Customer Reviews

Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat, Graystone

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a good car seat, with some observations.

Older children may not fit into the Marathon, as the base is too tall and they're likely to outgrow it in height way before they reach the 65 lb weight limit. In contrast, the Roundabout has a lower weight limit (to 40 lbs) and may be a better choice if you're transitioning from an infant seat.

The Marathon seat is shallow and the crotch strap is too short, especially for toddler boys. The Marathon measures 6 inches from the back of the seat to the base of the strap. The Roundabout is deeper, 7 inches from seat back to the base of the strap, which is perplexing. Why would Britax make the larger seat shallower, if it has to fit both infants and older children?

Second, the quick release of the Marathon is so easy to use (gently lift the metal part under the front flap) even a toddler can do it- if they fiddle with it they can loosen the harness while strapped in! Teaching the child the meaning of "no" and placing safety pins on the flap are possible solutions but not what one would expect on an expensive car seat.
It helps to tuck the excess straps between the BRitax and the car's seat.

Please note that some models of the Marathon have a flap with velcro that's easy to lift. The Marathon Greystone sold by Target has a slightly different flap (the metal clasp is still underneath but hidden by a flap that's sewn on the sides - not velcroed like the picture). This looks like an improvement, as most Marathon models have the velcro version. I don't know if the amazon model has this new flap.

The Roundabout has a different harness release system (button) and you need to press hard to release it which makes it more child proof.

Lastly, the Marathon and the Roundabout are handwash & drip dry only according to the owner's manual and care instructions attached to the seat.

It's a good seat for young toddlers, not so much for older ones, especially boys.

Not too long after my son's second birthday I was rear ended and needed to replace my carseat. We had a Britax Roundabout (fantastic) but my son was quickly approaching the height/weigth threshold for that seat and developmentally we knew he was not ready for a booster seat. After being reimbursed by insurance we opted for the Marathon because of the higher height/weught requirements.

My family and I LOVE this seat. It's plush, comfortable, and my son loves the ball pattern. It was super easy to install (one thing I love about Britax ovewr Graco) and easy to move on those occasions when I need to give a carseat to someone else. When we were first in the market for a convertable carseat I resisted the Marathon because it was so big and in hindsight I should have bought this seat from day one. It grows with a child and after trying other seats it is most definately the nicest and the safest. We have a Graco comfortsport in my husbands car and there really is no comparison between the two.

The Marathon is expensive, but if you can afford it, a carseat is one of those kid items that you shouldn't skimp on because of the price. The Marathon is worth the price and above all else I know that my child is safe when in this seat.

I have two of these seats and I love them. The latch system is incredibly easy to use and my son is very comfortable in the seat. I've had the seats for two years now. On two instances my son (at 26 months) reached down and opened the velcro cover over the strap release and has actually released the straps all the way while in the car... And, YES, each time he has been strapped in CORRECTLY (tight with no slack and only able to fit two fingers under the strap). There were a few other instances that week when he tried to do this again but we were able to stop him. Since that week, about six months ago, he now knows it's not safe to touch that part of the seat and he hasn't even tried to loosen it again. Even in spite of this, I love the seats and plan on using them until he outgrows them. I just want to let people know that even strapped in 100% PROPERLY, there is still the chance that your child can reach the strap release. No one can predict all the possible outcomes of the curiosity of a two-year-old. Don't keep blinders on...just because they aren't SUPPOSED to be able to, DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T HAPPEN. (This can be said about any product).

I bought this carseat as a replacement for the Graco Snugride that my son outgrew at 4 months. He always liked his Marathon, but now that he's over 1 year and facing forward, he's really happy - this seat allows him to sit high enough to see outside the car. It must be very comfortable too, because he regularly falls asleep on long trips.

The installation is easy and very secure. Just connect the LATCH connectors, put your knee in the seat, and pull the straps to tighten. Connect the tether to the tether point that most newer cars now have, tighten that strap, and you're done. The only down side - this seat is built for kids up to 65 lbs, so it's VERY large. It probably won't fit in some smaller cars, but I was able to install it in my CR-V and in a RAV4 (both centered) with no problem at all. Both of these small SUVs still have room for 2 smaller adults in the back seat with the Marathon installed.

