Before identifying a potential problem with this carseat, let me say at the outset that we purchased a Britax Marathon for our toddler two years ago, and it is, hands down, the best car seat I have ever owned. Now that my eight month old is outgrowing her infant seat, we are most likely going to purchase another a Britax for her. As a busy mom, I appreciate that I have never had to fight with twisted straps or straps that snag and won't tighten the way they should!

That being said, I think it is important to be aware that Consumer Reports, a non-profit organization which tests and rates consumer products, noted in a recent test of this carseat that, when the carseat was installed in the rear-facing position and attached with the LATCH system, the seat tilted back on impact more than the federal standard allows. (This was not a problem with the Roundabout model). To avoid potential injuries from this problem, Consumer Reports recommends installing this carseat with the car's safety belt instead of the LATCH system.

Obviously, if you are purchasing this car seat for a toddler and will be installing it in the forward-facing position, this is not a concern. However, if you are planning on installing it in the rear-facing position, I believe this is something parents should be aware of.

We have 2 car seats. An Evenflo Triumph 5 in a 2003 Honda Accord and the Britax Marathon in a 1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport. We went the "economic" route first and bought the Evenflo ... we find that it's a cumbersome piece of equipment (my wife hates it). Then we bought the Britax ... wow ... LOVE it! I know the Britax is considerably more money, but if you can afford it, I would recommend spending the extra cash. It's a nice seat. For long trips, we generally drive the Honda and switch the seats for his comfort and our convenience.

Pros:
- Getting our son in and out is very, very easy
- He can comfortably sleep in this seat without any head bobbing
- Easy installation; of course the LATCH system is nice in general (Honda has it the Cherokee doesn't) but Britax takes it to another level (at least compared to Graco and Evenflo) with seatbelt-like push button releases so you don't have to dig your fingers in the crack of the seat trying to unhook to straps
- The back of the seat is open so you can slide the belts through easily

Cons:
- A little bulky. This car seat is in the Cherokee and if I'm driving, I have to keep the driver's seat scooched forward a little so our son has enough leg room (I'm 6'). My wife doesn't really have this problem (she's 5'7"). However, the Cherokee is a relatively snug SUV in general, so I'm not sure this is a big issue. We do not have this problem when the seat is in the Honda.

In short, the additional $130 makes a very small part of your life so much easier. We'll buy a second when our baby outgrows his Graco ... if we have the extra cash :)

After spending much of my time reviewing convertible car seats I was able to narrow my decision to the Britax Marathon. The Marathon with its five point harness allows your child to remain in this seat until 49" and or 65 lbs, which is equivilent to a five year old. Thats reassuring considering that most boosters start at 30lbs and just use a shoulder/lap belt combination until your child out grows their seat. I also like the fact how easy the Britax Marathon was to install. Just latch in and tether down and your seat is safe and secure.

I made my purchase online at Traveling Tikes whom I have heard many great reviews. They included free shipping and charged no sales tax. They were pleasant and very professional in answering all my questions which is something that is lacking in this industry.

Sincerely,

Alice Lathers

I've read the other reviews here, so I decided to buy this seat for my 6 month old daughter, after being a veteran of Roundabout seats for my much older two boys. I used their Roundabouts until they were both almost 4 (then switched to the Graco high back booster) so I was more than happy to buy a new Britax for my surprise daughter :).
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br /As soon as I got it home and quickly installed it in my car (I'm used to doing this though), I put my daughter in it and saw that the buckle is WAY TOO CLOSE TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT! She's 6 months old, 16lbs, and can't fit! She was practically sitting on the buckle, which I didn't expect, since the Roundabouts aren't built so poorly with this huge design flaw. The Roundabout's buckle is closer to the outside edge of the seat, so that baby can grow with the seat.
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br /She hated this Marathon - it wasn't even plush or comfy like the Roundabout.
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br /NO WAY could any baby be in this until they are 65 lbs (or even 25 lbs)....my 7 year old is only 60 lbs, and at 75% of his height/weight ratio. Unless you have a bigger, younger child, but even then s/he wouldn't fit the seat because the buckle is too far back into the crotch. And no 4 year old wants to be in a baby seat, at 40lbs.
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br /Not only that, but I have a Toyota minivan and it was so huge that it barely fit in it in the rear-facing position. Too big for the captain's seats. My other two kids couldn't get around it. So I thought, maybe it's just my weirdo Japanese Toyota (which is one of the most popular and safest minivans around). So I asked my daughter's babysitter (next door neighbor) to try it, who promptly hated it - she couldn't fit it in her Dodge Dakota SUV!
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br /I'm just writing this as a car seat veteran to help you all save your money and a big headache in a few months when your babies turn 1 (or earlier) and can't fit the seat any longer. Or when you go to buy your minivan, it wont fit.
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br /I promptly returned this to BRU and got the Britax Roundabout, which not only has more padding than the Marathon, but I got it in a much cuter and more sturdy fabric (Aloha). And my daughter didn't scream bloody murder by me digging in her little private area just to get her buckled...I can't imagine how traumatic this seat will be to babies whose parents have to dig in their crotches just to get them buckled!
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br /If you're going to drop more than $200 on a good carseat that will last you for years, be safe, and has good resale value when you're done with it (I got over $100 each on the other two Roundabouts when they were 4 years old), buy a Roundabout. These Marathons will start to show up on eBay with the captions of "Like new, just bought 4 months ago and can't return, too small for my baby and too big for my car!" Most likely, in about a year or two, they will no longer be making them (or do a huge redesign) due to the high return/complaint rate.
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br /Just a note, when I took this back to my BRU, I asked if they'd seen a high return rate for these. They said YES, that people were really disappointed in them because their babies wouldn't fit or it wouldn't fit in their cars! The male clerk said he tells everyone not to even bother with this seat and to get the Roundabout. So I asked where he was when I bought this joke!

My toddler son can easily reach down, lift the Velcro fabric patch, lift the metal release clamp and loosen the straps on his car seat. This happened the first time when I was driving in the HOV lanes during morning rush hour. It was quite a shock, and created a very dangerous situation. Fortunately, I did not have an accident, as my child would surely have been seriously injured.

We own the Wizard car seat, but the Britax Boulevard (the replacement for the Wizard) and the Marathon seats all use this faulty shoulder strap system. Many other parents of toddlers have reported the same problem with these seats, and there is at least one other specific complaint re the Marathon on this comment page.

We are loyal owners of Britax car seats (we own one Roundabout and two Wizard car seats), but I am appalled with the design of this strapping system and outraged by Britax's response to my complaint.

