Car seats have come a long way in the past decade, and it seems like every manufacturer has some special feature to sell you on their product. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re trying to sort through the barrage of marketing ads and videos. We get it and we’re here to help.
As CPST-Instructors with 20+ years of expertise, plus personal experiences with almost every car seat on the market, our in-depth reviews will help you understand both the pros and cons of any seat that you might be considering.
With that said, you might be wondering if Britax’s ClickTight Technology is just some marketing gimmick or if it actually lives up to the hype? We’re happy to report that the Britax Boulevard ClickTight is still a game-changer. The ClickTight tensioning and lockoff really is the greatest thing since sliced bread, which is why the Britax Boulevard CT is an Editors’ Pick on our list of Recommended Convertible Carseats.
Before we dive into all the details, here’s a quick overview of the differences between the three ClickTight convertibles: Marathon CT, Boulevard CT, and Advocate CT. All Britax CT convertibles have the ClickTight Installation System, an impact-absorbing base with 7 recline positions, rip-stitch energy-absorbing tether, HUGS harness pads, a steel-reinforced frame, EPP energy-absorbing foam, and other side-impact protection features.
- Britax Marathon ClickTight – This is the base ClickTight convertible model. MSRP $339.99
- Britax Boulevard ClickTight – All the features of the Marathon CT plus deeper headwings for enhanced side-impact protection. MSRP $369.99
- Britax Advocate ClickTight – All the features of the Boulevard CT plus external bolsters for additional side-impact protection. MSRP $399.99
Each Boulevard ClickTight model comes with an easy-to-remove cover, EZ-Buckle System (keeps buckles and straps out of your way when placing your child in the seat), optional infant body insert for newborns, optional harness strap covers and energy-absorbing rubber HUGS pads.
2023 Boulevard “Safe Wash” Fashions
No added flame-retardant chemicals + safe to machine wash & dry
Boulevard CT Specs:
- Rear-facing 5-40 lbs.
- Outgrowing this seat in the rear-facing position by height won’t be an issue because it’s so tall that all kids will fit height-wise if they are still under 40 lbs. Children can rear-face until their heads are 1″ below the adjuster on the headrest, which can be fully extended.
- Forward-facing 20-65 lbs., 49″ or less, at least 1 year old (Britax recommends that children ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height specified)
- LATCH weight limits: 35 lbs. rear-facing, 40 lbs. forward-facing
- FAA approved for use on aircraft
- 10 yr lifespan before seat expires
- Made in the USA!
Features:
- ClickTight installation system (also acts as a built-in lockoff device)
- Side Impact Protection – deep protective shell and energy-absorbing headrest
- 14-position headrest with no-rethread harness
- 2 crotch strap/buckle positions
- EZ-Buckle System keeps buckles and straps out of your way when loading and unloading child
- Steel reinforced frame
- Impact-absorbing base – these cells compress in a crash
- Energy-absorbing, rip-stitch Versa-Tether®
- Energy-absorbing EPP foam that lines the headwings
- 7 recline positions to help achieve a proper recline angle in any vehicle
- Smooth bottom base with grippy edges that won’t damage vehicle upholstery
Measurements:
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- Harness height range: 6.5″ (lowest setting) to 18.5″ (tallest setting)
- Crotch strap positions: 4″, 6″
- Seat pan depth (leg room/thigh support): 12″
- Overall internal height with headwings fully raised: 28.5″ (to the bottom of the red adjuster)
- Rear-facing seated height limit: 27.5″ (one inch below red adjuster)
- External width at widest point (torso wings): 18″
- External width at front of seat: 17″
- Widest point of base: 14″ (base is a rounded, tapered square, so the very front and back are a bit narrower)
- Internal seat width in bum area: 10″
- Internal seat width at shoulders: 11″
- Weight: 28 lbs. (according to my scale)
Installation Comments:
Seatbelt Installation
The great news is that this seat practically installs itself, both rear-facing or forward-facing, if you’re using the ClickTight system with the seatbelt in your vehicle. Really, it’s super easy to get a nice tight install each and every time thanks to the ingenious ClickTight System.
That said, I’m not going to call it fool-proof. When I first got the seat, I took it out of the box, stuck it in our car, opened the ClickTight panel, and told my husband to install it. He routed the seatbelt through the correct beltpath slots, but only the lap belt portion of the seatbelt. Then he immediately locked the shoulder belt at the retractor. Good instincts, but not correct for a ClickTight convertible seat. So the lesson is: Read the manual, or at the very least, watch a video or two from a reliable source.
Once you realize what you’re supposed to do, though, installation really is a breeze with the seatbelt. You simply open the panel by pushing in on the dimple on top of the ClickTight logo, then turn the knob like a key. Then you route both portions of the lap-shoulder belt through the appropriate forward- or rear-facing belt guides, remove any excess slack, and push the ClickTight panel closed. Then you check for tightness, and it will likely be rock-solid, although up to an inch of movement is okay.
Our video below walks you through it, step-by-step.
