At ParentingNerd, we strive to help you make parenting decisions with confidence. To do this, some of the products featured here are from our partners. However, this doesn’t influence our evaluations. Our opinions are always our own.

Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB Review

Britax Boluevard ClickTight ARB
0
Overall Score
Ease of Install - Latch
Ease of Install - Belt
Ease of Use
Comfort & Quality
Weight & Size

Bottom Line

Considered as one of the top car seats out in the market, Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB not only makes children happy, but the parents too find it reliable because of its ridiculously easy installation. It’s sturdy and has considerable features that will appease parents. When are you checking it out?

What We Like

  • Easier to install
  • Side Impact Tested
  • Easy to use headrest harness
  • Thick Padding
  • FAA approved
  • Convertible car seat

What We Don't Like

  • Not affordable for everyone
  • Not that amazing when it comes to crashes
  • Difficult to fit in for compact cars
  • The seat’s reclining position is not adjustable after it is installed

Car seats are a need of the hour, and a perfect car seat means that you are an extremely lucky parent. As an experienced parent, you know all the jazz involved in getting a perfect car seat. You get into the store, see the LATCH-system, the price, the fabric of the cover, the base, make sure it is convertible, check its manual, and BOOM! You bring it home.

Things get pretty difficult when you are a new parent, and your baby has reached a level where the absence of a car seat is getting on your nerves. It is understandable. At this stage, what you need the most is a full proof review of various car seats. Inexperienced and nascent parents often bring home expensive car seats and end up regretting for a lifetime.

Car seat reviews help you understand what’s important to look while buying one. Should you buy a ClickTIght ARB, or does Evenflo make reliable products? Do I need an amazing LATCH-system or a dual cup-holder? Questions like these are bound to pop up, and our reviews will answer them for you.

Our experts’ diligent efforts in reviewing this particular car seat will surely help you make a choice.

Overview of the Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB

Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB is an amazing car seat because of its multiple features and seating arrangements. It is side-impact tested and passes the crash test. One of the three Britax models and widely known under ClickTight, Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB, comes in a wide range of colors. What makes this device special is its ClickTight installation feature, which means installing the seat using the vehicle’s lap belt rather than by using the LATCH connectors.

Most parents consider the device’ colorful fabric to be extremely comforting for the child. Featured on Business Insider, a mother shared her experience with the seat in which she gave excellent reviews to Boulevard ClickTight because of its comfortable thick padding and base, making sure that the user’s safety is not compromised.

Replaced by other car seats, Boulevard has been tried and tested, leading to the majority of parents switching back to Boulevard due to its super easy installation process and the choices of installing it rear and front-facing. Moreover, it has a 7-position recline, 14-position no-rethread harness, and a clear indicator to ensure proper installation.

According to the consumer reports, in 2014 and 2015, some of Britax’s models were recalled including the models Advocate ClickTight, Boulevard ClickTight, and Marathon ClickTight model seats in collaboration with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada because these booster seats seemed to have issues with the harness adjuster button. Often, the adjuster button stayed pressed loosening harness strap and eventually increased the chances of injury. To combat this problem, Britax introduced a device called the anti-rebound bar, also known as ARB. This provides additional stability to the seat and lessens the risk of crash and injury. Boulevard comes with a built-in anti-rebound bar known as ARB.

What makes this device edgy and worth the investment is its easy installation process because studies indicate that the easier the installation process, the lesser the chances of crashes. Therefore, safety is also what makes your investment in this device worthwhile.

See also: Best Convertible Car Seats

Things to Consider Before Buying Britax

Boulevard ClickTight ARB

Although the Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB is not like every other device but like every other device, there are several things that you must consider before buying it. Earlier, we discussed the specs of this convertible seat, but it is highly important to know how these specs and qualities of this device can solve your problem.

One of the pertaining issues that the majority of devices have is the manufacturer’s disregard towards safety. Sometimes between good designing and color contrasts, safety is compromised. There are many incredibly amazing devices in the market, but they are not thoroughly manufactured, keeping a child’s safety.

Although this device has not scored well in crash testing, it has brought about some fantastic and innovative features which if combined with a device that has a good crash testing score, can make an awesome device. Reliable and safe. The device is not good for compact cars because the size of this particular device makes the vehicle pretty crowded. For comparatively taller babies, it is quite risky and also uncomfortable. However, it is easy to clean along with its strong durability.

