172 of 172 people found the following review helpful:
Great, but not perfect.
Don't get me wrong....I would own nothing other than Britax seats at this point. We have 4 children and we've tried various models. We've donated the others to Goodwill. We currently own 5 Britax car seats for 4 children. We have 2 Regents, 1 Parkway(used as a spare), 1 Marathon, and 1 Roundabout. I feel as though I'm a walking advertisement for Britax and we've been...
69 of 70 people found the following review helpful:
The Roundabout is a better seat for boys than the Marathon
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...
This review is from: Britax Marathon 65 Convertible Car Seat, Onyx (Baby Product)
Don't get me wrong....I would own nothing other than Britax seats at this point. We have 4 children and we've tried various models. We've donated the others to Goodwill. We currently own 5 Britax car seats for 4 children. We have 2 Regents, 1 Parkway(used as a spare), 1 Marathon, and 1 Roundabout. I feel as though I'm a walking advertisement for Britax and we've been accused of being uptight about car seats.
As far as I'm concerned, there are three main features that we look for in a car seat:
1. Does it fit securely in the vehicle?
Forward facing, this seat is awesome. We don't have the latch system in our van, so we never had the opportunity to use the latch belts although I'm sure they work fine. We use the shoulder belt and we've never seen any other seat get as secure as our seat. When we try to move the seat side to side, the van moves instead. The beauty of the system is that after you've tightened the lap part of the belt down as far as you can, you then slide the shoulder part of the belt into a slot that latches down on the side of the seat. Once you've done this, the belt doesn't develop any slack. Then for good measure, you attach the tether to the underside of the rear of the seat (or a tether hook in some cars). This seat doesn't move after that.
Rear facing, the seat could be improved. This is why the seat doesn't get 5 stars from me. The side lock down mechanism is tightened more by the thickness of the belt. Unfortunately, it can pop open without much pressure. (As a side note, the lockdown on the side of our older Roundabout works great. It is a different design. I'm not sure if Britax thought they were improving and have changed the design or if they have a different lockdown on this seat.) The annoying thing about this is that you have to continuously check to see if it has released.
2. Condition of the straps is important. I haven't seen one manufacturer compare to the quality of the straps. The shoulder straps are thick and wide. They don't fold up on themselves or get tangled. They are also wide across your child's shoulders.
3. Child's comfort. The side guards around the head are great for when they are getting tired and the safety foam is the same as you would find in bike helmets.
Overall, the seat is great. If I could have given it 4.5 stars, I would have. The rear facing problem was minor to us because we could use our Roundabout rear facing, but for someone who needs to use it rear facing for a while, it might be more of a problem. I'm hoping Britax improves that one thing, but overall, this seat is highly recommended by me.
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This review is from: Britax Marathon 65 Convertible Car Seat, Onyx (Baby Product)
This car seat was a life saver!
Our daughter is almost 4 months now and cried everytime we placed her in her infant seat, except on the day home from the hospital. We couldn't drive down the road without listening to screams - the only time we went anywhere was if she was asleep and often she woke up the minute we put her in her seat. My 8 year old and I would both sit in the back seat with her, it didn't matter. I read the reviews on this seat so we went to 2 different stores and placed her in the demo. She was fine. My mother offered to purchase it for us so we got it.
Sketptical?
I was skeptical, so I first took her for a 5 minute ride - no crying. The next day I chanced 15 minutes - still no crying. The third day we went to my mother's - a 40 minute drive each way. Within a week we were willing to try her on a 3 hour trip. She did great!
I think the key for us was my daughter can see out and doesn't feel confined like the infant seat. She spends most trips gazing out the window and quietly sucking her thumb.
Size
I've read people complain about the size, but it fits fine in our Toyota Prius and our Subaru Outback. In fact it actually allows the front passanger seat to be further back than our previous car seat with a base (Graco Snugride).
Buy Two!