Britax first denied this was a design flaw and informed me that I need to teach my son the meaning of the word "no". Then they told me that I should use a safety pin to secure the fabric cover. Other parents posting on BabiesRUs and Babycenter.com have reported this same response to their complaints.

I also filed a written complaint with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and with BabiesRUs. Since Britax is not voluntarily responding to this dangerous situation, parents must take action. Take a look at the placement of the metal clamp on the Blvd., Marathon or Wizard seats. If you have had a problem with your child pulling up the clamp and loosening the straps, or if you just agree that this situation is dangerous, first file a complaint with the NHTSA at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/, then post your comments on this web site. Of note, the NHTSA ratings give all three seats the top A rating for "ease of use" for securing the child. I agree the seats are easy to use; however, they are so easy to use they are DANGEROUS.

I like this car seat, as does my 6 mos old son. He seems to be very comfortable riding in it. Initially, I thought I would have to exchange it, because it seemed that the Marathon was too big for my Honda Accord's middle seat, because I couldn't get it installed tightly enough. My husband and I took it by our local police department and the police officer re-installed the seat for us and she used the locking clip that I had from my old Snug Ride, to keep the Marathon from tilting to the side (which was an issue with the Snug Ride). I gave the Marathon 4 stars instead of 5, because of the locking clip issue. Most new cars now have lap/shoulder combo seat belts in all back seat positions, which makes it nearly impossible to install a rear-facing car seat in the middle position, without the seat tilting to the side where the seat belt locks. The metal locking clip is what keeps the seat stable and upright. Britax does not provide these locking clips for their car seats because their car seats come with their own "lock offs," which can and do pop open. The lock offs are plastic, and in my opinion, don't work nearly as well as the metal locking clip. These clips can be purchased separately, and they really help keep the car seat in place. Now, I feel that the seat is very safe, since it is rock solid; it doesn't move, slide, or tilt.

Everyone says that all car seats are the same...I think this one is worth the extra money. My second child is in this one and my first is in his original Cosco one. The Cosco is adequate but the Britax is 1. easier to install, 2. easier to put straps on, and 3. probably the most irritating thing about the Cosco is trying to adjust the straps and tighten them and Britax is a piece of cake. I have had so many less frustrations with the Britax and it even has little velcro spots to put the straps on when you are not using them so that when you put your child in, you are not mussing about trying to find the straps from underneath them. Great car seat!

Being as frugal as I am, I had never considered purchasing a Britax carseat because of their hefty price tag. It just so happened Babies R Us was having a sale on certain fabrics the day that I was looking for a seat for my 3 year old. So, I bought three. Let me say, that I am a loyal Britax customer now. I'll never buy another brand of carseat again and I'll never recommend anything but Britax. This seat installed easily and perfectly the very first time I put it in my truck and it does not budge at all. Our previous Evenflo Triumph always moved at least a little bit (but still within the range of what is considered safe).
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br /The straps are simple to operate. This is one of the reasons I was looking for a new seat for my mother in laws car (she had an Evenflo Titan) which the straps were nearly impossible to adjust. I still can't adjust them after 3 years. Not the case with this Marathon - I read the instructions and immediately could get them adjusted properly.
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br /The fabric is incredibly plush and soft. I want to mention that the color of the Granite fabric is not nearly as dark as the picture on Amazon - it's a much lighter, prettier gray. I was concerned about the dark gray getting too hot, but the actual color is perfect.
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br /The best feature, however, is the fact that this seat allows children to be harnessed until they are 65 pounds. This should take my daughter until she is at least 5 or 6 years old (she's a string bean - 27 pounds at 3).
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br /Now let me share what my daughter thinks of it. I was at the store having her test out different seats. We tested out the Britax Marathon very last. The instant she sat in it, she said Mommy, this is SOOOOOO comfy!. She never said anything about any of the other seats. She loves her new seat and I anticipate that she'll be happy to stay harnessed until she outgrows it.
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br /Bottom line, this seat is terrific and worth every penny!
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I bought the Britax Marathon because I was impressed with the built in lock-offs. We don't have LATCH in one of our cars and we need to use the seat belts. A colleague at work demonstrated to me how easy it is to install the Marathon using the seat belt clamping devices that are built into the seat. In forward facing mode the seat installs very quickly and easily, maybe even easier than a LATCH installation.
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br /While the lock-offs are a dream come true in forward facing mode, they are a nightmare when the seat is rear facing. The seat comes with two sets of lock-offs, the forward facing and rear facing lock-offs. They have different designs. When the seat arrived I attempted to install it in rear facing mode according to the instructions. To my astonishment, the rear facing lock-offs would just POP OPEN by themselves! Sometimes I would close the lock-off and it would pop open right away. Sometimes I would close it and it would hold a little a while, then pop open later when I was checking the snugness of the installation. I could never close them in such a way that they wouldn't pop open later. It goes without saying that this was unacceptable, since with the lock-off open the seat would be free to fly around in the car in a crash.
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br /I called Britax about the problem and the representative was not surprised by my report and matter-of-factly told me there was no way to prevent the lock-offs from opening. Her recommendation was to use the locking mechanism on the seat belt itself. I had been down that road with our infant seat and know personally how difficult it is to get a tight installation using just the seat belt mechanism. I asked her about using a locking clip (the flat metal piece that is used to hold two belts together) and she said that Britax does not provide those so she can't recommend them. Further the Britax website says to use the built in lock-off instead of a locking clip.
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br /All this information gave me a tough decision to make. I loved the seat in forward facing mode but couldn't get a safe rear facing installation without a locking clip, which the manufacturer doesn't recommend. In the end I went with the locking clip. I had the installation inspected by a certified inspector and with some changes the installation was deemed safe.
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br /All of this took several days and was a major hassle. I would have been in better shape if the rear facing lock-offs weren't there in the first place. Even when you don't use them they are a nuisance because they are in the way. I only stuck it out with this seat because our daughter only needs to ride rear-facing for three more months.
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br /I am amazed that the lock-offs spontaneously opening isn't reason enough for a product recall. Britax could easily fix them with a better design.
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br /Overall my rating is 5 stars for forward facing and 1 star for rear-facing, which averages to 3. If you have LATCH, or you intend to only use the Marathon in forward facing mode, then I recommend this seat. If you intend on using the seat in rear-facing mode with seat belts, then be wary of the lock-offs!

Great investment, totally worth the big bucks. It buckles easily, very safe and comfortable for my daughter. I chose the black and grey one and was worried it would get very hot during the summer. It didn't. The material they use somehow doesn't get too hot. I also love the velcros that keep the straps to the side when you unbuckle them. It makes it easier when you have to put the child back on the seat. In my husband's car we have a Graco seat that we got because it was a lot cheaper. Doesn't even come close to this Britax.
I love the Britax Marathon and definitely recommend it.

