Designed to keep your child safe, secure, and comfortable in the car, the Britax Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat (Opus Gray) provides the advanced protection of Side Impact Cushion Technology. This seat fits children in the rear-facing position from 5 to 35 pounds and children in the forward-facing position starting at one year old and 20 pounds, up to 65 pounds. |
The Advocate CS
Convertible Car Seat
At a Glance:- Age/Weight/Height Requirements:
In rear-facing position, fits children weighing 5 - 35 pounds; in forward-facing position, fits children 1+ years old weighing 20 - 65 pounds - Warranty:
6-year product life; 1-year limited warranty - Certifications:
Certified for aircraft travel in harness mode only
Ideal for: - Who:
Parents and caregivers - What:
Superior Side Impact Protection and keeping children safe and comfortable in the car - Where:
Car, minivan, and SUV
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Comfortable design provides side-impact protection and minimizes movement.
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Click & Safe snug harness indicator provides an audible sound to indicate when the harness is safely snug. View larger. |
 Side Impact Cushion Technology for Advanced Side Impact Security
The Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat is ideal for parents concerned with providing proper safety and posture-support for their children during car rides. Utilizing Side Impact Cushion Technology, this car seat reduces the incoming side impact crash energy by 50%, providing superior protection if you happen to face an unexpected side-impact accident.If such an event takes place, the side impact cushions are designed to compress to transfer crash energy away from the seat before reaching your child. The Advocate CS then uses True Side Impact Protection to keep the head, neck, and spine properly aligned to limit injury during impact. Superior 360-Degree Protection to Minimize the Risk of Injury
In addition to its superior side impact protection, the Advocate CS offers a variety of features to better absorb energy and minimize movement. First, the patented, energy-absorbing Versa-Tether has staged-release tether webbing, anchoring the top of the seat at two points to minimize forward movement. For growing babies, the easy adjust, tangle-free five-point harness offers infinite harness height adjustments for a snug, custom fit. For additional protection, the Harness Ultra Guard System (HUGS) reduces forward head movement, while both the EPS foam liner and base are designed to absorb crash forces. Click & Safe Technology for the Safest Fit
When it comes to your child's safety in the car, it's vital that they are properly secured. To keep things simple, the Advocate CS assists in the process of securing your child with the Click & Safe snug harness indicator feature, which provides an audible sound when tightening the harness to indicate when it is in the range of appropriate snugness. Superior Fit and Comfort Features
The Advocate CS offers a higher forward-facing weight capacity that allows children weighing up to 65 pounds to remain harnessed and protected in the car well into the toddler and preschool years. And whether children are watching the world go by or snuggling in for a nap, they'll enjoy that the seat reclines in both the forward and rear position. Additional features include high-density comfort foam, a plush cover set, and body pillow for positioning, they'll always ride in style and comfort. Superior Ease-of-Use for Safety and Convenience
Adjustments are equally effortless with the easy-turn knob that changes the headrest and harness height without requiring you to uninstall the seat, and a front harness adjuster allows for easy loosening of the harness. Premium, push-button lower LATCH connectors offer a quick, simple, and tight installation, while built-in lock-offs secure the vehicle seat belt so that the car seat does not move more than one inch side-to-side or front-to-back at the belt path. To best suit your lifestyle, the Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat is available in the following patterns: Opus Gray, Kathryn, Onyx, Opus Tan, and Moonstone. The Britax Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat is backed by a one-year limited warranty. What's in the Box
One Britax Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat and manual.
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 The best safety money can buy! |
| Review Date: June 27, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Vincent Biroscak, Saint Louis, MO USA |
My son is eight months old and was ready to move out of his starter seat into something bigger. I wanted something that we could, of course, still use rear facing until he was at least a year old, then use forward facing until we no longer needed a car seat.
I also wanted the top notch in safety that I could buy. As I researched this purchase, I learned more and more about the deadly effects of side impact collisions and how limited most children's car seats are in terms of protection from this type of event. Fortunately, Britax has done their homework and this seat builds on the pioneering work they've already done with side impact protection on the Boulveard. This seat has two huge crash energy absorption pads on either side to limit damage and protect kids from smashing their face into glass in a side collision.
The seat also has a tether feature that I've attached to my overhead tether connectors in the back of my Infiniti FX35 and this monster is going absolutely nowhere.
Installation was a snap, took me about fifteen minutes. Just remember to put it in full recline before installing it if you're installing it rear facing.
While the safety is clearly the key rationale for spending this money, I also feel good knowing my little guy is comfy cozy in what has to be one of the plushest car seats ever made. This thing is the kid version of a Heavenly Bed.
