Our Marathon CT was in our car with the windows down when the inlaws sprinkler system turned on. Car seat dimensions 23 D x 18.5 W x 23.5 H. 14-Position harness slot heights 8.35 to 17.7. This recline is nice for kids who have special needs or if youll be traveling on a long trip overnight, but it really cuts down on the childs legroom if you put it in the most reclined allowable position. Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in the category. But, in the end we avoided having to cut the strap. The Marathon CT is FAA-approved; however, because of the unique belt path and the different seat belts airplanes use, installation on a plane is altered. Update as August 24, 2021:Checkout The Best Convertible Car Seat for a detailed review of all the top convertible car seats. Full body side impact protection surrounds the head, neck and torso. Crotch strap depth: 5, 7 I havent even installed them yet and I feel I already have to return it . Some seats have more space in the crotch area, some seats are taller for longer-torsoed kids and it all depends on how your kid grows. You will need a car seat starting on the first day you drive your bundle of joy home. Sign in. Itll be easier in the long run. Theyre hoping you dont even find the LATCH strap. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. I happen to have one and have seen nothing on this anywhere. Flying with a Car Seat? The click- tight system can be a little tricky to figure out. The Britax Marathon ClickTight utilizes the ClickTight system that makes installation virtually foolproof and removes the need for extra strength out of the equation. Hi Alan. Hi Mandy. The infant insert, called the comfort pillow in the manual, is nicely designed to fit under the tuck in the back pad when its in the lowest position. Copyright 2022 Britax. The Marathon can be adjusted as upright as you want for rear-facing as long as the level indicator ball isnt touching the edge, which is fantastic for those older kids who dont sleep, and it gives front seat passengers more legroom. No guess work on the tightness of your childs straps with the click type system. Though the child-sized dummy remained within the harness, the loose harness could jeopardize the seats ability to effectively protect a child in any subsequent impacts occurring during a crash event. The cover is in 4 pieces so you can pick and choose which part to wash, and is easy to remove and put back on. I am not a fan of that feature. Even if your childs legs look cramped, they are still safer facing backward. Youve hit the nail on the head in terms of what our experience is with older children and convertibles is: most kids outgrow their convertibles forward-facing by height before weight. RecommendationBritax strongly recommends that children should be secured with a harness system until they exceed the weight or height limits specified. The shells of the ClickTight seats are blow-molded, which allows energy-absorption. It may seem minor, but when buying a car seat, consider whether or not a cup holder is important to you. 20-65 lbs, Forward-facing Harnessed Height Car seats like the Graco Extend2Fit, for example, are being built to allow rear-facing for up to 50 pounds and include an extendable panel that provides more leg room. 5.25" - 7", Rear-facing Harnessed Weight Built with trusted Britax safety, which includes side impact protection to surround the head, neck and torso. The Marathon CT harness slot heights are about the same as the G4.1 models (MA/BV), so you wont get any more height there, but the G4.1 models do have longer crotch straps. Rigoroustesting also reveals excellent safety, comfort and adjustment features that make it possible to keep even tall kids rear-facing for longer. The federal standard is designed to ensure an essential level of crash protection. this is true of both of the Marathon CTs we have. Every child grows differently and will fit in each carseat differently. Karen. P03810200a user guide marathon ct us web (pdf). No other compensation was provided. From their site: In Consumer Reports new crash tests, 2 of 2 Britax Boulevard ClickTight seats tested forward-facing with a weighted 62 lb. Wish uppababy made a convertible already. Theres no need to remove the harness (yay!) Removable cover for easy cleaning without taking off the harness. As your child grows from baby to toddler, the Marathon ClickTight convertible car seat easily transitions from rear-facing to forward-facing. Advice? For this reason alone we recommend ONLY using seatbelt to install your ClickTight seats. Pull tight. