RSTV Questions

mrswh · Sep 9, 2010

Looking into the RSTV and had a few questions. How easy is it to install? Would someone who isn't familiar with it be able to install it properly? Can it stay in the car or do you have to re-thread and re-tether it every time? Also, I saw one review where the person said it was made for larger children - would I be able to get my slim DD snug enough in it? (She is 44.5", 41 lbs.)

Thanks for any insight!

wendytthomas · Sep 9, 2010

There are two sizes, so I'm sure your daughter would fit wonderfully in the small.

You need to rethread it every time. The seatbelt goes in front of the child after they're buckled into the vest. They can't get out without undoing the seatbelt. You can leave it tethered, but it needs to be rethreaded every time.

I'll trust Piper in other people's cars with it because she knows how it goes, but I wouldn't trust someone else to just know how to do it. At least not the old style. It's not like a carseat where you buckle through the beltpath and you're basically done.

How old is your DD?

Wendy

littleangelfire · Sep 9, 2010

I left one side of ours threaded, it slides through two clips - you can leave the shoulder one threaded and leave it in the car, and just rethread the other portion (the lap portion) each time.

mrswh · Sep 9, 2010

Wendy, thanks for the info. It's more the tethering that sounded like a pain to re-do every time. Is the seat belt threading pretty easy to do?

My DD just turned 6. I wouldn't trust her to do it herself, she can't even get in and out of her Marathon on her own.

wendytthomas · Sep 9, 2010

At six and 41 pounds I'd be absolutely comfortable with a high back booster. That would be easier for most people to figure out.

Piper can't really do up her own RSTV, but she knows what's right and what's not and she directs people on it. She can get the lap, but not the shoulder.

She must be all legs if she still fits into the Marathon by height. Wow. Lucky. Short torsoed kids are the envy of the carseat world.

Wendy

mrswh · Sep 10, 2010

wendytthomas said:
At six and 41 pounds I'd be absolutely comfortable with a high back booster. That would be easier for most people to figure out.

Piper can't really do up her own RSTV, but she knows what's right and what's not and she directs people on it. She can get the lap, but not the shoulder.

She must be all legs if she still fits into the Marathon by height. Wow. Lucky. Short torsoed kids are the envy of the carseat world.

Wendy

Her seated shoulder height is 14" so she has another 2" (or 4.5 inches total height) before she grows out of the Marathon by height. Great to be short-torsoed now, but I can attest that it will be difficult to find proper fitting shirts when she grows up!

The reason I am looking at the vest is mainly for travel, so we don't have to lug or check car seats - but will need something to use at our destination. I was curious as a side note whether the vest is something that would work for play dates or say, my Mom's car.

Thanks!!

wendytthomas · Sep 11, 2010

Ah, gotchya.

The RSTV is ok for playdates as long as your daughter knows how to buckle it up. She likely won't be able to do it herself, but she can guide the adult to do it properly. It's not a traditional seat, nor a booster. It's not difficult, just different.

Same for your mom, or you can show your mom.

It's also great for carpooling when three traditional seats won't fit across your backseat.

Wendy

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