We've had the seat now for 3 weeks and no crying! My husband asks me everyday "How was she in the car" and everyday I say "GREAT!" We bought a second one for the other car.
Installation
This is the easiest car seat I have ever installed, we use the latch system in the Prius and in my mother's car. IT is so much easier than the latch with the Graco seat. Using latch it takes only minutes to go from one car to another. In the Subaru we use the regular shoulder/seat belt (it's 8 years old so latch wasn't available). Which I still like better than the Graco.
It is quite expensive, but to us well worth it. If you're still reading this then you want this seat! (It doesn't feed hungry babies, so they may still fuss.)
A year late...
My daughter is 15 months now and the seat is still wonderful! We now have the seat facing forward and we still love this car seat.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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This review is from: Britax Marathon 65 Convertible Car Seat, Onyx (Baby Product)
My husband and I purchased this for our quick growing son when he was about 6mo old and hanging out of his infant carrier. I had done a lot of research on car seats and quickly found myself looking at the Britax models for their quality, safety, and reliability. We choose the Marathon specifically because it can hold a child up to 65lbs.
Yes, this car seat is larger and heavier than others, but I would not trade it for anything else. The seat fits very comfortably in the back of our Honda Civic and does not obstruct any views from the rearview mirror. We have traveled extensively with this seat it goes everywhere with us. We never, never have a problem getting it to fit correctly in any type of vehicle. The seat has been in old and new cars alike and it always fits quickly and more importantly correctly!
More important than my love for this seat is my son's. He loves the incredible views provided from the seat and the comfort as well. When he naps his head never falls forward or looks like it is in an uncomfortable position. He sleeps as soundly in the seat as in his bed. My son fits securly in the seat, yet it is large enough it makes him feel like he has space to move.
With all the travel and use this seat is cleaned frequently. I can't beleive how easy it is to disasemble and wash and you don't have to video tape yourself taking it apart to remember how to get it back together. I just can't say enough awesome things about this seat. I am so glad that I found this seat and would encourage anyone to take advantage of the many great and easy to use features.
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This review is from: Britax Marathon 65 Convertible Car Seat, Onyx (Baby Product)
My 2 year old daughter has been in a britax marathon ever since she was 7 months old. After hours of research and asking around, I decided that this was a good investment for the safety of my daughter, although it is quite expensive compared to the other carseats in the market. We never had a problem with this carseat and my daughter always looked comfortable in it whether she's sitting up looking out the window or sleeping. I love the headrest on the sides that allows her to sleep in the car without her head bouncing around. After using this for over a year, I decided to move my daughter into a cheaper Eddie Bauer covertible seat so her younger sister can use her Britax. BAD DECISION!! I realized on the first drive that there is no car seat out there that beats this one. In less than five minutes, her head was bobbing around, padding was so horrible, her headrest was so stiff and upright that she was struggling to get out. I thought she was old enough to use cheaper brands comfortably but I now realize how good we all had it by using a high quality carseat. I'm now looking for a larger version (Britax Regent) for my daughter so my younger can use this one. Yes its a bit pricey but I truly truly believe that it's worth every penny considering the comfort and safety of our children. If you're hesitant about spending $100 more on a carseat, consider skipping one nice dinner out with your spouse and investing it instead on a Britax. I highly recommend it and there really is nothing out there that compares to this one. Once you use one, you'll see that there really is a difference.
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This review is from: Britax Marathon 65 Convertible Car Seat, Onyx (Baby Product)
We have 2 of these and love them. We recently brought one with us to Europe with a Go-go Baby Travelmate attachment which made travel through the airports very easy. ALWAYS ask for and use the seatbelt extender, I didn't use it on one flight which was a Big mistake. The release mechanism went behind the seat when I tightened up the strap and it was (almost) impossible to open. Also expect to have the seat hand inspected at check-in. It only fit through the x-ray machine at one of the several airports we traveled through.
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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).
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