The original Britax B-Safe was a very popular infant car seat, but it has now been replaced by the Britax B-Safe 35 and B-Safe 35 Elite seats. You can no longer buy the older version of the B-Safe and so your choice is now limited to the B-Safe 35 and the B-Safe 35 Elite.
By introducing these updated versions of the B-Safe onto the market, Britax have kept the best aspects of the old Britax B-Safe seat, whilst adding even more safety and convenience features.
This is my in-depth review of the Britax B-Safe Infant car seat and I hope that it helps you to decide whether or not it is the right seat for you and your baby.
If you have any questions at all about my Britax B-Safe 35 Review, please just leave a comment in the box at the bottom of this page.
The Britax B-Safe 35 – Key Features
1. Height & Weight Limits
The Britax B-Safe 35 seat comes with a maximum child weight limit of 35 lbs. This is 5 lbs more than the original B-safe seat and means that you may be able to use it for longer before having to transition to a convertible seat or harness to booster seat.
Although this higher weight limit might allow some babies to use the seat for longer, this is not guaranteed to be the case with your baby. The reason for this uncertainty is that some babies outgrow their seats by height long before they reach the seat’s upper weight limit.
So, the length of time that your baby will be able to use this seat will depend upon their particular physical characteristics. A short heavy baby will probably be able to use the B-Safe 35 until they reach the maximum weight limit of 35 lbs, whereas a tall slim baby is likely to outgrow the seat by height before reaching 35 lbs.
Although the B-Safe 35 seat comes with a higher maximum weight limit than the original B-Safe, the maximum child height limit remains at 32 inches.
This means that the B-Safe 35 remains one of the best infant seats on the market when it comes to maximum child height limits.
The minimum weight limit is 4 lbs, which make this seat suitable from birth even if your child’s birth weight is very low.
2. Safecenter LATCH & Built-In Lockoffs
In common with all premium infant car seats, the B-Safe 35’s base can be installed using LATCH connectors.
For those parents that need to install their seat using the adult seatbelt rather than LATCH connectors, the seat also comes with built-in lockoffs to make it much easier to get a snug and secure installation.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with lockoffs, they simply clamp the seat belt and make it much easier to get a tight base installation.
There is absolutely no point in buying a premium infant seat with lots of great safety features if you cannot install is securely within your vehicle. So, the lockoffs are designed to improve safety as well as speeding up the seat installation process.
3. Integrated Steel Bars
Unlike the standard B-Safe seat, the B-Safe 35 comes fitted with some very reassuring integrated steel bars.
Britax claims that these integrated steel bars help to strengthen the connection between the vehicle and the seat, which reduces the forwards flexion of the child seat during a collision.
One of the biggest risks to your child during a collision is as a result of their body striking against a hard part of the inside of your vehicle, such as the back of the front seat. This reduced seat flexion due to these steel bars reduces the risk of such a terrible event occurring.
4. Dual Recline Level Indicators
The Dual Level Indicators help you to get the correct seat angle by clearly telling you when you have got it right rather than leaving you to guess.
5. Side Impact Protection
The B-Safe 35 comes with Britax’s premium Side Impact Protection system, which is said to significantly exceed federal safety standards. It does, however, come with 1 fewer layers of side impact protection that the B-Safe 35 Elite (see below).
The B-Safe 35′s Safecell Complete Side Impact Protection system comprises 3 elements:
- Rigid Shell (plus integrated steel bars) with Deep Side Wings
- Energy-Absorbing Foam
- Impact-absorbing Safecell Base
There is also a specially designed impact absorbing base.
6. Seating Adjustments
The B-Safe 35’s harness slot height options are as follows:
- Harness Slot Heights at 5/7/9/11 inches
- Crotch Buckle Strap Depths of 4 & 6 inches
Britax have also re-positioned the strap-adjustment button so that it is no longer hidden underneath the seat fabric. The button is now very easy to find and operate without having to fish around underneath your baby’s bottom.
7 Seat Weight
The B-Safe 35 seat weighs just 10 lbs, which makes it one of the lightest infant car seats on the market.
As a parent who has done more than their fair share of carrying infant car seats around, a lightweight seat makes a massive difference.
8. Harness Adjustments
The B-Safe 35 harness requires re-threading each and every time that you want to adjust it’s height.
This is a bit of a shame but, unlike a convertible car seat, you won’t have to do this very often and removing an infant seat from its base in order to adjust the harness is a lot less stressful than having to remove a heavy convertible seat.
The B-Safe 35’s Other features include:
- 5-Point Harness
- Comfortable Energy-absorbing Foam Inserts
- Newborn Insert Cushion
- Stroller Compatibility
- FAA Certified for Aircraft Travel
Britax B-Safe 35 Videos
The B-Safe 35 Elite’s Extra Features
If you love the B-Safe 35’s features, but can afford to pay a little extra for some additional safety and convenience features, you should consider buying the Elite version instead.
The B-Safe 35 Elite infant seat has everything that the B-Safe 35 has, plus …
1. Quick Adjust Headrest
With the B-Safe 35 Elite seat you can adjust the headrest and the shoulder harness straps at the same time by simply operating the mechanism that is situated around the back of the seat.
Watch the videos above to see how easy this is to operate.
2. No Re-thread Harness
As I have already mentioned, the B-Safe 35’s shoulder harness needs to be re-threaded each time you adjust the height of the straps. Having a no re-thread harness is a nice added bonus.
3. Extra Layer of Side Impact Protection
The B-Safe 35 Elite′s Safecell Complete Side Impact Protection Plus system comprises 4 elements:
- Rigid Shell (plus integrated steel bars) with Deep Side Wings
- Energy-Absorbing Foam
- Impact-absorbing Safecell Base
- Extra-padded Head Restraint
So, the extra layer is the padded head restraint. Personally I would pay the extra $35 or so for the B-Safe 35 Elite just to get this extra-padded head rest.
4. Premium Easy to Remove Seat Cover
This pretty much speaks for itself. The cover is easier to remove and the padded fabric is more plush.
Check out the B-Safe 35 Elite here.
Britax B-Safe 35 Fabric Color Options
Aside from the black version shown at the top of this page, the Britax B-Safe 35 comes in the following fabric color options.
Where to Buy the Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Seat
The Britax B-Safe 35 seat is widely available online and prices vary according to your chosen fabric color.
Buy the B-Safe 35 at a Big Discount
Britax B-Safe 35 Travel System
The B-Safe 35 can be used as part of a travel system.
It uses a very simple click and go system for installing the seat onto your child’s stroller and it is just as easy to remove it using the seat release handle.
Find out more about the B-Safe 35 Travel System here.
Britax B-Safe & B-Safe 35 Seats in Canada
Find Britax B-Safe 35 infant seats in Canada.
Safety Information
After purchasing any child car seat, you should always read the User Manual thoroughly before using it. It is also advisable to visit your local Fire Department or NHTSA Child Car Seat Inspection Centre to ensure that the seat is definitely suitable for your child’s specific requirements and that you have installed it correctly. These services are usually provided free of charge.
You can find your nearest NHTSA Centre here.
Get in Touch
If you have any comments to share or questions to ask about my Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat Review, please leave a comment in the box below or send me an email.
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