Britax Boulevard vs Marathon vs Advocate Car Seats

Parents want to choose the best car seat for their child’s use for several reasons. Bear in mind that car seats aren’t just seats for kids while they are riding in the back of the car; indeed, they must provide the child with optimum safety features, as mandated by law, as well as comfort and convenience features for both parents and their kids.

Of the dozens of brands offering child car seats in the market, the Britax brand is among the more well-known brands for good reason. Britax car seats are constructed with durability, functionality, and even beauty in mind, making them among the preferred choices of parents.

We've featured Britax car seats many times here at Kid Sitting Safe, including in our Britax vs Chicco; Britax vs Graco; and Britax Frontier Reviews.

This article compares three of Britax's latest convertible car seats—the Boulevard, Marathon and Advocate.

Britax Boulevard vs Marathon vs Advocate Specifications Compared​

​The Boulevard is an outstanding convertible car seat that can accommodate a child weighing between 5 and 40 lbs. (rear facing), or 20 and 65 lbs. (forward facing). Emphasis must be made that the child’s standing height should be 49” or less while the shoulder height should be 9-16.75” (rear facing) and 12-16.75” (forward facing).

Of course, no car seat is 100% safe in a collision or crash but these safety features can reduce the risk of serious, even fatal injuries to a child securely strapped in.

Other features that make the Boulevard a top choice in car seats are the 10-position harness coupled with the 2-position buckle for a comfortable yet secure fit; the 3-position recline seat; and the removable body pillow. Cleaning the car seat is also easy because its cover can be completely removed in one motion and cleaned in the washing machine.

PROS

​The Marathon car seat shares many of the notable features of the Boulevard, with a few exceptions. The main difference is in the design details, such as:

• it has a single layer of side impact protection compared to two on the Boulevard and three on the Advocate;
• you also don't get the quick adjust head protection or the Click Snug & Safe Harness Indicator with this model; and
• the Marathon has a 12-position quick adjust harness compared to 14-position on both the Boulevard and Advocate.
• As a result, the Marathon is the cheapest of the three seats.​

Like the Boulevard, the Marathon has the Britax SafeCell impact protection technology that keeps your child as safe and secure as possible while strapped into the car seat. This is complemented by side-impact protection technology embedded in the shell, which the company assures can absorb crash forces well. The steel frame, with its V-shaped tether and energy-absorbing base, provides the foundation for strength and stability in the car seat.

The bottom line

The Marathon convertible car seat may well save your child’s life in case of a crash or collision. Just be sure to securely strap in your child using the 12-posiiton safety harness to increase the chances of survival, as well as ensure comfort while traveling. Check that the anchors are also locked into place—listen to the click—for added safety; the anchors can also be quickly released in case you want to remove the car seat.

Like the Boulevard and Marathon, the Advocate is easier to install than its apparently complicated design warrants, especially as there’s little assembly involved. The on/off lower anchors can be conveniently connected to the vehicle’s seat with a click, while its release occurs with just a simple push of a button.

Even your young child will like being seated in it, thanks to the 7-position recline. You can adjust the angle depending on whether you want your child to be in an upright or reclining position, such as awake or asleep.

No matter your child’s age and their preferred recline position, you should check that they are securely strapped in, otherwise, the safety features of the Advocate will be of little use in case of an accident, even a minor one, since your child can be thrown from his seat. Strapping your child in should be fast and easy—listen to the audible clicking sound that indicates the safety harness has been secured.

Even as your child grows, the harness grows with them, so to speak. This is because the 14-position adjustable harness can be adjusted depending on their growing size, as is the case for the 2-position buckle that moves outward.

Safety isn’t just the main concern in the Britax car seat; your child will also be comfortable while strapped in, thanks to the plush foam padding, soft fabrics on the seat, and the removable body pillow.