Easy to open harness?

NicoleCPST

Senior Community Member
I'm meating with a grandmother today, she is the rprimary caregiver for 2 children. I've been unable to get ages or weights, but she is being sent to me to find a seat to replace a 3pt harness that is expired. Gma feels that she needs a seat that has the old push buttom release because she cant open the newer ones.

I can see in pictures that the older child will nees a HWH seat, but the younger girl might fit in a Scenera. I'm hoping these work and I can teach gma how to release the harness, BUT if I can't... what is the pressure requirement for the harness release button, isnt it something like 16lbs? What should I do if she CANT open the Scenera? Are their easier seats?
 
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MissAllyLou

New member
The Graco chest clips (like on the Nautilus and the MyRide) might be easier for her to open since she could pinch the two ends of the chestclip together, and the crotch buckle pushes down. Not sure if those seats are in the right price range though?
 

Pixels

New member
Because the Nautilus is a push down instead of push in, it might be easier. Also, taking the tension off the harness by loosening it may make it easier.

The requirement is that the buckle release be between 9 and 14 pounds.
 

NicoleCPST

Senior Community Member
Thanks. Appearently Gma has arthritis and both hands and it very difficult for her to open ANYTHING.

She has tried everything at BRU and cant open any of them. Shes using an OLD Scenera OHS I believe. Child is 3yo and 32lbs if anyone has an safer options...
 

Joyofbirth

New member
My dd2 can't open the crotch buckles on anything. But she can undo her chest clip, contort her arms out, loosen the harness and pull her legs out while still buckled. If I loosen the harness for her, it's much easier. I don't usually because it's just easier to unbuckle her. But I'm wondering if you could teach gramma to do that. Just undo the chest clip and loosen the harness and kiddo can pull legs through until they learn to undo themselves. I'm not sure how this would be in an emergency, but it's all I can think of.

ETA: I just had an idea. Perhaps she can carry something in the glove box to use to push the button. Like a pencil, but not a pencil, just similar.
 

Pixels

New member
This might seem bizzare, but if gma loosens the harness all the way and opens the chest clip, can the child climb in and out with the seat still buckled? Gma may have to help arrange the straps, especially the hip straps over the child's legs, as child climbs in. Look for a seat that the child has plenty of harness adjuster strap, so that the harness can be loosened as much as possible.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
I haven't personally tried it on various seats but I've seen a spoon suggested in other threads here as an unbuckling tool for caregivers with arthritis, using the back side of the scoop/bowl part of the spoon to press the harness release buttons. :twocents:
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
The Graco buckle is VERY easy to press, especially if you loosen the harness to take tension off of it.

And I agree with the PPs - if she can grasp something to help push down lever style instead of using fingers - it helps.

I wonder if it's the chest clip that's giving her fits vs the crotch buckle though. Since she mentioned the "old-style" buckle. Crotch buckles really haven't changed much.
 

glockchick

New member
They're different if she was using a 3 pt. Those usually have a button built into the hard plastic of the seat that you push in to release.

Think like the old britax roundabout harness adjuster. Except that button release the crotch buckle.
 

NicoleCPST

Senior Community Member
They're different if she was using a 3 pt. Those usually have a button built into the hard plastic of the seat that you push in to release.

Think like the old britax roundabout harness adjuster. Except that button release the crotch buckle.

:yeahthat: exactly what she is.usingt
 

gigi

New member
My mom (who isn't arthritic) really couldn't open the Scenera. It was so bad she decided to take matters into her own hands and put WD40 into the buckle. Thank goodness she was proud of herself for thinking of a "solution" and told me about it right away...obviously I scrapped that seat. We ended up with a EFTA which my mom can do easily but I'd think someone arthritic might have a hard time.

I've heard the Nautilus is easy enough many kids can learn how to undo it themselves...is that an option here?
 

melniemi

New member
Can she teach the 3 yo to unbuckle and buckle her harness? My 3.5 yo has been able to buckle and unbuckle since turning 3 - she has been able to do any seat I've let her try - marathon, radian, frontier. She's old enough to understand that the seat can not be unbuckled until the car is turned off.
 

soygurl

Active member
I read in a thread around here about someone using a wine bottle stopper to get extra leverage. Find one with a large enough top to get a good grip then use the "cork" part to push on the button. Same idea as using a spoon really, or anything else that might give gma a little extra leverage.
 

emtb79

New member
I got the Nautilus, like many have already suggeted and then also went and got a 3/4 inch dowel cut a 6 inch length of it to be a tool for my 5yr old daycare child who is riding with my mom to school. My mom holds the adjuster strap to release tension and he leans forward to loosen it. Then he can use the dowel to undo the buckle and can get out.
 

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