Vent Canadian Infant seat w/out base RPITA!

NotJUSTamom · Nov 14, 2008

Today my friend got called into work and she has a 10mo old baby who has an infant seat..i'm not sure what make it is..but it's one of those canadian ones with the puzzle piece connectors.:thumbsdown:.and let me tell you putting the baby and the thing in the car w/out a base was a HUGE PITA! I was contemplating installing one of my extra convertables in the car for her but it was only one trip (and I didn't want to have to move all the boosters around etc etc).. buti am SO glad I am done with those seats. Also, I hated knowing that the seat was illegal here (right, if it has one of the Canadian stickers on it?) but she has a new car seat in the mail! But installing an extra convertable would have been easier and at least legal.(Shame on me:thumbsdown

My seats have realllly automatic locking seatbelts and getting the shoulder portion over the seat was very hard..then the harness barely fits her anymore and it was just a total nightmare with the whole coat thing too! I love the baby but HATTEEEEEEE that super long and square infant seat! UGHH! lol this really has no point, but I just hate Canadian infant seats w/out bases!

EDIT: **this seat HAPPEND to be from Canada and I made the mistake of calling it "Canadian" my bad.. no need to comment that they are the same seats!**

featherhead · Nov 14, 2008

Well, just to let you know, in the US you have all the same seats we do, plus more. I think it's the Dorel seats (Safety 1st, Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Maxi-Cosi) that have the puzzle buckle, and they are the same in the US. So you would have felt the same had it been a US seat (other than it not being illegal for you).

snowbird25ca · Nov 14, 2008

I'm not sure 100% which seat you're talking about, though I'm guessing by puzzle connector you mean puzzle buckle, but depending on what it was it did come with a base. And to the best of my knowledge we do not have any infant seats available here that aren't available there. So that same seat that you fought with isn't a Canadian original seat.

Your vent may be have been more appropriately phrased as just hating to install a seat without a base since in this case the country it's certified for is rather irrelevant.

NotJUSTamom · Nov 14, 2008

featherhead said:
Well, just to let you know, in the US you have all the same seats we do, plus more. I think it's the Dorel seats (Safety 1st, Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Maxi-Cosi) that have the puzzle buckle, and they are the same in the US. So you would have felt the same had it been a US seat (other than it not being illegal for you).

Because I totaly hate those puzzle things when the harness is snug! I don't mean to say I hate the seat just because its canadian..it was just the seat I don't like and they way it worked with my seatbelts

LISmama810 · Nov 14, 2008

NotJUSTamom said:
then the harness barely fits her anymore and it was just a total nightmare with the whole coat thing too!

Did you take the coat off? Kids shouldn't wear them in the car.

I agree with the others that this doesn't sound like an issue specific to a CANADIAN seat, but to the type of seat itself. You likely would have had the same issue with the US version of the seat.

NotJUSTamom · Nov 14, 2008

LISmama810 said:
Did you take the coat off? Kids shouldn't wear them in the car.

I agree with the others that this doesn't sound like an issue specific to a CANADIAN seat, but to the type of seat itself. You likely would have had the same issue with the US version of the seat.

I sure did!

I wrapped it around her after I buckled her..but it was still really snug w/out the coat! I already said that i dont care if it was a US seat or Canadian it just happed to be canadian..thats all!

CDNTech · Nov 14, 2008

Why was the shoulder portion going over the carseat? Do you mean around the back of the carseat?

If so, you may be installing it wrong and that's why you were having a difficult time.

I agree that the puzzle buckle's are a pain in the butt... couple them with the very short crotch straps and I curse those things.

NotJUSTamom · Nov 14, 2008

CDNTech said:
Why was the shoulder portion going over the carseat? Do you mean around the back of the carseat?

If so, you may be installing it wrong and that's why you were having a difficult time.

I agree that the puzzle buckle's are a pain in the butt... couple them with the very short crotch straps and I curse those things.

Yea the back part..sorry if I was unspecific! I feel like people are attacking me, I totaly am not saying anything bad about Canada

..the seat just happend to be Canadian..thats all!

CDNTech · Nov 14, 2008

NotJUSTamom said:
Yea the back part..sorry if I was unspecific! I feel like people are attacking me, I totaly am not saying anything bad about Canada..the seat just happend to be Canadian..thats all!

There's only one seat that I know of offhand that tells you to route the shoulder portion around the back of the child restraint... however, it also tells you that if your seatbelt is not long enough, it is perfectly acceptable to install the 'normal' way.

