Question Aftermarket Car Seat covers vs. 'showercaps' for infant Car Seats

Wiggles · Feb 15, 2010

Okay, so we regularly talk about how aftermarket car seat covers are bad because, even if they fit correctly, they aren't flame-retardant like the 'real' covers, correct?

We talk about how cuddle bags and stuff are bad and that you should use a shower cap style covering for your baby in the winter instead of a cuddle bag.

Why are the two different? Both are coverings, on the carseat. We don't know the flame retardancy of either.

So why is one okay and the other isn't?

unityco · Feb 15, 2010

Wiggles said:
So why is one okay and the other isn't?

Mostly because the shower cap style does not interfere or compromise the seat - the seat has all its original, manufacturer supplied components behaving as it was tested and approved. :thumbsup:

Aftermarket covers may be thicker and may not line-up properly with the slots in a seat. Cuddle bags ARE thicker, and probably don't line up with the slots in a seat. We don't worry about the fire-retardency of snowsuits or clothing or blankets before we allow them in the car, so that's probably why we don't consider it on shower cap covers either.

Those are my thoughts, anyway!

joolsplus3 · Feb 15, 2010

I don't really even think the flame retardant thing matters (I've been fretting about this issue for almost a decade, and this is my opinion). It's 'just another reason' to throw onto the pile to keep people from using unregulated, un-crash tested, possibly going to decrease the proper harness fit and put your child at risk items. A shower cap style cover is a blanket with elastic. It doesn't interfere with harness fit.
Car interiors and anything designed to be permanently installed in cars have to meet a federal standard and not burst into flame too easily. Clothing and blankets don't fall under that federal regulation. If car interiors caught fire much more commonly, then I suppose we'd all need to wear brominated bodysuits or something (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brominated_flame_retardant). The risk of fire in the car is just so, so minimal, that a showercap style cover, blanket, or flammable clothing just really aren't a risk we need to worry about. (as long as it's not causing you to misuse your harness or seatbelt!).

Kat_Momof3 · Feb 16, 2010

okay... here's a comparison... assuming your leather/cloth on your vehcile seats was able to be pulled off...

would you risk a poor fit by getting an unapproved covering for your vehicle seats? I would say no...

But... (and this is the best comparison to a shower cap cover I could think of), if you're cold in the car, safely buckled up, riding in the passenger seat (because I would not dream of using this when driving... it would get in the way of the feet, I think), would you pull a SNUGGIE or a blanket over yourself (still safely buckled under it)?? Yes, why not?

Hope that helps.

Question Aftermarket Car Seat covers vs. 'showercaps' for infant Car Seats

Wiggles

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unityco

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