There are a few things to keep in mind. Sometimes you can remove too much slack from the belt, which can make the ClickTight panel hard to close. In that case, just loosen the belt a little bit and try again. Conversely, if the seat is too loose, open the panel and pull out a little more slack and try again. It’s also important to make sure you’ve taken the slack out of both portions of the seatbelt. The belt slots in the ClickTight panel are narrow and padded by the cover, so it’s easy for the seatbelt to get hung up if you’re not paying attention.
Another issue I noticed is that when rear-facing, the angle will wind up more upright after closing the ClickTight panel. This makes sense, because you’re pushing down in the foot area of the seat, bringing the seat more upright. You can remedy this by starting with the seat positioned more reclined than you really want. Always make sure you check the angle indicator after it’s installed to be sure it’s where you want it.
*Pro Tip: The ClickTight panel won’t open when there’s a lot of pressure on it, so to uninstall the seat, you’ll want to unbuckle the seatbelt first, and then open the CT panel.
A final word of caution: When installing rear-facing, make sure you keep the harness adjuster strap out of the way of the ClickTight door! Ask me how I know.
LATCH Installation
This is where things get a little tricky.
I suspect that if Britax could have made this seat without LATCH, they would have. Installation with the seatbelt is just so easy, plus the federal LATCH regulations have people confused and frustrated. But federal regulations also say the seat has to have LATCH, and so it does. However, LATCH installation (or more accurately, uninstallation) might discourage anyone from actually using it. I’ll explain that in a moment, but first, an overview of the LATCH system on the ClickTight convertibles.
One of the usual selling points of Britax seats are the premium, push-on-style LATCH connectors. However, the ClickTight convertibles, have standard hook-type connectors instead. The LATCH strap is stored in a little compartment on the back of the seat. It’s well labeled and efficient. (It’s also most easily reached when the seat is upright.)
To use the LATCH belt, you remove it from its storage cubby, open the ClickTight panel, and route the strap to the child’s left side and through the appropriate belt slots in the seat. Connect the hooks to your lower LATCH anchors, then remove excess slack and close the ClickTight panel. Pretty straight-forward.
However, when it comes time to uninstall the car seat, you might be in for a challenge. With push-on LATCH connectors, you can just push a red release button and the connectors will pop off the anchors. But with the hook connectors, you need to loosen the LATCH strap in order to unhook them. The Boulevard LATCH strap has the kind of release mechanism where you need to push a grey button while simultaneously pulling on the webbing to loosen it. However, when the strap is very tight, this is difficult to do. And the strap likely will be very tight because of the way the ClickTight panel clamps down on it. Lastly, because the ClickTight panel won’t open when it’s holding a belt tight, you can’t go that route, either.
With one install (rear-facing), I was able to shove the seat enough to one side that I could get just enough leverage to loosen the LATCH strap, then unhook the connectors and open the panel. My next installation (forward-facing) was another matter. Despite my best efforts, I could NOT get the latch strap to loosen, even when I sat in the seat. I also couldn’t get the ClickTight panel to open, which didn’t surprise me. My last option was to go get my husband, who had just settled in for a nap.
My husband is a strong guy–former firefighter and all that. He couldn’t get the adjuster to budge and was convinced it was broken, even though I kept assuring him that’s just how it is. I sat in the seat. He sat in the seat. It. Would. Not. Loosen.
Finally, he was able to get the ClickTight panel open. (I did check the LATCH release button after that to make sure that it was indeed functional, and found that it was just fine.)
We asked Britax about this, and they said they were aware that this could be an issue with LATCH installations, but given how easy the seatbelt installation is, there’s really no reason to use LATCH. Plus, seatbelts are available in every seating position, whereas LATCH is typically limited, plus LATCH has those pesky weight limits.
In a way, they have a point. Why bother taking out the LATCH strap and routing it, connecting it, etc., when you can just use the seatbelt? But there are times a person may want or need to use LATCH. One compelling reason might be in situations where you have a child in a booster seat next to the installed convertible. In situations where the two seatbelt buckles are right next to each other, sometimes the kid in the booster unlatches the wrong seatbelt. And when they accidentally do that, they often forget to tell you. Plus, some people are still under the assumption that LATCH is safer or “better” than a seatbelt (it’s not).
Besides that, though, the seat installed nicely with LATCH in both my vehicles, rear- and forward-facing.
Lower LATCH Anchor Weight Limits
Rear-facing the lower LATCH anchor weight limit is 35 lbs. Once your child reaches 35 lbs. you MUST install with seatbelt.
Forward-facing the lower LATCH anchor weight limit is 40 lbs. Once your child reaches 40 lbs. you MUST install with seatbelt and tether*.
Tether
Remember to attach the tether strap to the tether anchor in your vehicle if the seat is installed forward-facing, whether with LATCH or a seatbelt. Many parents think the tether is only used when you are installing the seat using the lower LATCH anchors, but that’s not true. A tether reduces head movement in a crash, so you ALWAYS want to use the tether if the seat is installed forward-facing.
Not sure where the tether anchors are located in your vehicle? Check your vehicle’s owners manual! If your vehicle was made anytime during the last 20 years, you will have tether anchors, but they are not always in obvious places.