I was a diehard graco fan. When my daughter was born 2002 the Graco Snugride was the top rated infant seat (I put a lot of stock into what consumer reports has to say). The infant seat was great and we got it as part of the travel system. I loved both the stroller and seat, and was very sad when she outgrew the seat around 1 years old. I tried an Eddie Bauer convertible seat next and it was horrible, the straps always twisted and my daughter's head always fell forward onto her chest when she fell asleep. I quickly changed the Graco Comfortsport (the one with the overhead drop down bar) and she loved it. It had more padding, her head rested on the side of the carseat instead of her chest and the straps never twisted. It was easy to get in and out and not too heavy to lug around in airports. When she outgrew that seat I decided to make the switch to Britax. Although the Roundabout was rate #1 on CR I went with the Marathon because the only thing CR didn't like about it was the infant latch (which I wouldn't need as my child was 3yrs old) and it had a higher weight limit than the Roundabout. I own a Honda Accord 4 door and my husband drives a 4 door Toyota Echo (tiny). The seat fits perfectly well in both vehicles in the forward facing position. The Toyota has latch and the Honda doesn't but in both cars it doesn't move. Partly due to the fact that my husband is excellent at installing and partly due to the car seats weight. It is quite heavy, and it can be a pain to haul around airports. My husband usually just loosens the straps and wears it like a backpack through the airport. My daughter loves it, (we have a girly print, not the granite) it has plenty of room for her, she never is uncomfortable sleeping in it (her head doesn't sit on her chest either), and though she's a very bright 4 year old she's never been able to get out of the seat. I love the fact that she can be in it until she's 65lbs with the five point restraint and the straps never twist. Britax also does thoughtful things like adding velcro on the sides of the seat to hold the straps in place when you're putting your child in and having a padded area under the clip so your child isn't burned by the hot plastic in the summer (or freezing in the winter). I plan on staying with Britax from here on out.

my main complaint with the other two convertable seats (an evenflow and a graco) we've tried is the difficulty in adjusting the harness straps in everyday use. not only were the straps nearly impossible to budge with the adjustment strap, the adjustment strap itself was almost impossible to REACH with the seat installed rear-facing. with the marathon, not only is the strap (and release) right there nearly at seat level and very easily accessible, the straps move like butter to release and tighten!!! this, despite all of the highly advertised safety advantages, is the MAIN reason i wanted one. my child IS safest when i can EASILY adjust the straps on him every day, no matter what he's wearing. with the other seats, every trip in and out of the car was a huge effort because i'd spend a few minutes at a time fighting with the straps (usually making my son pretty mad in the process). so! that's my favorite feature.
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br /howEVER - i also love that i can use the top tether in the rear-facing position, love the seat belt lockoffs, love the fabric cover, love that he can use it up to 65lbs... now i just have to convince my husband that we need another one for HIS truck! the only thing i'd caution poeple is to find one (at a local babies r us or something) to try out for fit in their vehicle - it is a large (solid) seat, and so may not fit in some cars nicely. it fits in the center backseat (with my 4yr old's britax parkway next to it) of my 4runner, though, so i'm happy!
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br /incidentally - when i was still considering buying one, i took my vehicle in for a technician to check the fit of the seat for both my child and my vehicle. my britax parkway passed for the 4yr old with flying colors. my evenflow also passed with no problems (can't remember the model name - have had it for 3years...) - the only problem being that the straps should have been a little tighter on my son (see? fighting with it all the time, and it still wasn't good enough). so, i told the tech that i was contemplating a britax marathon, her exact words were "can't go wrong. if you can afford one, it's never a bad investment." and, as it turns out, i agree with her!

With so many seats to choose out there its no wonder that it can become so confusing. Infant car seats, convertibles and finally the boosters. 20lb's, 40lb's 65lb's Yikes! What's a mother to do?
Well I'll tell you what I did! I did my research and found that the Britax Marathon gave me more value and safety for my buck than any other car seat on the market. The Marathon is a Convertible Child Seat with LATCH that can be used rear facing for children 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing up to 65 pounds. The child's height should be between 18 and 49 inches. Not to mention that your little ones are secured by a five point harness that displaces the energy evenly across their precious little bodies. The Marathon with its patented lock-off, versa-tether and latch belt make this the easiest and most secure seat to install. Even though I was not thrilled about the color choices for my little girl online. I chose the Ashley floral pattern SO CUTE!!! and found the best price of $249.99 offered including shipping and no sales tax as I live outside California. Do yourself's a favor and invest in your child's safety. I know that when I get behind the wheel of my car that I feel more confident now knowing that I have a Britax, than when we had our first infant car seat. Happy travels!

I have a daughter who will be 5 in a few months and starting kindergarten. I have gone through carseat after carseat. My daughter has broken 2 carseats herself. I have been so frustrated with twisted straps or not being able to get the seat tightened enough that I've really researched and have tried many. I was extrememly hesitant to buy a Britax solely becuase of price. When my daughter was 3 yrs. old and could no longer fit in a standard carseat and I didn't feel she did well in boosters mostly because she would have her head in her lap when she'd fall asleep I decided to go ahead and get a Britax. I love this seat. I wish I would have bought it sooner I would have never wasted my money and time on the other seats I've tried. My daughter loves this seat also, she sits really high up and can completely 100% independantly get herself in and out and buckeled up. Which to me is a life saver were on the go constantly. My daughter is not embarrased to be in a carseat and prefers this seat over our spare seat a booster. I love how without having the latch I can securely have this seat so tight it's not going anywhere I've never accomplished that with any other seat. I like the belly pad, the rubber things so the straps don't twist, and the velcro so you don't have to dig for straps. I agree with some other customers about the crotch buckly my daughter does get frustrated with digging it out. This seat fits fine in my smaller size 4 door car but I have a only child I don't think it would if I had other carseats crammed with it. I plan to keep my daughter in this seat until she no longer fits. I don't care if it's uncool my daughter's safety is priceless. I would also like to add that I let my daughter eat and have snacks in the car and so far I've never had to wash the seat, either the dark fabric hides stains or it's stain resistant of course I've vacummed crumbs up but that's normal. If I have more children I will use this seat again or buy another and say the heck with all the other seats. If you can't afford a Britax I would recommend my second choice of brands GRACO.I've had good luck with Graco but Britax is still my top choice. I would stay as far away from Cosco/EddieBauer as possible they fall apart and the straps are just idiotic and twist so bad. Evenflo seems to have ok seats but they are all contoured with weird angles and seem really uncomfortable.

