# Britax Roundabout or Britax Decathlon?



## magnoliasmama (Sep 8, 2008)

We are trying to decide which car seat to purchase for our 7 month old. We like both of these models for different reasons. The Roundabout is compact and comfortable but can only be used up to 40lbs. The Decathlon looks super comfy and can be used from early infancy(for next baby) til 65lbs, but it's a monstrosity. Does anyone out there have any experience with either of these seats? Pros? Cons? Comfort?


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## inky leeuhhh (Aug 2, 2007)

if the decathlon fits in your car, id go with that. the roundabout isn't going to last you nearly as long.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

I would do a Marathon or Boulevard of the Decathalon. The Decathalon only rearfaces to 33lbs, the other 2 to 35 lbs, and they have the same shell (same harness heights).


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## TheGirls (Jan 8, 2007)

I would definitely go with the bigger seats - probably a Marathon or Boulevard, but keep in mind that none of them are likely to be usable in early infancy - the straps need to be below the baby's shoulders when rear facing, and hardlly any newborns are tall enough to get above the lowest strap slot in a Britax convertible. It is a major disadvantage of Britax seats.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Marathon or boulevard

-Angela


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## magnoliasmama (Sep 8, 2008)

Thanks for the replies! We decided against a Marathon because the distance from the back of the seat to the strap that comes up between the legs is very short, even shorter than the roundabout model. We use cloth diapers, so this would be a big problem. We opted against the Boulevard because it seemed uncomfortable for our baby when we sat her in the store model.

We are really only considering the Roundabout or Decathlon and I was wondering if anyone has had good or bad experiences with these models.


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magnoliasmama* 
Thanks for the replies! We decided against a Marathon because the distance from the back of the seat to the strap that comes up between the legs is very short, even shorter than the roundabout model. We use cloth diapers, so this would be a big problem.

No, it won't, actually. ;-) There's a huge thread from a few weeks ago, where I swear at least 40 moms posted that they used cloth diapers and never had a moment's trouble with the Marathon/Boulevard. I'm one of them.

My son still fit in a Marathon at 4, so it DEFINITELY has room! (Granted, he wasn't still in a cloth diaper at four, but hey....)


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## crazydiamond (May 31, 2005)

I actually have a Roundabout and a Decathlon (and a Boulevard and 2 Regents). The Roundabout is, hands down, my favorite carseat ever. I bought it specifically for travel and it works like a dream. That being said, for practical purposes, I'd just get one of the bigger seats (Marathon, Decathlon, or Boulevard). My DD outgrew the Roundabout by height shortly after turning 2, but still fits in the Decathlon at nearly 4. There's not a huge price difference between the two, so you might as well get the bigger one right away.

The seat depth on the Marathon and the Boulevard are exactly the same. The Decathlon has an adjustable crotch strap, but to be honest we never used it. That small "convenience" isn't worth the pain of the awkward harness adjuster. So for me, I'd get the Marathon or the Boulevard, eventhough I dislike the Boulevard for other reasons. So I guess in the end, I'd just get a Marathon.

ETA: Both of my kids were/are in cloth and the crotch strap has never been an issue on any of my seats.


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## nighten (Oct 18, 2005)

The straps on the Decalthlon are different from other Britax seats and a massive PITA to adjust.

I would not recommend this seat for that alone.


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

neither. BV or MA (i prefer BV).

my friend has a Decathalon and after seeing the BV's IRL she returned the Decathalon and got the BV. made NO different in use of space in her car.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magnoliasmama* 
Thanks for the replies! We decided against a Marathon because the distance from the back of the seat to the strap that comes up between the legs is very short, even shorter than the roundabout model. We use cloth diapers, so this would be a big problem. We opted against the Boulevard because it seemed uncomfortable for our baby when we sat her in the store model.

We are really only considering the Roundabout or Decathlon and I was wondering if anyone has had good or bad experiences with these models.

I would never waste money on a roundabout. Your child will need another RF seat. It's a total waste of money. The decathlon only rf to 33lbs instead of 35lbs. Not acceptable IMO.

Marathon or boulevard

or true fit.

