[toc]Along the Marathon 70-G3, Pavilion 70-G3, and Advocate 70-G3, the Boulevard is also updated and was launched as part of the G3 line of convertible car seats last June. It too has better safety features such as the Hugs Chest Pads with SafeCell Technology, Base with SafeCell Technology, Integrated Steel Bars, Energy Absorbing Versa-Tether, Tangle-free Five Point Harness, and True Side Impact Protection. Let us go onto some details of the Boulevard 70-G3. You can also check out the previous post about the Marathon 70-G3 since some features are the same with the Boulevard, Pavilion, and Advocate.
Technical Specification for the Boulevard 70-G3
- Child Weight: 5 to 40 pound (Rear Facing); 1 year and 20 up to 70 pounds (Forward Facing)
- Child Standing Height: 49 inches or less
- Child Seated Shoulder Height: 9 to 16.75 inches (Rear Facing); 12 to 16.75 inches (Forward Facing)
- Product Weight: 19.5 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 18.5 x 26 x 21 inches
- Seating Compartment Height: 23.5 inches
- Seat Area Depth: 11 inches
- Seat Area Width: 11 inches
- Shoulder Width: 13 inches
- Harness Slot Heights: 8.5 / 9.5 / 10.5 / 11.5 / 12.5 / 13.5 / 14.5 / 15.5 / 16.5 / 17.5 inches
- Buckle Strap Depths: 5 & 7.5 inches
- Certified for Aircraft Travel
- Made in the USA with global components
Safety Features of the Boulevard 70-G3
Like the Marathon 70-G3, the Boulevard 70-G3 Convertible Car Seat is equipped with HUGS (Harness Ultra Guard System) Chest Pads with SafeCell Technology located on the two straps of the five-point harness. This system primarily minimizes the forward movement of the child during a crash. The SafeCell Technology compresses to reduce the impact forces that the child may experience. This also happens with the Base of the car seat. It also has the SafeCell Technology.
Since most of the convertible car seats of Britax including the Boulevard 70-G3 cater for bigger kids up to 70 pounds, the SafeCell Technology at the base lowers the center of gravity of the bigger kids and aid in preventing forward movement of the child during a crash.
The Boulevard 70-G3 has energy absorbing versa-tether. The tether is primarily used to anchor the car seat onto the vehicle. They are straps attached to the upper part of the car seat and have additional series of loops on the top most part. The Versa-Tether system with the series of loops will minimize the child’s movement during a crash, lessens the force that the child will experience, and diverts the crash impacts away from the child’s body.
Integrated Steel Bars are also incorporated on the Boulevard 70-G3. This is another safety feature that deals with the overall structure of the car seat as well. Instead of the usual plastic and foam combination, the steel bars that you will see on the lower part of the car seat will reduce forward flexing of the child during the crash. It will also strengthen its connection to the vehicle.
True Side Impact Protection
The Boulevard 70-G3 like the Chaperone, Pavilion, Advocate, Frontier, and Parkway is equipped with a much advanced Side Impact Protection. Do not confuse it with that of the Marathon 70-G3. They both have the same energy absorbing foam inside rigid shell with deep inside walls. But the difference is that the Boulevard 70-G3 Convertible Car Seat has the adjustable head restraint with energy absorbing foam which adds to the cushioning of the head during side impact crashes. Like the Side Impact Protection, the True Side Impact Protection will keep the child’s head and body protected during the crash sideways. Britax added this feature on some of its car seats starting 2002.
Other Features of Boulevard 70-G3
The Boulevard 70-G3 Convertible Car Seat is also equipped with a tangle-free five-point harness straps that are easy to adjust the height without rethreading or removing the cover to make it fir for your child’s body. You only need to remove part of the seat cover for the two positions that the buckle can be adjusted to.
The EZ-Buckle system makes sure that the buckle itself is forward facing and can be adjusted for your growing child. It also has nifty cover so that the child’s skin will not get hurt every time he seats on the car seat.
When the child is being strapped on the Boulevard 70-G3, the harness has the tendency to get in the way, so Britax included Harness Holders to keep the straps on the sides while placing your child in it. You can check out the video on how to strap your child on the Boulevard 70-G3 like the Marathon 70-G3 on the previous post.
The Boulevard 70-G3 is also equipped with a contoured Base which we mentioned earlier having a SafeCell Technology. It is actually anti-slip that both protects the vehicle’s seat from the actual car seat and gives the car seat the most favorable fit so that it will not make necessary movements and will make minimize injury during the crash.
Installing the Boulevard 70-G3
The Boulevard 70-G3 Convertible Car Seat can be positioned in two ways: rear and forward facing. As a standard and comfort for child’s development, infants should be in rear facing position while toddlers and bigger kids must be in forward facing position. There is also a three-position reclines for the rear facing position to let infants have better lounging position to support his back. You can also add Infant positioning inserts or other infant pads to help in making a comfortable seat for your infant.
The Boulevard 70-G3 car Seat can be installed also in two ways: using the LATCH system and the vehicle’s seat belts. The vehicle should have a corresponding lower and tether anchors if you will install the car seat using the LATCH connectors and versa-tether. Britax made it easy for the Boulevard to attach it to the vehicle via an audible click will be heard as an indication that the car seat is nicely connected to the anchors. Also, it is easy to remove the anchors via the orange button that looks like what seat belts have.
If you will use shoulder or lap belts in installing the Boulevard 70-G3, simply remove part of the seat cover to reveal the built-in lock-offs. These lock-offs will secure the seat belt so that the car seat is fitted nicely and will not make unstable movements.
Fabric Options of Boulevard 70-G3
There are about 6 fabric options for the Boulevard 70-G3 Convertible Car Seat. They are Aztec, Caitlin, Cavalier, Onyx, Silver Birch, and Zebra. The Cavalier fabric is only available in Babies R Us. These easy to remove softly padded cover are also easy to clean and maintain. You actually do not have to remove them from the car seat when cleaning them. The soft seat cover is also lined with high density comfort foam to add extra layer of padding for cushioning your child.
Accessories of Boulevard 70-G3
- Infant Positioning Insert in Gray, $14.99
- Child Cup Holder in Black, $14.99
- Car Seat Travel Bag in Black, $69.99
- Car Seat Travel Cart in Black, $79.99
- Britax Boulevard Cover Sets in Caitlin, Onyx, Silver Birch, and Zebra, $79.99
- Kick Mats in Black, $15.99
- Reversible Head/Body Support Pillow in Ivory and Gray, $29.99
- EZ-Cling Window Shades in Black, $9.99
- Storage Pouch in Black, $9.99
- Vehicle Seat Protector in Gray, $29.99
- Back Seat Mirror in Black, $19.99
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great 360-degree safety features
- Bigger capacity from infant up to 70pounds
- Easy to install
- Lots of comfortable padding even on the side of the head
- Easy to adjust Headrest and Harness straps
- Three recline positions and easy to recline
- Fabric can be washed even if it is not completely removed from the car seat
Cons
- Fabric is not machine washable because it will shrink and get deformed
- Quite bulky and heavy
- Expensive
Consumer Ratings
The Britax Boulevard 70-G3 Convertible Car Seat has been rated as 4.5 and 75% says it should be given a 5 because of its quality and superb safety designs.
Boulevard 70-G3’s Price
The Britax Boulevard 70-G3 Convertible Car Seat is normally sold for $319.99. When this post was made, it is on sale for $254.99 over at Amazon and has a 20% total savings. If you wish to get this awesome car seat for free, read the requirements in the Britax Registry Rewards Program.
