Graco Argos 80 elite vs Britax marathon

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi, I am slightly confused on car seats. I went to babiesrus to buy a graco Argos 80 elite and spoke with a car seat technician who recommended I stick with a convertible like the britax marathon 65 for my kid who is a smaller kid, he is 3 yrs old, 27lbs and 36" tall. What are your thoughts and why? TIA.
 
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Hi there.

Are you going to forward face, or rear face?

If forward face, no point in buying a convertible to use half of it.

If rear facing, the Argos doesn't rear face, so that eliminates that.

Forward facing in harness mode the Argos will last a couple of years longer than the Marathon by height, then turn into a high back booster.

But the Marathon rear faces, which the Argos cannot do.

Wendy
 

henrietta

Well-known member
Hi, I am slightly confused on car seats. I went to babiesrus to buy a graco Argos 80 elite and spoke with a car seat technician who recommended I stick with a convertible like the britax marathon 65 for my kid who is a smaller kid, he is 3 yrs old, 27lbs and 36" tall. What are your thoughts and why? TIA.

Most techs will recommend to keep our little ones rear facing to a minimum of age 2 years up to the limits of the seat, b/c rear facing offers so much more protection in a crash. To our knowledge, there is no reason to think that the added protection is diminished just because a child is over 2 or even 3 or even over 4 or because the child is larger. Since your child is tiny, he can likely fit rear-facing for another year or more. If he's comfortable with that and you are comfortable with that, it's a completely rational and reasonable decision. :) Obviously, though, it is not unreasonable to forward face him at this age. At his size, he can continue to rear-face in the Marathon and it may last him till nearly 6 or older, at which point you could buy him a dedicated high back booster, like a Britax Parkway or Graco Turbo booster. OR you could buy the Nautilus/Argos and turn him...and use it as a booster later.

My oldest rear faced till he was 3.5, when he outgrew our Decathlon rear facing (Marathon clone). My middle child rear faced till 26-27 months, when he outgrew the same seat rear facing, b/c he is tall and really long in the torso. He was only about 35 inches tall, but couldn't rear face, b/c he was too close to the top of the seat. ;) My youngest is still a baby, but I intend for her to rear face to age 3...and then go from there...she may stay rear facing longer. We'll see.

When you're ready for him to forward face, remember to learn how to properly use the top tether and use it whenever it is possible..

hths
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
So here is the full story, I have the 3 yr old and a 7 mo old, my intention was to get another seat for the 7 mo old who will prob outgrow his infant seat soon, he is currently in a chicco keyfit 30 and if I am correct those they can go in until 30" and he is currently 27", but I thought I would get the graco Argos and move the 3 yr old to that one and then my 7 mo old could have the marathon that I already have seeing as he would rf. my 3 yr old is ff.... The car seat tech at babiesrus recommended that I just get another marathon and leave the 3 yr old in his marathon as he is smaller and it would be a safer seat for him, i can prob get them for around the same price as babiesrus has a sale on the marathon.
 

aeormsby

New member
I would definitely pass down the Marathon you have and get a longer lasting seat for your 3yo.

Like PP's said, unless you want to Rearface your 3yo there's no point in keeping him in a convertible. And most kids should stay harnessed until around age 6 and there are very few kids who are small enough to fit in a Marathon still at that age, but the Argos will last that long.

There is no safety difference in Forward facing in a convertible and using the harness FF in a combo seat, a harness is a harness.

Passing down seats makes a lot of sense. Your younger child can use the Marathon until it expires, at that time the kids will probably be old enough to each move up another step, you can buy a dedicated booster for your oldest and move the younger to the Argos at that time.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks for the input, I am going to go back and get the graco Argos as originally intended. :)
 

henrietta

Well-known member
Thanks for the input, I am going to go back and get the graco Argos as originally intended. :)

That will work perfectly. Just remember to use the top tether and that the harness in a forward facing seat should be at or *above* the shoulders (unlike in a rear facing seat where it should be at or *below* the shoulders).

And welcome!

:)
 

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