Britax Roundabout VS Marathon

Car seats are one of the main items purchased on a baby registry. Why? The answer is simple. It is because they are required to keep your child secure and safe while in a mobile vehicle.  Your child will require a car seat until they are of age, weight, and height to sit without one. Britax Roundabout VS Marathon convertible car seats are two options we are going to compare and tell which one will well meet all of your baby’s vehicle safety needs!

Britax Brand

Britax Roundabout and Marathon car seats are both made and protected by Britax brand name. Britax has been protecting families for over 70 years. Their focus is driving safety, smart design, and creating products that exceed “good enough” expectations.

SafeCell Impact Protection: Superior Protection, Only from Britax

Britax Roundabout VS Marathon Comparison

Britax Roundabout VS Marathon Seat

When comparing the seat features of Roundabout and Marathon, we must look at the overall design, comfort and safety.

Britax Roundabout convertible car seat has two options of forward facing and rearward facing. The rearward facing option is capable for children 5 pounds to 40 pounds in weight and the forward facing is for children that are 20 pounds to 55 pounds in weight. The Roundabout car seat can be reclined into three different positions. This seat option also has a 2-position buckle which can be quickly adjusted and easily moved as your child grows. The removable body pillow is a great way to add comfort while your child is small and it can be easily detached when your child is too big for it. Finally, Britax has included foam padding and fabric that completes your child’s comfort.

Britax Marathon convertible car seat has the same options of forward facing and rearward facing as Roundabout car seat. Marathon car seat is also able to be reclined into three different positions and is fully equipped with the 2-position buckle system, removable body pillow, as well as the foam padding and fabric for added comfort. However, unlike Roundabout car seat, Marathon convertible car seat has a 10-position harness which can be adjusted as the child grows.

Britax Roundabout VS Marathon Safety

When comparing the safety features of Roundabout and Marathon, we must look at every aspect of security that the seat has to offer your child.

Both convertible car seats have been designed with side impact protection inside of the shell. They both have an impact-absorbing base which reduces the powerful force of an accident. They each are created with an impact stabilizing steel frame which adds strength and security to the overall design. The V-shaped tether has a two strap design that reduces possible seat rotation. Britax has also built these seats with their patented staged-release stitches which minimizes the amount of movement that the seat would do in the event of a crash. Both seats have on/off lower anchors which safely lock the toddler seat in its place. Finally, these options have been built, designed, and tested in the USA! Their overall safety is very similar except the impact-absorbing harness pads that are included in the Marathon design.

Colors

When comparing the color options for Britax Roundabout vs Marathon convertible car seats, we are able to choose the car seat which is not only safe but appealing as well.

Britax Roundabout car seat comes in four different combinations of color and pattern. These options include:

• Solid gray and solid black
• Spotted gray and solid black
• Stripped black and solid gray
• Patterned gray and solid black

Britax Marathon car seat comes in ten different combinations of color and pattern. These options include:

• Domino (gray pattern and solid black)
• Kiwi (solid green and solid black)
• Pink Giraffe (pink giraffe print and solid gray)
• Silver Cloud (pattern light gray and solid gray)
• Onyx (pattern dark gray and solid black)
• McCoy (pattern white and solid dark gray)
• Nantucket (pattern white, solid blue, and solid black)
• City Dots (pattern light gray and solid black)
• Summit (solid black and solid light gray with yellow lining accent)
• Confetti (Pattern pink and solid black)

Britax Roundabout VS Marathon Accessories

When comparing the accessories of Roundabout and Marathon convertible car seats, we must look at the types of accessories as well as their potential usefulness.

Britax Roundabout accessories include:

• The convertible child cup holder
• The car seat travel bag
• The car seat travel cart
• Kick Mats
• The head and body support pillow
• The EZ-cling window shades
• The vehicle seat protector
• A back seat mirror
• The EZ-buckle belly pad
• The seat saver waterproof liner

Britax Marathon accessories include:

• The car seat travel bag
• The car seat travel cart
• Kick Mats
• The head and body support pillow
• The EZ-cling window shades
• The vehicle seat protector
• A back seat mirror
• The EZ-buckle belly pad
• The seat saver waterproof liner

The Awards

When comparing the awards for Britax Roundabout vs Marathon car seats, we see that each option has been recognized for one feature or another.

Britax Roundabout convertible car seat has been recognized by the Baby Gear Lab with the Best Value Award.

Britax Marathon convertible car seat has been granted with the Baby Gear Lab Editor’s Choice Award, the Mom’s Picks Award of 2014 and the Safewise Recommended Best Car Seats of 2016 Award.

The Warranty

There is no comparison between Britax Roundabout and Marathon convertible car seats as far as the warranty is concerned. Britax is the manufacturer of both car seat options and offers the same warranty for both. The warranty is limited for one-year from the date of purchase. For the warranty to be effective, the owner must be able to provide proof of purchase. The warranty states that the Britax Company will offer repair items or replacement parts for their products. However, the warranty does not include any damages that are caused by negligence, misuse of the product or by the owner not following the instructions.

The Rating

The comparison of product ratings for Britax Roundabout vs Marathon convertible car seats is minimal. The ratings for each car seat option are as follows:

Britax Roundabout Convertible Car Seat	Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat
Overall: 4.6 out of 5 stars	Overall: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Impact Protection: 4.8 out of 5 stars	Impact Protection: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Ease of Use: 4.6 out of 5 stars	Ease of Use: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall Comfort: 4.6 out of 5 stars	Overall Comfort: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Appearance: 4.7 out of 5 stars	Appearance: 4.7 out of 5 stars

The Cost

The cost of Britax Roundabout vs Marathon convertible car seats may be one of the most important aspects of your decision making.

The Britax Roundabout convertible car seat option usually runs about $179.99 whereas the Britax Marathon convertible car seat runs $289.99.

Overall, Britax Roundabout and Marathon convertible car seats are rather comparable. Various features and details are similar. However, there are a few that are different. These differences could sway your decision one way or another. For example, if you would like a car seat that is both safe and fashionable then you may be interested in the Marathon car seat. However, if you are more interested in a car seat that is safe and budget-friendly, then you may be drawn to the Roundabout car seat.

You can also check out our articles about the comparison between Britax Marathon vs Boulevard, Britax Advocate VS Marathon.