The OFFICIAL Britax Frontier Spoilers & Speculation thread (part 4)

UlrikeDG · Mar 27, 2008

Part 3 had over 300 posts, so here's part 4!

To keep the forum from being overwhelmed by multiple threads about the Britax harnessed/booster seat, all further chat on this seat should be confined to this thread. If/when it becomes overwhelmingly long, we'll lock it and start a new one.

I also want to remind everyone that much of what is posted here really is just speculation, and even "official" answers straight from the manufacturer are subject to change. It's fun to speculate about what the seat will be and to opine about the features we think the seat will have. However, until the seat actually hits shelves, we really are just guessing about its features. Rumors--even from trusted sources--can be, and often are, totally wrong.

No one knows for sure when this seat will hit shelves. It's even possible that Britax may scrap it altogether before it ever sees the light of day. No one can say for sure what vehicles it will fit in, how it will fit your child, what it will look like, how padded it will be, how comfortable it will be, how it will or won't adjust, or what kind of unexpected kinks it will still have when it is first released. We don't know how much it will cost or where it will be sold.

Please do NOT call Britax to ask them questions about this seat. Doing so serves only to irritate both you and the Customer Service Reps, because the CSRs don't know anything about it, but 100 million people keep asking them stupid questions about a product that literally doesn't even exist yet, and anything they do tell you is subject to change, which will tick you off when it's not exactly what you were told 6 months before the release.

Here's the link to the previous threads for reference:
Britax combo seat: The Frontier? (consolidated)
The OFFICIAL Britax Frontier Spoilers & Speculation thread
The OFFICIAL Britax Frontier Spoilers & Speculation thread (part 2)
The OFFICIAL Britax Frontier Spoilers & Speculation thread (part 3)

snowbird25ca · Mar 27, 2008

amrotar said:
I'm trying to decide between the GN and the Frontier for my 4yo DD who has almost outgrown her Marathon. Is it true that you need tether anchors in order to use the Frontier's harness mode? It will be the deciding factor on which seat we will be getting because the car she primarily rides in doesn't have the tether anchors. TIA!

From what I've heard the Frontier will require top tether when used as a harnessed seat.

What type of vehicle do you drive? Most of them can be retrofitted with top tether anchors by the dealership. Many of them will even do it for free. :thumbsup: (I'd suggest starting a new thread in the technical & installation forum asking about tether anchors for your car so that it doesn't get lost in this thread.

Melizerd · Mar 27, 2008

snowbird25ca said:
From what I've heard the Frontier will require top tether when used as a harnessed seat.

What type of vehicle do you drive? Most of them can be retrofitted with top tether anchors by the dealership. Many of them will even do it for free. :thumbsup: (I'd suggest starting a new thread in the technical & installation forum asking about tether anchors for your car so that it doesn't get lost in this thread.

I just PMed the poster because I was afraid it would get lost with the thread move. You're on top of it and faster then me though (lol)

UlrikeDG · Mar 27, 2008

Thanks, ladies!

amrotar · Mar 27, 2008

Thanks so much! I posted in the Technical forum and got my answer. It turns out I can install tether anchors in our truck very easily so I ordered the part. So now we can anchor the MA and the Frontier if we decide to get it. YAY!!!

hipmaman · Mar 28, 2008

Just want to put it here on good chance that the Frontier (and the Boulevard and Diplomat) would be shipped in June for Canada.

izzyh4 · Mar 28, 2008

Hi I have a question for you, I am researching boosters as the kids are almost at the point
where there shoulders are above the highest harness settings on their seats. The seats are
cranked up on both to the highest head rest settings. DS is almost 6 1/2 (44 pounds) and in a Britax Wizard and dd almost 5 (42 pounds). Both are FF and latched. It is time to get something else because of the shoulder height and we are almost at the 48 pound latch weight limit. I just bought 2 Britax monarchs (still in boxes) I am really worried about the extra weight of an unlatched booster especially a 15 pound one in an accident. I am seriously thinking about the Frontier but does it latch in booster mode higher than 48 pounds? I have always been a Britax buyer and a loyal fan.

jwren · Mar 28, 2008

Someone posted here the other day that they had confirmation that yes it will latch in booster mode

(In booster mode- The belt holds the child the latch holds the seat, so it's not so much about weight limits when used this way, from what I have been told..)

izzyh4 said:
Hi I have a question for you, I am researching boosters as the kids are almost at the point
where there shoulders are above the highest harness settings on their seats. The seats are
cranked up on both to the highest head rest settings. DS is almost 6 1/2 (44 pounds) and in a Britax Wizard and dd almost 5 (42 pounds). Both are FF and latched. It is time to get something else because of the shoulder height and we are almost at the 48 pound latch weight limit. I just bought 2 Britax monarchs (still in boxes) I am really worried about the extra weight of an unlatched booster especially a 15 pound one in an accident. I am seriously thinking about the Frontier but does it latch in booster mode higher than 48 pounds? I have always been a Britax buyer and a loyal fan.

crunchierthanthou · Mar 28, 2008

izzyh4 said:
Hi I have a question for you, I am researching boosters as the kids are almost at the point
where there shoulders are above the highest harness settings on their seats. The seats are
cranked up on both to the highest head rest settings. DS is almost 6 1/2 (44 pounds) and in a Britax Wizard and dd almost 5 (42 pounds). Both are FF and latched. It is time to get something else because of the shoulder height and we are almost at the 48 pound latch weight limit. I just bought 2 Britax monarchs (still in boxes) I am really worried about the extra weight of an unlatched booster especially a 15 pound one in an accident. I am seriously thinking about the Frontier but does it latch in booster mode higher than 48 pounds? I have always been a Britax buyer and a loyal fan.

are your childrens' shoulders over the top harness postion in their wizards? If so, you need to put them in something different immediately.

In the SSK chat about the Monterey, Dave indicated that the weight of the unlatched booster had no ill effects on the child (and it's a heavy one). However, using the LAs slightly improved performance in side impacts- which we know to be the most dangerous. I can't say I'm completely sold on the idea of it being loose, even in frontal crashes. Sure, it might not physically hurt the child, but I can only imagine there would be less head excursion if the booster wasn't moving forward as well. I'm really excited about the prospect of the Frontier being LATCH capable in booster mode- even if only for not having to buckle it in when it's empty.

izzyh4 · Mar 28, 2008

not yet we are exactly on them pencil from slot to shoulder is horizontal. So I need something else soon. Trying to decide on waiting for frontier or using the monarchs that I bought last week.

Airforcemomma · Mar 28, 2008

hipmaman said:
Just want to put it here on good chance that the Frontier (and the Boulevard and Diplomat) would be shipped in June for Canada.

Do you know who will be selling the Frontier?

crunchierthanthou · Mar 28, 2008

oh, a picture of booster mode.

http://comfortfirst.com/popup.aspx?src=images/product/large/ZM20226_zm5.jpg

you can barely see the shoudler belt guides under the head wings.

izzyh4 · Mar 28, 2008

Another quick question, does anyone know if it will have cupholders?

crunchierthanthou · Mar 28, 2008

izzyh4 said:
Another quick question, does anyone know if it will have cupholders?

yes. it has retractable cup holders. you can see toward the front of the side of the base.

from the same site that had the booster mode pic-

Color-coded vehicle belt guides indicate the path and positioning of the vehicle seat belt

that's kind of cool. has anyone heard of comfort 1st before?

izzyh4 · Mar 28, 2008

:thumbsup:OK I have done it I have pre ordered two frontiers in canyon (tan and black) from USA Baby. So excited. I am really hoping it is everything I am hoping for. DS is 6 1/2 and 45 pounds and 46 inches tall. DD is almost 5 and 40 pounds and 42 inches tall. Her torso length has almost outgrown her boulevard but ds is not quite there in his wizard. I guess he has a shorter torso. I want boosters, but really want latched boosters, and also want to keep them harnessed as long as possible. Looks like the frontier has 1 1/2 inches of extra harness height that means DS and dd should at least be able to be harnessed and tethered until they hit 48 pounds (latch capacity) or grows another 1 1/2 of torso. After that I can move to latched boosters until 100 pounds. Do you think I am thinking this out correctly??

crunchierthanthou · Mar 28, 2008

you can leave them harnessed until their shoulders reach the top slots, or they weigh 80 lbs. Although your LATCH limit is 48 lbs, you can still install the seat using the seatbelt and top tether. The top tether is required on the Frontier, whether you choose a lower anchor or seatbelt install. Also, Safe Ride News recommends that you continue to use the top tether anchor beyond the vehicle manufacturer's stated weight limit because the overall benefits of top tethering are considered worth it. So even if your vehicle's LATCH limit is 48 lbs, keep using the top tether and leave them harnessed until they outgrow it by weight or height.

Here's SRN's detailed explanation:
http://www.saferidenews.com/html/LATCH_P8.htm and
http://www.saferidenews.com/html/LATCH_P49.htm

izzyh4 · Mar 28, 2008

So I can go to 80 pounds (or 1 1/2 inches of torso growth) tethered and using the seat belt. Thats great!!!! I just need to keep monitoring them its funny because since january when I last measured and weighed ds has grown 1 1/2 inches and gained 3 pounds. Where as ds has not grown at all!~ Ds must have had a huge growth spurt. I am really conscientious about this and keep trying to do it all right, but there is just so much to learn! I really appreciate everyones help with something that has been a worry for months!... I think we will probably be at the limit for height before weight as kids are really skinny.

izzyh4 · Mar 28, 2008

Thank you for the documents too, are there studies suggesting latched boosters are better? I am assuming they are as the booster is not moving forward in an impact. The reason I am returning the monarchs is because they weigh 15 pounds - more than a third of the weight of my little girl. She needs to move to something else because of torso height but I am scared of her sitting in a 15 pound unrestrained seat only held in by a seatbelt. Am I overreacting? And at 4 3/4 not sure I can trust her to sit perfectly all the time. I don't think I would be so concerned when doing inner city driving, but we frequently make long road trips (15 hours to inlaws) Incidentally both have always travelled great and been very comfortable in the Wizard and the boulevard. (Although I am extremely excited about cupholders and snackholders - I hope it will limit the amount of passing things back that I have to do!

crunchierthanthou · Mar 28, 2008

duh. 80. I know that.

sometimes you just get on autopilot, ya know?

snowbird25ca · Mar 28, 2008

Airforcemomma said:
Do you know who will be selling the Frontier?

I'd expect all of the current authorized Britax retailers to get it in, but you could call individual stores to find out for sure. Britax has a list of Canadian retailers on their site.

The OFFICIAL Britax Frontier Spoilers & Speculation thread (part 4)

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