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a car seat should be installed facing the rear until your child turns 4 or outgrows the seat (based on the individual seats safety requirements for height and weight). Cost is an obvious final deciding factor for purchasing a convertible car seat. The Marathon ClickTight convertible car seat has the patented ClickTight Installation System, a layer of side impact protection, and SafeCell Impact Protection for peace of mind while youre on the go with your child. You could try calling back and requesting that they escalate the issue to a manager or see if just getting a different CSR helps any. Fabrics free of flame-retardant chemicals, Breathable, wicking fabric keeps baby cool and dry. The Britax Boulevard ClickTight is similar in design to the Britax Marathon ClickTight, but includes two additional harness positions. Or perhaps youdont like the idea of having to buy several different types of seats or boosters. All Britax CT convertibles have the ClickTight Installation System, an impact-absorbing base with 7 recline positions, rip-stitch energy-absorbing tether, HUGS harness pads, a steel reinforced frame, EPP foam, and other side-impact protection features. dummy, representing a heavier 6 year old child, experienced the seats internal harness pulling through the shell, when the harness was tested in the top harness position. Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat. Maxi-Cosi RodiSport Booster Review: Stylish, Versatile, Comfy, Speed limiter mandate overdue for large trucks, New Hyundai EV earns Top Safety Pick+, Rear-facing 5-40 lbs. In these cases you MUST use LATCH to install the seat or move the car seat to a different seating position that does not have an inflatable seatbelt. These models are based on the Britax G4 platform and do NOT have ClickTight. Plus, easy-read level indicators and a quick-push recline help you find the proper angle for your vehicle and most comfortable fit for your child. There are red tabs and even warnings on the panel itself about tucking in the cover. Thats the only thing I can see that could possibly cause discomfort. Some models have easy-to-use latch connectors to make installation a breeze. Which is probably why theyve hidden the lower LATCH strap in a little compartment at the back of the base. Fill in your email address below and well send you a link to quickly reset your password. Instructions for cleaning the cover are to hand wash with mild soap and water and to line dry. As your child grows from baby to toddler, the Marathon ClickTight convertible car seat. If the MA moves more than 1 inch, remove more slack from the seat belt. High strength steel frame reinforces the seat structure to help keep it stabilized. Brittany, yes, it can be used with a lap-only belt. On the other hand, you may want to keep food and drink away from the seat. Of course, there might be times where you have a compelling reason to use those lower LATCH anchors instead of the seatbeltlike, say, when you have an adjacent child passenger who might accidentally unbuckle the seatbelt and unintentionally uninstall the carseat. Simply open, thread & buckle, click it closed. Whats your opinion about the Consumer Reports finding that the harness straps pulled through the shell on the Boulevard CT but not the Marathon CT with a 62 lb dummy? In the Marathon Car Seat you are surrounded in safety. Lol. Fit to Romeo, my 20 newborn doll was good. Lugging a car seat around is no fun for anyone. Strange accirding to the seat it goes to 49 inches and 60 lbs? Just make sure the straps are thoroughly dry before you use the seat again. Let's start the journey together. They call me back to tell me my daughter (3) who weighs 32lbs & is 31 inches tall has outgrown the seat? 7-Position, Quick-Push Recline helps you find the most comfortable fit for your child and the best fit for your vehicle. There are relatively few elastics to hold it on and the hard part is remembering to tuck it in all the way around, though a couple of the elastics that hold the front edge piece on are tricky to get attached. Its a rear-facing seat that is detachable and clicks into a base that stays in the car. Need one-on-one assistance? This style of latch is rubbish. Along with our in-house experts, our team analyzes thousands of product reviews from the most trusted websites. The friction lock on the side of the seat is incredibly difficult to loosen. You are probably familiar with the infant car seat, also called the bucket or pumpkin seat. Everything got pretty wet, but we dried everything best we could and set it in the sun for the day. Thanks for doing this review, it is very helpful! There are no weight or height limits on its use, but I would remove it as soon as the child no longer needs it for a boost to the bottom harness slots. Hi Emma. There is no benefit to using LATCH to install these seats and as youve discovered, there is actually a significant downside when it comes time to uninstall the seats. Its worth reminding grandparents or other caregivers of this placement as well. Quickly and easily adjust the 14-position harness and headrest with one hand for the perfect fit. It is extremely difficult to unlatch and move the car seat. I am thinking about just replacing the seat with a Marathon CT but my child is currently in the 99th percentile