Mothering Forum banner

carseat ratings? how do you choose? FINAL QUESTION: REGENT OR BLVD????

4K views 127 replies 34 participants last post by  chickabiddy 
#1 ·
i have ds (29 mos) in an evenflo triumph. ds 2 is on the way in june. we have a britax blvd in our truck for emergency uses (no air bags, btw).
i hear raves on here about the britax which prompted me to get that for our truck and i went with the blvd b/c of the side impact wing things.
HOWEVER, it seems that when people on here talk about what britax they have or are going to buy, it's typically the marathon.
also, many talk about the high safety rating of britax.
so, my questions are:
where do you find safety ratings? i've searched and searched and without paying a membership to consumer reports, i can't find a way to see how the seats rate out. what am i doing wrong?

where is it posted that britax is "number 1"?

how do you decide on which britax you purchased, if you have a britax of course!

our plans at this point are to put ds2 in ds1's rear-facing triumph and buy another britax blvd for ds1. but i'm wondering why so many have the marathon. is there something i'm missing about the blvd b/c according to the britax website, it seems to be their crown jewel?

you know, i was really dumb with ds1. i hate to admit this, but my thoughts as i looked at the long row of seats at babies r us were: they all have to be certified to be on this shelf, so what's the big deal. i'm still having a hard time with this! for example, i saw a cosco scenera convertible for $40. our blvd cost 275 online. they both had to pass "tests" of some sort, right? i asked a tech (who monitors the free giveaway program at his department) - his response was the same. price is not indicative of quality and they give out some of the cheaper seats.

help me with my confusion! i need a new carseat before june!!!!
 
See less See more
#102 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna View Post
Forget about weights. I've never heard of a child outgrowing a seat by weight before height (rf limits, but that's it) It just doesn't happen.

Sit your boys down and measure their height at the shoulder. Torso height is what you need to know.

The will outgrow the boulevard by height, not weight.

Honestly I can't imagine it being worth it at 5 yrs old. I'd get the regent.

-Angela
OK, I measured. Each girl has a torso height (bottom to shoulder sitting straight up) of 14.75 inches. (And, they grew to 42.5 inches!) I measured their RA shoulder strap height and it looks like 14 inches.

The Regent's top shoulder strap height is 21". The Blvd's is around 17". The Regent will certainly hold them much longer. My kids have about around 6" of torso growth to go before outgrowing the Regent.

SYNCHRO: what is this new seat you speak of?
 
#103 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by CurlyTop View Post
OK, I measured. Each girl has a torso height (bottom to shoulder sitting straight up) of 14.75 inches. (And, they grew to 42.5 inches!) I measured their RA shoulder strap height and it looks like 14 inches.

The Regent's top shoulder strap height is 21". The Blvd's is around 17". The Regent will certainly hold them much longer. My kids have about around 6" of torso growth to go before outgrowing the Regent.

SYNCHRO: what is this new seat you speak of?
I'm embarrased to say I can't remember. I could find out relatively quickly though. . .
Is it a Recaro? Anyone?
 
#104 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Synchro246 View Post
I'm embarrased to say I can't remember. I could find out relatively quickly though. . .
Is it a Recaro? Anyone?


BUT my understanding is that while it will have some more features, the top strap height will be less than the regent's

-Angela
 
#106 ·
Ok.
Right now there's the Radian 80 and the Regent that go to 80lb harness.

The one that I was thinking about coming out soon is the Recaro Signo. It will go to 75lb.

I get Recaro and Radian confused because they both start with R's.
I didn't know the Radian started at 5lb with lower harness slots of 8'', RF to 33, and go to 80. That's nuts. It makes me want one.
 
#107 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Synchro246 View Post
Ok.
Right now there's the Radian 80 and the Regent that go to 80lb harness.

The one that I was thinking about coming out soon is the Recaro Signo. It will go to 75lb.

I get Recaro and Radian confused because they both start with R's.
I didn't know the Radian started at 5lb with lower harness slots of 8'', RF to 33, and go to 80. That's nuts. It makes me want one.

Yeah, but the radian 80 has the same strap height as the radian 65.

