Britax Marathon 70 Car Seat Review
Britax Marathon 70 car seat is a next generation car seat modeled after its predecessor, theMarathon65, but has lots of improvements. Designed rear-facing for babies weighing 5 to 40 pounds and forward-facing for children who weigh up to 70 pounds, the Britax Marathon 70 car seat provides optimum comfort and safety for either a newborn or a toddler.
Equipped with revolutionary safety features, this convertible car seat maximizes protection against head injury in case of frontal impact. The SafeCell technology compresses during impacts to lower the seat’s center of gravity. This technology makes the seat absorb impact, instead of the baby absorbing it. The versa-tether features stage-released tether webbing to anchor the top of the car seat at two points for reducing forward movement.
The seat’s harness features rubber overlays which are called HUGS to prevent the baby’s torso from moving forward during a car crash. The most common type of vehicular crashes is side collision, and Britax addresses it by adding the Side Impact Protection feature. The Marathon 70 car seat features black EPP foam, which is a higher grade and is less likely to crack than the white EPS foam in older seats of Britax.
Features and Specifications
- “SafeCell” technology, designed to compress in a crash
- Side impact protection
- Tangle-free, 5-point harness
- Quick-adjust harness
- Easy-remove cover
- Rear and forward-facing recline
- Lower LATCH connectors
- Anti-slip, contoured base
- Convenient harness holders
- High density comfort foam provides extra layer of padding
- Rear-facing: From 5 to 40 lbs.
- Forward-facing: At least 1 year and 20 lbs.; up to 70 lbs.
- Standing height: Up to 49 in.
- Dimensions: 19.5 (L) x 18.5 (W) x 26 (H)
- Seating compartment height: 23.5
- Seat area depth/width: 11/11
- Shoulder width: 13
- Buckle strap depths: 5/7.5
- Product Weight: 19.5 lbs.
The Reviews
Our research team discovered that the Britax Marathon 70 Convertible Car Seat is one of the highly-rated and best-selling car seats on the market today based on its sales volume and overwhelming positive consumer reviews. Many parents were very impressed with the seat’s superior comfort and safety features which caused them to believe that the Marathon 70 is almost impossible to beat. Some parents even claimed of running their fingers through the seat and they could tell right away that its plush, soft texture would make it a luxurious seat for their baby.
All consumers who owned older Britax seats and upgraded to Marathon 70 said that it has a deeper seat compared to its predecessors. This means that the baby’s legs can have more room while the thighs are securely supported. With the older seats, they complained that the crotch strap was too tight, which made the baby uncomfortable. The Marathon 70 addressed this issue of discomfort by using a longer 8-inch strap that perfectly fits the kids. It even has two different slots to accommodate their growing child.
Parents were grateful that the Marathon 70 car seat features all three reclining positions to ensure maximum comfort for their child. When they need to put the baby in rear-facing position, they just position the seat at the most reclined setting. When the child gets a little older and needs to be positioned forward-facing, they just set the car seat either at the most upright or the middle recline position. For extra comfort, the seat comes with body pillow for infants to provide more cushioning. This ensures that a newborn fits perfectly to the big seat. The cushioned pillow can be removed when the child gets big enough for an extra pillow support.
However, a few parents have some complaints about this seat. They whined about its rather large size and found it quite heavy and bulky. They commented that they need to get into some weight-lifting workout weeks before carrying this thing into the rental cars or through the airport during big trips. The high price is also its down side because parents with a very tight budget are hesitant to purchase this seat although they would love to have it for their baby.
Among the best things about the Marathon 70 that parents found incredibly helpful is the installation process. This seat is really easy and fast to install using the latch connectors. They claimed that it quickly becomes ready for its rider in just less than a minute, whether installed rear-facing or forward-facing. Taller parents who drive compact cars were glad of the seat’s redesigned shape because it takes up much less room in the car. They can place the car seat behind them and they can sit comfortably without the need to move the driver’s seat too far forward.
All moms were also impressed that they don’t need to uninstall the Marathon 70 car seat to remove its cover when it needs to be washed in case of spills and leaky diaper. It features a simple hook-and-loop system to make it simpler and easier for them to remove the cover. Another Marathon 70’s great improvement that amazed the parents is the height adjustment of its harness that can be done with just one hand. All it takes is to squeeze the top of the headrest’s handle while moving it down or up the track. With other car seats, you’ll be required some muscle to perform the same adjustment.
Our review team considers the Marathon 70 Convertible Car Seat a top-quality travel companion. It also received outstanding ratings from consumers, firemen, car seat technicians and other independent expert reviewers. This seat has also exceeded the safety standard set by authorities on car seat safety. The three-position recline feature, combined with its higher weight capacity, makes the seat cost-effective because parents don’t have to buy an infant car seat and replace it with a bigger one when the child grows. It’s just like buying two car seats of different sizes in one. Your baby will enjoy the Britax Marathon 70 car seat from the time of birth until reaching the first grade. We can say that this is the best travel safety gear yet.
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