The Clek is coming!!!!!

joolsplus3 · Mar 28, 2007

They had a booth at Lifesavers http://www.magnaclek.com/oto.aspx
The newest one has nice tall armrests, and it should be a tad easier for kids to buckle that model up than the Oto, which has those little hook things on the side, I reckon.

It's really neat, though... just like a little bit of real car upholstery, nicely padded, simple to install...just rigid LATCH connectors, click click done.

It should be here in the US this summer (it passes testing, but the verbiage for the manual to meet FMVSS 213 standards is very hard to get right, so that's kind of presenting a hold up, I gather...sad, because it's about the simplest to use and install seat on the face of the earth).

And the coolest thing was, the folks working the booth were super nice. :cool!:

Victorious4 · Mar 28, 2007

The *only* thing I didn't like was that the armrests make it wider so it won't be as easy as the Canadian version for 3 across -- otherwise, I love the idea of a booster that won't be a projectile when kiddo/parent forgets to rebuckle....

Spinoff to this is the Comfy Child backless booster with foot rest from Sweden: they don't have a US retailer yet, but claim that it meets FMVSS 213 + European standards. I'm so tempted to get it for Leila & would have with the show discount except that it has no added padding in the seat

So "comfy" is kinda misleading, LOL

Anyway, the RSTV speaker in the booth next door said she's a CPST & I saw her carrying the Comfy Child later -- she said she took it from them & was adamant that it is not acceptable in the US, saying "they didn't know who they're presenting to"

What I did not like at all & tried to make this point to the Comfy Child people is that they should not sell the foot rest separately from the booster since that would void liability when used with other seats, but I'm not sure if that's what she meant....

joolsplus3 · Mar 28, 2007

papooses said:
The *only* thing I didn't like was that the armrests make it wider so it won't be as easy as the Canadian version for 3 across -- otherwise, I love the idea of a booster that won't be a projectile when kiddo/parent forgets to rebuckle....

Spinoff to this is the Comfy Child backless booster with foot rest from Sweden: they don't have a US retailer yet, but claim that it meets FMVSS 213 + European standards. I'm so tempted to get it for Leila & would have with the show discount except that it has no added padding in the seat So "comfy" is kinda misleading, LOL Anyway, the RSTV speaker in the booth next door said she's a CPST & I saw her carrying the Comfy Child later -- she said she took it from them & was adamant that it is not acceptable in the US, saying "they didn't know who they're presenting to" What I did not like at all & tried to make this point to the Comfy Child people is that they should not sell the foot rest separately from the booster since that would void liability when used with other seats, but I'm not sure if that's what she meant....

Problem with that three-across assumption is that the current model is *easy* to do

. It's actually not, because hooking the belts into those hooks is a real pain in the behind even without being next to another seat. I think it will be easier to do the big armrest model in three across, because it'll be easier to reach in there to buckle, and only a tich wider overall.

It's not necessary to LATCH it in, which is cool...too bad the LATCH connectors don't retract into the seat when not in use :shrug-shoulders:

I looked for the comfy child website today and couldn't find it... I can't imagine someone being ticked at them for coming to THE biggest meeting of the minds for that sort of product and trying to learn and connect with us. :shrug-shoulders:

Starlight · Mar 28, 2007

I'd love to see a picture of the clek in use.

I think this would be an ideal set up for my dh - easy to deal with, and not so much in the way when he's dealing w/ extra people in his car.

Anybody have a pic or know where to find one?

Victorious4 · Mar 28, 2007

http://www.comfychild.se/

The footrest is also tested in the US by MGA Research Corporation Wisconsin, according to the regulations stated by the NHTSA FMVSS 213 Sled Test Procedure.

(Bold = mine) ... this does sound like the booster itself has not been tested to US standards

What do we know aobut this testing site? Anything to guess an answer?

http://www.magnaclek.com/ (doesn't show the US version, though)

cheerphil · Mar 29, 2007

starlight said:
I'd love to see a picture of the clek in use.

I think this would be an ideal set up for my dh - easy to deal with, and not so much in the way when he's dealing w/ extra people in his car.

Anybody have a pic or know where to find one?

Here's one of my niece, taken earlier this month. It's the Canadian seat, the oto. You can't see it in the picture, but on that day we put 2 oto's and a regular child seat in the car.

Hope that helps,
Philippa

joolsplus3 · Mar 29, 2007

cheerphil said:
Here's one of my niece, taken earlier this month. It's the Canadian seat, the oto. You can't see it in the picture, but on that day we put 2 oto's and a regular child seat in the car.

Hope that helps,
Philippa

Just waving *hi*, thanks for posting a picture!

Sharlene · Mar 29, 2007

*giggle* Next to meeting everyone the Clek was my favorite part of Lifesavers! I'm anxiously awaiting him to contact me and may cave and zip an e-mail off to him this weekend. I think I am going to love that seat! Thanks again Julie for breaking the ice for me at his booth!

