While the Britax Boulevard Clicktight and the Chicco Nextfit Zip are both safe options, practical parents will come to appreciate the advantages of the Chicco Nextfit Zip over the Boulevard Clicktight, despite being more affordable.
Learn more.
Britax Boulevard Clicktight*
Vs
Chicco Nextfit Zip*
Ideal Use
| Boulevard Clicktight | Chicco Nextfit Zip | |
| Rear-Facing Weight: | 5 to 40 pounds | |
| Forward-Facing Weight: | 20 to 65 pounds | 22 to 65 pounds |
| Forward-Facing Height Limit: | Up to 49 inches | |
The Chicco Nextfit Zip requires a child to be 2 pounds more before you can start to use the seat in the forward-facing mode.
Good 2-Way Car Seats
Will It Fit In My Car?
| Boulevard Clicktight | Chicco Nextfit Zip | |
| Width | 18.5 inches | 19 inches |
| Height | 23.5 inches | 29.2 inches |
| Depth/Length | 23 inches | 21 inches |
The Britax Boulevard Clicktight is a half inch narrower than the Chicco Nextfit Zip. It is also less tall than the Nextfit Zip.
The high sides of Nextfit Zip are for side impact protection, so your child is extra safe should there be a side collision. On the downside, if your car is not so large, it might be a challenge to buckle up your child safely on the seat, as the high sides can hinder the seat’s easy accessibility.
The Nextfit Zip is shorter than the Boulevard Clicktight, but I can imagine the Nextfit Zip taking more space when fully reclined because of its high sides.
Good All-In-One Car Seats
Installation
| Boulevard Clicktight | Chicco Nextfit Zip | |
| Do I need to use a pool noodle/rolled towel? | Yes | No |
| Easy To Install Rear-Facing? | Yes | |
| Easy To Install Forward-Facing? | Yes | |
| Easy To Uninstall? | Yes | |
Installing the Boulevard Clicktight would need the help of either a pool noodle or a rolled towel.
Also, when installing rear-facing and fully reclined, there are 7 recline positions for Boulevard Clicktight versus 9 recline positions for the Nextfit Zip. That means that the Nextfit Zip can be more comfortable for a younger sleeping child who needs to be laying down “flatter.”
Safety
| Boulevard Clicktight | Chicco Nextfit Zip | |
| Country Of Origin: | USA | China |
| Steel Frame: | Yes | |
| Five-Point Harness? | Yes | |
| Side Impact Tested: | Yes | |
| Approved For Airplane Use: | Yes | |
| Easy To Buckle And Unbuckle? | Yes | |
Both seats come with flying colors with safety, but the high sides in the Nextfit Zip seat makes it safer for side impact collisions.
As for the added “safety” feature of the Boulevard Clicktight, its seat harness, when pulled to buckle up your child, makes an audible “click” to tell you you are within the proper range of tightness. Just for the record, a “pinch test” is a more reliable gauge.
To do a pinch test, try to pinch the collarbone area of the harness straps. If you cannot pinch it anymore, then your child is safely buckled up.
The Seat
| Boulevard Clicktight | Chicco Nextfit Zip | |
| Is The Material Breathable? | Yes | |
| Seat Weight: | 29.4 pounds | 26.2 pounds |
| Machine Washable Cover? | No | Yes |
| Roomy? | Yes | |
| No-Rethread Harness? | Yes | |
| Comes With An Infant Body Support? | Removable body pillow | Yes |
| Easy To Remove Cover? | Yes | |
| Expiration | 10 Years | 8 Years |
| Comes With A Cup Holder? | No | Yes |
| Shoulder Harness Has Pads? | Yes | |
| Leg Straps Has Pads? | No | |
Check Out The Britax Boulevard Clicktight Colors*
Check Out The Chicco Nextfit Zip Colors*
The Nextfit Zip is lighter than the Boulevard Clicktight – something worth noting when you need to air travel with the seat.
Aside from easily unzipping the seat cover out for washing, the Nextfit Zip is also machine-washable compared to the hand-wash only fabric of the Boulevard Clicktight seat cover.
Aside from the removable body pillow that both seats come with, the Nextfit Zip has a little extra cushion for the head of a younger baby.
Britax Boulevard Clicktight has a more generous expiration date – 2 years more than the Nextfit Zip.
You have to get a cup holder for the Boulevard Clicktight separately since it does not come with it.
Compare The Price Difference
Boulevard Clicktight |
Chicco Nextfit Zip |
Check The Latest Price* |
Check The Latest Price* |
Conclusion
There’s an approximately USD 30 price difference between the Boulevard Clicktight and the Nextfit Zip. The Boulevard Clicktight is more expensive.
