Britax One4Life All-in-one Car Seat – Best for Newborns to Preteen

Britax One4Life ClickTight All-In-One Car Seat

Brtiax One4Life

Overall Rating
4.7/5
Face Rear & Front

The One4Life sits firmly among the upper echelons of Britax’s premium child safety seats. Combining excellent quality, superb safety features, safe wash fabrics, and plenty of paddings, the Britax One4Life is a top contender in the extreme performance bracket. Featuring great weight and height limits up to 120 pounds and 63 inches, the One4Life is ready to grow with your child from day one to preteen. Just as its name promises, you just need this one for your kid’s car seat life.

Britax One4Life Car Seat Review - Easiest Installation

Pros & Cons

The good and the bad

What is it best for

Who we recommend it for

Value for Money

Is it worth the price tag?

Design

Dimensions, weight, color, etc

Safety Rating

Crash tests, FMVSS213, SIP

Performance

Weight/height limits, airplane, etc

Installation

Install with LATCH or seat belt

Alternatives

Other car seats to consider

1. Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

2. Who Is It Best For?

Will the Britax One4Life be a good option for your child and your family?

If you want an ultra child restraint system that lasts for a very long time to ride your kid safely and comfortably, and don’t care much about the cost of the child restraint system, the Britax One4Life is worth trying. 

It’s one among the top-ranked 3-in-1 car seats that go through three of the four car seat stages, from the rear- and forward-facing to the booster. Along with its long lifespan of up to 10 years, Britax is actually a money saver, as you don’t need to pay for another. 

However, cheap alternatives like Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 and Diono Radian 3R might be less expensive for parents who don’t have enough budget for an almighty car seat.

If you get used to installing a car seat with a seat belt, you might like Britax One4Life. It features an exclusive ClickTight technique that makes seat belt installation as easy as a piece of cake.

Britax One4Life Install in Vehicle

3. Value for Money

Is the price tag worth it?

The Britax One4Life comes in at a price of around $400 right now. That’s an undeniably large price tag, and potential buyers should be under no illusions about the costs here.

What’s more, bonafide bargain-hunters will likely be more drawn to other models, such as the Graco 4Ever DLX (~$300 with additional backless mode, better for preemies), or Diono Radian 3R (~$200, more portable and lightweight, narrower for 3-across fitting).

Meanwhile, parents that are looking for a fashionable car seat for apparently boys or girls, may want to opt for Maxi-Cosi Pria All-in-One Convertible Car Seat.

You’ll save at least one hundred dollars, and score a child safety seat that outperforms the One4Life for appearance whilst matching it for padding.

When you put it that way, there are good deals elsewhere – it just depends where your priorities lie. Price? Or the ability to ride your child and lay claim to an One4Life of your own?

4. Design

Dimension and Width

The Britax One4Life is a very bulky ultra-performance child safety seat.

Measuring dimensions of 20.5-inch for depth (length) plus 19.5-in for width plus 25-inch for height, the One4Life is really large and takes up a lot of space on the back seat.

The manufacturer boasts of its 19.5-inch width, which may achieve a 3-across fitting in the back seat for large sedans. But it should be a bit more difficult for the One4Life to do this in small cars, not as easy as those slim car seats such as the Diono Radian 3R.

The 20.5-inch depth is friendly to install in most average-sized vehicles, taking less space from the front passenger or the driver. My best friend  – Maria purchased this car seat for her little boy and installed it behind the driver’s position. Her husband – a 6’2” tall man can sit well in the driver position. 

The 25-inch height is reasonable for growing kids and this makes the One4Life good for tweens around 10 years old if they would like to stay in the car seat.

Portability

The Britax One4Life is also very heavy and sturdy and might be the heaviest car seat on the market, weighing up to 30 pounds.

But many parents don’t care about this and think it’s one of the provements that this car seat should be very solid for strong protection

As a matter of fact, they’re partially right. The reinforced steel frame that works well to protect the little one actually adds to the total weight. 

It’s not a lightweight car seat. As a result, it’s better not to switch the Britax One4Life from one vehicle to another.

Carrying it from vehicle to vehicle might be a pain for most moms, even though most of them agree that it’s easy to install it with the ClickTigh technique.