I purchased my first Marathon about 2.5 years ago. My now 3 year old son LOVES his car seat, and a few months ago, we purchased ANOTHER for my nearly 8 month old son.

We knew that Britax was producing more models, like the Decathlon and the Boulevard, but we werent all that interested. The Marathon had work for my son for so long, that we just couldn't see switching, especially since the Marathon is TOP RATED in consumer reports!

What I like
* I love that the Marathons base is actually SMALLER than that of the cheaper Roundabout! This means I can fit both car seats in the middle row in my van easily. My husband has a small SUV, without third row seating, and I am able to transfer both Marathons into his car, leaving room for my 5.5 year old to sit behind the passengers seat!
* The car seats also install in LITERALLY minutes. We had both of them installed (at first) by highway patrol, and they were able to do one car seat in about 10 minutes. We too can achieve this feet in record time, and without breaking a sweat!
* The adjustments are all easy to do, and achievable while the Marathons are tethered, or LATCHed into your car (we prefer the LATCH only because its easier to do... but either way will work, as in my mothers car, where there is no LATCH). We can adjust the straps with the "flick of a switch". I am also able to recline the seat while its inside the car, something I couldn't dream about with the Marathons competitors.
* The covers also come in VARIOUS prints and patterns to please the buyer. I doubt there is ANY other car seat available that has as many choices as the Marathon... Over half of the choices aren't even available through BRU or Amazon! As far as I know, each cover is also plush and comfortable... without making my sons break out in a frantic sweat. They are also removable, but I wouldnt recommend doing this, its VERY complicated.
* The seat can hold up to 65 lbs, and my 3 year old still has about 6-12 months left in his Marathon! He would certainly be out by now in any other seat, which is VERY amazing! ***Although I DOUBT my son will be 65 lbs in under a year, he will outgrow the height restrictions, as will most of your children!***

All in all I would recommend all parents to only trust the Britax car seats, your child's life is fragile, especially in the car! I fully anticipate shelling out big bucks for the Britax Husky (booster), and if I need to purchase more, well I wouldnt hesitate for a second!

So many convertibles car seat to choose from but the Britax Marathon name kept coming up in every online review as well as every online forum.
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br /I was very pleased that the Marathon can handle a child up to 65lbs in a five point harness. No other seat that I reviewed offered this feature. I also liked the fact that the seat was very easy to use and install with the latch and tether strap.
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br /My son fit nicely at age 7 months and the transition from infant car seat was very pleasant for him as he did not like his Peg Perego Primo Viaggio.
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br /The price for the Britax Marathon retails for $270.00 everywhere. However the price differed tremendously when I shopped online. I did find traveling tikes.com to have the most competitive price at $220.00. Their price included free shipping and I payed no sale tax as I lived outside California.
br /They offered a great selection of colors to choose from and had the color I wanted in stock.
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br /I believe I made the best choice after very carefull review and hope that this add if published help those whom review my comments.

Many stores will let you try it in your car before purchasing. I cannot stress it enough how important this is.
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br /I was going to buy the Marathon for my car, a 2005 Acura MDX, based on so many positive reviews. I tried it in my car (rear facing) and it DID NOT fit such that my husband (at 6ft) and I (5ft 2in)could both ride comfortably - even with it in the middle seat! It did fit in my husband's car (Audi A8L). So he got the Marathon and I got the Roundabout!
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br /Even the Roundabout will make it a bit less comfortable for us riding/driving until we can turn it forward facing. We will likely place it behind the passenger's seat so driver will always be ok but passenger will be sitting tightly.

we bought the marathon for my daughter before she was born. we read reviews and did our research and figured this would be the best carseat we could buy. the fabric is so soft and it stays cool even here in the hot louisiana summer. we had her in an infant seat for the first 2 months, she screamed and stretched her body out everytime we got in the car with the infant seat. finally out of desperation i put the marathon in the car and the first trip was wonderful! she is so comfortable in the seat and falls asleep almost everytime we are in the car. it is so easy to use, though i haven't had to raise the harness yet. the bellypad and strap pads were too big and bulky for my daughter so i removed them. they may be fine for a bigger baby. you can get a smaller baby in this seat but the straps may not be able to be tightened enough. my daughter was 10 lbs when we first put her in this seat and she looked so tiny in the seat but did fine.

i would definately recommend this seat and i will purchase this seat again if needed.

Ok, I had sticker shock. Yes, my baby is worth the money for his safety, but was this really worth almost $100 more than the others? Yep! We bought a Britax and an Evenflo. Both are pretty in our cars and I guess I am shallow but I care about that. But by far the best part is that my son is a happy little camper in this seat. He fusses way more in the evenflo and just looks so uncomfortable while he is sleeping in it. In his Britax he almost never complains and just looks so comfortable. Straps are easy to adjust and not a lot of twisting. This is one product that definitely lives up to all of the hype!

After our son out grew his Graco Snug Ride infant car seat. We started to research convertibles car seats. The Britax Marathon's name came up in every online forum as well as writing reviews giving this seat very high ratings.
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br /We visited a local store in our area who carried the Britax Marathon as we wanted to see how it would fit our child. We were very pleased that the seat has a growth potential of up to 65 lbs and 49" in height. This calculates that on average a child can stay in this seat in a five point harness until the approximate age of a five year old.....reassuring.
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br /As most seats on the market have five point harnesses that have a weight limit of 40lbs. The Marathon would allow us more long term growth instead of transitioning into a booster early on and bipassing the shoulder/lap belt combination.
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br /We shopped online and found that babies r us had a large selection. However the more we researched we found the prices to be considerably lower and made our purchase from travelingtikes.com. They had a great selection as well but the same seat was offered at $219.99 shipping included.
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br /Our seat arrived just a short four days later. The Britax's owners manual was easy to read and the seat installation with the LATCH system was simple to install. However I found it a little more difficult TETHER the seat in the rear facing postion. Once installed the seat was very secure and did not have any movement as compared to the our Graco infant seat.
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br /Our son seemed to be so happy from the get go. The harnesess were easy to adjust and we liked the fact that there was excellent side wall protection. I especially liked how soft the fabric is to the skin and the belly pad that adds a little extra comfort to the legs from the belt buckle in case it may get hot from direct sun light.
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br /We are very happy with our purchase and highly recommend this seat to all.
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This seat is HUGE and high seating. Barely fits in my Dodge Caravan. I'm pregnant and can't lift my son that high. I will not be able to use this on my toddler when the baby comes because my toddler won't be able to squeeze through to get to his seat. AND like the other mom stated, the buckle is way too far to the back of the seat and he always has to dig into his crotch to retrive it. It's definately safe once you get your kid buckled in but there's no way a child can independently get in by himself. It sounds like the Roundabout is a better buy.

