BTDT moms:Convertible car seat question

Re: BTDT moms:Convertible car seat question

• SuperCuteBenz member

  November 2011

  I have both. I have the Classic Marathon and Classic Roundabout 50. My are the older edition, so both seats have exactly the same shell, but different weight limits. The 50lb weight limit is more than sufficient. No kid will reach 50lbs or 65lbs/55lbs or 70lbs in those seats.

  I found my RA 50 for $48 on clearance, and I wish now that I would have bought at least 2 more. I love it just as much as my Marathon, if not more. I like that it has an adjustable buckle, so I can move it farther away as DS gets bigger. My Marathons don't have that, and my DD is constantly sitting on the buckle. I am not sure if the newer RA have that or not.

  I know that Britax upped the weight limit on the RA 55 but I am pretty sure they lowered the height limit which makes absolutely no sense at all.

  I think you'd like both, but if cost is factoring in, then I don't think you will be disappointed with the RA 55.
  

  

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• GirlWithTheMostCake member

  November 2011

  Your child may be in the convertible up to 70 - the major difference here from the infant is that once your child is out of the convertible they move to a booster and a booster doesn't have a 5 point safety harness, so if it was me I'd leave them in the convertible as long as possible for added safety.
  

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• katcarls member

  November 2011

  You're right, most kids outgrow their seats by height before weight.  That's why it's also important to look at the maximum harness height and how tall the car seat shell is.  The Roundabout does have lower height limits, max. is 46" vs. 49" for the Marathon and Boulevard.  The seated shoulder height is also 1" less.  The Britax website has a great comparison tool if you haven't seen it yet.  It's really helpful for seeing the different features.  Just mark the boxes of the seats you're interested in and click compare.
  

  The PP is incorrect, there are booster seats with a 5-pt harness.  Examples are the Britax Frontier, Evenflo Maestro, and Graco Nautilus.
  

  
  
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• cassoppea

  November 2011

  Thanks for your help! So if I'm looking more on height, does the three inches matter? Approximately how old is a 46 inch child? How old are they when you can move them to a booster with the 5 pt harness? I have seen the boosters with a back and will probably get one of those after (one that has a back that can be removed when the child is older so it's just a booster) I have also done the comparison chart on the Britax site.

  

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• SuperCuteBenz member

  November 2011

  cassoppea:

  Thanks for your help! So if I'm looking more on height, does the three inches matter? Approximately how old is a 46 inch child? How old are they when you can move them to a booster with the 5 pt harness? I have seen the boosters with a back and will probably get one of those after (one that has a back that can be removed when the child is older so it's just a booster) I have also done the comparison chart on the Britax site.

  It honestly depends on your child, so there really is no way of knowing. After seeing the height difference, I would probably go with the Marathon. I love my RA 50, but I don't think I would buy the RA 55 now that I was reminded of the difference in height. Like I said, the older style are the same, so I don't have that issue.

  Anyway, here is an idea.... My 3 1/2 year old is on the second strap setting for the RA 50/MA 65. She will likely be in it until it expires, because she is tiny. My almost 15 month old is on the 1st strap setting but will likely move up soon. I can almost guarantee that he will outgrow the seat by height before he can move to a booster. They just have very different body styles. He was the same size at 12 months that she was at 18 months.

  As for boosters, you can't assume that your child will go straight from a convertible to the boosters that you have seen. The minimum age for a booster should be 4 years AND 40lbs, so as you can see, my DD is no where near booster ready. Plus, she still falls asleep in the car and slouches down, which would be unsafe in a booster. She will likely move to a harness booster like the pp mentioned. There are a few ladies on here that have had their kids outgrown their Marathon/Roundabout seats early on, like around 3, but some make it longer.

  So, unless you plan on having another child in the next couple years, I would probably go with the taller Marathon. If you think you will have another child, then you could go with the Roundabout, and then move your DD into something like the Frontier/Nautilus when the new baby needs the convertible.
  

   

  

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• gimmietimmies member

  November 2011

  SuperCuteBenz:

  cassoppea:

  Thanks for your help! So if I'm looking more on height, does the three inches matter? Approximately how old is a 46 inch child? How old are they when you can move them to a booster with the 5 pt harness? I have seen the boosters with a back and will probably get one of those after (one that has a back that can be removed when the child is older so it's just a booster) I have also done the comparison chart on the Britax site.

  It honestly depends on your child, so there really is no way of knowing. After seeing the height difference, I would probably go with the Marathon. I love my RA 50, but I don't think I would buy the RA 55 now that I was reminded of the difference in height. Like I said, the older style are the same, so I don't have that issue.

  Anyway, here is an idea.... My 3 1/2 year old is on the second strap setting for the RA 50/MA 65. She will likely be in it until it expires, because she is tiny. My almost 15 month old is on the 1st strap setting but will likely move up soon. I can almost guarantee that he will outgrow the seat by height before he can move to a booster. They just have very different body styles. He was the same size at 12 months that she was at 18 months.

  As for boosters, you can't assume that your child will go straight from a convertible to the boosters that you have seen. The minimum age for a booster should be 4 years AND 40lbs, so as you can see, my DD is no where near booster ready. Plus, she still falls asleep in the car and slouches down, which would be unsafe in a booster. She will likely move to a harness booster like the pp mentioned. There are a few ladies on here that have had their kids outgrown their Marathon/Roundabout seats early on, like around 3, but some make it longer.

  So, unless you plan on having another child in the next couple years, I would probably go with the taller Marathon. If you think you will have another child, then you could go with the Roundabout, and then move your DD into something like the Frontier/Nautilus when the new baby needs the convertible.
  

   

  Agree with this. Just for reference, my 3 year old is 42" tall, her sister who is 5 is 45". Both are tall for their age, neither sits properly in a non-harnessed booster, although the 5 year old physically fits (my sanity can't take driving longer than 10 minutes boostered). Both are in Frontiers.

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• cassoppea

  November 2011

  Thank you all for the advice.  I think I will probably get one of the higher weight/height Britax convertible seats.  We are not sure what our plans are for more children right now so I'd rather get as much use out of it as possible. 

  Now off to try to find a sale!
  

  

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• hmp1 member

  November 2011

  We got both. DH has the Roundabout in his car and I have the Marathon in my car.  I like them both but the Marathon has better straps.

  
  

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