I hate the Marathon...help me love it!

[momchi]

I just CANNOT get used to the harness on the Marathon. First off, it's not supposed to twist, and well, yes, it does! But my biggest, biggest beef about this seat is the low-ride buckle! It's got the shortest strap on it, so trying to buckle him in is like trying to find the buckle up my son's butt from the frontside! Maybe I'm just having a bad day, but I just spent 5 minutes trying to buckle him into the seat, without having any luck finding the friggen buckle between his crotch, that I'm now house-ridden because I can't leave!!

Is there possibly a way to lengthen the buckle strap so that I don't sledgehammer the seat to its death? I'm definitely not impressed with this seat so far!

[Joolsplus2]

So you HAVE made sure that the lapbelt isn't on the wrong side of the buckle,right? Here's a link to my photobucket, sorry you'll have to scroll down so far to see the way the belt should be routed behind the crotch buckle http://photobucket.com/albums/y255/joolstag/
And you ARE loosening the harness before you try to buckle it? I mean, really, you have to flip up the metal adjuster flap and pull the harness out at the shoulders or there's NO way you'll ever be able to buckle it (like trying to shove your feet into tightly tied shoes... that would make you stay home, too! ;) ). And how about taking the belly pad off altogether? It might just be more hassle than you really need to deal with (and the hugs and harness pads, if he's rearfacing... the less crapola to deal with, the easier life is, IMO, and all that stuff--except for the HUGS being necessary for FF--is just crapola to make you think you're getting more for your money, it doesn't add any safety at all, and with a winter shirt on, no comfort, either (tank tops in summer, yeah, the harness pads can be nice...) )
But if there's just not going to be any love here, try a Triumph...it has a crotch buckle so long it makes some people fear abdominal injury...that's NOT what will happen AT ALL, but man, it makes the seat easy to buckle! :). Or the Decathlon has those three crotch strap positions....

(((HUGS)))... It sucks to feel like the only one who doesn't *LOVE* a certain popular thing! I can't STAND Birkenstocks, I don't care how comfortable people say they are, they hurt my feet like heck! See? there's not one perfect anything for everyone ;)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[kellyotn]

I had the same exact issues with the crotch strap being so short. Now I'm totally used to it. I did leave the belly pad on b/c it gave me something to grab. ;-) I had a FPSE before the MA and that seat had a VERY long crotch strap. For the rear facing child, I just kinda scoop the buckle out when I set him in the seat. For the front facing child, well, she climbs into her own seat, so I just have to find it. She's pretty good about helping me by leaning to the side or whatever.

But, yes, if your child is rear facing, take off (and do not lose) the hugs and the shoulder pads. For FF, they both aren't as annoying because there's just more room. The hugs are required, so you'd have to get used to them anyways, but take off the shoulder pads. When the straps are short for a smaller baby, they just make it harder I think.

I actually do not pull the straps out every time, contrary to all the advice I got on the topic. :-) I just hate doing that. Its sometimes tough to get it buckled with the straps not pulled out, but I've gotten a system down.

Hope you get used to it, it is worth it for the longevity. I had a couple other issues when moving from the FPSE, but I'm a fan now. There really is no perfect seat, they all have quirks.

[momchi]

Thanks for commiserating. I haven't been back to my car since, but have to head out in the next hour and hope I'm successful! Yes, I've made sure that the lapbelt is on the right side of the buckle. And I also thought I wasn't pulling enough on the harness, but I loosened it as much as is possible and still didn't get any luck.

What I will do is take off the HUGS. I've already removed the ComfortPads. I'll give it another try with the Bellypad before removing it. Sometimes, I think it's the only way I can find the buckle too!

I know everyone loves the Marathon here, and who can blame them? It being recognized highly in the Book, that's the reason I've got one too. I'm hoping that I will get used to it. Fact is, I'm hoping my son gets used to it too. It takes me so long to buckle him in, he starts crying and squirming off the seat, which makes it all the more impossible to accomplish anything!

I'll report back to let everyone know if I've come to terms with this seat!

Cheryl ;)

[Joolsplus2]

And the harness isn't getting stuck on anything in the back, right? You can get it all loose? (sorry, just had to ask...lol, like being a computer technician who has to ask, "is it plugged in?" first ;) ). I think you'll get used to it, it won't take long :). It's definitely likely there could be a much better way for seats to be, but so far, anything 'easier' just isn't out there, so that's why we love the Marathon...well, the Decathlon is supposed to be as good as the Roundabout, which IS better than the Marathon, but it's got a much stickier harness adjuster when you first buy it :P
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[kphil]

I've never been fond of our Marathon, either, though we've had it for nearly 3 years now. I've never had the problem with the crotch strap being too short, though. I just can't stand how nearly impossible it is to tighten the harness enough. I now just keep it tightened, and muscle it together each time, so I don't have to try getting it tight again. I have to do the same with our Boulevard, which is too bad, because my 5.5yo who rides in the BV would otherwise be able to buckle herself in. How I miss the Roundabout adjuster.

