Britax Marathon vs Britax Regent

[ClarabelleCowFan]

is he 2?
My DS is going to be 2 and is 31lbs and still sits RFing, its much safer than FFing.
My DD has a regent but she is 40" and 40lbs, i sat DS in it just for giggles and he is way to tiny for the regent. im shocked hes outgrowing the marathon. Where are the sraps at? how much room does he have til he reaches the top slots? the seat is outgrown when his ears go over the shell for forward facing.

His shoulders are higher than the 2nd to highest slots for the seatbelt on both the Roundabout and the Marathon. I was always told that the straps should never feed in lower than his shoulders.

DS gets horribly car sick when he is rear facing. Our Pediatrician actually suggested that we turn him forward facing at 12 months to try to alleviate the motion sickness.

We have both the marathon and the regent.
My 17 month old is rear-facing in the marathon.
My 4.5 year old is in the Regent and has plenty of room to grow into.
We love both seats.

I was going to say- you could pass the marathon down to your next child when your ds outgrows it, but I see that you mentioned he's the last So nevermind about that..

If there is another one then the Dr that performed the big V on DH will have some serious explaining to do!! We have 5 between us (ages 15 down to 2). I KNOW we're done.

 

[Bren's Mom]

DS is 26 months old and weighs about 33lbs and is about 38" tall. DH and I are both very tall so he gets it honest. He's napping now so I can't measure his seated height. (ETA: the photos of him below were taken over a year ago just before he turned 1.)

We're in Harford County, MD. Thanks for the help!

You might want to venture over to car-seat.org. Post what you wrote here, plus ds's seated height (from floor to top of shoulder) and age, etc. Something doesn't seem right...even at 38" and with a tall torso he should still have considerable room in a Marathon. You could post a pic over there and you'd have a whole boat load of us techs able to assist you.

No one over there is listed in Hartford County, I just checked, but I'll post on the tech area and see if someone is able to help who isn't on our public list.

 

[zoemurr]

DD just outgrew hers at 9, and she's easily 95 percentile for height, but very skinny.

My 8 year old is more average, and we just moved his harness to the 2nd highest slots.

We have them in captains chairs in the minivan, but also had them in the back of a Taurus wagon with no problem. The kids both loved them (even at 9/8 they preferred these to a regular booster) and had no problems sleeping.

Yes, they were $$ but I have never regretted a Britax purchase.. and we've had plenty.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

You might want to venture over to car-seat.org. Post what you wrote here, plus ds's seated height (from floor to top of shoulder) and age, etc. Something doesn't seem right...even at 38" and with a tall torso he should still have considerable room in a Marathon. You could post a pic over there and you'd have a whole boat load of us techs able to assist you.

No one over there is listed in Hartford County, I just checked, but I'll post on the tech area and see if someone is able to help who isn't on our public list.

It's Harford County (no "t") - that may be why nothing is coming up.

I'll measure DS when he gets up. We already packed the Marathon back in the box to return it but I still haven't fully made up my mind what to do.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Just measured DS and his seated height from shoulder to floor is 13 1/2". I unpacked the Marathon and put him in it and snapped a few pix. He wasn't being very cooperative. His shoulder is just a smidge below (like 1/2" or less) the next to the highest shoulder strap slot on the Marathon. The top of his head is over the top of the seat when he sits up straight (he was leaning his head down a bit in the photo).

I'll post this over on the other website.

 

[Elmo888]

We have a Graco Nautilus and a Sunshine Radian for DD4. We just bought the Graco Nautilus for DH's car because she outgrew her Cosco Scenera. We have had the Radian for a while. When shopping for the Radian, I compared the Radian and Regent because those seemed to be the two with the highest harness slots at the time. I bought the Radian over the Regent because the Radian isn't as wide and I need to fit her carseat plus 2 people in the back seat.

Comparing the Nautilus and the Radian, she is definitely at more of an recline in the Nautilus. And there is a place to rest her head when she sleeps. I wouldn't rule out the Nautilus for that. She likes the Nautilus better, but that might just be for the cupholder!

 

[wrighter]

Add us to the list of Happy Regent Owners.

DS6 has been in the Regent for more than three years now - as soon as his little sister outgrew the infant carrier and needed his Marathon. We love it. It does take up the whole captain's chair in the minivan, but knowing that he will be in a 5 pt harness for so long is worth it. We do have a no back booster that we use for him when he drives with dad/grandmom/etc, so we don't have to take the Regent out of the minivan very often. It's a big mahamajama! (One of our friends who has had theirs even longer than we have calls it The Archie Bunker chair.)

