Explain the lockoff/locking seatbelt thing again, please

Stresch · Feb 15, 2007

Okay, so the Decathalon is on it's way back to Britax. We are borrowing a SS1 until it comes back. I read the manual, but I'm still confused.

Both the lap and shoulder portions of the belt are through the lockoff and the lockoff is closed. Do I need to lock the seatbelt? I did, although I can't get it terribly tight. The seat would tip or the lockoff wouldn't close if I got it super tight. I have the switchable retracting seatbelts, I think. I can lock them by pulling them all the way out, or the lock in an emergency.

Other than this confusion on my part, it seems like a nice seat. Easier to install than the snugride, and the recline foot seems nice.

Also: my daughter is tiny. I had to moved the straps down to the lowest setting. Otherwise, they were above her shoulders.

Splash · Feb 15, 2007

Just close the lockoff with both belt portions through it, no need to lock the belt.

The lockoff probably won't hold in a crash, but it doesn't have to. In a crash, your belt will automatically lock themselves, and hold the seat in tight. The lockoff is just to guarantee that the seat is properly positioned at the time of impact.

S could probably stay in that for another year! Charlie fit until about 16ish months (last time he used it was for the trip to NYC, and he had to wear paper diapers in order to fit!) and he is HUGE.

joolsplus3 · Feb 15, 2007

Yeah, don't lock the shoulderbelt, it'll just make it tip. I just like to route and buckle the belt, then pull the shoulderbelt UP really hard on the buckle side to get the lapbelt twanging tight, then clamp the lockoff and bam! it's done

. Leah's 1 and 20ish pounds and 30 ish inches and has loads of growing room in that seat, we'll keep using it till winter's over (DH complains she's too heavy to carry, but I'm bulking up nicely from the weight and like the exercise, rofl!).

)

Stresch · Feb 15, 2007

Thanks, that's what I thought, but the manual was confusing me. It said something about converting the seatbelt. It probably just meant that the seatbelt had to be able to lock, not that it had to be locked before a crash.

Yeah, she could stay in it forever (well, it's not ours, but if it were), but I'll be happy to get the DC back. Maybe. If they fix it. I couldn't believe how easy it was to tighten the harness on the SS1. Of course, it wasn't in the car, so that probably helped. I just hate carrying the seat in and out of the car which is partly why we moved her to a convertible. Also, because we were borrowing the infant seat(s).

Splash · Feb 15, 2007

You don't HAVE to take it out of the car... we didn't for the most part.

Stresch · Feb 15, 2007

LOL. Yes, I know we can leave it in the car. It just seemed to always make its way back inside. But the SS1 is so freaking huge, I doubt we'll move it.

I had to adjust the angle this afternoon. The level part of our driveway is covered in snow, so we just eyeballed it this morning. Tonight we fixed it at the grocery store. And of course then we had to twist the buckle stalk. I hate my car. It must have the longest buckle stalks of any car ever made.

Anyway, thanks for the help.

Explain the lockoff/locking seatbelt thing again, please

Stresch

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