Recaro ProRide Rear Facing Age Limit

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
I didn't see this discussed before, but I'm sure it has given the implications.

I have a client today who is bringing a Recaro ProRide. I was browsing the manual to see if it varied much from the Signo. It doesn't, but there is a limit that appears to be new. You may only use the ProRide rear-facing if the child is LESS than 36 months of age (emphasis theirs). Granted, the weight limit for rear-facing is 35 pounds, but it is an unusual age based limit that didn't appear to affect the Como/Signo.
 
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monstah

New member
Hmm. I kind of like it.
There are many parents who misunderstand the standard "May only be used rear facing for child under 1/20" wording and believe it means after 1/20 it must be FF.
This switches it around in a positive way and will probably advocate ERF. Still very odd.
 

skylinphoto

New member
If it's like the signo, I doubt many kiddos over 3 could *comfortably* RF in it anyway.
Such a lack of legroom. Even my tiny kids needed more room after 2.5-3 years old (they were eating their knees).
We ended up buying other seats to continue to RF in ..though I wish the Recaro had more room cause it's my favorite seat that i own.

The age limit is kinda weird though..it IS neat to see an age limit that isnt 12 months old though. lol
 
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emandbri

Well-known member
That is very odd, I think you should call and ask what their reasoning is.

Elizabeth is rfing and 51 months! :D
 

aeormsby

New member
That is very strange :confused: Why would they care if a 37(+) month old was using it RF as long as they still fit the size requirements?
 

hrice

New member
Hmm. I kind of like it.
There are many parents who misunderstand the standard "May only be used rear facing for child under 1/20" wording and believe it means after 1/20 it must be FF.
This switches it around in a positive way and will probably advocate ERF. Still very odd.

I agree. I have encountered many parents that think their child HAS to FF at 20#.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
That whacky wording is federally mandated, isn't it? So that would still be there in addition to the weird 36 month age limit.

HOWEVER, I kind of like it. Not because it limits the age, of course, but because if a non-ERF parent sees that, they might take it as a suggestion that kids SHOULD RF to 36 months.
 

Mommy0608

New member
I do find it strange, and wonder where they came up with that particular age. However, as a couple people have said, I think it's helpful. In the real world, VERY few people do ERF. If this means that someone might think twice before turning their 12 month old FF, then that's great, even if it they'll only do ERF for a little while. It opens up the possibility of rear-facing beyond the bare minimums... many people still have no clue about that, unfortunately.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Sure, but if it was arbitrary and just being used to promote extended rear-facing in a backward way, they could have made the limit 48 or 60 months;-)
 

Mommy0608

New member
Sure, but if it was arbitrary and just being used to promote extended rear-facing in a backward way, they could have made the limit 48 or 60 months;-)

You've got a point. Maybe they were going for something that might seem more realistic to the general population though? I think a lot of people would see 60 months and think it was a misprint or completely insane. I think if they had to pick an upper age limit, 36 or 48 months are good choices. Most people aren't going to rear-face to 36 months anyway (hopefully that'll change down the road as the word gets out).

Really though, I don't think an upper age limit could affect the seat's safety at all, as long as the kid still fits the size limits properly. Two kids who are identical in size but 6 months apart in age can't possibly have different results in terms of safety, right? Lower age limits matter, of course, because of maturity of the bones and structures of the body... but I can't think of any problems with being too old to use a seat rear-facing (again, assuming all size guidelines are met).
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Sure, but if it was arbitrary and just being used to promote extended rear-facing in a backward way, they could have made the limit 48 or 60 months;-)

Yeah, but that might have the undesired effect of getting people to think that they can face their 60-month-old in THAT seat. For a 35-lb seat, 36 months seems reasonable. (I mean, stupid, yet great, depending on how you look at it.)
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
I wonder if it reflects the dummy they used. Isn't that dummy a 33 pound, 3 yo (ie. 36 months). Maybe they weighted it to 35 pounds and wanted to use all other numbers from it. (Is there a height limit? And does that reflect the height of the 3 yo dummy?)
 

emandbri

Well-known member
I guess I'm also concerned that folks will think that it is unsafe to rear-facing a child older than 3 in other seats as well.
 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member
Maybe it means you HAVE to use it rf'ing until 36mo. Not that you can't rf beyond 3yrs, but if they are under 36mo, you have to rf? I mean, it says you can only rear face under 36mo...over 36mo is maybe optional? Much like the Britax...(and most other seats), you must rear face up to 20lbs, but rear facing is optional from 20-40lbs (depending on seat) etc.
 

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