Britax Boulevard vs. First Years True Fit--- Which one?

U

Unregistered

Guest
you can actually order the new first years tf with the rebound bar at this web site ( witch i love, they tell u if the car seat u want can be ship to canada or not by a little canadian sign under the picture , if it dosen't have the sign that mean u can't have it ship to canada) and all dutie are calculated in the check out price( all US $)( i already order from that site multiple time and they are quick and cheap! )
I just order the new tf with the rebound bar and i live in northern alberta!!! :)
hope it help

http://www.strollers.com/The-First-Years-Y11051-COM1071.html
 
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QuassEE

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Strollers.com should NOT be sending carseats to Canada. That seat you just ordered is an American seat, and is not approved for use in Canada. In fact--it might well get seized at the border.

-Nicole.
 

dogmelissa

New member
I realize that the OP's issue has probably already been solved (though I'm curious to know which seat they went with!!), but I thought I'd add my own question to this thread...

I am currently expecting my first lo. I'd like to buy a seat before baby arrives (s/he is due in February and I really don't want to be sending DH on an emergency trip to the store during a blizzard!!) but I'm really confused.
I'd like to keep lo RF as long as possible, and though I do have the option of inheriting a 13 month old Evenflo infant seat (travel system) from my sister in law, I'm leaning more towards just getting one seat before birth that will see our lo through as long as possible.

I really like the Britax seats, but recently I'm reading more about how they're overpriced. Now I'm seeing (at BRU website, but not at Britax.ca) the Advocate CS is RF to 35 lbs and FF to 65 lbs which brings this seat in line with the TF (but the Adv is hella expensive for an extra 5 lbs RF?). But there's also the AOE, which RF to 35 lbs (though FF only to 50 lbs).
As I see it right now, we have:
Britax options:
- Adv (RF 5-35 lbs, FF 20-65 lbs) $450 TRU
- Blvd (RF 5-30 lbs, FF 20-65 lbs) $360 TRU (I wouldn't get the CS version)
- MA (RF 5-30 lbs, FF 20-65 lbs) $330 TRU
Compass/First Years:
- TF (RF 5-35 lbs, FF 23-65 lbs) $200 TRU
Cosco:
- AOE (RF 5-35 lbs, FF 22-50 lbs, Booster 40-100lbs) $240 TRU (I'm looking at the Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1, not sure if this is really the one called AOE in the Canadian car seat list)

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. Should I get the Evenflo infant seat and wait to see which one fits baby best? Obviously I have no idea if we're going to have a tall/narrow baby or a short/chunky one (or any other combination). Price isn't really a concern, though obviously if the seat that works best for us just happens to be the least expensive of the high-RF weight limits, bonus.
If it makes any difference, the seat will primarily be used in a 1994 4 door Grand Am (read, no LATCH), but we will either be buying a second seat or transferring it into a truck for camping (we haven't bought the truck yet). So ease of installation since we are fairly unlikely to spend an additional $400 on a seat that is only used every other weekend for 3-4 months of the year.

Also, I'm in Calgary, Ab, if that changes things. (I will go to TRU and other stores if necessary to try these seats in our car before buying.)

Thanks in advance,
Melissa
 

featherhead

Well-known member
If you are wanting to use it from birth, the only one there that will work for sure would be the True Fit. The others all have much higher slots, so unless you have a baby with a long torso, they may not work so well. I personally despise the Evenflo infant seats, so I wouldn't use it. But you may like it, I don't know. If you want to use that for a while, and then purchase a convertible seat, that's a fine idea.

The new True Fit with the Anti-rebound Bar is due to be released January 2010 (though it could change). If you are able to wait for that one, that would be my first choice. I'm hoping my LO fits in her infant seat till then... but I'm not counting on it.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
I personally think the ritax seats are overpriced, and since i believe the TF and AOE are comparable seats for less money, i would personally pick one of them. I really love them both, but dorel has to be a buttmonkey of a tail-licking company (I'm really trying to cut down on swearing) with outrageous crap they pull, so I'd probably get a truefit, since it is an awesome seat for a good price, and the company, while having numerous complaints in the customer service and marketing arenas, has not yet shown itself to be morally reprehensible like dorel. which bites, ;cuz I REALLY like the AOE. Pppfft.
 

dogmelissa

New member
I personally despise the Evenflo infant seats, so I wouldn't use it. But you may like it, I don't know. If you want to use that for a while, and then purchase a convertible seat, that's a fine idea.

What's so hideous about the Evenflo? Given that it'd be free to us, I'm really feeling hesitant to turn it down.
If we did get that one, then we'd be able to wait for the new TF, or at least add it to the list of comparisons (and hopefully by January Britax has the specs up on the Adv on their site!!).

bobandjess - not sure that customer service is a real concern, but just in case it is, what kind of issues are people having with both of them? I don't want to support a company that tells people to take a flying leap if they phone with questions/concerns!

