Vent Frontier's twisty straps. and twisty buckle

lovinwaves

New member
Every. single. time. the straps twist in the buckle tongues. I think if there had been velcro on the strap(like the Marathon) that would help, because the buckle tongue wouldn't slide alllll the way down to the kids bum. That also bothers me having to dig the buckle out from under their rear. :rolleyes:

The crotch buckle is also irritating me. It keeps twisting each and every time as well. :mad:

On the plus side, I don't have to dig the crotch buckle out from underneath my kids. :)
 
ADS

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Call them next week and complain... I'm hoping if we all do it they'll go back to the nice thick Marathon-esque straps :cool:
 

seamonkeys

New member
Call them next week and complain... I'm hoping if we all do it they'll go back to the nice thick Marathon-esque straps :cool:

:yeahthat:

Although I haven't had problems with them twisting. But I'm not liking it sliding down so far - couldn't figure out why they were doing that! Forgot that the other seats have that velcro strip to stop it from sliding down!
 

sb518

New member
Really?! :eek: The straps are different than those on the marathon? Is it easier to adjust than the MA?

Has anybody noticed that the RA is an ease to tighten but the MA/DC are near impossible?? I really think it's the difference in the harness. The RA has the smooth harness, MA/DC have the thicker rough ones. What kind does the Frontier have???
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Really?! :eek: The straps are different than those on the marathon? Is it easier to adjust than the MA?

Has anybody noticed that the RA is an ease to tighten but the MA/DC are near impossible?? I really think it's the difference in the harness. The RA has the smooth harness, MA/DC have the thicker rough ones. What kind does the Frontier have???

It's not the straps, it's the adjuster mechanism ;)

Yeah, we've all (all of us who are totally obsessed with keeping track, that is, rofl!) noticed that the RA is the best adjuster on the face of the planet (Key Fit may beat it, Nautilus is close, Como/Signo are also great). MA and BV are pretty bad, DC is freakin' totally stupid horrible for 90% of us. FR is great... really great... it's a long pull like the RA, but then some light short pulls like the MA, but overall way better than just the MA.

So on the harness itself is the difference with the twisting... the MA/DC/BV are all nice and thick, a little thicker than the RA, and the Frontier is the really nice high grade extra slippery stuff they put on the Recaros and did put on the Safeguards (till everyone complained and they started using MA-type straps on the Safeguards).

Whew, strap history for the day, there :D
 

Heather98012

New member
Melissa,

I called Britax several weeks ago & told them about it. I had the crotch buckle turn around TWICE & had to twist the entire thing around to get it buckled. Then I couldn't tighten the harness up & it was a PITA to get it twisted back around correctly.

They said they hadn't heard of it but would forward the info to the right people. If enough people call, maybe it will make a difference!
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
I used mine for my niece tonight. Pretty much the first good long ride (an hour each way)

We were in a hurry going home and I wasn't as careful as I should have been. It twisted in the buckle tongues and I couldn't get it back no matter what I did. The only way was to uninstall the seat and remove the harness and buckle tongue and start over.

Well there was NO WAY I was reinstalling that seat in that car, so I left it :eek: Bad bad bad...I know....

I fixed it once we got home and put it back in my car

There is NO way I could use that seat full time for my kid with straps like that
 

lovinwaves

New member
There is NO way I could use that seat full time for my kid with straps like that

When DH gets back from his golf trip I may end up putting the Frontiers in his VW Passat, and put the Radians back in my van.

I ran some errands today and no matter HOW careful I was I still managed to twisted the straps in the buckle tongue :mad: So, here I am in 90 degree weather, with two hot screaming kids while *I*, the CPST, am trying to make my straps flat against my child. I usually have to have the kids climb out of their seat while I fix the straps. Very frustrating. At this point I am missing my Marathons with the base and all.
 

mom23boys

New member
I only had this seat briefly before I returned it. Not because of the twisty straps but because it didn't give ds enough room to grow in harness. I got the regent and have been very happy thus far.