I just bought this carseat tonight and installed it in less than 5 minutes! I had a cosco eddie bauer carseat before- terrible, didnt fit in my car reclined-very "stiff",but not to any angle I thought would accomodate a baby it was stylish though. I was also lucky if having it in the middle rear facing I could see over it while backing up (Im 5'4). But.. I love this carseat! The cover is extra soft, and it installed perfictly in my back seat- even rear facing!(I have a nissan sentra) It reclines excellent to an angle Im sure would be about the same as an acutal "infant" carseat- Great! It is spendy though- but if youre going to spend $190.00 (how much I paid for the cosco alpha omega Eddie bauer)- you may as well spend the extra $60.00 and have your child super safe and comfy! I also liked the Impact protection- the cosco had the "wings" on the side of the head but I never remembered reading if those acutally served a safety purpose. I bought the "arcadia grass" marathon at target..only because I LOVED the color. Same seat though. I am thrououly impressed with this seat.

I originally purchased this seat at BRU and then found it for $50.00 cheaper and no tax and no shipping. I returned the ones that I purchased and repurchased them from traveling tikes.com. They had more of a selection on top of better prices.
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br /I absolutely love this car seat. The safety features alone are enough. A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
br /The 5 point harness cannot twist. A+++++++
br /The straps velcro to the sides of the seat so you can find easily. A +++++++++++++++
br /Being able to secure this seat from the front and the back is amazing. I cannot move this seat at all. I feel vey confident that my son will be safe in this seat if an accident should occur.
br /I still have plenty of room in both vehicles. We have the carseat in the middle of the back seat and when we travel there is plenty of room on either side for my 70 pound yellow lab to lay down and not look cramped and uncomfortable.
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br /This is the best investment, I wish that I would have never purchased the infant carrier since my son was out of it by the time he was 4 months old.
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br /I would highly recommend the Britax Marathon Car Seat. A little expensive but, your cargo is priceless.
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We purchased this seat for my car after hours of research. We bought a less expensive seat for my husbands SUV, but returned it after two days and purchased another Marathon. This seat is very easy to install - I can do it 3 minutes and also easy to adjust. My daughter has been using it since she was 5 months and she is now 3 and still loving it! We also had an issue with her loosening the straps when she first learned she could reach the lever, but have been able to overcome it. The short discipline period was well worth the added quality of the seat.

Our daughter has been in this seat since she was 7 months old. It is FANTASTIC!!! She is now 3 1/2 and I recently invested another $50 into the seat. I replaced the harness and the HUGS and was fortunate to find a new cover on clearance in a children's shop in Seattle. It now looks like brand new! We use it in a 2001 Toyota Tacoma double cab, a 1996 Chevy Suburban, and a 2003 BMW X5. In the Toyota and the BMW to get proper fit we have to remove the head rests. NO PROBLEM! As for the wieght, I am ok with having to lug a heavy seat if it means my child is as best protected as she can be. When you get the seat into whatever car you want it in, my recommendation is to literally climb into the seat with one knee pushing as much of your weight into the seat as possible. We do this when installing ours and it doesn't move a millimeter...... Our daughter is always comfortable in the big cushy seat, doesn't slump when she falls asleep, can't escape from it, and I never deal with twisted straps! Well worth the money, the *inconvenience* of the weight and size. Crazy that people would spend the money on this knowing it is the safest seat and then just because it is heavy put your child in a piece of junk in another car. An accident is only going to happen in the car with the best seat?? Think again!! Take the time to do it right! If you have trouble installing it find a local fire department or insurance agency that will properly install it for you!!!

Ok, so it took some work convincing my husband to spend the $$ on this, but pointing out that it will last all the way to our son being 65lbs helped a lot. When it arrived we put our son in there and he was-- happy! My son is never happy in a car seat but he loved the fact that he could sit up straighter than in his infant seat. He can finally sit up like a big boy the way he wants to now that he is 5 months old and is a supported sitter. I like the fact that I can recline him if he falls asleep, which is usually the case in the car. I am sure he also appreciates the incredibly soft fabric - I know I would like to sit in a seat that soft. Considering we travel 4-6 hours to visit grandparents, his comfort and happiness is very important to us in a carseat. We pray that we will never have to use all the excellent safety features of this seat, but it is great to know that this is also top of the line in that respect.

Britax Marathon was the easy chioce for me. Excellent growth up to 49"-65 lbs as a 5-point harness. The seat was extremely easy to install with the latch system and versa tether strap.
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br /I especailly liked the head support on the side which is reassuring for side impacts. The marathon is well padded and my 7 month old Jack looks so comfy in his seat that I wanted to jump in there with him.
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br /There are better prices online as one amazon consumer stated in her review online about traveling tikes.com. They are selling the same marathon at $219.99 shipping and tax included. They had a great selection of patterns to choose from which made it easy for me to make my decision.
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br /Im one totally satisfied consumer!
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I have 2 of these car seats and absolutely love them. I started out with the travel system baby car seats and this was the first one I bought when it was time to turn our baby around. My daughter loved this seat. She was comfortable and made the car rides much more pleasant since she didn't like the car too much before the marathon. The seat is so easy to adjust the straps and to install. The thing that I like the best is the clip that the seat belt goes through to help tighten and hold the car seat in place better. I always had a hard time installing the baby seat and keeping it in place. it always seemed to move more than an inch side to side. This seat was and still is the best. When my son was born we bought one for him too. I feel like Britax is so safe and made so good that why not have the best, especially when it comes to our childrens safety. Can't skimp on that. Now i just purchased the roundabout for my 3rd. I really wanted another marathon. Especially since they go up to 65 pounds with the 5-point harness. We went with the roundabout so we could fit 3 seats on the same seat. The marathon is so wide that i would never been able to fit 3 in a row. I havent used it yet since I bought it today but im sure it will be just as good since it is Britax. I highly recommend this car seat, it is safe, very comfortable for the kids, easy to set up and to install!! We love them!