On the CT convertible seats, the tether strap is stored in a nice compartment at the back of the seat. The tether comes wrapped up and stored under two plastic hooks.
The anti-rebound bar is available separately as an accessory. The ARB can be used rear-facing with any Britax ClickTight Convertible (Marathon, Boulevard or Advocate). The ARB is not required but it’s a nice additional safety feature to have.
Headrest Interference/Overhang – Sometimes a vehicle headrest will interfere with a forward-facing installation. Britax says that if a vehicle headrest interferes with your ability to raise the carseat’s headrest to the correct position, the vehicle’s headrest should be removed or raised, if possible. If not, you’ll need to use a different seating position.
Removing the headrest wasn’t an issue in my 2014 Civic (photo below, on left). The shell of the seat nestled perfectly under the headrest, and while the Boulevard’s headrest lightly grazed the vehicle’s head restraint, they didn’t push on or interfere with each other. In my Odyssey, though, I did need to remove the headrest in the captain’s chair because it pushed on the Boulevard CT’s headrest (below, right).
Recline Positions – It should also be noted that Britax specifies that forward-facing seats cannot hang off the front of the vehicle seat by more than 3 inches. I didn’t have any overhang in my installations, but if this is a problem for you, try putting the seat in a more upright position, removing the vehicle headrest, or try another seating position.
The Blvd CT offers a wide range of recline angles, and these options create more potential for finding a suitable recline angle and taking up less space in the vehicle. Children under 6 months old generally need more recline, but as they grow and gain good head and neck control, the seat can be installed more upright.
The recline angle indicator on these models is excellent and pretty self-explanatory. For rear-facing, the angle indicator should be in the light blue zone for younger babies and can be in the dark blue zone for older babies, toddlers, and preschool kids who still ride rear-facing. When the seat is installed forward-facing, the angle indicator should be somewhere in the green zone.
When I set it on the seat of my Honda 2010 Odyssey, without installing it, the recline indicator was on the “baby” side of the RF angle range. However, once installed, the recline wound up about midway on the rear-facing spectrum.
In some vehicles or seating positions a piece of foam pool noodle or rolled up towel might be necessary to achieve a suitable recline angle for a newborn or young baby. The Dodge Grand Caravan (pictured) and the similar Chrysler Town & Country are a good example of when you might need a little extra help to get an acceptable recline for a baby who doesn’t have good head or neck control yet. The steeply sloped seats in these vehicles are known for being problematic with rear-facing carseats.
Another issue is that when fully reclined, the seat does take up more front-to-back space. The amount of room it takes up fully reclined will vary from vehicle to vehicle but if you’re planning to use the seat from birth – the best advice, as always, is to try before you buy. The seat takes up considerably less room when installed more upright, as it can be for older babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
How upright can it be for older rear-facing kids? If you have an older rear-facing child who really doesn’t need any recline at all (they would be okay, angle-wise, seated upright in the forward-facing position), you can put the seat as upright as you’d like. The ClickTight models take up very little space rear-facing if installed in a very upright position. In reality, most parents probably won’t install the CT models this upright rear-facing, but we asked Britax for clarification and we all agreed that there is no such thing as “too upright” for older RF kids who don’t have any special healthcare needs. If your older kid is comfortable sitting rear-facing at 25 degrees from vertical, Britax has no issue with that.mid-range position, I had the passenger seat in exactly the same place I usually do.
Fit-to-Child
Below are pics with a 20″ newborn-sized doll. This doll is roughly the size of a newborn weighing 8 or 9 lbs. Harness fit even without the newborn insert pillow that comes with the seat was excellent in this case. You may need to use the lower body insert for a smaller newborn if the baby’s shoulders are still below the harness slots in their lowest height setting. I removed the optional harness strap covers in these pictures. The insert pillow (if used) should be removed once the child fits comfortably and properly without it. Note: when the headrest is in the lowest position the excess cover/fabric should be folded and goes under the baby (or under the insert), as pictured below.
Newborn doll without infant insert (one position above lowest height setting):
This is my youngest son who just turned 3 a couple weeks ago. He’s about 37″ and weighs 30 lbs., so he’s on the smaller side. He fit great with tons of room to spare. Best of all, he really likes the seat (every time I open the door to the van, he exclaims, “My new seat!”, like he expects that it will have disappeared).
Of course, I wanted to see how my 37 lbs., 5-year-old fits. She’s been forward-facing for more than a year now, but she could easily rear-face in this seat.
Forward-facing, my daughter fit great. She said it was very comfortable and liked it a lot (especially liked the shoulder pads). It offered good leg support, and since there are so many acceptable angles, it would have been easy to install it more reclined or more upright if it had been necessary/desired.
There are two positions for the crotch strap. For forward-facing children, you must use the outer position. For rear-facing, you can use either, but the strap shouldn’t be under the child. Both of my kiddos needed the outer position. The strap can be moved with the seat installed: Simply raise the ClickTight panel, turn the strap a bit, and run it along the slot forward or backward to the desired position.