What you should consider after reading this brief review of the device includes:

  • Convertibility
  • Anti-Rebound Bar
  • ClickTight
  • Padding
  • Innovative LATCH system
  • Easy installation guide book from the manufacturer
  • Compatible with your budget
  • Height limit
  • Weight limit
  • Seat belt guide
  • Safety

Key Features

 Installation and Setup Process: Easy Installation for an Easy Car Seat

The ClickTight series of Britax involves a very specific and unique kind of belt installation, which makes Boulevard ClickTight worth it. When it comes to this device, some vehicles allow the use of lower anchors of the device, whereas some don’t. Lower anchors are just for the side seats.

Rear-facing:

To install the device on the side seat, take the lower anchor, always make sure it looks like a stapler, connect it to the lower anchor in the vehicle. Repeat this on the other side of the device. Once you have connected both the lower anchors, slide the strap to the back of the vehicle and give a full-on the full on the tail of the strap.

Repeat this on the other side. Now grab both the straps and pull them. If you feel you can’t pull them anymore, you have stretched them enough. Try to shimmy the device and shake it sideways. If it doesn’t move to an inch, you are ready to connect to the tether. Once you have wrapped your tether connector strap around the seat rack, put on the tether and star pulling the tether till it reaches its limit. You don’t need to recline your seat any further with the tether.

Forward-facing:

To install the Boulevard ClickTight forward-facing, start by opening the ClickTight, thread the seat belt through the belt guide and buckle, close your ClickTight, and connect your tether. Make sure to check your device that is not moving more than an inch. You are ready to have road trips with your baby now.

Age Range: Toddlers and Bigger Children

The Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB is a great product when it comes to comfort, and it has top-tier features that ensure a child’s safety. It is a heavy device with a weighing 28 lbs and 7 pounds. But as far as the device user is concerned, then generally, on a day-to-day basis, a child stays in a device until they are four.

So, to sit in a Boulevard, your child’s age range should be 4 or 5. But your Boulevard ClickTight rear-facing position feature will expire as soon as the child reaches the age of 6. Right after the age of 6, the front-facing feature works as a substitute for a booster seat. Once the child hits the age of 6, you will have to permanently switch to the Bouelvard’s front-facing mode or get your kid a booster seat.

Design: Dynamic and Cozy

Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB is a well-known name in the market for its innovation and safety. The features almost always decide which vehicle seat to get. While we talk about this device, Britax’s Boulevard ClickTight offers multiple features as in, the base of the Britax Boulevard has a honeycomb-like structure with several small pores which absorb energy in a vehicle accident.

The most amazing part of Britax Boulevard is its impact-absorbing strap tether. This is not a usual tether; it has extra stitching, which also absorbs the impact during a vehicle accident. The device has a beautiful steel frame, which makes it heavier to move. But there are more sleek devices than Britax Boulevard, such as Nuna Rava, whose added safety makes them the deal of the day. All in all, the device is not a fashion icon in the device industry. It is good and reliable, but there are more attractive devices available in the market.

Cleaning: Facile and Effortless

Britax ClickTight device follows an easy cleaning procedure. Cleaning is important because generally, devices expire before their expiration due to not being thoroughly cleaned. While parents loathe blown-out diapers and kids throwing up, there are some easy steps in the manual that ensure that the device is thoroughly cleaned.

Britax US’s official website also has a list of items that can be replaced. So, in case your device has a damaged buckle or harness or a cover, you can get it replaced by contacting your manufacturer. Generally, cleaning is easily done by paper towels, a bar of mild soap or a good detergent, and lukewarm water.

Safety: Multiple Times Stitched Fabric with Multiple

Safety Features

Widely known for its various useful features, Britax Boulevard ClickTight has a lot to ensure a child’s safety. Its porous base structure and tether reduce the energy in an accident. The device also has an impact on absorbing the steel base. Even the harness of the Boulevard device has an impact absorbing cushions. These are useful because during a car crash, and the collision releases a huge amount of energy, which leads to injuries.

These features will not let the device move forward, backward, right, or left, making sure no injuries occur. An extra feature is the optional Anti-Rebound Bar (ARB) – which is sold separately – and it is used for rear-facing. This does not let the car seat move and keeps it static during accidents.

The device itself has at least two layers of protection in the frame and on the headrest. However, the buckle of Britax ClickTight ARB might get difficult for some people to use because it is a little bit stiff. Nonetheless, safety-wise the features of this device speak volumes. In practicality, as in the vehicle crashes, the device has not done remarkably well.