With so many baby car seats to choose from out there its no wonder why it can become so confusing. Infant car seats, convertibles and boosters. 20lb's, 40lb's 65lb's Yikes! What's a mother to do?
br /I did my research and found that the Britax Marathon gave me more value and safety for my buck than any other car seat on the market. The Marathon is a Convertible Child Seat with LATCH that can be used rear facing for children 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing up to 65 pounds. The child's height should be between 18 and 49 inches. Not to mention that your little ones are secured by a five point harness that displaces the energy evenly across their precious little bodies. The Marathon with its patented lock-off, versa-tether and latch belt make this the easiest and most secure seat to install. Even though I was not thrilled about the color choices for my son online. I chose the Racer pattern and found the best price of $219.99 offered at travelingtikes online including shipping and I paid no sals tax. Do yourself's a favor and invest in your child's safety. I know that when I get behind the wheel of my car that I feel more confident now knowing that I have a Britax, than when we had our first infant car seat. Happy travels!
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I originally registered for a Decathalon because I thought the higher price tag would mean a better car seat. Wrong. My husband had a hell of a time putting this in our SUV. There were too many pads and contraptions that could have easily just been taken off but they didn't exactly explain this clearly in the instructions. Plus, everytime I put my 6 month old daughter in it, she would cry. She didn't like it and she was always slumped over when she fell asleep. I wasn't thrilled about the boring grey color and there weren't that many pretty colors that this car seat came in at the time, so I decided to purchase a Marathon in Olivia pattern for my SUV and give the Decathalon to my husband. My daughter LOVES the Marathon and won't cry anymore when I put her in. It gives you the option to tilt her further back so she's no longer slumped over when she naps. I like both of the car seats but for my next child, I'll be registering for a Marathon for sure.

While this seat is wonderful for older babies and toddlers it is not right for an infant.
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br /I bought this with the intention of only using one seat from birth until she needed a booster. I was furious and disappointed when I went to leave the hospital and my dd, 7lbs6oz 20in, was way too small for this seat. The straps were a good 2in above her shoulders and rubber on the straps was longer than her body. It was impossible for me to fit my child in this seat and even if I could it would have been incredibly unsafe.
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br /I feel deceived by Britax. I am now out the extra money I never intended to spend on a bucket seat. I also am very concerned about the infants that are improperly buckled and lives are in danger because of the misrepresentation of this seat from Britax.

My son is now 8 months old, and we love it. We are Americans living in europe and travel a lot, and he travels in it like a champ. I think that if we got the hand held car seat, it would have been a waste of money. Those seats only go up to 15 or 22 lbs, so I would need another car seat by now. Do people know that those pop in out car seats don't last the first year for most babies, so you end up having to buy a rear forward facing seat anyways (you can't do forward facing until they are 1 year AND more than 20 lbs). The question is if you want to pay for one really good car seat or buy two and spend more. I had no problems getting him in and out of his seat and having a baby carrier (baby bjorn) helps to keep your hands free (better than dragging a awkward car seat around) . The only problem that I have (and it might not be the car seat but the car) is the car seat is really big. The front passenger has to eat the dashboard for the car seat to fit rear facing - forward facing is better. We have a VW Jetta. More about the seat...I like the "granite" cover. We have had "messes", and it's really easy to clean. The fabric is very soft. Again, my son is really happy in his seat.
br /Bottom line, I would buy it again and would recommend it to my best friend!

This is a terrific car seat if you plan on keeping it in one car. If, however, you frequently swap car seats between your cars, or want to have a car seat that you can bring along when you travel by airplane, this isn't it. I bought this seat when my 3rd child outgrew his infant seat. Compared to my previous one (a Century ovation from 1997), this is plusher and the harness straps really don't get all twisted up. But I'm still hauling the old Century car seat out every time we fly anywhere as the Britax Marathon is just too big.

What a great seat!!! Excellent growth for the long term. I especially like the sides of the seat that offer great side impact protection. Also a five point harness that accomodates a child up to 65lbs and 49" in length. The 5-point harness was super easy to use and adjust. Seat installation was a breeze with the latch system included.
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br /I bought my seat online at travelingtikes.com who's prices were far lower than any other advertised price by more than fifty dollars shipping included.....right on! I purchsed the tan seat "portland" that best matched our car interior.
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br /Im so happy that Britax is rated so well and that their seat is such a household name which made my purchase that much easier to research.
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br /My little guy is styling!!!
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The Britax Marathon is wonderful. As a concerned parent I wanted a seat that would offer a 5-point harness for as long as possible. Thats where the Britax Marathon shines through all the other seats that I reviewed. The Marathon allows any child to remain in this seat up to 49" in length and or 65 lbs. Thats equivelent to a five your old.
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br /Not so happy with the color selection that Britax offers for a boy. I choose the portland print that was offered online from travelingtikes.com at $219.99 including free shipping. They also offered many other prints at the same price for substantially less than most other companies online.
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br /The seat arrived shortly thereafter and was nicely boxed. I did have difficulty finding the instructions that were tucked underneathe the front seat fabric which I thought was a strange place to put them. However the seat was extremely easy to install and did not take up much room in my VW Jetta.
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br /Wonderful Seat and price!
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My son began using the Marathon when he was 5-weeks old. He is now a little over 3-years old and is still in it. My little guy is big- nearing 50 lbs. and well over 3-feet tall and he still fits in it comfortably and, most importantly, he is safe!
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br /If you're considering this car seat (or another Britax model) I encourage you to take a look at how it's made versus seats made by other manufacturers. Britax car seats are sort of made like a bicycle helmet in that there is a lot of Styrofoam, foam padding, etc. so that if (Heaven forbid) you're in a car accident, the seat will take the brunt of the impact- not your child.
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br /My son is comfortable in it both now and when he was an infant. Plus, the seat cover has worn beautifully (my cover is made of the same material but a different color) and, believe me, it has been washed a lot! I wash it at night (using the hand wash cycle on the machine) and let it hang to dry- by the next morning it's ready to go.
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br /The LATCH system on this car seat is so easy to use because each side has it's own strap which makes installing it a piece of cake.
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br /This car seat is larger than most so if you have a smaller car, you might want to make sure it fits before you purchase it, especially if you're going to use it rear facing. Babies 'R Us will usually allow you to test the floor model before you make a purchase.
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br /I read that one reviewer had problems with her child messing with the harness adjuster- I did too, but it was easily rectified. I used a diaper pin on the underside of the cover so that my son couldn't get to the lever. No big deal. It was a phase that came and went. He was two at the time and it was nothing more than a big game to him. It's not an issue anymore.
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br /I really love this car seat (and my Roundabout and my Parkway Express Booster). I know that Britax is pricey but the seats are worth every penny because I truly believe that I've got my children in the safest car seats on the market.
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Im pleased with the purchase I made. I did quite a bit of research before purchasing the carseat and have been quite pleased, although its only been 2 months. The car seat arrived within 3 days of my order even (by standard shipping). My daughter is a tall 8month old and there is still plenty of headroom for her to grow. I do wonder though about the comfort of her legs in the seat as she gets older, but presumably we will have to change the seat around so that she starts facing forward by then. Overally Im satisfied.

