My #1 Carseat Choice!
Written: Sep 08 '05 (Updated Jun 29 '07)
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Pros: RF tether, great padding & soft cover, tall back/top slots, easy install/use
Cons: Heavy seat (not a con really, it does feel very solid/sturdy)
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a carseat that will last for a long time and are able to spend the extra money, this is an excellent choice!
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| sanka_03's Full Review: Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat - Microdot Ta... |
I recently purchased the Britax Marathon for my 9-month old son. He is 20 lbs. 11 oz. and 28 in. long. He has at least 6 inches of head room in the Marathon, which means he'll be able to stay rear-facing for much longer.
The Britax Marathon can be used rear-facing from 5-33 lbs. and forward facing from 1 year old AND 20-65 lbs. This is the safest and the best choice if you don't want your 40 pounder in a booster with just a seatbelt yet!
On a side note, rear-facing is the absolute safest way for any baby to ride until he or she reaches the rear-facing height or weight limit for the carseat he or she is riding in.
Here are a couple quotes from a great article...please check it out if you have the time!
http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html
"Rear-facing car seats spread frontal crash forces over the whole area of a baby's back, head and neck; they also prevent the head from snapping relative to the body in a frontal crash."
"Rear-facing as long as possible is the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatricians, and can reduce injuries and deaths. Motor Vehicle Crashes are the #1 overall cause of death for children 14 and under."
The Britax Marathon has a 5-point polyester harness that fits snugly over baby/child's shoulders, collarbone, and hips. This provides a safe and secure fit for each baby/child as he or she grows.
There are 4 should harness positions. The bottom slots are too high for newborns, so it's not the best seat to start out with. The top slots, however are a great height (17"). It's also easy to adjust to the harness position, especially when rear-facing.
The harness is tightened with just a pull of a strap and it's pretty easy, even rear-facing. It is loosened by pulling up on the lever (same as any other) and pulling out on the harness. The lever is covered with fabric that can be pulled up when needed. This is so the baby/child does not see it and lessens the risk of him/her loosening the harness on his/her own.
There are also velcro tabs on the seat cover and on the straps. These are so you can "pin" the straps back while putting your baby/child in the carseat so you won't have to dig them out from under him/her. We usually forget to use them, but when we do, they work great.
There is a "belly pad" around the crotch buckle. It is to keep the buckles from touching baby's skin which is good for when it's hot outside. I haven't had any problems with it coming off. I actually pulled on it and twisted it, just to see, and it didn't come close to coming off.
The Marathon is equipped with the Versa-Tether, patented by Britax. It can be used both rear and forward-facing (ONLY Britax convertibles and the SunShine Kids Radian can be tethered rear-facing). Top tethering when rear-facing (and forward-facing) reduces head excursion and improves the stability of the restraint, especially in side-impacts and rollovers. The instructions in the manual are pretty clear, but it can be a bit tricky to get the hang of. I had no problems getting it in though!
The Britax Marathon is also equipped with the patented "Floating" HUGS system. It is designed to better distribute the harness force and reduce head movement and minimize the chance of the harness edge pushing into the baby/child's neck in the case of a collision. It is made to help prevent twisting of straps and improper positioning of the chest clip, which is supposed to be positioned at arm pit level.
At first, I found the HUGS to be a little annoying...they took some getting used to, but we haven't had any problems with them. They are optional (can be taken off) when rear-facing, however, they MUST be used when forward-facing.
The Britax Marathon has built-in Lock-Offs for both rear and forward facing. They are designed to keep seat belts in place and make for a more secure fit. I, however, could not use the Lock-Offs rear-facing (haven't tried forward). The angle of the seat belt once it's through the carseat and latched makes it impossible to get the belt through the Lock-Offs and then close them. I got a very secure fit without them though.
The Marathon also has LATCH, as all carseats do now. The LATCH anchors are cleverly tucked into small pockets in the fabric cover so they are not in the way. There are LATCH bars on each side of the Marathon, which make installation even easier. My partner and I can get a rock solid install every single time we install it and it only takes a couple minutes.
The fabric cover may be hand-washed and is stain resistant. We have the Shadow (solid black) cover and it's very soft...a velour like material. There are also MANY different covers to choose from...so no matter what your taste, you are likely to find something to suit you and your baby/child!
The Marathon is also approved for Aircraft use.
The Britax Marathon is expensive, but when you consider the length of time it can be used (5-65 lbs.), it really isn't overpriced. It's well worth every penny!
The straps are easy to adjust and although the hip straps seem to squish my son's legs, he doesn't mind and they don't leave marks. I get a nice, snug fit everytime and he seems to be very comfortable in the seat.
The Versa-Tether is an excellent addition and probably my favorite feature. We get a rock solid install right at the beltpath without it, but it's even better with.
This is an excellent carseat and I highly recommend it for those who are able to spend the extra money for a carseat that will last for a long time!
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to let me know!
*****UPDATE*****
My son is now 13 months old, is about 23 lbs. and about 31 in. tall, and still fits very comfortably in his rear-facing Britax Marathon!
For those worried about the Marathon being too big, I would say, for most people, don't worry about it! I have a 2-door Cavalier and the Marathon fits GREAT! My second son is due in April 2006 and I installed his infant carseat (Graco Snugride) right beside the Marathon and got a great fit and there's still enough room for an adult to sit on the other side.
I will most definitely be buying a second Britax Marathon for my second son, as soon as he outgrows the infant carseat!
*******2ND UPDATE*******
My first son is now 2.5 years old (30.5 months), 28 lbs., and about 36.5 in. tall. He still has lots of rear-facing growing room in his Marathon. He will easily make it to 3 years old rear-facing, possibly longer.
I ended up getting a Decathlon for my first son, for my partner's car (Marathon is in my car). My second son is now 14.5 months old (man does time fly) and has 2 Marathons with TONS of growing room. I have NO complaints what-so-ever about the Britax Marathon and we've been using one now for about 2 years.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 214
Age Range of Child: Other
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Epinions.com ID:
sanka_03
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Location: Virginia, USA
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 1 member
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