Britax Roundabout Convertible Car Seat

Is the Britax Roundabout car seat a good and safe choice for my child? Definitely, the biggest question that pops up for every parent whenever they evaluate a car seat for their precious little ones. I had the same question and for every first-time parent it's not easy to just choose whatever is in the local Walmart, Target or CostCo. As the saying goes, "Not all car seats are created equal". Yes, I made that one up. I need to know exactly the car seat specification and safety rating before I make my judgment. Hey, I got my most important cargo who will sit on this thing at the back of my car. I have to get it right. Through the recommendation of a "couple" friends in our neighborhood, we were introduced to the Roundabout convertible car seat by Britax. They have the Roundabout convertible car seat and swears by it. Again, I always double check but a good recommendation from somebody I know is always a big big plus. Most importantly, I was able to see the car seat in action before I buy one and ask all the questions I have to an actual owner. For those who doesn't have this luxury, my advice is to go to your local car seat store (or the big box retailers like KMart, Sears etc. to see it yourself. Usually (as the case with smaller stores), they have helpful clerks that will even assist you and help install the floor model in your car just to see if its a good fit. A good friend of mine even tried driving with it in the parking lot of the retailer. I got a good laugh hearing this story from her. Ah, the joy of parenthood. It sometimes always make you overthink things. :)
Is it safe?
While researching for a car seat, I came upon a review of the Britax Roundabout from one parent who had an accident. I can't remember exactly where I found it in the web. I'll update this and article the link when I find it. But, as I can recall, she was rear-ended by a Lincoln Town Car with his child on a forward facing Roundabout at the back. She happily reported that although she had a bit of a whiplash, her son was fine. She thanked Britax for the protection it provided to her son. Now, that's really comforting to hear. Again, the doubter in me would sometimes rear its ugly head as in the web you never really know who is giving a review. I don't usually trust anyone claiming that such and such product is good or such and such is bad. I got to check the facts myself then observe and analyze. From the website of Britax itself, these are some general information and some regarding its safety:

"The Roundabout features Side Impact Protection with deep side walls that distribute crash forces, shield the child from vehicle intrusion, and contain the head and body. Its compact size is ideal for use with small infants and vehicles with limited rear-seat space. The tangle-free, five-point harness with three harness heights ensures a snug and secure fit. Premium push-button lower connectors provide a quick, simple and tight installation. Unique features include the patented Versa-Tether® for energy management, and one-hand recline adjustment for child comfort and positioning. The Roundabout is designed for children rear facing from 2.3 to 13.6 kg (5 to 30 lbs) and children forward facing from at least one year old and 9.1 kg (20 lbs), up to 18.1 kg (40 lbs). The Roundabout is made in the USA with U.S. and global components."

Let's break it down a little bit.

According to studies, side impact crashes poses the greatest risk for a child in a car accident. It can result in more critical injuries and a higher fatality rate than front or rear crashes.

From the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) website,

"In crashes with another passenger vehicle, 51 percent of driver deaths in recent model cars during 2000-01 occurred in side impacts, up from 31 percent in 1980-81. During the same time, the proportion of deaths in frontal impacts declined from 61 percent to 43 percent."

Given this fact, I'd definitely will only consider car seats that can also protect my child from side impact crashes specially since I drive a compact sedan. As we all know, SUVs are all around us. In a crash, they have an unfair advantage against the smaller sedans like my Honda Civic. It's a good thing that Britax has designed their car seat with side impact crashes in their mind. The car seat’s shell is lined with energy absorbing material, such as Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam, that provides a rigid barrier around the head and torso. A good thing is they are under the cushion which helps make it "comfy" for the child. The Roundabout has a five point-harness system and shoulder height has three adjustments. The three height adjustments for the shoulder straps allow for this seat to grow with your child. The harness adjustors are easier to use than the others I've tried. The shoulder straps offer a one-pull harness mechanism at the front bottom, allowing for snug fit. As always, follow the manufacturer directions for proper placement of all adjustable features. You must follow these to receive proper results.

The Britax Roundabout uses a tethering system that it calls the Versa-Tether. A tether is a strap that links up the top of the car seat to an anchor bolted to the vehicle’s frame to reduce excessive movement of the seat in the event of an accident. This makes the car seat more secure as it reduces the amount of movement that can occur during a crash. A good tether should also reduce the distance that a child’s head moves forward. The Versa-Tether on the Roundabout allows for both rear and forward-facing teethering. Unlike a normal tether, it utilizes two attachment points on the seat to distribute crash forces while anchoring the top of the seat to the vehicle to reduce movement of the seat during impact. Personally, I felt the tether made the seat more stable compared to the other brands. The lower connectors in addition to providing additional stability are also very easy to use. It also has a sculptured base for an "easy fit" in most vehicles. You most likely won't need to use towels or other padding to get the right angle or to brace the seat into position.

On Comfort, Fashion, Price and Value
No doubt, it's a comfortable car seat. I'm not really looking to make a fashion statement with my car seat but there's a lot of covers to choose from. Look around retailers on the web so you can check the available options. Check out your local stores so you can see it with your own eyes. I recently visited a local Babies R Us and was able to see some along with other competing car seat brands. You'll probably not be able to see all the different styles of covers like the Roundabout Bridgeport, Cowmooflage, Granite, Jessica, Latte, New Denim, Onyx and Tan Swirl (Not sure if I've listed everything) but seeing one or two should give you an idea of the fabric and how the other covers might look and feel. Please note that you can always buy replacement covers if needed. Also, the covers removable, machine washable, and replaceable if needed. A great feature as my son loves to eat while in the car and it really gets dirty quickly.

Is a Britax Roundabout a good value? As you probably know, compared with competing brands, this car seat is more expensive. As I see it, I don't really look at the brand name. The reputation of the company counts as well as its history. Safety is a paramount priority for me in choosing a car seat. If I view a car seat as safe and is a good fit to my child then I'll buy it. If I find the qualities I look for on lower priced item then well and good. If it's more expensive then it's fine. I can sacrifice a dinner or cut back on other things just so I can purchased the product I think will provide the best protection for my child. But, I'll definitely look around to get the best price I can. In the internet, there's a lot of retailers with low overhead therefore they can give out a lower price. Sometimes there are also discount coupons available for car seats on some stores. It should be easy to search for a good deal. And, I usually check out the price on different online and offline retailers before I buy.

Lastly, read the Britax Roundabout manual provided and follow the manufacturer guideline. It is important that you use the car seat only with children who weigh between 5 and 40 pounds
(2.3 and 18.1 kg.) and whose height is 40 inches (101.6 cm.) or less. Use rear-facing for children 5 – 35 pounds (2.3 –15.9 kg.) and forward-facing 20 – 40 pounds (9.1 – 18.1 kg.). Happy Car Seat Hunting !