Frontier or Regent?

Melizerd · Oct 20, 2008

If you had to choose today which one would you choose?

Gabe isn't ready to forward face (and not even 2 yet) but of course I like planning ahead. I did go and play with them both at USA Baby this week. I like them both, he'd already fit in both well because he's so tall even though he's skinny. His head is already even with the top of the Britax Logo in the Marathon rear facing.

He's an only child so I don't have to think about too many seats in the back seat or passing something down. I like that the Regent is nice and open, but the Frontier becomes such a good booster and with only one child that 9 year expiration is nice. But I'm not sure about his head being pushed forward in the Frontier. I like some of the covers on the Regent better but the Sahara isn't bad on the Frontier. ACK!

I will probably be getting a newER car next year. Mine is a 98 Plymouth Breeze and I'll be lucky if I get something that's got LATCH (lol). So would install issues on either one stop you from getting it if you didn't know what car you'll be putting it in? It will be a car and not a van for sure.

Okay so you can tell I'm just "talking out loud" but I like to plan ahead and I'm probably making this a much bigger deal then it is, don't we all?

So for argument's sake if you HAD to buy one of them today (and knew you'd get a Frontier with the fixed splitter plate issue too) which one would you choose?

MomToEliEm · Oct 20, 2008

If I were buying a new forward only seat right now, I probably would have chosen the frontier or the nautilus. I bought my regents prior to all these other seats being available. The regent has allowed my older child to stay harnessed up until now, but she really is mature and sits well in a booster in Daddy's car. I think I would prefer a seat that was FAA approved for our few times we traveled and wasn't so enormous.

Blondie87 · Oct 20, 2008

I would say the Regent. I haven't heard alot of great things about the Frontier. Plus If your kid is taller, Regent will last you longer because of it's higher slots.

solmama · Oct 20, 2008

That's a tough question, and I'll bet it's been asked here before. My thoughts? I have a Regent for my dd. She's in the 97% for height for her age and I wanted a seat that would get her to at least 7 or 8 harnessed. Then my concern will be a decent hbb. Since I have 2 kids, I'll probably get the Frontier for ds, then switch the Regent with the Frontier when my dd needs a higher hbb.

For your ds, I'd get the Frontier if he has a shorter torso and long legs, but the Regent if he's got a long torso and short legs. I guess it really all depends on how long you want to keep him harnessed.

How about those Packers?

cowgirlsmommy · Oct 20, 2008

I'd go with the Regent. We already have 1 but we'll be needing another one soon. My daughter just turned 3 but she's got a freakishly long torso so I want every little bit of harness height I can get.

MoreLatte · Oct 20, 2008

At this point, I don't think I'd get either. I've had the Regent and didn't like it. I COULD NOT get a decent install in my vehicle. And it was so heavy!

I have not seen the Frontier IRL, but every time I see a picture of it, I always wonder about that head piece. It always looks pushed forward and slightly tilted to one side. And Yes, it will last a long time, but seats are constantly being improved, so my luck, I'd get it and in a few years would replace it with the next new thing. But that's just me

Heather98012 · Oct 20, 2008

Frontier in a NY minute! Esp. now that they have seemed to fix the strap issue/splitter plate hooking issue. I still think the fabric covers not washing well sucks, though.

Edited to add: I dunno now. After reading that Britax may not be issuing a recall for the Frontiers, I'm not so sure about the company & it's ethics now. I don't know if I could buy any Britax product again unless something is done about the Frontier situation.

melniemi · Oct 20, 2008

I'd get a regent and follow up with a Clek Oobr or backless(forgot the name), depending on how old he is when he outgrows the regent. I love my regent and have one coming for my 4 yo.

ginny4 · Oct 20, 2008

gee i was hopin this thread would help me choose. but it hasn't. LOL
i love my regent as you already know.
checked out the frontier & liked it but would i choose it over the regent i'm not 100%sure. tho the HBB mode really is tempting. i'd have to see the the frontier again when the kids are less antsy to be able to make a choice

Mommypooh · Oct 20, 2008

well for me I have a regent and if I was in an accident I would replace it with a frontier. I would also replace one of my BVs with a Frontier as well. I really like the frontier at least from what I have seen in pics and read about it. I have not yet got my hands on one but I want something that I could fly with and not have to go buy another seat and also not have to worry about a booster later on. That is my thoughts.

Melizerd · Oct 20, 2008

lol Ginny, I'm so stuck!!!

That HBB thing is soooo tempting. I wish I had someone really close to me that could loan me both seats for a couple days to see how I like it in the real world when the time comes KWIM?

