Britax Britax Britax. So many to choose from!

[mom of big kid]

hello!

My girl is about to grow out of her evenflo triumph and I realize I should have just bought a britax then, what a waste of money. The way britax last so much longer than the regular convertibles.... is it really more expensive? The answer is no. I am pretty angry at myself for such a poor purchase. I know it is a good seat, but if you got a big kid you will not get your monies worth out of it.

I can get a marathon, decathlon or regent all for the same sale price. The regent is a monster and I think I will save that for the next seat (we are expecting another kid that can use britax #1). But are the special features of the decathlon really that great? The decathlon I can get is quite ugly, and the marathon is very very cute, so my vanity is holding up the decision I guess. If the extra features really do rock, then I will give up the pretty.

So my question is, those people that have experience with both marathons and decathlons..... what is your opinion on the differences?

Thanks for reading this. I have been reading all your threads and I love this forum.

 

[menfusse]

I have no experience with the marathon, but I have a decathlon, and the only reason I bought it was for the pattern...lol. I think the features are a personal prefrence. The biggest thing about the DC is the infant padding, which you obviously don't need. How big is your daughter? Torso height and weight? Is she outgrowing it by height or weight or both? If she is very tall, and already 40 lbs and you want her harnessed, I would go with the Regent and just get baby # 2 one of the convertibles when the time comes.

 

[Kellyr2]

Which features on the Decathalon do you really like? I know that the ability to adjust the crotch strap wasn't a huge one for me - it only adjusts smaller, not bigger than the Marathon.
If you get a Decathalon or Marathon - how old will the future baby #2 be when you move him/her into it? Would you use an infant seat first, or go ahead and get a Regent and put the infant straight into the MA/DC? If you'd go straight to the convertible, then I'd get the Decathalon because the additional support pillows in there would make it much better for a newborn, IMO. But if you'd be using an infant seat first, I'd just stick with the MA. The Graco Safeseat1 is the new infant seat that goes to 30 lbs. Since you have one that's big, the other one may be too. So you could use the infant seat for a year and then the MA. A one year old (especially a bigger one) wouldn't need all that padding in the Decathalon.

Also, if you'd be going straight into the convertible, I'd consider just going ahead and getting the Regent now. How big is your DD?

 

[mom of big kid]

Thanks guys for your input!

My girl is 21 mos, 36" and 34lb. All her height (like her momma) is in her torso.

My girl will be 27 mos when baby #2 comes. We have a snug ride that we used with #1, that was great. I think we will use it again.

My thought was to get a marathon/decathalon now and when baby #2 needs it, to then get the regent. Kid #1 gets the regent, then #2 gets the marathon/decathalon. The idea of having 2 regents in the car seems like so much.

Seems like after the regent they should be able to go to a seat belt, right? If that is the case then I can get away with only having one regent.

all of this is so confusing, thanks for reading all of this.

The marathon would be good cause it is more portable too, if we wanted to bring it on trips.

 

[Kellyr2]

Either way would work out fine, I think - whether you get a convertible now, then pass it down and buy a Regent then, or buy a Regent now, and then a convertible when the baby outgrows the infant seat. Just a matter of preference, really. And most likely, when the younger one outgrows the convertible, the older one could pass the regent down and be plenty ready for a booster - or possibly just the seatbelt.

 

[mom of big kid]

Thanks for all your help and wisdom. I will get the cute marathon this weekend. I can't wait to have a nice new car seat.

thank you
thank you
thank you

 

[scatterbunny]

Just a few thoughts...carseats expire 6 years from the date of manufacture, so assuming you get a brand-new Marathon, it will expire when your baby-to-be is about 5.5 years old. You plan on moving your oldest to a Regent when baby-to-be outgrows the SnugRide (let's say around 6 months old), which will be about a year from now, so oldest will be almost 3/around 3 when she moves to a Regent. That means if you get a brand-new Regent (with a very recent DOM) it will expire when your oldest is 8, almost 9. Some kids are big enough to pass the 5 step test and do without a booster at that point, but most are not. I know your dd is a big girl, but I just wanted you to be prepared for her possibly needing a booster at that point. Also, the baby-to-be probably will not benefit from big sister's Regent unless you move big sister to a booster when there's still life left in the Regent. Another thought: the Marathon you buy now will expire about a year before the Regent, when your oldest is 7, almost 8, and the baby-to-be will be about 5.5. You'll have to decide at that point what to do for the 5.5yo...move him/her to the Regent that has 1 year of life left, or keep oldest in the Regent for that last year.