Most families would have another child safety seat installed if their babies need to ride in different cars. This is a very ideal solution.

Two Cup Holders

As a premium model, the One4Life has one cup holder on each side, adding a positive point to its overall performance.

Because the convertible car seat series from Britax – like Marathon, Boulevard, and Advocate, don’t have a cup holder.

Cup holders are useful for holding your kid’s drinks and snacks, or even toys during the boring car trips, especially if you’re planning to take them for a long ride.

So I don’t know why Britax does not add cup holders on its other popular models, which are comparably more expensive than their primary competitors.

The only probable reason I guess is that cup holders on either side might add the car seat’s width. The Marathon is 18.5-inch wide, slightly – just 1-inch, narrower than One4Life.

But the convenience and experience with two cup holders are unbeatable.

The cup holders are removable and can be easily detached from the seat for cleaning. It’s dishwasher safe so you can throw them into a dishwasher to clean them.

Luckily, the cup holders are designed with a cylinder shape. They are large enough to hold most water bottles for kids and adults.

This is a huge improvement from square cup holders. If you have purchased a Graco Extend2Fit, you’ll find square cup holders are not as good as cylinder cup holders.

Advanced tips: How to Remove and Install the Cup Holders

  • To remove, grasp the top lip, twist 90 degrees and pull up and away from the seat.
  • To insert, line up the tabs on the cup holder to the slots on the seat, and insert inside. Twist 90 degrees.

6. Crash Tests and Safety Ratings

Britax One4Life SafeCell

The One4Life conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213). This is an entry-level but mandatory requirement for a car seat to ride the little passengers on the road.

As a matter of fact, all the child restraint systems sold in the US must meet these standards. For example, a car seat should be tested with a 5-point harness for front and side-impact crash tests. Only car seats that pass the tests will be approved for sale on the market. 

More than that.

The Britax One4Life might be one of the safest car seats, thanks to its unique ClickTight install technique. 

As we all know, installing the child restraint system correctly ensures 90% of the safety of a kid in the car. The easy installation with ClickTight increases install accuracy and safety ratings for superb protection. 

Plus, the Britax One4Life includes an anti-rebound bar for additional protection for small infants when it’s installed facing the back.

Britax One4Life ClickTight

Anti-Rebound Bar (ARB)

The anti-rebound bar can be used ONLY for rear-facing install. 

In the event of a crash, the anti-rebound bar is used to help prevent rebound rotation.

You should not use the anti-rebound bar as a carry handle like the infant car seats. So do not use the anti-rebound bar to carry this child seat, which is heavy and not easy to carry and switch from vehicle to vehicle.

The anti-rebound bar MUST be removed for forward-facing installation if your baby outgrows the rear-facing weight or height limit. 

Just follow the steps from the Britax One4Life’s manual to install or remove the ARB.

Installing the Anti-Rebound Bar

1. Open the CLICKTIGHT. Squeeze the CLICKTIGHT release buttons underneath the front cover flap and lift to open. 

2. Insert the anti-rebound bar into the two openings at the front of the seat. 

3. Attach elastic bands from the cover to the hooks on the shell. 

4. Pull the anti-rebound bar away from the child restraint on both sides to confirm connections. 

Removing the Anti-Rebound Bar

1. Open the CLICKTIGHT.

2. Unhook elastic bands from the front of the seat.

3. Push the inner red button. Pull the anti-rebound bar away on one side. Repeat on the other side.

Headrest and Harness

The headrest brings not only protection but also comfort.

Including tons of padding, the headrest provides two layers of side impact protection that helps to absorb and reduce the crash energy to achieve the protection target. 

Made of safe wash fabrics that are naturally flame retardant free with no added chemicals, the One4Life is safe to use for babies.

With mesh on the sides for extra ventilation to keep your kids cool, it’s friendly for riding kids in hot states or areas.

More than that, the paddings are super fluffy for max comfort.

The Britax One4Life comes with the most headrest positions – up to 15. It’s even 5 more than the Graco 4Ever DLX’s 10-position headrest.

The multi-positioned headrest means that it will protect your child along with their growth from infants to preteen.

Plus, the One4LIfe also includes an infant insert that can be used with infants weighing 20 lb (9.1 kg) or less.