Worked well until my daughter was 18 months old, after that is just too tight on her legs, she can wear as a regular seatbelt but is very unsafe.
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Good quality car seat. The only reason I'm rating it 4 instead of 5 is that it is big - it does not fit easily as a rear-facing seat in a sedan car, but fits well when used forward facing. Straps are easy to adjust. The velcro on the sides of the seat are helpful in keeping the straps to the side when putting the child into the seat.

Six days ago, while traveling on a four-lane road, a car from a side road drove directly across my lane. Having no time to react, my Toyota minivan smashed into the other car--airbags deployed, the windshield cracked in several places, the dying electrical system sparked and flared--it was no fender bender. I'm a sprained, bruised and battered mess but my 4 yr. old barely has a scratch. She has two very slight lacerations near the top of each shoulder where the harness bit a little. And that probably occured because she was in a sleeveless shirt when the accident happened. I heard a policeman and an EMT both say how lucky she was to be in that carseat. I know for certain that we'll be getting another Marathon to last until she reaches the weight limit.

The size is bigger than i thought but i loved it. My son fits in nicely.

I have not experienced any problems with mine! I have the toyota minivan as well, the driver's and passenger's seat are ALL the way back (we are tall). We did have both seats rear facing and my 10 year old (at the time) could still get in and out with no problems. My second child is now 3 yo and I have NEVER in 3 years had to dig in her privates to get the buckle out! I have NEVER had either one of my kids loosen the straps! My 3 year old is extremely smart and she cannot get out of this seat.
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br /I did have a hand-me-down fisher price seat in the very back for a while b/c my second child wanted to sit next to her older sister. She would undo the chest strap and pull her arms out and was hanging forward just barely buckled in. Like I said, she's extremly smart, she has figured out how to get out of that seat.
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br /My second and third child like to hold hands now so they sit next to each other, they are both in the same Britax marathon seat. No problems or complaints here!!! We have 2 that are perfect!!!
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we love this car seat. i was afraid it would be too big, but fits in our prius and even in our beetle if the front seat is pushed forward. its easy to install although its heavy to carry.
br /we got it for $[...] plus free shipping at travelingtikes.com. I saw that in another review here and was so glad because its such a great deal. they only have certain fabrics at this price. we got the zebra and love it.

I bought a Roundabout for my car. After installing it, my husband and I decided to get a 2nd carseat for his car. We originally bought a Graco Comfort Sport for around $[...]. My husband used it twice and hated it. The straps tangled. They would not always come loose enough to get our Daughter out and the straps would not always tighten enough. We ended up getting a Marathon because at 4 months our daughter weighs almost 19 lbs and is 27 inches long!!! We wanted something that would last for quite a while so we would not have to replace it right away. My husband has no problems at all with this car seat. It was very easy to install and our daughter falls asleep in it everytime we go somewhere.

Last year, when my son was 10 months, I splurged and paid the big bucks for this seat. We originally bought a Graco Sport (very cheap) thinking that all car seats are alike. Well, my son couldn't ever seem to get comfortable in the Graco and he had trouble falling asleep, even when it was clear he was very tired... he would cry and toss his head back and forth. I tried wedging a rolled towel between the car seat and his head to get him comfortable but he would just pull it away. We do so much driving to see family that I decided it was worth the extra money if it would make him more comfortable. Sure enough, he now enjoys looking out the window (this one sits much higher than the Graco) and he leans his head to the side when he's tired, then closes his eyes and drifts to sleep. Amazing! We have now had the car seat close to a year and he is still enjoying it. I think this car seat is worth every penny. We are having another baby later this year and I'll definitely invest in another Britax.

This car seat has been wonderful! Our son outgrew his infant carrier very quickly due to height, and we ended up purchasing this. Looking back, I wish we would have just gone with this one from the beginning. We did have to add a headrest while he was smaller, but that was easily done. The carseat is very easy to install if you have LATCH in your car(which we do), but if you don't, it's a bit tricky. We did alot of research on the Britax versus many other brands and it is well worth the money.

After much consideration I chose the Britax Marathon for its safety and features. As I have an older car that does not have latch. I was pleased to see that the Britax Marathon with its built in lock-offs allowed me to secure the seat in place with our cars shoulder lap belt. Although I did have to add a anchor for the tether strap, the seat stayed firmly secured and did not move at all once installed.
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br /I was especially pleased with the thought that my child will remain in a five point harness up to 65 lbs. That is comforting knowing that most convertibles go to 40 lbs and then a child is transitioned into a booster that only has a shoulder lap belt combo.
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br /I shopped around online and found babies r us to have a good selection but made my purchase at traveling tikes an online store. Their store offered free shipping and no sales tax as mentioned by a parent at babies r us online kids review.
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br /I can can now rest assured that I made my purchase with safety and confidence in mind.
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This car seat is great. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a safe, comfy, and easy-to-use seat for their child. I'l happy that the weight range is so wide; I can use if for years to come!

When I was pregnant with my twins, I did a great deal of research on car seats. What else can you do on bedrest?!? This is *by far* the best car seat on the market. I did not use it as an infant seat but used it when my girls were about 10 months old. It was rear facing for a while. We turned it around and the girls love the seat. They sleep comfortably in it when necessary. I love this car seat so much that I have two more for my husbands car (in this pattern), my mother has 2 for her car, and my mother in law has 1 as well. I insisted on the best for my precious cargo!!!

I had an Evenflo Titan Deluxe for my first child and was more than happy with that purchase. The seat was comfortable, safe, and easy to install. Little did I know that things could be so much better!
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br /I love the Britax Marathon I recently got for my second child. It's a wonderful seat and truly superior to the Evenflo. Definitely worth the extra $100. I wish I had one for each child!
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br /The only drawback is that this is a somewhat large seat, but that's to be expected. When my daughter was in her Graco Snugride, I was able to install three car seats side-by-side in my vehicle. I no longer can do that - I'll have to wait until I get a new vehicle to take extra kids anywhere with me.

My son is big for his age, so we thought we'd better go with the Britax Marathon. He was 35 pounds when we got it and we thought it would last for awhile. We started out with it rear facing, and I love the fact that we could switch it to front facing as he got heavier. The harness straps were also super easy to adjust as he got taller (he grows at an incredible rate!). The safety features on the Marathon are top notch. I would not take my baby anywhere without a car seat with side impact protection. Tyler finds the Marathon seat really comfy and he likes to recline in it. Love the belly pad! It's great that I can remove the fabric and wash it, and I bought additional covers too.

