RSTV - Is this right? (includes installation pics)

We are planning on using an RSTV (size small) for our approx. 35 pound 4yo DD1 on our upcoming trip. I tried installing it today. I'm not sure if I did it right. It looks like it is gaping too much, but I remember seeing other threads with some gaping that was considered to be okay so I'm not sure how much is too much. It is so different from using a regular 5 point harness seat. I tightened the vest's seatbelt all the way, as far as I could, to the point that it barely overlaps the velcro that holds the end onto the vest.

I really want this to work and I really don't want to have to buy a travel seat and haul another car seat with us, but it just doesn't look right to me. But then again, I am no expert. Help, please! Thank you!

P.S. It would only let me upload 3 pics so I tried to pick the 3 most useful, but let me know if another perspective might help more. Again, thank you!

It looks great to me :thumbsup: In fact, I think you got an even better fit with the belt than when we tried her in mine. Remember that it's not a booster, and the forces are distributed over the whole vest. And I see you went with the pink

Maedze said:

It looks great to me :thumbsup: In fact, I think you got an even better fit with the belt than when we tried her in mine. Remember that it's not a booster, and the forces are distributed over the whole vest. And I see you went with the pink

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Good, you got my PM. Thank you so much for looking at the pics!

Is it okay that the end of the vest's belt (the loose part that comes out of the buckle and gets longer when the vest is adjusted tighter) barely overlaps the velcro that holds it's end down? Does it need to be held down? It seems like if I lift at all on the part of the belt that you lift to loosen it, it loosens really easily, so does that velcro help hold it and keep it from loosening? Does that make sense?

Also, does you son find it comfortable enough with the tether? I didn't actually take her anywhere in it yet, but it didn't look very comfortable for her (seems like it might push on the back of her head a bit), but of course I want to use the tether. Have you tried the optional head pillow they include?

I wish the instructions provided more detail. I couldn't find where it shows how to attach the crotch strap or tether strap. But it seems like they could only really work one way (e.g. the tether hook must hook down on the vehicle and the straps should not twist so it can only attach to the vest one way).

Thanks for all your help! Yes, we did end up with pink and it is very pink!

Judge for yourself on the subject of comfort

I put the head pillow on but it looked so odd and awkward I took it off.

I agree, the manual is the worst-written manual I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Fortunately the straps are *pretty* self-explanatory.

If you feel that you aren't making sufficient contact with the velcro I would loosen the vest slightly. I wouldn't be worried about a small gap .

Thanks! The pillow does look like it might be awkward, but I haven't actually tried it. Your son certainly looks very comfortable in his! Thank you!

That looks like a great fit. Gapping at the shoulders is very normal.

Now my ds is obsessed with pillow part. Loves it! Um, I even borrowed it at the drive in the other night. But I have the old version, so not sure if it is different.

Maedze said:

If you feel that you aren't making sufficient contact with the velcro I would loosen the vest slightly. I wouldn't be worried about a small gap .

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Forgot to respond to this point earlier. My recollection is that the velcro that holds the end of the strap (the end of the webbing, the extra length, that comes out of the vest's buckle) was not making enough velcro contact for it to hold that piece hold, so I will try loosening the vest just a bit so that the webbing end's velcro overlaps more. Should I post another pic with it loosened? I assume the two velcro strips don't require full contact, but just enough to hold so that the end of the webbing that comes out of the vest's buckle isn't hanging loose. Does that make sense? Is that correct? Maybe I should feed DD ice cream everyday until our trip so it fits a bit better.

Also, the velcro strips on the crotch strap are only partially overlapped instead of the full strip making contact, but it seems to be enough to hold okay. Isn't that just a positioner anyway? Am i remembering that correctly? It's not like they would rely on velcro to really hold her in a collision, right?

Thank you!!! Sorry for all the questions. I know I get very detailed (and probably worry a bit more than I need to), but I just want to make sure I do everything right to protect my little darling the best that I can. I truly appreciate all the help!

ketchupqueen said:

That looks like a great fit. Gapping at the shoulders is very normal.

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Thank you! I was concerned that the vest is higher than her shoulders when tethered, but then I remembered that in a 5 point harness seat the straps are usually above the shoulders and can be quite a bit above the shoulders and still be safe. Is that what it's like? It helped me to think about it in that context.

Pretty much. The forces are going to be distributed mainly across the bulk of the chest, so having some space above the shoulders doesn't really matter.