The lap portion goes through the belt guides on the infant seat, lock the seatbelt, and tighten. The shoulder portion basically lays flat against the *vehicle* seat back.

Not attacking... just suggesting that you may want to route around for the instructions and do a quick check as it sounds like you may be installing it incorrectly.

snowbird25ca · Nov 14, 2008

CDNTech said:
There's only one seat that I know of offhand that tells you to route the shoulder portion around the back of the child restraint... however, it also tells you that if your seatbelt is not long enough, it is perfectly acceptable to install the 'normal' way.

Not attacking... just suggesting that you may want to route around for the instructions and do a quick check as it sounds like you may be installing it incorrectly.

I believe that instruction has been added fairly recently. The older seats (like even 2yrs ago I believe,) didn't list the option of not routing the shoulder portion behind if the belt didn't fit. That's my understanding based on complaints that I've read here about the older seats anyways. Maybe someone knows when the instructions changed regarding the shoulder belt routing with baseless installs?

The Quinny, eddie bauer and all the other designer 22 clones have that baseless install direction, and they have puzzle buckles too, so I'm guessing that was likely the seat in question. (Only other infant seat with the puzzle buckle is maxi cosi mico and the peg perego, peg definitely doesn't allow that, and I don't think the maxi cosi does either, but it's new enough in Canada I rather doubt it was a maxi cosi infant seat anyways - they're just not that common to see... probably just a designer 22 dressed up in whatever name & fabric. lol)

Though I still 100% agree that looking for the instructions is a good idea. Maybe this seat has the option of not routing the shoulder belt. The sticker even right on the side of the seat should show it if it's an option on that particular seat. :thumbsup:

canadiangie · Nov 14, 2008

Combi seats have a puzzle buckle as well. And a super short crotch strap.

I wonder what seat this friend had from Canada, that she took with her to the States?! OP, if you're still around, I've LOVE to know. You should call her LOL.

And no, none of us are attacking you. We just latch on to any sort of CDN based thread when it appears outside of the CDN forum LOL.

NotJUSTamom · Nov 15, 2008

canadiancarseatqueen said:
Combi seats have a puzzle buckle as well. And a super short crotch strap.

I wonder what seat this friend had from Canada, that she took with her to the States?! OP, if you're still around, I've LOVE to know. You should call her LOL.

And no, none of us are attacking you. We just latch on to any sort of CDN based thread when it appears outside of the CDN forum LOL.

haha ok I Just felt like people were all over me about it because I didnt have the directions to the seat so I just installed it like the side of the seat said..with a lap/shoulder belt to route it through the back of the seat and through the seatbelt holders. I'm guessing it shouldn't have been that hard though, and if I had known that I could install it just like a lap belt if the seat belt didnt fit through the back then I would have! I just all together hate infant seats..they just bug me lol, I never feel like I get a good install w/out a base or even with base! Plus, not to mention the are super heavy..I like having baby in RF convertable and putting them in strollers instead. I know it sounds nuts, but they are not convienent for me at all. Next time I watch her if she brings that seat I will take a pic of the install/seat but have a RF convertable already installed! Although she's getting a new seat in the mail soon so im guessing that seats a gonner within the next week!

bubbaray · Nov 15, 2008

Can I ask what infant seat you are talking about? Because I can't think of an infant seat that is available in Canada that is not available in the US. Really, all the Canadian seats (infant and otherwise) are the same seats sold in the US, just with a French label and instructions and a price tag that is twice the US MRSP.

I kinda don't see why its an issue that its a *Canadian* seat. Sounds like the issue is installing it without the base, not what sticker it has on it....

canadiangie · Nov 15, 2008

bubbaray said:
Can I ask what infant seat you are talking about? Because I can't think of an infant seat that is available in Canada that is not available in the US. Really, all the Canadian seats (infant and otherwise) are the same seats sold in the US, just with a French label and instructions and a price tag that is twice the US MRSP.
QUOTE]

We don't know if they are the exact same.

For those in Canada who might be reading this thread...

Seats in Canada are tested to different standards than those sold in the US. It's unclear whether US seats meet our standards in every category (ie: forward head excursion limits, chest acceleration), so it's best not to say they are "the same". As for the instructions being different, that's actually a key aspect of why it's so important to buy a seat sold in Canada. Many times weight limits are different, and mandatory top tethering isn't mentioned in US manuals. Using a seat not sold in Canada is illegal.

FWIW, I'm not being a nit-picker, just don't want any unsuspecting CDN parent to head off and order a US seat thinking they're "the same". :twocents:

Vent Canadian Infant seat w/out base RPITA!

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