My MA 70 pictures (pic heavy) (12 month old, 2.5 year old, 5 year old)

Cryssy Jane · Aug 27, 2010

Odin: 2.5 years, 30-32 lbs depending on day, 15 inch torso, about 37 inches tall.
He would have already outgrown the MA 70 rear facing

side view:

His head is already above the shell.
front view: He told me it hurt his shoulders

full view: kept complaining about shoulder room.

forward facing: he'd have less than two inches of torso growth until he was even with the top harness position

front headshot ff:

Amare: 12 months, 28lbs, 14 inch torso, not sure on full height.
side view: He'd have about 2-2.5 inches before he outgrew this seat rf

full view:

Zach: almost 6 years, 42lbs, 46 inches tall, about 16-16.5 inch torso.
Showing harness: he's already outgrown this

we didn't bother buckling because he said it really hurt his shoulders:

overall, I wasn't too happy with this seat. The new technology seems cool, but the fit only really worked on the youngest of my kiddos today and wouldn't for long. Also I found those rf lockoffs a pain in the tush. The test seat didn't have latch so I installed via seatbelt and had a difficult time getting the lockoffs to actually lock down.

NebraskaMom · Aug 27, 2010

You know, the more I see pix of this seat the more I just don't like it.

I haven't had a chance to play with one yet, though I'm watching a friends baby next week and might head to BRU for car-seat playing. Lucky for me, this is a friend who is ERFing and won't think I'm (too) weird for this particular errand.

sb518 · Aug 27, 2010

Thanks for sharing!!

NebraskaMom said:
You know, the more I see pix of this seat the more I just don't like it.

I feel the same. I was really hopeful that they would allow the headrest to count as the "shell" but since they don't, this seat ranks along with the old classic roundabout on my list.

I am very disappointed.

Mae · Aug 27, 2010

tumblebug said:
I was really hopeful that they would allow the headrest to count as the "shell"

Exactly. And I have a really strong feeling that parents are going to continue using this seat, even after it's outgrown, for a few reasons.

1. It's THE NEW Britax. It's even better than before. Now featuring... a bigger Britax Bubble!!!!

2. The adjustable headrest (IMO) will cause parents to think that it's okay to keep using the seat RF, even when the child has really outgrown the seat by height. I think there will be a lot of confusion on whether or not the headrest is considered the shell. Heck, I've already seen confusion about this on Facebook! There was a Tech who was telling people that the adjustable headrest is what you are supposed to be measuring in terms of when it's outgrown by height.

3. (Goes along with the above two...) Parents will keep using the seat FF, even though it's outgrown, because of the mixture of the above statements. The headrest moves up, which makes the child still seem safe. Their big ol' noggins aren't hanging out of the top of the seat; they're still "surrounded" by the adjustable headrest. And, you know, it has The Britax Bubble, so why would you want to stop using it?!

Of course, these are just my honest opinions. But I can totally see it happening.

Athena · Aug 27, 2010

Thank you for sharing this. Your 2.5 yo has a long torso, is that right? Still, that is very disappointing.

NebraskaMom said:
You know, the more I see pix of this seat the more I just don't like it.

Agreed. I am seriously disappointed because I really wanted more front seat space, but I wonder if my DD would last in it 6 months. I am tempted to buy an old 35 pound MA if they go on deep clearance because those two extra pounds with the taller shell would probably last her longer .. maybe?

Cryssy Jane · Aug 27, 2010

Athena said:
Thank you for sharing this. Your 2.5 yo has a long torso, is that right? Still, that is very disappointing.

Odin is 2.5, 30-32lbs, 15 inch torso, wears 3T and 4T shirts, 3T pants. I would say his torso isn't that long compared to his general size.

Now Amare the 12 month old, has a little over a 14 inch torso and I'd he has a long torso for his age. He wears 3T shirts and 18-24 months pants. Personal opinion I think just the way amare's grown thus far, he'd never make it to 2 rear facing in this seat by height.

hrice · Aug 27, 2010

Thank you for this post. I am going to BRU to play with them today but will not have any kiddos with me.