While the side panels certainly make it larger than the Boulevard, it is easily manageable for taking on airplane trips if you're going on vacation. We took it with us to St. Croix and had no problems. However, I do feel it is big enough that it's not something you're going to want to remove from your car on a daily basis.
Feel good knowing you purchased the safest seat money can buy and your baby won't mind the fact that he's sleeping in a giant marshmallow! |
Another Britax Hit!
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| Review Date: September 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Kevin Nicholls, Milford, MI |
This is actually the third model of Britax car seat I've owned and reviewed. Previous to the Advocate CS, I had a brief period with the Britax Decathlon before buying a second Britax Boulevard.
The Advocate CS is very, very similar to the Boulevard in just about every regard.
From the very top, the headrest is easily moved up and down by turning a knob on the side of the seat. Once this is installed, you probably won't have to take it out of your car, other than turning it from rear-facing to front-facing, and when your child is finally too big for it. Having dealt with the "put three straps on this weird clip thing" seats, you will never, EVER want to go back after you've used the adjustment knob.
The padding is every bit as good as what you'd find on a Boulevard (and a step up from the lower-tier models, in my opinion). The fabric is made very well made and has a somewhat dense feel to it, but at the same time, it breathes well, so your child won't get too hot in warmer temperatures.
The tether system is basically unchanged from the Boulevard. There are nice, soft color-matched shoulder pads, followed by a non-slip chest harness that somehow manages to stay in place without "sticking" to your child. The Click & Safe adjustment strap is of somewhat questionable value to me. When you tug the bottom strap to tighten the harness, you hear a noise almost like a ratchet when it's snug enough. That's great if you're not used to putting your child in a seat, but in my experience, finding the proper snugness isn't very difficult. For me, the clicking was consistent with the tightness I would have used anyway. Obviously, this is something that's going to vary by the individual (and whoever else may be using their seat). Is it a good feature? Absolutely. Would I opt for a less expensive non-CS version of the Advocate (vis a vis the Boulevard and Boulevard CS)? More likely than not.
Actually installing the seat is pretty straightforward. Just like the Boulevard, the LATCH straps are mounted to an independent steel bar. Much like the headrest, this is an excellent feature that you will instantly miss if you ever have to use a child seat that isn't designed this way. Installation for experienced parents takes about two minutes. New parents... I'd give it five. Ten if you count having someone come and make sure you did it right. (No shame. I used to be guilty of this myself.) The top LATCH connector is similarly easy, and as with the Boulevard, the Advocate comes with a nice pouch for storing the tether and / or slack from it.
While the Boulevard is a relatively large child seat, the Advocate CS is a monstrosity. If you look closely at the picture, the off-white hump on the back is actually one of the two plastic side impact "wings" in addition to the cushion wings on the seat. While I like that Britax seems to be taking a "more is more" approach to impact protection, those plastic wings are not only big, they're not even sort of color-matched.
"Color matched? WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT THAT? YOU ARE AN AWFUL PARENT! SHAME ON YOU!" Okay, let's level with each other here. We're talking about an unusually expensive child seat with replaceable fabric covers that cost nearly as much as buying a whole new child seat from another company. Yes, you're paying for safety, but you're also paying for a certain amount of cachet. So, when you buy yourself an Onyx or Opus Gray Advocate CS expecting it to match your black interior, understand that you're going to have huge white plastic wings, too.
More importantly than color though, is the real value of the side wings -- which, like so many other things, depends on your personal situation. The wings are designed for two main purposes: 1) Additional protection of your child, in the event a side impact is severe enough to cause the interior of your car to make physical contact with the seat and 2) Protection for rear passengers who may be thrown or pushed against the seat in the event of an impact.
For my personal situation, we have one child, whose seat is positioned in the center of the rear seat. There's nobody else back there to be hurt by the child seat, and if an impact is severe enough for the interior to make contact with the seat, the accident would almost certainly be fatal for all passengers, regardless. On the other hand... If I regularly had passengers who sat in the back seat such that there was someone else who could potentially be injured, and I had to put the seat near one of the side doors, I would not hesitate to buy the Advocate precisely for the added protection. Seriously. When you're looking at this much money for a child seat, what's an extra $40?