-Angela


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

we use cloth diapers also and never had a problem (unfortunately i have a 3 yo still in CD's at 3 and he's near the max of the seat RF'ing).

i know you mentioned you dont want to hear about other seats, but possibly reconsidering your options may save you alot of $$ in the future.

if not, feel free to ignore my posts.


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## nighten (Oct 18, 2005)

Just a note, as a Decathlon owner (and CD user), to say I would absolutely go with a Marathon or Boulevard instead.


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## magnoliasmama (Sep 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
I would never waste money on a roundabout. Your child will need another RF seat. It's a total waste of money. The decathlon only rf to 33lbs instead of 35lbs. Not acceptable IMO.

Marathon or boulevard

or true fit.

-Angela

How long is a baby supposed to rear face? I thought you forward face the carseat after 1 year and 20 pounds. Forgive me if I'm clueless, this is our first baby.

Also, 33lbs and 35lbs are like pre-school sized. Won't the kids legs be crammed up against the adult car seat if the baby car seat is still RF?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magnoliasmama* 
How long is a baby supposed to rear face? I thought you forward face the carseat after 1 year and 20 pounds. Forgive me if I'm clueless, this is our first baby.

Also, 33lbs and 35lbs are like pre-school sized. Won't the kids legs be crammed up against the adult car seat if the baby car seat is still RF?

Rf is 500% safer than ff. Kids should rf as long as possible- to the limits of their carseat. Dd rf until she was 3.5yrs. They cross their legs or hang them over the side- no problem.

-Angela


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

:

If you search around here, there's a link to a page with pics of a whole bunch of older kids RF (I think the page is on car-seat.org). It gets reposted every so often. One of the techs will probably come along and post it here too soon. ;-)

Also, definitely consider the True Fit. We've got one now (in the nanny's car for the baby), and while there are things I don't love about it, it's got *amazing* range. Most newborns fit it just fine with the height insert, and my four-and-a-half-year-old (who outgrew the Marathon months ago) would have room to grow in it, too. It's one seat I could see being the *only* seat a child needs from birth to booster.


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## TheGirls (Jan 8, 2007)

The TrueFit also does have an adjustable crotch strap. We CD (with bulky prefolds) and haven't even moved it into the forward position yet. No problems.

Keep in mind also that 35 lbs is only sometimes preschool age. My not-that-large 8 month old is 22lbs. There are definitely a fair number of kids under 2 who hit 35 lbs, and kids under 2 really shouldn't forward face (even if it is legal).


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magnoliasmama* 
How long is a baby supposed to rear face? I thought you forward face the carseat after 1 year and 20 pounds. Forgive me if I'm clueless, this is our first baby.

Also, 33lbs and 35lbs are like pre-school sized. Won't the kids legs be crammed up against the adult car seat if the baby car seat is still RF?

preschool size if you are going to send them to school! lol!









my 32.5 lb. 3 yo just crosses his legs and or puts them straight up along the seat. RF'inng is soooo much safer. to make him more comfortable, i take his shoes off when he gets in the car and throw them behind his seat. then i put them back on when we get to where we are going (saves the back of my seat from dirt and grime also). yeh, its a bit more work and i have a 3 month old so its not like he's the only one i have to deal with. the work, though, is worth it IMHO b/c he's safer. period.


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## magnoliasmama (Sep 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TheGirls* 
The TrueFit also does have an adjustable crotch strap. We CD (with bulky prefolds) and haven't even moved it into the forward position yet. No problems.

Keep in mind also that 35 lbs is only sometimes preschool age. My not-that-large 8 month old is 22lbs. There are definitely a fair number of kids under 2 who hit 35 lbs, and kids under 2 really shouldn't forward face (even if it is legal).

Our baby is pretty small for her age. She is also eight months and only sixteen pounds (if that).


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## Brigio (May 18, 2008)

Please look up exteneded RFing and consider getting a carseat that will allow you to do so. Radian, Marathon, True Fit and Evenflo Triumph Advance are all good options that range in price.


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magnoliasmama* 
Our baby is pretty small for her age. She is also eight months and only sixteen pounds (if that).

