# does anyone have a bigger kid in a marathon? also need recs for booster seat!



## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

I thought it was supposed to go up to 80 lbs but I just don't understand how?







my almost 4yo DS is just over 40lb and is totally outgrowing it! (he really is going to need another seat soon) the worst part is it really seems to bother the back of his knees the most and he gets a rash whenever we go in the car latley from it rubbing him..so weird!

am I missing something here? he's not overly tall I don't think. or are the reccomendations off? (but by 35-40 lbs?)

just wondering!









also what is a good booster seat?


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

The weight limit is 65 lbs, and yes the vast majority of children out grow it by height first. The seat is outgrown when the shoulders are above the top slot or the weight limit is reached, oh and I believe the ears being above the shell is another one.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

The Marathon harnesses to 65 pounds, but the vast majority of children outgrow it by height first. The seat is outgrown when your DS's shoulders are even with the top slots, or the tops of his ears are eve with the top of the shell.

At 4 years and 40 pounds, I would not be comfortable with a booster. I would suggest the Britax Regent, which harnesses to 80 pounds and has very tall top slots. The Safety 1st Apex will also accomodate older/bigger children, and harnesses to 65 lbs.

ETA: Peony, we cross-posted


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

thanks. well that makes a little more sense if the weight limit is 65 not 80! his shoulders are not quite to the slot yet. almost. I think he will need a booster by time he turns 4! (March)

anyone have any good reccomendations? (would like to stay with britax) but would like it to be around/under $300 too.


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

I would prefer only to have to buy one more seat for him. I really don't want to buy another carseat he may only use for a year or two tops, yk? isn't there anything in between? (wishful thinking,huh?)







maybe i can bolster a towel under his knees in the interim.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

The Britax Regent is $260 normally, but there are great sales in Feb...you will be able to get a Regent shipped for about $220. Your son will have a loooong time in that, and after he outgrows that, boosters are cheap


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

thanks for the info!







I will check it out! and DD will probably use it after him anyway before a booster. (I just remembered too that my sis offered to buy DS seat off me for my neice)


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

btw where will the deals be on the Regent? we got our marathons from amazon (via toys r us)


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Baby catalog
Albee Baby
Baby Universe

I think all of these sites had free shipping as well.


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

cool, thanks!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Good info. I would not personally even consider a booster for a 4 yr old. I would also suggest the regent.

good luck!

-Angela


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## silverspook (Feb 20, 2006)

We got our Marathon free ship/no tax from tinyride


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Good info. I would not personally even consider a booster for a 4 yr old. I would also suggest the regent.

good luck!

-Angela


can you mamas tell me why?









my mom and sis are wondering. I just know it's safer, but sound like a dumbass trying to explain something I have no clue about. (I also have a 4.5yo nephew in a booster) is it the shell that offers more protection (obviously) what else? also why are boosters even rec or manufactured for use w/ a 4/5/6 yo?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rainbowmoon* 
can you mamas tell me why?









my mom and sis are wondering. I just know it's safer, but sound like a dumbass trying to explain something I have no clue about. (I also have a 4.5yo nephew in a booster) is it the shell that offers more protection (obviously) what else? also why are boosters even rec or manufactured for use w/ a 4/5/6 yo?









Well first, a 5pt harness is just safer- simple physics. In a crash the forces are distributed to 5 points instead of 3. Making that much less force at each point- make sense?

Beyond that, the older they get, the more formed their skeletal system is and the more able to withstand forces in a crash.

Add to that that in a booster, a child must have the maturity to sit correctly - EVERY TIME. ALL THE TIME. *Most* 4 yr olds still slouch and scoot and go t sleep once in awhile.

Why are they manufactured? Because cheap sells.







:

-Angela


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

thanks!

are there any boosters with 5 point harnesses?







or no such thing? I am not even sure I remember how the booster looks. is it used with just the shoulder belt?

I think I will most definitely go with the Regent. as much as I DO NOT want to buy another seat!







I told my mom yesterday, I'd rather spend the extra $200 and have a safer kid.


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## LilyGrace (Jun 10, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rainbowmoon* 
can you mamas tell me why?









my mom and sis are wondering. I just know it's safer, but sound like a dumbass trying to explain something I have no clue about. (I also have a 4.5yo nephew in a booster) is it the shell that offers more protection (obviously) what else? also why are boosters even rec or manufactured for use w/ a 4/5/6 yo?









Looking at crash videos, the child is restrained much better in a 5pt harness. The force is distributed over the torso better, vs. a shoulder belt, where the child's body is flung out on the side where there is no belt. There's also more of a chance the chlid will wear the belt improperly, putting it behind their shoulder, slumping out, etc. the younger they are.


