Customer Reviews

Britax Parkway SG Booster Car Seat, Sesame

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've been a bit of a car seat fanatic since before my first child was conceived (she's nearly 8). In that time I have tested out lots of seats and done side by side comparisons of the features each seat offers. Britax and Graco are two of my favorite brands of car seats. Both generally offer ease of use and adequately cushioned and comfortable seats. When it comes to five point harness convertible seats, Britax has always been my brand of choice. Once you experience the superior design, impact protection, luxurious fabrics and incredible ease of use, most other seats on the market simply don't compare.

In the past, I have not been impressed with many elements on Britax booster seats. Four and a half years ago the ease of use when compared to the Graco high back Turbo Booster was dismal, and the comfort level was lacking as well. I was hopeful when the Britax Parkway Slide Guard was offered to me for review as part of the Amazon Vine Program that things might have changed for the better. I am pleased to say that in many ways Britax has improved on their booster seats. Because I have been using Graco Turbo Booster seats for my oldest child for four and a half years, I'm going to give you the pros and cons of the Britax Parkway when compared to the Graco Turbo Booster.

Overall the Britax Parkway SG is a very nicely designed seat. In many ways it is much nicer than the Turbo Booster, but I did take issue with it on a few minor points. I ran the seat through my usual critical scrutiny and asked my daughters ages 4 and nearly 8 to give me their input on the seat. For the most part they both liked the seat. The 4 year old found nothing wrong with the seat, other than the fact that she is 1 1/2 pounds too light to be able to ride in this seat, but I didn't let that stop me from sizing her up in it in the garage since she meets the minimum height requirement. My older child took issue with the seat on two points. She did not like the "Slide Guard" safety feature that prevents your child from "submarining" in a crash. I can't say I blame her since she has ridden in a seat without strap between her legs for over four years now. She also was disappointed in the arm rests. They're smaller than the arm rests that are found on the Turbo Booster, and they're not adjustable. Because of this the arm rests are about an inch or two two low for her to be able to put her elbows on them (and this is a child who is only 49 inches tall-it would be worse for a taller child), and they are are not long enough to even make it to her wrist. Those two features left my daughter feeling disappointed.

I took issue with Britax's claim that this was a thinner profile seat that would allow you to put three seats in the back seat. I tested this out in my van with two Graco Turbo Booster (which by the way, are about 2 inches thinner widthwise). If you're not going to be buckling the kids into the seats, you can fit three across, but if you actually want to secure the kids in the seats (And, why wouldn't you?) there is probably no way you are going to fit three of this seat in your car's back seat.

I also had a problem with the slide guard. I tried it out in three different seat positions in my minivan. If you have a seatbelt that has one of those little plastic button things that keep the buckle from sliding all the way to the end of the belt, you may not be able to properly use the slide guard with the seat belt as the opening on the slide guard is too narrow to accommodate it. Because of this, I only have two possible seats in my car out of five that the seat can be used.

Assembly (putting the seat back on the seat base) was a snap. It took me no more than one minute. Assembly took merely seconds more than the Graco Turbo Booster, but unlike the Turbo Booster, it doesn't fall apart easily. The Parkway is a seat that you can easily carry from one car to the next and not have to worry that the base is going to detach from the seat back in transit (a scenario that I have witnessed many times).

Adjusting the head rest is a snap. Much like the Turbo Booster, all you need to do is squeeze and pull or push, depending on whether you are raising or lowering the headrest and the adjustment is done. That alone is a huge improvement on past Britax booster models.

The fabric on the seat is very nice (the Turbo Booster simply can't compete on this point). The printed fabric is a smoother material that you could easily wipe clean. The solid black fabric is a velvety plush. It's a thicker pile that the material you find on most Britax Marathon seats. The seat pad is thick and cushiony.

The foam beneath the seat pad is nice and firm. It will comfortably support a larger child. My four year old tells me the seat is just as comfortable as her Britax Marathon. Given how soft and cushy that seat is, I think that says a lot.

The cup holders are a nice touch and they appear to be slightly roomier than the Graco Turbo Booster's. I did find that they're a little stiff sliding in and out. My 8 year old had difficulty getting the cup holders to slide out, and my 4 year old couldn't get them out at all.

The high back for the booster got two thumbs up from both of my daughters. Both said it was comfortable and neither one complained of the sides obstructing their view. The high impact foam is thicker on this seat than the impact foam found on the Turbo Booster. It is the typical higher quality that I have come to expect from Britax over the years. The slide guard is easy to adjust (when the child is out of the seat) and easy to attach to the lap portion of the seat belt.