That's great... that means she can probably stay RF a lot longer. We had to turn our DS1 around at just over 2; I'm hoping his brother can stay RF until 3 or later... not sure, since while he seems to be lighter, he also seems taller! But we've got a True Fit this time, which I think will RF longer than a Marathon by height. (DS1 was only 31 lbs. when we turned him, but looking back at pics, I think he was at the height limit for rear-facing anyway... I'd been feeling guilty about turning him before we absolutely had to by weight.)


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## kgrace (May 3, 2007)

I have an 8 month old who is no more than 18 pounds.
My husband has a Roundabout in his car anything else would be too big and he's happy with it.
I have a Boulevard in my subaru but I wish I went for a Marathon instead b/c it's a bit too big, but both Britax are comfortable for her. She hated the bucket carseat.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kgrace* 
I have a Boulevard in my subaru but I wish I went for a Marathon instead b/c it's a bit too big, but both Britax are comfortable for her. She hated the bucket carseat.

Boulevard and marathon are the same size









-Angela


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## BarnMomma (Dec 12, 2008)

I hope it's not too late to add in my 2 cents but we have been having our local fire department um, officer, I guess I would call him, installing our car seats and he said that the Boulevard is hands down the best car seat you can own. He's installed every make and model out there and said this is the only one he'd put his kids in.

We've had it since DS was 13 mo and we LOVE it and he loves it. Big, roomy, easy to use and most of all safe.


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## jillmamma (Apr 11, 2005)

My DD is preschool aged (and IN preschool) at 3.5 (35ish inches and 26ish lb, so definitely runty for her age) and is still RF in her Decathlon.







We got it as a gift for her first birthday from MIL and FIL, so have had it 2.5 years. She still has quite aways to go to outgrow it either RF or FF (at least 6+ inches of shell above her head and 2nd from bottom slot are just barely below her shoulders). As for her legs, she sits cross-legged, legs spread out, or bowed around in a diamond shape. She likes being able to have her (soft) baby doll sit right in front of her facing her too without it falling off like it would if she was FF. As far as the seat itself, we have been pretty happy with it the last couple of years, and when using LATCH in DH's car (the one I drive is pre-LATCH) it is easy to install. Yes, the shell is taller than the Roundabout, but with an older infant or toddler that can hold up their heads well, it can be put in more upright too (that is what we do with her) so it does not take up as much space.

We also had a Marathon for DS till he outgrew it. To be honest, the crotch strap never was an issue, and even now we have not needed to adjust it at all for DD. So I don't think you could go wrong with either a Marathon, Decathlon or Boulevard.


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## kgrace (May 3, 2007)

Boulevard costs 50.00 more and has side impact walls and head support protectors that make it look more bulky than a Marathon. They have the same weight capacity.


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kgrace* 
Boulevard costs 50.00 more and has side impact walls and head support protectors that make it look more bulky than a Marathon. They have the same weight capacity.

yeh, they may look different but they have the same shell.


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## BellaClaudia (Aug 1, 2008)

It is amazing how quickly they grow and beofore you know it you need to upgrade 300$ car seat.. so I would go with biggest provided safety issueas are fulfilled for the tinny kid in it.


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## riverscout (Dec 22, 2006)

We have a Roundabout and love it. If you need a more compact seat, I highly recommend it.

I bought it when my daughter out grew her infant seat at about 4 or 5 months. We had a small car at the time and it fit so much better than one of those gigantic ones.

The Roundabout worked for her till she was almost 40 months, 37 pounds, and 39 inches. We just upgraded her this week to a Britax Frontier. She was maxing out on height, and we needed the seat for my son anyway, so it worked out perfectly.


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## Jilian (Jun 16, 2003)

We have a decathalon for the new baby. We also have 2 Marathons for the older two kids. I love Marathons but they just aren't suitable for newborns - not even close. For DS2 we had to use a bucket until he reached 12 lbs and he was still pretty lost in the Marathon. The Decathalon has a lot of extra padding and inserts to help a smaller baby fit more safely. So if you are deciding between a Roundabout or a Decathalon I'd go with Decathalon. Or I'd do a bucket then a Marathon. DS1 will be 6 this week and still fits into his Marathon.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

DD2 outgrew her Roundabout RF'ing at 16 months, at which point she was 18 pounds. It would have been a total waste had we bought it thinking it would last us until 4+ years, but we knew we would replace it sooner rather than later, and I loved it while we had it. She went from that into a MA and EFTA.


