Editor’s Note
The Britax Grow With You ClickTight Seat is still available, however, Britax has released the Grow with You ClickTight Plus. This newer version is basically the same car seat with two noticeable changes. The Plus has 3 layers of side impact protection versus the 2 layers the older version offers. The Plus also has a flame retardant seat cover with a safe wash cover that is easy to clean and machine washable.
The Britax Grow With You ClickTight Car Seat was designed with safety in mind. While it’s not the most compact, portable seat, once you feel how sturdy this is you will not question your child’s safety in the event of an accident. It was designed for use in harness mode from 25 to 65 pounds and as a booster seat from 40 to 120 pounds. It features luxurious fabrics, high-tech safety features, and an easy-to-use ClickTight installation. We’ll take a closer look in this Britax Grow With You ClickTight Car Seat review.
Disclaimer: I received the Britax Grow With You ClickTight Car Seat for the purpose of doing this review. However, this review is my honest opinion after my own child’s use of the seat.
Safety
I’m going to jump right into the thing that matters most to me…safety. After being hit by a car that ran a stop sign with my youngest in the backseat, I was traumatized when it came to going on the road. We both were unscathed and I know that his car seat at the time had a lot to do with that. The truth is that you can’t always trust other drivers on the road. You can get in a car accident even when you are paying attention and doing everything right. Instead of leaving it up to chance, you want a car seat that is going to keep your little one safe.
The Britax Grow With You ClickTight Car Seat has many of the safety features that parents have become confident with when using the Britax brand. Their ClickTight installation makes it easy to install properly every time. The seat is heavy because it has SafeCells, which distribute energy in a car accident and direct it away from your little one. It also has an industrial-standard steel frame and dual layers of side impact protection. Finally, the V-shaped tether reduces forward movement in an accident.
Design
The Britax car seat was shipped to my door. I struggled briefly to get inside because the box was bulky and heavy. It is the heaviest car seat I’ve ever lifted but I loved that it definitely felt durable. We’re a single-car family, which is a plus because this probably wouldn’t be a good choice for constantly switching between cars because of the heavy weight. If it doesn’t bother you, however, the ClickTight installation makes it easy enough to install and uninstall as needed. For people that don’t want to switch a heavy seat between cars, a second model might be ideal for your spouse, grandparents, or the babysitter.
This car seat is also a little on the bulky side. It has dual built-in cup holders and a wider design that is good for accommodating kids as they grow. However, this means it might not be a good choice if you plan on sitting three kids across the back seat of your car regularly either.
Size aside, the design of this car seat is sturdy and comfortable. Your child will appreciate the fabrics and extra cup holders, while parents will appreciate the safety features and easy installation. Below, we’ll take a closer look at some of the key features of this car seat.
Adjustability
Something else that I really appreciated was the no-rethread harness. This car seat is designed to grow with your child, working with the harness from 25-65 pounds and 30-49. There is also a 5-point harness that has 9 adjustable positions that work by using the headrest to accommodate your growing child. You push the button on the headrest and you can adjust the harness with a single hand. Additionally, the seat belt buckle in harness mode has 2 positions so it does not get too tight as your child grows.
The seat works as a booster from 40-120 pounds and from 45-63. You remove the straps from the car seat and use it with the seat belt guides on the headrest. The headrest is still adjustable, so it helps position the belt in the perfect position for safety.
Installation
The ClickTight Installation was definitely as easy as I expected it to be. I watched a few videos online to prepare myself (I find videos easier to understand that written material) and I was ready to go. Basically, the lap belt threads through the back of the car seat. Once you tighten it, you cover the belt with the seat and it locks into place. Secure the anchor as you would normally and there is no wiggle room once the booster is properly secured. There are color-coded guides that also make this process a lot easier for you and your child.
The one thing I did struggle with was adjusting the harness for the first time. There is a button that loosens it so you can get your child inside, however, it’s located far under the front cover of the car seat. I found it hard to access.
Comfort
When choosing the fabrics for this booster seat, the Britax company considered comfort and convenience. The car seat uses an athleisure fabric that soft, slightly stretchy, and easy to clean. There are also comfort pads on the harness straps which prevents the material from rubbing against your child’s sensitive skin.
