2021 Britax One4Life | Car Seat Review
The world’s leading car seat company is back with another game changer. The 2021 Britax One4Life is Britax’s version of the lifetime car seat en vogue right now. Starting at birth and lasting until 120lbs, it should be the one and only car seat you’ll need during your child’s life.
Safety
That said, we still often suggest an infant car seat for comfort and ease through the baby's first year, but this aims to be the only other thing you’ll need after that. As a convertible car seat, it starts rear facing and transitions to forward facing once you feel comfortable making that decision. We suggest keeping kiddo rear-facing as long as possible, and this allows you to do so until they hit either 50lbs or 49 inches, both of which are stats that kids hit between 3 and 5 years of age. The decision to keep kids rear-facing alone gives you an enormous advantage in an accident, and the length in which this allows you to do so only adds to that advantage.
The installation is almost impossibly easy. It is designed for all parents to be able to perfect regardless of ability. It uses a belt tensioning plate below the butt of the seat, putting tremendous pressure on the seat belt, and locks in the pressure with a steel rod. The most common issue in car seat safety is the improper installation of the seat itself, so the ease with which the Britax One4Life installs is a huge bonus.
Constructed using a hard steel frame and two layers of EPS foam for side impact protection, the sturdy build keeps your child cocooned from accidents. Their safecell technology crumples on impact to spread the force of the blow away from the child and the v-shaped top tether increases stability in forward-facing installations. If you’re looking for enhanced rear-facing protection, you can always add on the Britax Anti-Rebound Bar for increased stability.
Comfort
On top of the safety aspects, the Britax One4Life has some amazing convenience and comfort features for parents and children alike. The most notable at first glance is the dual cup holders built into the sides of the car seat. What kid doesn’t like cup holders? Anywhere they can put their things is a plus for kids around 1 or 2 and remains convenient as they age. It features a non-rethread harness, in which the headrest slides up as kiddo ages and can be adjusted easily. It also has a 9-position recline for optimized napping options. Britax also made a point to climate control their seats. With built in cooling channels and ventilated mesh your kiddo can stay cool even when it’s been in your car all day.
Longevity
The biggest theoretical advantage to the Britax One4Life is longevity. You’ll be able to start it once they turn one, and it should last them till they’re done with car seats altogether. But realistically, the height limit on the seat will be reached before they’re likely done with car seats altogether. Most experts suggest that children stay in a harness until they can be trusted with sitting in a seat belt correctly. It is more realistic to say it’s better when a parent
determines this age themselves and considers what age and size their child is before deciding to move on. Luckily, they make the Britax Grow With You, a seat that accommodates slightly older children in a harness and still converts to the booster seat you’d hope to use afterwards.
Still not sure which car seat is the right one for your family? Reach out to us anytime via email at questions@mbeans.com. We’re always happy to talk shop! You can also contact our Baby Gear Gurus via phone (866-600-BEAN) during business hours (M-F, 9 am-5 pm EST), by utilizing the Product Expert Chat on our website, or by scheduling a video consultation. Finally, get all the advice you need by visiting our YouTube channel!
Leave a comment