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Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Car Seat Comparison
If you're looking for the safest and best-rated convertible car seat for your soon-to-be toddler, you've probably come across Nuna and Britax on almost every list.
The Nuna RAVA and the Britax Poplar / Poplar S offer similar safety and ease of use features, thanks to their steel construction and an installation method that's practically as simple as buckling a seatbelt.
We'll look at the specifications, features, and pros and cons of the Nuna RAVA and the Britax Poplar in this comparison.
Looking for more options? Consider comparing the Nuna EXEC and Britax One4Life all-in-one car seats, which convert into a booster for an older child.
Or take a look at the lower-priced Britax Allegiance and Emblem, which lack ClickTight installation and other features, or two other ClickTight models: the Britax Marathon and Advocate, which differ in their side-impact protection, colors and fabrics.
Nuna RAVA
As Strolleria's best-selling convertible car seat, the Nuna RAVA is simple to install, easy to clean and comfortable for a growing child—and it doesn't hurt that it's one of the most stylish seats, too.
Installing the RAVA takes a matter of seconds: Simply open a color-coded door in the bottom of the seat, thread and buckle the seatbelt, and close the door for a tight installation.
With an all-steel frame and breathable, bamboo-blend fabrics, the RAVA is one of the only car seats that's naturally fire-resistant. Features like a 10-position recline, no-rethread harness and built-in cup holders simplify daily outings with your family.
Britax Poplar / Poplar S
The Britax Poplar convertible car seat is stress-free with its patented ClickTight installation and slim SpaceSaver design. No more wrestling with seat belts – ClickTight's got fully open paths and a nifty automatic tensioner for a snug fit. Plus, it's a breeze to switch from rear-facing (up to 50 lbs) to forward-facing as your little one grows. Need the perfect fit? The 14-position no-rethread harness and headrest are your go-to. And for the tiniest ones, there's a removable infant insert that does the job right.
The ReboundReduce stability bar on the Poplar S minimizes movement when the seat's rear-facing. Even though it's slim on the outside, inside is a 17-inch SpaceSaver tech, letting you potentially fit 3-across without skimping on Britax safety. Carbon steel frame and belt paths mean it's solid as a rock. The fabrics are naturally flame-retardant, and you can toss them in the wash stress-free.
Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Price
While the Britax Poplar and Poplar S are priced slightly different due to the added stability bar on the S model, all Nuna RAVA models are priced the same. The Britax Poplar models are priced significantly lower than the RAVA.
For pricing, please visit the product pages:
Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Height and Weight Limit
Both the Britax Poplar / Poplar S and Nuna RAVA grow with your child, starting as a rear-facing seat for a baby and transitioning to a forward-facing seat for an older child.
When used rear-facing, the Poplar and RAVA can support a child up to 50 pounds. Your child will likely outgrow these car seats around age 5 or 6, when they reach 49" in height or 65 pounds in weight.
Rear-Facing
- RAVA: 5 to 50 pounds; 49" or less
- Poplar / Poplar S: 5 to 50 pounds, 49" or less
Forward-Facing
- RAVA: 25 to 65 pounds; 49" or less
- Poplar / Poplar S: 22 to 65 pounds, 28" minimum to 49" maximum
Weight Limits for Installation with LATCH
Car seats like the RAVA and Poplar actually recommend seatbelt install and they make it easy to get a tight install! However, they can also be installed using the vehicle LATCH instead of the seat belt. It's important to note, all convertible car seats must eventually be installed with the vehicle seatbelt as your child grows because the combined weight of the car seat and your child will exceed the weight limits of the vehicle LATCH system.
- RAVA: 5-35 pounds rear-facing; 25-40 pounds forward-facing
- Poplar / Poplar S: 5-35 pounds rear-facing; 22-35 pounds forward-facing
Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Specifications
The Britax Poplar / Poplar S is narrower than the Nuna RAVA by 2 inches and is a great candidate for achieving three across! The RAVA is one of the slimmer front to back car seats on the market though and fits well in most cars!
The three seats are basically the same weight, and all offer customization with multiple recline and headrest positions.
Product Weight
- RAVA: 27.2 pounds
- Poplar: 27.2 pounds
- Poplar S: 28 pounds
Dimensions
- RAVA: 16"L x 19"W x 25"H
- Poplar: Height: 23.5 inches | Product Length/Depth: 20.5 inches | Product Width: 17 inches
- Poplar S: Height: 23.5 inches | Product Length/Depth: 20.5 inches | Product Width: 17 inches
Recline Positions
- RAVA: 10 positions
- Poplar: 6 positions
- Poplar S: 6 positions
Headrest Positions
- RAVA: 10 positions
- Poplar: 14 positions
- Poplar S: 14 positions
Crotch Strap Positions
- RAVA: 2 positions
- Poplar: 3 positions
- Poplar S: 3 positions
Expiration
- RAVA: 10 years
- Poplar: 10 years
- Poplar S: 10 years
Warranty
- RAVA: 2 years
- Poplar: 1 year
- Poplar S: 1 year
Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Safety Features
The Nuna RAVA and Britax Poplar / Poplar S are some of the safest car seats on the market due to their design and ease of use (a safety feature in itself!).
Both car seats are made of steel and are lined with energy-absorbing foam throughout the seat and headrest.
The Poplar / Poplar S has a few safety features not seen on the RAVA. For one the seats have Britax's SafeCell Technology, located in the base of the seat, that acts as a crumple zone, helping to keep crash energy away from your child. The car seat's base, harness pads, and forward-facing tether strap work in unison to absorb the forces in a crash. The seats' patented v-shaped top tether (for use in forward-facing mode) has 2 connection points to help slow and reduce forward movement in a crash. The Poplar S also has a carbon steel bar that easily attaches to the car seat when installed rear-facing to minimize the movement in the event of a crash (must be removed when installed forward-facing).
Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Installation
While both seats can be installed using either the LATCH system or vehicle seatbelt, the Nuna RAVA and Britax Poplar / Poplar S were designed to make seatbelt installation as easy as possible, and is the preferred method.
Once your child reaches 35 pounds when rear-facing, you'll have to switch to the seatbelt, anyway, as the combined weight of the car seat and child will exceed your car's LATCH weight limits.
Installing either seat involves the same general concept. Many convertible car seats require parents to push on the seat and pull on the seatbelt to achieve a tight installation.
With Britax and Nuna, closing a door in the bottom of the seat does the work for you—shortening the installation experience to a matter of seconds.
How to Install Nuna RAVA
To install the RAVA, open the TrueTension door in the bottom of the seat. Thread the seatbelt through the base of the seat and buckle it on the other side. Lock the seatbelt by extending the shoulder belt to its maximum length before feeding it back in. Remove all slack from the belt, then close the TrueTension door.
The RAVA has color-coded recline positions on both sides to ensure you've installed the seat at an angle that's safe for rear-facing or forward-facing.
Take a look at installing the RAVA at the 30-second mark of this video.
How to Install Britax Poplar / Poplar S
Place the car seat in the car, and make sure to check the bubble indicator on the side to ensure the seat is at a proper angle. To install the Poplar open the ClickTight by lifting the front cover flap. Then squeeze the release buttons. Slide the lap and shoulder belt thru the rear-facing belt path. Buckle the seatbelt ensuring the belt is not twisted. Remove any slack from the seatbelt, and close the ClickTight over the vehicle seatbelt for a secure installation. That's it!
Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Ease of Use Features
Even small features, like a cup holder or a recline lever, can help make your life easier as you're using your car seat daily. Let's take a look at the ease-of-use features on the Britax Poplar / Poplar S and Nuna RAVA.
Harness and Crotch Strap Adjustments
Both the Nuna RAVA and Britax Poplar seats include a no-rethread harness that allow you to make height adjustments without unfastening the harness. When you raise the headrest, the harness grows taller, too.
Both seats also offer more than one crotch strap position, providing more comfort options as your child grows. The Poplar has three and the RAVA has two.
Recline Positions
The RAVA offers 10 recline positions to allow you to find a comfortable position for your child (and your vehicle), while the Poplar models have six positions.
Push-to-recline buttons on the RAVA are color-coded to show parents which recline angles are safe for rear-facing and forward-facing positions, no bubble indicators required. Plus, the buttons are located on both sides of the seat, making it easy to recline the seat no matter where the seat is installed in your vehicle.
To recline the Poplar seats, you'll need to pull a handle on the front of the car seat and check for a safe angle using the bubble indicator on the side of the seat.
The recline of the RAVA and Poplar must be adjusted prior to installation.
Cup Holders
Dual rubber cup holders are integrated into both sides of the RAVA and can be stowed against the seat when not in use.
The Poplar seats also comes with two dishwasher safe cup holders.
Cleaning
The fabrics for both the Britax Poplar models and Nuna RAVA can be easily removed and machine-washed on the delicate cycle. Air-drying is recommended for the RAVA, but the Poplar fabrics are dryer friendly!
The seat cover and head support cover for the RAVA unsnap from the seat. Take a look at cleaning the Nuna RAVA in the video below.
Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Colors and Fabrics
All colors of the Nuna RAVA are fire-resistant without the addition of flame-retardant chemicals, using bamboo/polyester blend fabrics that are temperature-regulating, hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial. Nuna tends to offer mostly neutral colors for the RAVA.
The fabrics on the Britax Poplar models are also naturally flame-retardant fabrics with no added FR chemicals. Britax offers netural colors as well as some bolder colors.
Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar / Poplar S Benefits and Drawbacks
So which car seat is better: the Nuna RAVA or Britax Poplar / Poplar S?
Only you can decide which seat is best for your family, but here are the benefits and drawbacks we see.
Nuna RAVA
Benefits
- Easy recline - no bubble indicators required, using easy-to-reach, color-coded buttons
- Bamboo-blend fabrics are more premium and are naturally fire-resistant
- Has 4 more recline positions and is slightly more compact front to back than the Poplar models, potentially allowing for better fit behind taller drivers or passengers
- Ventilation panels within shell of seat allow for better breathability
- Adjustable calf support extends seat by two inches for added comfort
Drawbacks
- Costs more than the Poplar models
- Does not have anti-rebound bar feature to prevent rotation
- Does not have SafeCell system with compressing base and energy-absorbing tether strap and harness
Britax Poplar / Poplar S
Benefits
- Costs significantly less than RAVA
- With SafeCell system, base works alongside energy-absorbing tether and harness straps, compressing to absorb energy in a crash
- Patented V-shaped top tether - helps slow and reduce forward movement in a crash
- Optional anti-rebound bar (comes with the Poplar S model) can reduce rotation in a collision by 40 percent
- Seat fabrics are machine washable and safe for the dryer
- Only 17" wide - great for achieving three across in most vehicles
Drawbacks
- Only 6 recline positions
- Not as compact front to back as the RAVA
- Less leg room than the RAVA
Questions?
Strolleria is dedicated to making the baby gear buying experience less overwhelming for parents. If you have more questions about the Nuna RAVA vs. Britax Poplar debate, feel free to chat with us today or e-mail customercare@strolleria.com.
