Do I have this right?

[KrisM]

I am starting to figure out what our next car seat will be. We have a Baby Trend Adjustible Back now, but DS is already 25.5 inches and 17 pounds at 15 weeks, so it won't be too long before we need a new seat.

I know Britax are highly recommended. People say the Marathon is nicer, since it is used longer. But, after that you still have to get a belt positioning booster anyway, right? So, whether I get a Marathon or a Roundabout, I'll still need the booster seat eventually.

So, it doesn't seem to save on the number of things I'm buying. I am assuming that people prefer to have their kids in the 5-point harness longer and this is why the Marathon is preferred. The boosters I've seen only use the harness until 40 lbs, rather than the 65 that the Marathon does.

Do I have this right? Or, what am I missing?

Thanks!
Kris

[Momof3Labs]

The Marathon goes up to 65lbs, so when your baby outgrows it, you will probably only need a little backless booster seat (about $20). However, when your baby outgrows the Roundabout, you'll need a belt-positioning booster, which is more expensive.

[strollerfreak]

You've hit the nail on the head...and Lori is partially correct too.

You *should* be able to get away with just a low-back booster once your child outgrows the Marathon by height/weight...UNLESS...your vehicle's seats don't have adjustable headrests (think a bench seat in an older van, or "built in" headrests like in most pre-2000 cars) and/or once sitting on the booster, the middle of your child's head goes above the headrest. THEN, you will still need a highback booster...but those aren't as expensive as they used to be...the Evenflo Big Kid is only ~$30, and the Graco TurboBooster (w/back) is only ~$50 (and these go on sale as well).

As it is, most kids outgrow a standard 40lb harnessed seat somewhere around 3-4 years old...most of these kids aren't ready in maturity to sit in a belt positioning booster by this point, which is where the extra time in the 5 point harness that the Marathon provides is crucial.

HTH!!

[Joolsplus2]

SOOOOOOOOO many moms come back when their child is 3 or so, and getting too tall for the Roundabout, but still well under 40 pounds and not at all mature enough for a booster yet, and say, "help! what do I buy next!" and the answer is a harnessed booster combo seat, like the Evenflo Chase or Graco Ultra Cargo...which cost 60-100 dollars, or a Marathon (lots of "oh, I wish I had just bought the Marathon to begin with"s, too, lol). Marathon moms just don't generally have that question at all...
One thing, though, is are you planning to have another child? If so, you can get a Marathon for each of them, since one child will fit in it till they are age 6 and the seat "expires" and must be destroyed anyway. OR you can get a Roundabout now, and a harnessed combo seat or Marathon for your older child later.
It's simplest to go with a Marathon now, though, as you are guaranteed not to have to worry about outgrowing it till your child is ready for a booster...it just cuts out that whole combo seat step altogether.

Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[KrisM]

We will probably have another child in the not-to-far future. We'd probably have 2 kids in convertibles.

Will most kids "want" to sit in the Marathon until age 6? My nephew is 5 and was embarrassed on a Kindergarten field trip when he was the only one in the belt-positioning booster. I know that's not as important as safety, but I don't want it to be a struggle every time we get in the car, you know?

Thanks for the advice. I think we'll get the Marathon.
Kris

[strollerfreak]

Honestly I think it depends on how you raise the child.

My ds is almost 4 and I think would have a coniption fit if we suddenly switched him to a belt-positioning booster out of the blue.

He doesn't think he's safe unless he's in a five point harness because that's all he's ever known.

Other kids though I find that their parents are just itching to get them out of a carseat, so they are the ones that fight tooth & nail to sit in a booster seat even after being pulled out of a harnessed seat too early.

Does that make sense? I'm running on preggo brain, no caffeine, waiting for dinner and 5 hours of sleep...

[Joolsplus2]

Well, laws are steadily changing. In my state, kids have to be in some kind of seat, harnessed or booster, till they are 6. They don't really think there's a difference, since everyone's in a seat....so a couple years down the line, you may be lucky enough to live in a state where the law actually CARES about children and it's more like 8 and 80 pounds, and then it really won't be an issue at all.
But in the end, it's all about your attitude, that's what he'll pick up on.
My son is almost 7 and knows he's safest in his Husky or Bodyguard...when I put him on the vehicle seat alone, he gets very upset because it feels so unsafe to him (which it is, the lapbelt rides right up on his belly...can you say, "ruptured spleen"? ouch!). My 4 year old loves her Marathon, can buckle it herself, and when she was rearfacing in it she would tease me that *I* wished *I* could be RF, as it's so much safer! :)

I think it's SO great that your nephew rides in a booster! Be sure to praise his parents, and tell him he's a good example to YOUR baby :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[KrisM]

That makes sense. My nephew was turned FF at about 10 months, because "he had no place to put his legs", and was over 20 lbs. He was in the belt positioning booster at about 3.5 years old. Maybe if he had stayed harnessed longer, it wouldn't be a problem now.

Thanks for the info.