ETA: I don't fly so the FAA approved part doesn't matter for me. In 6 1/2 years I have flown ONCE.

crunchierthanthou · Oct 20, 2008

If I had to choose one today? I'd get the Frontier as long as I could be certain it was a DOM with the fixes in place and hope they come out with better quality covers in the next year or two. It would actually be a tougher choice between the Frontier and GN for me.

LISmama810 · Oct 20, 2008

This sounds weird and is something I don't hear mentioned very often, but a lot of it might depend on your car and your height

In an SUV, I'd go with a Frontier if choosing between those two.

In a smaller car, I'd go with the Regent because of the extremely low profile.

That's the reason I have a Regent in our Prius and a Nautilus in our Pilot. I get nervous when I can't see out the back window

In your case, though, I'd wait and see what else might be available once you actually need a FF seat. You never know what might be in the works.

Melizerd · Oct 20, 2008

crunchierthanthou said:
If I had to choose one today? I'd get the Frontier as long as I could be certain it was a DOM with the fixes in place and hope they come out with better quality covers in the next year or two. It would actually be a tougher choice between the Frontier and GN for me.

I'm holding out for different covers too

I did NOT like the GN, it seems too narrow in the shoulder and not deep enough in the crotch. DH is 6'4" and I'm 5'8", plus all the men on both sides of the family are 6'2" or more so he's going to be a big guy. DH is really broad in the shoulder too.

USA Baby by me already has new Frontiers in with DOM within the last 4 weeks so that's a nice bonus.

LISmama810 said:
This sounds weird and is something I don't hear mentioned very often, but a lot of it might depend on your car and your height

In an SUV, I'd go with a Frontier if choosing between those two.

In a smaller car, I'd go with the Regent because of the extremely low profile.

That's the reason I have a Regent in our Prius and a Nautilus in our Pilot. I get nervous when I can't see out the back window

In your case, though, I'd wait and see what else might be available once you actually need a FF seat. You never know what might be in the works.

He's getting tall and if he keeps up his growth curve sometime in the winter he'll be too tall in the Marathon to rear face. So I'll give the MA to my mom who has the Scenera which I hate because it's hard for my mom to use right and get something for our car. Hopefully he'll slow down on height growth though.

Right now we have a large sedan and my guess is that's what we'll stay with, there's no way I'm going to a really small car. Although I'd like something like the Prius it's out of our price range and we'll end up with another random used car.

I'm definitely holding out as long as possible for something but I get stuck playing the "what if" game KWIM?

Thank you everyone for the thoughts and I'm glad I'm not the only one conflicted and it's not an easy clear cut choice.

arly1983 · Oct 20, 2008

Oh, your not the only one by a long shot....

THe radians will be going in whatever DH buys and I want something different for C in the main car (a van).

I can't decide between another Regent (that I know will not install with the recline bar in the 3rd row) or a Frontier (which *might* not install in the 3rd row)....

With a Frontier, I could do musical carseats, when J outgrows the Regent, move him to the Frontier as a booster and C to his regent OR I could move the new baby into J's regent at that time and hopefully there could be a super tall dedicated latchable booster on the market then.

ginny4 · Oct 20, 2008

oh yes those "what if" games are soooo much fun. don't you remeber my recent what if saga & plannign for the next 6 years? all blown up in smoke with the accident now. & look i have no idea what i'm gonna do now. ugh LOL
& i'm not even sure what i'll have for a van: the one i got or a newER one

Maedze · Oct 20, 2008

The Frontier. I think the Regent is overkill

It can harness most kids to ages 8 and even over that, and unless there a special needs reason to have an 8 year old harnessed (like low tone or hyperactivity), I don't think it's substantially safer than a booster. I also think the Swedes may be right about having a higher weight child five point harnessed. What about the load on the neck?

Don't get me wrong, my four year old is in a Graco Nautilus and will probably be harnessed for another 1.5 to two years. But even if he still fit in a harness by his sixth birthday, I probably would switch to a booster.

joolsplus3 · Oct 21, 2008

We love our Frontier...and Leah's head hasn't flopped forward once

But you won't need a seat for at least three years...I hope the FR has nicer covers by then, lol.

remken · Oct 21, 2008

Frontier here also. Remy has had head slump in his, but then his head slumped in
the marathon, wizard, and regent both with or without the recline bar. Luckliy he doesn't fall asleep in the car to much and usually if I push his head back up into the seat it stays up.

PixieEMT · Oct 21, 2008

Funny I was talking about the same thing yesterday.

I like the side impact protection of the Frontier. We might need the extra harness height for my DS since he's like 97% for his height. My only issue will be size and puzzling seats.
Of coarse DH said we won't be buying an HWH seat for DS until the new baby needs to move into the Marathon or Blvd.

Frontier or Regent?

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