Product Description

Britax Decathlon Convertible Car Seat Like its predecessor, the Britax Boulevard, the Decathlon is built around safety and comfort. It features the LATCH system placing this Britax car seat at the forefront of car seat technology. The LATCH system makes installing the car seat easy and efficient. LATCH stands for lower anchors and tethers for children. To install this convertible car seat simple attach the installation connectors to the LATCH anchor points stored near the seat belt. The Britax Decathlon convertible car seat also features built in lock-offs to make using the lap belt for installation safe and secure. But what is it that separates the Decathlon from other versions of car seat? For starters this baby car seat features a 3-position adjustable crotch strap which is not found on other Britax car seats. The convertible car seat features an infant positioning system for newborn babies which help them get acclimated to the Britax Convertible car seat. It also features a design which helps ensure the head and neck area stay safe. The Britax Decathlon Convertible car Seat is one of a kind with features not seen on other makes or model of baby car seat.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2733 in Baby Product
• Color: Cappuccino
• Brand: Britax USA
• Model: E9W47D4
• Released on: 2008-08-11
• Dimensions: 27.50" h x 19.50" w x 25.50" l, 15.50 pounds

Features

• Convertible, rear facing five to 33 pounds and forward facing from at least one year old and 20 pounds, up to 65 pounds
• Side Impact Protection distributes crash forces, shields from vehicle intrusion, and contains the head and body
• Removable head and body pillows adjust for a custom fit as child grows
• Higher forward facing seat capacity allows children to remain harnessed up to 65 pounds
• Tangle-free, five-point harness with four harness heights and three buckle positions for a snug and secure fit

From the Manufacturer
The Britax Decathlon car seat achieves the ultimate in luxury and comfort with removable head and body positioning pillows. The three buckle positions provide a snug and secure fit as your child grows. Higher forward-facing weight capacity allows children to remain harnessed up to 65 pounds. The tangle-free, five-point harness with four harness heights ensures a snug and secure fit. Premium push-button latch connectors provide a quick, simple and tight installation. Unique features include the patented Versa-Tether for energy management, and rear- and forward-facing recline for child comfort and positioning. The Decathlon fits children rear facing from five to 33 pounds and children forward facing from at least one year old and 20 pounds, up to 65 pounds. The Decathlon is made in the USA with U.S. and global components.

Customer Reviews

Decathlon vs. Boulevard
It took me several weeks before I finally opted to purchase the Decathlon rather than the Boulevard. I was very interested in the extra side-impact protection that is only available in the Boulevard model but was concerned about whether or not my large 4&1/2 month old son (who is in the 95th percentile in length and weight) would need the adjustable crotch strap positioning that is only offered on the Decathlon.

I am so glad that I purchased the Decathlon! It turns out that my son DID indeed need to have the crotch strap adjusted to the last slot (he would be sitting on top of the buckle in the Boulevard at this point which would have made it impossible to buckle and very uncomfortable for him). If you're purchasing for a thin toddler rather than an infant or chubby/big baby you might not have to worry about that.

I love the extra padding (which is removable, unlike the pads in the Boulevard) and the soft cover (which is machine washable unlike that in the Boulevard). He seems to be VERY comfortable and I know that he is safe. I know that it doesn't offer as much side-impact protection as the Boulevard, but it does offer some (definitely much more than a conventional car seat) as it is made to far exceed American safety standards. Plus, if your baby is placed in the middle of the back seat than that offers some additional protection as well.

I was also concerned about the size of the car seat and whether or not it would fit comfortably, rear-facing, in the back of my Toyota Avalon car. It does. Perfectly! My husband is 6'4" and doesn't have to move his seat up to accomodate the car seat in back (something I was very concerned about). AND I can see out of the rear-view mirror with no problem. It DOES NOT block your view at all.

It's very easy to install and, if done so properly, doesn't budge. It is a little tough to adjust the straps when it's installed rear-facing but not too difficult... and even if you had to take it out to adjust the straps it's no-biggy because the carseat takes only a couple moments to install EASILY and it's not like you'll have to adjust them on a daily basis or anything.

I am very pleased with my purchase and highly recommend the Decathlon to anyone looking for a SAFE, COMFY and ATTRACTIVE carseat that will take them from the chubby baby stage all the way through the toddler years. :o)

Marathon, Decathlon or Boulevard?
We needed a new car seat for my 1 year old and I knew Britax was the only way. We have owned a Roundabout in the past (as well as an Eddie Bauer that I HATED). My other 2 outgrew the 40 lb. weight limit Roundabout quickly so I opted for a larger weight limit this time around....which brought me to the Marathon, the Decathlon and the Boulevard. I read and read about each of the seats and finally I went to a store that sold all 3 and tried them out in person. I settled on the Decathlon for 2 reasons. The first is the adjustable crotch strap which neither of the other 2 have. After years of digging for that silly piece under my boys on my Roundabout, I knew this was a must! The other feature is the Push Button Release as opposed to the metal lever on the other 2 seats that is hidden under a fabric flap. This might not be huge to some, but as a mother of 3 that is always on the road and taking my 1 year old out of her car seat several times a day, every second seems to count! This Push Button just seems faster and easier to work with than the lever. Before purchasing, I went over and over the descriptions of each of these car seats trying to figure out the major differences, and if I'd read a Review like this in the beginning, I'd have saved a lot of time! Of course I love this car seat for all the same reasons as everyone else, but I am hoping this review will help someone like me who couldn't decide on which Britax was right for us. Oh, and a footnote. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the yellow flowered fabric on the car seat is actually a light lime color. Read this in another review somewhere, and I have to agree!!!!

REPLACED DECATHLON WITH THE BOULEVARD
We have used a Decathlon for our 21 month old son for the past 1 1/2 years. Yesterday, after our Stroller Strides class, we were loading up, and the harness adjustment broke as I was tightening the harness. Up until this point, we have had no problems with the Decathlon. I was surprised that such a top of the line seat would up and break on us. We drove immediately to Safe and Secure Baby, here locally, and were told that the seat was broken and it was a manufacturing problem. This morning, I called Britax and they are sending me a new car seat along with a return shipping label to return to them my broken Decathlon, even though our one year warranty expired five months ago. Now, that is good customer service! Needing a car seat immediately, we purchased a Boulevard yesterday, and am completely happy with it. Initially, I was concerned about the "crotch strap" as noted earlier, but it doesn't matter, because the maximum length of the "crotch strap" on the Boulevard is the same as the maximum on the Decathlon. So, I don't know why the reviewer on the other page was concerned about her son outgrowing the car seat. He will outgrow them at the same rate - since the crotch strap maximum is the same.

I was SOLD on the Boulevard when I was asked, "If you were in a car accident, would you rather have your son's face hit the side impact protection (on the Boulevard) or the window (on the Decathlon)". I didn't realize that when in an accident, the car seat (any car seat) can move quite a distance. Then, I was concerned that my son may fuss over the slightly more limited view when using the Boulevard with SIP. But, it hasn't affected him one bit. He didn't care at all, and it made a nice head rest for him when he napped off in the car today. Britax is replacing our broken Decathlon with a Boulevard. It's worth every penny! and comes with great customer service from Britax, too.