Weight limit on the new RSTV?

I noticed that the new RSTV says it is approved from 30 lbs instead of the old 35 lbs lower limit.

I know people said the old RSTV really only starts to fit closer to 40 lbs so I'm wondering: Does anybody have a new RSTV or know if it will really fit a 30 lbs kiddo?

It would be great if they did lower the limit and make it fit younger kids better for those times when an RSTV is really the only viable option!

Sorry if this has been asked before. I searched and couldn't find anything. Don't know if anyone even has one of these new vests yet.

Someone mentioned this in the other thread, but I don't know if anyone here has a new one yet.

If someone wants to buy me one, I'll try it on my 32 lb. 1 1/2 year old.

ketchupqueen said:

If someone wants to buy me one, I'll try it on my 32 lb. 1 1/2 year old.

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Maybe you could do a review for carseatblog! Do they send you the product for free if you do a review? I would love to see a detailed review of it.

My kid isn't 30 lbs yet or I would buy one and try it out myself. I would love to have one for those unexpected situations when you're traveling.

Do they still have no expiration?

I hadn't noticed the weight change when I looked on the website the other day, but I did notice that they put a bottom age on it.

Child is at least 3 years of age and weighs at least 30 pounds (13.6 kg).

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I'm thinking about getting one of the new ones when I can afford it -- I wonder if the new design will be cooler when the warm weather hits?? I also think the clips that the seat belt goes through look different and possibly easier and will have less chance of misuse if I send it with DS and someone else is helping him with it. I haven't done it yet because of that.

Tina

Thanks for the heads up about the age limit. Did they not always have that? I think Elite Car Seats always listed an age range....or someone did. And people would sometimes ask about that and techs always said it was fine to ignore it if the vest fit. But maybe not now?

Yeah, I was happy to see the 3yo minimum. Though my 2yo is nearly 32lbs. I'd be happy to try it on him to check the fit when we get ours (but won't be until March probably). But, my 2yo does fit in the HBTB with the belt guide at the lowest position, so he may not be typical (no worries, no way on earth he's riding in the TB, just tried the fit out of curiousity).

InternationalMama said:

Thanks for the heads up about the age limit. Did they not always have that?

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Our instructions for our old-style size small do not have an age. We didn't buy ours until DS was 4 1/2 -- we've gotten a fair amount of use out of it for one reason or another, though.

Tina

I think it's great they put a 3 year lower age limit on the new one.

But I'm also happy to have my old-style one that starts at 35 lbs. with no lower age. My kids hit 35 at around 2. In certain circumstances (taxis, etc.) I am absolutely okay with a 2 year old in it. Not really for a kid under 2 in less than emergency circumstances.

I found the old style RSTV didn't fit my girls until around 39-41lbs (in some cases like my old foster daughter not until she was 46lbs), but fit my boys around 37lbs.

The new RSTV fits my friends 32lb 3.5 year old just fine and I don't see why it wouldn't fit a 30lb 3yo even if it was a girl. It is much smaller than the old style and not as stiff so it works better.

If you look at the old style it is very stiff and log. Once the child sits down it almost wants to sort of push up at the top and not bend at the bottom making it not a great fit for smaller children. The new style though isn't as long and the adjusters adjust smaller. Plus it has that dangly thing (sorry for my technical terminology) for the lap belt where the old style didn't. The dangly thing where the lap belt goes bends, on the old style it really doesn't bend much making it a harder fit to get the lap belt over the lap not stomach.

ETA: I was in an accident with my old style vest about a year and half ago. It was in the center position with 2 other seats next to it. We were t boned in the front of the car with the other car traveling around 45mph making my car spin around totally and then go into a ditch. The child in the vest was 4yo and 39lbs. He did not get hurt at all! He didn't even hit his head on the seats next to him. I was using the lap only belt in my vehicle and the top tether and he did not complain at all about his neck or anything hurting. The other 2 children who were in a 5-pt harness (a 2yo rf and a 5yo in a regent) had injuries. The 2yo who was rear facing got slammed into the side of her seat and got a fairly big sized gash on her neck and chest area from the harness. The 5yo complained of neck pain, upper back pain and hip pain in his one hip for a few weeks. I feel VERY comfortable with this product especially after what happened!

Thanks for the great info, Steph_S!

I am glad about the 3yo limit in principle, but I think once my DS hits 30 lbs I will probably get one even if he is not 3 years old. Sometimes when we are in countries where carseats are rarely used and are never used if you're not in your own car (taxis, etc.) there is just a situation where nobody even mentioned there would be a car involved in transportation and then...surprise! I can even think of situations I would have liked to have this available for someone else's child.