Got some multimac questions answered

[christineka]

I thought I'd share in case anyone else was interested in the multimac.

The highest harness setting is 20.5 inches. (Yay- my kids will fit till age 14 or so!)

There is no expiration on the seat.

You must have special hardware installed in your vehicle, so you should get both family vehicles fitted with the hardware in case of emergency. Or carry spare conventional car seats in case another family vehicle can't rescue you. (That is a bummer. I can't see having to keep four car seats as cargo for just in case.)

When they make new attachments (such as an EERF seat) they will be compatible for older model multimacs.

[christineka]

Here's some more:

In the UK, most Insurance companies include to replace car seats after an accident, so it is not a cost consideration here.



In the sort of serious crash simulated by the test programme, which has a deceleration of 30g [such a crash would leave your car wrecked], the Multimac is designed to deform slightly and absorb energy, and you can see this on inspection of the chassis after removing the upholstery.



In such cases the whole seat should be replaced, although, as an exercise, after the final crash tests for the Multimac approval, we crashed the same seats again, and got the same test results!



In a minor crash, there would be no chassis distortion, and I would not think any need to change harnesses [if you are not also changing the car adult belts], but we should perhaps get an American judgment on this.



I have instigated an investigation into a program for approval in America, which is quite different from Europe in that it is self certifying, whereas in Europe you either pass or fail, and if you pass you are protected from any claims. It is likely to take 12 months in all: can you wait?



Best regards,



Kevin

[zeo2ski]

Hehe Christine, you and that multimac! I guarantee you'll be the first American to get one ordered, :D

Perhaps by the time I need one (it'll be that or a sprinter...) they'll have improved the things that worry me. Of course maybe changes will be made before coming overseas, but I doubt anything major.

20.5" top slots, huh? What age are kids outgrowing the Regent by height? That'd be the closest comparison I guess. Just curious how old average kids (and my long torsoed ones) would actually make it because the biggest problem I see with this seat is when the biggest kid outgrows it, you're SOL. That kid would have to move to the front seat, and when #2 outgrows it you'd have to remove it and buy regular CRs anyway. So it may prolong getting a bigger vehicle for a few years, but eventually you would need to upgrade anyway, and in the meantime you will have spent a buttload of $$ on this multimac. Oh and when I say "you" I'm not talking about you, Christine. I so want the multimac concept to work but I can't quite grasp what you do when a kid outgrows it.

[NannyMom]

So... who is Kevin? Who makes the Multimac? What are the weight limits?

[christineka]

I have a 22 inch torso myself. My 9 year old is just below 17 inches. She's got 3 years or so to fit in the multimac. I'm buying a sienna, so I'll have the middle row of captain's chairs anyway. I won't mind having to rotate kids around when someone gets too big. I see the seat working for families like mine with multiple children close in age or multiples. I love the fact that this thing is good indefinately. When we are done with it I can sell it- or keep it around to transport all the grandkids I'm going to have. (With 6 kids of my own I better have a lot of grandkids.)

The multimac harnesses to 80 pounds and 20.5 inches for the harness. I know there are a lot of heavier American kids who wouldn't last in it to age 12. Maybe in the UK kids are slimmer? They've designed this thing with the idea of kids fitting until thei 12th birthday when the law says kids can use an adult belt alone. There are rear-facing cradle attatchments that work with "club" sized births only. They rear-face to 33 pounds I believe. Multimac plans to get some 55 pound rfing attachments sometime later.

I assume Kevin is the consumer relations guy because he's the one answering my emails.

Here's the website http://www.multimac.co.uk/home
You'll have to look around to find sip things for the heads and headrests, but they do have them.

I'm bummed about the idea of having to port around a bunch of booster seats in my cargo area just in case our van breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Of course, by then I could just store 3 backless boosters and a ride safe vest. That wouldn't take up too much space...

[serabi]

out of total curiousity - what's the special hardware required?

[crunchierthanthou]

out of total curiousity - what's the special hardware required?

from looking around their site (http://www.multimac.co.uk/how_it_fits), you add a tether strap to the bolt that connects the vehicle seatbelt buckle to the frame. you can see pictures in section 5 of the manual (http://www.multimac.co.uk/files/88836_a5_child_car_seat_manual_1.pdf)

[HEVY]

Do those infant seat harnesses go lower?

[Judi]

Oh, I could put Tyler back in a 5 point!

[crunchierthanthou]

Do those infant seat harnesses go lower?

yes- you can barely see lower slots on the large version (http://www.multimac.co.uk/images/047_large.jpg) of the picture. I can't figure out the straps on the sides though.

[LuvBug03]

wow, how cool! I would love if they would bring this to the US, if it passes good standards. This would be a perfect option for foster parents I think!(this is me saying I'd buy one in hopes of becoming a foster parent lol!)

[zeo2ski]

Curious how well the infant attachment will fit front to back--doesn't look like you can adjust the recline, but I didn't read the manual yet.