Britax Marathon or Roundabout?

[ilovesugar]

If you take the weight limits out of the equation, are these seats pretty much the same? We are looking at getting one of them and have a Regent for when the baby is older so we just need another mid-size seat. Anyone have any experience with either of these?

 

[taylor3297]

We have the marathon. The difference is the weight limit. Roundabout goes up to 50 pounds while the Marathon goes up to 65 pounds.

 

[Minniemouse07]

No real difference ....but you could easily compare them in person at a Babies R Us.

Oh...you need to know that the Regent is either already no longer available or will soon be pulled off the market. Britax is replacing it with the Frontier 85 which is a forward facing only seat that harnesses to 85lbs and then can be switched into a high back booster. It also has the no re-thread harness adjuster similar to the Boulevard (another Britax convertible seat).

HTH

 

[ilovesugar]

No real difference ....but you could easily compare them in person at a Babies R Us.

Oh...you need to know that the Regent is either already no longer available or will soon be pulled off the market. Britax is replacing it with the Frontier 85 which is a forward facing only seat that harnesses to 85lbs and then can be switched into a high back booster. It also has the no re-thread harness adjuster similar to the Boulevard (another Britax convertible seat).

HTH

Yeah we have 2 of the Regents already that we used with our son and LOVED. We have a roundabout that will be put in my DH's car and another brand that we will be putting in our sitters car, so we are looking for another convertible to put in my car. I like my roundabout, but was just wondering if the marathon was a better choice.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Yeah we have 2 of the Regents already that we used with our son and LOVED. We have a roundabout that will be put in my DH's car and another brand that we will be putting in our sitters car, so we are looking for another convertible to put in my car. I like my roundabout, but was just wondering if the marathon was a better choice.

Cool...just remember that the seats expire, 6yrs after the manufacturer's date (not the date of purchase).

 

[kandls momma]

Yeah we have 2 of the Regents already that we used with our son and LOVED. We have a roundabout that will be put in my DH's car and another brand that we will be putting in our sitters car, so we are looking for another convertible to put in my car. I like my roundabout, but was just wondering if the marathon was a better choice.

The roundabout is smaller all around- lower weight limits and lower harness slots. As far as install, etc, they are about the same, but the marathon has higher straps, higher weight limit. It will last a lot longer.

 

[Bren's Mom]

The Roundabout has a considerably shorter shell than the Marathon and lower top harness slots in addition to the lower weight limit.

If you love your Marathon but want something less expensive, I'd consider a Roundabout50. If you do a thorough search of the Targets in your area you might find the Sutton pattern for $50! They were clearancing them out. Many still had stickers for $139 last week but were ringing $49.99. So that's one option.

I wouldn't personally (as a CPST) buy a Roundabout or a Marathon (except at a deep discount like above). For convertibles I prefer the Graco MyRide, First Years True Fit and the Evenflo Triumph Advance for various reasons.

But if you're only wanting a Marathon or a Roundabout, and you can't find a Roundabout 50, I'd get a Marathon.

 

[rparmfamily]

I was looking at the Roundabout50 too for my 12 mo old. So they aren't great? I've always wanted a Britax, they are so plush and comfy looking.

What do you guys recommend for an 18 lbs 27" 12 mo old? She's petite, all of my kids are. My nearly 10 yr old is only 55 lbs and about 53".

The baby would be rearfacing of course. She's in a Combi Shuttle ARB infant seat, and has like 1" to go until she outgrows it by length.

 

[justhat]

I wouldn't personally (as a CPST) buy a Roundabout or a Marathon (except at a deep discount like above). For convertibles I prefer the Graco MyRide, First Years True Fit and the Evenflo Triumph Advance for various reasons.

What are those reasons? We have always been Britax fans, but I just saw the Graco MyRide in the store last week and it looked pretty nice. We won't need a seat for about a year, but all of our Britaxes (well, except 1, but my son will likely still be in that one) will expire before our youngest will need them so I am looking around.

 

[georgesgirl]

We looked at all the Britax car seats, but ended up buying a MyRide65 and love it! It seemed to be very comparable to the Britax seats, but only $150 vs. upwards of $300. It rear faces to 40 lbs and foward faces harnessed to 65 lbs. DS is 17 months old, still riding rear facing and seems very comfortable in the seat. Unless you are just set on a Britax, you may want to look the MyRide.

 

[MickeyMouse2010]

I have both. Your child will outgrow the Roundabout b/c of height long before weight. I think DD was around 3 when she outgrew hers. I didn't care b/c I bought it knowing my 2nd child would be using it after her. It's nice to travel with a smaller seat as well as we bring ours on the plane and the marathon is bigger and heavier. You won't get much use out of a roundabout though if it's only for one child.

 

[dhardawa]

I'm also a CPST and I love Britax seats. My son is in a Boulevard in my car, a Boulevard in my dad's van, and I have a Marathon in the garage as a backup.

To the original question, there are two Roundabouts right now (both are being discontinued and replaced with the new Roundabout 55 this summer/early fall). The standard Roundabout has a 40 lb max weight and is a significantly smaller seat. If space is an issue or if you are planning another child soon, it can be a good option. Otherwise, I'd skip it an go with a bigger seat that will last longer. The Roundabout 50 is built on the Decathlon shell so it is the same size as a Marathon. Since seats are typically outgrown by height as opposed to weight, the Roundabout 50 is a great choice for a lower price Britax seat.

I do also like the MyRide and the True Fit. I don't want to sound like I think the only good seat is Britax.

 

[Bren's Mom]

What are those reasons? We have always been Britax fans, but I just saw the Graco MyRide in the store last week and it looked pretty nice. We won't need a seat for about a year, but all of our Britaxes (well, except 1, but my son will likely still be in that one) will expire before our youngest will need them so I am looking around.

Some of it is simply personal preference. Some is value, I find the Britax seats overpriced. They USED to be a leader in the field, now the other manufacturer's are catching up to them, and in many cases exceeding them.

Specifically, the MyRide is significantly less expensive and has a higher rear-facing weight than all Britax seats on the market. It has a 65lb forward-facing harness, same as the 'big' Britaxes.

The First Years True Fit is similar to the Marathon et al, but less expensive. It has a removable head portion, which makes it nice for smaller babies. It has some of the upgraded features of the Marathon, like built in lock offs.

The Evenflo Triumph Advance is much less expensive as well. It has side adjust knobs rather than a center adjust strap on most car seats which I personally find easier to use. It's a nice deep seat and it has an infinite harness, making it a great choice if you are a caregiver who has different children in your vehicle.

All 3 of the above have significantly more leg room than the Marathon/Boulevard, making extended rear-facing more comfortable for older children.

Ultimately, though, if you choose a convertible with at least a 35lb rear-facing limit, a 50lb forward-facing limit, your child fits well in it, you like the way it works (harness adjust is easy for you, etc) and it fits in your budget...it doesn't really matter which one *I* like!