Cryssy Jane · Aug 27, 2010

Not a problem. This is the first time with kids I've really gotten to play with these seats. I think if someone has a shorter, heavier kiddo this seat may work for a while, but I don't think it'll work all that great for those with tall, slender kiddos.

arly1983 · Aug 27, 2010

tumblebug said:
I feel the same. I was really hopeful that they would allow the headrest to count as the "shell" but since they don't, this seat ranks along with the old classic roundabout on my list.

See, now I like this seat FOR WHAT IT IS:

Which is a nice seat with shorter shell good for smaller cars but still taller than the old 40lb RA/Advacate BUT the higher weight limit makes it seem like it is more than it is.

IF this seat had been the NEW, IMPROVED roundabout/advocate then I would have said: SHEER GENIUES! A higher RFing weight and shell and taller top slots than the previous version and still compact for smaller cars. :thumbsup:

However, these new, improved verisons of the Marathon/Boulevard have taken a step up in weight limits and new technology and have taken a step back in shell height.

Its very disapointing that they did not take this a step further and make two versions: this currant version and a taller, bigger version but then who knows, maybe they tried and couldn't get the numbers they wanted with crash tests/data starting to come out.

Thats the only why I could make this make sense in my mind.

I am truely baffled. I think that that with the nice fit on small riders, being britax, and nice looking that it will be a favorite pick and alot of kids will be tall/skinny andoutgrow it by height and the parents not know it because of the weight limit (ex. AOE goes up to 100 lbs

) or that the kids will be husky and uncomfortable and be in a booster by age 3.

arly1983 · Aug 27, 2010

Cryssy Jane said:
Not a problem. This is the first time with kids I've really gotten to play with these seats. I think if someone has a shorter, heavier kiddo this seat may work for a while, but I don't think it'll work all that great for those with tall, slender kiddos.

C was 35 lbs and by height could still fit in a roundabout RFing and it was a tight squeeze. I couldn't imagine how she would have looked widthwise in the new britaxes.

Cryssy Jane · Aug 27, 2010

arly1983 said:
See, now I like this seat FOR WHAT IT IS:

Which is a nice seat with shorter shell good for smaller cars but still taller than the old 40lb RA/Advacate BUT the higher weight limit makes it seem like it is more than it is.

IF this seat had been the NEW, IMPROVED roundabout/advocate then I would have said: SHEER GENIUES! A higher RFing weight and shell and taller top slots than the previous version and still compact for smaller cars. :thumbsup:

The manual says it has to be in full recline mode to use it rear facing. I couldn't get it in the captains chair in the van (06 mpv) without bracing on the passenger seat (not allowed).

Also in my subi (06 impreza) I had to push my seat even more forward (and I'm only 5 feet). This seat took up much more room than even radians do in my car. I didn't get any pictures of the installs (cranky kids and whiny grandpa) but I did them quick and wasn't to excited about it.

BabyKaykes · Aug 27, 2010

My kid still fits in the Scenera RF by height, so......KUDOS to BRITAX on the new Roundabout line!

:duck:

I saw the BLVD70 at BRU this morning. Eh...that recline handle was soooooo flimsy. What is going on at Britax?! Though I've never been a fan of anything other than their infant seats.

How disappointing.

Athena · Aug 27, 2010

arly1983 said:
Its very disapointing that they did not take this a step further and make two versions

Yes!

FYI I think you are thinking of the other short seat (diplomat?) because the advocate is the same shell as the blvd, but with air cushions on the sides.

Cryssy Jane said:
Also in my subi (06 impreza) I had to push my seat even more forward (and I'm only 5 feet). This seat took up much more room than even radians do in my car.

I'm surprised, but I guess it depends on the car. It takes up less room in my 07 Forester than the old MA and a radian would never fit in it.

Splash · Aug 27, 2010

Yeah, I had to smash Charlie into it width wise, and he couldn't complain loudly enough. This from a kid who thinks the original MA is the height of luxury.
Even Sam didn't have much growing room. I'd say all around that the seats are major duds. Britax has, I think, finally lost even me. I'd choose it o er a scenera or comfort sport, but that's about it.

snowbird25ca · Aug 27, 2010

I can understand the disappointment, but it doesn't look to me like the 2.5 yr old has outgrown the seat rf'ing, and the 12 month old has over 4" based on a guess-timate of the scale.

