apparently i missed this update

[rlsadc]

about britax okaying not using the chest clip?

i mean i know the purpose and yada yada, but ive never heard of britax okaying the seat with it...until today.

anyone else?

[joolsplus3]

You have to call and have them tell you so. Lots of us have (called them), but it's not an 'update' per se. There is nothing in FMVSS 213 stating it's mandatory, but people 'like them' so everyone gives them to us (Fisher Price faced a major backlash for NOT putting them on their early seats!). I've been sort of half tempted to take mine off for years now, but they don't bother us, so it'd be weird not to use it, since we are used to them. :whistle:

[chickenman]

i dont get why you wouldnt use a chest clip, isnt there the fear of them flying out of the straps because they are so narrow and so forth?

[snowbird25ca]

i dont get why you wouldnt use a chest clip, isnt there the fear of them flying out of the straps because they are so narrow and so forth?

The chest clip is only a pre-crash positioner. It's purpose, is to keep the straps in position on a child so that in the event of a crash the straps are in the right place. With a properly tightened harness, this isn't an issue in the first place. ;)

In a crash, a chest clip will break open - it's just a piece of plastic, not meant to withstand collision forces. It's the harness straps that keep the child in place.

[racesmom]

My FP SIV didn't have a clip. It was nice on a tiny newborn.

I hadn't heard that re: Britax seats (and think I'll keep it to myself since I deal with enough mis-use). Thanks tho for the info.

[dd9736]

That's something I'd keep quiet, because it does position the harness properly in the event of a crash, not having it would make it a lot easier to make a mistake when putting baby in the seat, especially for someone who doesn't know exactly what they're doing.

[safeinthecar]

I personally keep a list of which maufacturers have specifically told me that the chest clip is a pre-crash positioner, and that taking it off does not affect performance. I work with a lot of special needs children. Some of these children CANNOT use a chest clip for some reason or another. Example, a child with a feeding tube port that the chest clip would rub against.

For personal reasons I have also taken the chest clips off my two Radians. My son is anorexic, so very thin, and the chest clip on the Radians actually bruise him. FWIW, I loved the Fisher Price seats BECAUSE of no chest clips.

Kimberly