Product Description
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britax, the Companion is a rear-facing only infant carrier for children from 4–22 lb.. and up to 30" tall. The special feature of this seat is the Enhanced Side Impact Protection, with adjustable head pad and air-filled pockets which expand for a customized fit. Other safety features include a 5-point harness system with no-tangle polyester webbing, an anti-rebound bar to reduce rebound movement in case of sudden impact, and a height adjustable base with LATCH connectors and storage, to safely secure the seat to your vehicle. Built-in lock-offs ensure easy installation. EPS impact foam and full-comfort foam guarantee a comfortable ride, while
britax premium comfort pads protect the baby's delicate skinfrom coming into contact with the harness. With convenient carry handle and fully adjustable fabric canopy. Removable, hand-washable cover. Imported. 18-1/2Lx28Wx17-1/2H".
Make sure you do your homework before buying this. The latest consumer report says that this seat did not pass the latest crash testing. That's a lot of money to spend for it not to pass!!!
it's clear when you use this thing that your kid is safe. it takes a while to figure out all the configurations, but it's worth the trouble. my main gripe is that the red lever you pull to get it out of the base takes a lot of pressure to make it work. if you have a new car with the latch / isofix system, definitely get a latch compatible seat like this one. when our daughter go to about 18 lbs. she found this seat a little confining and would cry until we took her out. also, she didn't like riding backwards, but who does. i know it's safer... we've now switched to the bigger britax model which can also be used with infants, but doesn't really protect infants as well as the companion. so, be a sport and buy your kid the safest infant car seat on the market.
This is my fourth infant car seat and by far is my favorite. I have used Graco Snugride, Graco SafeSeat, and Eddie Bauer Cosco. The blue fabric is much softer than the other colors. I live in South Gerogia and the baby has not over heated yet. I admit it is a heavy carrier but after carrying the safeseat it seems light. We bought this after the base of our Graco Snugride broke. I just wanted something sturdier and my 22 month old loves his Britax Marathan. By the way, our baby loves the head cushion.
I bought the Britax Companion after I was convinced my son hated his peg perego. I, too, was impressed with the safety ratings, and I thought compared to my peg, it's not as heavy or bulky.
Pros-
Very safe, like the anti rebound bar, sturdy, good coverage from canopy, easier to carry then my peg, fits into pliko p3 and baby trend snap and go, can wash cover and order covers from Britax direct (to solve heat issue).
Cons-
Not easy to get in and out of base (be careful that it is locked, have to check and check), hard to get baby in and out of (the TSIP is not secured by velcro or anything and tends to flop around), the straps to not stay aside to place baby in seat, harness does not click to let one know it is secure, have to feed straps through the back in order to adjust height (this is just a slide up and down feature in my peg), carrier handle also difficult and noisy (wakes sleeping baby). Also, the TSIP seems like it over-confines my baby (3 mos) even completely deflated. I want to remove it, but then I'm removing the SIP. Not a worry in the peg since the SIP is built in and adjusts with the seat belt positioning.
All in all, I like the Britax line and will likely return to it for the next seat up (decathlon or marathon) but I think this seat has too many quirks as pp said. Also, my son no longer constantly screams in his peg, so it must have be a developmental thing.
The seat is too heavy to carry even WITHOUT the baby, making the portable option all but worthless. The seat is so deep it's hard to take the baby in and out (and since I have to do this and leave the seat in the car due to its weight, the baby always wakes up).
The fabric is very hot, and the straps are very awkward. I never want to leave the house. The seat sticks in the base and the straps are hard to loosen.
I would not buy this car seat again. It's a hassle. The stroller that works with it (forerunner) is just as bad, and I cannot usually fold it. It's simply too hard to do. Despite high safety ratings, if a seat is so bad the parents never want to take the baby anywhere, what's the point? Maybe the reason it's so safe is because using it encourages the parents and baby to never even get in a car and risk an accident.
We purchased the Britax after doing quite a bit of research both online and in the stores.
Why we purchased -
1. Safety rating
2. Britax reputation
3. Compatible with a lightweight stroller
Why we are glad we have it -
1. Head rest provides excellent support for baby. Baby isn't folded over at the neck.
2. Car seat does not move, at all, when installed correctly (check around locally to make sure you have it installed correctly).
3. FAA approved and fairly easy to use without the base, but it will take some practice both with lap belts and shoulder belts.
4. Baby cannot lift head out past the restaints when the strap is tightened and the "slide" is in place.
5. Cover is machine washable, and the straps are easy to remove to clean out the car seat. This is important when your baby out poops a diaper or throws up. Plus, it dries pretty quickly.