Since kids can be messy and seat covers need to be washed from time to time, I decided to see how difficult it is to take off the cover and reattach it. If you're like me, you've probably found yourself in this nightmare of wrestling with a seat to get the cover off or on. Some seats are a breeze while others make you want to rip out your hair. I'm pleased to tell you that it is a pretty simple job. It only took a few minutes to take the cover off and replace it. The cover itself is hand wash and line dry.

In all, the Britax Parkway SG is a very nice booster seat. I'm annoyed that the designers didn't put a little more thought into the opening on the slide guard. If they had made it a smidge bigger, it would have been able to handle the issue I mentioned about about the seat belts. The great thing about the slide guard is it ensures that the lap belt does not ride up on your child's abdomen, which could cause severe internal injuries in a car crash. I'm actually surprised that it has taken this many years for any of the car seat manufacturers to come out with something like this for the booster seats. I like the added safety feature, but I wish it had a wider opening. The arm rests and the slide guard openings are the reasons why I only gave this seat 4 stars. Adjustable arm rests that are a bit longer, and a more thoughtfully designed slide guard would have easily made this a 5 star booster seat.

Thank God for Britax. I will try to make this short and sweet. 1 week ago yesterday, my family of 5 and another child who was with us were hit while traveling between 45-50 miles per hour by someone speeding through a stop sign. The accident was so quick we did not even have time to hit the brakes. Most of the initial impact and roll impact was the worst on the passenger side. The side where my son was...in his Britax booster. My car FLIPPED, as in up in the air and came crashing down on the roof at least once, maybe twice...then continued to roll a little less violently, but still violent none the less. All together we flipped and rolled 4 TO 5 TIMES, landing finally on the roof for the final roll, then slid down the road on the roof. Once we came to a stop, my car was 50 or more yards from the initial impact, facing the wrong direction, and in a different lane. To say my car is totaled is an under statement. It looks as though it just came out of a junk yard car crushing machine...not a window remains, not a light remains, half of the mechanical components under the hood are gone, the roof is 1/2 the height it used to be...its one of those wrecks you pass on the road and feel sick to your stomach thinking, "Oh dear God, someone died tonight."

Hearing my son yelling for help I slid on my back to him (remember, the roof is now the floor and there was no getting out through a door, mine was totally crushed) I found my son hanging upside down...SECURELY STILL BUCKLED INTO HIS BRITAX. He had not budged an INCH. I unbuckled him and he and the booster fell down on my chest. Smelling smoke, I shoved him out his glassless window. Once we were all out...after an accident that most people would never walk away from...I found my son did not have even as much as a scratch on him. He had only been yelling for help because the weight of his body and booster on the buckle did not allow him to unbuckle himself and was effectively "stuck" upside down firmly attached to the seat...which means everything functioned exactly as it was supposed to function. The rest of us have some injuries...he does not even have a bruise. Thanks to my car and the Britax, we are all alive though...and even the paramedics and police were surprised about that.

Most people only look at how easy boosters are to get in and out of etc. Take my experience as you will, but for our family...the proof is in the pudding and their is no convenience factor in the world that would ever make me change brands. I just ordered our new Britax yesterday.

I'm a certified child passenger safety technician so when I had the chance to try the new Britax Parkway Slide Guard, I was thrilled. I know child restraints inside and out.

Britax has been talking for over a year about this seat and how it will fit children up to 120 lbs and how it will have the slide guard mechanism. In a crash, forward facing occupants do what is called submarining. This is when the hips slide forward in a crash causing the lap belt to ride up over the lower abdomen. The slide guard mechanism is intended to eliminate that, thereby reducing internal injuries in children. Thankfully, I wasn't in a crash with the seat so I can't rate that, but knowing Britax and their extensive testing, it probably does a very good job.

One of the selling points of the Parkway Slide Guard was that it was more narrow and would make fitting three across a back seat easier. I just happen to have one of the old Parkways to compare it to, and the two seats are identical widths. So, I don't see how this seat can fit three across any better than the old Parkway.

I had my daughter try out the seat for comfort and fit. She is almost 10, but is small for her age (57 lbs 51 inches). She fit well in the seat, but her first comment was, "This is uncomfortable." The webbing that holds the slide guard mechanism comes out of the seat in an inverted "V" shape. This causes the webbing to press into the inner thighs of the child. My very thin child complained about this. I would imagine it would be worse for a heavier child who had larger thighs.

There are some good things about the seat. Once adjusted to the correct length, the slide guard mechanism was very easy to position on the seatbelt correctly. It is also a very nicely padded seat. Britax has never before had a booster that converts to a backless booster so this is a nice change there. Also, the seat is taller than the older Parkways which is a definite bonus. In the old Parkway, my daughter is four notches from the bottom. On the Parkway Slide Guard, she is two notches and would have years of growth room.