Anyway, obviously I've got too much time on my hands (daughter is away for a whole WEEK at grandma's house!), LOL! I was just musing in my head and figured I'd put it all down, maybe it would help sway you one way or the other...towards the Marathon or the Regent for the oldest.

 

[Unregistered]

I totally appreciate your thoughts, thank you. I know there is a chance we might still need a booster, but maybe not. Plus aren't the regular boosters pretty inexpensive? I would rather run the risk of getting a booster than wait on getting a seat. I also hope that by then we won't be as broke and I won't be as bitter about getting another car seat.

A whole week? That is almost enough time to forget you even have a kid! lol Enjoy your time!

 

[mom of big kid]

hey that above post is me, I didn't realize I wasn't signed on

 

[wendytthomas]

I totally appreciate your thoughts, thank you. I know there is a chance we might still need a booster, but maybe not. Plus aren't the regular boosters pretty inexpensive? I would rather run the risk of getting a booster than wait on getting a seat. I also hope that by then we won't be as broke and I won't be as bitter about getting another car seat.

A whole week? That is almost enough time to forget you even have a kid! lol Enjoy your time!

Most 8 or 9 year olds can do well with a booster if they don't pass the five step test. A low back booster is about $15. You can get a high back booster if that's what's needed for $40, sometimes less (the cheapest at Target is a Cosco Voyager for $25, but I can't see the belt guides on it, so if they're there, they're tiny and probably not great, just looking at it I wouldn't put my child in it). Hopefully that won't be a deal breaker when the time comes, but that's something you'll need to look at when your daughter is 8 or 9 and see what size she is, what car you drive, how often other people drive her and how she fits in their cars (just because she passes the five step test in one car doesn't mean she's out of boosters forever, she may not fit in other cars, or even in different rows in the same car), if you want to continue harnessing her, if you prefer a high back or a no back booster, etc.

Bored, Jenny? Man, who's more excited, you or grandma? LOL

Wendy

 

[scatterbunny]

Oh no, not bored at all--enjoying my time! This is the first time she's been away from home for more than one night! It's awesome. I miss her, but we've never truly had a break, so it's really nice. Mark and I actually went on a DATE yesterday. We went to lunch at my favorite Mexican restaurant (that we've only gotten take-out from for YEARS, have not had a sit-down meal in I don't know how long) and then went to the matinee of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

Back on topic--I just felt like I needed to throw that out there--the expirations and timelines/ages of kids, and possibly needing a booster later. Backless boosters (which are fine as long as the vehicle has seatback or headrest at least up to the tips of the child's ears but do not provide any side impact protection) are $15-$30ish, highbacks (which are necessary if the tips of the child's ears are over the vehicle seatback or headrest, but are great all the time because some models provide side impact protection) are usually $30-$100. My favorite is the Britax Parkway ($100, sometimes a bit less on sale) because it was designed and tested for side impact protection and is very cushy and easy to use.

Obviously you don't need to think about boosters for a LONG time to come and by then new stuff will be out there, just rambling again.

 

[Unregistered]

thanks for the booster info. That is a long ways away and things can really change. But $15-100 is way better than $200-250!

I am just glad to get a nicer seat, I ordered it this morning. You guys are all great and thanks for all your help. I was telling dh about you guys and about this forum. How in the heck did you get to know so much about car seats? it is really impressive. I have been overwhelmed by them for a while and I think that is why I wasn't thinking clearly and bought the triumph. I am going to just stick to britaxes now.

 

[scatterbunny]

I know exactly how you feel. My dd went from a Century SmartFit Plus infant seat to a Cosco Alpha Omega 3-in-1 when she was 9 months old. I thought we had picked out a GREAT seat. It was only $100 at Costco and it would be the last seat we would ever need! My dd outgrew the harnessed mode by height at 2.5 years old, 38 inches tall and 33-35 pounds, nowhere near ready to use the seat in booster mode.

That's when I found this board, during my carseat research, and also the BabyCenter Car Safety Tips board and the ivillage/ParentsPlace carseat board (I don't post at those two anymore because I'm on dial-up and their formats are very slow for me). That was in late 2003, so I've been here for going on 3 years now and have learned so much! Everything I know about carseats and vehicle safety I attribute to the wonderful techs and advocates from these boards (especially Darren, Julie, Heather, Jennifer, Monika, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch!).

