Complete Air LX

I'm looking into the Complete Air LX to ERF my tall kiddo. I just read somewhere that the CA has a RF height limit of 40 inches. Is that true? I don't see this information on Safety First's website and I'm unable to access the instruction manual online as they require codes and manufacture date from the car seat. Does anyone know if this is, in fact, a stated limit on the CA? If so, I don't know how long that seat will last us.

The Radian is out. I can't get it to fit in my car. I've been looking at the True Fit and the CA. I don't like the lower weight limit on the True Fit for RF and now this with the CA. I have a tall kid, but it's not like she's going to end up in Ripley's Believe it or Not. Any advice on how can I ERF her without having to invest in a new car?

And a big thanks to everyone who has been so patiently and informatively answering all my questions.

Yes, it is in the manual. It's up to you whether you want to follow it or not. I won't tell you yo go against the manual but I will tell you that my 42" daughter is RF in hers with no concerns.

My 41" daughter fit quite nicely in the Complete Air rear-facing with PLENTY of room to grow rear-facing. I would use it past the 40" rule rear-facing.

It doesn't take up a lot of room rear-facing, so you should be ok with it

Here is a 5 and 6 year old rear-facing in it: http://carseatblog.com/4038/new-safety-1st-complete-air-convertible-car-seat-review/

The height limits are only stated b/c federal law requires the company to say something. A tech can correct me if I'm wrong but a RF seat is outgrown when the child's head is 1" away from the top of the seat's shell (hard plastic NOT fluffy padding).

happymum44 said:

I'm looking into the Complete Air LX to ERF my tall kiddo. I just read somewhere that the CA has a RF height limit of 40 inches. Is that true? I don't see this information on Safety First's website and I'm unable to access the instruction manual online as they require codes and manufacture date from the car seat. Does anyone know if this is, in fact, a stated limit on the CA? If so, I don't know how long that seat will last us.

The Radian is out. I can't get it to fit in my car. I've been looking at the True Fit and the CA. I don't like the lower weight limit on the True Fit for RF and now this with the CA. I have a tall kid, but it's not like she's going to end up in Ripley's Believe it or Not. Any advice on how can I ERF her without having to invest in a new car?

And a big thanks to everyone who has been so patiently and informatively answering all my questions.

Click to expand...

That is generally true, yes, but the CA allows RF until the head is even with the top of the headrest.

Can you tell me more about why you're comfortable going beyond the 40"? I wonder why Safety 1st would set the limit in the first place if there weren't a reason. Plenty of seats don't stipulate RF height limits, just weight.

I may be too much of a rule follower to disregard what the manual says, but this board hasn't steered me wrong yet, so I'd like to hear more.

I think everything mentions a rear facing height limit. For some it's just the forward facing limit, but I think a height limit is usually mentioned.

The reason for a height limit (a real one, not a made up number) is because if the child is too tall their head will ramp up and over the seat and they can get whiplash on the initial impact, not on the rebound like forward facing people (assuming a frontal collision). If there's an inch or more above the head (or in the case of the Complete Air, the head is even with the top of the shell) then there's enough shell to protect the head from whiplash. Therefore it's still safe, even if overall you've got a 43" child.

Not so much in this seat, since nearly every 40" child will have room above their heads, but in other seats it scares me. Say you have a 29" child with a monster torso and short stubby legs. Are they less safe because their heads are too tall, even though they're going by the stated height limit?

Anyway, the CA states 40" and the head not going above the top of the headrest. I'd completely use it to the top of the headrest. Piper fit by height in the CA at seven years rear facing. She had about 1.5" above her head. She was about 43" and 41.5 pounds. So too heavy, but by height she still fit.

Wendy

Here is an interesting thread on the issue:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=123189&highlight=complete+air+height+limit

Almost all infant seats have stated height limits, and pretty much every tech on this board at one time or another has said to ignore them and go by the 1" rule. I find the CA no different, IMO, when it comes to ignoring the 40" limit.