Question Tell me more about the RA50...

I have exhaustively been researching new seats for the kids for MONTHS (literally! we looked for our 4yrold and the new niece/nephew on the way), and I appreciate all the helpful comments and tips on this site. We are now choosing a new seat for our 2nd child (~5mo, 16lbs) and would like some feedback. As much as I hate to say we have a budget, we have a budget (having just purchased new seats for the older one). That said, safety is our top priority. We have narrowed down our choice to include the new RA50 (although hubby keeps mentioning the EFTA; however, we couldn't find height info on the EFTA on the Evenflo website,which is a KEY factor since our firstborn outgrew all of her seats by height long before she hit max weight; our 2nd seems to be following a similar growth pattern, so I have to buy seats for long, skinny kiddos). Obviously, Britax makes a great seat. I can't find any actual reviews (other than the Britax site and a few comments on this site) since it's new; the local stores don't have a model we can play with or test install. I was hoping someone might have experience with it to help us choose. Other recommendations would be welcome. The kiddos mostly ride in the 06 Honda Odyssey, but sometimes Daddy drives them in the 09 Subaru Forester. We are planning on RFing up to at least age 2 and harnessing for as long as possible, so keep that in mind. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks. -Rachel

The Roundabout 50 is the Marathon with different way the LATCH strap attaches to the seat (one long strap you pull on one side instead of 2 attached to bars), no lockoffs, and a lower weight limit. It looks like a great seat.

If you do have tall kids, you might want to look at a radian or true fit. The true fit has the tallest shell, but the radian is very close and has a higher harness height ffing. It'll last the longest overall, but the tf will last a bit longer rfing height wise.

For long and skinny kids I'd look at the True Fit and Evenflo Triumph Advance over the Roundabout 50 or other seats. The top slots on those are both 17.5" (overall height doesn't matter, it just matters about their torsos). The TF has a 65 pound limit and the EFTA has a 50 pound limit. It's a gamble whether or not kids will hit the 50 pounds first. My long and thin kid wouldn't have. No way. The TF is taller and will last kids longer rear facing (two years old is great, but no reason to stop at age two!).

Wendy

DahliaRW said:

The Roundabout 50 is the Marathon with different way the LATCH strap attaches to the seat (one long strap you pull on one side instead of 2 attached to bars), no lockoffs, and a lower weight limit. It looks like a great seat.

If you do have tall kids, you might want to look at a radian or true fit. The true fit has the tallest shell, but the radian is very close and has a higher harness height ffing. It'll last the longest overall, but the tf will last a bit longer rfing height wise.

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Just wanted to point out it is *not* a Marathon. It is based on the Decathlon (just like the FPSVD was). There are 3 crotch strap positions, and the LATCH is the same as the Decathlon as well. Also supposedly has lower bottom slots than the MA/DC/BV.

Chameleon said:

Just wanted to point out it is *not* a Marathon. It is based on the Decathlon (just like the FPSVD was). There are 3 crotch strap positions, and the LATCH is the same as the Decathlon as well. Also supposedly has lower bottom slots than the MA/DC/BV.

Click to expand...

Is there a thread out there with comparisons between the Roundabout50 and the Marathon Clones--and possibly the Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe? Photographs, that is.

I would listen to your dh. The EFTA will last a tall skinny child a good long time. It's a deceptive seat. My very long torso'd son (almost 4 years, just about 40lbs now) has so much shell above his head still in his EFTA that he could still rear-face if the weight limit allowed it.

Thank you all so much for the helpful feedback. I've never had a TF, but the local store has one I can play with, and it seems to be a fav on this site. We have experience with Evenflo (DD1 had the old Triumph, but it didn't have the height/weight max of the new one *only 40#, 40in*, so she outgrew it by height before we would have liked); otherwise, we were happy with it, so the newer models with the higher limits might be great for us. Someone mentioned a side-by-side comparison of the RA50 and all the Marathon-esque seats; that would be GREAT for folks like me who are DROWNING in all the car seat options out there (and the overwhelming marketing targeting us caregivers). I really appreciate that there is a site like this that has actual TECHNICAL comparisons by knowledgeable sources. Thank you all for sharing your training, knowledge, and opinions with the rest of us to help us keep our kiddos safe. -Rachel