After your baby grows more than 20 pounds, you should remove the infant insert, which is used to help small infants keep balance in the car seat.

Reclines

Setting the car seat in the right recline increases the chance of installing the One4LIfe correctly. 

The Britax One4Life has nine reclines to accommodate growing children. However, there are boundaries for using different reclines for kids in different stages. 

For example, for newborns or small infants who can’t control their own head and neck, it’s better to find a proper recline position with the indicator arrow tip in the solid blue section. That should be at the first two or three reclines.

If your baby grows bigger and is now able to control their head and neck well, then reclines three or six are good enough, just remember to keep the recline indicator arrow tip in the solid blue section or a striped blue-green section. NEVER allow the arrow tip in the black section. It’s NOT safe and the reclines are NOT correct.

How to set the reclines? Check the prepare reclines section part.

Materials

Made of baby-safe textiles and washable fabrics in the seat pad and outer, the Britax One4Life is comfortable, practical, and durable.

The inner foam and thick padding around the body and head ensure both safety and comfort.

The steel-reinforced frame is strong for durability and safety in case of any crashes. 

Five different available colors for toddler girls and boys.

6. Performance

Weight and Height Limits

As a 3-in-1 or all-in-one car seat, the Britax One4Life won’t disappoint you in the weight and height limits

It brings a wide weight range from 5 pounds for newborns to up to 120 pounds for big kids.

The 5-lb is the bottom weight for rear-facing and fits the majority of newborn babies from day one

What about the top weight for rear-facing? Up to 50 pounds. That’s the highest rear-facing weight limit of all child safety seats we reviewed. And it’s supposed to be the highest on the market as well.

This 50-pound weight limit ensures a longer rear-facing time for toddlers even older than 2 years of age. That’s a very appealing point for parents who live or plan to travel in those states that require a child to ride facing backward until the second birthday.

The forward-facing weight and height limit are quite common as other models. 

The height and weight limits of One4Life’s booster mode are the second amazing point we’d like to talk about – up to 120 pounds and 63 inches.

Few all-in-one car seats reach this high 120-pound weight limit. Among the reviewed models, the Britax One4Life and Graco 4Ever DLX are the two exceptions. Both are designed for big kids with this weight limit

But the latter one is still beaten on the height limit by the Britax One4Life, which features the highest top height of 63 inches

This 63-inch height limit is rarely seen on 3-in-1 or all-in-one multi-functional models but is common on high-back or backless boosters

It’s a pity that Britax One4Life does not support turning the high back booster to backless mode, just like the Graco 4Ever DLX.

Age Range

Generally speaking, the manufacturers don’t indicate the age range for a car seat, but we can guess this from its weight and height range.

You can imagine that Britax One4Life will last the longest time due to its great weight and height performance.

It’s expected to ride your child from day one to up to 10 years old until they are big enough and ready to wear a seat belt for safety.

The 50-pound rear-facing weight limit allows your child to stay in this position as long as possible until they are 2 years old or even 3 years old

If you are living in these states: New York, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington.

Britax might be one of the best options for you.

There are a few other models with this 50-pound rear-facing weight limit at a lower price tag. You may consider the Diono Radian 3R and its premium models like the Raidan 3RX and Radian 3RXT. All are cheaper than Britax One4Life.

Stages

As an all-in-one car seat, the Britax One4Life is able to go through three of the four-car seat stages according to the NHTSA’s definition.

They are rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster. In the last stage, your kid does not need a car seat but instead wears a seat belt for safety.

For infants and toddlers, the One4Life comes with a 5-point harness for better protection. The harness can be used for a kid under 65 pounds or 49 inches tall. That happens at approximately 6 or 7 years of age.

Airplane

Is a Britax One4Life 3-in-1 car seat allowed on planes?

Yes. This restraint is certified for use in both motor vehicles and aircraft when used in harness mode.

But it is not approved for use in aircraft when used in booster mode because belt-positioning boosters require lap-shoulder belts that are not available in aircraft.

As the One4Life can be installed with a seat belt with the ClickTight feature, it can be installed both rear-facing and front-facing even on the airplane.

