Tightening Britax straps

MissAllyLou

New member
I'm having a love/hate relationship with my BLVD. When I get the straps tight on the girl's shoulders, they are soo loose on their chests. I know a little bit of loose-ness is normal, but this seems like too much. What do you think? To get them any tighter, I have to tighten obnoxiously on their thighs. Here's Maggie, she's 20 months, 28 pounds:

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SPJ&E

New member
Only check for tightness right at the shoulder/collarbone. The harness will always feel loose at the tummy and that's okay. I always make sure to pull up on the straps, to pull the slack out of the bottom, before tightening too. You can also take the HUGS off for RF to get a little better fit (but put them in a safe place because they are required for FF).
 

gecikuh

Senior Community Member
I agree....that looks pretty loose to me. I would definitely try to get it tighter. Since it's a continual loop of webbing it shouldn't have to be too tight on her thighs in order to get a proper fit on her torso...Not sure why that is happening...
 

MissAllyLou

New member
I agree....that looks pretty loose to me. I would definitely try to get it tighter. Since it's a continual loop of webbing it shouldn't have to be too tight on her thighs in order to get a proper fit on her torso...Not sure why that is happening...

I thought so too, and it's ONLY the BLVD... my MA gets tight and straight pretty easily, both RFing and FFing. And the HUGS are off, and it's tight on the shoulders, under the shoulder pads.
 

SPJ&E

New member
And the HUGS are off, and it's tight on the shoulders, under the shoulder pads.

:doh:

Is it just RF you have this problem or FF too? In ours, if I don't put Joshua's legs a certain way when I'm tightening the harness, it won't tighten enough.
 

Mama Jo

New member
Where do you have the chest clip positioned when you're tightening? I move the chest clip down to his tummy when I tighten, then test at the collarbone, then move it up after it's tight enough. If I have the chest clip up higher, it does give a false sense of tightness above it and is way too lose below.
 

SPJ&E

New member
I agree about moving the chestclip pretty far down when you tighten. Also try putting her legs a different way. If Joshua's legs are straight up the seatback or he's got them like a frog, the harness won't tighten enough. If I cross his legs, I can get the harness perfect. When his legs are any other way, it puts slack in the harness. One I get it tight, he can put them however he likes, which is usually like a frog (see my signature).
 

BeckC

Well-known member
I agree....that looks pretty loose to me. I would definitely try to get it tighter. Since it's a continual loop of webbing it shouldn't have to be too tight on her thighs in order to get a proper fit on her torso...Not sure why that is happening...

The Marathon does not have a continuous harness. Each side attaches at the splitter plate and then again at the hips.
 

jillianrose

New member
Ditto about the chest clip. I have a Wizard and I always have to pull the chest clip way down, pull up on the slack near the hips, and then tighten the harness and raise the clip back up to the armpit level.
 

Pixels

New member
The Marathon does not have a continuous harness. Each side attaches at the splitter plate and then again at the hips.

I think she meant that the thigh portion and belly/shoulder portion are one piece, on each side, so if it's loose at the belly then it should be equally loose in the thigh.
 

hipmaman

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I usually use my hand to remove any slack in the harness around the thigh area and bring the excess upward toward where the slots are. Then I would tighten by pulling on the adjustor strap. That helps.
 

MissAllyLou

New member
Okay, so it does get tight at the thigh and shoulder while it's still loose on the chest, but I found out this morning if I straighten her legs out and then pull the slack out before tightening, it works much better. Who knew! Thanks guys :)
 

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