So... would I recommend it? To many people, without question. Sure, some things border on gimmicky, but I can't think of a safer seat you can buy. That said, if money's a concern, if you don't have other back seat passengers, or if you're concerned about appearance almost as much as safety, I really think the Boulevard may be a better choice. If you have your heart set on Click & Safe, maybe the Boulevard CS. If you took off the side plastic wings from the Advocate CS, you'd have a Boulevard CS. At the end of the day, all three are incredibly well-built seats that are packed with features, and better than "comfortable" for your child. |
I love this seat
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| Review Date: July 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: B. Bentley, |
| I purchased this seat about 2 weeks ago and have I absolutely love it. This is the third Britax that I have purchased, my older boys are in Regents and I have been happy with all of them. Britax seats are so easy to install correctly, once they are in they don't move an inch. This seat is totally worth the money. I have wasted money on cheaper other seats and ended up spending the money and buying a Britax. save yourself they hassle and buy a Britax first. |
Unintentional Upgrade
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| Review Date: March 21, 2010 |
| Reviewer: KYP, Lakewood, CO United States |
I used to have a Britax Boulevard until my car was broken into and my insurance damaged that car seat. I thought about getting another Boulevard but opted to upgrade to the Advocate. The only difference is this: SIDE IMPACT. I got the Onyx seat but the Side Impact things are SOOOOOOO UGLY! they're these gray end caps on the seat. It's not that obvious from the photos but in person, they're there. Other than that, it really looks/feels/installs just like the Boulevard.
This seat is practically the same as the Boulevard and that includes installation. ho hum.
INSTALLATION:
I wish I had done more research (not on the car seat) but the actual installation of the car seat. When we opened the box, I was surprised that 1 - the box was a square (unlike the Boulevard) - AND there wasn't any items inside as a filler for the seat itself. We have a Subaru Outback Station Wagon. Thinking that it was a family car, a car seat wouldn't have been an issue. Think again. There are only tethers in the roof (near the hatch). There are no tethers in the floor. (When we had the Boulevard, we were rear facing and that was a pain) - now that our seat is Forward Facing, It's not as bad. It does take up some width of the backseat =(
LATCH system - easy to install. make sure to pull the straps TIGHT after install. Seat will wobble a bit but once you tether it down (or up) it's very secure. If you do tether it up, make sure the seat is still within the 30-45 degree requirement. It makes it hard to keep the seat secure AND at those degrees. When we tethered it up, it looked like the seat was being pulled upright. My car has squishy seats.
Recline: If installing rear facing, MAKE SURE TO RECLINE THE SEAT before installing the LATCH system. It's very hard to reach once your seat is latched.
Background Info: My son is now 16 months old. Sitting up on his own. 20lbs, 29" tall
SEAT:
Straps: REALLY SOFT!! Harness is easy to use and unclip to get our baby out. Drawback is that the rubber part of the strap is too tall (it's longer than my son's torso (I had the same complaint when he was 6 months). It irritates him and doesn't seem comfortable. Britax has a lot of extra padding to make the straps bearable, there's a padded cushion that is useful to make sure the strap doesn't dig into his neck. There is also another pad behind the buckle so it doesn't push onto his bits and his belly.
Padding: Infant inserts removes easily so as my son gets bigger, we can take the cushion off. There's a way to fold the flaps/sides in so it gives a snugger fit for smaller babies. Looks like there will be plenty of room to grow.
Headrest: Easily moves up and down. Wish the side flaps weren't so stiff. Seems like it will work with his large head.
Style: Good looking. Fabric is soft and feels nice. Color combination is attractive. Looks like a "big boy" seat and blends in well with my car. It's nice that this seat has a pattern vs the Boulevard which was just a color scheme.
Overall: The seat is pretty light. I carried it without a problem (Surprising b/c the box is the size of a small playhouse). It looks great in my car. Took a bit of fussing but well worth it. It's great that the seat sits a little higher so my son can look out the window. He could see some stuff in his infant carrier but not really that great. I feel very confident and comfortable that my son is in a secured and well rated seat. (I wish that car seats came with it's own carrier bag b/c I hate having to find one that fits - for the $ that these seats are, I'd think that's a fair request). |
Best you can buy in the U.S.
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| Review Date: August 25, 2009 |
| Reviewer: M. Karazim, Lansing, MI |
Britax has made a reputation for themselves for being the industry leader in car seat safety in the U.S. They were the first company to offer side impact protection, which is important because most accidents happen from the side. The Advocate is the newest addition to their line of convertible seats. This seat accommodates children from 5-35 pounds rear-facing, up to 65 pounds forward facing, and up to 49" in height.
