Question What would you change about the Britax Frontier?

What issue would you like to see addressed on the Britax Frontier?

  • I AM AN OWNER AND USER OF A FRONTIER AND WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE…

    Votes: 46 32.9%
  • I DID NOT PURCHASE A FRONTIER BECAUSE…

    Votes: 37 26.4%
  • I AM CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF A FRONTIER BUT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT…

    Votes: 52 37.1%
  • Improve cup holder design to open easier and/or close better

    Votes: 34 24.3%
  • Raise harness height to equal that of Regent

    Votes: 100 71.4%
  • The buckle tongues slide down under the child and sometimes under the cover

    Votes: 43 30.7%
  • The arm rests feel weak – I’d prefer fixed (non-pivoting armrests)

    Votes: 25 17.9%
  • Add a fourth crotch buckle position

    Votes: 16 11.4%
  • Add hook & loop to hold harness in open position

    Votes: 47 33.6%
  • Need to improve ease of installation

    Votes: 85 60.7%

  • Total voters
    140
  • Poll closed .

Sarah Tilton

CPST Instructor
The Product Management team at Britax Child Safety has instituted a product review process by which newly released products are evaluated and improvements made (when required). I would like to take this opportunity to solicit feedback from people who are either current Frontier owners or people who considered the Frontier (or are currently considering ) the product.

The feedback I am soliciting is being purposefully limited to the options listed below. The goal of this exercise is for me to hand our Product Manager and the Engineering team a prioritized list of issues that have been brought to our attention in some way.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Please select either #1 OR #2 OR #3
AND then select 3 additional items you would like addressed. You do not need to prioritize their importance – we will determine this by the number of votes each issue receives.

Thank you

Sarah Tilton
Britax Child Safety
 
ADS

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I voted:
I DID NOT PURCHASE A FRONTIER BECAUSE…
Raise harness height to equal that of Regent

I also think
Need to improve ease of installation
is very important, but it did not influence my own personal decision because I'm willing and able to wrestle seats. It does, as stated above, influence my recommendations.
 

vermontmoms

New member
For us we are in the process of buying two carseats for our twins we really want the frontier b/c of the booster conversion but we are strongly considering the regent and other similar EH seats. We feel the frontier has several drawbacks which is causing us to look at other non-Britax options and the regent. Our problems with the frontier are as follows:


1) It needs to have taller harness slots...My twins are 5yrs and are thin but tall; unfortunately if we buy the frontier we will only be able to keep them harnessed till maybe 7yrs old. I would love it if the frontier had taller harness slots b/c I don't want to convert them into a booster seat at 6-7yr and 43lbs.

2) The straps on the frontier are so flimsy and several frontier owners I know said, "Britax cheaped out by making such flimsy straps." We loved our Marathons b/c the straps were so thick and never twisted. This is a huge downside when you are strapping kids in carseats till they are 6-9 yrs old.

3) We wish this seat had locking mechanism like the marathon and a similar belt path for installation. The marathon is a great seat that can get a super install in less then 2min per seat. I wish the frontier was this easy to install and had the locking mechanism.

4) The final concern that we have is with the arm rests. I feel that a higher side wall would work better than a movable arm rest. The arm rests are somewhat pointy and I am concerned that they could be knocked loose by side impact and act as a impalement object and pierce my child's abdomen. I would feel better knowing that they had a solid side wall or a different design of the armrest.

Please redesign this seat as the frontier is severely lacking. It was a great idea but falls short in usefulness and design. That said, I like the cover COLOR options but also wish they were a thicker material like the marathon or the regent....It would be nice if you offered a BLUE color option too.

Thanks for letting us provide feedback,
Jen
 

Mommy0608

New member
Hi Sarah,

Thanks for the opportunity to provide feedback! I am looking at the Frontier as an option for my 2.5 year old when she outgrows her current seat rear-facing. It may be 6 months or a year or even longer, but I've started comparing the options, and at this point I've narrowed it down to the Frontier, Regent, and Graco Nautilus.

I can tell you right now that if the Frontier had harness slots as tall as the Regent, that would seal the deal for me. I LOVE the 9 year life span, and the 6 year lifespan is holding me back on the Regent because I have a large 6 month old that will need the seat down the road. If money was no option, I wouldn't mind the expiry because I could just buy new seats. However, we have a tight budget, so unfortunately I have to take that into consideration. Budget is the only reason I'd consider the Nautilus, especially because it has roughly the same harness height as the Frontier. However, I truly like the Frontier better than the Nautilus at this point, and am willing to pay extra for the quality (love the booster mode of the Frontier!) but am hesitant because of the harness height.

