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Average Customer Review
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The most helpful favorable review
The most helpful critical review
111 of 118 people found the following review helpful:
Read the manual!!!
I just purchased the Frontier and installed it in my car. This is my 5th Britax car seat, I have had 3 Marathons and one Parkway. I notice several people complain about ease of install on the Frontier, and I have one thing to say. READ THE MANUAL!!! I skimmed the manual when I got it, figuring that LATCH installation would be similar to all the other Britax seats I have...
Published 19 months ago by Noel G. Rooks
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80 of 95 people found the following review helpful:
Odyssey Drivers, Beware
I am the mother of an almost 3 1/2 year old who is very tall for her age and has outgrown her harness carseat. I was reluctant to put her in a booster, as harness seats seem so much safer and more secure. Having only heard great things about Britax car seats, I decided to make the hefty investment and try the Frontier so that she could be harnessed for several more years...
Published 17 months ago by S. Bowman
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111 of 118 people found the following review helpful:
Read the manual!!!, February 1, 2009
I just purchased the Frontier and installed it in my car. This is my 5th Britax car seat, I have had 3 Marathons and one Parkway. I notice several people complain about ease of install on the Frontier, and I have one thing to say. READ THE MANUAL!!! I skimmed the manual when I got it, figuring that LATCH installation would be similar to all the other Britax seats I have had. After strugging with it for a while, I went back to the manual and discovered - it isn't. The LATCH buckles are recessed into the body of the seat, which makes it impossible to tighten the conventional way one tightens a Marathon or a Roundabout. You must reach BEHIND the seat pad and pull the LATCH tethers tight that way. Perfect, Britax quality solid installation. It is illustrated that way in the manual, and had I read it thoroughly I would have had this seat in in less than 5 minutes. So, shame on me. Second, in harness mode, you MUST flip the bottom of the seat from booster mode to harness mode. This is also in the manual. Lastly, people have complained that the straps twist - the manual addresses this too. Instead of the strap velcro that the Marathon had, Britax suggests you use the armrests to hold the straps back out of the way. Viola! No twisting.
All in all, I think this is a great seat and another example of quality Britax engineering. I can foresee that Britax might have issues with people not being able to install this seat properly, though, because people don't READ THE MANUAL!!! Can I again suggest to read the manual? I gave this seat 4 stars instead of 5 only because I wish it came in more colors and patterns - I loved my Cowmooflage seats, and am not impressed with the color and pattern selection available here. This is the last car seat I will buy, it will take my son all the way through until he can ride like an adult.
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
Clarification on the "recall" and my review of Frontier, January 2, 2009
First -- the recall. It is not really a recall where the entire seat is faulty and being sent back to the manufacturer. Instead, Britax says that if you pull out one strap and not the other and do this frequently, the straps may come off. I would think you would notice this but all parents hurry sometimes and may not! So you send in your product information and Britax is sending out a new piece which will prevent this problem before it happens. So to me, this does not negate the safety or performance of the seat.
My son is almost 4 and he loves this seat. It is a little trickier to use then his last seat, which was a Britax Roundabout, however, I think this is largely just because after almost 3 years of the Roundabout, we know how to use it so easily. My complaints would be that the bottom strap seems to be set in too far -- I have to retrieve it from under my son every time in order to buckle it. At first I felt the straps got twisted too easily, but this must have been "user error" as it ceased to happen after the first couple of weeks.
My son finds the seat comfortable. His only complaint is that he cannot see out the window as well because of the very large head side guards. He loves the TWO cupholders although actually in my car, the cupholder nearest the door cannot be used as there is no space to pull it out -- it hits the door.
The seat is good looking which, while it may seem silly, is important to us. Why? Because I want my son to use this seat for the next 4 or more years and if he thinks it is "red like a race car", then that makes my life easier!
The main reason I purchased this seat was that you can use it with the harness up to 80 pounds. HOWEVER -- the Safeguard Go hybrid booster is up to 60 pounds and is much less expensive and my son may be outside the height limits for the booster before 80 pounds. The problem I had with the Safeguard is it required a LATCH tether and my car does not have a tether.
