Britax USA Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat Review
Are you looking for a new car seat for your young child? Some buying decisions in life are just decisions that don’t matter much what you do and others like car seat buying can have life or death consequences for your child.
It is definitely a decision you want to get right. Part of being able to do that is to know as much as you can about each car seat model you are thinking about buying. That is why we are doing a series of car seat reviews on some of the most popular models like this Britax USA Marathon ‘ClickTight’ Convertible Car Seat.
Why Is a Proper Car Seat for Your Child’s Weight So Important?
Manufacturers cannot stress enough the importance of fit when you are shopping for a car seat. That is because a car seat that does not fit your child right can actually do as much harm to your child in an accident as if they were unrestrained. So when selecting any car seat for purchase you have to be sure it’s meant for your child’s size. If it’s too big or too small for them it could have disastrous consequences even in a low-speed collision.
Your child is also likely to become fidgety and uncomfortable in a car seat that does not fit them properly. This is especially true for longer trips. If your child is uncomfortable and crying you will most likely be distracted while driving too.
There are several different car seat mistakes that people make when they put their child in one and improper fit is one of the biggest ones. Only the best convertible car seat models have enough adjustability built into them to help keep your child safe and comfortable as they are riding along with you.
Taking a Quick Look at the Britax USA Marathon Car Seat
Here are the features that most users like about this product and some things about it that they don’t like so much:
Pros:
- Can be used as both a front and rear-facing car seat
- Energy absorbing shell design
- Side impact protection
- Easy on/off latch connectors
- 12 pushbutton adjustable headrest positions
- Fast seat belt only securing system
Cons:
- Heavy to move around at 28+ pounds
- Tough to buckle if you add seat protective padding
Important Safety Features
Kudos to Britax USA for the number of safety features built into this Marathon model car seat. For starters, you can adjust the headrest to 12 different positions to fit your child’s body length properly. This allows the seat to comfortably support and protect their head.
The 5-point safety harness also features several different adjustment positions for increased protection. The harness is similar in design to that of which professional race car drivers use.
The Britax USA Marathon Car Seat also has an energy absorbing shell design which is a must for any quality car seat. This energy absorbing shell design consists of such things as a steel frame, energy-absorbing base and an innovative impact-absorbing tether with stitches that are designed to release in stages. There is even built-in side impact protection. It also features plenty of soft padding in all the right places.
This car seat can be used as a rear-facing car seat for children from 5 – 40 pounds and as a front facing car seat for children from 20 – 65 pounds (1+ year only).
Fit and Adjustability
This is definitely a car seat that will keep your child snuggly in place while you drive without making them uncomfortable at the same time. The key features here are its 12-position push button adjustable headrest and its multi-position adjustable 5-point safety harness. Follow the included well-written directions for fit and you will easily be able to adjust this car seat to fit any child in the weight ranges mentioned above.
Ease of Installation
Installation of this car seat could not be easier once it’s been adjusted for fit. All it takes is for the seat belt to be run through it properly, the seat belt buckle clipped shut and then the length of the seat belt to be adjusted so it’s tight. It’s really that simple.
Intangibles
There are a few other nice features on this car seat that make it nice to own too. Among them is its easily removable seat cover. With this you can take it off and wash it after one of those often unavoidable beverage spills. It also is made to recline into 1 of 7 different angles and the seat has a level indicator built into it to ensure your child is riding along with you in a comfortable upright position.
What Are Others Saying About this Car Seat?
Those who have purchased this car seat have very few bad things to say about it. As a matter of fact, it’s rated fairly high compared to other convertible car seat reviews. That’s always a good sign for any car seat product.
This is not what you would call a super-portable car seat. At a little over 28 pounds, it can be tough for slighter stature people to move around easily. Many people with leather seats like to protect them from car seat damage by buying a specially designed pad. Be warned if you do that and it’s a thick pad you will really strain to get the buckle snapped.
Summing Up Our Thoughts on the Britax USA Marathon Car Seat
Despite the fact this car seat is a little heavy to move overall we really like it. The Britax USA Marathon Car Seat has many features built into that are designed for both safety and fit. Those are the two most important things to look for when purchasing a car safety seat for your child. Even the little things on this car seat were well thought out before they were designed into it. It’s definitely a model children’s car seat to highly consider purchasing when you are shopping for a new one.