I'm very thankful for the opportunity to share opinions of the seat. :thumbsup:
 

cowgirlsmommy

New member
We're going to go ahead and buy one but we would love to see the harness slots as high as the Regent and although my daughter said she'd be ok with the Pink Sky cover she really wants one that is prettier. She's been spoiled with the Madison Regent cover, Ashley Floral Marathon cover, and I forget the name of the purple and flower cover of the Boulevard but she has that too.
 

emandbri

Well-known member
If it had thicker straps I would own one already.

The buckle tongues sliding would drive me batty, I know it. I don't use the velcro on the marathons but do like that they keep the tongues from sliding down.

Taller slots would be nice too. I was really surprised how little room Benjamin had in the harness. I know others have had different results but he did have more room in the nautilus.

Easier install would be nice. I was able to get it tight but I've been doing this for a long time, know all the tricks, and was installing it in a van where I could recline the seat and bring it back up. I just don't think the average parent would be able to get a good install.
 
Last edited:

Splash

New member
I picked that I own one and did not buy one. I own one for my car, but use a Nautilus in another car because I feel the Nautilus is a overall better seat for harnessed mode. The main reason the Frontier wins in my car is the pivoting armrests make it easier to climb in vs. the high, fixed armrests of the GN. If the armrests were fixed on the Frontier, I absolutely would not buy it. As it is, I might be returning it in favor of another GN anyway due to the installation issues.

I'd LOVE to see an an easier install and higher harness. That would make it, IMO, one of the best seats on that market and well worth the money. IF the top slots were higher, I might even deal with fixed armrests.
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
I do like the Frontier and really haven't had any problmes with it. The install hasn't been a issue for us at all.

What I don't like the most on the Frontier is the buckle tonguess that slide down. It was enough to make me use the Radian for the winter because it is far to cold (-30 - -40) for me to have my hands bare and digging around a seat trying to get the tongues out from under DS's bum.

I would really like to see the seat a bit slimmer so that it would work a bit better in a 3 across situation.
 

Mama!

New member
I voted, but I also wanted to say that I had concerns about the cover lasting through so many boarding/unboardings. The mesh covers are picking and pilling up , and if they even get wet they "circle" and create a dirty looking spot. I really wanted to buy a pink one for my dd but held off waiting for softer more durable covers too.

I voted for Harness height as tall as Regent.
 

HEVY

New member
I didn't buy it because it would not install in either of our cars. My second concern were the arm rests, just don't like them, period. But could live with them if they didn't move. Third was not listed, the straps were too flimsy, but makes it easy for a child to tighten it. And the last...I would like it to have harness slots as high or higher than the Regent.
 

LuvBug

New member
I picked:

I DID NOT PURCHASE A FRONTIER BECAUSE…
Raise harness height to equal that of Regent

I have not seen one in person, so I can not comment on the rest. I do know that the frontier and graco nautilus are either the same or only slightly different in harness height. My 5yo(~48lbs, 48") does not have any growing room in the GN, so I could not see the frontier being a reasonable option. He is currently using a husky as his main seat and we have a pre-advisory regent for a spare that we are unable to use in our current situation. He is in the top slots of his seats, and like I said he is 5(7/9/03) and under or just 50lbs and 48" or so. He does not sit well enough in a booster to use it full time, and I can not see him maturing enough for it in the next year either. If his growing pattern stays the same I figure he will make it in the husky until 7.5-8 and if his maturity grows the same I figure he will be mature enough to use a booster correctly all the time by 7-7.5(when he enters 1st grade).

If the frontier had comparable top slots to the husky(not post advisory regent, but the husky or pre advisory) then I would love to get one to use in my mom's truck where she is having to use a parkway and lock the seatbelt and still having little issues like him trying to roll down the manual window and such.

I love to hear how tall it is in booster mode. Again I will want to booster him as long as possible when he outgrows a harness. My own torso is 26" seated, so the taller the seatbelt guides the more likely DS will be able to be in a booster longer with proper head protection.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
I think I discussed this with you at Lifesavers. I really wanted higher slots., pre-adv Regent high. I put Tyler in it, at Lifesavers, and he had outgrown the harness, but made it another 6 months in the Regent.

