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| Britax Marathon | Chicco Nextfit | Britax Advocate |
| #1 | #2 | #3 |
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| Buy Britax Marathon on Amazon | Buy Chicco Nextfit on Amazon | Buy Britax Advocate on Amazon |
A car seat is one of the biggest investments you will make for your child’s safety. So, it is a decision that most parents take very seriously, and for a good reason. Today I am going to go over four popular convertible car seats that have reputations for safety and decide just how they compare. I will review and rank each one to hopefully help your search be a little less confusing.
Winner: Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat Review
Features:
- Side impact protection.
- Impact absorbing base
- Integrated steel frame.
- V-shaped Tether.
- Built-in lock-offs.
- Push-button LATCH
- Multiple recline positions.
- Ten-position, quick adjust harness.
- Made in the USA.
- Plush padding and fabrics.
- Removable body pillow
Pros:
- Overall comfort.
- Straps are easy to adjust without even removing the seat.
- The body pillow provides added support for smaller children and infants.
- Relatively easy to swap from vehicle to vehicle.
Cons:
- The Velcro straps holders are not properly aligned.
- It takes up a lot of space.
Specs
- Weight Limits for Rear-facing: 5 – 40 pounds.
- Weight Limits for Forward-facing: 20 – 65 pounds.
- Product Weight: 19.5 pounds.
- Product Dimensions: 18.5″ W x 26″ H x 21″ D.
Runner Up: Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat Review
Features:
- ReclineSecure 9-position leveling system.
- Two RideRight bubble levels indicate the correct angle in both rear and forward-facing modes.
- SuperCinc Latch tightener with force-multiplying technology.
- Six-position height-adjustable headrest.
- One-pull harness tightener.
- Integrated slide path makes it easy to re-position the LATCH strap when switching from rear to forward facing.
- Removable cupholder for use on either side of the seat.
Pros:
- Ergonomic design.
- Fits smaller model vehicles in rear facing and forward facing modes.
- Fits snugly and securely in the seat.
- Simple installation via the LATCH system.
Cons:
- Some models do not allow you to remove the cover at all, or machine wash them.
- The straps can be hard to tighten, especially if you have arthritis or a similar condition.
Specs
- Weight Limits for Rear-facing: 5 – 40 pounds
- Weight Limits for Forward-facing: 22 – 65 pounds
- Product Weight: 25.5 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 29.2″ H x 19″ W x 21″ D
Third Place: Britax Advocate ClickTight Convertible Car Seat Review
Features:
- Three-layers of side impact protection.
- Impact-absorbing base.
- ClickTight installation system.
- Impact-stabilizing steel frame.
- Multiple recline positions.
- Click & Safe snug harness indicator lets you know your child’s harness is the perfect fit with the sound of a click.
- Auto-level indicators show that your child’s seat is at the proper installation angle for your vehicle.
- Fourteen-position, quick-adjust harness easily adapts to your child with no harness re-threading necessary.
- Made in the USA.
- Premium fabrics and padding.
Pros:
- Great Safety Standard
- Easy to install.
- Easy to adjust to fit.
- Sense of security with the “click” system that lets parents know when the child is secured properly.
- It is comfy for the child.
Cons:
- The hole where you press to loosen the straps is at an awkward angle that is hard to press unless you are sitting beside the car seat.
- To adjust the recline of the seat, you basically must remove the seat.
- The seat is heavy and probably would work best in a situation where you could just put it up and leave it in a car instead of having to move it from car to car.
- The liner does not stand up to washing very well and tends to fade.
Specs
- Weight Limits for Rear-facing: 5 – 40 pounds.
- Weight limits for Forward-facing: 20 – 65 pounds.
- Product Weight: 30.6 pounds.
- Product Dimensions: 20.5″ W x 23.5″ H x 23″ D
Honorable Mention: Britax Boulevard Convertible Car Seat Review
Features:
- Two layers of side impact protection.
- Impact absorbing base.
- Integrated steel frame.
- V-shaped tether.
- Click & Safe Snug Harness.
- Built-in Locks-offs.
- Push-button LATCH.
- Multiple recline positions.
- Ten-position, quick-adjust harness.
- Made in the USA.
Pros:
- Very comfortable padding.
- Very sturdily made.
- The side impact wings encase infants head with energy absorbing foam.
- LATCH system makes for easy installation.
- Easy to get the baby in and out.
Cons:
- The head restraints can crack, and parents have complained about missing foam pieces in the headrest as well.
- The material tends to fade with minimal washing.
- Despite claims of the manufacturer the tangle-free tethers are far from tangle-free.
Specs:
- Weight Limits for Rear-facing: 5 – 40 pounds
- Weight Limits for Forward-facing: 20 – 65 pounds
- Product Weight: 19.5 pounds
- Product Dimensions: 18.5″ W x 26″ H x 21″ D
Britax Marathon lived up to its name and with a following of families to prove that their car seats are good for the distance is it any wonder that this seat topped the list? It gave the best value and quality mix and proved itself to be an all-around good choice. The Chicco NextFit came out swinging and although it hit a bit of a snag on the easy of cleaning side of things, it more than made up for it in satisfied customers and quality. The Britax Advocate ClickTight is a solid seat, but its hefty weight and price tag can be a bit off-putting to most families in need of a more versatile seat. The Britax Boulevard was a fine value, but its nagging design flaws made it come in last in our rankings.
I hope this comparison helped just a bit to sort out which one of these seats deserves a spot on your next family road trip.
Check out our Infant Car Seat Reviews
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