Answer from Britax re: Frontier recline block

Splash

New member

• Feb 20, 2009

• #1

Per Heather at Britax (called for a completely unrelated question), the seat has to be reclined during harness use because if the child is completely upright, more force is placed on their spine upon impact. If slightly reclined, the force is borne more by their hips and the body stays more in line instead of the neck whipping out. They want them more upright in a booster though to prevent submarining.

Eh, might be true, might be horse puckie. I'll buy it for now, though.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Feb 20, 2009

• #2

I think it's true, because it's something I've heard for years around here, and we've speculated that that's why Britax seats are more reclined than many others. Speculation is that the recline lessens crash forces on the spine and places more forces on the hips, and probably decreases head excursion, too...but that doesn't make total sense to me, since seats like the Radian are very upright and have very low head excursion numbers.

 

L

LuvMyGirls

New member

• Feb 20, 2009

• #3

I've thought about this a lot, especially when I see my 5 yr old nephew strapped into his Marathon. I've never liked how reclined that seat it. I can't help but think that being reclined would put more strain on the neck in an accident. The force of pull on the head would create a more unnatural angle in the neck because of the angle of the seat back. I understand the idea of wanting the stronger hips to take more force, but wouldn't that neck angle be even harder on the neck?

 

L

LuvBug

New member

• Feb 20, 2009

• #4

but if this were true why have the never allowed reclined mode past 33lbs(or 35 in other brands). I am sure they have tested it, if it were safer they would push it wouldn't they?

 

C

canmom

New member

• Feb 20, 2009

• #5

The whole recline on ffing seats confuses me... I can see it both ways.

 

cowgirlsmommy

New member

• Feb 20, 2009

• #6

Thanks for posting this! It makes sense to me. I have gotten better at getting it a little more upright with the recline block in harness mode.

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Feb 20, 2009

• #7

LuvBug03 said:

but if this were true why have the never allowed reclined mode past 33lbs(or 35 in other brands). I am sure they have tested it, if it were safer they would push it wouldn't they?

Click to expand...

I think because, even in upright mode, Britax convertibles are still relatively well-reclined. It might be the kind of thing where SOME recline is beneficial, but too much is detrimental.

 

Splash

New member

• Feb 20, 2009

• #8

LuvBug03 said:

but if this were true why have the never allowed reclined mode past 33lbs(or 35 in other brands). I am sure they have tested it, if it were safer they would push it wouldn't they?

Click to expand...

Possibly worried it's going to unlock and fly forward on the base. The recline mechanism on a britax convertible isn't hard to break...

 

sb518

New member

• Feb 20, 2009

• #9

Is this in the instruction manual?? I swear I had no idea about this, I guess I've been using it wrong this whole time. Grah and I just re-installed the stupid thing today which is getting harder these days. Here we go again!

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Feb 21, 2009

• #10

LuvMyGirls said:

I've thought about this a lot, especially when I see my 5 yr old nephew strapped into his Marathon. I've never liked how reclined that seat it. I can't help but think that being reclined would put more strain on the neck in an accident. The force of pull on the head would create a more unnatural angle in the neck because of the angle of the seat back. I understand the idea of wanting the stronger hips to take more force, but wouldn't that neck angle be even harder on the neck?

Click to expand...

I really don't think that the seat is so reclined that it's going to be any weird neck angles causing injury...the head and spine are all still relatively aligned even though it's reclined. I'm sure there've been enough crashes in reclined seats (including almost 30 years of dynamically crash tested restraints that have been misused) to have figured out if there's an increased risk of neck injury by now, and I haven't seen any studies on it, so there's probably nothing to be worried about.

 

L

LuvBug

New member

• Feb 21, 2009

• #11

it makes me curious about other brands though as well... like, off the top of my head, the scenera allows it until 35lbs.

 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member

• Feb 21, 2009

• #12

LuvBug03 said:

it makes me curious about other brands though as well... like, off the top of my head, the scenera allows it until 35lbs.

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The old-style AOE's allow recline mode to be used for the entire FFing period, up to 40 lbs. Upright mode is not required until booster mode.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Feb 22, 2009

• #13

bobandjess99 said:

The old-style AOE's allow recline mode to be used for the entire FFing period, up to 40 lbs. Upright mode is not required until booster mode.

Click to expand...

that's likely more to allow it to conform to the shape of the vehicle seat... because when it's in upright mode, that seat is really upright... and I can think of some vehicles (not the typical vehcile, albeit) where I would install it that way simply due to the seats in that vehicle