Customer Reviews

Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat - Hannah

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This seat is really great, I can't say enough good things about it.

First of all, my 7 month old son fits perfectly and rides so comfortably in it. He outgrew his carrier, and I wanted a safe, and snuggly seat for him to move into. He not only loves the look of the cow print (he smiles and laughs at himself in the Baby In Sight mirror!), but the fabric is so plush and soft. If you're going to get a top of the line model, I figure take advantage of the fun prints that are offered! It's great because it is so soft and lush, but he doesn't sweat in it at all, and he's a big sweater! The BRU exclusive fabric, Racer, looks chic, but is very rough to the touch down the center stripe.

Also, this seat was almost too easy to install. It was so simple, I felt like that couldn't possibly be "it". But it was! The LATCH connectors have clicks similar to seatbelts, and easy to pull straps - this was nothing like trying to install the base to my Graco Snugride. I'm confident that the seat is installed properly, and it's not difficult to remove and install quick in another car, if need be. The tether anchor was also much easier to hook up than I anticipated. It's a great safety feature that only Britax has. The seat is large, but does not take up the entire back seat, still allowing two other passengers to ride back there.

While the carrier was great for the early months, this is the absolute best for older babies, and kids. I would recommend Sleepy Wings or extra head support for newborns, however.

The Marathon is the way to go for durability, safety, luxury and longevity for your child. I guarantee that this is worth the extra money! I am forever a Britax customer!

I researched many car seats and settled on this one. Safe and cute! But it has a *major* flaw:

The strap that comes up between the legs is too close to the back of the seat. My daughter, only five months old, was already almost sitting *on* the belt where it comes out. This mean that the buckle was way too low and tight, forcing the belts to cut into her chunky thighs and pushing uncomfortably on her pubic bone.

I asked around online on some forums, and found many other mothers who returned this seat for the same reasons. Many mothers didn't find it a problem until their child was at least 20 lbs, but it was a problem for me already, because we use cloth diapers, so my baby's butt is bigger due to the 'padding.'

This car seat wouldn't work well if your child is chunky or uses cloth diapers... and even otherwise, I can't see how it would work for a child over 25 lbs or so... The Britax Roundabout has the croth belt at a different location, a few inches further out from the back of the seat, so it is the one I am getting as a replacement.

we originally got the Evenflo Triumph V in Aztec, which is a great seat, but our baby girl is not like my second child, who was 30lbs at 1yr... she is long and slender like my oldest... so she would have outgrown the seat at 18mo for rearfacing and outgrown the seat altogether before being ready for a booster.

We saved up our money to get her the Marathon, because I knew it was the seat that would get her to age 5-7yrs.... I had wanted to get it when she was 2mo and hated her carrier, but my mom was buying the seat and wouldn't buy britax because of the price.

it installs like a dream, is solid as a rock, and the straps don't twist... she's so comfy and it feels more plush than the evenflo seat did... and the cover is so soft.

she's barely on the 2nd set of straps... she was using the 2nd set for two months in the triumph before we got this new seat.

I tried my 4' tall 5yr old in this seat and he would still have 2" above his ears in this seat... so I know that it will last my daughter longer, since she is only in the 50 % for height... my son is in the 96th %.

we love this seat and I would recommend it to anyone.

Kat

Both of our children have been in Marathons since they outgrew their infant carriers and we have been extremely happy with both seats. We have found them to be far more user-friendly than other seats we have used and even though our daughter is now able to use a booster seat, we continue to keep her in the Marathon. Convenience aside, mom ran a red light and t-boned a Montero last month. The Montero was totaled, our tank-like Range Rover sustained over $8K in damage. Our son was in his Marathon and when Mom turned around to make sure he was okay, he gave her a big toothy grin. Not one single peep or tear from the little guy! When insurance offered to replace the seats, we went straight back to the Marathon.

This is a great car seat for my daughter, but it is a nightmare to carry between cars, or worse through an airport. It is very heavy, large, and lacks any logical handle. The seat appears comfortable even on long drives, but I wish it would recline further for trips when I know (hope) my child will be sleeping most of the ride.

We bought the marathon carseat when my daughter outgrew her infant seat, about 2 years ago. Unfortunatly we have been in two car accidents with her in the car both over 50mph. My daughter did not even budge in her car seat, actually didnt even wake up during the second accident. The paramedics were all really impressed with the Marathon car seat as my daughter escaped both accidents without injury. I would never buy any other seat but a britax. She is now turning 3 and her brother will move into her Marathon. We are buying a britax booster!!!!