I searched forever for a good seat for our daughter. I came to this one through reveiews, and I am so glad I got it. It is so easy to put in and switch from our two cars and it fits in my husbands Civic, which I was very glad it did. It is so soft and our daughter loves it. She know can see out the window at what's going on around her. And unlike her baby car seat this one does not move when it is strapped in, which makes me feel SO safe. I don't know how I lived without it. And knowing how well it did with front and side impact ratings is a MAJOR plus. Very glad we have it.

I love this car seat! We have had it for over 3 years now. I have traveled with it everywhere incl. airplanes. It latches in so tight with all of our vehicles there is no way for it to move. My child has never been able to get himself out of the seat. It's hard to do and I have told him to never take his seat belt off unless an adult gives him permission. I'm due in November and plan on buying another one for our little girl.

We bought the Britax Marathon because we are expecting another baby this summer, and decided to move our rapidly growing toddler into the Marathon (good up to 65 lbs) and keep our current Britax Roundabout for the new baby. I love both car seats and recommend Britax to everyone. The seat is sturdy and easy to install, and I love the extra cushioning. My only warning would be to individuals with small vehicles: the Marathon is too big for the rear facing position- you'll have to move your front seats way up. Since we're using this seat for our 18 month old, we only plan to use it in the forward facing position and use the smaller Roundabout for rear facing. That said, the Marathon is a great car seat and I would buy it again if/when we try for baby #3.

Loved the car seat, until my Daughter was able to reach down and lift the velcro strap and release the harness portion of the straps. I would hope that the manufacturer would address this and move the harness tightening straps under the seat. That is my only complaint and it has indeed been a great car seat.

Loved our Marathon until our 18 month old reached down and pushed the release lever and leaned forward, loosening the straps and started trying to climb out of the seat. Since this happened he's figured out how to climb out with the harness still locked into place...just by loosening the harness.Although a highly rated seat I would think that this would be addressed by a company so proud of their high price tag product. I have seen several other same experiences on this site today and am appalled that nothing has been done to correct this.
br /Not very happy!

i loved this carseat for about a year and 1/2, but i expected to be able to use it for much longer than that. especially for the price. it was a little long when it was rear facing, but it fit in my car because i have a small SUV, so no big deal. it fit easily when we turned it to front facing. it's easy to get my son in and out. but that's part of the problem. it's too easy. now that my son is 22 months, he has gotten smart. he reaches down, undoes the velcro on the little flap that covers the release mechanism. he pulls up on the release, and then leans forward to loosen the straps, and there you go, he wiggles out. while i am driving! the only good thing is that the velcro is not worn out yet and the release mechanism squeaks a little, so i can hear him when he tries to do it. but then i have to turn around and pull on the strap, which i can hardly reach and hold it down as hard as i can until i can pull the car over. i read another review on here that is very similar. yes, my son understands the meaning of the word, "no." he is almost 2. that's why he does it more whenever i say it. i don't like it, but this is age-appropriate behavior. the car seat manufacturer should put the release lower under the front of the seat and/or change the direction of pull. it would be harder to push than pull. or at the very least, provide some clip so the excess strap cannot slide through. right now, this car seat is useless. so i shouldn't take my son out until he does what i say? or perhaps i should tie his hands? i am so frustrated with companies that refuse to take responsibility. and now i'm pissed off, because i recommended this seat to several people before this became a problem.

This car seat is not good for smart toddlers. My daughter just turned two and she has figured out how to loosen the harness and straps. The mechanism is very accessible to the seated child and there is no locking mechanism to prevent your child from basically getting out of the car seat. This is TERRIBLE!!! I have read many reviews before buying our britax marathon, and everyone seemed to like their seat and no one mentioned this important safety failure. i will have to let britax know, and this may result in a recall.

On the first one I received only one of the two clips made a clicking sound when inserted into the buckle and you had to push *really* hard to get the clips in. So I called Britax and they sent me a replacement buckle and on the replacement buckle, neither one of the clips made a clicking noise when inserted into the buckle and again I had to push really hard to get them the buckle and I am not convinced they are really locked in - guess you wouldn't really know until an accident happened. Well, I am not taking the chance, so back it goes. When I called Britax about the second buckle - they told me it was normal for there not to be a clicking noise when the clips go into the buckle. Yeah right, I'm not waiting for an accident to find out whether the clip is really locked into the buckle or not!

My 20 month old son can reach the lever and lossen the shoulder straps. He is not a geninus - any other 20 month old can do the same. I can't believe this car seat has not been recalled.

I had a terrible experience. The color is not what it looks like when viewed online. The color is horrible. Be careful as you will have to pay for shipping yourself if you do not like the color. An example of bait and switch.

After hearing what everyone says about Britax I feel that I need to urge people to do their research instead of listening to biased and/or uninformed people that act like they know what they're talking about. I have researched carseats for weeks now. I want a britax because everyone says they are the safest. BUT...they is no research showing that it is. the only published crash test is on consumer reports and the results are not the greatest! Now, I know you may think, "oh, but they recently pulled their reviews because...", but not only were the poorly designed studies that were pulled on infant seats, not the other types of car seats, but also they were pulled because they were subjecting the seats to crashes higher than stated, to crashes of 70mph...In which case, I'd rather have a seat that with stood that test!!! And as far as them being up to "european standards" like they love to brag about, that has nothing to do with the US seats. the US has different regulations on seats here. So a seat that has the exact same name in the US may not be the exact same seat that is sold in europe. Sadly, some of the additional safety features on the seats there have not yet been accepted here and so the seat is made to pass US regulations, sometimes making it a less safe seat. So, where does all this research claiming britax is the safest seat come from???? As far as I can find, it comes from britax themselves, sales people and stores who use that false info to easily sell the most expensive seat, and uninformed people passing on "what they heard" and now claim as "fact"!!! I really wanted to get a britax, but I simply could not find anything to confirm their safety, and only found ratings that state otherwise. (this is in exception to the ease of use rating, which I agree is important) and for those interested, the evenflo triumph V got the top ratings on consumer reports.

I purchased this carseat while pregnant with my first child, thinking that this would be the only seat I'd need for several years. I was wrong! This seat does not have nearly enough head and neck support for a newborn baby. I had to support my baby's head for her all the way home from the hospital, and that very day, I ordered a more appropriate infant seat. The Marathon remains in my garage, awaiting the day that I trust it to protect my precious baby.