Question Britax Fixway question

[wendytthomas]

I "checked" a lady's seats today (her Boulevard didn't need checking, she just had questions, no one uses it yet, and her other seat was the Fixway, which of course I can't legally check). Her 2y3m 30 pound son is in a Britax Fixway. She added shoulder straps from BRU to the seat when he was a baby (no thicker than Britax's, so no big deal to me), and she bought HUGS and a Britax chest clip to use with it. They found that the harness was pulling off his shoulders. I told her that meant that the harness needed to be moved up, but the chest clip was not used in Belgium (where the seat was bought, her husband is Belgian). However, they're both Britax items. And Britax UK has HUGS like items on some of their seats. Is it ok to add HUGS and the chest clip to a Belgian Fixway? We weren't certain who to call on that one.

Also, does anyone know about head height and when it's outgrown? The manual doesn't say anything. I know I've seen pictures of kids in these with their heads over the top, so is it the tips of the ears? Plus there's a slot up really high, and this is a rear facing only seat.

Of course I had to snap pics of Piper in one. If her head is allowed to go over the top she could still easily rear face in this. She'd have about two inches of torso left (another entire slot higher!), and four solid pounds.

(and yes, I know she's in her sleeper. Nevermind this was at 4 p.m. in a town a half hour from us. In her defense, that's NOT what she slept in last night, she changed into that this morning.)






Wendy

[Mommy2Marcus]

I have no clue about this seat, I just wanted to say I want one! It looks really cool! I would LOVE to be able to RF Marcus in one of those & get all the funny crazy looks!

[Mama!]

Wow! What about her feet? Would they normally dangle down the front of the seat like that?

[canadianmom2three]

That's the greatest thing about those RF seats, they have room for bigger kiddo's feet! Imagine, that would be the end of the "their feet are all scrunched up" argument! Cool seat

[BookMama]

I'm not very familiar with this seat, so I don't know about the RF height limit, but I would have to say no to the HUGS and chest clip. It would be like adding HUGS to, say, a Companion with the justification that Britax makes it, and Britax adds HUGS to some of their seats, so it must be OK.

It probably wouldn't hurt anything, but still, I wouldn't do it.

[BW1426]

I would think that the chest clip would be okay, but I'm not sure about the HUGS. I wouldn't think it would make a difference, but you never know. The chest clip is just a pre crash positioner and just serves the purpose of making sure the harness straps are correctly positioned....kwim?

[canadiangie]

Hi,

So what you're saying is some UK Britax seats that are rf only have HUGS?? That seems odd to me (not saying you're wrong btw) because I can't really see the HUGS doing much during a collision -- since it's a rf only seat. And while it's not ideal that she "rigged" up her seat a bit, I don't think the HUGS or even the chest clip would be dangerous during a collision. The HUGS probably help to keep the chest clip where it should be, and the chest clip being a pre-crash harness positioner helps to keep the harness on his shoulders. The most important thing (which you probably mentioned) is a very snug harness, and a harness at or below his shoulders. And then of course a correct install, which I cannot help with at all other than to say I'm in with those rf tethers, and I assume it's more of an Isofix install... like the same as LATCH, but sort of different...??

As for the tips of the ears question, yes, I'd assume that would be the cut-off -- esp with there being such tall top slots for a rf only seat that allows use up to, um, whatever high number it is (50lbs? 55lbs??).

Piper looks great in her jammies lol. I have a 2y/o that LIVES in her "yammies" by choice. I say who cares. If they're clean and they're happy, then that's what's important.

[Adventuredad]

I assume this is the "Swedish" Fixway so I took a look at the manual. Doesn't say anything about head height. Very strange.

Normally, Britax over here recommends changing seat if 1/3-ish of the head is above the rear of the seat. That usually means when ears are starting to show above/getting-close-to back of seat.

As you all probably know seat is good until 18 kg, about 40 lbs. Straps should be slightly above shoulders.