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80 of 95 people found the following review helpful:
Odyssey Drivers, Beware, March 25, 2009
I am the mother of an almost 3 1/2 year old who is very tall for her age and has outgrown her harness carseat. I was reluctant to put her in a booster, as harness seats seem so much safer and more secure. Having only heard great things about Britax car seats, I decided to make the hefty investment and try the Frontier so that she could be harnessed for several more years. The seat appears well built and sturdy, but as the driver of a 2009 Honda Odyssey, I have had to return the Frontier. After several attempts to install the seat using both the short and long belt path installation instructions, I could not obtain a secure fit in the second row seat. (FYI -- for children over 40 pounds using the harness, installation must be with the seat belt, not LATCH) I finally called Britax to find out if others have encountered trouble with installations in Odysseys. They stated that the Frontier was tested in the Odyssey, but that a secure fit was only obtained in the third row. As the parent of only one child, it is highly impractical to banish her to the third row and to climb back there myself to adjust her harness. So, I returned the seat and my daughter has been happily and securely riding in a high-back booster for the past few days. For those contemplating a Frontier, I recommend that you try before you buy, or at least ensure that the seat you purchase can be returned if it does not fit your vehicle.
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22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
A very expensive regret!!, September 17, 2009
I write this review with over a year of experience owning and using the Frontier. I cannot tell you how much my husband and I hate this seat! First, let me say that I was a Britax fan. I had the Marathon previously and was in love with it. I never considered buying anything else after that. When baby #2 came along, I decided to get the Frontier for my growing son so that his sister could move into the Marathon.
The ONE positive thing I can say is that it looks good. My son used to call it his "race car seat". That is literally the only thing I like about it.
CONS:
*Installation - As everyone says, installation is truly awful. Sure it CAN be installed correctly. But it takes an act of congress. But that is not even the point of why this irritates consumers. The point is that Britax was the first seat ever that was a breeze to install. It took all the guesswork out of safe installation of car seats. Not only was that a huge factor in buying another Britax, but also it just seemed a given that every Britax would have this feature. Not so. I literally do not move this seat.....ever. It is just too hard to install. (I have never had problems installing any car seats, and yet this one continues to be impossible for me to get in right!!) As a side note, if you need the ability to switch it between cars, do NOT buy the frontier! I used to take my Marathon in and out all the time. Sometimes even moving it to a friend's car for a shopping trip. No way you can do that with this seat.
*Cleaning - I literally just cleaned the cover of this seat for the first time (in a year +). My son spilled his ice cream sundae (cherry of course!) and it was absolutely necessary to take it apart and clean it. (This whole time, I honestly thought that you could not take off the cover at all.) My husband who is extremely mechanically inclined took the cover off and put it back on again. It took him several hours over 2 days. He told me as he was finishing up that I would not have been able to figure it out. (I'm the one who regularly cleans the other seat, btw.) When doing this I also realized another con. It is very bulky, awkward to carry, and heavy.
*Functionality - This is by far the deal breaker. The straps are literally not adjustable once the seat is installed correctly. Do you ever have to tighten or loosen the harness depending on your child's clothing, for example? Not possible with this seat! I've used all my strength and not been able to budge them. To me, that is not even safe! There have been times when my son has had to ride with the harness uncomfortably tight, until we could get it home and take it out to adjust the straps. Unbelievable!
Bottom line. There are reasons that we all spend the excessive amount of money on Britax seats. The Frontier, unfortunately, is missing ALL of these things! It makes me angry that I was duped into spending the money on this ridiculous seat! At least once a week you will hear my husband or myself mutter under our breath, "I hate this seat." Seriously. Britax got it so wrong with this one! The price tag was worth swallowing when you knew you were not only getting unsurpassed safety, but also a ton of truly luxurious features. Now, the luxury is GONE, and I'm not at all confident about the safety either.
This car seat ranks as my biggest and most expensive regret/mistake!!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Love the seat!, May 10, 2009
As the owner of a Roundabout, Marathon & Regent, there was no question as to what manufacturer I was going with when faced with replacing the Roundabout for my youngest (age 2). I admit that I was skeptical after having read mixed reviews on ease of installation, but while at Target today, there was one on clearance (someone must have ordered it from Target.com & then returned it b/c Target does not carry this in their stores) & I paid $20 less than the current promotion of $229 -- even w/ 8.7% tax factored in. My intentions were to just try it out & then return it. Much to my delight, I LOVE the seat & am keeping it!
Pros:
1) Installation: Yes, it is a tiny bit trickier to install compared to the Roundabout & Marathon, but like one reviewer said, make sure you read the owner's manual. In order to get a tight fit, you MUST pull the LATCH straps THROUGH the holes of the seat rather than from the outside of the seat. And honestly, compared to the Regent, this seat is a piece of cake to install (I own a 2008 Honda Pilot & have to use the long route method w/ the Regent). I'm sure that the next time I have to install this seat, it will become second nature & take no time at all. As it is, it only took about 2 minutes for me install to my satisfaction (I will still have it inspected at the fire dept. for peace of mind).
