Britax car sets have a near-religious following in the United States. Renowned for their superior safety and style, there are different models to choose from. You'll need to decide which one works best for your child, your car and also decide on which options you want. The Britax Marathon and the Britax Decathlon are two of the manufacturer's most popular models, and you'll need to know the differences between the two models. They are small differences, but they may be a deciding factor in which car seat you choose.
Function and Safety
Both car seat models have the same safety regulation design and side impact protection. Both fasten with a safety five-point harness that fastens at both the chest and between the legs, and both models offer high-density comfort foam for comfort and cushioning upon impact in the event of a car accident.
Design and Colors
The Britax Marathon and Decathlon have light gray plastic as the base. You can buy your car seat with fabric covers in designs like cow print, floral and basic solids to make the car seat match your child's personality or even your car and personal style. The Britax Marathon, being the more popular of the two models, has more design options than the Britax Decathlon.
Size
The child weight that the Marathon and Decathlon are approved for varies slightly between the models. The Decathlon can be placed rear facing until your child is 33 lbs., after which the Decathlon can be turned forward facing up to 65 lbs. The Marathon can rear face until your child weighs 35 lbs., and has the same weight regulations forward facing as the Decathlon.
Available Features
While both of the models offer padded strap, only the Decathlon has an infant body pillow for greater comfort while your child is still too small for the large seat. Even without the infant body pillow, both seats can carry a baby as small as 5 lbs. safely, but the infant body pillow may make the child more comfortable and less apt to loll her head forward while traveling.
Cost
As of 2009, the Britax United States website lists the Decathlon as being $15 more than the Marathon, which may be a strong selling point for the more economically minded buyer. Both come with the covers and all features. Manufacturer's recommended retail price as of 2009 is $279.99 for the Marathon and $294.99 for the Decathlon.