All said and done, it is an okay booster, but certainly not what I expected after all the hype over the past year. If Britax would modify the webbing on the slide guard mechanism, that would be a huge benefit.

Added 5/13/2010
Britax has now said that you can remove the slide guard from this seat and use it as a standard booster. If that had been an option when I did my original review, I would have given it a better rating so it is important to note. The slide guard is still recommended, just not required.

SUMMARY: Very nice product. Anti submarining clip makes the seat safer though less convenient and comfortable. Safer, but hard to say if most people will prefer it over the much less expensive Graco Turbo Booster.


REVIEW:
The Britax Parkway SG is very similar in design, form and function to the Graco turbo boosters from the adjustable back to the slide out cupholders on each side. We have three of the Graco boosters and have been very happy with them. With three kids and two cars and work experience in automotive safety, we're very much on top of the car seats.

One notable difference is the "Slide Guard" (Britax's name for their "Anti-Submarine Clip." This is a heavy buckle which attaches to the lap belt in between the child's legs, basically making a 3 point harness into a 5 point harness and prevents the child from sliding under their lap belt in a severe accident, or "Submarining"

While this clip eliminates the possiblity of submarining and reduces the likelyhood the child is out of position during an accident, it reduces comfort and conveneince. Our 3 year old can buckle herself in with the Graco, with the Britax, we have to assist her to get the slide guard buckle correctly positioned. We hope she will learn to do this herself soon.

How necessary is this? A quick search seems to indicate that submarining in a booster does not appear to be a mahor issue IF the occupant is properly seated and IF the booster is properly installed. That said, the fact that this prevents squirmy kids from getting out of the proper seating position, I'd have to say that it represents a worthwhile upgrade in safety.

Britax advertises "True Side impact protection" I have to assume that Britax used some more stringent test to make this claim, but have to discount it since they don't indicate what requirement they meet. Note: the Graco has energy absorbing foam in the headrest, the Britax does not.

LIKES: Nicer fabric, Sturdy, stays in one piece when transferring from one car to another, "Slide Guard" feature add safety. "True Side Impact Protection" assumed to provide additional protection over the Graco product.

DISLIKES: ~Twice the price, armrests are very short and not adjustable. Larger overall than Graco seat.

Full disclosure: I received this seat through the Amazon Vine program.

If you've found this review helpful, please let me know!

Britax Parkway Slide Guard is a recent (as of Sept 09) replacement for the old Britax Parkway Booster. While a new design it roughly about the same size as the old Parkway Booster, sitting just an inch or two taller. In most ways it is a normal booster: it elevates the child so that your car's lap and shoulder belt fit correctly. Like most high end boosters it includes energy absorbing foam and the design helps stabilize the head and spine during a collision reducing the chance of injury. Where it differs from the old Parkway and the competition is the "Slide Guard" - a clip that sits between the legs that turns your standard three-point seatbelt into a four-point seatbelt. Your regular lap belt just threads into the clip (something you or your child must do each time they buckle up). The point is to keep children from sliding under the lap belt in a crash (this happens a lot and can result in abdominal injuries). This is a feature you won't find in the top rated (by Consumer Reports) Graco Turbobooster or the Recaro Start and to me it is the main selling point (CR doesn't have a review for the Britax yet). It has a downside in that it's slightly more complicated than a normal seatbelt. Older children won't have trouble with this but younger children will need some help.

I love it: I had no trouble with installing it, or getting my son strapped in. He's not quite old enough to be trusted with getting it on correctly so it takes a little more time to get him in his seat properly. If you've got a lot of kids to get into car seats this could be a deal breaker for you. If you have a smaller child or one who slouches down in their seat, the additional harness connect could be a life saver.

Here are the basic specs:
*Weight range: 40 120-pounds
*Height range: 38"-63"
*Armrests (note that they are fixed in place and can't be adjusted)
*Headrest helps support the head and neck during a crach
*Narrow Footprint allows for 3-across seating in some cars
*Removable back converts to a backless booster
*Cup Holders on each side
*Color-Coded Vehicle Belt Guides indicate the path and positioning of the vehicle seat belt
*High Density Comfort Foam provides an extra layer of padding to gently cushion the child
*Energy-Absorbing Foam Liner (EPS) absorbs and distributes crash forces

You can get this information and see videos on the Britax web site. I'd suggest doing that before you buy since this isn't quite your typical design.

