Britax Emblem
The Britax Emblem was recently discontinued as Britax slims down their product offerings. But it is still in stock at this time, and it's a seat that has a lot of great features! It's one of the lightest seats that has a built-in seat belt lock-off, which has made it a favorite for international travel! There is also a fabric option that is free of flame retardants if that is important to you.
- You travel often.
- You want a car seat with a seat belt lock-off.
- You have a vehicle with non-removable headrests.
- You need to fit 3 people in one row of the vehicle.
- You want to use a convertible seat from birth.
- SafeWash fabric option is flame-retardant free
- Lock-off
Our Review of the
Britax Emblem
The Britax Emblem was recently discontinued as Britax slims down their product offerings. But it is still in stock at this time, and it's a seat that has a lot of great features! It's one of the lightest seats that has a built-in seat belt lock-off, which has made it a favorite for international travel! There is also a fabric option that is free of flame retardants if that is important to you.
Our recommendation: From 6 months until the seat is outgrown (average 5-6 years old)
A convertible car seat that can be used rear-facing and forward-facing
After you’ve used an infant seat for a few months or after the infant seat has been outgrown
Stand Out Features of this Car Seat
SafeWash fabric option is flame-retardant free
Britax is moving over to all flame retardant-free fabrics. But until the other fabric options are out of stock, make sure to choose a version with SafeWash fabric if this is important to you. Cover removal: The removable cover is washer-and-dryer friendly for easy cleanup!
Lock-off
The Britax Emblem has a seat belt lock-off, although it is not as easy as the ClickTight mechanism featured on many of Britax's other harnessed seats. This one is lighter though, which makes it particularly well suited for families who often travel internationally.
Seat is good for you if
You travel often.
This is one of our favorite travel seats, especially if you are planning on traveling outside of the US and Canada. The reason for this is the seat belt lock-off, which is needed in many countries and the seat belts will not have the kind of locking mechanism necessary for installing car seats.
You want a car seat with a seat belt lock-off.
This seat has a seat belt lock-off. So it can be a good option in vehicles older than 1996 that don’t have locking seat belts or need to be installed in international vehicles.
Use caution if
You have a vehicle with non-removable headrests.
If your vehicle has non-removable headrests that tilt forward, we do not recommend that you buy the Britax Emblem. It may not be compatible with the vehicle. You can check this post for car seat options that do work with non-removable headrests.
You need to fit 3 people in one row of the vehicle.
The Britax Emblem is 18.5 wide, so unless you have a vehicle with a wide bench seat, like a full-size truck, this seat is unlikely to work in a three across configuration.
You want to use a convertible seat from birth.
We have found that this seat sometimes causes chin to chest positioning in newborns, and for that reason we do not recommend using it from birth.
Quirks to be aware of
V-Shaped Tether
The top tether should always be used when a child is forward-facing. Britax’s top tethers are v-shaped instead of the typical top tether design. Generally this kind of top tether will go around both sides of the vehicle’s headrest.
Harnessing Information
Installation Information
Airplane Use
The Britax Emblem is a recommended choice for both domestic and international travel as it is FAA-approved. Thanks to the lock-off, you won't have an issue installing it in any vehicle around the world that comes with seat belts. For help with all things airplane travel and car seats, check out our Wheels Up Course and private Facebook group.
Videos
SITS Bottom Line
The Britax Emblem convertible car seat offers several standout features for safety and convenience. It comes with flame-retardant-free fabric options and an easy-to-use seat belt lock-off. It also has a fairly high lower anchor weight limit of 50 pounds, if you prefer to install with that method instead.
Similar Car Seats
Specifications
Britax
Product Information
Weight: 18lbs
Width: 18.5"
Highest Harness Height: 17"
Rear Facing Limits
Height: 49"
Weight: 4-40lbs
Head Height Rules: at least 1″ below the top of the headrest
Lower Anchor Connectors Weight Limit: 40 lbs
Forward-Facing Limits
Height: 49"
Weight: 20-65lbs
Head Height Rules: ears must be below the top of the headrest
Lower Anchor Connectors Weight Limit: 50lbs
No Back Booster Limits
Highest Belt Guide Settings
High Back Booster Limits
Other Important Details
Newborn Fit
not recommended; headrest may push baby's head forward
Expiration Limit
7 years
Crash Replacement Policy
replace after a moderate or severe crash
Harness
no-rethread
Lock-off
yes
Vehicle Seat Protector
This brand does not permit a vehicle seat protector.