Marathon RF - Confused?

[pinkmoon]

I was told by the police and a car seat technician with regards to our infant seat at a car seat check stop (done similarily to a drinking and driving checkstop) that the infant seat is designed to "clamshell" against the back seat in the event of a front impact collision. Now that we are moving to the Marathon seat and out of the infant seat, is the design when rear facing the same, that the seat would go backwards and clamshell in the same way? The instructions in the Marathon manual recommend using a tether even when rear facing, is this correct, is it any safer? Thank you in advance!

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

[skaterbabscpst]

You will not find a local CRST willing to tether your MA RF, but that doesn't mean it's unsafe to do so. It has to do with the wording of the laws in Canada and the fact that there are no designated RF tether points.

You can tether to a non-moving metal part of the seat in front of the seat on which you have installed the MA. the seatbelt stalk for the front sat is often a good place, or the metal tract on which the front seat slides. (Just be sure not to move the seat after attaching the d-ring as you could damage the strap.)

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.