The Bottom Line
The Britax Marathon is one great car seat. It's pricey, but many parents say the cost is worthwhile. Britax has taken much of the guesswork out of properly fitting your baby into a convertible car seat, with plenty of convenience features built in. If you're able to shell out upwards of $200 for the Marathon, you probably won't regret it.
Pros
- It's so easy to adjust the harness straps to fit baby.
- Car seat harness straps don't twist.
- Recline angle and harness strap height can be adjusted in seconds.
Cons
- Price. Expect to pay $200-$250 for this car seat.
- This car seat is heavy!
Description
- Britax Marathon is a convertible car seat with 5-point harness for babies 5 to 65 pounds.
- May be installed rear-facing to 33 pounds and forward facing to 65 pounds and 49 inches tall.
- The Marathon can be installed using LATCH or seatbelt routing with a lap belt or lap/shoulder belt.
- Four harness height positions better serve taller babies. Weight limit higher than most car seats.
- HUGS system keeps harness straps smooth, chest clip positioned and reduces head movement in crashes.
- Versa-Tether allows top car seat tether to be used rear-facing and forward-facing.
- Britax Marathon car seat is approved for use on airplanes.
- Removable seat cover is stain-resistant and available in many colors and patterns.
- Simple harness adjustment system makes it easy to adjust the fit of the harness straps each time.
Guide Review - Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat Review
I didn't know it was possible to fall in love with a car seat! I had heard other parents rave about their Britax seats for years before I splurged and got one for my daughter. She immediately took to the new seat, as well, even wanting to sleep inside the Marathon the first night we had it. One of the nicest features of the Britax Marathon car seat is the built-in lock-off clips that keep the car seat installed tightly when using traditional seatbelt routing. Britax has also made it very easy to secure babies in the Marathon. The harness straps adjust quickly and effortlessly, and the harness height is simple to change, but you must uninstall the car seat to adjust harness height in the forward-facing position. While the harness straps on many car seats twist after a few uses, Britax Marathon straps are designed to stay smooth, and they feature a "floating HUGS" system that distributes forces during a crash. The HUGS system also reduces the chance of improperly positioning the chest clip. Marathon is a large car seat, and some small car owners may have trouble with proper installations, particularly rear-facing, so check the fit before purchasing. It appears that Britax has redesigned the Marathon car seat base to better accommodate small cars, though. The base makes for easy recline adjustments when rear-facing, too, by simply pulling a handle. Plush covers and thick padding provides a comfy ride for baby, and the covers are available in many patterns to suit any taste.