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## tinasquirrel (Jul 10, 2006)

Just want to give a thumbs up for the Regent. I bought one for my DS when he was 3.5yo. He is now almost 5.5yo and is on the third slot in the harness (one more left to go). He is just now reaching the age and maturity level where I would begin to feel comfortable with him in a booster. He is pretty tall for his age (with a long torso) and I think the Regent would definitely last him until he's at least 7yo. I'll probably end up handing it down to his brother however before then when younger DS outgrows his Marathon. I will be getting a full six years out of my Regent, and have always been happy with it. It is very comfortable for him, and when he does sleep in it (rarely, like on long trips), he is comfortable and not slumped or anything like that. It is definitely worth the $260 that I paid for it and I've never regretted the purchase. It is pretty heavy and difficult to move between vehicles, but I very rarely ever do that.

I am currently researching belt-positioning boosters for DH's car for my older DS. It would only be used occasionally (we only have car seats in one car and sometimes it is inconvenient not to be able to split up the kids between DH and I), and it would also give me the opportunity to begin to teach DS how to sit properly in the booster seat. Observing him will also let me know if he is ready maturity-wise to sit properly in the seat ALL THE TIME. Then, when younger DS outgrows his Marathon (hopefully not for another year at least), I'll have the booster for older DS to move into. I'm looking at the Compass B510 btw.

Another option for a high weight 5 point harness seat would be the Sunshine Kids Radian. It has 19" top slots (the Regent has 21"). It also has a very slim profile, and can be used both rear-facing and forward facing (the Regent is a forward facing only seat). It also has a rear-facing tether, like the Marathons and Roundabouts. I bought a Radian initially for my younger DS instead of the Marathon but it would not install properly in my Honda Odyssey. It does have installation issues in some cars - I have heard complaints about Odysseys as well as Toyotas. A lot of people like the slim profile because they need to fit three car seats across in their back seat. I didn't have that issue with my minivan, and I didn't really care for how narrow it was, personally. It seemed uncomfortable to me. But then again, a lot of people love them and rave about them.


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## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

The Regent will last the longest of any seat. My almost 5 yr. old is in one and I think it will last him until 7, and he is in the 75th %ile for height and weight (although he doesn't have an especially long torso, which is what really matters in carseats). After that I do expect to buy a booster seat for him, so it's not the last seat I'll ever need, but boosters aren't very expensive and I want to keep him as safe as possible at every step along the way.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rainbowmoon* 
thanks!

are there any boosters with 5 point harnesses?







or no such thing? I am not even sure I remember how the booster looks. is it used with just the shoulder belt?

There are 5pt harnessing seats that *convert* to a booster after the child is too tall for the harness. The Apex is an example.

A "booster" by definition, uses the seatbelt instead of a harness.

-Angela


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## s_kristina (Aug 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rainbowmoon* 
thanks!

are there any boosters with 5 point harnesses?







or no such thing? I am not even sure I remember how the booster looks. is it used with just the shoulder belt?

I think I will most definitely go with the Regent. as much as I DO NOT want to buy another seat!







I told my mom yesterday, I'd rather spend the extra $200 and have a safer kid.

Graco has a new seat out called the Nautilus that isn't online anywhere yet and has only been found in a few Walmart stores. It works as a harnessed seat to 65 lbs with higher slots then then Marathon by a good bit then converts to a booster that looks to go pretty tall. I'm planning to get one for my ds as soon as I can afford it and I can find one locally. I think Graco said they are supposed to be in most Walmart stores by the end of January and on their site by the end of the week. Tons of info on that seat can be found here http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=32198


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## LilyGrace (Jun 10, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *s_kristina* 
Graco has a new seat out called the Nautilus that isn't online anywhere yet and has only been found in a few Walmart stores. It works as a harnessed seat to 65 lbs with higher slots then then Marathon by a good bit then converts to a booster that looks to go pretty tall. I'm planning to get one for my ds as soon as I can afford it and I can find one locally. I think Graco said they are supposed to be in most Walmart stores by the end of January and on their site by the end of the week. Tons of info on that seat can be found here http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=32198

Wow! Thanks for the link! This looks really similar to the seat they've been showing in a Cox commercial here (kid is attached to tv show wherever he goes - home, car, stroller..







). I've been trying to figure out which one it was since the straps looked almost like they were going through the seatbelt guides.

I can't wait to see it here. It looks like a great back up seat.


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## tinasquirrel (Jul 10, 2006)

Thanks for the link to the info on the Nautilus. I hadn't heard about it yet. So, looks like 18.5" top harness slots, 65 pounds, then actually converts to a good, tall highback booster, and then even a low back booster later on. All for $149. Amazing. Even sounds like a good installation. Too bad they didn't have this last year when I needed a new seat for my then 3yo!


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

I checked today and he has a good 2" until he will reach the top slot.

so what can I do to make his long legs more comfy?


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