Ease of Use
Being able to raise or lower the harness height while the seat is installed is a big plus, and the Boulevard allows for an easy, smooth adjustment as your child grows.
I absolutely loved the EZ-Buckle Pad feature. It holds the crotch strap and buckle out of the way beautifully so you never need to dig around for it under your child. The beltpath cutouts on the sides of the seat can also be used to hold the harness straps out of the way, so you don’t need to dig for those either.
Cover/Maintenance:
I’m always afraid of taking off covers (and more afraid of putting them back on), but the Boulevard CT proved easier than I expected. The cover comes off in four pieces, and the manual does a great job of outlining the steps. There’s just a little bit of velcro and a few elastic tabs, but mostly the cover is held in place by sticking the well-contoured fabric into grooves within the seat. The most important thing to remember is that you must ensure the cover goes behind the red tabs on the front of the ClickTight compartment to avoid interfering with the mechanism. Luckily there’s a sticker there to remind you.
The cover on my seat says it should be hand washed and line dried. However, the newer “Safe Wash” covers can be machine washed and dried, which is soooo much better.
FAA-Approval/Lifespan/Crash Guidelines/Inflatable Belts:
The ClickTight convertibles are approved for airline use. To use the seats on a plane, you bypass the ClickTight feature, and simply route the plane’s seatbelt through the rear- or forward-facing belt path OVER the closed ClickTight panel. Note that bypassing the ClickTight panel is for airline installations only.
The Boulevard CT has a 10-year lifespan and a one-year limited warranty. The manufacture date and model number sticker can be found on top of the ClickTight panel when you peel back the cover over that section.
Britax follows NHTSA’s guidelines for replacement after a crash.
Britax does not allow the use of inflatable seatbelts with its ClickTight seats.
Accessories:
Britax cup holder, vehicle seat protector mat, protective travel bags, waterproof liner/piddle pad and anti-rebound bar are available as accessories (sold separately).
Boulevard CT Advantages
- Generous height and weight limits for rear-facing and forward-facing
- Super easy seatbelt installation with ClickTight System
- ClickTight also acts as a built-in lockoff device so you don’t need to understand the locking features of your vehicle seatbelt
- No-rethread harness makes it easy to adjust the harness height when your child has a growth spurt
- Harness straps are thick and not prone to twisting
- EZ-Buckle System keeps belly pad and buckle out of the way when loading child in the seat
- Buckle is easy to buckle and unbuckle
- Deep headwings provide enhanced protection in side-impact crashes
- Durable EPP foam, rip-stitch tether, HUGS pads and impact-absorbing technology in base all work together to absorb energy in a crash
- Harness straps are replaceable, if necessary
- Range of rear-facing recline angles allowed
- Doesn’t take up a lot of room rear-facing if installed more upright for an older baby or toddler. This makes it a good option for smaller cars or for tall parents.
- Easy to remove cover
- Premium fabrics and extra padding for comfort
- Made in the USA!
Disadvantages
(In all fairness, these aren’t necessarily problems but I list them here to inform potential consumers of specific Blvd CT issues)
- LATCH un-installation can be a real challenge (avoid the issue by installing with seatbelt)
- Heavy and bulky
- Limited rear-facing leg room for older children near the upper limits of the seat
- Newborn recline angle may be difficult to achieve in some vehicles without a pool noodle
Conclusion
All in all, does the Britax Boulevard ClickTight live up to the hype? Absolutely! These seats have taken almost all of the difficulty and frustration out of installing a car seat with a seatbelt. That’s a huge step in reducing misuse. The seat isn’t completely foolproof, but once you have an idea of what you are doing, it’s closer to foolproof than anything else on the market. Add to that a super-tall shell for rear-facing, plus extra goodies like the versa-tether and optional ARB, and the Britax Boulevard ClickTight is hard to beat.
For additional information on the Britax ClickTight convertibles please visit the Britax website: https://us.britax.com/car-seats/boulevard-clicktight.
Thank you, Britax for providing a Britax Boulevard CT for our review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions expressed in this review are those of CarseatBlog.
CarseatBlog Experts Rating
Editors’ Pick Premium Category: Boulevard ClickTight
Also Recommended: Advocate ClickTight, Marathon ClickTight
We have a Britax Marathon Clicktight. Today, when buckling my son in, I noticed that the shell was not completely attached to the inner body (not sure what to call it) completely. There are clips and hooks that seem to snap together, but they separated. We could not get them back together. Does anyone have any experience this? Is it a safety issue? I have Googled a LOTand can’t find anything at all. Thank you.
For rear facing, is it safe to put a toddler on the “baby” recline levels for sleeping during night drives?
Hi Darly, absolutely. Just keep in mind that you have to uninstall and reinstall the seat when you want to change the recline position. Not a big deal with a seat like this which is so easy to install properly.
I love, love, love our Boulevard ClickTight! Thank you so much for your reviews and recommendations. And thank you, thank you, thank you for the trick about lengthening the harness! I was going bonkers trying to figure out where I went wrong. We bought it when our son was about 3 to extend his time rear-facing. When doing the research pre-purchase, I knew we’d be able to use this seat for a very long time, but after only a year of use, the harness was getting so tight… I had no idea how this was ever even going to make it to forward facing. Now we can comfortably use it rear facing for a few more pounds and then several years/inches more as a forward-facing seat. Whew!
