Britax Infant Car Seat Review
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As a mom, you want to ensure that your little one is safe when traveling from place to place, so it’s vital to get a car seat for your newborn that can help support their growing body.
A rear-facing car seat is generally required for babies until two years of age or they reach the max height and weight specifications of the product.
After that, they can switch to a forward-facing car seat. The good thing is that manufacturers have convertible car seats.
However, there are so many brands and models to choose from, making it challenging to get the right one for your child's and your needs.
The Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat is one of the most popular, and this Britax Infant Car Seat review will help you see if this is one of the safest car seats available today.
Britax Infant Car Seat Review
Britax is a USA-based company that designs and manufactures baby strollers, car seats, travel systems, and accessories.
The Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat is one of their products designed with enhanced protection.
This model doesn’t just include extra protection, but also adjustability.
It also features multiple adjustments that support your child throughout numerous developmental stages.
Who Is This Product For?
Ideally, the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat is for moms looking for extra protection.
While anyone can use the car seat for their little one, it has been enhanced to work for longer car rides.
If you find that you have a long commute, the adjustability and extra protection features of this model can support your little one while on the road.
Also, since the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat comes with many adjustable positions, it is ideal for children who move around a lot.
That said, you should avoid this model if you think that you’ll be switching cars.
This unit is known for being very hard to install, and you’ll find that it’s more of a hassle if you need to switch from one vehicle to another.
What’s Included?
Apart from the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat, the company has added a removable seat cover to make cleanup easier.
It also includes a V-shaped tether and extra harnesses for enhanced protection.
Overview of Features
The Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat has a lot to offer to both parents and the baby, including:
- Side Impact Protection
The Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat's side protection includes extra shock-absorbing cushioning around your little one's head and neck, which is crucial if you end up getting into a car accident.
The extra padding also helps prevent any jolting stress or movements.
Plus, if your little one loves to move around, the impact protection extends downward and protects their torso and vital organs.
- SafeCell Technology
SafeCell is the type of cushion used between the seating. It’s high quality and high impact that helps absorb impacts.
The foam will squeeze together on impact and then expand back to its regular size.
What this does is offset any pressure that would have been initially placed on your child’s body.
- 14-Position Quick Adjust
Kids grow at amazingly fast rates, which means that you’ll need an adjustable car seat.
Fortunately, the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat works by allowing 14 different quick adjustment positions to ensure that your little one is always snug and comfortable.
The quick adjustments are also hassle-free and easy to use when you’re on the go.
- Seven-Position Recline
Using a rear-facing car seat with a newborn is a must, but having a recline is also an excellent added feature.
Newborns struggle to stay awake, so they need their rest to stay healthy and grow.
Car rides can be stressful, and having a recline can help lull your newborn to sleep while driving.
The Marathon has exactly seven different recline positions, ensuring you’ll find one that's comfortable for your little one.
The only downside we’ve found with this is that you’ll have to remove the car seat entirely to adjust the recline.
- Five-Point Harness System
The five-point harness system of the car seat is suitable for locking your kid in place.
Car rides can be fun and exciting, but also dangerous if your little one slips loose.
It can be a nightmare trying to stop the car while on a busy road to get your child back into the seat.
The five-point harness system ensures that even the rowdy kids won’t be able to slip out.
Plus, the extra harnesses prevent your little one from sliding around in the off chance you get into an accident.
- Removable Seat Cover
We all know that kids need to eat while they are in the car. It’s almost inevitable not to give your little one warm milk or snack as you travel.
With the removable seat cover, you won’t have to worry about complicated cleanups.
You can simply remove the seat cover and wipe it down.
Sadly, the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat's cover isn’t machine washable.
Still, it’s better than removing the whole system just to get the seat clean.
- Specs
The Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat has an approximate dimension and weight of 23 x 18.5 x 23.5 inches and 27 pounds.
When used as a rear-facing seat, the weight limit ranges from five to forty pounds, while as a forward-facing seat, it is between 20 and 65 pounds.
Pros
- Heavy-duty
- Grows with your child
- Easy to clean
- Comfortable
- Adjustable
- FAA approved
Cons
- Hard to install
- Recline only adjustable outside of the installation
How to Use the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat
Getting your car seat installed can be a nightmare sometimes, and this model is especially hard to install due to a lack of instructions.
You don’t need to panic, though, because lots of moms have already learned how to install it.
Instead of wasting your time trying to get the seat installed through written instructions, it’s better to watch how to do it.
As such, here's a video on how to install your ClickTight Convertible Seat into your car with ease.
After watching, and it still takes you a few tries, don't worry since the first installation is always tricky.
Alternatives
It’s no secret that car seats are a significant investment, so it’s not always ideal to go for the top-rated and highest-selling car seat.
Thus, to make this Britax Infant Car Seat review comprehensive and objective, let's look at two other models worth considering.
Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat
If you’re looking for a more affordable option to the Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat, a great alternative is the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat.
This car seat differs from the Marathon in a few different ways.
First, it includes a four-position extension panel that gives extra legroom for growing toddlers.
Second, the model consists of a safe adjust harness system that adds extra height, making it perfect for newborns, infants, and toddlers.
Aside from that, there are ten different headrest positions and six recline levels that are perfect for supporting growing children.
Additionally, this particular unit was officially tested to meet the US Standard FMVSS 213 guidelines.
The unit also features an easy attach latch system, extra storage with dual cup holders, and a machine-washable seat pad.
As per the weight limit, it is from four to 50 pounds as a forward-facing seat and 22 to 65 pounds for a rear-racing set-up.
Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Car Seat
If the Marathon or the Extend2Fit isn’t meeting your expectations and you have a budget to spare, another excellent alternative with all the extra bells and whistles is the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Car Seat.
This model is very comparable to the Marathon in safety. It includes a simple safe adjustable harness system that keeps your child properly secured.
Additionally, this unit features a one-hand operation that allows you to get your child in and out of the car in seconds.
Aside from that, there are ten adjustable headrest positions perfect for growing children and nap time.
The unit also comes with a convenient washable seat cover that you can remove without removing the harness.
As for installation, this model uses the Graco exclusive InRight LATCH system, which has a one-time audible clicking system to get the whole unit in place.
This is perfect for those moms who find that they may need to switch cars.
Lastly, the protection factor is comparable if not on the same level as the Marathon. It features a pure steel reinforced framework that keeps your kid in place.
The extra padding inside the chair also is shock absorbent and will keep your little one protected from any impact.
The Verdict
Overall, the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat is a mid-priced and heavy-duty car seat that is great for parents who want to keep a car seat securely installed in their family car.
Although there are more affordable options, the Marathon's safety and adjustable features will ensure you won't have to buy any replacements in the next few years.
Having a car seat that you can use for years to come is definitely worth the investment!