We have a Decathalon. We bought it 4+ years ago, its been a while since its been rear facing. We never used the LATCH system. Its only good up to so many lbs, and I always preferred the seat belt method.
We also have a Marathon for my daughter and I do agree with the other response that Britax straps are shorter than most. Much shorter than the Graco Infant seat we used when the babies were newborns. The Britax took some getting used to. Now my son is 37 lbs and still in the Britax Decathalon. He fits just fine.
As far as the HUGS system goes...I'm not sure what you mean. All Britax models come with the extra removable padding on the shoulder straps and the belly pad.
Our Decathalon came with two additional pads that go under baby. Those pads are designed to make the seat more snug for newborns and infants. By the time we bought our Decathalon our son was 6 months old and 20+ lbs. Those under baby pads are to be removed as your child gets older and bigger. We started with only one of the under baby pads. And within 3 months we had to remove it.
If you are still unsure, call Britax. I have called them multiple times and have always received excellent customer service. OR, you can have your car seat inspected by the Police Department.
