thoughts on ERF and HWH seats!

minismom

Well-known member
How come we have seats that harness to 80lbs, and we can't get that RF limit to go up higher? It doesn't seem to make sense, since from what I understand the benefits of ERF are very well establish while there is some controversy about the benefits of HWH. Do we need the ERF version of the Kyle Miller video to get people going and up the demand for higher RF limits? I know 35lbs is already better than what we've had in the past, but c'mon if even a Scenera can go to 35lbs you'd think Britax could easily do 40, right?

Any thoughts?

Ok, I know I'm cheating. I had started the same thread last week but it had a weird title and I think that might be why no one responded. So I'm trying again! I started thinking this because I had this dream: I was driving and saw someone using a Regent RF. I tried to explain they couldn't do it but they insisted they heard RF was safer so that's how they wanted their son to ride, and he couldn't fit in any other carseat RF.

On a fun note, dd got weighed yesterday and she's now officially extended rear facing!!! Wohooo! (check my new siggy)
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Judi

CPST/Firefighter
I wish there was one with heigher limits. I told DH that if I did get pregnant, I would want to import a seat. Good thing we aren't going to have any kids!
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
I always thought 35 pounds was MORE than enough. I mean my kid is almost 3 and still has 12 more pounds to go. She'd be RFing until college!

But that was BEFORE I had #2 who has to be the worlds chunkiest baby (ok not true, but you know what I mean). The poor kid will probably have to FF at 18 months!!

While I think 35 pounds is enough for most kids I wish there was at least ONE company that had a higher weight rear facing seat. I'm not so concerned with weight rear facing, I'm all about the age and I dont want my kids forward facing before age 3. But because I have a larger kid I wont even get close probably with our youngest. If there was atleast one higher weight option then I could get her to age 3.

This never concerned me until I weighed my daughter tonight. What have I been feeding her?!?!?!
 

minismom

Well-known member
I always thought 35 pounds was MORE than enough. I mean my kid is almost 3 and still has 12 more pounds to go. She'd be RFing until college!

But that was BEFORE I had #2 who has to be the worlds chunkiest baby (ok not true, but you know what I mean). The poor kid will probably have to FF at 18 months!!

While I think 35 pounds is enough for most kids I wish there was at least ONE company that had a higher weight rear facing seat. I'm not so concerned with weight rear facing, I'm all about the age and I dont want my kids forward facing before age 3. But because I have a larger kid I wont even get close probably with our youngest. If there was atleast one higher weight option then I could get her to age 3.

This never concerned me until I weighed my daughter tonight. What have I been feeding her?!?!?!

Yeah, I'm about age too! It's just annoying about the kids like your second who won't make it RF too long. My friend's baby was 30lbs around 1yo.
I just saw your siggy and your dd is 1 month younger than mine and weighs 7lbs more! Wow! My dd is pretty tiny though, and I do hope that I can RF her to 3. But I wish more people have choices. Also I think she might outgrow even the tallest seat by heigh RF before 35lbs though...
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
I think that 1 and 20 is pushed so much that there isn't a demand for higher weights. Once you hit the minimums, it is easy to find a seat to put your kid in.

On the other hand, once a kid hits 40 pounds and isn't ready for a booster, parents start looking for an alternative. Especially those who have a kid who won't sit properly. You don't get that when switching from rfing to ffing...a kid is stuck in his seat no matter which way they are facing.

I think there are a lot less people on board with erfing. EH options make more sense because you have a lot of kids with special needs that might need a higher weight limit, as well as a generation of kids who are outgrowing their lower weight seats because of higher weights at too young of an age- Kids who are hitting 40 pounds at 2, whereas that didn't happen so much in the past, kwim?

Sorry for the rambling...
 

minismom

Well-known member
My main point though is why britax and al justify having a seat that FFs to 80lbs and not one that RF to say, 40. Are there more people out there buying HWH seats but not RF their kids long? That's what I don't get....
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
Increasing the weight limit on a rf seat is as straightforward as on a ff seat. A rf seat has to hold the child up. The rf seat takes to force of the crash and the center of gravity is so much farther away from the seatback/vehicle frame. That's why the seats we see from Sweden have a foot prop. FF seats just have to have appropriate webbing and reinforcement to hold the child back. Plus, the more closely coupled the seat is to the vehicle seat, the closer it is to the center of gravity and the less the child moves. That's partly why low profile CRs like the Radian and RSTV have such good head excursion numbers.

Plus, crash tests and downward rotation of the rf seat come into play. Testing is done on a sled bench with no seat in front of it to brace it. The heavier the child, the farther it's going to move. Like ff head excursion limits, there are rf downward rotation limits. You also have to consider that there is no such thing as a 40 lb test dummy.
 

Auntie2Avi

New member
Increasing the weight limit on a rf seat is as straightforward as on a ff seat. A rf seat has to hold the child up. The rf seat takes to force of the crash and the center of gravity is so much farther away from the seatback/vehicle frame. That's why the seats we see from Sweden have a foot prop. FF seats just have to have appropriate webbing and reinforcement to hold the child back. Plus, the more closely coupled the seat is to the vehicle seat, the closer it is to the center of gravity and the less the child moves. That's partly why low profile CRs like the Radian and RSTV have such good head excursion numbers.

Plus, crash tests and downward rotation of the rf seat come into play. Testing is done on a sled bench with no seat in front of it to brace it. The heavier the child, the farther it's going to move. Like ff head excursion limits, there are rf downward rotation limits. You also have to consider that there is no such thing as a 40 lb test dummy.

So if there is no 40 lb dummy how do they test the combo seats to 40 lbs? Add weights to the 35 lb dummy? I am not trying to be rude, I am really curious how they do this.

Thanks
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
RSTV = ride safer travel vest. it's not really a seat at all, but a niche child restraint. it's great for urban families or tight three across situations. I know the local health department uses them for severely obese preschoolers.

So if there is no 40 lb dummy how do they test the combo seats to 40 lbs? Add weights to the 35 lb dummy? I am not trying to be rude, I am really curious how they do this.

good question. I actually have no idea. I only know there isn't a 40 lb one because that's what Dave from SSK said in the chat last week when he was asked about testing the Radian to 40 lb rf. :shrug-shoulders:
 

minismom

Well-known member
Increasing the weight limit on a rf seat is as straightforward as on a ff seat. A rf seat has to hold the child up. The rf seat takes to force of the crash and the center of gravity is so much farther away from the seatback/vehicle frame. That's why the seats we see from Sweden have a foot prop. FF seats just have to have appropriate webbing and reinforcement to hold the child back. Plus, the more closely coupled the seat is to the vehicle seat, the closer it is to the center of gravity and the less the child moves. That's partly why low profile CRs like the Radian and RSTV have such good head excursion numbers.

Plus, crash tests and downward rotation of the rf seat come into play. Testing is done on a sled bench with no seat in front of it to brace it. The heavier the child, the farther it's going to move. Like ff head excursion limits, there are rf downward rotation limits. You also have to consider that there is no such thing as a 40 lb test dummy.

makes sense.... It's just annoying cause the benefits of ERF have been proven and while harnessing is safer and all, there are issues with HWH. People just need to get on board with ERF really... We need a really cool video to get a massive amount of people to get the message. The sad part is that it usually takes a tragedy like KDM to convince people. The little girl in NZ is a great example though....

Ilana makes a good point! There are so many seats with 40lbs limits, there's gotta be a 40lbs dummy! I'm so curious now...
 

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