2) Sturdiness - The thing is solid, just like all Britax seats.
3) Size - It's smaller than the Regent yet offers the same weight limit on the 5-point harness, which is very important to me. Will my child reach the height limit sooner than 80 lbs? Probably, but I'm not concerned about it. I know that it will still keep her harnessed longer than a lot of other seats. Plus, I have the Regent (still have 5 years before it expires) that I can move her into & my oldest into the Frontier booster if need be.
4) Expiration: 9 years instead of 6 years.
5) Head rests: The Regent is very big & my oldest daughter will sometimes try to fall asleep in the car but can't quite get there b/c she doesn't have enough head support. The Frontier head rests are very supportive & I'm certain that my 2 year old will have many restful naps while in it.
Cons:
- Fabric. I imagine the mesh fabric will snag & possibly tear at some point. My engagement ring has already almost snagged it, so I will be mindful of that.
- Can't think of any other cons!
As for the twisting of the straps, which a lot of people have commented on: I have no complaints. Again, as the owner of a Regent, I'm used to dealing w/ it, I suppose (though it did take me some time to get to that point). I actually find that the straps on the Frontier twist less than the straps on the Regent. I just hang the straps around the armrests (basically put the armrests through the straps) & that keeps them out of the way.
Bottom line: this is a great seat & is one of the best impulse purchases that I've made in a long time. :)
(And sorry for the many comparisons to the Regent, but perhaps it will help someone who is considering both seats make a decision.)
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Not thrilled - great customer service though, March 19, 2009
I am a loyal Britax customer, and this is my 5th Britax. I bought this to harness my kids for longer. I have an XC90 and it was horrible to install. I read the manual thoroughly, I was one of the first to buy this seat receiving it on the day of launch. At that point there was no reverse belt pathway in the manual. Britax scrambled to find a way to install it and they walked me through installation on the phone (customer service is first class), my daughter is too heavy for latch (40 pounds in the XC90) so we had to put the frontier in with a reverse belt pathway, and it was a pig, but it is in rock solid. I could not put this in another car alone (say if my car was being serviced). It also does not work at all in booster mode, when you flip the underneath block it hangs too far over the seat putting her legs too close to the front seats. It is just not a good fit. I have used the frontier for a year now and just bought a monterey booster for her. We have one for my 7 year old and love it. I also loathe the twisting straps in the Britax which are thinner than any other britax straps I have come across. In the go go car line there really isn't time for me to jump out of the car and hook the straps under the arm rests so that they don't twist. I am not surprised that there were problems with the yokes as the yoke on the frontier looks the same as those on my other Britaxes yet the straps are significantly thinner. This is a wonderful car seat if it fits in your car, make sure to check it fits with latch, then the seat belt for when your child reaches 40 pounds (this limit varies with different car manufacturers so check) then make sure it fits with latch in booster mode. The frontier is extremely car specific.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
New Seat Cover FREE UNDER WARRANTY, May 11, 2009
I have had the Frontier for one year now - I purchased it right after it was released - and the mesh section (center) of the seat cover is terribly snagged and pilled up (velcro kid shoes will do that to mesh!)
On 5/11/09, Britax replaced my Rushmore seat cover FOR FREE with just one phone call to Customer Service - it had to be registered AND show a specific purchase date.
SO...if you already own a Frontier with a mesh seat cover AND you registered it, CALL AND GET A FREE NEW ONE. DO NOT BUY an $80.00 new one from Britax's website. If you are about to purchase one, do two things: (1) consider the Sahara cover, which is NOT mesh (although quite ugly, in my opinion - unless your car interior is also tan) AND (2) register it right away!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Great Seat... *but*, January 28, 2010
I must say, I'm a Britax loyalist... Ever since I purchased my first child's car seat (a Companion) there has been no other option. I moved from the five-star (my opinion) Companion to the equally high-rated Boulevard, which he has used since he was around 8 months old (rear-facing first, then forward-facing). I could not say enough about either of those two models... They were super simple to install, easy-breezy to change harness heights and when you installed them... they LOCKED IN. I mean, I couldn't move the darn thing .1", nevermind a full inch. I put both previous car seats in a Honda Civic (EX and LX), Nissan Maxima and my Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen with nary an install issue (not to mention the various grandparent's cars).
I'm saying this to illustrate that I'm a) a Britax veteran and b) a car-seat install veteran.
