Daycare Gal - Parents - Child pleased with Car Seat... Britax Roundabout
Written: May 12 '02 (Updated May 24 '04)
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Pros: Versa-tether, One pull tightening, Comfortable, Safety inspired
Cons: Bulky, Cost
The Bottom Line: This seat offers friendly features that are certain to equal a safer ride. I highly recommend the Britax roundabout.
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| Lisa_J's Full Review: Britax Roundabout Convertible Car Seat - Puma |
A point in time arrived that replacement of car seats was inevitable. During the initial visit to a major childrens toy/equipment store I could have easily been overwhelmed with the availability of styles, fabrics, and price range. Naturally I wanted to purchase a safe seat for the best price possible. Honestly this seat wasn’t for use by my own children. Rather it was intended for use when transporting children attending my day care/preschool.
Safety was of utmost importance and research kept pointing to the Britax Roundabout. Numerous factors drew my attention toward this brand, including that several of our friends owned them. Also one of the day care families used this very seat and insisted on it for their child. I knew that purchase of – and proper installation of – this seat would eliminate the need for transferring their seat, and I realized the amount of research that they had completed prior to car seat purchase. However the debate in my head over the near $200. expenditure versus the lower cost of some possibly equivalent units led me to continue comparing.
But….
The safety claims and known satisfaction with the Britax Roundabout kept leading me back to purchase consideration. The sales staff was agreeable to escort me out to our vehicle with the floor model and assist me in testing the positioning of the seat in it. He assisted me with installation in the middle and at the side rear. Because this seat would receive the most use with children 20 – 40 lbs. I was more concerned with obtaining a proper front-facing fit. This appeared to be easy to achieve. Rear-facing was trickier but I felt with perseverance it would work well. The unit we tried was the denim fabric. I was impressed with the versatility/gender friendly patterns the Britax Roundabout was available in.
I decided the Britax Roundabout was worth the investment and purchased a denim fabric unit. It was also pointed out to me that replacement covers are available via special order. Certainly I was pleased to hear that! After using the seat with children age 4 months and up I am happy to highly recommend this seat. Ultimate safe installation is achievable and safe adjustments for children of varying height are easy to obtain. Certainly this was a wise investment and a purchase I feel worthy of every dollar.
Britax Roundabout
Measures 26.25" x 18.25" x 21.62"
Weighs 14 lbs.
Specifications / Pros
Convertible:
-Rear-facing 5-30 lbs. or up to one year
-Forward-facing 20-40 lbs.
Three shoulder belt heights
Velcro Anti-tangle belt holders
Easy recline adjustment handle
Side protection panels
Aircraft approved
Belt shield
5-point Harness
Child is secured in 5 regions ~ Both legs, Shoulders, & Crotch.
Versa-tether
Built-in Locking Clips
Velcro Anti-tangle belt holders
EPS Foam & Double layer comfort foam
One pull harness adjustment
Cons
Slightly bulky
Priced slightly higher than many seats
The first thing I recommend you do when purchasing any car seat is read the directions. This will allow you to glean insight with regard to applicable safety precautions. No matter how safe the seat is that you purchase, without proper installation you aren’t achieving safe results. Specifications can vary.
The Britax is considered a convertible seat (rear & front facing). Rear-facing installation is recommended for babies/toddlers 5 to 30 lbs. and front-facing is allowed for infants/toddlers 20 to 40lbs. An attribute of the Britax Roundabout is the built in lock-offs that allow for tight installation in the vehicle. We weren’t able to secure the previous carseats as tight as this Roundabout. This seat fits snug and allows me to feel safer when transporting children. The sculpted seat base appears to help with obtaining the secure installation.
This seat seems to be more comfortable than many of the competing seats (not that I can fit into it, but a firm push of the hand allows for some assessment) and my youngest daughter actually used the term cozy-comfy. Britax has a double layer of comfort foam that allows some safe cushy for your young ones tushy. EPS foam that is similar to what is used in protective headgear is directly under the comfort foam. This seat has a 5 point harness system and shoulder height has three adjustments. Again, please follow the manufacturer directions for proper placement of all adjustable features. You must follow these to receive proper results. The shoulder straps offer a one-pull harness mechanism at the front bottom, allowing for snug fit.
The Velcro anti-tangle belt holders literally assist in the manner intended. This feature was quick to be recognized and adored. With other seats there have been numerous times I have disturbed baby when fiddling to position the harness for appropriate cinching. With the straps held out of the way installation is less frustrating and easier to obtain. Truly attributes such as this increase my adoration for a product.
For ultimate anchoring in your vehicle the Britax offers a versa-tether allowing for the tether strap to be used in rear-facing or front-facing installation. An additional plus it the optional tether connector to be used in cars pre-inclusion of the tether anchor connector. This is especially important and at the time of purchase was unique to Britax. One aspect I will mention is that the tether on this seat appeared to be sturdier than those offered by competitive models. The v-shaped tether is attached to the upper portion of the back of the seat versus the middle point option that some manufacturers peruse. Personally I feel this allows for tighter installation. The design of this safety feature impressed me and allowed me to feel that Britax put much thought and care into design and safety.
Please understand I am not a car seat specialist, this was just my personal feeling. This "pro" aided my decision to purchase the Britax. We use the tether anchor point in one vehicle and use the connector strap in the other. It was slightly challenging at first but after initial installation we realized the proper technique and install with ease now. A fireman friend (doubles as a carseat specialist) took a look at both installations and offered a thumbs up.
Another wonderful attribute of the Britax is the pull string adjustment for the tension of the straps. Too often I have witnessed parents toting children in car seats with dangerously loose straps. I feel if more manufacturers used a mechanism such as this we would see more children safely snuggled into their carseats. This feature is easy to use. At the front bottom of the seat there is a pull strap/string that when pulled tightens the tension of the safety straps after the child is buckled in. To loosen you depress a button. This feature allows for ease of strap adjustment for clothing variety.
The three height adjustments for the shoulder straps allow for this seat to grow with your child. Please be certain to follow the manufacturer instructions for proper placement of these. The puzzle style lock offers a zigzag fashion that must be snapped together properly.
Honestly I wish I had initially purchased a Britax. Having used many other seats I am able to compare safety appearance and ease of use. This seat offers friendly features that are certain to equal a safer ride. I highly recommend the Britax Roundabout and am certain there is a fabric choice you will be pleased with. On that note I will mention that the seat cover is removable, machine washable, and replaceable if need be. We have laundered our cover two times and happily report it looks great!
Happy Parenting!
©2002 Lisa_J
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 189.99
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
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Epinions.com ID:
Lisa_J
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Location: Pacific Northwest - Washington State
Reviews written: 1010
Trusted by: 667 members
About Me:
Mom of two wonderfully spirited daughters. Childcare Director. Spectator fan of dance.
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