Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat Brownstone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)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 Imust 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.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat Brownstone

Product Description:
Britax International has been manufacturing innovative, industry-leading child products for over three decades. Their dedication to safety, comfort, and convenience is certainly apparent in this convertible car seat. Its ample attributes-both for parents and baby-and amazing attention to safety standards, make the Marathon a true front runner.Safety first is a good rule of thumb, and one that Britax certainly heeds. The Marathon offers features you might find on many other car seats, such as convertibility, a five-point harness, and the LATCH system. But Britax enhanced and then went above and beyond the norm when creating the Marathon. The Marathon can be easily rear-facing installed with today's LATCH system. Their five-point harness system is made with strong polyester webbing, fits snugly over baby's shoulders, collarbone and hips to provide a secure fit, and the straps are designed to remain tangle free. There are also four adjustable height positions so the seat grows with baby. A patented "floating" HUGS™ (Harness Ultra Guard) system better distributes the webbing loads, reducing head movement and minimizing harness irritation on baby's neck in case of an impact. HUGS also reduces the chance of improperly positioning the chest clip.

Located near a vehicle's seatbelts, factory installed anchor points provide a secure and easy LATCH connection. In conjunction with this push-button release system, the Marathon also offers Britax's Versa-Tether®, an anchor aid that provides additional security in the forward facing position for children weighing more than 50 lbs. The Versa-Tether® fastens the top of the car seat to factory installed automobile anchor points, minimizing the possibility of a head injury.

The Marathon can also be safely used in cars without the LATCH system. Need more? The Marathon provides built-in lock-off clips that keep the seat tightly in place when using only traditional seatbelts at installation. A simple handle pull allows the car seat base to be easily reclined when rear-facing. A smooth ride is guaranteed for baby through the comfy padding and soft fabric cover, which is stain resistant, removable, and washable. The Marathon is Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213 compliant, making it approved for airplane use as well.

It should be noted that the Marathon is larger (28"H x 19.5"W x 25"D) than most car seats, and can be a tricky fit, especially in the rear facing position in a smaller car. Allow for 31" of backseat space to properly accommodate this model. With its bigger size this car seat is also heavier than many. Completely empty the Marathon weighs nearly 18 pounds. But these same features are what allow the car seat to have a higher weight capacity and therefore last well into childhood.

A simple handle pull allows the car seat base to be reclined when rear-facing. Since car seats are mandated by law, it's nice to know that Britax is at least making the choice simple for you. The Marathon is easy to install, super comfortable for baby, available in a wide range of colors and patterns, and, most importantly, safe!Comparing Britax Car Seats
If you're debating between the Britax Marathon and the Britax Roundabout, think of the latter as the little sibling. They are identical in comfort and convenience features, but the Marathon has a higher weight maximum, and is therefore larger than the Roundabout.
The Britax Decathlon is also similar to the Marathon, but offers two features you might need. First, the Decathlon offers additional padding for newborns with an infant positioning system, giving more peace of mind to first time parents. Second, the Decathlon offers an adjustable three-position crotch strap, which makes the seat more comfortable for toddlers consistently at the top of their height percentage.