Britax Roundabout

[5Phillips_family]

Alright we purchased a Britax roundabout for our middle child. We LOVED how big and cushy these seats are, however, when we actually put our son in this seat we realized he is WAY TO TALL! :eek: At 2 years old he is to tall for the roundabout. Now I understand he is a tall child but he is well within the weight perameters I had no idea he wouldn't fit. There are no height suggestions on this seat that we could find, so just incase any of you are thinking of purchasing this seat, be wary if you have a tall child. We are saving this seat for our third child, maybe she can use it for her forward facing, since you CAN NOT use the roundabout for a rear facing car seat. We really had no idea about that. Next time I think we will purchase the marathon instead. Kind of an expensive mistake at almost 200$. :(

[morrissey]

According to the Britax website the Roundabout is rear-facing from 5-33pounds or up to one year old.

http://www.britaxusa.com/products.cfm?action=ShowProduct&pro_id=6DF8B039-B6D7-4461-A597367E0C5B9295

I would like to know where you are getting your information from.

The only seat (non-booster) that Britax sells that does not have a rear-facing option is the Regent.

james

[Susan in MI]

We used our RA rearfacing until dd's head was about 1 inch from the top of the shell. Britax told me I could use it rearfacing until her head was even with the shell, but I wasn't comfortable with that. It took her to age 3 rearfacing. She will be 5 in less than 3 months and would still fit forward facing, but I gave the seat away. We miss it, we loved that seat!

My dd is rather petite. Your ds must be very long torsoed to be too tall already. Are his shoulders above the top slots? Are the tips of his ears above the shell?

The Marathon is really a better deal. My middle dd got 3 more years use out of the MA after she got too tall for the RA. Unfortunately, nearly every seat made is outgrown in height before weight for most kids.

[scatterbunny]

Yes, the Roundabout is most definitely a rear-facing AND forward-facing seat. It should say so right on the seat's stickers, and in the manual. :)

Is your middle child's shoulders over the top slots of the seat?

It is actually very common for kids to be too tall for a seat before reaching the weight limit; the vast majority of kids outgrow the vast majority of harnessed seats by height before weight.

Most 40 pound weight limit seats lasted my tall girl to 30-35 pounds and then she was too tall (shoulders over top slots). The 65 pound weight limit convertibles by Britax were outgrown around 45 pounds, she may have a smidge of room left in a Sunshine Kids Radian now, but I can't be positive.

Saving a seat for future use is not very cost-effective because seats expire six years after they are manufactured; if you can't get use out of it now, I'd try to return it or sell it to recoup some of the cost and get a more appropriate seat for your current needs.

However, your baby can rear-face in the Roundabout.

[broken4u05]

Yeah the roundabout is RF to 33 pounds just not as liked because it is shorter than the MA.

[broken4u05]

It is RF to 33 pounds just like the other seats MA, RA, BV but has a shorter shell so most people do not buy them

[flipper68]

I've wondered that about the Roundabout, just like the Safe Seat 2. It doesn't seem like a good investment.

If I was the OP, I would return it and look at the MA.

At a check up event recently, I did a very non tech thing: I told parents who stated they had researched seats (good 'ol consumer reports I think) that since their 4/5 mon. was at/over 20 lbs. - just a big guy, they might want to consider the MA for additional harness weight and height.

For about $50 more than the Roundabout, you get other 25 lbs and several inches w/an MA.
The Safe Seat is only useful for 5-10 pounds, assuming you are keeping your child RF for as long as the seat will allow.

[twokidstwodogs]

I have two Roundabouts and two Marathons. While it's certainly true that the Roundabouts are outgrown faster rearfacing, they did take my 97th percentile tong-torsoed daughter frontfacing to just past her third birthday. (Of course, I had to buy Marathons then!) The harness adjuster is easier to use than the MA's, and they are just awesome for travel--so much better than the Marathon.

I don't think they're a total waste of money. Maybe more like a luxury for the car seat collectors among us. (I'm glad I can keep switching back and forth between RAs and MAs, depending on my needs. Right now DD is RF in a Marathon because she is closing in on the 30 lb weight limit on our older RAs. But she'll go back in the RA FF until she outgrows that, just because I like the seat better.)

[lovemyfamily]

Alright we purchased a Britax roundabout for our middle child. We LOVED how big and cushy these seats are, however, when we actually put our son in this seat we realized he is WAY TO TALL! :eek: At 2 years old he is to tall for the roundabout. Now I understand he is a tall child but he is well within the weight perameters I had no idea he wouldn't fit. There are no height suggestions on this seat that we could find, so just incase any of you are thinking of purchasing this seat, be wary if you have a tall child. We are saving this seat for our third child, maybe she can use it for her forward facing, since you CAN NOT use the roundabout for a rear facing car seat. We really had no idea about that. Next time I think we will purchase the marathon instead. Kind of an expensive mistake at almost 200$. :(

I believe that it says on the side of the seat, the height maximums, or maybe that is on the MA. I would say in the manual for sure.

[flipper68]

I believe that it says on the side of the seat, the height maximums, or maybe that is on the MA. I would say in the manual for sure.


All seats have minimum/maximum height/weight on the label of the seat (and in the manual). However, as you will frequently see on this forum, while weight limits are absolute, height is not - it is a guide.

As long as the child fits the harness correctly and their ears are not above the shell of the seat (ff), or there is about 1 1/2" of shell above their head(rf), the seat may be used even if the child is taller than the label states.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[flipper68]

I believe that it says on the side of the seat, the height maximums, or maybe that is on the MA. I would say in the manual for sure.

Correct, every seat has a label (and a manual) that states height and weight range for the occupant. However, as is frequently discussed on this formum, weight ranges are absolute, but height is not. If a child fits correctly:

Harness slot at or above shoulders, ears are not above the shell (ff)
Harness slot at or below shoulders, 1 1/2" of shell above their head (rf)the seat is appropriate for the child. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->