Hello,
I have had two scary incidents with my 3 year old son. His harness straps came loose (about 4 inches of space between his chest and the harness) the past two evenings on the drive home. We have been playing with the straps and checking our installation, and comparing it other identical seat that doesn’t have issues. It seems the red harness release button seems to get stuck in the release mode, and therefore the straps do not tighten completely.
Any suggestions on what to do?
Thanks.
Hi Jenny – that’s very scary! Do NOT use the carseat again unless/until the issue is resolved. The first thing you need to do is call Britax and let them know you are having this issue. Some Britax clicktight convertible models made in 2014 and 2015 were recalled for having this potential problems. See: https://carseatblog.com/34280/britax-clicktight-convertible-recall/
The other thing you should do is bring the seat inside and carefully inspect the harness release button for food crumbs, sticky dried juice or anything like that. Open up the clicktight compartment and check to make sure everything on the underside of that button looks okay too. You also want to make sure the harness strap ends are completely attached to the metal anchors under there as well. Good luck! Let us know how it works out.
We had this same issue with our seat. Our seat had been recalled, and we received the lubricant that was supposed to solve the issue. However, the straps were still coming loose. We called Britax and they sent us a new seat. Unfortunately we had to buy another seat immediately because we couldn’t wait around for a replacement, but we were able to use the replacement seat from Britax in our second vehicle.
I have an older Britax Boulevard and was highly considering purchasing one again for my 1 year old who is ready for a convertible. However, the crash test results have me confused. Can you give me your thoughts on why it performed somewhat poorly in the crash tests by both Consumer Reports (Basic) and Babygearlab? The Marathon and the Chicco outperformed it in both tests. Like you, Babygearlab still has the Boulevard as a top ranked recommended seat. So, it must not concern them, but I’d just like some piece of mind. Hard to spend the money on this seat when its less expensive brother, the Marathon, has a better crash test and the Chicco also did better.
I have the same questions as Jennifer. It seems like the MARATHON might be the better option when it comes to safety?
After extensive conversations on the subject, we’ve come to the conclusion that the additional benefits of the Advocate ClickTight and Boulevard ClickTight models, mainly the enhanced side-impact protection, outweigh the unlikely risk factors. It is entirely possible that you will be involved in a side-impact crash (although we obviously hope you’re not) and we know side-impacts are the most deadly types of crashes even to properly restrained occupants. On the other hand, it’s highly improbable that your child will still fit and still be using any of the Britax ClickTight convertible models (Marathon, Boulevard or Advocate) when they are the size and weight of the *weighted* 6-year-old crash test dummy.
I cannot speak for babygearlab because they aren’t considered a reputable source of crash test information (I’m not questioning that they are paying a lab to crash test seats, I’m questioning the protocol and test methodology involved). However, I can tell you that the Consumer Reports crash test is much more challenging than the current federal standard because their new test aimed to find out which seats provided a significant margin of safety *above and beyond the federal standard* that all carseats are required to pass.
The Boulevard ClickTight had no issues until Consumer Reports tested it forward-facing on its highest height setting with the 6 year old dummy (who weighs 52 lbs.) wearing a weighted vest that increased its weight to 62 lbs. That’s when they saw problems. Blvd CT tested fine using the 3-yr-old dummy (35 lbs.) and using 6-yr-old dummy (52 lbs.) without the weighted vest. Blvd CT models tested fine using the weighted 6-yr-old (62 lbs.) when they didn’t use the very top height setting. Marathon CT is 2 “notches” shorter (it doesn’t adjust as tall as Blvd & Advocate) which is why Marathon didn’t experience the same issues. If Marathon CT adjusted as tall as Blvd & Advocate did – it would have had the same issues when tested at that maximum height setting.
Anyhow, all of this to say – go with the Blvd CT or Advocate CT if enhanced side-impact protection is important to you. The Marathon is still a good choice but it’s not as tall and doesn’t offer the deeper headwings that provide additional protection to the head in side-impact crashes. Honestly, I don’t worry about the potential weakness with using the Blvd CT or Advocate CT models at their maximum height setting with a kid near 60 lbs. because in reality kids don’t fit in these seats at that size. Most average-sized kids will outgrow a convertible seat like the Blvd or Advocate by Kindergarten or 1st grade. And most kids in K or 1st grade are no where near 62 lbs. And if they were, I guarantee that they wouldn’t still fit in a seat this size. I hope this info helps! Good luck with your decision.
Hey there,
Any advice for someone who installed their Boulevard CT click Tight car seat in the rear-facing position, but placed the belt through the front-facing slots. I know, I’m officially a moron. Anyhow.. I can’t, for the life of me, seem to release the latch-hooks in order to install in correctly. The latch is fully extended. I’ve tried everything else. Wondering if anyone has any advice. Thanks!
