The Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat is a convertible car seat that lasts your child through their rear-facing years and into their time riding front-facing in the car.
In this detailed review, we will identify the safety features, identify expiration dates, warranty, proper installation and of course discuss user reviews.
What We Liked
It features their proprietary patented ClickTight technology, allowing you to use the existing seatbelt in your car to easily install the car seat. In just a few simple steps, your seat will be safely installed and you will be on your way.
In addition to easy installation, the Britax Boulevard has an ample amount of safety features. Extra layers of side impact protection, 14-point safety harness and an impact-absorbing base all add to the safety of this car seat.
With great customer reviews on multiple sites, the Britax Boulevard could be the perfect fit for you and your growing family.
Top Features
Side Impact Protection
Safety features are at the top of the list for the Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat. Two layers of side impact protection envelope your child in safety. The first layer is the foam-lined headrest. It is positioned on top of the second layer, which is the energy-absorbing shell. Both layers work together to provide stellar protection during a collision.
Energy-Absorbing Base
Another important safety feature of the Britax Boulevard is the impact-absorbing base. The base is designed to compress during a collision to reduce the force put on the car seat. This feature expertly diverts energy away from your child. Add the optional anti-rebound bar for even more stabilization while rear-facing.
Combine this with the sturdy steel frame and you have a base that keeps your precious cargo as safe as possible.
14-Point Harness
The harness of the Britax Boulevard is another feature that stands out above the rest. As your child grows, the quick-adjust harness can be easily changed to fit your child’s height without having to re-thread the seatbelt through the seat.
It has 14 adjustment positions, and the buckle has two adjustment positions, to make sure your child is both safe and comfortable as they grow. Also, no more pulling straps out from behind a squirming child. Britax has also made it so that the buckles and straps stay out of your way when placing your child in the seat.
Auto Level Indicators
This seat also includes auto-level indicators. This feature adds to the easy installation of the ClickTight system. The auto-level indicators allow you to see that your car seat is installed at the proper angle for your specific vehicle. Also, the seven reclining positions help to achieve the perfect installation angle, even when transferring between different cars.
Britax Boulevard ClickTight Feature
The ClickTight Installation System of the Britax Boulevard is one of its shining features. Users rave about how easy this seat is to install, and how they never have to worry about the seat being installed correctly.
Buckle In 3 Easy Steps
Britax boasts three simple and easy steps to follow for the ClickTight system.
open the front of the car seat.
Next thread the seatbelt through the clearly marked path on the car seat base and click it into place.
Last, close the seat and hear an audible click as it snaps into place, assuring you that your seat is installed correctly. That’s it! No struggle involved.
ClickTight Cool Flow
The Britax Boulevard comes in eight different color and pattern combinations to choose from. Of those options, two are “Cool Flow” fabrics: Cool Flow Grey and Cool Flow Teal. The Cool Flow fabric is made specifically to increase airflow to your child.
Ventilated Mesh
With the addition of safety features, like two layers of side impact protection, comes the potential for your child to be extremely warm in their seat. Ventilated mesh fabric is used in the Cool Flow colors to specifically improve airflow. This keeps your child calm and cool.
Cool Flow Fabric
No matter the temperature, your child will feel cooler and more comfortable than they would in a car seat with normal fabric. The Cool Flow fabric would be a good choice for families who live in places where warm weather is prevalent.
Britax Boulevard Expiration
The Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat has an expiration of 10 years from the date of purchase.
If it has been in a moderate or severe crash, it should be discarded as it could have been damaged and no longer is completely safe.
Warranty
This car seat also has a one year limited warranty on any manufacturing defects.
In order to utilize your warranty, you have to provide proof of purchase. Make sure you hold onto your receipt until the one year has passed, just in case.
Britax Boulevard Vs. Marathon
The Britax Boulevard and Britax Marathon are both convertible car seats that feature the ClickTight Installation System. These two seats actually have many features in common.
In addition to the ClickTight Installation System, both seats are equipped with the easy-adjust harness, side impact protection, steel frame, and impact-absorbing base.