Things that can be improved -
1. Handle, it's a bit uncomfortable to carry as the baby gets heavier.
2. Sun shade - could go down further.
3. Handle release - it's two handed, one handed would be easier.
Our baby was 29" and right around 20 lbs. when she outgrew the seat so it can last awhile depending on the size of your baby. We have a Mazda Tribute and it fits well in the center. You will probably have to keep one of the front seats fairly upright in order to maneuver the car seat in and out.
ANY car seat is going to get bulky and heavy when a baby gets bigger. While the seat is probably heavier than most, the longest trip you may carry it for is from the parking lot into a building.
Definitely worth the money.
I ordered this car seat when I was 6 months pregnant because my children ride in nothing but Britax products. Safety should always be the first concern where car seats and other gear are concerned and nothing beats Britax. I ordered the stroller at the same time as to make sure I had both products ready when my baby arrived, as they are hard to come by in a store. My child outgrew it rather quickly (she only lasted 3 months in it), but it was well worth the money. She now rides in a Britax car seat as my other child rides in the booster made by Britax. I feel more secure knowing my kids are safe.
I bought this carseat for its safety rating, but my four month old overheats in the vinyl onyx seatcover. After only a short ride (15 min) her hair is wet with sweat - after a long ride (1 hour) she needs a change of clothes to not catch a chill. I live in Hawaii but run the AC while driving to keep her cooler to no avail. She detests the carseat and I am concerned that it may be because she is overheating. Britax is sending me a cotton poly unity blue cover to see if this alleviates the problem.
Another problem is that she is able to lift her head forward out of the side impact protection and if it is inflated snuggly she cannot put her head back - creating a safety problem. Britax rep did not have a solution for this.
If you are quite tall, you may need to test it out in your car to see if you are able to use the seat in the center seat position or behind the driver.
Weight not an issue: The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against using carseats in shopping carts due to 1000 injuries per year. Also consumer reports advises against subjecting carseats to wear and tear caused by using a carseat as a baby carrier. Aprica Strollers research claim it unhealful for infants to be in a carseat position for more than two hours per day. Therefore, i think it is good that the seat is so heavy and incovenient to remove. It helps me resist the temptation to keep her in the seat while shopping. I just pick her up and carry her or use a stroller - offering her more freedom safety and HUGS!
D.D.
Honolulu, HI
Although this is a safe infant carrier, it is extremely heavy and bulky. We bought this carrier for our first child as we were impressed with the safety rating. In retrospect, there are other carriers available that are just as safe, but much lighter than this one, and also much smaller which would have made it much easier for me. Lifting this becomes such a chore, it's really heavy once you get your baby inside, and it's really hard to just "run errands" as it's too heavy with baby inside, unless I transport the carrier to my stroller or a snap and go.
Forget walking into meet your friends with your new little infant casually slung over your arm in this carrier, you'll either be trucking your little one in this carrier in a stroller, or using two hands and all your strength to keep upright, and it's difficult when there are stairs involved.
Also, it's huge, be sure to take measurements as once it's in our car, a SUV, I have to have my seat forward more than I usually do so as to accomodate the size of it.
My advice is to go into a store that has several carriers, pick them all up, try them over your arm, consider the size of them all and imagine carrying your little baby, who only gets heavier by the week, around for six months in this.
After checking all the reviews and prices for infant car seats, we purchased the Britax Companion for our newborn. We are VERY pleased with our decision.
Positives:
SAFE, SAFE, SAFE
Price is compromise between cheap and 'high-end' seats
High quality product - sturdy and comfortable for our little guy Side-impact/head support
Anti-rebound bar on base
Coordinating Britax Preview Stroller
Drawbacks:
Hard to find (not in any stores in our area and out of stock most of the time online)
Heavier than most infant car seats (but this is also a positive)
Handle hard to move, especially with canopy in place (but it is getting easier after 2 months of use)
Images ScreenShot
About Britax Unity Blue Infant Companion Car Seat detail
- Amazon Sales Rank: #17343 in Baby Product
- Brand: Britax USA
- Number of items: 1
Features
- Infant car seat
- Rear-facing only infant carrier
- Safety features include Enhanced Side Impact Protection, 5-point harness system, anti-rebound bar and LATCH connectors
- Built-in lock-offs for easy installation
- Carry handle and fully adjustable fabric canopy
Read more Britax Unity Blue Infant Companion Car Seat
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