Does the RSTV fit him?

littleangelfire

Well-known member
****MORE PICS ADDED

It came. It's here. UPS had it last Friday - but wouldn't let me pick it up. :mad: It came today, size large. I'm guessing neither the large or small would be a perfect fit, b/c it really sounded like he was too big for the small, the large seems to be a little big, but then, I've never messed with one before, perhaps I expect too snug?

HE said it was snug while sitting in the car, in fact at first he said "I don't want to take this. It's tight. I want to take my booster (frontier)."

Here's pics, does it fit him right? Don't mind the irritated look - he doesn't like anyone taking his picture.
In this one, my hand is on his hip, so you can see where it hits. The lap belt needed to be tightened, I know.
4679402793_eb569972b9.jpg


His royal crankiness:
4679403891_28b65e7182.jpg


4680046580_79d40a2282.jpg
4679432395_2e913cdbcb.jpg


Don't mind the registration card sticking to the back of this one:
4679414299_e6ec65b6cc.jpg
 
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ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
That looks like a pretty good fit to me. It needs to be snug around the circumferance of his chest, that's the most important part, and that looks like it's pretty tight. If you need to get it a smidgen tighter, one thing I did when my daughter was just at the bottom of the fit range (looks like he is) was to unbuckle, tighten, and then force to rebuckle (like with a lap belt, lol.)

The belt is fine; remember that it can be higher than in a booster because it doesn't actually work the same way. :) I would tug it down a bit before seating him, so it can bend just a bit more at the bottom.
 

courtfrog2

Active member
I think it looks great. Is the crotch strap optional on the new model? I know it is on the older version and my DD likes it so much better without it. Plus it's easier.
 

Maedze

New member
As of today I have a small RSTV, and the manual simply directs the use of the crotch strap; it does not discuss whether or not it's optional. So I would assume it is required.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
It doesn't say it's optional in the old directions either but when contacted they said it was.

The directions aren't very clear or well-written in several ways.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
There was some significant misspelling and bad English on the box of mine too, have they corrected that on the new version?
 

Maedze

New member
Well, there is certainly some ambiguity.

There is text on the lower right corner of the box that reads

Happy Travel
With Kids
Alternative Or
Replace To
Child Car Seat


I have no idea how to diagram that.

The side of the box has advised me that I should "Use only with children whose weigh is between 30 and 60 lbs."
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
Sorry to post and run - my piano student was here. KQ - thanks for helping out! It doesn't seem uber snug to me, but it's certainly more snug than any clothing he wears. If it were a vest to be worn as a piece of clothing I'd say it fit. The manual just kept hitting on the word snug and I was like, "how snug?" Any tighter and he'd complain, though.

I think it looks great. Is the crotch strap optional on the new model? I know it is on the older version and my DD likes it so much better without it. Plus it's easier.

As of today I have a small RSTV, and the manual simply directs the use of the crotch strap; it does not discuss whether or not it's optional. So I would assume it is required.

It doesn't say it's optional in the old directions either but when contacted they said it was.

The directions aren't very clear or well-written in several ways.

I noticed that. It's one of the worst 'manuals' I've ever read :twocents:

Dear heavens, yes! One of the shortest, too. I mean, short and sweet would be good, but it seems like they tried to pack as much as they could on this double sided standard sheet of paper. Mine is all wrinkly, too, and rather flimsy. Some cardstock or something would've been nice, lol . Yeah, the only place I think it even mentioned the crotch strap was in the very brief instructions on how to put the vest on the child. And it just says to put it on. I'd like to hear if they say it's still optional, maybe I'll try and call tomorrow. I'd wonder then if they actually tested it without it, though. Seems to function so much like a 5 point that it would be needed? But then it's just one flimsy strap held on by velcro and perhaps it's only purpose in life is to hold the vest down.

There was some significant misspelling and bad English on the box of mine too, have they corrected that on the new version?

I didn't notice this in this one, although admittedly, I ready it rather quickly and we tend to automatically edit stuff as we read it so that even if it's not right, we think it's right when it's skimmed, if that makes sense. But nothing blatantly wrong. Dylan is still trying to decide. I think I'll leave it up to him. I mean, I told him I get last word, lol, but I asked him what he thought b/c I don't want to deal with a complaining kid if I can help it. He doesn't like the idea of not having anywhere to put his legs on the plane, so wants the vest. But he found the vest rather uncomfortable, and b/c of that wants his booster. I'd say we'd take both but that rather defeats the purpose.
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
I forgot to mention - it's as far over on the velcro as it can go without folding over itself, and the belt buckle on it is pulled as tight as it can go.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
The crotch strap is really only for positioning, to hold the vest down, yes. If it fits without it I don't see why it'd be required, though my daughter does fit decidedly better with it.

I interpret "snug" as you can't wiggle it around and find a lot of slack in it, you know? Pretty closely coupled to the body all around. It looks like that to me, from your pictures.