and expect she will be tall and am wondering if the higher harness adjustment positions on the Boulevard are worth it, vs just going with the Marathon CT if Consumer Reports thinks its safer. This convertible car seat features the patented Britax SafeCell Impact Protection system which includes a steel frame, energy-absorbing base, V-shaped tether to minimize seat rotation and staged-release stitches that slow and reduce forward movement in the event of a crash. This means you will need to consider having a separate stroller or baby carrier when your child is young. As required of all car seats sold in the U.S., the Britax Boulevard ClickTight must comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and the manufacturers self-certify to such compliance. Our gear guides and safety resources will help support you throughout your parenthood journey. LATCH: Britax practically scoffs at LATCH with the CT system, especially in these convertibles. ClickTight feature provides excellent installation in vehicles in rear and forward-facing. Just save sone $ and use many of the other dependable brands out there. If youre looking everywhere for the sticker label with the model number and date of manufacture youre not blind! Cant wait until I never have to use this car seat again. The Graco Extend2Fit car seat is designed with rear-facing placement in mind and offers a little more space for taller kids. Center LATCH installations with Non-Standard Spacing: Allowed when the vehicle manufacturer has designated it as a LATCH location. A steel frame and crumple zone help absorb crash energy. So for the 1 inch below rule for rear facing? 10.5" / 11.5", Harness Slot Heights The ClickTight panel makes installation a breeze; as long as you thread the belt through the correct belt path, the carseat practically installs itself. Of course, kids come in all shapes, so there will be outliers, but the majority wont make it to those top harness slots at 62 lbs. Even if you think youre an old pro at installing a car seat, it may be worth getting it checked out after the first time you do it. He says the crotch buckle hurts his private. to take off the back portion for cleaning. For what its worth, the last time I had to wrestle (literally) with this issue, I was finally able to get the strap to loosen but it took about 20 minutes, a lot of effort from both the parent and me, and a significant amount of cursing. Simply attach a luggage tag with the necessary details or tape a note card securely to the seat in an easy-to-find area. Does the ClickTight system live up to the Game Changer hype promised when it was released? And, the patented v-shaped tether helps slow forward movement, so you can travel with peace of mind. Heck no! Learn how your comment data is processed. We reviewed the Britax Emblemthat sells for $199.99 at Amazon. It is hard to beat the convenience factor of the infant car seat for taking a sleeping baby in and out of the car easily and for transporting them in general. But they are generally only considered safe until your child is 35 to 40 pounds at most. You must read your carseat and vehicle owner's manual and understand any relevant state laws. 8.35"-19.4", Buckle Strap Depths Maybe youll say we should just use the shoulder/lap belt method? When placed too low, your child could be ejected from the seat in the event of an accident. Does the G4.1 have these issues? And we know kids definitely have opinions on the things they use (and sit in), so if shes not comfy, no one is :(. Plain water doesnt degrade harness webbing in any way. It has lots of adjustment point, 14 height adjustment points for tall children. In most cases you wont need it but if you do call Britax customer service to request a tether strap extender. If you really want to use the LATCH strap to install your ClickTight convertible please note that uninstalling the seat after youve installed it using the LATCH strap has proven to be very challenging sometimes. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Convertible Car Seat you should buy. To save money. Quinn is 4 and weighs 44 lbs. This combination of safety and maximized comfort is truly only available with convertible car seats. Since Britax first introduced lockoffs, thats a bit surprising. Also Recommended: Advocate ClickTight, Marathon ClickTight. If you plan to switch your car seat between cars a lot or will be taking it with you while traveling frequently, youll want to consider the overall weight. The Graco SlimFit 3-In-1 Convertible Car Seat and Graco Extend2Fit car seats both have two cup holders. My daughter is almost 7 months and over 20 lbs, we are moving from an uppababy Mesa infant car seat and cant seem to find a convertible I like as much as I like Mesa. Harness slots: 7 -18 Are your measurements more accurate? My son is almost 3 and about 35 pounds. SafeCell Technology acts as a crumple zone in the car seat base, absorbing crash energy to help keep it away from your child.