This seat is very sturdy and robust. The fabric is plush, looks comfortable, and has a removable infant insert for smaller babies. I would personally still go with the infant seat until the child is about 20 pounds or so, just because this is not a seat you would want to be moving around much. It weighs more than 20 lbs and is pretty big. It fits in the back of my Toyota Rav4 just fine, with the front seats pushed all the way back. It doesn't obscure my line of vision at all because the top of the seat doesn't quite reach the top of the headrest (rear-facing). It is easy to install using the latch system, although I think all car seats are pretty tricky until you really get the hang of them. It has a small base, so technically you could probably install two of these in the back seat of the Rav4 and still have room for a small person in the middle. I wouldn't think this would fit very well in a very small compact car. The headrest adjusts for when the baby gets taller. The side wings support the head during naps. I have the Opus Gray, which is a very attractive pattern and matches my car seats just fine.
Yes, this seat is pricey, one of the most expensive seats on the market. There are cheaper seats that are comparable. Recaro makes some nice seats that accommodate up to 70 pounds. It's really going to boil down to the money, the shape of your child (yes, different babies fit better in some seats than others, kind of like diapers and clothing) and your own personal preferences. Do your research and you will not be sorry. You're really not going to know until you get the seat home, install it in your car, and see if your kid likes it. To me, safety is very important, so I would be willing to pay the hefty price tag for this seat. I never want to have to say that I went cheap on the seat and had to put it to the test in an accident.
Bottom line, it's a great seat. One of the best, if not the very best. If the price is within your budget and the seat fits in your car, I'd say go for it. |
mercedes benz of car seats
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| Review Date: September 7, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Candace Mike N Elmo, New York United States |
wOW ! we have owned(still own ) many cars seats.
This is far and above the absolute best!
It is EASY to use and SAFE !!!
We have to take it in and out all of the time as we are the grandparents and when we have to ever buy another carseat , THIS IS THE ONE !!!
It says it is safe and stresses the side impact safety features, but what a company SAYS about its' product and reality are often very different. Not in this case.It iS all TRUE, not just hype.
Baby is comfortably nestled in this seat w/ out feeling restricted while being protected at the head and the mid section extremely well as you can see from the picture...but it is better in real life. Very well structured and supportive/protective. Straps are strategically positioned for maximum safety holding your babe still if hit. They are adjustable and easy to operate unlike many others.
It is soft externally and hard internally for safety. It does keep the head very safe along with the whole body. Very good design, very well constructed very sturdy and very stable...it does not wiggle or move once it is in the backseat mid section. If you have a bucket seat or similar, you should use a noodle(pool toy) from dollar store to help balance and then it is like the Rock of Gibraltar...it's nOT moving
It also able to be used from birth to 65 pounds. It can face rear or front and unlike others it cradles the newborns and then gets roomy for the bigger kids. It is very versatile.
bIG PLUS
it is EASY to install !!! This is very important as I have tiny hands that are not strong and always struggle w/ all other car seats, no matter the brand. I can do this one w/ little effort!! And it is rock solid in its posistion even when I put it in.
All the others I have had that were not Britax moved /wiggled just a bit. Not this one !
And I had trouble w/ the buckles on all others but NOT a bit of trouble w/ this Britax !! That is wonderful, easy to work and safe as possible. Safety is our #1 priority but being user friendly is a MAJOR ,IMPORTANT PLUS.
We LOVE this !!!
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Great Car Seat...Only Have Minor Complaints
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| Review Date: September 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: K. Dubose, Middletown, DE |
My husband and I consider ourselves to be car seat experts since it usually looks like we could be a baby gear sale shop with all the different sized car seats we own for our four children ages, 8, 6, 2, and two weeks old. Britax is always our seat of choice and we have owned no less than 5 other Britax seats over the years. We decided to upgrade our two year old to the Britax Advocate CS Car Seat, Opus Gray because he was in a Roundabout and the Advocate has a higher weight limit and much more in the way of safety features.
I was a little concerned about the seat's size from reading some other reviews, but I actually found that the seat really did not take up any more space in our truck than the Roundabout did. Don't get me wrong, the seat is large, but I think the way the base is made, it actually sits a little better in our back seat and that may contribute to the fact that it does not seem to take up any more space.
Installation was really easy. I actually was so excited to receive this seat that I just took it right to the car and installed it before even going through all the directions and was actually pleasantly surprised that I was able to install it correctly the first time by myself. We like the Click and Safe Harness adjuster. You fasten the seat belt making sure the straps by the thighs are snug and then you an pull the adjuster strap firmly and when you hear the audible click, you know the straps are the correct tightness.
Some of the cons that I noticed were the crotch strap...it is a bit too far back. My son is not big at all and I am constantly fishing under his bottom trying to get at the crotch strap. The other con I could see would be trying to use this thing as a rear-facing seat. Unless you have a really large truck or you only have one child, this seat in the rear-facing position would take up a tremendous amount of space and would probably create some visual problems as well if you use your rear-view mirror. This is also probably not the seat to use with an identical seat side by side. My newborn will not be able to have this seat and sit next to his brother. When both of my boys reach the forward facing stage, I will have to definitely look at smaller brands as I need to be able to flip my 60/40 bench seat down to give my older daughters access to the third row. My husband and I are die-hard SUV owners and my husband will die a self-inflicted death before driving a minivan, so we just make it work.