And the crotch strap, I don't think needs to be tighter on him at all. I might make it looser. :whistle: And then before he sits, just give it a good tug to position it down where you want it.
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
I made him put it back on for some more pics. It's not what I'd call snug through the chest - but please tell me if I'm wrong. Through the waist, it's snug, not tight, but snug. I can fit a hand in there if I pull on it and put a hand in, but in the chest, he or I can just slide a hand in without any problem. The way it hooks, though, maybe it's incapable of being rather snug through the upper chest? If I cinched it down with the crotch strap it would be, but that wouldn't be too comfortable for him. So - am I nervous over nothing? I'd hate to have ordered it and have to turn around and sell it without even using it for the trip, but I don't want him unsafe, either.

I pulled his shirt down tight so it wasn't clouding the view. The shirt is too big, lol:
4680006967_cc22b85616.jpg


He was doing this playing around and I asked him to do it again to show:
4680006689_cde379e258.jpg


Maybe I'm just not used to it. Anyone have a pic of their kid in one they don't mind sharing?
 

Jenny

New member
I will leave this study up to the techs to analyze. However when reading this post and seeing the conversation regarding the optionality of the crotch strap I remembered this research study and wondered if it might shed some light on whether or not to use the crotch strap.

This study compared the use of slide guard style booster, to standard booster to lap shoulder belt, with and without a child harness accessory.
FYI, The vests in this study did not seem to have crotch straps:



The authors found that their was gross misuse of the systems and they used a series of 12 simulated frontal impacts (correct fit, loose belt and harness, loose belt) and compared different restraints with a hybrid III 6 year old dummy on forces to the head, neck, chest and pelvis.

Using the harness with the lap shoulder belt incorrectly: with a “loose belt” adjustment in the harness and lap-shoulder belt, direct contact between the dummy’s neck and chest strap of the harness was made.

With a lap shoulder belt alone, with a standard booster (don’t know which one they tested), and an ASC booster (i.e. slide guard style): no submarining was noted.

1)With the child safety harness (no crotch strap) submarining noted with
lap shoulder belt,
2)extensive abdominal penetration noted when used in tandem with standard booster,
3)and no submaring used with SG stylebooster.

When belt remained loose (to replicate commom misuse):
1)excessive submaring resulted in lap belt moving to upper torso when used with only lap shoulder belt,

e2)xcessive abdominal penetration noted with use in conjunction with standard booster, and
3)partial lateral abdominal penetration noted with sg style booster.


Study was limited by its use of only 2 styles of booster, its single test speed, and the fact that a biofidelic response is difficult to replicate in the dummy where there is no potential for hip extension.


Reference

Brown, J., Wainohu, D., Aquilina, P., Suratno, B, Kelly, P. & Billston, L. E. (2010). Accessory child safety harnesses: Do the risks outweight the benefits? Accident Analysis and Prevention, 42, pp 112-121.

www.elsevier.com/locate/aap
 
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littleangelfire

Well-known member
I wouldn't think the submarining things would apply to the crotch strap on this b/c it's not attached to something else, really, it's attached to him. It's anchor point is him. I don't think submarining would be a problem with the vest, b/c it would have to be ripped of his body. The crotch strap on the vest is just velcro, so it wouldn't seem that it's really going to do much of anything accept hold the vest down long enough to get them buckled in.

But interesting study. I'm glad you posted - bump - someone comment on the new pics....please. :D :) :love:
 

Jenny

New member
I really have no idea if this study has any implications for the RSTV harnesses.
It may not have been clear but the vests in question do NOT have crotch straps unlike yours. Hopefully the crotch strap on yours will help keep the vest in position.

Sorry I am of no help in your quest for input into your son's fit in the vest. anyone? she needs input!
Jenny
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Hmmmm. I'd probably pull it down and see if that helps? Because it does look concerningly loose there. And yet it seems like it's BARELY long enough for him, there is no way the old or new style small would fit him by torso height. My daughters do get some "gapping" in the chest area if the vest rides up while they run around; I pull it down to where it is snug before putting them in the car.

(I'm not concerned about that study, because this vest is very different from a traditional harness system.)
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
If I hold it down, it won't gap like that, and I believe the lap belt holds it down. We did a test run tonight to the park and back in it. He's in bed now, but I'll get him back in it tomorrow and take a pic while I pull it down and while he's in the belt again, I'll see if I can get one from the side.
 

myliljunebugs

New member
this is why I haven't gotten one of these for my son. He is so horribly skinny and narrow, but long that I don't think these vests could possibly work for him. :( I have no input since I've never used one, just wanted to add my vent apparently. I hope you can make it work for you!
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
this is why I haven't gotten one of these for my son. He is so horribly skinny and narrow, but long that I don't think these vests could possibly work for him. :( I have no input since I've never used one, just wanted to add my vent apparently. I hope you can make it work for you!

Yeah, he is at the lower end of the large but it's rather odd b/c he's a big guy, solid. He's just a big kid all over - always 95th % for height and weight both, so in proportion, just bigger than most kids his age. But if it could just go tighter! The strap threaded through the male end of the buckle, if that were not sewn down to the side of the vest, I could cinch it tighter, but it's sewn down keeping it from tightening any more.
 

DahliaRW

New member
This is my ds1 in the size small. He's about 43" and 41lbs with a very long torso. (and yes, the seatbelt needed to be tightened - forgot that before taking the picture).

4680696559_45d066149a.jpg
 

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