Just want to mention that while it was in my home I did notice that buckles kept getting all kinda of wierd on the Frontier. It was a PITB and I never even drove any where with it. THat would have drove me crazy. THe straps on the regent aren't like the ones on ds BLVD but they are not any where as annoying as the Frontiers were either. THe Blvd straps were thicker and perfect IMO! DS does his regent on his own and I check it but he can usually always get them correct so that counts for something.

I wish the Frontier and the Regent had the same straps as the Blvd did. I am guessing that the Marathon and the Roundabout most likely have the ones like the BLVD, so I wonder if the Regent and Frontiers are different because of the higher weight limits?
 

Heather98012

New member
If you want some encouragement, there are two things I have noticed.

1) After a week or so of useage, the buckle tried to twist once or twice more, but I was able to catch it "mid twist" & stop it. This was easy to do (& you're right about NOT being able to fix it without taking some serious effort if it turns all the way around!).

2) After a few weeks worth of use, it hasn't happened again. I dunno if I broke it in, so to speak, or if we have just gotten good at preventing it, but it hasn't been an issue lately in over 2 weeks. :shrug-shoulders: Dunno why, I'm just glad it isn't an issue for us anymore (at least, for now!).
 

Yoshi

New member
Really?! :eek: The straps are different than those on the marathon? Is it easier to adjust than the MA?

Has anybody noticed that the RA is an ease to tighten but the MA/DC are near impossible?? I really think it's the difference in the harness. The RA has the smooth harness, MA/DC have the thicker rough ones. What kind does the Frontier have???
:yeahthat:
I think you have to give up one complaint for the other.
 

Brilliantmama

New member
why do you think they use different straps for different seats? (something to do with weight limits?)

Also, does anyone think the twistiness might be due to the new buckle tongue/buckles? (double click, red square)

I just wonder if the slots in the tongues are too big for the straps.
 

Auntie2Avi

New member
I am also going to call Britax on Monday about the buckle tongues sliding all the way down. It is really annoying to have to reach all the way down every single time to pull the buckles up. I love the seat otherwise, but this is really annoying me. I haven't had too many problems with twisty straps, but I am really careful when Avi is getting in/out of the seat. Not that other people are not careful, I am just very aware of this and help him in/out.
 

Heather98012

New member
I just wonder if the slots in the tongues are too big for the straps.

I think you may be right. Since the straps are the thin, silky kind, the slots just may be too big.

Whatever the reason, it's seriously a PITA. I made sure to stress to the customer service rep at Britax that not only was it annoying, but it is a safety issue, as I had to TWICE drive home with the strap turned backwards & harness too loose due to the tongue flipping around.
 

carseatfreak

New member
I have the same complaints but I've found ways to work with it. I have to hold the crotch strap up while dd climbs in (otherwise I have to dig it from underneath her). As far as the straps falling down to the base (and they always do...), I have to pull them up slowly going along the strap. If I try to do it to fast or not guide them along the belt slowly they will twist and they are PITA to untwist. A few times after I started using it became totally twisted around and I just did not expect that from Britax. I will call and complain...had not thought of that.
 

lovinwaves

New member
I just wonder if the slots in the tongues are too big for the straps.

I think you are right too! So does this mean Britax may issue out smaller buckle tongues to fix the problem. :question:

The buckles falling all the way to the bum area won't be so bad if the straps didn't twist.
 

Morganthe

New member
I am also going to call Britax on Monday about the buckle tongues sliding all the way down. It is really annoying to have to reach all the way down every single time to pull the buckles up.

I posted a while back about Velcro Dots that solved the issue of my vanishing buckles on the Regent. It's been almost a year with the same ones adhered onto the straps and I've never had to deal with them.
Doesn't affect safety, nor have I had to readjust them when I raise the harness level.

I wonder if putting one or two on the back of the buckle slots to narrow the opening, might solve this problem of the twisty straps too.
 

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