Thanks again!
Melissa
 

SavsMom

New member
I have/had all of the seats discussed (Marathon/Boulevard/True Fit). I initially started with a Marathon and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. In looking for another seat in addition to the Marathon - I looked at both the True Fit and the Boulevard - while I really wanted to get another Britax seat I came across a great deal on the True Fit. When I got the seat I was really impressed. It was easy to adjust, good shell height, nicely padded etc etc. I then put it in my car and was sad that it just didn't work for me :( It took a long time to get a good install (2006 Escape) - and getting to the harness adjuster was next to impossible. Since we are in and out of the car quite a bit on any given day - that was really a deal breaker. I traded it on swap and got a Boulevard instead and am happy that I did.

Keep in mind this is just my experience - the True Fit really is a great seat in my opinion - it just didn't work well in my car and I wanted a seat that was going to be easy for me to install and a seat that I would use correctly every time I put my daughter in it.

I would see if you could try out both seats in your car. See how easy it is to install and use both seats. Put your child in and out of the seat a few times, adjust the harness, etc etc. The seat that is easiest for you to use is the best one to go with :)
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
Strollers.com should NOT be sending carseats to Canada. That seat you just ordered is an American seat, and is not approved for use in Canada. In fact--it might well get seized at the border.

-Nicole.
:yeahthat: And I do believe that the TF Premier isn't actually released yet, so what you did was PRE-order the seat. I'm betting that when the seats come in and they go to process your order and notice you are in Canada, that they will cancel your order.
 
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featherhead

Well-known member
What's so hideous about the Evenflo? Given that it'd be free to us, I'm really feeling hesitant to turn it down.
If we did get that one, then we'd be able to wait for the new TF, or at least add it to the list of comparisons (and hopefully by January Britax has the specs up on the Adv on their site!!).

bobandjess - not sure that customer service is a real concern, but just in case it is, what kind of issues are people having with both of them? I don't want to support a company that tells people to take a flying leap if they phone with questions/concerns!

Thanks again!
Melissa

I'm pretty sure they are all rear-adjust (though I could be wrong on that). The handle MUST be down in the car. And I just hate the Z handle to begin with. But like I said, try it out, you might like it.

The new True Fit makes it much easier to reach the harness adjuster, which is why I'm hoping I can wait for that one. My seats are somewhat sculpted (though not as much as some) and I know it is quite hard to reach the harness adjuster in my car.
 

April

Well-known member
Well, in terms of Dorel, some of us are feeling a bit sore from their recent response to the British Medical Journal recomendation of rear facing to age 4. But that is another issue aside from "which seat will work best for YOU".

I'd personally be looking at the True Fit, as its a great seat, with a few quirks, but even with the quirks, you get used to it pretty quickly (or I did).

The Advocate is in stores - I installed one on Sunday, and let me tell you, that is a heck of a nice seat! Very unlikely to fit a newborn (whereas the True Fit likely will), and crazy expensive. Would I personally buy an Advocate for the price of 3 True Fits? No, not a chance. But if money is no object, then yeah, it is a very nice seat. Oh, and it does in fact, rf to 35lbs.

And yeah, I still vote for the True Fit.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I'm pretty sure they are all rear-adjust (though I could be wrong on that). The handle MUST be down in the car. And I just hate the Z handle to begin with. But like I said, try it out, you might like it.

The new True Fit makes it much easier to reach the harness adjuster, which is why I'm hoping I can wait for that one. My seats are somewhat sculpted (though not as much as some) and I know it is quite hard to reach the harness adjuster in my car.

Most of the Evenflo infant seats are rear-adjust, but the current ones at BRU/TRU are front adjust both the stand-alone seat and the travel system. My guess is with an older seat there's a high likelihood of it being back adjust though.

For me the biggest issue with Evenflo infant seats is that they take up a lot of room front to back in vehicles due to the handle needing to be down and the requirement that it have 1.5" of clearance between the vehicle seat and the handle.

That being said, if it's free, you know and trust the history of it, and you're able to use it and install it correctly, then there's no reason to not use it until you're ready to move to the larger seat. :thumbsup:
 

sparkyd

Active member
New convertible seats seem to be coming out fast and furious now, with more and more of them having 35 lb RF limits, and talk of a 40 pounder on its way. I'm a fan of having an infant seat (carrier) in the early months, so I'd be inclined to get one of those and see what is on the market (and what my child might need) when it is time to move on. A tiny little peanut will have different convertible needs than a child that hits 30 lbs before they are a year old or one that is super tall.

As for getting the used Evenflo seat, I don't have an opinion on the seat, but I personally would never use a used seat from anybody. Maaaybe from a few of the people on this board, but not from any of my friends, as much as I love them. :eek: (One caveat - if I couldn't afford a new seat and truly did believe that the used one had been used properly and well cared for, that is another story).
 

dogmelissa

New member
As for getting the used Evenflo seat, I don't have an opinion on the seat, but I personally would never use a used seat from anybody. Maaaybe from a few of the people on this board, but not from any of my friends, as much as I love them. :eek: (One caveat - if I couldn't afford a new seat and truly did believe that the used one had been used properly and well cared for, that is another story).

