when it comes to the safety of my child, but I am having a hard time understanding exactly what the upgrades are and whether or not they are important safety upgrades or just convenience upgrades. Your advice would be greatly appreciated…THANK YOU!
Hi eves. If you’re comparing the new model to the old model (65 lb version), the new model has slightly less growing room. It might mean the difference of a couple of months in reality when you compare numbers–harness heights, sitting heights. The new 70 CS has an energy management base that’s very innovative. I haven’t seen head excursion or chest G numbers yet, but they’re supposedly very good compared to the prior models. Remember that no matter which seat you choose, the most important things are that the seat is installed well with less than 1″ of movement at the belt path and that the harness is snug as a hug.
What is the height my child can expect to reach RF in this seat (or torso if height is impossible to tell)?
It’s just so hard to tell when they outgrow RF. We have the seat and I do intend to ERF. Goal is to age 4.
Why would Britax make such a short shell? Don’t they know RF is “in” right now, and that it’s super safe?? We have the CS 70, by the way.
Truly it has no legroom for my toddler, but I guess that’s OK? He is not even 2 so I can’t imagine age 3 or 4, goodness! But my older child is almost 4 and does fit according to the requirements, so maybe it’ll work out.
@mommy123, the rf height limit is so variable that it will be tough to give you a definitive answer as to when it will be outgrown. It’s outgrown when the child’s head is within 1″ of the top of the shell (not the headrest) and I measure the shell height at 24″. So, from bum to top of head until it’s outgrown would be around 23″. That corresponds with the harness slot height of 12″, but given that the harness must be at or below the shoulders when rf, I can’t tell you what torso height that corresponds to.
Britax bases their seat construction on growth charts, so they aim for averages. I believe the average 3 year old would make it rf in the new (heh, they’re not so new anymore) 70 series seats.
We are deciding between the boulevard 70/70CS & Advocate 70CS. I know the body of these are all the same in size, with the Advocate having 3 extra inches at the top. A few questions before we buy.
Did you install any of these in the middle of the Lexus RX330 (we have the exact car!)? Any tips on this? I have read the middle is the safest place.
Will these seats actually fit in the airplane seats? I am willing to haul a 20 pound seat knowing it will be the best for our little lady at the destination.
Hi Brenda. Sorry it’s taken me a few days to get out to the car to install it. It installs very nicely rear-facing in the center of the RX330, but you have to twist the buckle stalk 2 full twists. I left my dh’s seat where it was (he’s 6’5″) and there was plenty of room.
I assume the 3 extra inches you’re talking about over the Blvd are in width? Because both seats are the same height-wise. It will fit in an airplane seat because it’s between the armrests where it matters. The carseat itself isn’t any wider than a wide person and we know they fit on airplanes, it’s just that the carseat is hard plastic. If you’d rather take an inexpensive travel seat on the plane that’s lighter, we have suggestions here: http://carseatblog.com/6635/airplanes-carseats-and-kids%e2%80%94what-you-need-to-know-pt-2/ .HTH!
Hi there..so totally considering a britax but so confused on which model works for us. we just got a 2011 toyota sequoia. We have lot of room in the back seat, so it is totally now which one is safer in our car for the lil one. Didn’t see a review on the marathonand was considering that one. Please any suggestions!!!
Gina
Hi Gina. Kecia reviewed the Marathon 70 last year: http://carseatblog.com/6494/britax-marathon-70-review-part-i/ . The Marathon doesn’t have head wings. The Boulevard and Advocate are essentially the same seat (with head wings), but the Advocate has the Side Impact Cushion Technology (those big white cushions on the outside of the seat). The Roundabout 55 has the same base as all the others, but in order to change the harness height, you have to rethread the harness manually. HTH!
Thanks for the review! I love Britax- they’re built so well and really seem to put a lot of thought into safety. I was also looking into the Sunshine Kids car seat due to the compactness. They seem to be comparable to Britax. I’m worried about the Britax’s bulkiness- I have an RX300 and am anticipating future children (hoping to put off the minivan purchase for a few years.) Do you have any experience with the Sunshine Kids- what would you recommend?
Hi Katelyn. I don’t know how much the back seats have changed between the RX 300 and the RX 330, but I had a terrible time getting the Radian to work in my 330 forward-facing. You could try it out first for yourself, if possible. I simply have a low tolerance for taking more than 20 minutes to install a carseat, lol.
