Question What's up with the height restrictions for RF?

purplemama · Jul 3, 2012

So I've noticed lately that seats are coming out with a 40" RF limit. What's that about anyway? The size4me and now the titan65 (which is a joke if they didn't change the shell height) have a 40" limit. The CA always has, right?
Any thoughts on what's going on?
At 4 years old my DS2 was 41" but still had tons of room above his head RF in the CA. To me this is very upsetting. I want my girls to RF to at least 4 but if seats keep coming out with this limit, I wonder what my choices will be in a few years.
I guess I just want to know WHY!!! Is there something they know that we don't? What kind of testing caused this 40" limit?

bnsnyde · Jul 3, 2012

My son didn't even get too close to 40" before outgrowing the Scenera RF, and he's not even 3. I guess he has a long torso but it was disappointing for travel!

Our older Scenera actually says 36" limit RF!

oliviaik · Jul 3, 2012

I thought I heard that Graco was re-evaluating the 40" height limit?

callumsmom · Jul 4, 2012

The only reason I can think of for coming up with the 40 inches as the magic number would be some sort of data on the average child's seated height at 40 inches tall. That still is silly though because it doesn't take into account kids that are all legs or have smaller heads/shorter necks.

tiggercat · Jul 4, 2012

Seats have always had height limits. Many older models had much lower limits (seats in Canada were all 32 inches for a long time), we just ignored that in favour of the 1 inch rule because it made more sense. Because then it was the difference between turning a 1 yr old or rearfacing above the height limit, which is kind of a no-brainer. Now that they are stating higher weight and height limits, and we want to RF our 3, 4, 5 yr olds, the limits seem to be viewed more strictly. And really, why go over the limits to RF a kid that is pretty darn safe in a properly used FF seat...

Edited about 6 times because I kept getting interrupted and desperately need coffee.

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Spam · Jul 4, 2012

the new titan has a much taller shell, 19" top slots so they raised shell. Idk about the 40" thing it's annoying.

bree · Jul 4, 2012

I've seen at least one manufacturer mention that 40" is the 50th percentile for 4 year old boys and the 95th percentile for 3 year old boys (or something similar), so my best guess is that's where the number comes from.

jeminijad · Jul 4, 2012

You've got to remember that these are mass marketed products designed to work for the majority of children. 4 year olds rear facing, even small ones, are outliers.

Jessica61624 · Jul 4, 2012

Spam said:
the new titan has a much taller shell, 19" top slots so they raised shell. Idk about the 40" thing it's annoying.

I can't wait to play with one! I hope it doesn't have a 40in rule.

carseatcoach · Jul 5, 2012

Titan really has 19" top slots? Taller than a Nautilus? I'm having a hard time picturing that in a convertible that's known for fitting in small cars.

I guess I just want to know WHY!!! Is there something they know that we don't?

Well, that's the kicker. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. I personally wouldn't want to find out. A 4yo can forward-face quite safely: I'd do that rather than testing out a theory.

creideamh · Jul 5, 2012

carseatcoach said:
Titan really has 19" top slots? Taller than a Nautilus? I'm having a hard time picturing that in a convertible that's known for fitting in small cars.

http://carseatblog.com/17709/with-love-pictures-from-lifesavers-orlando/

carseatcoach · Jul 5, 2012

Well, that just made my day. Fits newbs, fits kindergarteners, and under $100?!

Pixels · Jul 5, 2012

For FMVSS 213 certification, they have to use certain dummies to test the seats. Dummy selection is based not only on rated weight, but also height. If the dummy fits (by federal definition, not manufacturer's definition) by weight OR height, it must be used.

christineka · Jul 5, 2012

All other evenflo seats have the 1 inch rule, though. What has changed? The sk radians had a rfing limit of 53 inches and the new dionos are 44 inches. I also hear that the myride just goes by the 1 inch rule.

SavsMom · Jul 5, 2012

Now I want to replace my Maestro with a Titan!

Jessica61624 · Jul 5, 2012

SavsMom said:
Now I want to replace my Maestro with a Titan!

Since the maestro booster is basically useless and the weight limit is 50lbs I would!

SavsMom · Jul 5, 2012

Jessica61624 said:
Since the maestro booster is basically useless and the weight limit is 50lbs I would!

That was my thought exactly! Plus my dd has a good size torso, so those 19" top slots have me drooling, lol!
When do these come out?

Athena · Jul 5, 2012

That 40" thing is so annoying. Why is it spreading?! Ugh! I think many of us want to *know* why.

I've mainly used Britax convertibles and never had that 40" rule, but it did deter me from buying the CA because my kids are 40" at barely 3 and even the new gen seat got DD to 40-41" before hitting the 1" limit, so what was the point in getting the CA? Although I was not happy about it, I had to turn her FF because I did not have any other good options that worked in my car. So I feel the frustration too.

However, I am intrigued by the Titan, especially at that price point. So it's about an inch taller than the nautilus? We could use another seat with more height without having to shell out for another Frontier.

whiteyacht · Jul 5, 2012

SavsMom said:
That was my thought exactly! Plus my dd has a good size torso, so those 19" top slots have me drooling, lol!
When do these come out?

I think September.

Jessica61624 · Jul 6, 2012

SavsMom said:
That was my thought exactly! Plus my dd has a good size torso, so those 19" top slots have me drooling, lol!
When do these come out?

They're up on targets website already. Out of stock right now. They have the limits wrong FYI.

Question What's up with the height restrictions for RF?

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