I personally can't see a problem with the HUGS although I've never felt a need for them. Chest clip is fairly unimportant when riding rf with non-infants. I don't really see much benefit to adding HUGS and chest clip in her case

[CRS]

I would absolutely not interchange britax products from one to another. They are completely different seats and to be honestly, absolutely uneccessary. I just wouldn't, yes they are the same "brand" but I'd akin them to any other aftermarket product - just don't.

Originally Posted by Adventuredad

I assume this is the "Swedish" Fixway so I took a look at the manual. Doesn't say anything about head height. Very strange.

Normally, Britax over here recommends changing seat if 1/3-ish of the head is above the rear of the seat. That usually means when ears are starting to show above/getting-close-to back of seat.

Hi, I'm the parent that Wendy posted the questions for (Thanks Wendy!). We really appreciate everyone's replies.

Yes, it is the "Swedish" Fixway. My husband ordered it through a Volvo dealership in Belgium. Do you know how we would find out specifically what the rules are for this seat regarding head-height? It sounds like we will be okay for a long time if it is the tips of the ears but we would need to take him out now if it is the top of the head. I just want to make sure.

I was also wondering if anyone knows if it is possible to position the installation of the base to recline it more than what the natural angle of the car's bench-seat allows? The seat says 0 to 18 kg and we used it with our son from birth but I was always concerned about the angle of the seat. Even in the reclined position, he was never at 45 degrees. We have a 2001 Volvo V40 and my husband followed the manual for installation precisely and he just couldn't get it at the 45 degree incline that safety techs say a newborn should be at. We didn't want to put a funny angle on the ISOFIX attachments by pulling the base down at the T-bar causing it to lift up off of the seat near the ISOFIX attachments. How is this done?

Oh, we don't use this carseat for airplane travel (We use our Boulevard), but Wendy asked what Scandinavians do when they have this type of seat and they travel by plane. Do you take the seat off the base and install it with a seatbelt? I don't think you are supposed to do that so I didn't know how to answer her question but she got me curious.

Thanks!

[wendytthomas]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi, I'm the parent that Wendy posted the questions for (Thanks Wendy!). We really appreciate everyone's replies.

Yes, it is the "Swedish" Fixway. My husband ordered it through a Volvo dealership in Belgium. Do you know how we would find out specifically what the rules are for this seat regarding head-height? It sounds like we will be okay for a long time if it is the tips of the ears but we would need to take him out now if it is the top of the head. I just want to make sure.

I was also wondering if anyone knows if it is possible to position the installation of the base to recline it more than what the natural angle of the car's bench-seat allows? The seat says 0 to 18 kg and we used it with our son from birth but I was always concerned about the angle of the seat. Even in the reclined position, he was never at 45 degrees. We have a 2001 Volvo V40 and my husband followed the manual for installation precisely and he just couldn't get it at the 45 degree incline that safety techs say a newborn should be at. We didn't want to put a funny angle on the ISOFIX attachments by pulling the base down at the T-bar causing it to lift up off of the seat near the ISOFIX attachments. How is this done?

Oh, we don't use this carseat for airplane travel (We use our Boulevard), but Wendy asked what Scandinavians do when they have this type of seat and they travel by plane. Do you take the seat off the base and install it with a seatbelt? I don't think you are supposed to do that so I didn't know how to answer her question but she got me curious.

Thanks!

HEY!!! No one ever comes here after I suggest it. I'm so thrilled to see you here. :-)

Wendy

[Judi]

Dang, now I want one.

[Adventuredad]

I don't have any personal experience with the Fixway so can' anser the installation questions. I'll call the people at Britax tomorrow and see what they say.

Oh, we don't use this carseat for airplane travel (We use our Boulevard), but Wendy asked what Scandinavians do when they have this type of seat and they travel by plane. Do you take the seat off the base and install it with a seatbelt? I don't think you are supposed to do that so I didn't know how to answer her question but she got me curious.

Very few Scandinavians use car seats on airplanes. I don't know anyone who does. Before any tech has a heart attack perhaps I should briefly explain the rationale behind this thinking.

It is safer to use a car seat on a plane. No question about that. But the risk that anything will happen is beyond incredibly small. It's extremely rare to have kids injured on planes because of turbulence. Statistics show that i's just phenomenally safe to travel by plance regardless of how a child is seated.