Hi, Nathan. You used the lower anchor strap, not the seatbelt, right? This is one of the problems with using LATCH with this seat: It can be near-impossible to uninstall. I’d keep working on it. See if you can have another person (or yourself) push the Boulevard toward the back of the car while you try to unhook the strap. That MIGHT create just enough slack that you’re able to undo it. Otherwise, if it’s truly truly stuck, you might need to cut the strap. That would mean that you can’t use LATCH anymore with that seat, but that’s ok. The seatbelt install is so easy there’s no need to use LATCH. (You might also be able to order a replacement belt from Britax if you truly need to use LATCH, but if you truly need to use LATCH I’d actually recommend using a different seat.) Good luck–I know that’s a frustrating situation!
Hi! Your information is great! But you may want to update your review to include this important information: Britax Child Safety, Inc., in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada, is conducting a recall of certain Advocate ClickTight, Boulevard ClickTight, and Marathon ClickTight model convertible car seats. Britax has decided that these models manufactured between August 1, 2014 and July 29, 2015 may contain a defect with the harness adjuster button (red), which would pose a safety hazard.
Thanks for the notification, Kim. All ClickTight models available now through retail are not under recall, so they are not affected by this particular notice. If anyone is interested in seeing recall notifications for any carseat, you can scroll up and search under the “Recalls” category. You can also click on the “Latest Recalls” link at the bottom of the screen which will take you to the NHTSA recall page.
Hi, I have been trying my best to look for information regarding these seats and the one thing I cannot find is why these seats got a basic safety grading by the Consumers Reports. Does anyone have any insight? (they aren’t even within the first 5)
Julie, the Marathon ClickTight is ranked very highly by Consumer Reports actually. The difference between the way the Marathon CT performed in testing vs. the Boulevard CT/Advocate CT is when the seats were tested in the uppermost harness slots that the Marathon CT doesn’t have. The seats are alike in every other way.
Hi everyone! Question….were looking at the britax for our 10 month old and we tried it out today and when we put the grey pieces at her armpits it looks like it’s squeezing her neck and everything together really tight and she was miserable in it. Also it’s super tight around the thighs. Is this supposed to be like this? We really love the seat and safe it is but don’t want her miserable everytime she’s in the car. Any info would be so appreciated!
Can these be installed 3 across? I have a 2 yo, 10 month old and baby due in December
Hi Candace, if all three are rear-facing, it is unlikely that they would fit 3-across in smaller vehicles. They might fit in a minivan or full size bench seat. Sometimes, 3-across is easier if you can alternate forward-facing and rear-facing seats so they puzzle next to each other. For example, if your 2-year old is already forward-facing, their seat could be in the center and it may have a better chance to fit next to the two rear-facing seats on the outside. Some narrower convertibles for 3-across include the Diono Radian, Clek Foonf/Fllo, Cosco Scenera Next and Combi Coccoro. In midsize vehicles, simply having one very narrow model in the center seat may allow you to have two larger models on the outside.
Hi! We recently purchased and installed the Clicktight RF in our RAV4. Our son is 1 (31in and 22lb) he’s tall and thin and mostly torso. He seems uncomfortable. His back doesn’t seem straight. If we adjust the headrest higher the shoulder straps are too high. If we adjust lower, his back is concave. I’m not sure what to do. We have the recline position just this side of the middle, towards upright. Any help would be really appreciated!!
Are they coming out with a longer crotch strap? Love the carseat but hate the short crotch strap. This is the only reason I am considering a different brand carseat. 🙁
Can anyone do this with their britax boulevard CT when installed correctly? This is NOT secure…
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xevilgcyn0jw1xd/20160219_182417.jpg?dl=0
Hi RLewis- Without seeing this in person, it could be a vehicle specific issue. Rear-facing seats can rotate like this in some cases, though this does look extreme if it was easy to move in this manner. Some convertibles are notorious for easily rotating like this, but I haven’t observed the ClickTight models to be one of them. My suggestion would be to have it checked by a certified, local technician if at all possible. The remedy for this issue is to purchase the optional Anti-Rebound bar that is available for all ClickTight convertibles: https://us.britax.com/accessories/anti-rebound-bar-clicktight-convertibles/
Hi. This that bar is stated for being help in a FRONTAL crash. Movement like the picture I posted is caused by a REAR impact. A rear impact with a rear facing seat would cause that type of movement. I can use 1 hand to cause the seat to do that… if youve ever been in an accident even a fender bender you’d know that it has much more force than what I can mimic with one hand. When the seat is forward facing it is solid as a rock.. so that bar is useless to me. That seat is in an acura mdx, acura is a higher end automobile and I doubt it has anything to do with mounting. These seats do not require a special kind of seat otherwise minivans would be out and that sounds ridiculous.
Hi RLewis,
Anti-rebound systems are effective in reducing the rotation of a rear-facing carseat toward the vehicle seat back of the vehicle seat where the carseat is installed. This is BOTH for secondary rebound motion of a rear-facing carseat in a frontal crash AND also for the primary motion of a rear-facing carseat in a rear impact. It is the same rotational motion. All rear-facing infant and convertible carseats have some potential for rotation of this type if they do not have an anti-rebound feature. This potential may be greater for some carseats and vehicle seating positions and can vary with the installation as well. The Britax ClickTight convertible anti-rebound bar will help reduce this motion in either type of crash when installed rear-facing. The anti-rebound bar is not used at all when installed forward facing.
