Went to carseat check today

Gypsy

Senior Community Member
I went because ds is about 30 pounds now and I could NOT get his Decathlon in rear facing with the seatbelt, it's been installed perfectly with LATCH, but I needed help getting the lockoffs closed and the seat in tight.

I knew more then the tech who was helping me, he had to keep asking his supervisor questions, which is fine, that's how he learns, and it took all three of us to get it installed with the seatbelt, they felt it was a good installation even though it was tipping slightly and reclined a bit more then 45 degrees. So I left, reinstalled it with LATCH, came home and had my dh help me to get it in with the seatbelt, it's perfect now. I was pretty disappointed with my carseat check experience. I think maybe my expectations were too high.

Afterwards I went to Babies R Us (I never get to go there, it's more then an hour from my home) and I played with the carseats, and just for fun I put my large newly 2 year old in the Safeseat1 and HE FITS! Barely, but he fits! He had just an inch above his head, and was at the weight limit of the seat. I'm pleasantly surprised that the seat will last so long!!!
 
ADS

griffinmom

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Why did you need to change it from latch to the seatbelt? Did you change seating positions?
 

Gypsy

Senior Community Member
A few years ago consumer reports did crash testing that showed that the Marathon tilted back excessively when attached with LATCH and loaded with a 33-pound dummy. It was fine using the vehicle's belt. I wanted a seatbelt installation because ds weighs more now, and I am always trying to improve safety.
 

griffinmom

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Ask around here to find out what techs really think about anything Consumer Reports has to say about carseats.

It doesn't have the best track record wrt truthful information about car seats.
 

scatterbunny

New member
In real world crashes, it's highly unlikely the seat would overrotate too much, anyway. There's a front seat to stop the downward rotation of the carseat.
 

griffinmom

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I would feel comfortable using either the seatbelt or Latch installation. Neither has proved to be "safer" than the other.
 

Gypsy

Senior Community Member
I've taken the "better safe then sorry" route many times in the past and will continue to do so, I understand that many here don't trust the testing of Consumer Reports, but what if they are wrong 90% of the time, and this falls into that 10% of the time that they are right? I'm not willing to take chances with my children, if there is even a remote chance that the seatbelt is safer at higher weights rear facing in this seat, then I am going to use the seatbelt.

Oh, another complaint is that the supervisor only locked the lap belt in the lockoff, not the shoulder belt, which I didn't even realize until reinstalled it with LATCH. I walked away from that carseat check wondering how many other mistakes they were going to make, but I am a perfectionist, and anything less then perfect with carseats isn't good enough when it comes to my kids or other peoples children.
 

griffinmom

Moderator - CPST Instructor
As a mother, technician and instructor, I don't take chances with my child either. As mother, technician and instructor, I put no stock into anything CR says about carseats.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience at the car seat check. I assure you there are better checks out there.
 

arly1983

New member
This is my marathon. It is installed using LATCH, tethered, and braced. DS is 31 lbs. I don't see how it can over-rotate.
Picture095.jpg
 

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