Car seat safety is one of the most important things new parents need to think about when bringing baby home from the hospital. Car seats can save lives in the event of a minor or serious accident. They also ensure that babies ride comfortably in the car until they have grown enough to be protected by a vehicles’ seat belt system. We tested the Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat to see if it lived up to its reputation as the ultimate in safety and comfort. We also considered factors like installation, portability, ease of cleaning, and overall value. Read on for our insights.
Installation and Setup Process: ClickTight uses your vehicle’s LATCH system
Britax car seats use the brand’s ClickTight system, which has different configurations depending on if you want to place your seat front- or rear-facing. Either way, the Marathon ClickTight tethers attach to your car’s LATCH system anchors. The user manual doesn’t make that clear as Britax calls it ClickTight instead of LATCH, but it’s still the same safety feature that connects the car seat to the physical frame of the car. Using the ClickTight system, we lifted up the padded seat of the car seat as directed in the user manual and ran the tether through. This was pretty easy and left us with two hooks, one on each side of the car seat, that we then connected to the LATCH anchors in our vehicle. We used this car seat in our mid-size SUV. The Britax Marathon ClickTight car seat hooks require a bit of maneuvering to connect to the car’s anchors as they’re shaped like carabiners. We had to get them hooked all the way around before they would engage, rather than just pushing down on an enclosed system with a guide sleeve. If you want to attach the strap to your car’s seat belt system, however, installation is easier. Using the same ClickTight feature, you lift up the seat, thread the strap through the appropriate channel in the seat, and buckle it into the vehicle’s seat belt. While we personally prefer to attach the car seat to the vehicle’s LATCH system, it’s nice to have this additional option. It is also much easier to teach this ClickTight seat belt method to someone who may not use a car seat frequently, such as a temporary babysitter or visiting relatives. The Britax Marathon ClickTight is considered one of the easiest car seats to install for this reason. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded Britax with a five-star Ease of Use rating. Also, when we needed to switch the car seat from rear-facing to forward-facing to accommodate an older child, the ClickTight system made it simple. Instead of having to rethread the strap blindly through the car seat, we just lifted up the seat, turned the strap around, and were ready to reinstall the Britax Marathon ClickTight into the car. Convertible car seats are generally installed and left in the car. But if you do find yourself having to change the configuration constantly due to transporting different children each day, the ClickTight feature can make it much easier to know that you are doing so safely. It would be a great pick for a grandparent or childcare provider who may be taking care of children of different ages on a regular basis.
Age Range: Babies and toddlers
The Britax Marathon ClickTight is a convertible car seat, which means that it can change configurations as your child grows. Some parents prefer to purchase a rear-facing infant car seat that can be taken out of the car easily and used in a stroller travel system. At about 1 year old, however, your child will likely be pushing the weight or height limits of infant car seats and it’ll be time to upgrade to a permanent convertible car seat. For this reason, some parents opt to buy a convertible car seat from the beginning. The Britax Marathon ClickTight can be used for children from 5 pounds (in the rear-facing configuration) to 65 pounds (in the forward-facing configuration). The rear-facing configuration is recommended for children from 5 to 40 pounds while the forward-facing configuration can be used as early as 20 pounds. Just note that there may be state car seat laws that also provide guidance on when to switch your child. Always check the local laws to make sure that you are in compliance. If you aren’t sure, most police and fire stations will do a free car seat inspection to make sure that it is safe. This car seat has a 10-year expiration date, which is important to keep in mind if you plan on using it for multiple kids.