A couple of tips for airline travel - the seat is approved for airline use, but the LATCH connectors won't work. If you install the seat using the airline seatbelts and tighten the belt properly, you won't be able to operate the latch to free the seat when you arrive at your destination (I learned this the hard way!). To make life easier, ask for a seatbelt extender when you board the aircraft. Use the extender to connect the two halves of the seatbelt through the back of the seat. Then you can tighten the belt to properly secure the seat and still release it easily when it's time to disembark.

Second tip - this seat is a backbreaker if you have to carry it through an airport to make a connection. Instead of carrying it, get a luggage cart and attach the seat with a bungee cord. Now, put the kid in the seat, strap him in, and leave the stroller at home.

Oh, and get the seat at Traveling Tikes - about $40 cheaper.

I had to review this car seat because I know what it's like wondering how a car seat would hold up and protect your child if you ever were in an accident.I found out how great this car seat is the other day when I was involved in an accident.

I bought the Marathon when my daughter was 6 months old and used it rear facing. The seat was SUPER easy to install and always very secure. wouldn't budge at all once it was buckled in.(I only used the shoulder/lap belt as I can't use latch in my car). I turned the seat forward facing a month or two after my daughter turned 1. She is a very large girl, always has been, and while I wanted to keep it rear facing there was just not any room for her legs anymore.Apprehensively, I turned the seat forward facing and again it was very very sturdy. Now I must re-emphasize just how easy this seat is to install.All you have to do is put it in the seat, I put my knee in the seat and kind of "stand" on my knee, run the seat belt through the back. Then there are some little things that you turn down on the side of the seat. I can't really figure out how to describe them, but that is what you use to hold the belt in place. None of those ridiculously hard to use metal clips that take 30 minutes to get on the belt. This is so easy to install. I could move it from one car to another in about 5 minutes, and definately be sure it was installed properly and securely.(I did take it to the fire station before and they checked it and said it was installed perfectly) So if you need a seat that you can move around with ease from one vehicle to another this is the one.
Now for the safety of this seat. I eventually bought the Britax Regent because the part of the buckle that goes between the legs on this seat with pinching my daughter legs, who is almost 3 now by the way. So I bought the Britax Regent(another review, but not as sturdy and definately not as easy to install!) I then moved the Marathon into my mom's car because we do ride with her quite a bit. I figured since she wouldnt be riding in that seat as much as she rides in my car she could tolerate the snug buckle between the legs.
So, we were driving the other day when out of nowhere this clueless woman slams very hard into the back of us. Now we were in a lane, about to turn left onto another road, she hit us hard enough to knock us into that other road, full of traffic. The officer seemed to think she was probably going 30-40, maybe more. My mom and I were instantly having neck and back pain. I kept asking my daughter if she was hurting anywhere, she said "wee, that was fun!" Obviously she didn't feel the impact. I checked the seat and it was still just as sturdy as before, she had no marks from the straps on her, but they were secure. I was very very pleased with how well this seat did. I fully expected her to be hurt somehow but she wasn't. Now I have got to replace the seat for my mom's car because the Regent won't fit into her car not to mention once you get that thing in, you don't want to have to move it elsewhere, ever! I am seriously thinking about buying another marathon to put in my mom's car. This seat has everything you're looking for. Comfort for the child, Easy installation, Sturdy fit, and I would say it did excellent in a crash. I don't think you could go wrong with this seat. Especially if you run into the problem of other seats not fitting properly in your particular car. This seat fits in every kind of car I have tried, from camry to mustang to accord, and some others. You will not be disappointed investing in this seat.

When our Graco Snugride began to flip on its side every time we turned a corner, and our daughter hadn't even hit 20 lbs, we were appalled. It was back to the drawing board on the carseat front, and again we found ourselves muddled in research studies on safety.

We had looked at the Marathon previous to buying the Snugride, but had settled on the Snugride because the safety ratings seemed to be comparable and the price was much more reasonable.

I felt as if the Snugride had different levels of safety depending on the car we put it in. Some backseats didn't seem to accomodate it as well, and it would rest at an odd angle no matter how we repositioned it.

The Britax Marathon, for its mammoth size, fits quite well in different vehicles - even in the smallest of cars. It is currently installed in a 2006 Saturn Ion, rear-facing, with the LATCH system. It doesn't interfere with visibility at all, and doesn't hinder adjustment of the seats for taller (6ft plus) drivers.