-Angela
 
#109 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by uccomama View Post
If I had a 32 lb 2.5 year old, I would go for the Blvd over the Regent. Yes, the Regent offers better value because it will last longer, but your child is still young, and I would assume he still sleeps in the car. The Regent doesn't offer much in the way of sleep support and littler kids swim in it as it is such a wide seat. Not to mention TSIP is a important safety feature IMO. FWIW my DS still fit in the Blvd at six with some room to grow and he was/is a tall (long-limbed) kid.
comments on this anyone? it's kinda where i was headed, but the regent seems to be everyone's pick now.

i guess i'll sit ds down and measure him today to see what we've got. my thinking was that if he still hasn't outgrown his triumph that the blvd would provide sufficient longevity.

did i say i didn't have more questions? sorry, b/c i do! put yourself in my shoes. you have an evenflo triumph. you have 1 and 1 on the way. the oldest will be getting a new carseat and moving outboard. the newest will be sitting in ________ carseat most likely outboard as well. Is the evenflo triumph OK to fill in that blank? i honestly don't think i'm gonna rearface a blvd in our car. the triumph was hard enough. we're trying tonight though when dh gets off work. i may also have the option of borrowing a graco bucket seat that's been in use for 6 months with a friend and has a clean track record (no accidents, purchased new by her). i've narrowed the field down to blvd or regent for oldest, but i'm wondering if i should put baby into the triumph or move the triumph to grandma's car (where there'd be two triumphs until ds1 outgrows his and the kids would only be in them maybe 1x/week) and get something else. PLEASE ADVISE!!!
 
#110 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by lasciate View Post
While it's a great feature of the Britax seats that they can tether rearfacing, they aren't *required* to be tethered rearfacing.
I know it's not required, but it's a safety feature most parents don't realize exists. Again, lack of manual reading.

jackson'smama, I would just sit him down and see how he measures. My oldest will be 4 this month and only has about an inch left in a BV so that wouldn't be a good choice for him. Unless you're really worried about the TSIP, the Regent would be your best choice as far as length of use since you don't need it rfing.

Synchro, I have pics of Ilana in our Radian at 8# and it looks great! Much better than her in a Britrax.
 
#111 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by jackson'smama View Post
comments on this anyone? it's kinda where i was headed, but the regent seems to be everyone's pick now.

i guess i'll sit ds down and measure him today to see what we've got. my thinking was that if he still hasn't outgrown his triumph that the blvd would provide sufficient longevity.
Answering in two parts- If you're made of money- get the boulevard. I would not be comfortable taking a child who had just outgrown a boulevard and putting them in a belt positioning booster. I would buy another harnessed seat- that would mean the regent. So if you get the boulevard, IMO you'll still need to buy another harnessed seat later. If you're okay with that- go for it. If you don't want to buy another harnessed seat, if you want to make the next purchase a belt positioning booster, then get the regent.

-Angela
 
#112 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by jackson'smama View Post
did i say i didn't have more questions? sorry, b/c i do! put yourself in my shoes. you have an evenflo triumph. you have 1 and 1 on the way. the oldest will be getting a new carseat and moving outboard. the newest will be sitting in ________ carseat most likely outboard as well. Is the evenflo triumph OK to fill in that blank? i honestly don't think i'm gonna rearface a blvd in our car. the triumph was hard enough. we're trying tonight though when dh gets off work. i may also have the option of borrowing a graco bucket seat that's been in use for 6 months with a friend and has a clean track record (no accidents, purchased new by her). i've narrowed the field down to blvd or regent for oldest, but i'm wondering if i should put baby into the triumph or move the triumph to grandma's car (where there'd be two triumphs until ds1 outgrows his and the kids would only be in them maybe 1x/week) and get something else. PLEASE ADVISE!!!
Okay- trying to follow here- I THINK you're asking if you should get another new seat or not?

I don't think you'd have problem rf a boulevard as long as it's not for a newborn. The britax seats CAN be touching and braced by the front seats.

-Angela
 
#113 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna View Post
Okay- trying to follow here- I THINK you're asking if you should get another new seat or not?

I don't think you'd have problem rf a boulevard as long as it's not for a newborn. The britax seats CAN be touching and braced by the front seats.

-Angela

shooooo...after seeing the top threads at the moment, i'm thinking we need a car and carseat forum here!


yes, i am asking if i should get another seat (for ds 2 who is on the way) to REPLACE the triumph (that is, most likely move the triumphs to grandma's car - less used, and have a regent for ds1 and a _______ for baby #2). this second seat WILL be used for a newborn and thus will need to be fully reclined. The triumph was a difficult squeeze rearfacing and i would be shocked if the blvd would do it (we're trying tonight though with the blvd we already have in the truck).

angela, i think you answered another question i have but i want to be certain...IS IT SAFE FOR CARSEATS TO SMOOSH TOGETHER (I.E. ONE CENTER AND ONE OUTBOARD JAMMED TOGETHER)? ALSO, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AN ACHOR SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR TWO LATCHES...IS THIS CORRECT?
 
