Too tall for the BLVD RFing!!!

zeo2ski

Well-known member
:eek:I had no idea...I've been so worried about my (almost)2.5 year old's weight getting close to 35 that I wasn't checking his height lately. So today I went to adjust the headwings because the straps were well below the shoulders and of course I realize he has less than an inch. I freaked out just minorly;). There's no way I'm turning him FFing yet--I've been really panicked about his weight and picturing him FFing...

I had been researching convertibles the past few months (okay, well since 6 mos ago when I was looking to replace the MA because I was worried about his height, and ended up getting the BLVDs for 35 lb limit and planning on hoping he'd make it til the Radian XT came out for the height problem) and have been sort of back and forth between the XT and the TF ARB and not crazy about either--really was hoping we'd make it til someone came out with an EERFing seat;) yeah right. But since the XT could go 3 across for me later on, I was leaning that way. So now the immediate situation has it decided for me since the ARBs won't be out for a couple more months, XT it is! I ordered tonight from babyviva and just reeeeaaally hope they are still *actually* in stock. Phew, I feel better!

Now, I have to ask you all a question about the RFing height limit safety-wise. I am totally aware of manf. recs and not going against them, and I know techs cannot advise anything different, but if you have any PERSONAL opinions/insight, I'd love some PMs about this. What is the real danger of being even with the shell? Since the Britax's used to have the even-with rule...I know there's the possibility of hitting something in the vehicle, but is there anything else? DS is RFing in the third row and the top of his seat goes slightly over top of the vehicle seat of the second row. In the seat in front of him is his brother, RFing tethered--there's a pic in my siggy that should show it pretty well. So there's nothing behind DS's head. I'm hoping the XT might get here within the week, but that's hopeful. We can get away with not going anywhere during this week, but for the weekend we'll be driving again. I really don't want to turn him FFing but will unless some techs can explain the dangers of RFing even with the shell. Thanks all.
 
ADS

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
You know the risk of having the head up near the top of the shell, so I don't know that I can really add much to that. You don't have anything in your vehicle directly above his head, but the seat is going to rotate downwards towards the front of the vehicle in a collision, which in turn means that the seat could go low enough for his head to otherwise hit the vehicle. On the flip side, I'm going to assume that you're tightening his harness properly. A properly tightened harness is going to significantly reduce how far he ramps up the seat.

My 2 cents, is if he's close to nearing the top of the shell, but you're making the decision to keep using it, is to tether the seat Australian style if you have a tether anchor in that seating position. That's going to significantly reduce the downward rotation and the risk of him ramping up the shell and impacting the vehicle interior. Pain in the butt in terms of loading him, but that's what I'd suggest if you're making the parental decision to keep him rf'ing with his head even with the top of the shell. Preventing or significantly reducing the rotation in the first place is going to be much more beneficial than preventing the rebound if we're talking about a child who is pretty much at the height limit of the seat.
 

zeo2ski

Well-known member
I don't think he has outgrown it, I think you might be measuring wrong...go to this thread, look at the pic, and tell me if he has truly outgrown it
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=720322#post720322
Yeah, he really has outgrown it. I was looking at that thread last night too. The picture in my siggy is from about 5 months ago.

I'm not sure yet what parental decision I will make. Really I'm just hoping the XT will get here before we need to go anywhere. The way the seat is now, it is braced on the top of the second row seat and tethered so it can't rotate downward. The harness is properly tightened but I still believe he would ramp somewhat since it leaves room for him to breath and all:), but I was wondering if it would increase forces on the neck or anything like that if his head were to go an inch or so above the seat so his head wasn't fully supported by the shell. Okay I'm making myself nervous here just talking about the what ifs and I think I'll just go turn the seat FFing and not go anywhere unless there's an emergency.

Oh and this morning he was crying and to cheer him up I told him he was getting a new carseat and he got all excited and wants to look at a picture of it on the computer:D
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
oh, ok, in the pic it looked like he had room. Ya, you know the risks..but at 2.5, making a few trips FFing wouldn't be all that risky...I mean, some of us with giant kids outgrew RFing earlier than that, so we had no choice.....
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Britax used to ok, years and years ago, that you could go RFing along with the headrest. I think Piper's Advantage had that, and I think I got the ok on her Wizards too. But that was a LONG time ago, and when I last called they said any seat with an adjustable headrest goes by the shell of the seat for when it was outgrown.

But if you look at some of Piper's last rear facing pictures I think her head was above the shell of the seat. I was just purposefully not calling Britax and going with what I had as an old recommendation, just in case. :) Parental decision. I would never recommend you go against manufacturer's stated rules. I probably wouldn't stress a few trips, though, and the XT will be here soon.

Wendy
 

zeo2ski

Well-known member
Yeah, I know, you're right that some kids would have already outgrown totally by this age. I'm glad we still have options to keep him RFing.

Well I took him out to the car this morning with a square and ruler and managed to lose some height by installing more upright and a disposable diaper--yay!!! Now he's just about right at an inch, so I'll keep him in it RFing til the new seat comes. I'm so relieved because when I looked at the calendar this morning I saw we do have a dentist appt tomorrow so we have to go out.

Thanks for holding my hand while I panicked everyone:eek:
 

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