Price: Neither Too Affordable Nor Too Expensive

So far, the review has covered the specs, the qualities, and a million other things associated with this device. But here is the kicker that you had been waiting for. That’s right. It is the price. Car seats, no matter how excellent, have their prices play a pivotal role. For example, the Evenflo Big Kid AMP has comparatively lesser features than the Britax ClickTight ARB, but the price decides which deal to go for. If the former device promises the same amount of safety at a lesser price, the latter won’t do the business.

Overall, the Britax ClickTight ARB is an awesome device, but it is a bit over-priced. Britax car seats are comparatively more expensive than other devices. The price of this device ranges somewhere between $250 and $400.

Specs

  • Product Name: Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB
  • Product Brand: Britax
  • UPC: 652182727703
  • Dimensions: 18.5″ W x 23.5″ H x 23″ D
  • Color: This device comes in 8 colors: Vector, Trek, Stay Clean grey, Spark, Poole, Cool Flow Teal, Cool Flow Grey, and Circa.
  • Expiration Date: This device expires after ten years
  • Warranty: There is a 1-year warranty after the purchase. If your device gets damaged during these 365, you can either get it repaired or replaced by the manufacturer.

Competition: Outstanding For Having a Long Expiration Time and Innovative Features

The comparative analysis is important while investing. It is even more significant when the investment is associated with the safety of your child. Below are a few devices that resemble Britax ClickTight Boulevard ARB.

Britax Marahthon Convertible Car Seat: Having the best head sensor (HIC) crash results from the Britax family; this device is inexpensive, secure, easy to use, and has an amazing LATCH system. The installation process is a bit challenging when it comes to using the vehicle’s lap belt. Moreover, Marathon has lesser padding and a not-so-comfortable fabric compared to its competitors from the Britax family. The device looks great, but it has a simple and basic design structure, which is also why this device is affordable. Before you think about buying Marathon, remember that it lacks some of the important features that make Boulevard an expensive device, as in the harnesses of this device are sloppy. It is not as comfortable as Boulevard is.

Britax Emblem Convertible Car Seat: Britax Emblem – as the name goes – belongs to the Britax family. It is an excellent device with even better reviews on crash testing than Britax Boulevard. The head sensor (HIC) results from the crash dummy for the Emblem showed that Emblem does much better than both Boulevard and Marathon. It is lightweight, easy to use, and has options of both forward-facing and rear-facing. The emblem is neither too expensive nor too cheap. It ranges between $150 and $200. However, it has been reviewed to be extremely difficult when it comes to installing the passenger seat’s safety belt. Historically, most Britax seats with comparatively lower prices than other Britax seats, as is the case of Emblem, tend to perform well.

Nuna Rava Convertible Car SeatHeavier and more expensive than both the alternatives, Nuna Rava is a high-quality convertible device with comfy features and good crash-test results. It is a top-notch device with multiple features that ensure that the user has the maximum comfort level. It is easy to use, has firm padding, and it is also very convenient to install. Its sleek and awesome design structure adds extra elegance to it. This device can easily be referred to as beauty with safety. However, ranging between $450 and $500, it is not affordable to everyone.

The Final Verdict: Britax Boulevard ClickTight ARB

When it comes to buying this device, then there are several factors involved. If your primary concern is safety, easy installation, and innovative features, then ClickTight ARB is the perfect fit.

However, there are several devices much better than Boulevard in terms of affordability, design, and structure and with features such as cup holders for your kid to drink some juice or have a quick snack. Britax Boulevard has a comparatively lower crash testing score, but that does not mean it is safe. Its high-end features ensure that the kid is safe in the device, and the HIC also approves it as a safe car seat.

Most parents, especially those with an eerie kind of road rage, are always concerned about the child’s safety. ClickTight is an awesome feature. It’s new. It’s tried and tested. It ensures a child’s safety, and it comes with a double-check option, which enables you to see if your child will feel safe. If the device moves more than an inch once you have tethered it, you are making a mistake. That’s why it is excellent. However, it is not affordable. If you can spend $250 on a device just because of its safety, better spend it on a device that comes with added beauty, design, and refreshing colors. We hope our review succeeded in helping you make a decision.

See also: 14 Best Car Seats to Buy Right Now

You May Also Like

This information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. We do not accept any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from any information or advice contained here. ParentingNerd may earn compensation from affiliate links in this content. Learn more about how we write ParentingNerd content.