Both car seats also are offered in a multitude of fabrics and patterns to fit the tastes of different families or to match the interior of your car.
The differences between the Britax Boulevard and Britax Marathon are not so obvious on first glance.
The Differences
While both seats have adequate side impact protection, the Boulevard has an extra protective layer than the Marathon. Also, the Boulevard is slightly roomier than the Marathon. The Boulevard has a full two more inches of room in the seat for your child than the Marathon does.
The price difference between the two seats is the last major difference. The Marathon is slightly cheaper than the Boulevard.
Britax Boulevard Vs. Advocate
Similar to the Marathon, the Boulevard and Advocate have many features in common. As their names suggest, both seats feature the incredibly popular ClickTight Installation System. The 14-point adjustable harness, multiple reclining positions, and auto-level indicatorsare all the same on both seats as well.
The Differences
There are a few differences between these seats that are quite significant. The first, is that the Advocate is equipped with one additional layer of side impact protection. This gives the Advocate a total of three layers of side impact protection for the ultimate safe ride.
While the harness still has 14 adjustments and positions, it has an added feature on the Advocate seat. The Advocate’s harness is equipped with a Click & Safe Snug Harness Indicator. This feature allows the user to hear a click when your child’s harness is in the appropriate position.
Britax Boulevard Installation: Rear Facing
The Britax Boulevard is a convertible car seat, which means that it can transition from rear-facing, to forward-facing as your child grows. Because of this feature, installing this car seat looks slightly different depending on which way you are facing the seat.
For Rear-Facing Installation, Follow The Steps Below For A Safe And Secure Installation.
The Positioning
The first step to install your Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat in a rear-facing position is to fully recline the seat using the adjustment button at the bottom of the seat.
Then, place it on whichever seat in your car you prefer, making sure that it is facing the rear of the car and that the base is in complete contact with the seat of your car.
Next, the harness needs to be loosened and the seat cover needs to be pulled forward to reveal the rear-facing belt path. Now you are ready to install your car seat!
Leveling & Installation
Once the seat is ready and in place, you will notice two blue “lock-off” levers. Open the blue lock-off that is closest to your vehicle’s buckle. Now, you are ready to thread the seatbelt. Thread your car’s seat belt through the opening that is labeled rear-facing, making sure that your seatbelt is flat and not twisted.
Once it is through the first opening, continue through the second opening and buckle the seatbelt securely in place. Push down on the seat and pull on the belt to remove any slack before closing the blue lock-off lever over the seatbelt. Your Britax Boulevard car seat is now installed!
Ensuring Correct Installation
Before using, make sure to wiggle the car seat to check your installation. It should not move more than one inch in any direction. If it does, go back and push down on the seat and pull on the seatbelt to tighten and remove as much slack as you can.
Once the seat is properly installed, you can put the seat cover and harness back in place and it is ready for action!
Forward-Facing Requirements
It is recommended that your child remains in a convertible car seat until they are at least four years old.
Because of this recommendation, the Britax Boulevard accommodates children from 5-40 pounds in the rear-facing position, and from 20-65 pounds in the forward-facing position. It is also suitable to use for children up to 49 inches tall. These height and weight parameters will last for at least four years for the majority of children.
In order to use the Britax Boulevard as a forward-facing seat, your child must be a minimum of 20 lbs. However, it is strongly recommended that your child ride in the rear-facing position until they reach the weight limit for the position.
The weight limit for Britax boulevard forward facing is 40 lbs.
Therefore, so your child should not ride forward-facing in the Britax Boulevard until they reach 40 lbs. Other than that, the Britax Boulevard just needs to be re-installed in a forward-facing direction when it is time to make the switch.
A Wise Purchase
Overall, the Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat is a wise purchase for a family that wishes to use one car seat from infancy and into childhood(booster seats).
While it may not be the most stylish car seat on the market, it has ample safety features, which are really what’s important anyway. These qualities, topped with easy installation, make the Britax Boulevard a popular choice among all types of families.