Let’s see what the added cost is for.
- The Boulevard Clicktight is a little more “compact” than the Nextfit Zip – something that is important for parents with smaller vehicles.
- It’s made in the USA.
- It has an “improved” harness strap design that makes an audible sound to help gauge proper seat harness tightness.
- It will take 10 years before the seat expires so you can pass it on to your other children.
For less than USD 30, you’ll get the following advantages of the Chicco Nextfit Zip.
- Its high sides will play a major role when side impact collisions happen.
- It can be reclined more.
- It weighs “lighter.”
- It has a machine-washable cover.
- It has a full body pillow support.
- It comes with a cup holder.
The decision for me to choose between the two is quite easy.
I’d get the Chicco Nextfit Zip.*
What do you think?
Do You Need More Help To Decide Between
The Britax Boulevard Clicktight Vs The Chicco Nextfit Zip?
Read My Britax Boulevard Clicktight Review
See My Chicco Nextfit Zip Review
I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Cheers!
*affiliate links
Just my opinion, but I own both seats. I greatly prefer the Britax because there are slots on the side which hold the straps back. With the Chicco, I have to dig out the straps from underneath my kid each and every time. Also, the horizontal chest strap seem more secure on the Britax, because that part of the straps (along which the chest strap moves up and down) are sectioned off in rubber housing. Its hard to explain, but if you see it in person you’ll know what I mean. I haven’t tried to wash either seat, so I can’t speak to that.
Hi Emily,
Thanks a lot for sharing your valuable thoughts on both seats! I highly appreciate it and I’m sure that my readers will find it very helpful!
Kind Regards,
Pitin
I found this comparison really surprising as you forgot or neglected to mention the major advantage of the Clicktight, the Clicktight feature which ensures a tight and safe install. I have installed both seats in different cars and will always choose the Britax Clicktight as getting it tightly installed is so much easier than the Chicco. Even with multiple people tugging at the Chicco Nextfit, we have never gotten it as tight as our Britax Clicktight which takes one shove down.
Also, I have never heard of someone using a pool noodle or rolled towel to install a Britax seat. The only thing I can think of is that Britax says it is ok to put a towel down under the seat for the seat protection from spills and such, whereas the Chicco does not. But that is not for install nor is it required.
Another major factor is the replacement after an accident. Britax has confirmed you can continue to use their seats after minor accidents (no airbags deployed and the car is operable after a hit) whereas Chicco still recommends replacing a seat after any accident.
Also left out of this comparison is the ability to use an anti-rebound bar. ClickTight Anti-Rebound Bar rests against the vehicle seat back for rear-facing positions, protecting child’s head from injury by reducing the amount of rearward movement in the event of a rear or frontal collision.
Hi Rachel,
Thank you very much for your valuable input. I find it extremely helpful and I know my readers will appreciate it, too.
Regards,
Pitin
If size wasn’t a factor, I’d choose the nextfit zip. You got me at machine washable cover. This is so necessary. You also got me at reclines more. This is a plus especially when the babies are smaller. While I generally would prefer to buy a US made product, I think the pluses outweigh and therefore I’d buy the China made nextfit zip.
Hi Jen,
The “made in China” thing is always a misleading thing. I’m not sure how often a “made in the USA” or a “made in Italy” product is actually made from the claimed country. On the technical side, some parts of a product are “made in Country A” but assembled in “Country B” or vice versa. I think as long as the crash test results are good or the product has good safety features, user-friendly parts, and comfortable for the little passenger, it’s a good buy. 🙂
Regards,
Pitin
Thank you for the thorough and helpful comparison of Britax Boulevard Clicktight and Chicco Nextfit Zip car seats. Personally, I think this is a no-brainer. I agree with your choice that Chicco Nextfit Zip is the best choice as the price difference is not so big but you get so many additional benefits with Chicco. I also like the high sides of the Chicco seat as I have read the high sides are of extreme importance to increase the safety of your child.
Hi Arta,
I have received a comment days ago about the Chicco Nextfit (without the Zip) which made me dug around some more to triple check safety feedbacks and was surprised to find a YouTube video of a Dad, showing that his toddler can easily open and lock the chest buckle of the Chicco Nextfit.
However, this is the Chicco Nextfit “Zip” we are comparing here. And looking around, there is so far no complaints about its chest buckle.
They both have similar chest buckle design, but it would be unfair to declare that the Nextfit Zip’s buckle is unsafe too, since there is no evidence (lack of feedback) about it.
I’m just thinking aloud here. LOL.
Regards,
Pitin