For REAR-facing aircraft installation: 

1. Recline this child restraint and place REAR-facing on the aircraft seat.

2. Slide the aircraft lap belt into the REAR-facing belt path over the cover with the CLICKTIGHT in the closed position.

3. Ensure the lap belt is not twisted, buckle, and remove all slack.


For FORWARD-facing aircraft installation:

1. Place this child restraint FORWARD-facing on the aircraft seat.

2. Slide the aircraft lap belt into the FORWARD-facing belt path under the cover with the CLICKTIGHT in the closed position.

3. Ensure the lap belt is not twisted, buckle, and remove all slack.

If the aircraft lap belt is too short, ask a flight attendant for a belt extender.

You should always contact the airline prior to telling them that you’ll bring a car seat on board to check if the car seat will fit the aircraft or not.

Lifespan

How long is Britax One4Life 3-in-1 car seat good for

Up to 10 years of time from its manufacturer date. 

The Britax One4Life has a lifespan of 10 years of usage. This should be the longest life of a child safety seat.

Most Britax all-in-one or convertible car seats are manufactured to last so long to grow with your kid. 

But the real case might be shorter than 10 years of lifespan. Because the date you purchase the car seat is commonly after the date it was manufactured. 

However, that should be long enough to ride your child until they are large enough to use the seat belt.

8-year-old is the most common age requirement in most state car seat laws that no need to travel in a car seat.

Thanks to its 120-pound weight limit and 63-inch height limit, the One4Life should be able to ride your child until they are ready to use the seat belt.

Warranty

The Britax One4Life makes it clear in the user manual that this product is warranted against defective materials or workmanship for one year from the date of original purchase.

It’s required to provide proof of purchase to claim for this warranty. And Britax will, at its option, provide repair or replacement components for this product.

To make a claim under this warranty, you must contact Britax Consumer Services at 1-888-427-4829 or 1-704-409-1699, or write to the manufacturer using the address on the back cover of the user manual.

Advanced tip: 

You should complete the registration within (30) days of purchase. You may also register online at us.britax.com/registration.

7. Britax One4Life Installation

About Overhang from Vehicle Seat Harness Mode

It is important that the base of the child restraint rests completely flat on the vehicle seat with no side overhang.

However, if the car seat is longer than the vehicle’s seat depth, it is permissible to allow up to 3 in. (7.5 cm) of the base to hang over the front edge of the vehicle seat, only in harness mode. 

If the vehicle seat does not allow enough of the child restraint base to make contact, adjust the recline angle to a more upright position. Not doing so could cause the child restraint to not perform as intended. 

The car seat base MUST be flat on the vehicle seat and MUST be parallel to the vehicle seat. Overhang is not allowed in BOOSTER mode. In BOOSTER mode, the base of the child restraint must fit completely on the vehicle seat.

Prepare for Installing

The seat has nine recline positions. You should choose the recline position before installing. Follow below steps to set the recline position: 

1. Push the recline button on either side of the base and rotate the child restraint until it is in the desired recline position. 

2. Check the recline indicator on the side of child restraint for the correct angle. Look straight on at the recline indicator window and check that the tip of the recline indicator arrow is in the correct position – solid blue or striped blue-green sections. 

3. Release the recline button and verify the restraint has located in a proper angle.

Rear-Facing Installation Harness Mode

Rear-Facing Harness Installation

For infants with NO head and neck control: 

Recline indicator arrow tip must be in the solid blue section.

For children with head and neck control:  

Recline indicator arrow tip must be either in a solid blue section or a striped blue-green section.

Britax strongly recommends that children should ride REAR-facing until they exceed the weight or height limits specified. 

Use REAR-facing only: 

  • with harness straps in the closest position below the child’s shoulders, and 
  • with children weighing 5 – 50 lb (2.3 – 22.7 kg), and 
  • when the top of the child’s head is at least 1 in (2.5 cm) below the top edge of the headrest. 

If you want to attach the anti-rebound bar to the child restraint before installing it, follow the instructions.

Installation with Vehicle Lap-Shoulder Belt (Preferred Method)

1.Place child restraint REAR-facing on the vehicle seat so that the car seat base is flat on the vehicle seat and is parallel to the vehicle seat. 