Thanks so much for the reply! I am not patient, but my husband is, but I have read tons of reviews on them that they’re very fickle with different cars. Last question- do you think the Britax Advocate would fit ok rear facing in my Lexus? It seems HUGE! And now I’m also considering the True Fit from your recommendation list. Ahh too many choices.
Hi, am wondering whether this would be a good choice for a car without the latch system. I drive a 96 Toyota Land Cruiser (we live in Kenya) and would love to pick up a new seat for our newborn when we’re in the US for the holidays (because everything is on sale!)
We can probably MacGyver a latch-type tether in the car, but curious to know your thoughts on the best seat for non-LATCH. Thanks!
@hodikenya, sure, it’s a great seat when installed without LATCH. There are built-in lockoffs for seatbelt installations so you won’t need a separate locking clip. I do have to tell you, I break out in a cold sweat when someone mentions MacGyver in reference to carseats
. It’s never a good idea to try to modify a safety system (either carseat or vehicle seatbelt).
Hi there – I’m totally confused about what car seat to buy for my 15 month son. Currently I am trying to choose between the Britax New Boulevard 70 and the Maxi – Cosi Pria 70 Air. My primary concerns are safety and size (I have a Audi Q5, which is smaller in the back that you would think). I’m leaning towards the Pria 70 because of the compact size, but I’m skeptical about the new air technology. Which would you suggest?
Thanks!
Hi there, I am interested in buying the Advocate 79 CS for my 15 mo daughter. She has out grown her infant car seat but was just wondering how she would do rear facing in the Advocate at 23lbs and 33 in. Wondering if there will be no leg room for her? Appreciate your feedback.
Whoops typo….Advocate 70 CS
Hello – We are trying to decide on a convertible car seat for our 10-month old who is already 29.5 inches in height. Have you heard anything on the Britax Advocate and/or Boulevard on the breathability of the material of either of them? We currently have the Chicco Keyfit 30 infant seat which we like, but our daughter always comes out of the car seat so sweaty. Any other convertible car seats you would recommend? Thanks in advance.
@nslatts, the beauty of the Britax seats is that they have a variety of fabric choices. The one I’d stay away from is Onyx, though I think it really is a YMMV kind of thing when it comes to kids sweating in carseats. Zebra is available in both models and is more of a cotton-like material, I believe.
Hi, I am trying to figure out a good convertible option to transition out of infant car seats. My issue is this: I have twins, so space is somewhat of a consideration. They are just shy of 9 months, but they are rapidly approaching their SnugRide weight limit, hence the preemptive attempt to make a decision and have replacements on hand (planning is everything when you have zero time for procrastination, right?). I drive a 2012 Toyota Highlander and don’t have any other kids, so I could accommodate two Advocates, but it means that it is really hard to have the occasional passenger (like, for instance, my mother, when she comes to visit). This isn’t a huge issue–like everyone who visits this site, I want the best, safest option for my children, regardless of price or convenience–but it is a minor consideration. Will this be a problem with any non-infant-sized carseat? Also, my girls do seem to have rather long torsos; however, they are definitely rounder than they are tall. I’m not sure how tall exactly because their 9 mo. visit isn’t for another 10 days, but my guess is maybe 60-70th percentile. I am jumping the gun a little bit because diapers.com has all Britax carseats 25% off for the next 4 days (fyi to all those looking), which is a great deal when you have to make two fairly expensive purchases. I have seen several recommendations for the new Advocate 70-G3, but I wanted to see whether there was a particular carseat you recommended taking into account the multiples issue. Thanks for any help/advice you can provide!
@Katie, the Boulevard 70/Pavilion 70 G3 is the same seat as the Advocate but without the side impact cushions, so it will save you room if you need someone to ride in the middle seat between them (assuming you’re installing the seats outboard). Another option you might want to consider is the Peg Perego Convertible. They should have more room rear-facing in the Peg than the Britax seats and both seats are comparable in features.