All in all, I love the seat. My son is much happier in this seat as opposed to his Roundabout. He NEVER EVER slept in the car on trips...I mean like even long 2+ hour trips he would always stay up. His first ride in the Advocate, he actually took a nap! I was stunned. I take that as the biggest sign of approval from a two year old.
Other than some minor annoyances with the crotch strap, and as long as you are aware of the size issues you may encounter, this is a great seat. Well made, VERY safe and secure. |
Smaller than my infant carrier!
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| Review Date: March 5, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Mandi, Philadelphia, PA |
Everyone has rather thoroughly explained the pros and cons of the seat, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE. So I'll spare you ALL the details.
One thing I don't see mentioned is the top tether, which straps to the floor and keeps the seat from flying upwards in case of a short-stop. I don't know if this is now standard on all car seats (this is my first car seat in 13 years) but it impressed me. The seat does not budge at all in my car - and only took about five minutes to install (unlike the infant carrier, which never seemed to be installed properly and took several hours and adults to finally throw their hands in the air and give up - btw, that's the Cosco brand and came with a stroller that is impossible to steer and falling apart after less than 10 uses).
And for those of you worried about size, the seat (even fully reclined and rear-facing) fits PERFECTLY in the center of my backseat, without causing discomfort to the driver and passenger (because they have to sit squashed up to the console). I have a Toyota Camry, so this gives you some idea of size. The seat is, however, quite bulky, which means that squeezing two people in the back with the seat might be a stretch. Guess it's time to lose that babyfat!
Also, if you are concerned about looks - be warned that those white "wings" are HUGE. I'm not concerned about the fact that the seat doesn't match my interior, I'm worried about how easy it is to spot in the back seat and identify as an insanely expensive car seat (something I hope not too many thiefs are keen on). You can find a good deal for the seat on the Internet, I got mine for less than $300 - including tax and shipping.
If you do buy the seat and look for a cover to protect it, I can recommend the Dressy Dribbles toddler-sized seat cover (sold on Amazon through Target). It's soft and will wrap around the headrest (it even has a hole for the click safe). Once the headrest is at the topmost position, I doubt it will fit. Another handy tip, Safety First makes a shade for strollers, I find you can tuck it around the headrest to block sun that comes in through the rear window (I have a five month old, not yet able to rip it down). This helps some. |
Best Car Seat ever!
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| Review Date: May 12, 2010 |
| Reviewer: E. Wood, Okinawa, Japan |
| The car seat arrived in about 10 days,which was important because we are a military family and live overseas. The car seat is beautiful, it was easy to install. My husband had very few pieces to put together, he did however view the online video for clarification on the correct process of installing. My daughter who is 1 year old and 20 pounds + has enjoyed her car seat, it is comfortable, soft and the added softness of the extra padding is a real plus, since we will be traveling extensively shortly by car. The car seat fits in our American sized Honda Odyssey and also in our Japanese compact sized vehicle comfortably with both teenagers ages 15 and 13 sitting together in the back seat. The car seat at first sight may seem pricey, but you definitely get a lot of value for your money. |
Great Chair - but HUGE!!!!! Rear facing + small car = No Way.
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| Review Date: August 31, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Demand Curve, LA, CA United States |
If you have a small car forget it. We have a 04 Toyota Sienna and putting this seat rearward facing for our under 1 year baby, makes it so that we can't get in the van from the left side. I had originally set it up to be on the right - but we couldn't get in and out of the van. WOW. The seat has these cushy "wings" that stick out ( you can see them in picture) and provide some additional side impact protection.
The chair is really impressive with the material and all the little things that really say " I am a safe baby seat".
It is pretty easy to adjust, and can grow with your little ones - up to 65 lbs.
It is not easy to install simply because of its sheer size, and the plate on the bottom is a bit hard to sit perfectly in the seat. If that makes sense. The latch system works great (as it does in other car seats).
You just have to be prepared to loose a great deal of space and functionality of your automobile when you install this seat. If you have a small car - do not buy this car seat - it simply will block your entire view and it may not fit. If you have a small car and need to sit it up rear facing - forget it.
I imagine we have moved into the range of where we place our kids into a small protective completely shielded airbag and we won't be able to see them until we reach our destination .... we have entered a car seat arms race! |
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