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## riverscout (Dec 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
DD2 outgrew her Roundabout RF'ing at 16 months, at which point she was 18 pounds. It would have been a total waste had we bought it thinking it would last us until 4+ years, but we knew we would replace it sooner rather than later, and I loved it while we had it. She went from that into a MA and EFTA.

I just read a thread yesterday with someone who had a similar experience. She had a child outgrow it RF at about a year. Out of curiosity, I went back and found a picture of my daughter in her seat at about a year and she had several inches, probably over 3 (top of head below the tag), above her head and there only needs to be 1. I think she must have been all leg.









Anyway, we did turn her FF before she reached the RF weight limit because it made her so much happier, and I didn't fully understand the risk. I knew RF was safer, but didn't realize it was 500% safer. So anyway, I don't know how long it would have lasted RF. We will use it RF as long as possible with my son, then get him something he can stay RF till the weight limit. Thank goodness he doesn't mind RF unlike his sister, and we have a bigger car this time.









So basically, after much rambling, I revise my recommendation to say if you are planning on using the seat RF to the weight limit, which is the safest choice, you probably won't be able to, that is unless you have a kid with a really short torso.


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## MariesMama (Sep 26, 2008)

Riverscout - that mama was me! DD is 32.5 inches as of her one year WBV today. She is literally half my height at 12 months old.

MagnoliasMama - I do like the Roundabout, but really would not get it unless you AND your husband AND everyone in your entire family are very short. It is a great seat but the back is just not tall enough for tall babies. YMMV, though. I really can't make any recommendations though, as I haven't gotten a new seat yet.


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## urchin_grey (Sep 26, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *magnoliasmama* 
How long is a baby supposed to rear face? I thought you forward face the carseat after 1 year and 20 pounds. Forgive me if I'm clueless, this is our first baby.

Also, 33lbs and 35lbs are like pre-school sized. Won't the kids legs be crammed up against the adult car seat if the baby car seat is still RF?

Oh gosh no. That's just the legal minimum - which haven't yet caught up to the current recommendations. My DS is almost 4 and still RF'ing. His legs aren't crammed at all, he just folds them a little bit.

Oh, and I'd either go with the MA or BLVD as well. Or better still, the True Fit. That's what we are replacing DS's Scenera with.


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## DocsNemesis (Dec 10, 2005)

Not trying to dig up an old thread, but I'm staying clear of several models of Britax due to the adjustment flap thingie (you know, the metal thing under the flap of fabric) being accessible by toddlers. I know of several people who had to change carseats once their toddler figured out how to pull up on it. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a bigger carseat!

I'm sticking with the ones with the button adjustment. Its harder for a toddler to reach and push.


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## pixels99 (Jul 8, 2009)

The metal flap design is extremely common on carseats, across brands. Depending on where it is located on the seat, a child might not be able to reach it with the harness properly tightened. Some children never care to mess with it. Britax has a toddlerproofing kit, I'm told, and they have moved the harness adjuster on newer models because of this. If all else fails, you can sew the flap in the cover shut so that it is inaccessable to the child, and leave the harness set at the proper adjustment, only adjusting as growth requires.


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## Michelle Renee (Dec 31, 2005)

I have both

I would have never bought the roundabout if I would have known what I know now. I like the decathalon because it worked well when the girls were tiny because of the infant insert and now at 3 my oldest can still ride in it forward/and rear facing. It is easy to get a good install both with latch and a belt.

It seems to have more versatlity than the roundabout -the roundabout is tiny especially for extended rear facing.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jilian* 
We have a decathalon for the new baby. We also have 2 Marathons for the older two kids. I love Marathons but they just aren't suitable for newborns - not even close.

Yeah, but the problem is that the Roundabout has exactly the same bottom strap harness height as the Marathon, so they don't fit newborns any better than Marathons do.


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