Katie, I’m debating the same thing so I’m curious if anyone has a preference. Have you checked the car-seat.org forums? Consumer Reports, though not my favorite source for car seat info, rate the Boulevard and the Advocate the same giving them the highest rating in their category (Convertible with Greater than 40 lb. Harness Capacity). Three user comments for each seat, all complaining both are wide, though only the Advocate was described as “anabolic steroids big.” All 3 reviewer of the Advocate liked the seat much better when used forward facing. One mentioned it Does! fit on an airplane (& with a GoGo Kidz Travelmate).
So, the question becomes, is the bulk worth it? One reviewer with twins said yes, but when they are forward facing, the other two said Boulevard. I’m going to check them out tomorrow and may be able to test them in my car.
Thanks, Heather. I went to Buy Buy Baby yesterday to look at them and the Advocate and the Boulevard both seemed massive but way comfier than other options. I didn’t try them out in my car bc, of course, it was torrentially raining the entire time I was there. But just eyeballing it in the store it appeared that both would probably preclude a middle passenger. There weren’t many Peg Perego options on display–maybe one–and I admit I didn’t pay too much attention, but I will check them out online. Tania, if you don’t mind, will you post what you think?
- No luck finding them in a couple of stores. The Marathon was there, and my perception must be infant baby skewed, because even that looked big to me, haha! Something like the Graco My Ride is massive where the cupholders are and I can’t see taking that on a plane with armrests.
- Since I will only need two car seats max, I’d pick the Boulevard/Pavilion. The width is 18.5″, just about the same as my husband’s shoulders, where as the Advocate is 22″. If it’s a tight fit with two men in the back seat of our CR-V, the 22″ would be ridiculous and the middle infant seat may have to move outboard.
- Amazon has the newer version of both the Boulevard and Advocate also discounted 25%, so you’d get an extra year of ownership out of it. Now that I say all of this, I think we will get the Peg Perego convertible for the slightly extra room (for baby and car), but mostly for the cover’s breathability and that the cover does not need to be removed for a belt install. DS sweats like a crazy man in his Chicco KeyFit.
Hello, I have a question about these Britax car seats, I am planning on making a purchase here very soon, an upgrade from a travel system infant rf seat. I was looking around at the Britax Advocate and Boulevard 70 G3 models, when I came across a 70 G3 XE series, but cannot find any reference to them anywhere but the two websites that are selling them online (I have not been to any stores since I found them online to see if they are in-store, I know it is the same company for both websites, I listed them both, as the product page looks different)
http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?SKU=40474014&RN=7022&
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=40474014&RN=904&
I do have a buy buy baby somewhat nearby and will definitely be heading to it to check this out, but possibly not for 2 weeks or so as traffic is really bad in that direction and can take 60 minutes to get to the store sometimes)
I did find this reference to an “XE” on the britax usa website:
http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/highway-65
“The BRITAX HIGHWAY 65 Convertible Car Seat includes the XE Value Pack, which contains a 7-Year Limited Extended Warranty, along with a Cup Holder and Storage Pouch to attach to your seat for drinks, snacks and other necessities.”
does it just mean that the store is selling it with this “bonus” package? as they are selling the car seats for a good $100 more than I can find them elsewhere. If so, how long is the normal warranty on the Britax?
***update before I even posted…
I found this official looking Britax flash app that showcases the Boulevard 70 G3 XE, after a lot of searching…
http://webapps.easy2.com/cm2/flash/generic_index.asp?page_id=36349355
It would appear that all it is is a BBB special package with the cup holder, snack pack, and 7 year warranty. which brings me back to “how long is the normal warranty?” and adds the question, is it worth $100 to have a 7 year warranty on the car seat?
That is correct. It is the same child safety seat, marketed with a bonus package to differentiate it a little from other retailers. As for the value, that does seem like a steep premium, but perhaps it goes on sale from time to time to make it a better bargain?
I have a Britax for my older daughter and she is still in it. I am now in the process of starting to look for a convertible for my younger almost 10 month old. What are your honest opinions between Britax and the Graco My Ride 65. I am going back and forth between the two. I really want the safest seat that I can get. Please help!!!
@Meredith, the immediate advantage of the Britax seats over the Graco seats are the built-in lockoffs. If you install rear-facing with a seatbelt, I think that’s something to consider, though there is a learning curve to the lockoffs. I have also found Britax seats to be some of the easiest to install with LATCH–each strap has its own adjuster and it’s never taken me more than a minute to install one. The MyRide has separate LATCH straps for rf and ff, which is pretty nifty and it’s a bit taller for rf, so if you really want to rf to 40 lbs exactly, the MR is more likely to get your child there.
