Old Britax MA versus MA 70

Hi,

I'm looking at buying an additional seat for my kids - eventually to use RF for my son (6 months) when he outgrows his RA (older 40lb seat from 06) RF (will probably happen by 18 months by height), and also to have an easy to install extra seat for my DD (4.5y) in the mean time. We have enough seats for right now though, so a new one is not strictly needed (yet).

Assuming that I am only looking at Britax (I know there are are other excellent seats, but I'm really looking for an MA versus MA70 comparison here), would you purchase an old style MA (before they disappear) or an MA70? I don't have heavy kids (DD didn't hit 35 pounds until 4 and DS is smaller than she was at the same age), so 35 vs 40 pound RF limit shouldn't be a huge deal (my goal is 3 years for DS).

The reason I love my MAs so much is that they are SO easy to install, RF and FF, latch and seatbelt. I love those lock-offs. How do the lock-offs in the MA70 compare?

The main reason I am thinking about this now is bc I like the old style lock offs etc, and if the old version is easier to install than the new one, then I'd like to pick up an old version seat now before they become unavailable. If they're equal, then I can wait a while. Expiration shouldn't be an issue either way as it would last until DS is around 6 anyhow, and he may well outgrow it by height by then anyway.

I really don't know the Britax seats, but here is a review from the Baby Bargains book which as been so helpful to me:

The seats will feature new technology to lower the risk of head injury to a child in an accident---the "safe cell" design will absorb more energy in a crash, resulting less movement of the seat. Integrated steel bar frames will replace Britax's current plastic frames, to provide more strength.
We got a sneak peak at Britax's seats before they were debuted to the juvenile industry earlier this month. Here are some key notes:

* The new seats will sport higher weight limits but the same names as the old seats. Hence the Roundabout 50 will now be the Roundabout 55; the Marathon, Boulevard and Advocate will now work to 70 pounds.
* Prices will stay the same, which is a surprise. Typically, when a company upgrades technology, the price rises. Kudos to Britax for holding the line on pricing.
* The seats will feature deeper side walls (2") for enhanced side impact protection.
* New EPP foam will run the entire seat. Current Britax seats only have foam at the top of the shell. The more expensive seats will have more layers of foam: Marathon will have 2 layers, Boulevard three, Advocate four.
* All Britax seats will go to 40 pounds rear-facing. And with a top weight of 70 pounds for all but the Roundabout, the average Britax seat will now be able to fit a six year old child with a five-point harness.
* For newborns, Britax will have a new lower harness position (9") to better accommodate small infants.
* The belt paths and LATCH systems have also been improved. All but the Roundabout will feature an auto adjusting harness height (no rethreading) and a quick-adjust head restraint.
* Also new: the seats will have covers that easily remove for cleaning.

I've had a roundabout (40lb limit) and the new boulevard70 so not exactly the same comparison but similar. I will say that the new convertibles are shorter shelled (compared to original marathon). This makes for a great install rf in my small car but if your kids are long in the torso it may not work well for them.
As for the lockoffs the new ones are different from the old ones. They clamp together underneath the cover while the seatbelt is still loose then you pull the slack through them. I don't think it is easier than the old style, but it doesn't leave a mark on the belt like the old ones did. I did not find it difficult to install even in my middle seat with a weird seatbelt set up.
The harness levels are easier to work with since you don't have to rethread them and there are more settings so you never get stuck in that weird in between stage of almost ready for the next setting but not quite there.
For forward facing use I prefer the new models. It has two recline positions for forward facing and one is much more upright than the previous models.

We bought a Blvd 70, and realized very quickly that our 6 month old would not be RF in it for as long as we hoped. He's a tall boy, but the shell is really short compared to most seats we looked at. It was fairly easy to install, but the 4 times we put him in it, he screamed like crazy. He just seemed very uncomfortable. So, we now have a Radian.

I'd probably go with a ma70, given the choice between the two. The no re-thread harness is one really nice new feature of the ma70. I didn't check out the FF lockoffs, but the RF lockoffs are very different than they were. I think there is a bit of a learning curve with either type of lockoffs, but since you're used to the old ones, you'll probably think these ones are trickier. (Someone who didn't try the old ones, or didn't like them, might not agree!) Even so, it's pretty quick to figure them out and once you do, you're golden. Maybe you could go to BRU and give them a try and see what you think. Before you do, check out the article in carseatblog about the lockoffs, and be sure to watch the video at the end!

I have both and like things about both of them. The MA70 LATCH is easier to use because you don't have to switch them for rf and ff. The harness adjuster on the 70 is so nice. It's basically just like the old Roundabout. The original Marathon adjuster is a tug, tug, tug motion and I find it difficult compared to the 70. As for the shorter shell, IMO, it's not that muc shorter. My DD is tall and she has plenty of room to rf in it. She is almost 35" at 18mths old. She wears 2T and some 3T shirts. The shell height is similar to the MyRide height. The MA70 is more expensive, but I got mine for $223 shipped. IMO, go for the 70. I adore mine and want another really bad!

I have both seats and overall I like the 70 better. I like the harness adjuster and latch better. Right now I am using it rf and it takes up much less room than the old MA. The only thing that I hate about the 70 is the cover, it doesn't stay on well. I guess they designed it that way to be able to slide the harness hight up and down and so you dont have to uninstall the seat to take the cover off. Mine is constantly sliding all over the place and it never sits right. Does anyone else have this problem?

Yes my cover kind of wanted to slip off on the sides at first. I told Britax in my review that I thought maybe two more of those little clips would be an improvement. Although the cover has stopped slipping off lately so maybe my kid sitting in it has settled it a bit. I have the plush cowmoo if that matters.

I have an old BV and a MA70. I'd get the 70 for sure. If you plan on using it for 2 kids...then the no-rethread harness will be an awesome feature for switching inbetween. Also, the new harness adjusts 100 times better. That to me alone, makes the decision easy. Plus the not having to switch the latch connectors is another big bonus.

My cover doesn't move around too much, but one side sits higher than the other and so the velcro doesn't line up to its mate on the strap on that side. That drives me crazy. I try pulling the cover back down into place, but it just won't stay.

For the other benefits of the seat though....this is minor