I have always and will cont. to be a Britax fan!! I have three children (5 yr. old and two 4 yr. olds)--all 3 have used Britax carseats since BIRTH!-- I ordered the Parkway SG and was very excited upon its arrival. (No more having to harness buckle x3 excited me). Once unpacked I was a little upset that this version of the Parkway does NOT have the latch system. I was upset b/c when I ordered the booster I had watched the video of said booster and LOVED the fact it had the LATCH system in place. My purpose of this review is to advise others that there are 2 diffrent styles of the Britax Parkway---the SG and the SGL. The SGL having the LATCH system. I have returned my Parkway SG and am awaiting my SGL now. This is the ONLY diffrence b/w the two styles. Both have the safety feature of preventing the child from sliding under the lap belt (slide guard). The quality of the seat itself was just as expected--SUPURB!! I love Britax--just feel they should advertise in some way--maybe larger print-- that there are 2 diffrent styles of the Parkway--the video I watched while viewing the standard SG version (w/out LATCH) was misleading to a consumer being it talked about the LATCH system being in place. W/out the LATCH system the booster is free to move about the car when not in use. Therefore putting driver and any other passenger in harms way of 'flying booster' in an accident. Also, I personally feel that the booster would slide/move around even when in use causing it to be less safe. I just wanted to share my exp. in hopes that you are advised of the 2 diffrent styles. Britax Parkway SG--no LATCH system ~ Britax Parkway SGL--LATCH system. Best wishes.

Overall a great booster. I'm professional firefighter/paramedic and have unfortunately seen more than my share of car accidents with children in the car. There are other seats out there, but none in my opinion are as safe as the Britax or maybe Sunshine Kids seats. My kids love this new Parkway because its comfortable. I like it because it's safe and it's Made in USA.

Why a parent would put the most valuable thing in their life (their children) in a cheep Chinese car seat that makes the C- government standard instead of the A+ standard (Britax) in beyond me. Most seats out there meet the "minimum standard", but "minimum" and "safety" just don't go together in my opinion. Spend the few extra bucks for real safety for your kids. I do, and I sleep better for it.

First let me saying being the mom of four, I have car seats in all shapes and sizes...they have replaced shoes and purses in my house and wallet. With that being said, I was happy to try out this new and supposedly improved Parkway booster seat, especially since I own the previous model. At first glace, the seats look very similar. Of course the newer Parkway is sleeker and looks to have more foam.

The first difference I noticed was the slide guard. When I read about it, I thought this idea was ingenious. However, when I put the seat in action and my daughters had to use the slide guard, it was not as seamless as I would have liked. I like the older version of the Parkway because my daughters can strap themselves in without any problems. The slide guard was a bit of a learning curve for them-especially when my 6 year old tried it, and depending on your vehicle, the seat belts don't always work all that great with it. The other problem I noticed was my daughters complained about the thing between their legs rubbing on their thighs. It's still pretty warm here so with shorts it's not that great, but my girls wear a lot of dresses too and doing church and trying to fasten that thing is not all that cool. doing a crotch strap on a toddler is one thing, but on a 6 and 8 year old it's another.

The seat seems to be the same size as the previous Parkway model...I mean I have them side by side and they are definitely the same width, the new Parkway is taller. I love the fact that this Parkway model can become a backless booster as well.

I have to agree with other reviewers that I cannot see how this seat can sit three across the back of a car AND still be able to fit your hand between them to fasten the actual seat belt. The arm rests are too small and the cup holders are alright...not too impressed with those either.

All in all, it's a great seat, but I am not totally convinced that this seat other than the fact that the base detaches to be a backless booster is much better than the original Parkway. Plus, I like the idea of the slide guard in theory, but in real life practice I am not sure it performs all that great.

We have always bought Britax car seats due to their safety ratings and comfort. Both of our kids have had no problems sleeping for hours in Britax seats and this one is no different. We were about to buy the Graco version, but at the last minute found this one online. Two key features for us were the catch that prevents "submarining" (the child going under the lap belt in an accident) and the way the removable top section attaches to the bottom. It attaches much more securely than the Graco. After about 3 months of use, this has been a fantastic seat for our 4 year old.

My daughter and I were really excited to get this booster seat. Unfortunately, when we arrived and put it in our Honda Pilot, we discovered that, when buckled, the seat belt buckle was at a dangerous position - too high up next to the seat and right in between the booster seat's armrest and bottom part of the seat. If I hadn't read the instructions very carefully, we wouldn't have known that this is NOT acceptable.

It is no fault of Britax, but unfortunately we can't use this seat in our car. It is extremely disappointing, as we have always had Britax car seats and this seat felt very sturdy and comfortable.