Britax Marathon 70 Vs. Britax Roundabout 55
“What is the difference between the Britax Marathon 70 vs. the Britax Roundabout 55?”
Are you trying to decide between the Britax Marathon 70 and the Britax Roundabout 55 convertible car seats? (To read a complete review of each of these seats, use the links in the previous sentence!)
Here are some facts that outline the similarities and differences between these two car seats to help you make an informed decision, so you can buy the car seat that is best for your child:
- The Roundabout 55 and the Marathon 70 are the same size shell; however they have different weight limits for children. (Incidentally, these seats take up one of the least amounts of front-to-back space of all convertibles – which is a huge factor when parents are tall and the front seat must be scooted all the way back!)
- Both the Roundabout and the Marathon pass the exact same safety testing. There is no way to figure out if one car seat is safer than the other.
- The slots of the shoulder harness on the Marathon convertible are higher than those on the Roundabout car seat, which means it will last your child longer as she grows taller.
- The Marathon 70 features a no-re-thread harness adjusting system, which means that you simply squeeze a lever to raise or lower the harness straps. On the other hand, the Roundabout requires that its straps be manually re-threaded through higher or lower slots when you need to make an adjustment.
- The Roundabout 55 runs approximately fifty dollars cheaper than the Marathon 70 car seat. You can check the current prices on Amazon right here.
- The Roundabout 55 may only be used until your child weighs 55 lbs, while the Marathon may be used by children who weigh up to 70 lbs in the forward facing position. (Side note: Most children outgrow their car seats by height, rather than weight, far sooner than the actual weight limit of the seat.) Both seats will hold children in the rear facing position until 40 lbs.
- The Roundabout does not have the HUGS system on the harness, which the Marathon does have. (HUGS stands for Harness Ultra-Guard System. I have a picture and explanation of it here.)
- The Roundabout does not come with quilted harness pads on the harness straps, which eliminate the ‘carpet burn’ kids sometimes get on their necks due to the strap rubbing against their skin. The Marathon comes with soft harness covers.
- Both of these car seats are rated highly and have excellent reviews from parents.
- Both the Marathon and Roundabout are easy to install and can be tethered rear facing.
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I just found your website, and it is wonderfully informative! Thank you!
I am wondering if you are familiar with the Britax Marathon classic? It is sold at Target and on Amazon for $200. I would be interested in seeing it compared to the Marathon 70 and the Roundabout. Although I may just go with two Roundabouts since I need one of them to be rear-facing and it seems that one works great for that.