It feels sturdy and formidable, and sits upright with no trouble. It doesn't give an inch in terms of side-to-side rocking or front to back movement. For the first time, I put my daughter in her seat and truly feel that she is secure. My daughter loves the level of comfort - it's very cushy and velvety soft, and she can easily fall asleep during car rides. The "Hugs", which some people find annoying, seem to pad her neck from the straps. I don't mind them though occasionally they get turned around the wrong way, leaving an extra step in fastening her in.

My only two (rather minor) complaints are that the straps do tend to get twisted - and are a bit confusing to untangle. I often forget to velcro them in "open" position, which would prevent this to a great degree. Secondly, I don't always hear a click when I fasten the belt, and somehow that click equates to safety on some level in my mind. Nonetheless the belt does fasten, and doesn't come loose, so I suppose this is my own hangup.

All around this is a great seat, easy to install, attractive, comfy, and highly recommended to the safety-oriented parent.

My son loves this carseat! I originally bought a britax roundabout for my car. We eventually had the need for a 2nd carseat and I bought a Graco comfortsport and my son hated it. So I decided to get this seat and I couldn't be happier. I was really worried about the size, but it fits perfectly in my altima.

I've found that Britax's are so much easier to install than any other seat. I highly recommend this seat if you can afford it. I found mine for $220 on albee baby.

We agonized over the decision to purchase this car seat as the price tag was hefty and really really stretched our budget. Let me just say that after owning it for a few days, I am more than pleased with the purchase. If you are on the fence with this car seat, like we were, I say "go for it" you won't have any regrets.

We purchased two of these seats. Once for our infant son (for when he outgrows our stroller/car seat combo), and one for my 30 month old son. My son previously had the Eddie Bauer 3-1, which at the time seemed like a good purchase. We needed an extra seat for the inlaws, so we "upgraded" to the Britax. Even my husband noticed that we get what we paid for. The Britax fits much more solid in the car (even though we used latch with the Eddie Bauer, it wasn't as secure)...it also is significantly more comfortable for our son. The seat sits higher, which makes the ride more enjoyable, and there is a lot of cushion in the seat. The straps seem more secure and are much easier to adjust based on your child's clothing. Another plus, is that it seems a little narrower (although still very roomy), so the backseat of our Passat Wagon is less crowded than with the Eddie Bauer. I also appreciate that the cover is removable and washable...may car seats are spot clean only, which isn't great when you have a toddler.

The biggest point that sold us on the seat, was that after your child hits the 40 pound mark, most seats can no longer be used as a 5-point harness system...this seat is an exception and lasts until 65 pounds. In the end, we are hoping this is the safest way to go.

So, hopefully this review will help you with your decision...everything for baby seems so expensive, but this is one purchase you won't regret.

This car seat has a lot of padding and my baby seems very comfortable in it. Overall the material and construction of this seat is very good. I have been using it for ~5 months. I feel safe to put my baby in it.

One thing I really like is that this seat can hold a toddler up to 65lbs. So I probably don't need to buy a booster seat in the future.

When I first install this car seat, I spent over half an hour but couldn't find the latches. I thought it was missing and was about to return it, then I found it under the seat cover. You have to read instruction very carefully to find out where it is. If you cannot the latches either, look at their video instructions online.

I like this car seat and I'll give it 5 stars. However, there are a few you may want to know:
- there seems to be a lot of color selections but they don't look attractive at all, at least to me.
- when I installed this seat facing backward to my SUV, it totally blocked the view of the rear-right windows (I installed it to the back seat on the right). I felt very uncomfortable when cutting lanes. I had to move the front passenger seat all the way to the front so that I can still see part of that window. Of course I couldn't use the front passenger seat in the last few months.

This is a great convertible seat. It had good reviews everywhere and it showed as the lowest content on chemicals on the cover([...]). Fits great on a 2007 Jetta, so any car this size or larger will work quite well. Baby is confortable and does not complain.

Este es el mejor asiento que he encontrado, cabe muy bien en el coche y el bebe esta muy agusto en el. Un estudio sobre contenido quimico de asientos infantiles le da muy buena puntuacion en cuanto a bajo contenido de quimicos, lo cual fue uno de los factores importantes.

Highly recommended. Muy recomendable.