This has been a very interesting situation to say the least with the UPPAbaby Knox. Let’s go over all the details. In this article we’ll give you the history about this car seat, all the important details you need to know, as well as why we personally won’t be buying it.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. What does this mean?
Yes, UPPAbaby does have a convertible car seat. UPPAbaby’s convertible car seat is called the Knox.
For the longest time, UPPAbaby did not have a convertible car seat in their line of products. They only had the infant seat (the Mesa), and more recently the booster seat (the Alta). It made sense for them to come out with a convertible car seat. In fact, many customers were practically begging for UPPAbaby to come out with a convertible car seat.
Parents who brought their babies home in the Mesa and strolled around town in one of UPPAbaby’s high-end strollers wanted a convertible car seat. Parents fell in love with the brand and high quality products they offer. Parents were brand-loyal to UPPAbaby and had no choice but to go with a different brand when it came to the convertible car seat.
Finally, UPPAbaby announced they would be releasing the highly-requested convertible car seat, called the Knox.
The UPPAbaby Knox was originally scheduled to be released in 2018. After multiple delays, the UPPAbaby Knox was finally released mid-March 2021.
The Knox came in 4 colors, as shown below:
The retail price for the UPPAbaby Knox was $349 for all colors except Jordan, which retailed for $399. The UPPAbaby Knox in the color Jordan is flame retardant-free.
The UPPAbaby Knox was on the market for less than 2 months before being voluntarily recalled. They found that the seat could tip over when installed in the rear position.
April 24, 2020, UPPAbaby retailers were instructed to stop selling the Knox.
A few days later, we then received this e-mail from UPPAbaby:
“Dear UPPAbaby KNOX owner,
One of our retail partners informed us that you recently purchased an UPPAbaby KNOX convertible car seat from them. We are emailing to update you on action we are taking regarding an issue we have observed with the KNOX, and to request that you reply to this email with your complete mailing address.
As always, we conducted extensive testing and received high performance ratings on all regulatory standards for the KNOX. However, we have discovered that despite secure installation, the KNOX can exhibit lateral movement when in use in the rear facing position. We have not received reports of injuries, but, given that we are unsure of the potential implications of this movement, we are in the process of retrieving all KNOX seats that are in the marketplace. This is a voluntary effort that we have decided to undertake and it’s not a recall.
UPPAbaby is taking full responsibility for this retrieval. We’ll be providing you with a full refund of your purchase price plus an additional $50 for your inconvenience. Please understand that this was an extremely recent development that we were unaware of at the time you made your purchase. We truly apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you. Our retailers carry many other convertible car seats, and we encourage you to consult your local retailer who can help you choose another seat to purchase.
We are requesting that you work with us on the following course of action so that we can expedite your retrieval and refund process. Please understand that our retail partner cannot except a return and facilitate this on your behalf.
Upon receipt of the straps, buckle and form, UPPAbaby will issue you a refund for your KNOX, plus $50.
While we are disappointed to have to take this action, we remain committed to providing the best product experience for you and your family. We feel that retrieving, assessing, and improving upon the KNOX is the prudent course of action. We truly appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
Thank you!
Many customers were not happy that an unsafe car seat made it to market. This was especially disappointing considering UPPAbaby’s (once) stellar reputation for safety and high quality.
There were also many concerns from consumers over the fact this wasn’t a full recall with the CPSC.
Those parents who bought the Knox expressed concerns and frustrations over the installation of the car seat and its safety. It was clear to many that there was an issue.
When asked about the re-release of the UPPAbaby Knox, UPPAbaby was quiet.
On March 15, 2021, UPPAbaby announced the re-release of the Knox. However, they didn’t call it a “re-release”. They announced the release of the Knox as if it was the first time and there wasn’t a previous recall. In fact, you can’t find any mention of the previous version of the Knox or the recall.
Here is a snippet of the press release for the Knox:
Here are the specs of the UPPAbaby Knox:
Here are some of our favorite features of the UPPAbaby Knox:
Many people are hesitant to buy the UPPAbaby Knox given the history. This is probably why UPPAbaby doesn’t have much information out there related to the recall.
Even with the limited information that exists, we do know one thing that changed with the new version of the Knox – the use of a tether in rear facing mode. Although not required, it is strongly encouraged to use the tether in rear facing mode. This is likely one of the changes made from the recall.
UPPAbaby states, “While not required by law, the Multi-Directional Tether is strongly recommended for use in both rear and forward-facing mode for optimal protection. It significantly reduces injury scores by as much as 45%.
(*2020 results from crash testing conducted at independent labs in U.S. and Canada)”
Despite it not being required, it seems foolish to use the UPPAbaby Knox without the tether knowing this information. If we were to use the Knox car seat, we would definitely use it with the tether when rear-facing.
However, this strong recommendation to use the tether in rear-facing mode is the reason we decided not to buy the Knox. For us, the tether simply gets in the way too much. We would rather buy a different convertible car seat that has great safety ratings without the use of a tether.
The tether in rear-facing mode:
However, these drawbacks of the tether in rear-facing mode may not be deal-breakers for others. It’s ultimately up to each family to decide what car seat is right for them. We do feel that it’s important for consumers to know the history of the Knox when making their decision.
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