Sharlene

Victorious4 · Mar 29, 2007

Aw, darn, the pic didn't work for me

southpawboston · Mar 29, 2007

starlight said:
I think this would be an ideal set up for my dh - easy to deal with, and not so much in the way when he's dealing w/ extra people in his car.

does DH have a problem seeing above the dashboard? :question:

TXDani · Mar 29, 2007

So what is the opinion on using this between two convertibles? I am kind of afraid to use a backless with my 6 year old (50", 65lbs) because of what would happen to her head in an accident, I picture it hitting the other car seats. OUCH. But it would be such a nice option to stick in between my younger two a couple times a week when I need the cargo space and can't use the third row. Are they okay full time? Or would you only feel comfortable using them part time if you had other options available?

Victorious4 · Mar 29, 2007

I'm sure it would fit between 2 Radians, but with it's high armrests I'm not sure which other convertibles it would fit between -- the high armrests would seem to make buckling easier, though ... & it has a nice cushy seat!

Dsunny1 · Mar 29, 2007

My issue with it is that it will be difficult to try to use this seat in a car with no LATCH and a seatbight that doesn't really have a space in which you can shove the LATCH connectors into. I can't think of a specific vehicle right now to name, but one that doesn't really have a crease in the bight, or has a crease that is more up the back of the seat as opposed to where the back of the vehicle seat and the cushion actually meet. When I asked them about this, they stated that would be a compatability issue and the seat would then be a few inches outward from the back of vehicle seat maybe making it uncomfortable for the child seated in it. Other then that, it looked comfy and small... I liked the cover choices.

Victorious4 · Mar 29, 2007

It could be problematic in our '97 Civic -- high seatbight, buckles forward of the seatbight, no LATCH.... I'd be interested to test that theory out! :question:

joolsplus3 · Mar 29, 2007

thefosters.2 said:
So what is the opinion on using this between two convertibles? I am kind of afraid to use a backless with my 6 year old (50", 65lbs) because of what would happen to her head in an accident, I picture it hitting the other car seats. OUCH. But it would be such a nice option to stick in between my younger two a couple times a week when I need the cargo space and can't use the third row. Are they okay full time? Or would you only feel comfortable using them part time if you had other options available?

The data pretty much breaks out that children seated next to other children or adults do *better* in crashes than kids sitting next to nothing/no one, so if you imagine the seats and middle child all flying the same direction in a side crash then there's really no 'crush' issue, so I personally think it's great to put a backless booster in the middle between two other seats. I'm sure I'll be the first to buy the US one when it hits shelves and test it out for y'all (unless someone sends me or Sharlene a sample first

) It's definitely narrower than any other backless booster...

scatterbunny · Mar 29, 2007

I agree with Julie, but my instructors said something that shocked me: that if you have three kids across a row, in a side impact crash one of those kids will probably die.

I disagreed, of course, but what could I say?

southpawboston · Mar 29, 2007

Dsunny1 said:
My issue with it is that it will be difficult to try to use this seat in a car with no LATCH and a seatbight that doesn't really have a space in which you can shove the LATCH connectors into. I can't think of a specific vehicle right now to name, but one that doesn't really have a crease in the bight, or has a crease that is more up the back of the seat as opposed to where the back of the vehicle seat and the cushion actually meet. When I asked them about this, they stated that would be a compatability issue and the seat would then be a few inches outward from the back of vehicle seat maybe making it uncomfortable for the child seated in it. Other then that, it looked comfy and small... I liked the cover choices.

the bulky LATCH connectors seem to be the same ones by IMMI that are also found on the britaxes and the recaro, so i don't see a problem with the seatbight having enough of a gap (since no one reports britaxes having this problem with their LATCH connectors).

as for where the booster ends up sitting after the rigid LATCH connection is made, that just gets back to the central issue that plagues ISOFIX... it only results in a good fit in *some* cars... LATCH belts are a little more universal in getting a good fit.

CAEKWILSON · Mar 29, 2007

I am wondering why does a booster seat need latch?

Victorious4 · Mar 29, 2007

I don't think that's a reasonable statement either, Jenny -- what did they base that on? I have read the article Julie is talking about which shows that kids sitting next to eachother are safer than those with space between them.... If a seat is installed correctly & the crash is not the type in which anyone/everyone would definitely die (like 70+ MPH rollover or something), then the child should be quite safe & that statement just doesn't make any sense

Victorious4 · Mar 29, 2007

CAEKWILSON said:
I am wondering why does a booster seat need latch?

Mainly, to prevent it from being a projectile when not in use -- unoccupied boosters must also always be belted (or in this case LATCHed) in.... Kids can easily learn to do this themselves, but often forget as do the parents

The Clek is coming!!!!!

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