The buckle tongue issue would be an easy fix it you add the hook/loop.

I wish the install was easier. But happy there is the LBP there if needed, with no weight limit.

I love the long life and TALL booster!
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
Sarah, thank you so much for the chance to provide input on this seat.

I voted I AM CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF A FRONTIER BUT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT…

Raise harness height to equal that of Regent

(But my real concern about the seat is the cover. I would like to see a machine-washable cover, plus options like on the other Britax seats, and more patterns. But machine-washable and a plush option would be most important.)
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
I think I discussed this with you at Lifesavers. I really wanted higher slots., pre-adv Regent high. I put Tyler in it, at Lifesavers, and he had outgrown the harness, but made it another 6 months in the Regent.

The buckle tongue issue would be an easy fix it you add the hook/loop.

I wish the install was easier. But happy there is the LBP there if needed, with no weight limit.

I love the long life and TALL booster!

ETA: An anti submarine clip and better, no mesh, covers. I will pay you $80 right now, for an onyx cover.
 
Last edited:

oxeye

New member
I do have a Frontier and overall am pretty happy with it. I like it better than the Regent and the Safeguard.

My biggest complaint is the cover material. Mesh is really not a child friendly material. The plush Britax covers hold up so much better over time.

My only other complaint is how easy it is to twist the straps compared to Britax's other seats. My DH is constantly getting them twisted under the buckle tongues and the straps are even starting to show a bit of fraying on the edges from sliding against the tongues. None of my other Britax seats have done this. I've only had the seat a few months so it is much too soon to be showing any wear.

Taller harness height would be nice too. :)

I really appreciate that Britax is willing to listen to our feedback!
 

Calideedle

New member
#1, 2 & 3 did not apply to me because I bought a Frontier and returned it because of the harness height.

Raise harness height to equal that of Regent

With this improvment I would defiantly buy and use another one.
 

Lys

Senior Community Member
I voted "I did not purscahse a Frontier because..."
However, I did purchase one and returned it for the reasons I'm giving.

1. Raise harness height to equal that of Regent
2. The arm rests feel weak – I’d prefer fixed (non-pivoting armrests)
3. Need to improve ease of installation

When I had my Frontier, I even spoke on the phone numerous times with an "engineer" to help with installation. I was finally given the go ahead to use the LBP.
In my vehicle, SBP doesn't give an acceptable install and LATCH isn't either with a 40lb limit (Honda).
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
I voted considering a purchase, which is only technically true in that if something happened to my Husky (like a crash) I'd be considering a Frontier.

My concerns with it are ease of installation (though I do think the LBP is fantastic), harness height, and buckle tongues falling/twisty straps.

It's also fairly annoying when trying to install and the foot keeps falling down because it doesn't stay in place in the front "harness-mode" position.

Ah - sorry, I know this wasn't an option, either, but I was rather disappointed to find that the head rest/harness height couldn't be adjusted without un-installing the carseat. It's really nice to be able to adjust it for various-size kids, plus in using it for taller kids, it's nice to be able to just lower it all the way to increase my view out that window if there's no child using it at the time.

These are all things I'd be willing to pay more for, as opposed to, for example, the Nautilus.
 

Gypsy

Senior Community Member
One of the things I'd like to change isn't on the list.

It needs a more durable cover - the covers available now snag easily and can't be washed in a machine.

For the other two I chose the buckles falling, and improve ease of installation - I personally have had zero install issues, but I know some have - the belt path for the short belt path installation is funky, and a lot of people don't have seat belts long enough for long belt path.

ETA: I'd be SO VERY HAPPY with my Frontier if it had thicker harness straps and a different cover. I'd have zero complaints then. I think the harness height is adequate for the vast majority of children, I like the pivoting arm rests, while the cup holders aren't a breeze to open and close, I know they stay where I put them!
 

Lisa in WV

New member
I would definitely change the belt path. It is so hard to install in my 2000 Ford Taurus with the short belt path, and my seat belts are too short to install it with the long belt path. I would also put those little velcro strips on the harness straps and sides of the seat so the buckles don't always slide down and need to be fished out.

My daugher said the seat needs to come with a purple flowered cover. :)
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,655
Messages
2,196,895
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top