I can understand this concern. We can afford a new seat, and I do 100% trust that my sister-in-law had used this seat properly (I can't vouch for the installation or harnessing but in terms of like not wrecking the straps or using any chemical cleaners on it, yes) and I know for a fact that it has never been in a crash.
The biggest thing I'm struggling with right now is that this baby is going to be born in February, and we live in Calgary - where we're pretty much guaranteed to have some nasty cold and snow until April or later (this year it snowed TWICE in May and once in June!). If we go directly into a convertible seat or even an infant seat that isn't the carrier-type, then how are we going to keep the baby warm when transferring in and out of the car? S/he won't be bundled up in a big ol' snowsuit, cause I know I can't have padded clothing under the straps, so even if the car is warmed up before we get to it, it's going to be at least a few seconds of cold exposure before I can get blankets over top the straps. And if we're going to go to the doctor's or something, then I have no idea how I'm going to get baby back out of the car and bundled up and into the building.... which is why I'm leaning towards an infant carrier one at least until summer. And of course because it's winter, there's realistically a higher chance of being in a crash, so I want whatever is the safest but also that won't cost a small fortune to replace if we do get in a crash.
Off topic: Does anyone happen to know if there's a $ value limit on car seat replacement in vehicle insurance, or is this something that would be specific to my policy and I should call the insurance company?

I have to admit that I'm still leaning towards the Britax. On a different forum, a posted just got a new Mazda Tribute and turned their TrueFit back to RF from FF (it was turned FF because it simply didn't fit in the Honda Civic they had when the lo fractured her leg and had a cast above her knee). Her complaint is that the seat is so big that it blocks their ability to do blind-spot check on the passenger side (I assume that's where the seat is installed). Granted, our car is older and doesn't have the 'stadium-style' seating which puts the rear seat slightly higher than the front, so this might not be a problem, but I just keep hearing about how much bigger the TF is, how much more difficult it is to adjust... though the price does make it very tempting.

Urgh, why can't this be easy? Ok, I just need to take a deep breath. I have a *long time* before we have to make this decision.

In the meantime, does anyone have any links/info on the specs for the TF that's supposed to come out in January so I can have a look at what it might do and see if it would be worth waiting for? Any idea of whether it'll be priced similarly to the existing TF?

ETA: Looks like I won't be getting the Dorel/Cosco seat... I'm terribly disappointed in their recent press release (linked above). Boo on them.

Thanks again,
Melissa
 
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U

Unregistered

Guest
:yeahthat: And I do believe that the TF Premier isn't actually released yet, so what you did was PRE-order the seat. I'm betting that when the seats come in and they go to process your order and notice you are in Canada, that they will cancel your order.[/QUOTE



On strollers.com they only ship to canada car seat that are allow in canada, i know that because i've try to order a different one that was not for canadian use before, when i call they say that the one that are legal in canada are the only one they will ship and they are mark by the icon '' ship to canada'' , there is only a few but the new tue fit w/rebound bar is one of them.
I' not saying you are wrong but my order is set to come in before july 21th so i'll keep u updated!
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
On strollers.com they only ship to canada car seat that are allow in canada, i know that because i've try to order a different one that was not for canadian use before, when i call they say that the one that are legal in canada are the only one they will ship and they are mark by the icon '' ship to canada'' , there is only a few but the new tue fit w/rebound bar is one of them.
I' not saying you are wrong but my order is set to come in before july 21th so i'll keep u updated!
The thing is there are NO U.S. retailers that sell Canadian seats. They ONLY sell FMVSS approved seats. Did you actually ask if the seat is CMVSS approved and has the maple leaf sticker? Unless they are also a Canadian company, there is no way they can sell CMVSS approved seats. And even if they were also Canadian, the TF Premier is NOT yet released in Canada, so there is no CMVSS approval for it yet. It is not expected to be released in Canada until early 2010 I believe. Point being, even if they ship your seat, even if it makes it across the border, it is going to be illegal to use because it will not be approved for use in Canada. There are NO seats that have dual approval for both Canada and U.S.

You can easily confirm this yourself by calling Learning Curve and ask if the TF Premier is for sale in Canada yet and call Transport Canada and ask if an FMVSS approved seat can be used in Canada.

Trust me, I would like to be wrong because I'd like to get my hands on a TF Premier. :)

ETA: on this page of Learning Curve's web site http://www.learningcurve.com/product/detail/Y11040?locale=en_US, it clearly states that this model is not available in Canada
 

bubbaray

New member
I still love my MAs. Seriously. I would still buy a MA over other Canadian seats. I love the covers. I love the ease of installation. I don't *love* the 30lbRF weight, but my DD#2 just hit that at age 2.5 and I'm a-OK turning her FFg at this point.
 

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