Is the Britax Marathon Car Seat really worth the $290?

Question

Is the Britax Marathon Car Seat really worth the $290?

Answer 1

YES! It is absolutely worth the money. However, I'd never pay $290 for a MArathon - retail price is $269, and you can almost always find one cheaper online.

I used to think Britax was just for people who could afford the luxury of pretty covers. After my son outgrew every available 40lbs harnessed seat at Walmart when he was 2 years old or so, and a kind CPST at our children's hospital gave me the Marathon (MA) they use for training, I learned how very wrong I was. THere are lots of reasons why the MA's cost more, and better put, why they are worth more. There is a rash of seats coming out now that will hold a child to a higher weight, and each have some different features.

The MA has things I sure never would've thought of, even though not having those things has caused me to misuse seats in the past:

-thick harness straps. Ever get the straps twisted on your kiddo's seat? Can't use it that way, its not safe. The MA straps don't twist.

-ever been irritated b/c its such a pain to try and keep the straps outta the way so you can put your child in the seat? MA has velcro onthe sides to hold the straps out of the way for just this purpose

-soft covers. I wouldn't want to sit on lots of the covers at walmart. Britax is soft and plush, with a few exceptions.

-EASY to install. It was our only seat for several months, and was moved daily, sometimes several times a day. I can do it in less than 2 minutes its so easy to install.

-tethered rear facing for extra stability

-pockets to keep tether in when not in use

-pocket to keep LATCH strap in when not in use

-manual comes attached to the seat on an elastic so you can't lose it.

-built-in lockoffs NO MORE LOCKING CLIPS woohooo11

Their testing is supposedly ongoing as well, great customer service (after the wait time which can be considerable.) and they stand behind their seats. I totally think they are worth the cost - though I WOULD definitely try to get one during the twice yearly sales.

All that said - last summer the Evenflo Triumph Advance came out, and in my opinion, it is a great competitor to the MA. $130-$150, holds kids the same amounto f time or possibly longer b/c of its bowl shape. Easy to install (though no lockoffs), and I LOVE the k***s that adjust th eharness. Other major bonuses:

rear faces to 35lbs, forward to 50lbs, and you adjust the harness height without removing the seat. I wish it had been out when I got my son's original triumph /Its so much better for a great price.

Britax only authorizes 2 sales a year - and you're in luck, Britax is having one of their semiannual sales from February 24 - March 2. You could snag a Britax seat for $200 or less including shipping! check out albeebaby.com , babyuniverse.com , babyage.com , elitecarseats.com , or do a price search. The only one I'd say definitely steer clear of is tinyride.com

P.S. To give you a really accurrate view of whether the seat was worth it in your situation, I'd need to know your child's age, height and weight. The Marathon lasts most kids till about age 5-6 years, so whether the price is worth it depends somewhat upon your child's age. However, the Marathon usually does not fit newborns well, so if its for a new baby, I'd go with the Trimph Advance, which does fit newborns splendidly.

Answer 2

You can get it for $239.00 with free shipping.

http://www.247coupon.com/britax-marathon...

Answer 3

You can usually find them on sale for around $220.  Britax's big sale should be coming up at the end of February.

We own 2 Britax Marathons for DD and they are worth every penny!  She is still rearfacing at 3 years old and 31lbs.  She will be able to forward face until 65lbs or 49 inches (most seats are outgrown by height before weight).

If you do the math for a $220 seat and you get 5 years of use out of it, that's 12 cents per day for the seat.

Most 40lb weight limit seats are outgrown by height loooong before a child is mature enough for a booster seat with seatbelt and you would end up buying a higher weight limit seat.  That would cost you more in the long run!