Their install methods are identical, and many of their features are the same. The main difference is in the layers of padding throughout the seats. The Marathon has the least padding of the three, and it typically costs about $50 less than the Boulevard. The Boulevard and the Advocate both offer the Click & Safe Snug Harness, which gives an audible click when the harness is properly tensioned, whereas the Marathon has a standard harness. The Marathon was previously the top pick in this guide, and we still think it’s a solid choice.
However, if you have the tightest budget or need a secondary seat that doesn’t need to be installed often, we think having a seat like the Tribute on hand is useful. Buying a safer seat is just the start—you also need to be sure you’re installing and using it properly, every time. Like the Extend2Fit Convertible, the 3-in-1 has a one-year warranty and a lifespan of 10 years from the date of manufacture. Since it is a relatively new model, the NHTSA has yet to release crash-testing data or an ease-of-use rating for this seat.
If you think that we’ve incorrectly blocked you or you would like to discusseasier ways to get the data you want, please file a ticket here. Now that my girl is weaning, and generally making more of a mess, it was pleasing to find that the insert for the seat can be fully removed and is washable. The harness mechanism pulls quite smoothly and does not require significant strength to tighten. The roller bar at the back of the seat helps achieve this smooth pull.
All of the fabrics are free of brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, and the mammoth and railroad are free of added flame retardants. The Boulevard ClickTight does not have cupholders, which is a bit of a bummer. The fabric on the Extend2Fit Convertible is not the smoothest or the softest—we prefer the material on our runner-up Britax Boulevard ClickTight and our also-great Clek Foonf picks. The Extend2Fit Convertible’s fabric feels a bit like that of a wetsuit, slightly nubby and rough. And it’s prone to staining—the material was not as easy to casually wipe clean as that of the Britax or the Clek.
But given the ease of the LATCH install—and the seat’s unusually high LATCH weight limits—for the majority of people, manually locking off the seat belt is a nuisance that can be avoided. Still, if you need or want to install this seat frequently using the seat belt method only, then it’s something to consider. We were joined by Wirecutter senior editor Courtney Schley, who has four kids—the youngest just aging into his first convertible seat. Courtney and I took turns installing the seats in our family cars—my Honda Odyssey and Courtney’s Ford Transit cargo van—parked in Gina’s driveway on an icy-cold winter day, and then Gina evaluated our installs. The current author of this guide is Christina Szalinski, a science writer with a PhD in cell biology whose reporting on health has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Undark, and more. In addition to writing Wirecutter’s updated guides to the best infant car seats and travel car seats, she is responsible for Wirecutter’s guides to the best baby formula and kids face masks.
Even if the inner LATCH anchors from the side positions are close enough, most vehicle and seat manuals do not allow the use of these LATCH anchors for the center position installation. “The 4Ever DLX Grad 5-in-1 Car Seat is the first product on the market with five true modes of use, offering the versatility, customizability and longevity needed for first-time parents and growing families alike.” This 4.9-star-rated car seat converts from a rear-facing harness (up to 40 pounds) to forward-facing harness (up to 65 pounds) to high-back booster (up to 100 pounds). It features a slim design with integrated cup holders that rotate away. Although there aren’t many differences between the Extend2Fit 3-in-1 and the Extend2Fit Convertible, the differences that do exist are significant—and they make the 3-in-1 less appealing.
Also, in our food-and-drink tests, when we smeared peanut butter on the seat, it left a stain that we couldn’t get off with a soapy damp rag. Car seat manufacturers frequently release new models and update their existing ones. Though we didn’t rule out any seats on the basis of their being brand new, whenever possible we chose to test models that had been available graco convertible car seat for at least a year, in order to give us a more solid track record of user reviews. Like the other seats in Britax’s ClickTight line, the Boulevard ClickTight requires less effort to install than any other seat we tested. The Graco Extend2Fit Convertible does a superior job of keeping your child rear-facing longer—and it’s straightforward to install and use.