Required or Recommended? RE: the Safety 1st Apex

CandCfam

New member

• May 19, 2006

• #1

Can someone enlighten me as to if it's required for the Apex to be in a seating position with a headrest, or if it is just recommended...?

TIA!

 

Splash

New member

• May 19, 2006

• #2

Well....
Technically it IS required IF the child's head is over the vehicle seat.
But I don't think it's going to matter *that* much in a frontal crash (rear it would though) and although I wouldn't use it without the headrest... if it was someone's only option.... I would probably look the other way. Plus I found the headrest to be quite sturdy unless it is all the way up (though of course I haven't crash tested it).

It's a requirement once the child's head is over the seatback. Not as much of a requirement as some requirements (ie, no latch over 48 pounds, not using a seat above the harness weight) but still a requirement.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• May 19, 2006

• #3

Yes, it is REQUIRED. There is a warning in the instruction manual. It says : " Do Not Use this child restraint if the midpoint of your childs head is above the top of the vehicle seat back." (And that means while the child is sitting in the Apex, all carseats sit differently. So while your child may be 6 inches from the top of the seat back in one seat, they may be 2" in another)

So you could buy it for a younger child (2/3) and their head would probably be below the seat back, but an older child wouldn't. So there would be no point in buying the seat if you don't have headrests as you would not get as much use out of it.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• May 19, 2006

• #4

To throw another loop into the mix, its only listed in the BOOSTER section of the manual, right? But, my DD would have been too tall or very nearly too tall by the mid-point of head rule when she would still fit in the harness (by height and weight). I did not get one.

I'd call Cosco and see what they say. Its terribly confusing.

There are other options out there. The Apex is as large as a Regent, so if an Apex would fit by width and height, so will a Regent. A Radian is a good narrow choice if it works in your car.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• May 19, 2006

• #5

Yes, that's why you must have headrests. If you have headrests, it extends the seat back much higher and then, it's overall, a decent seat.

 

ZephyrBlue

New member

• May 19, 2006

• #6

Looking at my manual, it looks like it's a requirement, not a recommendation.

 

my3girls

New member

• May 19, 2006

• #7

It simply says do not use this restraint... not "don't use this seat as a booster". They have tested it and decided to add this rule, it needs to be followed IMO.

 

H

HannahsMom

Guest

• May 19, 2006

• #8

Unregistered said:

To throw another loop into the mix, its only listed in the BOOSTER section of the manual, right?

Click to expand...

Regardless of where it's posted, it clearly states that the child restraint (meaning the whole seat, whether it's in booster mode or harness mode) should never be used when the midpoint of the child's head is above the back of the carseat.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• May 20, 2006

• #9

HannahsMom said:

Regardless of where it's posted, it clearly states that the child restraint (meaning the whole seat, whether it's in booster mode or harness mode) should never be used when the midpoint of the child's head is above the back of the carseat.

Click to expand...

I totally agree, that's why I didn't buy one.

It bugs me that its JUST in the booster section, ie the non-immediate use mode for most buyers. A parent who buys the seat (and uses it for harnessing) might not read the booster section right away as boostering is "a couple years away".

Seems like they could have done a better job.

 

griffinmom

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• May 20, 2006

• #10

Seems like Dorel/Cosco could always do a better job!

It is not a recommendation to have head restraints in the seating position where this seat is used, it is a REQUIREMENT.

AND BTW, you rarely get to choose if you're going to be in a frontal crash or any other type of crash. Without crash testing this seat yourself, it is irresponsible to opine what you think might happen in a crash.

 

CandCfam

New member

• May 21, 2006

• #11

Thank you!

I've never seen one in person to get to take a look at the manual, but was (maybe still am) confused why a seat with a headrest would not allow you to use it in a position w/out a headrest. That's too bad that it is that way, it seems like it would be (and is, *if* you have seating position w/ a headrest) such a good transitional seat otherwise.

 

skaterbabs

Well-known member

• May 21, 2006

• #12

It's because Cosco chose to not reinforce the back of the seat, so there's nothing to prevent whiplash.