Britax Regent

[mmcphee]

We purchased a Britax Regent in Sahara when out 4 year old started to outgrow her Britax Marathon due to harness height. The Regent is a forward facing youth seat with a 5-point harness for children 22-80 lbs and up to 53� or until the top of the child’s ears are above the top of the restraint or when the child’s shoulders are over the top harness slot, whichever comes first.

Installation was reasonably straightforward for both LATCH and using the car seat belts. But because the seat is so wide it can be difficult to install properly; it does make it easier to have some help. The harness straps twist easily, they are much thinner than on our Marathon. For the $225 I paid for the seat I don’t expect to have to untangle the straps on a regular basis.

The Britax Regent is an OK seat, but I am definitely not in love with it. I am glad that there is a seat to keep my tall 4 year old in a 5-point harness a little longer.

You can read my <a href="http://www.epinions.com/content_227031486084">full review</a> of the Britax Regent at Epinions.com.

[inezyv]

We have two Regents. My daughters love them and say they are very comfortable. However, I do agree that the straps twisting is much worse on the Regent than for the Marathons (worse than the Roundabout, too). I don't understand why they don't use the same material on the Regent.

These are a much better choice than using a booster for my two and four year old daughters.

[jenny03]

I will agree on some points, such as the twisty straps and needing a second person to help with installation. However, I will take that over putting a wiggly kid in a booster any day. I've found that if you limit the amount of loosening/tightening the harness, it doesn't twist much. I only loosen the straps just enough to make room for a thicker shirt/pants, and the straps will fold over once, but I can tell because the HUGS are then backwards. And I buckle my daughter in--I could see how kids could twist them badly.

Also, our buckle tongues lock in place one at a time, but you don't hear the audible click until the second one is in place. I just have to push a little harder to get it to stay.

Overall, we like ours and even if she outgrows it by height first (I'm sure she will) it was worth the $$ to me to keep her in a solid harnessed seat.

[Jeanum]

After using the Regent for nearly a month for my oldest, I'm very pleased so far. I agree the Regent straps aren't quite as thick as the Marathon/Boulevard straps, plus there's so much more strap length to work with on the Regent, adding to the potential for twisting. DD doesn't buckle or unbuckle herself yet either. Call me anal, but I prefer to use the elastic strap holders on each side of the Regent to keep the straps off to the sides and decrease the odds of them becoming twisted. I always use the velcro on the Marathon and Boulevard for this purpose, too.

[mmcphee]

Originally Posted by jenny03

And I buckle my daughter in--I could see how kids could twist them badly.

At almost 5 my daughter wants nothing to do with being buckled in, she wants to do it herself, like most older kids. Of all of the Britax seats I think the Regent is the one that needs non twisting straps the most, and it doesn't!

[jenny03]

That's understandable. I do wish they were non-twist, because my 4.5 yo daughter now wants to buckle herself. I have been letting her do the chest clip after I do the buckle.

[kufnat]

my son (43 iches,44.5 lbs, 5 yo) is very comfy in his regent, except his head does fall forward some when he falls asleep. He has never complained about being in the 5pt harness, I guess cause its all he has been in and he is used to it.
I haven't had a problem with the straps getting twisted, but he doesn't buckle himself, I still do that. I wish it had deep wings, but other than that I am very pleased with my huge seat.

[Amaris]

I really like our Regent. It was the only option for our 5.5 year old who is 48.5 inches tall and not really mature enough for a booster. With this seat he will be in a 5 point harness for at least 2 more years. I will take twisty straps for the safety of that any day!

[granolamama]

Another vote for the Regent. It is a solid, comfortable seat with LOTS of growing room. Even my almost 10yo could fit in it, and has asked if she could when her younger sisters aren't in the car. It has nice deep sides. My kids love the plush covers (Blue Bouquet & Classic are what we have), and find the seats comfortable to rest their heads on when they are tired. I haven't had any problems with installation in a 2005 Honda Odyssey. I've also installed it in a 1992 Dodge Dakota, though it doesn't yet have a tether anchor and needs a locking clip. I don't have any more problems with straps twisting than with any other carseat I've owned. (This is my first Britax, though.) Overall, I would give this seat a big thumbs up.

-Helen

[scatterbunny]

My daughter used a Husky (same as Regent, just an older version, the only changes they made, to my knowledge, is the name, the cover choices and the tether placement) from the age of 2 years, 9 months to 4 years, 3 months and she could buckle herself and unbuckle herself without trouble from the age of 3.5. We never once had a twisting strap issue. We also don't loosen/tighten frequently since she wears the same thin coat in the car all the time, or else no coat at all.

Wonder if Britax changed the straps for the Regent, or if some people just have different buckling techniques?

[lynsgirl]

I obviously don't know for sure if they changed the straps, but I can tell you that I have a March05 Husky with tan straps and an April06 Regent with tan straps and they are no different in how they feel, look or function. Could there be slight differences I don't know about? Sure, but I don't think so. I had an April05 Husky with gray straps (my friend has it now) and it wasn't any different either. Before I had the Huskies, I had an 01 Super Elite with a black harness, also not any different feeling, but again, I obviously don't know for sure . I'm only mentioning the harness colors because I've seen elsewhere where some people think certain colors are a different texture or thickness and that has not been my experience.

Amy
CPST and Mom to 4 great kids, all in seats

[nursekori]

One more vote for the Regent. Although the straps do get a little "twisty" sometimes, and it was a little tricky to install, I have to say the positives of this seat by *FAR* outweigh the negatives IMHO. DD says she likes her seat and it is more "comfy" than her old seat. She also feels like a big girl in it. Everytime we get in, she says, "Now, Mommy, this is *my* seat, and yours is up there (pointing to the front seat)...and don't forget to "buggle" you seatbelt!" She is so funny!

[rubelin]

The straps on the Regent are definitely different than the straps on the Husky. We have a Loden Husky and a Sahara Regent and the straps are nothing alike. We haven't had too many problems with the Regent straps but I am still buckling in DS2. I am hoping that the new run of Regents will have the old Husky straps again.