 

[mom of big kid]

Scatterbunny, that makes me feel better. Now that I think of it I am sure lots of us buy seats that aren't quite right for us. I just hate wasting money.

I just noticed you are in the NW, I am in seattle!

My next challenge is a new car. With #2 on the way our subaru forester is going to be too small. Another bad buy! (it is a great great car, just small) It is hard to be psychologically ready for a mini van, you know? But to buy another car after just getting this one 2 years ago makes me feel like a total idiot.

 

[scatterbunny]

I'm in Tillamook, on the north Oregon coast.

You can get two carseats in the Forester--you could probably even fit three-across with the right combo of seats. Surprising, I know!

I'll never talk someone out of a minivan if they really want one, though. I love them, and most are among the safest vehicles on the road today. I drive a 1994 Mazda MPV with no hope of a newer vehicle anytime soon. I deal with it by reminding myself I had a 1991 Honda Accord before this van and I feel like the van is much safer, even though it isn't a safe van in the grand scheme of things.

 

[scatterbunny]

I forgot to add, on the topic of wasting money--I'm the same way. We got a Nania Airway (combo seat that harnesses to 50 pounds then converts to a booster, awful PITA to use IMO) when dd outgrew the Alpha Omega because we couldn't afford a Britax at that time. It was $100, but a big waste of money because it was horrible to use and we got a Husky soon after. Had to sell the Husky because it was incompatible with the seating position my dd uses in the new (to us) van. Went to a booster for awhile (Britax Parkway) but went back to a harnessed seat (old Fisher Price Futura, only has 2 years of life left and is no longer manufactured). She'll be too tall for that seat sooner rather than later so we'll end up with another harnessed seat, either a Regent or Radian, I'm sure.

I just wish I would have known then what I know now, and gone with a Britax Marathon when dd outgrew the infant seat. She'd still be in the Marathon!

 

[mom of big kid]

I guess they call it a marathon for a reason. I didn't buy the britax last year because of the price-it seems expensive until you realize what a waste the others can be.

OR coast, that sounds nice. Such a pretty area of the country!

I know we can get two car seats in our forester, heck I am sure we can even get 2 regents back there. The problem is when my mom comes to visit. Unless she wants to ride in the back like our dog we have to get a new car. Until 2 hours ago I thought we could stick it out with our car (it is a really good car) but I know there will be NO room with 2 seats back there. It is such a narrow car.

This is our first "new" car (bought used), before this a 87 volvo wagon, and before that a 82 honda civic. Nothing wrong with old cars! We miss our volvo. How do you like your mazda?

 

[scatterbunny]

You're so right re: Britax being worth it in the long run. If you take into account the number of years your child will be able to use it compared to the other seats, and divide the total cost by the number of years, most often Britax is about the same cost per year as the "cheaper" seats, sometimes even less expensive per year.

I guess I never thought of the Forester as being especially narrow because it's an SUV/crossover vehicle, but I guess it is?

I like my MPV quite a bit! It's shorter than most minivans so it's easier for me to drive (more similar to my old sedan). I love that my dd can ride in the center of the middle row (I have a two-seater bench for a middle row, offset towards the driver's side, so the passenger side of that bench sits in the middle of the vehicle). I am happy that, for the year (1994) I got a decent number of headrests: all seating positions except the third row/center lapbelt spot has a headrest. Unfortunately the spot my dd sits in only has a lapbelt, even though it has a headrest. That is problematic for when she moves out of a harness and into a booster. I won't be able to keep her in that spot, then I'll have a crappy lapbelt spot to deal with, where no one can safely sit, even though there's a headrest.

It's been having "issues" lately, though (engine-wise), so I'm not sure how much longer it will last us. We bought it last summer after selling my Accord. We don't have good enough credit to get a car loan so we have to save up and buy used.

 

[scatterbunny]

Oh, and about the Oregon coast being a pretty area: yes, we love it here. Living in such a rural area is a huge downfall, no specialist doctors, not a lot for older kids to do, but I love how slow-paced life tends to be here. I love that Safeway is just a few blocks up the street, that I'll be able to walk dd to kindergarten next year, that the movie theater is within walking distance. I love that the ocean, rivers and forest are all within 10 minutes.

Here's some pics of what we did last weekend:

 

[j4m4d8]

It's gorgeous, Jenny. Worth the trade-off, don't you think?

Julie D.