Kirsten

[Elizasmom]

Kirsten-

A couple of years ago, there was discussion on this board about Marathons that were EXTREMELY hard to tighten because the strap you pull on was misrouted at the factory. I had one of these screwed up straps on one of my Marathons and didn't realize until I bought another one that was done right and was way easier to tighten. It's possible that that's your problem. At the time, Britax said it was not a safety issue. Later, when the recall happened (for an unrelated concern) and they sent everyone a new strap, the instructions explained the correct way to route it. So, the recall kind of took care of that issue at the same time for those who had that problem (most people probably didn't even know they had it). If you haven't done the recall yet, you may be pleasantly surprised at how it improves the situation if that was your problem. Just follow the directions carefully because it's easy to make the same mistake the Britax workers did!

[kphil]

Thanks for the suggestion--I soooo wish that would solve it! I checked my routing back when that issue first came up, and then I was so excited when they were sending out recall kits, hoping that would fix my issue, but neither thing made any difference. And the BV is the same way. I wish there was a tech who could try my seats and tell me what they think. I'm guessing maybe I'm just expecting too much from the adjuster?? The Snugride and RA were so easy, and this one just doesn't get tight like that. Maybe I'm making my harnesses tighter than necessary??

Kirsten

[kellyotn]

I've only played with the RA at Target, and wow it is nice. :-)

I don't like adjusting ANY seat though. I'm just weird that way. Julie relates it to not un-tying your shoes to put them on - well I hate un-tying and tying my shoes too. :P If I could power walk/jog in flip flops, trust me I would.

When I do adjust the MA in FF mode, I hold the strap toward the end with the hand farthest from the seat, about a foot away. I hold it semi-taut, then take my other hand and push down the middle in short bursts. Its not that bad for me. In RF mode its a bit more yucky, but still - short quick bursts. The FPSE was the same way, but you could easily access the straps behind the seat (in RF mode) and help it along that way.

I think, though, if I'd had the RA first I'd just be spoiled forever.

[kphil]

Hmmm...I'm going to try your method. I think maybe I'm just spoiled by the RA. The thing with both seats (MA and BV) is that I have to push the adjuster lever back down while holding the adjuster strap taught, otherwise a little slack slips back in each time I release. So I have to pull-push down adjuster-release, pull-push down adjuster-realease. Several repetitions of that to get it tight. Otherwise, as I get it close to tight, each pull leaves me right where I started--no tighter, no looser. Make sense?

Kirsten

[kellyotn]

Ack, no I don't have to do anything like that! I just do a bunch of sharp pulls, I don't mess with the metal lever like that at all. It really takes a bunch sometimes if you pull the shoulder straps WAY out, so generally I just try and loosen them only a smidge if needed.

[Joolsplus2]

Hmmm.. sounds like too much work to me... I know the holding the adjuster up or pushing it down was something of a fix when the old adjuster strap routing was around, but it really isn't what you should have to be going through any more. Just tug, release tug, and ONLY check for snugness on the shoulder...the rest of the harness is usually practically floppy, but if it's snug on the shoulder, that's all that matters (like a bra band..no need to pinching, but you don't want it to fall down, either)

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

[kphil]

Okay, so if I do the pinch test to check tightness, should I be unable to pinch in an up/down direction, or a side/side direction on the strap? I go by the one finger at the collar bone rule, and that seems to take a lot of tightening to get it there. I'm thinking I should find a good car seat tech around here...

Kirsten

[Joolsplus2]

Pinching is 'up and down'... if you can't get any slack between your finger and thumb (anywhere on the harness, chest, shoulder, whereever), then it's tight enough, even if it seems loose over the torso.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[sarsah]

I did the recall on my Marathon and it is still somewhat difficult to to tighten -- does anyone have pictures of what it's supposed to look like so I can see if mine is routed incorrectly.

Sarah.....mom to Jason & Devin

[kath68]

Ok, am no tech or expert, but I do have a thought. With my Marathon I have to be careful with the lapbelt installation (rearfacing). If I don't route the lap belt carefully, I can end up pinning down the buckle strap, making it too short to function. It is an easy fix -- just pull up the cover and move the buckle strap so it isn't caught under the lap belt. The buckle's strap should have several inches sticking out through the car seat. If you don't have that, it is probably the lap belt getting in the way.

You don't say if you are using a lapbelt, and you could have already checked this, but thought I would at least mention it.

[Joolsplus2]

I can't link to the picture, but scroll down, there's a photo of how the belt should be routed in the seat http://photobucket.com/albums/y255/joolstag/
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx