This is a quick photo and video review of the Britax B-Safe Infant carrier and base system. The B-Safe is currently available for $179.99 or less at Amazon.com with free shipping and free returns. Initially, there are black and red fashions available. The B-Safe is rated for babies 4 to 30 pounds and up to 32 inches tall. Britax suggests a seated shoulder height of 6.5″ to 11″.
As you can see in the video, it includes some handy features, like four harness height settings and an adjustable crotch strap depth. An infant comfort pillow is included along with harness comfort pads and a belly pad for the buckle. There is energy absorbing foam around the head and upper torso. The carrier is compatible with Britax B-series strollers, but an optional attachment strap or adapter is needed for strollers of other major brands. The handle may be left in any locked position in the car. The locking mechanism is smooth and makes it easy to drop the carrier into place and also to release it from the base. Speaking of the base, it has a built-in lockoff, a 5-position adjustable recline adjustment and indicators for the angle on each side. It also includes premium LATCH attachments with push-button releases. Extra B-Safe bases can be purchased for about $65.
Perhaps the best feature is that it fits low birthweight babies very well right out of the box. The bottom of four harness slots is a low 5.5 inches tall, perhaps even lower depending how you measure to the contour at the bottom. So, it even fits the tiny Huggable Images 4-pound preemie doll quite well. There is a little room at the crotch strap, some of which will be filled with a diaper, but as you can see in the video it still fits very well. I had no issues with installation in a variety of vehicles using either the LATCH system or the seatbelt. My only complaint is that the seatbelt lockoff system in my early production model does not seem as robust as some other designs. It worked quite well in terms of installation, but it does require a strong push to close it and gave the impression that I might break it. So far, I have not damaged it during any of my numerous installations, so it probably just gives that impression from the manner in which it closes and the sound it makes as it locks. Most parents will probably be using the LATCH system for installation, so this may not even be a concern at all. Like almost all infant seats, the B-Safe is made in China.
Compared to the Britax Chaperone it is a bit smaller and lighter. It’s about 9.6 pounds vs. 11 pounds for the Chaperone carrier. Both the base and the carrier are shorter, so it should fit smaller cars better, perhaps giving up to almost 2″ more clearance to the front seat. 
The B-Safe carrier is also about one-half inch narrower at the hub for the carrying handle. In addition to that, the base of the B-Safe may puzzle differently with adjacent carseats. It is a bit narrower at the front, but a bit wider in back. The B-Safe is also less expensive by about $50. On the other hand, it lacks some of the premium features of the Chaperone. Features found only on the Chaperone include a no-rethread front harness height adjustment system, an anti-rebound bar, internal “True” side impact protection wings, a nicer seatbelt lockoff system and EPS foam that extends beyond the torso to the thighs. The lever to release the Chaperone from the base is mounted a little higher on the carrier, perhaps making it a bit easier for small hands. The Chaperone also fits the 4-pound doll very well, perhaps even slightly better, but it does require the installation of the included low birthweight foam insert to do so.
Here are some photos of the B-Safe in the 2011 Honda Odyssey in a three-across setup. In one shot (left), it is in the center, with a Britax Chaperone and Frontier 85 SICT on each side. In the other shot (right), it is on the outside, next to a Britax Marathon 70:
Below, a couple example installations. On the left, the doll is the 4-pound Huggable Images low birthweight model installed in a 2011 Chevy Volt . On the right, the cute baby is 14 months old and 22 pounds, with installation in a 2011 Toyota Highlander. No issues at all with front seat legroom for an average adult in these vehicles.
Finally, harness slot height measurements (left) and a shot of the B-Safe and Chaperone bases installed in a 2010 Toyota Prius (right). Note that the curved bottom can affect harness measurements by a half inch or so, depending how you position the ruler and the perspective of the camera.
From Britax, here are some specifications:
Product Weight (lbs) : 16 (car seat only 9.8)
Product Dimensions (in) : 17.5W x 24.5H x 27.5D (handle up)
Product Dimensions (in) : 17.5W x 15.5H x 27.5D (handle down)
Seat Back Compartment Height (in) : 20Seat Area Depth/Width (in) : 13/19
Shoulder Width (in) : 10
Harness Slot Heights (in) : 5, 7, 9, 12
Buckle Strap Depth (in) : 3.5, 5.5
Base Product Weight (lbs) : 6
Base Product Dimensions (in) : 15W x 22H x9D
Overall, the B-Safe is a great, lower-priced addition to their Chaperone and is competitively priced among models that fit low birthweight babies down to 4 pounds. If you’re having multiples, are predisposed to early deliveries or just want to be safe in case you have an unexpected preemie, you may have peace of mind by registering for the B-Safe and by knowing it should fit your baby all the way down to the advertised minimum weight. Not all infant seats really do fit the lowest weight they advertise! The B-Safe is also a very nice seat all around with a lot of great features, retailing for $179 or less at Amazon.com and other stores!
Thank you to Britax for supplying the review sample used in this blog. No content or other compensation was provided.
Is it possible to use the chaperone base as an extra base for the B-Safe?
I see this carseat on Amazon for $133. Does anyone know if this seat come with the base? I’d assume it would but it doesn’t state that it is included http://www.amazon.com/Britax-B-Safe-Infant-Seat-Black/dp/B0050386O4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
@Erin – yes, it definitely comes with the base.