In addition to being soft, stretchy, and comfortable, the fabric is breathable so your child will not get hot and sweaty in the car. There are also rubbery covers on the bottom half of the seat belt straps and a cover over the seat belt buckle, which adds comfort and prevents uncomfortable rubbing.
Other Considerations
The car seat is handwash only, so you will not want to remove the covers and toss them in the machine. However, if you regularly wipe them down, you can deal with messes before they become an issue. Maintaining a clean car seat cover isn’t that difficult because the material wipes clean easily.
There are also two recline positions on this car seat. One makes almost a 90-degree angle and the other offers a slight recline. This is nice if your little one still has a habit of falling asleep on long car rides. The side impact cushioning is also soft enough for their head, however, there is a slight cut out that makes it a good choice for kids who like to see what is going on outside of the car.
While on the road, there are two cup holders in the Britax Grow With You ClickTight Car Seat. These cannot be removed so they make the car seat a little wider. However, this lets the holders be a lot more sturdy than some others. Having two is also nice because it accommodates drinks and snacks, especially on longer car rides.
Pros
- Durable, sturdy construction
- Impact-absorbing SafeCells
- Doesn’t wiggle around in the backseat
- Comfortable fabric
- Easy to install
- Two recline positions
- Two cup holders
- Good amount of padding
Cons
- Very heavy, not something you’d want to frequently switch between cars
- A little hard to adjust the harness the first time
- Fabrics are not machine washable
Britax Grow With You ClickTight vs Other Britax Harnessed Booster Models
Britax has several options when it comes to keeping your little one safe. These models are all harnessed boosters, most with the option to convert to a non-harnessed booster once your child is ready for the transition. These are high-quality seats and have always featured in our best booster seat list.
The Grow With You series of car seats listed from low to high price and features include:
- Grow With You
- Grow With You Clicktight < this review
- Grow With You Clicktight Plus
These harness-2-booster seats are intended to eventually replace the Pioneer, Frontier and Pinnacle seats. The older seats are still popular and available, but the Grow With You line brings some clarity to how the seats are positioned in terms of functionality and price.
Grow With You vs Pioneer
The biggest difference in the Pioneer is that the LATCH system is used instead of the Britax ClickTight system. It features a no-rethread harness with an adjustable headrest, a V-shaped tether, steel frame, and impact absorbing brace. The fabric used in the cover is also different and may not be as cool in the summer.
Grow With You vs Frontier ClickTight
The weight limit is the biggest difference between the Frontier and this car seat. The harness has a weight limit of 90 pounds instead of 65, which might be a good choice for special needs children or those who are not as developed and need to be in a harness longer. The biggest difference between the Frontier and the Grow With You ClickTight is a few dollars and the Frontier has Cool n’ Dry fabric, which isn’t as plush but might be nice in warmer areas.
Grow With You vs Pinnacle ClickTight
The Britax Pinnacle ClickTight is priced similarly to the Britax Grow With You ClickTight. It also has a higher weight range in harness mode (up to 90 pounds). Some of the differences I noticed between the Pinnacle and the Grow With You ClickTight is that the armrests on the Pinnacle are not padded and it is harder to tighten the straps once your little one is in their seat, which you’ll have to do every time you take them in and out of the car.
DualFit Harness2Booster Car Seat
This is a value harness-2-booster, being significantly more affordable than a lot of the other models. It works from 25-65 pounds as a harnessed booster and up to 100 pounds without the harness. The DualFit is a great value, but the fabrics are slightly lower quality and some of the comfort features are missing. This also uses the LATCH system instead of the ClickTight system the other boosters use. However, it does still have safety features like an integrated steel frame, dual side impact protection, an impact absorbing base, and a V-shaped tether.
Final Thoughts
The Grow With You ClickTight Car Seat is one of many great car seats in the Britax line. Some of my favorite features were the heavy weight, which reassured me of the safety of the seat, and how it made my oldest feel like a big kid while keeping my youngest safe. (They are 4 and 6). It was also easy to use and my 6-year old could easily buckle himself in. My youngest helped buckle himself too (I checked thoroughly that everything was tightened once he was done). We’ll definitely be using this car seat for the next several years.