How safe is it? During roughly a 20 year period 342 instances of turbulence affecting major airlines were reported. Some 700 people were injured and 3 died. Considering that 25 000+ flights depart EVERY DAY from US alone one could say that risk are so small they are barely measurable.

Virtually any random accident causes more death than turbulence. 25 kids die for example each year in US by getting a television set on top of them. 500 die in pool accidents at a neighbors house. Just to throw out some comparison.

The Scandinavians are kind of boring and look a the big picture. They know traveling by plane is incredibly safe and don't use a car seat. Scandinavians are anal about car seat safety but simply look at risks involved. Plus there are airlines who don't allow it.

I hear people say all the time what fuss lap babies make. My experiences are completely the opposite. I see car seat babies making all the fuss, screaming, barfing, crying, and struggling to move. I've flown more than most do in 5 lifetimes and prefer lap babies by a factor of 20. Actually, I rarely see car seats on planes.

This is not meant as a debate on using a car seat or not on a plane. As I mentioned, it is safer to use a seat. Just trying to answer the Scandinavian thinking.....

I'll get back to you about the Britax head height

Originally Posted by Adventuredad

I don't have any personal experience with the Fixway so can' anser the installation questions. I'll call the people at Britax tomorrow and see what they say.

Thanks! We appreciate it!

Originally Posted by Adventuredad

Very few Scandinavians use car seats on airplanes. I don't know anyone who does. Before any tech has a heart attack perhaps I should briefly explain the rationale behind this thinking.

We actually have just had DS on our lap so far as well. My question had more to do with what you do for a car seat at your destination. We currently gate-check our Britax Boulevard and install it in the car we will be using at our destination. So, if people have this type of seat with a base like the FixWay, what do they take with them when they travel that they can use at their destination? I assume they don't take the base with them because it is very awkward and not that quick of an install at any rate. Thanks again!

We took delivery of our Volvo in Sweden on our honey moon eight years ago and LOVED it there.

[Adventuredad]

Hola!

Just spoke to Annika at Britax here in Sweden. Head height is as I suspected the somewhat non-exact "Swedish measurement". Britax uses this measurement on quite a few (all?) of their seats. She said the seat can be used as long as the tip of the ears don't go above the back of the seat.

Hope that is enough information for you. Otherwise just let me know. Oh, it's grat you're manking an effort to rf as long as possible

Ok, I'm off to Germany to look at some horrible car seat use. FF at 12 months is the norm down there

Thank you sooooo much for making that call! We really appreciate it!

Just wondering if you hapened to see my post above regarding taking a car seat checked on a plane to use at the destination? Thanks!

[Adventuredad]

Sorry about the late answer. I'm back from Germany after seeing some really horrible car seat use And don't get me started on internet use down there, is it 1995 or 2008?

About traveling with car seats. People wouldn't bring the base with them. I don't have a Fixway but travel with the seats as you do. But I often check them as luggage since we have special bags for our seats. Brought along the kids and their two seats, one booster and one rf, on this trip as well. I've never even met a German who knew there were rf seats past that initial baby stage. So of course they think I'm crazy installing my rf Hi-Way

[VKOrsi]

Originally Posted by Adventuredad

Sorry about the late answer. I'm back from Germany after seeing some really horrible car seat use And don't get me started on internet use down there, is it 1995 or 2008?

you really do not know the situation here in Hungary....
its max. 1900...
driving without seats or with seat but not sitting in, seats with wrong installation.... its horrible

Originally Posted by Adventuredad

I've never even met a German who knew there were rf seats past that initial baby stage. So of course they think I'm crazy installing my rf Hi-Way

it´s an old thread, but i´m from germany and i would say, that some people here have rf-seats. for example, we have a seat from hts. it is sadly, but it takes a long time till this information reached all parents.

[Adventuredad]

Nice to hear you're thinking of car sat safety. The Germans aren't any worse than many other countries but tend to frustrate me more since I have many good friends down there. The Germans are so great at many things so the lack of knowledge really surprises me.