2. Recline child restraint to the appropriate position. Refer to #prepare_reclines to determine appropriate recline position. 

3. Ensure that no more than 3 in (7.5 cm) of base hangs over the front edge of the vehicle seat.

4. Open the CLICKTIGHT. Squeeze the CLICKTIGHT release buttons underneath the front cover flap and lift to open. 

5. Route the vehicle lap shoulder belt through the REAR-facing belt path marked by blue labels. 

6. Ensure the belt is not twisted, then buckle the vehicle seat belt. 

7. Remove slack from the lap part (A), then the shoulder part (B) of the vehicle seat belt. 

8. Close the CLICKTIGHT over the vehicle seat belt. 

9. Ensure both red CLICKTIGHT release buttons are visible. 

NOTE: If it is difficult to close you may have locked your vehicle seat belt or removed too much slack.

Britax One4Life Forward-Facing Installation Harness Mode

Prepare for Forward-Facing Harness Installation

Recline indicator arrow tip must be in a striped blue-green section.

NOTE: Do Not use the “B” position when using the seat in harness mode.

Britax strongly recommends: 

• children should ride REAR-facing until they exceed the weight or height limits specified. 

• the top tether be used at ALL times when installing the child restraint FORWARD-facing. Using the top tether will improve the stability of your child restraint and reduce the risk of injury. 

Use FORWARD-facing only: 

• with harness straps in closest position above the child’s shoulder, and 

• with children weighing 22 – 65 lb (10 – 29.5 kg), and 

• who are 49 in (124.5 cm) or less in height, and 

• when the top of the ears is below the top of the headrest. 

IMPORTANT: anti-rebound bar MUST be removed FORWARD-facing.

Installation with Vehicle Lap-Shoulder Belt (Preferred Method)

1. Extend the top tether strap by lifting on the top tether adjuster.

2. Unhook the top tether hook from the back of the child restraint and place it up and over the seatback. 

3. Recline child restraint to the appropriate position. Refer to prepare reclines section to determine appropriate recline position. 

4. Place the child restraint FORWARD-facing on the vehicle seat so that the car seat base is flat on the vehicle seat and is parallel to the vehicle seat. 

5. Ensure that no more than 3 in. (7.5 cm) of the base hangs over the front edge of the vehicle seat. 

6. Open the CLICKTIGHT. Squeeze the CLICKTIGHT release buttons underneath the front cover flap and lift to open. 

7. Route the vehicle lap shoulder belt through the FORWARD-facing belt path marked by green labels. 

8. Ensure the belt is not twisted, then buckle the vehicle seat belt. 

9. Remove slack from the lap part (A), then the shoulder part (B) of the vehicle seat belt. 

10. Close the CLICKTIGHT over the vehicle seat belt.

11. Ensure both CLICKTIGHT release buttons are visible. NOTE: If it is difficult to close, you may have locked your vehicle seat belt or removed too much slack. 

12. Connect the top tether hook to the vehicle’s top tether anchor (check the vehicle owner’s manual for location). 

13. Pull the loose tether strap end to remove slack and secure excess webbing with the elastic band attached.

Booster Installation for Britax One4Life

Prepare for Booster Mode Installation 

Push the recline button on either side of the base and rotate the child restraint to position “B”. 

Recline indicator does not need to be used in BOOSTER mode. 

IMPORTANT: Recline MUST be in position “B” when the seat is used in BOOSTER mode.

IMPORTANT: Britax strongly recommends that children should remain in a child seat with a 5-point harness until reaching the maximum weight or height allowed. 

Use in BOOSTER mode only: 

  • in recline position “B”, and 
  • with children who weigh 40 – 120 lb (18.1 – 54.4 kg), and 
  • when top of child’s ears are BELOW the top of headrest, and 
  • when the lap belt sits low across child’s upper thighs when routed through the belt guide, and 
  • when the vehicle shoulder belt lays straight across the child’s chest, and 
  • when the shoulder belt guides are positioned above the child’s shoulders.

Switching between Harness and Booster Mode

Turn Britax One4Life from Harness Mode to Booster Mode 

It is NOT necessary to use lower anchors and top tether to position this child restraint in BOOSTER mode.