As a next step, if you do not wish to try the anti-rebound bar, my best suggestions are to consult with a certified local child passenger safety technician for an inspection, contact Britax customer service for their input or try another brand/model of carseat to see if you have the same concern.
http://cert.safekids.org/find-tech-0
http://www.safercar.gov/cpsApp/cps/index.htm
Hello. I’ve have the boulevard CT for about a year now. We are partaking in an international trip and it will be coming with, both for the plane and rental car. I know that it is certified for airplane use, but a bit concerned about the width. We are flying delta and the connecting flight into Atlanta the seat width is 17.2 inches; international leg is 18 inches; and then one more commuter flight is 16.8 inches. I know the width of the CT is listed at 18.5 inches. It’s my understanding that’s at the widest point of the seat, which I assume is the shoulders? Any idea of what the hip width would be, part that is actually on the seat? Have you flown with a CSR before? Will they allow me to raise the armrest? Thank you for any info.
The measurements are probably the space between the armrests. As long as the seat has movable armrests, you can put them up, and the child restraint should fit. The Boulevard ClickTight is a VERY heavy, bulky seat, though, and you might want to consider getting a lighter seat for the trip, especially since it sounds like it’ll be a long trip with a few connections. Here’s our list of recommended seats for air travel: https://carseatblog.com/25408/recommended-carseats-for-airplane-travel/ The Boulevard should work, though, if you want to stick with that.
Thanks. I’ve considered (briefly) the cosco scenera, by really want the britax for the ease of installation for rentals, shuttles, etc. I have the britax carrier bag that’s on wheels and I’ve flown before with just me and baby and we managed fine (lap sitting, we gate checked the seat); this time we will will have daddy and so not really worried about that, plus it’s just one less thing to have to buy.
I’m just afraid that they won’t let me raise the armrests as they say they must be down for taxi, take off, and landing. I’m guessing it’s different with a car seat??
Tray tables need to be stowed for taxi, takeoff, and landing, and seatbacks need to be up, but there’s no prohibition on arm rests. I’ve never heard of anyone being prevented from putting those up–you should be fine! Just make sure the row you’re in has movable armrests. Usually it’s just the bulkhead seats that don’t.
Thank you for this review. I have had 2 Boulevard ClickTight seats with harness issues (the first on the second trip and the second in the third week of use). The harnesses stop moving (neither loosening or tightening) and just keep clicking (as if at the appropriate tightness). When it happened the second time with the second seat, I called Britax CS. It seems the harnesses are somehow caught in the back of the seat, but there seems to be no way to open the seat to free them, and I can’t budge them by pulling, as they have advised. Britax has offered to replace the seat, and I am deliberating a new CT, or not. I love everything about the CT and find its design far superior to the non-CT version, but I have been stuck away from home twice with an inoperable car seat. I would appreciate any thoughts you have. Have others had this issue? I wondering if I am doing something to cause this. I had a Britax Marathon years ago with no issues at all, and am perplexed and inconvenienced by this new design.
Hi Katherine, we have not had this issue with our ClickTight models. We have heard various complaints about the harness system, but that is not uncommon for any child safety seat on the market. Nearly every model has complaints of some type. That’s not to dismiss the complaints, many are clearly legitimate. But I do think it might be worth another try if you like the other features of the ClickTight convertible models. If Britax doesn’t request the seat to be returned to you and you happen to live in the Chicago or NYC area, perhaps you would consider allowing one of us to examine the seat:-)
I will add one thing to your concerns. Models like the older Marathon that do not have the easy harness height adjustment do tend to be much easier to tighten and loosen the harness in general. For some reason, the harness height adjust mechanisms in general seem to cause problems, though that isn’t always the case. The trade-off, of course, is ease of adjusting harness height, especially for forward-facing carseats where it would otherwise require you to uninstall the carseat to adjust the harness height.
First, I’ve had the Britax Boulevard Clicktight for a year and I love it…mostly. The install is weird at first but once you get it it is so so easy!
Second, there is one really annoying thing about this seat that is a potential safety issue. If you have a toddler, I’d strongly advise not giving him or her food while riding in this seat. The strap release is down a deep finger-width hole (so toddlers can’t get to it, according to the company) however, that hole males a really fun place to stuff little bits (like Cheerios). My 22 mo th old began choking and I almost had to cut the straps to get her out because the hole was filled with food and isn’t wide enough to evacuate with my finger. I was able to shove the o’s through the hole instead of digging them out but it scared me badly.
Kudos on a great seat, but beware the toddler fascination!
I have returned a marathon clicktight for the shell literally coming apart and now the straps on our new one will not lengthen evenly even after the lengthening. So disappointed in a company that I held a lot of trust in.
