next car seat???

[becca29]

We'll, at only three and a half months DS has reach 26 inches. Time for a new car seat!!!

I think we're going with a Britax because I've heard so many good things about it, but I'm wondering....

Is there more than one model?

Anyone have a reason to not like it, or prefer a different one?

Thanks!

[Janessa]

your choices at the moment for Britax are the Roundabout and the Marathon. They are basically the same except the Marathon is bigger so it has a bigger weight range. I think they both go to 33lbs rearfacing, the Roundabout has a lower height range thought. Forward facing the Roundabout goes to 40lbs and I think the Marathon goes to 60lbs with a higher height range as well. So I would go with the Marathon if you can swing it, my 24lb 2 year old dd has one and it allows her to still be rearfacing which is safest. She outgrew her Roundabout for height a few months ago (for rearfacing she would have been fine forward facing but we want her rearfacing for as long as possible). I think with the Marathon she will outgrow it for weight before height but probably not for another year. And then we'll turn her around forward facing and she will probably be in it till shes ready for a booster.
hth
Janessa

[mamabeth]

We got the roundabout for my dd who is 6 mo (she was about 5 mo when she outgrew it by height). It's working great for us...it's a lot more comfy than the infant "buckets." She is small anyway so it'll be a long time before she outgrows it, and we could barely afford this one so that's why we went with the roundabout. but ITA that if you can afford it the marathon would be good too.

Oh one thing...since your ds is so young, if you can get the buckle covers that might be a good idea. I need to get them bc everytime dd falls *really* asleep her face gets marks on it from the buckle. they supposedly have them at babiesrus but I haven't made it there to look yet.

Peace,
Beth and Miriam 1/5/03

[OhMel]

You might want to consider your car. The marathon is quite a bit wider and if we would have got that I don't think we would have been able to use the other seat belts. We got the Roundabout and like it a lot. Check out eBay for good prices.

[Trishy]

I have a Roundabout but the Marathon was not offered when I got my seat, otherwise I would have got that. I say if your car has the room for it, get it. An extra 20 bucks for 25 extra pounds is a good deal (it goes to 65 lbs forward facing). A new option from Britax from Britax is the Wizard, which looks very nice:

http://www.britaxusa.com/products.cf...E87A144FAFBCB5

Just a side note, a seat is outgrown in height when the baby has less than 1" of space between the top of the head and the shell of the seat when harnessed. You will need to press down on the pad to judge this. You should always go by the weight requirements because they use weighted dummies to test the seats but children come on all shapes and sizes so the height requirements are just a guideline.

[mamapixie]

I just saw the Marathon at Toys R Us yesterday, and tried my son out in it. He is right now at the second harness slots for rearfacing in the Century Accel, and has outgrown the Fisher Price Safe Embrace in height for rearfacing. In the Marathon, I can still use the bottom harness slots!! And I compared the Marathon to the Graco Comfort Sport(same as the Century Accel, just with LATCH) and the marathon has a slightly taller back. As for width, the small footprint of the base makes it narrower than the Accel, and they are both about the same width across.

[Clarity]

I have heard the marathon is very heavy...so consider that if you move your seat around a lot (I do.) As I recally someone also mentioned the straps were more twisty? (I'm vague about that...)

[Quirky]

We have the Marathon, and I haven't had a problem with twisty straps although it's true that it's a big and bulky car seat. Very secure, though, because you can tether it rear-facing - I believe Britax has the only seats you can tether rear-facing, unless something new came out since the last time I looked!

Several great places to get more info about carseats are:

http://www.car-safety.org/guide.html

http://www.carseatdata.org/convertible.html

http://www.carseatdata.org/database.html

Baby Bargains discussion boards

[becca29]

Thanks for all the opinions! We're surely going with the Britax, but not sure what model yet. We have a Ford escort wagon, so I've got to find out how they fit in there. I'm going to check the database, but would appreciate any other opinions too, if anyone has that car.

[mamapixie]

What year Escort Wagon? I have a 1990 Escort Wagon, and a 1996 Mercury Tracer sedan, and the Accel fits rearfacing in both cars, and since the Accel and the Marathon are both about the same in seating height, the Marathon should fit too. Of course, if you or your husband are tall, and sit in the passenger seat, that may not be the case. I'm short, and right now DH is in S.korea, so no one sits in the passenger seat(it is rather far up) I can't put the seat in the middle, because then my oldest(in a booster seat) can't buckle his seat belt.

[Trishy]

If you have Babies R Us in your area you should be able to go there and try installing the seats in your car. You don't have to necessarily buy it there, just go try them out. If you get a Britax you will love it. Good luck and let us know which you select.

[bonbon mama]

MamaBeth--

The fire department warned us to avoid any strap covers or bulky clothing because the straps themselves should be very snug against the child's chest...only fit in one finger between straps and body...