It may not be what everyone has been hoping for, but IMO the 40lb rf'ing limits are most important for the young and heavy kids. Right now Britax was losing business because of the rf'ing weight limits and kids outgrowing the seat by weight - especially in Canada where almost all the seats were still at 30lbs rf'ing.

No, a skinny kid isn't going to make it to 40lbs rf'ing in this seat, but they'll most likely make it to an age that's safe to ff. :shrug-shoulders:

The way I look at it, people are always going to be buying Britax because of the name - at least now the people who are intent on buying it for the name are getting a seat closer in line with competitors when it comes to weight limits. Height? Eh, they could've done better. But people bought the old seats and most kids made it to booster age in those - The 1/4 to 1/2" difference likely isn't going to make the difference for the average kid between booster ready and not booster ready.

My daughter was squished in the shoulders in the old MA by the time she was 4 - so some of the criticisms of the new seats aren't new criticisms.. it's unfortunate though that they didn't take the opportunity to turn out something even more innovative and longer lasting.

thepeach80 · Aug 27, 2010

It looks outgrown to me. I really don't think Britax was losing people b/c their 36# 2yos couldn't fit in their seats anymore. If they were losing business it's just b/c people who want to rf will choose something else w/ a higher rfing limit and making the shell shorter isn't going to make those of us in the know change our mind.

snowbird25ca · Aug 28, 2010

thepeach80 said:
It looks outgrown to me. I really don't think Britax was losing people b/c their 36# 2yos couldn't fit in their seats anymore. If they were losing business it's just b/c people who want to rf will choose something else w/ a higher rfing limit and making the shell shorter isn't going to make those of us in the know change our mind.

If you imagine the head flat back against the carseat, and then draw a line straight down the child's head - so the line is basically perpendicular to the shell of the seat, there is definitely more than an inch of shell above the head. If you were to go straight across the head as if to stay parallel to the floor then yes, it looks outgrown. But that's not the proper way to measure for if a seat is outgrown rf'ing. :thumbsup:

And a 30# limit in Canada definitely made them lose customers - people with kids under 1 yr bordering on that 30# limit weren't able to buy them or were forced in to the only readily available 35# limit - the $400 advocate. :thumbsdown: So yes, this is an improvement overall. Not the kind most here were looking for, but to the average parent, the improvements are appreciable.

eta: This thread has clear pictures on how to tell when a rf'ing seat is outgrown. The method used in this thread is the same method that the Britax manuals illustrate. :thumbsup:

monstah · Aug 28, 2010

Just got to read this thread and am surprised it took so many posts before someone mentioned it. It looks like he has another inch to grow.

Splash · Aug 28, 2010

If your daughter was squished at 4 in the old ma, she would have been complaining at 3 or sooner in this thing. Charlie is nowhere near squished in the old ma (or at least not when we stopped using it about 5 months ago) but this thig was tortur to him and he could not complain loudly enough. And actually, he couldn't even sit all the way back, it was that narrow.

SafeDad · Aug 28, 2010

snowbird25ca said:
If you imagine the head flat back against the carseat, and then draw a line straight down the child's head - so the line is basically perpendicular to the shell of the seat, there is definitely more than an inch of shell above the head. If you were to go straight across the head as if to stay parallel to the floor then yes, it looks outgrown. But that's not the proper way to measure for if a seat is outgrown rf'ing. :thumbsup:

And a 30# limit in Canada definitely made them lose customers - people with kids under 1 yr bordering on that 30# limit weren't able to buy them or were forced in to the only readily available 35# limit - the $400 advocate. :thumbsdown: So yes, this is an improvement overall. Not the kind most here were looking for, but to the average parent, the improvements are appreciable.

eta: This thread has clear pictures on how to tell when a rf'ing seat is outgrown. The method used in this thread is the same method that the Britax manuals illustrate. :thumbsup:

Thanks!

This is also true of most other seats. With a rear-facing carseat installed at a normal angle and a poor camera vantage point, it can easily look like a child seat is outgrown by height when it really isn't.

Even when you are there in person it is easy for people to be off by a half an inch with the variations in how people measure.

My MA 70 pictures (pic heavy) (12 month old, 2.5 year old, 5 year old)

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