#114 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by jackson'smama View Post
shooooo...after seeing the top threads at the moment, i'm thinking we need a car and carseat forum here!


yes, i am asking if i should get another seat (for ds 2 who is on the way) to REPLACE the triumph (that is, most likely move the triumphs to grandma's car - less used, and have a regent for ds1 and a _______ for baby #2). this second seat WILL be used for a newborn and thus will need to be fully reclined. The triumph was a difficult squeeze rearfacing and i would be shocked if the blvd would do it (we're trying tonight though with the blvd we already have in the truck).

angela, i think you answered another question i have but i want to be certain...IS IT SAFE FOR CARSEATS TO SMOOSH TOGETHER (I.E. ONE CENTER AND ONE OUTBOARD JAMMED TOGETHER)? ALSO, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AN ACHOR SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR TWO LATCHES...IS THIS CORRECT?
Well, I'd put a newborn in an infant seat personally... then move to a convertible. The britax convertibles aren't great for newborns unless they're really really long.

I would think that smooshed together would be fine. I don't see how anyone would ever get 3 across without smooshing....

Correct- one anchor is for one side of one seat. Never combine. (in many cars there aren't any LATCH anchors in the middle seat, though it may seem that the ones on the outside could work- one from each side- read the car's manual.)

-Angela
 
#116 ·
ok, the blvd WILL rf in our car even though it makes the front passenger position a little less comfortable. yay!
dh thinks we should go the route of 2 new blvds: one ff for ds1 outboard and one for ds2 rf outboard. then, we'd move the triumphs to grandma's car until ds1 outgrows it and we'd have to take it from there...
i mentioned the regent to him and showed it to him online. he's concerned about the difference between blvd and regent being TSIP, as i was. it does look like (from the picture) that ds would be "swimming" in a regent. it just looks very spacious for a 2 year old. is this your experience (if you own a regent)?
i promise i'll let this thread die soon. i found a 15% discount on my order at a website, so i have to make a decision by monday to save about $90 for the two seats!
 
#117 ·
In my experience little kids do swim in a Regent. It bugs me no end to see a toddler slumped over asleep in such a wide seat. My DD used a Husky (previous incarnation of the Regent) from 5 years old and was fine it in. When we passed it onto to DS at 5, who was used to a Wizard (previous incarnation of a Blvd), he hated it because he felt too exposed and couldn't nap comfortably -- he was used to the head wings, so I sold the Husky and bought a Blvd. He was in the Blvd for a year before I moved him to a SafeGuard. Yes, I am a car seat addict.
 
#118 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by lasciate View Post
If it's not required, then you can't claim an incorrect install for lack of rear tethering.
I never said I did. I've never had a rfing Britax come in correctly installed even w/out the tether. Why is this such an issue? If a seat comes in ffing and is not tethered (and could be), I call it an incorrect install.
 
#119 ·
Mom of six and CPS tech chiming in.

I've been a tech for almost six years. In that time, I've had *four* correct installs. Three of them were Britax. The other one was one that I had helped a friend with the week before, so I don't know if we can really count that one. Although we did count it as a correct install at the end of the day lol.

My kids are all in Britax, although I'm wanting the Safeguard for the ones that are FF. I've "only" got three in seats right now, which is really weird for me!

I think if you have the money, the Britax gives you the most bang for your buck right now. Longevity and installation non issues alone are reason enough IMO. I've installed the Britax in well over 30 vehicles at this point, with not a single incompatibility issue. I can't name a single other seat that I have been able to do that with (although I *can tell you which seats I have literally cried over lol). Apex and Radian are good options on paper, but the amount of installation issues is a real downer.

I can't wait to see the Recaro IRL. Call me crazy, but I don't like the Regent/Husky/Super Elite.

My .02

Mitch
 
#121 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna View Post
Yeah, but the radian 80 has the same strap height as the radian 65.

-Angela
Sunhine Kids states on pages 33 and 34 of the manual ( http://www.skjp.com/Media/Radian80-manual.pdf ) that the straps can be BELOW the shoulders in the topmost position as long as the child's ears are not over the top of the shell and the child is less than 51" tall.
 
#123 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna View Post
Good to know. Probably same thing applies to the 65.

-Angela
Yes, it does, so unless your child is heavy, there's no real need for the 80 IMO since they have the same slots.
 
#126 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna View Post
Well, the biggest problem with very small babies is strap height. Not sure the lowest height on the radian, but I bet someone here knows!

-Angela
I could go out and measure, but I am a lazy butt


However, a few different someones showed me pictures of their fairly tiny newborns in a Radian65 and it fit beautifully
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top