What are your gripes about the Complete Air?

mamahen

Member
Still trying to convince DH to let me get a second convertible (his solution was to trade vehicles on the days he watches DS while Im at work:thumbsdown:).
Im deciding between the TFP and CA and was glad to read about peoples rants about the TF's harness. So...
What are your complaints about the CA?
 
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Splash

New member
The sole reason I don't use it is because the shoulder straps are insanely narrow. Fine for little kids, VERY uncomfortable for older ones. My 4yo loved the seat otherwise, but says it hurts his neck. The slots are super tall and most kids would easily make 6 years old in it, but those straps are just too closely set. Also, weird bump on the kid's back, because there is an abrupt stop to the headrest instead of gradual. Other than that, nice seat.
 

firemomof3

New member
From my experience with the CA, I find it literally painful to install rf. I hate the wide the base is and how the latch connectors are under that wide base when installed using latch. When using the seat belt, its just a PITA :mad:
I have the CA & MyRide for spare seats and for rf I use the MyRide :love: its so easy to use/install! For ff I use the CA because its easy to use/install.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
In my car, I don't find it difficult to install w/ seatbelt or LATCH. :shrug-shoulders: Very similar to the Avenue, I think.

The straps are kind of close-set but that's actually good for us-- I have thin-built kids. It was especially comfy for my eldest.

The base isn't really wide at all. It's actually kind of narrow. Unless this is the base base on the LX or whatever models with the built in base.

My biggest gripe is that the cover doesn't come all the way off for cleaning.
 

kittykate

New member
The sole reason I don't use it is because the shoulder straps are insanely narrow. Fine for little kids, VERY uncomfortable for older ones. My 4yo loved the seat otherwise, but says it hurts his neck. The slots are super tall and most kids would easily make 6 years old in it, but those straps are just too closely set.

:yeahthat:

The narrow straps made the seat unusable with my tall 3.5 year old. My 2 year old didn't have any complaints, though, when we tried him in it.
 

Jonah Baby

New member
The sole reason I don't use it is because the shoulder straps are insanely narrow. Fine for little kids, VERY uncomfortable for older ones. My 4yo loved the seat otherwise, but says it hurts his neck. The slots are super tall and most kids would easily make 6 years old in it, but those straps are just too closely set. Also, weird bump on the kid's back, because there is an abrupt stop to the headrest instead of gradual. Other than that, nice seat.

Yes, that.
Poor Jonah Carseat Tester.
A 2 minute test in the seat, strapped in and snugged, left marks on his neck for over an hour. He was about 2.5 when we subjected this to him, and he is in no means fat or even chubby, just large overall.

I could see this seat being very useful very those twig-skinny long-torsoed children, however.
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
I've only sat Nicholas in it once or twice. I think he must be broad through the shoulders. The side air pillows look they are pushing him down if the straps are below his shoulders, as they should be for RF.

Susan
 

BigDaddy

Active member
The sole reason I don't use it is because the shoulder straps are insanely narrow. Fine for little kids, VERY uncomfortable for older ones. My 4yo loved the seat otherwise, but says it hurts his neck. The slots are super tall and most kids would easily make 6 years old in it, but those straps are just too closely set. Also, weird bump on the kid's back, because there is an abrupt stop to the headrest instead of gradual. Other than that, nice seat.
:yeahthat: The straps really irritate DD2's neck.

The rear facing belt path is hard to access. After getting a really tight RF install, it is impossible to get the cover back on. I don't like the single strap continuous harness (although, I can see it's strength advantages over the split straps). I also don't like that it feels lightweight and cheap.

There is a 40" height limit for RF, which basically makes the tall shell and 40lb RF limit pointless and useless for most children. Granted, I know many choose to ignore that limit, but I really don't understand the logic there. We always hear that we should follow other rules that don't make sense so that we're not "using our kids as crash test dummies". :shrug-shoulders:

Those are just the things that I don't like about it. Some are real issues (to me), others are just minor annoyances. Overall, I would say that the seat has a lot more good things going for it than it bad. I think it is a bit over priced for what you're actually getting (a dorel seat with self inflating whoopee cushions attached to it :D), but overall, it is a great seat.

Here is a thread that I made with a lot of pictures of it:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=101513
 
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SusanMae

Senior Community Member
:yeahthat: The straps really irritate DD2's neck.

The rear facing belt path is hard to access. After getting a really tight RF install, it is impossible to get the cover back on. I don't like the single strap continuous harness (although, I can see it's strength advantages over a splitter plate). I also don't like that it feels lightweight and cheap.

The splitter plate is what connects the shoulder straps to the adjuster strap.

A seat that doesn't have the continous harness, has straps that end at the hips and then connect at the splitter plate.

Susan
 

Mommy0608

New member
Basically the things that have already been mentioned:

- Insanely narrow distance between the shoulder straps... my rail thin DD was very bothered by them

- RF belt path is not the easiest thing to access

- RF installation was difficult (LATCH was worse, but seat belt was still a PITB)

- The fact that the harness and shoulder straps move up as one unit - didn't work well with my DD, she needed the headrest higher, but the straps lower. This made her shoulders contact the bottom of the head wings.

I bought two of these the day they hit stores, tried them out for a few days with both of my kids, and decided they just wouldn't work for us so they went back. I really, really wanted to like this seat, but I just couldn't. :(
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
I'm skeptical paying that much for a Dorel seat.

I don't like that I couldn't get the cover back on after installing it RF.

I don't like that the headrest cover can't be removed.

I don't like the 40 inch rule with a seat so tall.
 

BigDaddy

Active member
The splitter plate is what connects the shoulder straps to the adjuster strap.

A seat that doesn't have the continous harness, has straps that end at the hips and then connect at the splitter plate.

Susan
:eek: Thanks, I really have absolutely no idea why I said splitter plate. I was talking about the apparent strength advantages of it running all the way under the seat rather than just attaching to the bottom.
 

mamahen

Member
Yes, that.
Poor Jonah Carseat Tester.
A 2 minute test in the seat, strapped in and snugged, left marks on his neck for over an hour. He was about 2.5 when we subjected this to him, and he is in no means fat or even chubby, just large overall.

I could see this seat being very useful very those twig-skinny long-torsoed children, however.

Not good considering DS is 18+ lbs at 5 mo.
 

Mommy0608

New member
Oh yeah, and the 40" height limit while RF rule. Usually I'm okay with going by the 1" rule, but for some reason with this one, I'm just not sure about it. :eek:
 

April

Well-known member
I find it (and all Dorel seats) more "flimsy" than other seats. The plastic fells bendy and not thick like the True Fit. The True Fit is a very solid feeling seat. I also really do not like the material of the covers on the CA. It's the same material as on my Apex, which even as a spare seat has not held up very well. I also do not have as much trust in Dorel as I do with other manufacturers. That is my own personal opinion though.

As for the continuous harness on the True Fit, I hated it at first, but after I got used to it, it really grew on me. I'd buy another TF in a heartbeat if I had a use for one.:twocents:
 

cookie123

New member
I just looked at the CA at Target the other day. It seemed to be in the lowest harness position, which was insanely high. Is this true, or was I just unable to lower it for some reason. Also, I was feeling the headrest and there are bumps or holes or something in there that make it seem very uncomfortable on where the back of the head would go. Can't remember exactly, but it wasn't completely smooth.
 

Mommy0608

New member
Yes, the lowest harness position is ridiculously high. Not an issue for older kids of course, but it won't fit small babies. When we got ours, DS was 11 months and his shoulders were just barely even with the lowest harness position.
 

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