Best Reviewed
Convertible Car Seats
- Best convertible car seat Britax Marathon 70 *Est. $280
- Best convertible car seat under $200 Britax Roundabout 50 Classic *Est. $180
- Budget convertible car seat Cosco Scenera *Est. $50
- Compact car seat Sunshine Kids Radian65SL *Est. $230
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- Comfortable
- Easy to adjust
- 65-pound weight limit
- Large
- Heavy
- Expensive
- Can obstruct driver's rear view
Like all convertible car seats from Britax, the Decathlon gets almost unanimously positive reviews. The focus tends to be on safety, but it's worth noting that the Cosco Scenera (*Est. $50) performs just as well in crash tests and costs a fraction of the price. The feature set -- no-twist straps, extended weight limits and side impact protection wings -- is really what sets the Decathlon and other Britax seats apart.
Compared to the Britax Marathon (*Est. $270), the Decathlon has similar features but more padding and deeper side-impact protection. The only consistent complaint about the Decathlon convertible car seat is its weight and bulk. One parent posting to BabiesRUs.com describes the Decathlon getting repeatedly stuck in airplane seats, so a slimmer seat -- like the Sunshine Kids Radian65 (*Est. $230) -- might be a better choice for frequent flyers.
ConsumerReports.org hasn't crash-tested the Decathlon in its latest round-up, but Denise and Alan Fields give it a thorough work-up in their comprehensive baby gear guide "Baby Bargains." Owners weigh in on this seat at Buzzillions.com, Amazon.com, Viewpoint.com and Target.com.
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Our Sources
1. Baby BargainsDetails/Subscribe
Denise and Alan Fields review the Decathlon along with Britax's other convertibles, paying particular attention to how it compares to the popular Britax Marathon.
Review: Convertible and Forward-facing Only Car Seats, Denise and Alan Fields, Eighth Edition, 2009
The Britax Decathlon just squeezes into the top 20 at Buzzillions.com. As with all Britax convertibles, praise for comfort and quality is mixed with a few complaints about this seat's size and weight.
Review: Britax Decathlon Convertible Car Seat, Contributors to Buzzillions.com
3. Amazon.com
Amazon.com has accumulated dozens of user reviews of the Britax Decathlon, but many are quite dated. As with most Britax seats, parents like almost everything about the Decathlon except its weight and bulk.
Review: Britax Decathlon Convertible Car Seat, Contributors to Amazon.com
Owners posting to Viewpoints.com say the Britax Decathlon is comfortable even for larger kids and generally easy to install and operate. Its poor fit in smaller cars continues to be the main complaint.
Review: Britax Decathlon Review, Contributors to Viewpoints.com
5. Target.com
Target.com has over three dozen user reviews of the Britax Decathlon convertible car seat. Several parents here weigh in with negative feedback, which is rare with Britax seats.
Review: Britax Decathlon Sahara Convertible Car Seat - Taupe/Gray, Contributors to Target.com
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