My Four month old son just outgrew his infant seat. He still weighs below the 20 pounds it can carry but he has outgrown it in height.....26 inches is the max and he is 27 1/2. After doing research online and reading all of the reviews I decided to go with a Britax Marathon as it seemed like the safest option. This car seat is worth every penny you will pay for it. These are the reason why:

1. It installs in about 5 minutes flat. The instructions are easy to read and follow and the latch belts make it a breeze to install.

2. The seat cushion is padded and comfortable as well as being soft. The fabric is also very durable.

3. The HUGS sit perfectly on the baby's neck and protect them from the straps rubbing against delicate skin.

4. The belly pad keeps the buckles from pressing uncomfortably on your little one.

5. I drive a Chevy Malibu.....The Graco Snugride was a tight fit in my rear passenger side seat.....The Britax marathon fits perfectly.

6. My son adores the cow print and loves to watch himself and look at it in the Baby in Sight mirror.

7. My son screamed bloody murder everytime he was in his Graco Snugride and there were few car rides where he did not scream the entire time he was in the back seat. The first time he ever was in the Marathon he babbled happily and then went right to sleep. He has no complaints about the Marathon.

8. My son is not sitting up yet although he holds his head up very well. I have had no problems with his head hanging forward in the seat while he is sleeping. (This was a problem even in the Snugride) The HUGS keep his little head right where it should be.


I feel this was the best investment we have ever made in an item of baby equipment. I could not be more pleased.

My now 2 1/2 year old daughter has loved her Britax Decathalon since she was two months old (she refused to sit in her infant carrier). Buying another Britax for my six month old son was a no brainer, but I felt like I was taking a risk buying the mossy oak pattern. I knew it would either be a perfect big boy seat or totally obnoxious. Turns out the pattern is super cute, not too loud, and darn near impossible to show stains - perfect for my little guy. It looks great and fits well in my 4Runner. It seems to me Britax has fixed a few of the quirks I dealt with on my daughter's Decathalon. The shoulder pads are sewn onto the straps so little hands don't pull them off. They have also changed the strap adjuster so kids can't reach down and pull the straps loose (I've never had a problem with this, but I've seen it mentioned in other reviews). The only difference I can tell between the Marathon and the Decathalon is the detachable infant pillows. My son was twenty pounds at six months and didn't need the extra support so we went with the Marathon. I would definitely recommend this car seat, in fact I'll probably buy another for our second car.

I love Britax car seats. They are so easy to install and are sooooo comfy for the lil ones. I have 3 in my Truck and they all fit perfectly. It took a little longer to get a snug fit with my oldest ones seat as he can't use latch but the little ones were installed in a few minutes by the husband who can never get a good fit :-)
The fabrics are great. They are colorful, yet durable. I have no problems cleaning them and they look great.
The fact that you can forward face to 65 pounds is a dream. My almost 5 year old still fits nicely and is comfortable and safe in this seat. Hopefully he will still fit for a while yet as I am not ready to put him in a seat belt.
I honestly recommend spending a bit extra and getting a marathon. They will last a lot longer, are safer and more comfortable.

We purchased the Britax Marathon for my son when he was 8 months old. We kept him rear-facing until he reached the max weight for rear-facing at 2.5 years old. Now 4, he rides front-facing and still has a lot of room to grow. We bought the denim cover and it still looks great. It has been washed countless times, and like a pair of jeans, the denim has faded in areas, but I think the fading makes it look really cute.
We have driven all over the country and my son rarely complains of being uncomfortable. This seat is well padded and perfect for napping.
I love the rigid latch. I really didn't appreciate this until I tried to install my nephew's cheap Wal*Mart carseat and had a VERY difficult time getting a proper fit. The Marathon cinches down quickly and easily. Once installed, it doesn't budge. If your vehicle doesn't have LATCH, the Marathon has seatbelt lock-offs to help maintain the proper tension of the seatbelt. This has really been handy for us since my sister-in-law's car doesn't have locking seatbelts in the backseat. No problem for us, though!
In short, I can't say enough about the Marathon. It has been one of the best investments I've made. We have had 4 years of use from our Marathon and I anticipate at least another year before my son outgrows it.
Compatibility: This carseat has been installed with no problems in many different vehicles ranging from Toyota Corolla to Chevy Suburban. Actually, I have yet to encounter a vehicle in which I was unable to obtain a rock-solid installation.