Britax Frontier 85

When it was time to move my son into a booster, I decided to save myself a few bucks—I’d always been a fan of Britax, but not so much a fan of the price, so I figured purchasing a less expensive seat couldn’t hurt anything. I mean, all car seats are pretty much created equal, right?
Um … no. My booster seat experience reminded me of a lesson that I learned long ago and apparently forgot somewhere along the way: You get what you pay for. My $50 booster seat felt flimsy from the moment I took it out of the box and started to show wear and tear within weeks. After about two months, I was really regretting my decision: The seat looked like we’d been using it for years, and although I kept reminding myself that all seats on the market pass safety standards, I couldn’t get over how poorly made and unsafe this one felt.
Thankfully, Britax came along and saved the day. Oh, Britax. How sorry I am that I ever doubted you. Since the arrival of our Frontier 85, I have realized the error of my ways, and I promise never to stray again.
Here’s why I love the Britax Frontier 85 (and wish that I had just splurged on it in the first place): It’s solid as a rock. It just feels so sturdy, and when I snap my son in, I’m confident that he is safe. The Frontier 85 isn’t just a booster—it can be used with the 5-point harness as early as 2 years, from 25 pounds up to 85. That’s the highest 5-point harness weight limit I’ve seen on the market, and the booster use goes all the way up to 120 pounds. (So to sum it up, you can pick one of these up after your babe outgrows his infant seat, and it’ll last you all the way through that glorious day that your child can finally just climb in the car and buckle up. Which, admittedly, isn’t going to happen for many, many years—but this seat is made well enough to hang tough for all that time.)
A few standout features of the Britax Frontier 85 include:

• True side impact protection
• HUGS (Harness Ultra Guard System) impact protection
• 5-point tangle-free harness (with 10 height positions and 3 buckle positions)
• Quick-adjust harness
• Energy-absorbing staged-release tether webbing
• Color-coded vehicle belt guides
• Energy-absorbing foam liner and base
• Push-button lower LATCH connectors

Also important (although admittedly a bit more of a convenience than a necessity) are the plush seat, integrated cup holders and armrests, durable (and washable) cover, and soft, high-quality fabric.
I love our Britax Frontier 85 and am so grateful to have it. Although it’s an investment, it’s a good one, and I would recommend this seat to all moms looking to buy a “big kid” car seat.
Price: $280
Buy it: babyage.com