Design: Great for all families
The Britax Marathon ClickTight car seat can be used in two main configurations: rear-facing (for children who weigh less than 40 pounds) or forward-facing (for children who are between 20 and 65 pounds). Like all other convertible car seats, it has a five-point harness to safely secure the child in the seat. It also offers multiple harness and buckle heights, allowing taller and smaller children to be equally comfortable in the same car seat. The ease of adjustability is part of what makes this a top car seat pick among parents. The car seat features premium foam padding for maximum comfort for your child and comes in several different fairly neutral patterns and color options. Our favorite design components, though, are the 14 different harness settings and seven recline positions. We used the Marathon ClickTight car seat in the rear-facing configuration for our 20-month-old and in the forward-facing configuration for our almost 3-year-old. Both were comfortable in the car seat with a few simple adjustments of the harness and we didn’t need to remove pads or rethread it between uses. If you’ll be using this car seat with multiple children, this can save a lot of time and frustration. We are a three-child family, so space is limited in our mid-size SUV. While we could put our oldest in the third row, we prefer to have all of our children close as they’re all still little and need a lot of attention. But finding a convertible car seat that can fit with two other car seats in a single row is a challenge. The Britax Marathon ClickTight base measures 18.5-inches wide, making it one of the narrowest convertible options. We were able to fit this car seat alongside another convertible car seat and an infant car seat in our back seat. This is a huge deal for our family and may be a necessity if you have three or more children in your vehicle. At 28.5 pounds, it’s not the lightest model on the market, but again, as a convertible car seat, it’s really designed to be kept in the car.
Cleaning: Simple, but hand-wash only
Cleaning the car seat proved simple. We followed the detailed instructions and illustrations included in the user manual to remove the pads for washing. They are not machine-washable but were easy to wash in the sink using a mild detergent and cold water. The harness can be removed as well, but we found it was easier to clean it while it was still installed in the car seat shell. We wiped out stray crumbs and stickiness with a wet washcloth.
Safety: Top-of-the-line features
Our absolute favorite thing about the Marathon ClickTight is all of the safety features Britax has managed to work into the design. From the patented ClickTight installation system to the actual frame and materials of the seat, it is obvious that safety is Britax’s number one priority. In the event of a crash, the V-shaped tether is built to reduce seat rotation and forward movement, and the car seat base uses SafeCell technology to absorb energy. Essentially, the base is full of red plastic SafeCell pieces which, in the event of a collision, crumble to make sure your child isn’t rattled. The frame of the car seat is made of steel, while the foam-lined shell also has extra side impact protection. These aren’t features that affect everyday use, but they do make the Britax Marathon ClickTight one of the safest convertible car seats out there.
Price: On the higher end
This car seat retails for roughly $320, which is a lot to pay—especially if you don’t plan to use it in place of an infant car seat. When you consider that you’ll need to purchase an additional booster seat after your child outgrows the car seat, that’s a lot of money to spend for a relatively short period of use. The safety features of the Britax Marathon ClickTight are some of the best available, though. Cheaper car seats don’t come with a steel frame, side-impact protection, or many of the other design features that set this car seat apart. If you’re able to spend the extra money, it can provide additional peace of mind which is priceless.
Competition: Outstanding for safety
Evenflo Tribute LX Convertible Car Seat: This travel-friendly car seat doesn’t have nearly as many features as the Britax Marathon ClickTight. There’s no LATCH system installation or adjustable harness and recline. That said, the Evenflo Tribute LX has a much lower price tag—right around $60. While it’s not our top pick for everyday use, it is a great option if you want a second car seat that won’t break the bank. Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat: We like the longevity of the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 car seat ($300), which can be used as a rear-facing, forward-facing, highback booster, or backless booster seat. It doesn’t have as many safety features as the Britax Marathon ClickTight, although we found Graco’s LATCH tethers made it easier to install. The pads are also machine-washable, which we love. If you want an option that will take you from birth to booster seat while still providing comfort and safety, this is our car seat of choice. Britax Boulevard ClickTight Anti-Rebound Bar Convertible Car Seat: If you want the next step up in safety, Britax offers a similar car seat, the Britax Boulevard ClickTight, that includes an anti-rebound bar that helps stabilize the car seat when installed in the rear-facing configuration. At around $350, you will pay more for the added feature but many parents feel that’s worth the extra cost. All other features are the same as the Marathon ClickTight, with the addition of a second layer of side impact protection. Because rear-facing mode is used for babies from birth through a maximum of 40 pounds, it may provide valuable peace of mind to you to know that your youngest is protected. Interested in reading more reviews? Check out our roundup of the best convertible car seats. The Britax Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat is expensive, but its extra safety features really set it apart from others on the market. If it’s in your budget, spend the extra money to keep your child as safe as possible while driving. It is easy to clean, install, and adjust to make sure your little one rides in ultimate safety and comfort.