@AJ – Scary! So glad no one was seriously injured! Sounds like your vehicle did a great job absorbing the energy from the two impacts and your seatbelts and carseat did what they were designed to do. FYI – there are specific laws in CA regarding the insurance company replacement of carseats after a crash. Here is info from SafetyBeltSafe, USA on the subject: http://carseat.org/Legal/CVC-11580.011.htm
THIS CAR SEAT SAVED MY SON’S LIFE!!!…last week we went up the US 101 from L.A. to the Bay area for the Monday nite Steelers-49ers game. aftter a day of enjoying the bay area, we were leaving back down the 101. we were in traffic on the 101 South (outside of the SFO Airport) when all of a sudden some guy rear-ended us really hard. this guy’s hybrid toyota camry blasted us from the back, sent us forward into the suv in front of us. we were in a new 2011 BMW X5… the X% was TOTALED, but that car seat was in tact and lived up to it’s reputation. we all had back pain in the car the next day, but my 3 month old son was just a bit startled, but he came out of the accident without a scratch!. I love this car seat, and I am thankful that we paid the $400+ dollars to get it with the convenient stroller. by all means get this car seat! thank you Britax!!!!!
I’m due on Christmas day and have been debating infant seats since I found out I was pregnant. (Obviously I’m a first time mom) We’re on a tighter budget but I don’t want to skimp on safety. In your opinion which is a better seat the Chaperone or the B-Safe? Which would you buy after testing and playing with them both? I’m still leaning toward the Chaperone because of your comments about the “true” side impact protection, the EPS foam that extends lower, and the anti-rebound bar on the base. However, our babies r us does not carry in stock the Chaperone so I can’t mess with it and compare it to the B-Safe. Please let me know which you think is better, is safer. Or even what infant seat you think is the safest out there. (Hopefully it’s not one of those $400 infant seats… We’ll struggle to come up with the money for the Chaperone so there’s no Peg Perego in our little girls future.) thanks for your review and help.
Hello I wanted to know if the Britax B-safe will fit my Tike Tech All Terrain x3 single stroller (with adapter)? Thank you
Did the B-Safe fit well in the 2010 Prius? I looked at a 2011 Prius today and it seemed like it might be a tight fit. Also, I’m wondering if the B-Agile stroller will fit into the back, since I’ve read comments about people having a hard time fitting strollers into the back of Priuses.
Ah, ‘Black’ and ‘Red’ are the names, that’s cute. Easy to remember, for sure.
I like the B-Safe from what I’ve seen so far, a couple minutes on the shelf at Babies R Us, it seems to have a solid feel to it, and an accessible price point.
I was about to buy this online, but then noticed that it doesn’t look like you can use the car seat without the base. We will obviously use the base on a daily basis for myself and husband, but do not want to purchase an $80 base for the occasional use by grandparents, etc. and want to have the option of using no base. Is it possible to do that with this seat?
Hi Amie,
There is indeed a belt guide for carrier-only installs without the base. It is normally hidden under the cover, but otherwise similar to some other infant seats that have the same type of design. As with any infant seat, installations without the base are often more difficult and even incompatible in some instances. If this is important to you, be sure to check it with whatever model you purchase before your return period expires!
I know what you mean, KQ… I think it competes very well with other infant seats in that range… and I’m glad Britax is offering something more affordable.
I’d still like to see them offer yet another infant seat in the 100 dollar range because people like travel systems for some reason and I like the Britax Strollers better than those made by other brands that produce infant seats (except of course for teutonia, cybex, and maxi cosi)
Wow, I was not expecting to like the looks of the B Safe so much. I’m really impressed! I like it a lot. Especially for small babies/preemies! It’s being added to my recommended seats for small babies, for sure!
One thing I wanted to clarify for watchers of the video who may not be extraordinarily familiar with car seat installation is that LATCH and seatbelt should never be used at the same time- choose one or another when installing your seat. 🙂
Thank you for the comparison!
I thought the Chaperone lockoff was a bit nicer than the B-Safe, but that’s just a personal opinion. The B-Safe insert is definitely more of a comfort insert like what you find on many infant seats, as compared to the under-cover foam low-birthweight insert on the Chaperone. I actually accidentally ripped a Chaperone insert recently when installing it for a client! Of course, I replaced it, but it’s nice to be able to fit a preemie without an extra step. Granted, with the insert, the Chaperone fits the Huggable Images 4-pound doll very well and it also helps the head angle, as you mentioned.
I found the Chaperone lock-off to feel similar to how you described the B-Safe lock-off…a little difficult to close, feeling like it might break before it snaps shut (it actually almost has a “sweet spot” like the new convertible lock-offs). I really liked the ease of the Companion lock-off; it was one of the easiest I ever used. I wonder if there is some benefit to these newer lock-offs or if they’re just trying to get by with “cheaper” designs.
Having levels on the base is nice. Why can’t seats have nice levels on both the base and the seat? It seems like everyone only puts them on one or the other.
I really do like the infant insert for the Chaperone. Although it requires placing it under the cover, it really makes a huge difference in fit and also appears to change the internal angle of the seat for a more open airway. It seems the B-Safe’s insert doesn’t really do much for positioning a small baby.
It does seem like it may provide a little more stability from rebound, but you can still force it to rotate some and I suspect in a very energetic crash it would move quite a bit more than the Chaperone. Still, it’s one of those things were we really don’t have any compelling evidence that rebound is causing serious injuries. To the contrary, rear-facing is inherently so safe, anti-rebound, like some other safety features, is probably only a relatively small improvement.
am I wrong in thinking the design of the base is designed to provide a degree of anti-rebound?? (I’m noticing how thick it is at the foot end, much like other bases that offer somewhat of anti-rebound protection, though not to the extent of the chaperone, of course)
The handle may be left in any locked position in the car.
yes
Can the handle be in the “up” position when driving? Thanks