After the fiasco we had with my daughter's Graco Smartmove Car Seat, we were determined to never use anything but Britax seats again. When my son Buster was born three years ago, my mother and sister were generous enough to spring for the Britax Roundabout for him, which then got passed down to my youngest, Buster as all my children bumped up a seat in our hierarchy. Now, as I'm expecting baby #4, I actually have no plans to pass down our Britax Roundabout, but will instead be replacing it and giving it to my parents as a substitute for their outdated seats. Here is why:

::: Features of the Former Champ :::

The Britax Roundabout still has many features that put it above other car seats on the market. As a convertible seat, it can be used rear-facing for babies from 5 to 33 pounds, and forward-facing for toddlers one year and over, weighing 20 to 40 pounds and up to 40 inches tall. The rear-facing weight limit is still one of the higher maximums for car seats currently on the market, and can come in handy for parents whose children (like my daughter Beanie) hit 20 pounds long before they can be turned around to forward-facing at one year of age.

The Britax Roundabout now has LATCH compatibility for easy installation in cars that have LATCH anchors, but if you don't have LATCH capability in your car, the Britax Roundabout has additional features to help install the seat securely in your car, including belt lockoffs on the sides and near the shoulder area, and a tether that can be used in either front- or rear-facing configurations. It also has a five-point harness, EPS foam around the head and torso area, comfort foam in the seat, a washable fabric cover in several different pattern options, and a padded fabric pad that protects children from the hard buckle, which often gets hot in warm weather.

The Britax Roundabout measures 25 inches high by 18¼ inches wide by 23½ inches deep, and is certified for aircraft use.

::: Sounds Great! Why Shouldn't I Buy It? :::

Our Britax Roundabout was purchased literally immediately at the same time as the newer LATCH version was being released. At the time, Britax was having trouble meeting demand for the newer version, and were also charging $40 or $50 more for the new LATCH version, and at the time, as we didn't have a LATCH-compatible vehicle, I chose the older style.

In terms of installation, I have had no problems at all installing the car without the added convenience of the LATCH feature. The locking clips give an extra-secure fit when combined with the tether, and I've found that, even though I check the carseat EVERY time I put Bug in it, I can't remember the last time it had to be tightened. In terms of comfort, both my boys have had no issues at all with the seat, including sleeping in the seat. We took a trip to Rhode Island last fall for a family wedding and drove him all night so that Beanie wouldn't miss her first day of school. Utilizing the reclined position, he slept completely through without waking once, and this is a boy who likes his comfort when he sleeps.

After our experience with the denim cover on my daughter's Britax Freeway, we opted for a fabric that I believe was called Windowpane, and is no longer available. The fabric has held up very well through multiple washings, showing very little wear, especially when compared to the denim. In addition, our experience with Britax customer service has been excellent. One of the foam pieces broke on the headwing after our warranty period had expired. Britax charged us a nominal amount to replace it, and shipped it out very quickly.

So to this point, it sounds like I love our Britax Roundabout, and I do, which is why I'm doing the very confusing of giving it a four-star rating but not recommending it. The reason? Both of my older two children have outgrown this car seat BEFORE they reached the 40-inch limit. How is that possible, you wonder? My children seem to have very long torsos that result in their shoulders reaching the top of the seat before they reach the height or weight limit of the seat, forcing me to bump them up to a different seat. Hence, the reason why I'm not even going to bother with my usual "seat bump" that we go through when a new baby arrives. Buster and Beanie are both in belt-positioning seats, Bug will most likely move into our Britax Husky Booster Seat now that he's over 22 pounds, and I'll get a new car seat for the baby that gives us a bigger window for keeping a toddler in a convertible seat.

I still love our Britax Roundabout, which is why I'll happily turn it over to my parents so that I know our little one will be safe whenever he or she rides along in their car. And I'd recommend this seat for anyone for whom past history would indicate that their children won't have long torsos and short legs like mine do (which I'm sure they get from their mother), or who need a smaller footprint in their car, but for us, bigger is better, which is why we will upgrade to one of the newer seats with higher height and weight maximums.

Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 199.00
Age Range of Child: Other