The Britax Frontier is, in my opinion, not as good as the previous Britax car seats I've used. It's still awesome and it wouldn't prevent me from recommending it to people, but it's just not as good as the previous seats I've used.
Here's why:
*Harness height adjuster -- It's very, very easy to use as there is no re-threading of the straps required... HOWEVER, it must be done when the car seat is not installed in the car as the strap adjuster is behind the seat. This means that every time you need to bump the harness height up a little bit you must uninstall the car seat. This wouldn't be a problem if it installed as easily as my Boulevard... but it doesn't... I don't think I ever, ever want to reinstall this monster.
*Speaking of installation... yeah... I watched the videos and read the manual thoroughly. Let me say this: UNLESS YOU HAVE LOCKING SEAT BELTS, YOU CANNOT USE THIS CAR SEAT WITHOUT A SEPARATELY-PURCHASED CAR SEAT CLIP. The recommendation was to use the short-path method of install, so I did... the problem is that the recline-block bar (that you have to maneuver to the front to install in harness mode) made the seat almost impossible to install without another person holding the seat in place at all times because my seats are higher in the front and the bar adds to that height. Finally, with the aid of my husband pulling as hard as he could on the straps (combined with me pushing on the seat as hard as I could), we got the seat within the 1" movement requirement. Let me say, it took a good 30 minutes to get this bad boy in... and I'm still not satisfied with the fit. I might uninstall it and try the long-path method tonight, even though it only moves around .5"... I just don't feel it's as good a fit as my Boulevard.
*The Versa-Tether... My Boulevard has a push-button lock on the versa-tether that locks it. I like that much better than the flip-up/down locking mechanism on this versa-tether. It just seems safer and better quality.
Let me be honest -- this is still a four-star car seat. It's comfortable, has a ton of safety features and looks cool (especially in the Rushmore color scheme... almost like a race car seat). It installs better than other companies car seats I've seen in friend's cars (Graco, especially) and the install was still pretty easy when not compared to other Britax car seats. It fits perfectly in my Sportwagen's back seat -- even to the point where I can put the middle cupholder console down (so we don't have to use the built-in cupholders in the Britax).
I purchased this because we're having another baby and I will, eventually, need the Boulevard for her *and* my husband and I started alternating taking my son to preschool and picking him up, so we needed two seats in our two cars. The Frontier was an excellent choice (instead of a second Boulevard, which he will outgrow must faster than this one) as it converts to the booster when he's ready (he's got the height, it's the weight we're waiting for) and it's still a safe Britax option. If I hadn't been forced to get another car seat, would I have purchased the Frontier anyway?
Probably not. I would have kept the Boulevard (which can go through 49" and 65 lb) until my son outgrew it (another year or two) and then purchased the Britax Parkway Booster as the price on the Frontier is a little much to justify booster-only use.
Would I still recommend this car seat? Yes. The Britax name is synonymous with safety and this car seat has it all -- the TSIP, HUGS, EPS foam, etc. I might gripe about the install but it's no worse than other seats from Graco or Costco that I've grappled with. Heck, I might gripe about the differences between the Boulevard and this seat but that doesn't mean it's a poor choice... it's just not as world-class as the Boulevard. If your child is outgrowing the front/rear combo seats (like in the Roundabout) and you don't really want them in a booster quite yet, the Frontier is DEFINITELY the car seat for you.
Just read the manual first.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Very disappointed, February 14, 2009
We have own two Britaxes before, the Frontier is a HUGE DIASPPONTMENT!
1) The fabric is so cheap! After about a few months, the fabric actually curled up in the front from normal wearing. This hasn't happened to other Britaxes, Marathon and Roundabout after 4 years!
2) The fastener are always twisted! It's quite frustrating to deal with these while trying to buckling down a 4-yr old.
3) It's much more difficult to install it to have has it satisfyingly fastened to the car seats. This could be due to the high weight it has to accommodate.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
tricky installation, February 2, 2009
Britax Frontier Booster Car Seat Rushmore
This carseat is very comfortable for my 3 1/2 yr old. We've always used britax and I do prefer the old model that they've discontinued now to this one. This model is VERY wide and goes over the seat in a couple of places. I drive a volvo xc90 and for us this carseat makes using the middle seat with a booster impossible. The other thing to know about this seat is that it is very difficult to get really tight. You can use the latch and the seat feels okay - but not nearly as tight as the other britax carseats we've used. Overall still a good purchase, but there may be better and less expensive options out there - wouldn't buy it twice.
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