My Britax boulevard clicktight has been installed for some time now, but I’m concerned about the leaning. It is very tight and is not moving (rear-facing, using the seat belt). It is leaning towards the side where the seat belt clicks into the seat. Is there something I am doing wrong or a suggestion to fix this?
Thank you
Oops I misspoke on my last comment…I meant to say, are there significant benefits to REAR facing past 3 or 4? Thanks!
I’d have to say my favorite feature would be the click tight easy installation! Neat-o!
Hello, I was told (by a sales agent at a store) that the Britax Boulevard weight limit is the combined weight of the child and the seat. For instance, if the weight limit is 65 pounds and the seat weighs 20 pounds, your child cannot exceed 45 in that seat. Is that correct? I’ve never heard this before?
I think that’s only if you’re using LATCH. Here’s some info I found that might be helpful: http://thecarseatlady.com/latch-weight-limits/
That’s correct when dealing with LATCH, Melissa (see https://carseatblog.com/26565/new-federal-regulations-regarding-latch-weight-limits-what-parents-need-to-know/ ). But the ClickTight models are designed to be installed with the seat belt and are in fact, a little more difficult to install with LATCH. So don’t even take the LATCH strap out of its storage space 🙂 and enjoy the easiest seat belt installation you’ll ever know.
Britax seats usually fit on the tops of the thighs of the babies rather than up at the hip joint. I asked them about it @ buy buy baby and they said thats how Britax seats fit to help hold baby’s body back and in correct position so they don’t slip down. I also noticed other carseats did it too, but not all of them. I also called Britax and asked if its safe and they said yes. 🙂 be sure to check your seat against the new recall to be sure yours is working properly tho ( if you have a boulevard Clicktight) 🙂
I’m having a really hard time with the crotch strap for my daughter’s Boulevard. She’s almost 11 months old and approx 20lbs. The crotch position closest to her was WAY too tight so we moved it out and it still seems like it cuts into her thighs. Not sure what we are doing wrong. Does anyone have any suggestions?
One more thing… They say while rear facing to keep the crotch strap closest to them in use. It’s supposed to be a tight fit. That’s what is going to keep baby safe if y’all get into an accident. Cause it holds her in close – instead of allowing her to slip forward. My daughter is 21 pounds and 29 inches and only 9.5 mos. she uses the closer crotch strap ok but I understand what you mean. I just have to be careful I get a tight harness without pushing the belt into her legs too much. Britax’s rules are tight harness w no slack or ability to pinch as well as no indentation on the child legs. However I think the belts just there always leave something. I am trying to balance right harness & no indentation myself still. But I am confident baby is secure & safe regardless of her having a little line mark occasionally. If that’s the worst, we’re not doing too shabby I think Mama! 😉
Hi! I just bought a Britax Boulevard Clicktight seat for my squish due end of next month. Part of why I like Britax seats and bought this one is that they have rear tether capability. I throughly researched and this review told me that I could rear tether the seat.
DH just found one for the advocate that says the same.
However I JUST read my manual, and it says repeatedly that you cannot rear tether and you have to buy an antirebound bar. Which is seemingly only available from britaxusa for 20 dollars plus 15 dollar shipping. Which is ridiculous since I just bought a 300 dollar carseat.
Does anyone have any information on why they changed their tether policy? I’ll buy the antirebound bar if I have to, I’m just frustrated.
Also, I read the manual but didn’t see it mentioned, or I may have missed it, can the seat touch the front seat at all when installed rearfacing?
Thanks so much all!
Eta even the britax website says their convertibles can be rear tethered.
Q. Can my BRITAX convertible (infant/child) car seat be tethered rear facing?
A. Yes. BRITAX convertible (infant/child) car seats, such as the ROUNDABOUT 55, MARATHON 70, BOULEVARD 70, BOULEVARD 70 CS, and ADVOCATE 70 CS may be tethered when installed rear facing. BRITAX recommends one of two modes of rear facing tethering:
Q. Regarding tether use, what does BRITAX recommend?
A. Since the use of the tether increases the performance of a child safety seat during a crash, BRITAX recommends using the tether at all times for child restraints equipped with a tether. The tether should be used for both rear facing and forward facing child restraints installed using the vehicle seat belt or LATCH system. Consult your vehicle owner’s manual for tether anchor locations.
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Hi Alicia. Yes, Britax recently changed their policy on RF tethering due to an increasing number of vehicle manufacturers who don’t allow it. Boulevard ClickTights manufactured after 1/28/15 don’t allow RF tethering (see https://carseatblog.com/32084/britax-phasing-out-rear-facing-tethers-on-convertible-carseats ). I agree with you that it should be included in the box with the seat; they are in Canada.
Heard of an issue where the seat moves side to side a LOT? I’ve installed with lap/shoulder belt in the center. No matter the level of slack of the seat belt, locking the seat belt, not locking… It moves almost all the way across to the next seat! I watched YouTube videos and I’m doing it exactly like them but when I wiggle I’m sliding the seat across! Not sure what time zone Britax USA is in but they’ve been closed when I call. I’m wondering if it’s defective. Whatever it is, the seat panel will not tighten the seat belt at all.