If using the lower anchors and top tether to position this child restraint in BOOSTER mode, it is recommended to follow BOOSTER Mode Installation before storing the harness.

Refer to the part of Using Lower Anchors and Top Tether (LATCH) in BOOSTER Mode

1. Raise the headrest to the highest position. 

2. Loosen the harness. Press the harness release button (A) and pull both harness straps forward (B). 

NOTE: Make sure enough harness adjuster strap is left hanging from the front of the seat. Use the inner slot as a reference point to measure how much harness strap can be left hanging from the front of the seat.

3. (A) Open the chest clip. (B) Open the fasteners on the headrest cover and remove the harness straps. 

4. Flip up the headrest cover. 

5. Release the buckle. 

6. Position the harness straps behind the seat pan cover. NOTE: Located under the fasteners near the bottom of the harness straps. 

7. Fold the top of the seat pan cover with the vented side over. Position the harness straps behind the seat pan cover. 

8. Fasten the chest clip. Move the chest clip to the middle of the backrest. 

9. Remove the comfort pads. a. Tuck each buckle tongue inside the comfort pads. Folding them closed. b. Move both pieces together towards the chest clip. 

10. Locate the space inbetween the back of the shell and the back-top part of the seat pan. 

11. Tuck in the buckle tongues and comfort pads, pushing them with force down into the gap until the chest clip and excess webbing are no longer visible. NOTE: Make sure the harness straps lay flat. 

12. Flip up the seat pan cover. Reattach the fasteners near the bottom of the harness straps. 

13. Open the CLICKTIGHT. 

14. Remove the buckle by turning the metal bracket sideways and pushing it up through the slot in the CLICKTIGHT and the slot in the seat cover. 

15. Place the buckle horizontally on top of the raised section of the seat shell (in the center) that guides the harness adjuster strap.

16. Roll the remaining harness adjuster strap. 

17. Tuck the remaining harness adjuster strap into the front of the cover. 

18. Close the CLICKTIGHT. 

19. Flip down the headrest cover back and reattach fasteners.

Britax One4Life Car Seat Manual

Reading the user manual should be the first and most important thing when you get the car seat. You can easily find it behind the car seat, or you can always find the online user manual on its official website, or download the PDF here.

8. Specification

Brand 
BrandBritax
Type 
Suitable forNewborns, toddlers, and preschoolers
PositionsRear-facing and forward-facing
Design 
Portability (1-10)4. Bulky and heavy
Weight (lb.)30
Weight limits (lb.)5-50 for rear-facing, and 22-65 for 5-point harness, 40-120 for highback booster
Height limit (inch)49” for both rear-facing and forward-facing, 63” for booster
Dimension20.5″ (D) x 19.5″ (W) x 25″(H)
Cup holderTwo on both sides
Performance 
Age Range0-10 years old
Stage1st, 2nd, 3rd
InstallationLATCH and seat belt
Headrest Positions 15
Recline Positions9
AirplaneYes
Lifespan10 Years
Extra FeaturesPatented ClickTight installation, V-shaped tether

10. FAQs about Britax One4Life

The Britax One4LIfe grows with your child for ten years, surrounding them with trusted Britax safety.

However, the 10-year longevity starts from the manufacturer date, not the purchase date.

As the only 10-year car seat with ClickTight, it’s easy to install in three simple steps.

 Yes, it is.

The One4Life is approved for use on aircraft in harness mode only, and this notice is in the manual but is also on the sides of the seat, on the information label. 

You can find the FAA approval label on the sides of the seat.

Yes. 

You can install the Britax One4Life with the LATCH, but the manufacturer recommends installing it with the seat belt. 

Thanks to the ClickTight technique, you can easily install the Britax One4Life in three simple steps.

30 pounds.

The Britax might be one of the heavy-duty car seats. 

Yes. The LACTH is actually equal to the Isofix used in Europe.

9. Alternatives

What other car seats should you consider?

Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 Car Seat

Graco 4Ever DLX

Why is it better than the Britax One4Life?
Why its worse than the Britax One4Life?
Diono Radian 3R 3-in-1 Car Seat

Diono Radian 3R

Why is it better than the Britax One4Life?
Why its worse than the Britax One4Life?