Question Any ideas about the Britax Frontier? - Canada

U

Unregistered

Guest
I know that this model is among the most expensive on the market, but is it really represent value for such money? I read a lot of reviews and concluded that it will be a universal unit. You can use this booster as the forward-facing seat when your baby is about 2 years old. And then, when your child is more than 90 pounds you can transform the car seat into a high-back booster seat and satisfy the needs of your "big kid". Maybe, you can propose smth cheaper? Share your experience, please ;)
 
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Mary_Ann

New member
I know that this model is among the most expensive on the market, but is it really represent value for such money? I read a lot of reviews and concluded that it will be a universal unit. You can use this booster as the forward-facing seat when your baby is about 2 years old. And then, when your child is more than 90 pounds you can transform the car seat into a high-back booster seat and satisfy the needs of your "big kid". Maybe, you can propose smth cheaper? Share your experience, please ;)


Hi and welcome! The Frontier is a really nice seat, but it's usually overkill for an average sized, neurotypical kid. Most children are ready for a booster when they reach 40 lb and are at least 5-6 years old. They also need to follow the booster rules: stay still, no leaning forward, not playing with the seatbelt, etc. Most people also prefer a dedicated booster since it's cheaper, lighter and easier to use and move than a combination seat.

What seat are you using now and what is the age, weight and height of your child? Do you have a budget in mind?
 

Nedra

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
Hello and welcome to car-seat.org!

How old, tall, and heavy is your child?

The benefits of the Frontier are mostly for children who are very tall and heavy -- kids who need to be harnessed longer than most other seats will allow. Overall, though, your child will be better off staying rear-facing until closer to 4, forward-facing until 40 lbs and age 6 or so (or whenever s/he is mature enough to sit properly in a booster) and then switching to a dedicated booster at that point.

In the U.S., a seat like the Milestone would be a better and less expensive option for a child outgrowing an infant seat. The Milestone rear-faces, forward-faces, and can convert to a high back booster -- so it does everything that the Frontier can do, but can also keep your child rear-facing until 40 lbs. I don't think you have the Milestone in Canada, but are there other 3-in-one seats you might be able to check out?

Otherwise, I know that the Dimensions 65 is in Canada. It rear-faces for a long time, forward-faces for a long time, and then you could get a booster for when the child reaches that stage.


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featherhead

Well-known member
Just to add to what they said, the Frontier can only be used to 65 lbs with the harness in Canada, and then after that as a booster. All of our harnessed seats can only go to a max of 65 lbs.
 

Keeanh

Well-known member
I would also add that the Frontier is better value if you have several children and can hand it down as a harnessed seat for its whole 9-year lifespan. It doesn't make a good booster for slim or small children and it's really bulky and hard to buckle in booster mode. And by the time kids are big enough to fit it as a highback booster, they're generally old enough to want a backless booster. I've used a Frontier for my kids for 6 years and have never been impressed with it as a booster, to be honest.

If you could share details about your child, vehicle, and budget, we can likely suggest a more budget-friendly seat plan for you :)
 

K's Mama

New member
I've used a Frontier for my kids for 6 years and have never been impressed with it as a booster, to be honest.:)

I don't really like ours as a booster either - in fact we finally switched DS from that to a TurboBooster for ease of moving from one car to another.
 

dogmelissa

New member
If you're looking for good value for a forward facing seat that also becomes a booster, look at the Harmony Defender 360 instead. I also considered the Britax Frontier and could find *nothing* about it to make it worth the price.

My daughter, who is 6, weighs about 48lbs and is a little over 48" tall, is at the top limit of her harness now and will be moving to the Defender (harnessed) when it arrives next week.

A review from a tech: http://vicarseattechs.com/2015/harmony-defender-whole-lotta-love-review-and-giveaway/

The only catch is that it's only available at Walmart (or Walmart.ca) - though you can order it from the manufacturer directly but you have to call as they don't have an e-store for Canada going yet.

Edited to add: the longer you rear face your child, the safer they are. The Britax Frontier is *not* a rear-facing seat. If you want to keep costs down, but rear face longer, I'd recommend considering the Evenflo Sureride (also known as Titan at Walmart) for about $170. It doesn't have the highest rear facing weight limit (40 lbs, others go to 45lbs) but it does have a very tall harness for forward facing and the same 65lb forward-facing harness limit allowed in Canada. You could buy both this seat and the Defender for less than the Frontier and get your child from birth to adult seat belt (in theory).

Melissa
 
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Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Edited to add: the longer you rear face your child, the safer they are. The Britax Frontier is *not* a rear-facing seat. If you want to keep costs down, but rear face longer, I'd recommend considering the Evenflo Sureride (also known as Titan at Walmart) for about $170. It doesn't have the highest rear facing weight limit (40 lbs, others go to 45lbs) but it does have a very tall harness for forward facing and the same 65lb forward-facing harness limit allowed in Canada. You could buy both this seat and the Defender for less than the Frontier and get your child from birth to adult seat belt (in theory).

Melissa

You could just go with the SureRide, max it out RF and then FF, and then either a high back or backless booster down the road. While I do love the Defender (the review above was moi!) it's awesomeness is mostly the long lasting harness with the premium features. Booster usage is not as exciting - certainly usable but it's not a superstar in that category as far as ease of use goes.
 

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