We did try the Britax booster with the back attached, but it had these "wings" on the side of the headpiece that blocked his peripheral vision and actually made him vomit. Took us a couple of rides to determine that was the problem, though!

He rides very comfortably in the Regent and we wouldn't trade it in for a second.

 

[ireland_nicole]

I can't believe they are phasing out the Regents; they are by far the best, safest, and most comfortable car seats we have ever had; We have them in our minivan; one in a captians chair, and one in the back (would have both fit in captains chairs, but needed one free for my mom who lives with us). My 9 year old and 7 year old still haven't outgrown them (although my 9 year old is just over 48 in. and 50 lbs., so....)

I love them, I can't say enough good about them. If you are able to keep them in your vehicle (they are somewhat difficult to move, quite heavy) then I would strongly recommend trying to find it.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I can't believe they are phasing out the Regents; they are by far the best, safest, and most comfortable car seats we have ever had; We have them in our minivan; one in a captians chair, and one in the back (would have both fit in captains chairs, but needed one free for my mom who lives with us). My 9 year old and 7 year old still haven't outgrown them (although my 9 year old is just over 48 in. and 50 lbs., so....)

I love them, I can't say enough good about them. If you are able to keep them in your vehicle (they are somewhat difficult to move, quite heavy) then I would strongly recommend trying to find it.

Good to hear it fits in a captain's chair. That was something that worried me.

 

[5 for WDW]

Good to hear it fits in a captain's chair. That was something that worried me.

Well, I will make you feel even better now!

Our daughter is in a Regent and we also have a Yukon XL with middle row captain chairs. Her seat is in the passenger side chair. It fits beautifully. She loves her seat and is very comfortable in it. She will be 6 in October. She is only on the second strap slot up so, she will be in it for quite some time.

It is a heavy seat but, it does get easier to move it to other cars if you need to. I moved it to my husband's minivan last week when we took that and it was a piece of cake compared to the first time I did it. I also took the entire seat apart and washed it last week. I have no problem with the straps twisting or the cover slipping. We have had it for two years now and it still looks like it did the day we installed it.

Probably one of the best purchases we have made. HTH

 

[justhat]

My 5.5yo daughter is in a Marathon and still has room on the top slots and is 46". So I think you might have more time than you think with it, but probably not past age 5 or so. At your son's age, my daughter was about 36" inches, so not too far off in height and she's in the 90th percentile I think.

Our next seat will be the Frontier over the Regent, I think anyway, simply cause I like the SIP from the wings and that it converts to a booster. We have a regular booster we use for travelling (actually just used it last month for the first time) and my daughter does not sit in it properly so I know I don't wan to move her just yet, but I do like that the Frontier will convert when the time is right.

 

[Colinsmom]

Just measured DS and his seated height from shoulder to floor is 13 1/2". His shoulder is just a smidge below (like 1/2" or less) the next to the highest shoulder strap slot on the Marathon.

It sounds to me like he could get a few years out of the Marathon if he's still below the second strap slot. How cheap did you get it at Target? It might be worth keeping so that he sits up higher for a little longer, and then switch later to a bigger, lower seat.

 

[zoemurr]

My 5.5yo daughter is in a Marathon and still has room on the top slots and is 46". So I think you might have more time than you think with it, but probably not past age 5 or so. At your son's age, my daughter was about 36" inches, so not too far off in height and she's in the 90th percentile I think.

Our next seat will be the Frontier over the Regent, I think anyway, simply cause I like the SIP from the wings and that it converts to a booster. We have a regular booster we use for travelling (actually just used it last month for the first time) and my daughter does not sit in it properly so I know I don't wan to move her just yet, but I do like that the Frontier will convert when the time is right.

but with the Regent there is no reason to convert to a booster. Both of my kids at 8/9 had a Regent in my car and boosters in their dad's. They would always choose to ride in the Regent.. definitely on a long trip, and harnessed they are safer.. especially if they fall asleep. (My son begged for a year to ride in a booster, and when he was 4 we finally let him on a short trip. He cried all the way home 'cause it wasn't as comfy as his "big" seat.)

 

[justhat]

but with the Regent there is no reason to convert to a booster. Both of my kids at 8/9 had a Regent in my car and boosters in their dad's. They would always choose to ride in the Regent.. definitely on a long trip, and harnessed they are safer.. especially if they fall asleep. (My son begged for a year to ride in a booster, and when he was 4 we finally let him on a short trip. He cried all the way home 'cause it wasn't as comfy as his "big" seat.)