Totally agree with #37 Heather, Britax’s version of LATCH is my favorite, super easy to use and very fast to install and tighten properly. Also the ones with the side protect wings are pretty reasonably priced.
Hi. I’m looking to purchase new seats for all 3 of my kids (dh was in a car accident and all 3 seats need replaced). Money is a little bit of a factor, the insurance co. didn’t give us quite what we’d hoped.. but we’re willing to go with safety over price. We love Britax and want all Britax seats. For my older two (age 8 and almost 5), I’m pretty sure I’m getting the Frontier 85s… not the SICT ones though, I don’t know that I can fit them both together in our van bench seat with the extra bulk… my oldest has been in the original F85 and we like it, so we’re going to get her a new one and also one for our middle child. Is there much difference in the originals and the SICTs? And I’ve had comments that I shouldn’t get my oldest a new F85.. she’s 8, so technically we could just get a booster… but she’s very petite (about 55lbs) and I feel better with the F85. Thoughts?
Also.. for my youngest, who is almost 11 months I was looking at the Advocate70 and the Boulevard 70CS.. I had just about settled on the Boulevard 70CS when I found the Pavillion 70G3…which looks exactly the same as the B70CS..? Can you tell me what the difference in those seats is? Because it seems the Pavillion is listed a lot cheaper, but it seems essentially the same as the Boulevard? Thanks!!
kids ages and sizes for above post~ 8.5yrs-55lbs-49inches. 4.5yrs-45lbs-45inches. 10months-20.5lbs-25.5inches. Planning on 2 Frontier 85s for the big kids and either a Boulevard 70CS or a Pavillion 70G3 for the little one.. unless anyone can sway me. questions above! thanks!
@mommy2jbabies, hope your dh is OK! Let’s start with your oldest. My dd was about that size at age 8, but a couple of inches taller and a few pounds skinnier, so I understand the desire to keep her harnessed. You can go either way, though. If it’s easier for drop-off/pick-up, a booster is perfectly safe. I’d have to look back through the blogs, lol, to find out when I put my dd in a booster full-time, but it was around 7 or 8. The Frontier 85 is a great seat, but if you want to go with a Britax booster, the Parkway SG/SGL is a good choice too. I’d go with the SGL if you have LATCH in the position where she sits just to keep it in place when she’s not in the car.
The Frontier 85 seems like a no-brainer for your 4 yr old.
For the baby, the differences between the 3 seats you listed are minor, really. The Boulevard-G3 is the basic model. The Pavilion-G3 has Click & Safe on the harness adjuster (you pull the adjuster until it clicks to let you know it’s tight enough) and the Advocate-G3 has that plus the SICT cushions on the side. The G3 seats have new HUGS pads that have safe cell technology built-in and a buckle pad that pops the buckle forward when not in use. The non-G3 seats are the older models.
I can’t find a clear answer to a question I have about the rear facing height limit anywhere
im pretty confused.
My son will be 4 in April. He is 35lbs and still rear facing. He appears to be comfortable and we love this seat ( own another for my 11 month old as well). Anyways, he’s thin and tall like his dad so I figure he will grow out of rear facing before he will for his weight. But I have no idea what height that is. Can anyone help?
@Alisamarie, he can safely use the seat rear-facing until his head is within 1″ of the top of the shell, not the headwings.
I know you have about a million comments on this post so I thought I would add just one more.
We are expecting our second child in a few months. I currently have our oldest in a Boulevard 70. My husband is a huge fan of the diono rxt. Would you recommend buying a Diono or the Britax frontier 85 for our older, front facing child? I will likely use the boulevard for the new baby since the shell is shorter and one of our vehicles is a truck. We move the seat A LOT (at least 1/week) so easy, safe install with both seat belt and latch is important.
@Delynn, honestly, if you have the funds, I’d go for a Frontier 90. Since you’re moving the seat a lot, that makes a big difference. It installs super tight in seconds using the seat belt and only weighs a little more than the 85. The Diono can be a difficult install ff depending on the car. Darren has a review of the FR90 here if you’d like to see more features: http://carseatblog.com/21567/britax-frontier-90-photo-and-video-review-features-and-clicktight-installation/