My only reasoning is that I think height-wise she'd outgrow the Regent and need a booster, though of course I could be wrong. She's pretty thin, 40 lbs at 46" and 5.5yo, so I think she'll max out heightwise, but still be below what I would think is a good weight to be in a regular belt. I know it's more about where the belt crosses their body, but I know our law is 8yo, 4'9", and 80 lbs. 80 lbs might be a stretch if she continues on her current trend, of course.

If your kids were 8/9 in the Regent though, then maybe I wouldn't need a booster afterall.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Well, I will make you feel even better now!

Our daughter is in a Regent and we also have a Yukon XL with middle row captain chairs. Her seat is in the passenger side chair. It fits beautifully. She loves her seat and is very comfortable in it. She will be 6 in October. She is only on the second strap slot up so, she will be in it for quite some time.

It is a heavy seat but, it does get easier to move it to other cars if you need to. I moved it to my husband's minivan last week when we took that and it was a piece of cake compared to the first time I did it. I also took the entire seat apart and washed it last week. I have no problem with the straps twisting or the cover slipping. We have had it for two years now and it still looks like it did the day we installed it.

Probably one of the best purchases we have made. HTH

Well that makes DH and I feel much better to know that it fits in the exact same seat in the exact same spot in the Yukon.

Did your child have any problem seeing out the window in the Regent?

It sounds to me like he could get a few years out of the Marathon if he's still below the second strap slot. How cheap did you get it at Target? It might be worth keeping so that he sits up higher for a little longer, and then switch later to a bigger, lower seat.

Believe me if I had the money I would get both and use 1 in each car instead of the cheapy seat in DH's Jeep. The Marathon was $195 on clearance at Target - marked down from $279. The Regent is $189 with free shipping on Amazon right now. I just can't justify spending double when it seems like the Regent would work for him now and he would be in it longer than the Marathon.

 

[zoemurr]

OK.. I didn't know it harnessed to 80lbs also. Probably doesn't really matter then, unless you get a good deal on a Regent.

I would say my DD was just about 4'9" 80lbs when she outgrew it.. I know she was at least 4" bigger than it recommends, but her ears were still not over the shell. She was 9 and generally runs about 95% for height, 75% for weight.

My son who is 8 and much shorter/thinner could probably be in it until 12. I have asked him if he wants to switch to the booster full time and he doesn't.

HTH

 

[justhat]

OK.. I didn't know it harnessed to 80lbs also. Probably doesn't really matter then, unless you get a good deal on a Regent.

I would say my DD was just about 4'9" 80lbs when she outgrew it.. I know she was at least 4" bigger than it recommends, but her ears were still not over the shell. She was 9 and generally runs about 95% for height, 75% for weight.

My son who is 8 and much shorter/thinner could probably be in it until 12. I have asked him if he wants to switch to the booster full time and he doesn't.

HTH

Thanks, it does. I am researching them now because I plan to buy her a new seat by the end of the year and use her Marathon for our son who is outgrowing his Roundabout. Of course, then I have to revisit the issue in a year for him as the Marathon will then expire.

OP - Since you can get the Regent slightly cheaper anyway, I would go with that. Not only do you save the $6, measley as that is, but you'll get more use out of it.

 

[MissionWDW]

We own two Regents for my 3 and 4 year old. My boys are big...always been off the charts for height and weight. The seats are nice and roomy and fit them great! I believe I even have one shoulder slot left for expansion. My sister also owns this seat for my 6 year old niece. The seat is solid and feels like it's a good quality. I don't have a latch system in my car, but I use the seat belts and anchor and I get a really good fit. The seats are huge and heavy! So they aren't good for moving around a whole lot. I don't know what kind of car you have (sorry if you mentioned it...didn't read entire thread), but you might want to see if it fits your car first. I drive a 2000 Nissan Quest.

 

[noahynav]

HATED my Regent. Huge and heavy, so difficult to move around and install. I am someone who needs to take the seat out frequently and vacuum, clean the seat, move seat to my in laws car when they take my son, etc. Just an all around pain.
I hated it so much I sold it on Craigslist last month after only using it for about a month. It was actually a year old, and I kept telling myself that I would use it again, mainly because it was so expensive, but the truth was I hated it and was glad to see it go.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Well to throw another wrinkle into the quest for the perfect car seat, I returned the Britax Marathon to Target today and then saw that they had marked down the Graco Nautilus to $145. Since this was the seat DH originally wanted for DS I went ahead and bought it so we can try it out at home and see if we want to keep THIS one or return it and order the Regent.

Any thoughts on the Nautilus??