Good candidates for the KWP are???

[gigi]

Just finally checking out the KWP. I'm underwhelmed but am wondering if I "get" it. Is this a seat for the rare 35 lb 6 y.o. that wants a booster but is still small? Or are you all thinking of putting your under 40 lbs preschoolers in them? I can't imagine putting my kid who is already too heavy (he's almost 5, 42 lbs, and a wiggle worm) in that seat, but I'm thinking I must be missing something LOL.

I was thinking maybe this would be a good option for when we are in England (a couple times a year) but any kid of mine (both always about 50% weight) under 40 lbs would I think be too immature to stay in position, so I'm not getting why this would be safer than a turbo for smaller kids?

 

[Lenae]

I believe what is so intriguing is that Kiddy claims FF with their shield is as safe as RF.

I for one, would like this seat. DS has been FF for a year, and weighs about 35 lbs. If I'd had access to it, I would have bought a KWP instead of a GN for him. I would love to get my 22 lbs, 2 year old DD a KWP when she turns 3, but I don't think DH will go for it. Especially since I just bought her a RN, lol.

 

[canadiangie]

I'm really hoping we see some more information about this seat. The information posted by Lenats in one of the Canadian/International threads really gave me pause for thought.

 

[Jessica61624]

I'm ASSuming you'd lock the belt? I really have no idea but wondered this myself.

 

[christineka]

I'm really hoping we see some more information about this seat. The information posted by Lenats in one of the Canadian/International threads really gave me pause for thought.

Yeah. I think some more research for all of us would be good.

 

[eyeslkethesky5391]

I'm ASSuming you'd lock the belt? I really have no idea but wondered this myself.

Yes I sat down and read the entire manual the other day

http://www.kiddyusa.com/fileadmin/_...gen/manual_kiddy_world_plus_US_ENGL__web_.pdf

I see this being great for latch. But you have to lock the seatbelts everytime your child gets back in the car seat and while I feel like everyone here is able to do that. The average parent would forget every now and then. Its also great that you can use it in a lap belt only position yet there has to be a top tether in that spot. For older cars that don't have the option of adding a tether in that particular spot its useless yet again.

So after reading the manual I don't want one. I think it'd be cool for the boy that i'm about to start nannying for that'll be 3 next month and isn't RF. But I don't want the hassle of having to basically install it everytime he gets in it. I just want to click the harness together and make sure its snug and be on my way

 

[skylinphoto]

I'm getting this for my 4 year old (still rfing for now and is 26lbs). I'm excited to see how it works for everyday use and all that. My dh is very intrigued by it as well.

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Car-Seat.Org

 

[skylinphoto]

So, I see they are saying that the max height for the shield is 43in tall. What happens when my skinny girl is over 43in but less than 40lbs? And not booster ready?

.....

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Car-Seat.Org

 

[LISmama810]

I believe what is so intriguing is that Kiddy claims FF with their shield is as safe as RF.

The intrigue was around long before they made that statement. I know my intrigue was pretty much quashed by it. I don't see how that's possible, and I feel it's immensely irresponsible for a company to make such a claim.

I'm also curious to learn more along the lines of what was posted in the other thread.

 

[gigi]

If a child isn't booster ready, wouldn't they just wriggle out of position? I mean, it is still a booster, right? Either they can sit in position or they can't, am I wrong? If they can sit properly sure they are better off than in a turbo maybe, but how do we know that? And why would my under 40 lb kid not just be rear facing or harnessed so moving out of position isn't an issue? Given the high price point, I don't think they are targeting parents who move 2.5 year olds to no backs...?

I'm just having a hard time understanding their target market...how many car seat nuts have kids under 40 lbs that are able to sit properly in a booster? Especially given the tether requirement and given the size of the seat, it doesn't seem like a good travel option either. I must be missing something BIG, because I just don't get it LOL. In the UK where there are no extended harnessing options really, I see the niche but there we seem to have many much more reliable options.

 

[christineka]

So, I see they are saying that the max height for the shield is 43in tall.

You're saving me money! My 36 pound 5 year old is 42 inches and my 39 pound 7 year old is 44.5 inches tall. Yay! I don't need to buy a kwp. (I just need to make money for a foonf now.)

 

[LISmama810]

If a child isn't booster ready, wouldn't they just wriggle out of position? I mean, it is still a booster, right? Either they can sit in position or they can't, am I wrong? If they can sit properly sure they are better off than in a turbo maybe, but how do we know that? And why would my under 40 lb kid not just be rear facing or harnessed so moving out of position isn't an issue? Given the high price point, I don't think they are targeting parents who move 2.5 year olds to no backs...?

I'm just having a hard time understanding their target market...how many car seat nuts have kids under 40 lbs that are able to sit properly in a booster? Especially given the tether requirement and given the size of the seat, it doesn't seem like a good travel option either. I must be missing something BIG, because I just don't get it LOL. In the UK where there are no extended harnessing options really, I see the niche but there we seem to have many much more reliable options.

With the shield against the child's body, I don't think it would be possible to wriggle out of position.

I think their market is people who turn their kids FF at 1 and 20. In other words, pretty much everyone but people on this board. (Though there are people on this board interested in it for very small older kids.)

 

[gigi]

But wouldn't a little one fall asleep leaning on the shield? That would be "out of position" according to kiddy?

My son still falls dead asleep at almost 5, suspended only by the straps LOL.

 

[christineka]

But wouldn't a little one fall asleep leaning on the shield? That would be "out of position" according to kiddy?

While my kids can fall asleep in a booster with their heads leaning in the wings, I think if they had a shield, they'd use it as a pillow- just because its there. I'm sure I could train an older child not to do that, but not sure you could with an under 4 year old.

 

[fyrfightermomma]

We have a recaro start with shield. The way it holds the child in makes it virtually impossible to be out of position.

 

[HaileysMommy]

I don't understand this seat at all. In the crash test thing I saw the dummy was tall and it's head and shoulders were thrown over the bar. But when I see them install it the child is way smaller. That child's head would smash into the bar. So this is for what...tall skinny kids? I'm just not getting it at all.

 

[Anne]

I've considered it for DD later this summer. She's only 30 lbs, but will be 4 in June. She's been asking on and off for a few months if she can go FF. I always said I'd let her choose after 4. Not to her, so she doesn't know that and I may still change my mind. But if I let her go FF after her birthday, I would consider getting the Kiddy to use until she hit 40 lbs. But I didn't know about the 43" rule. She's just now hitting 40", so we'd still have some room to grow, but it would depend on her height at the time. I'm not sure how I feel about the staying in position part. I think at 4 I could teach her to stay sitting upright, but it's definitely something I'd have to think more about. I'd rather just keep her rear facing.

 

[soygurl]

I don't see the KWP as being a perfect seat for everyone, but think it fills a very nice niche. The main problem right now seems to be confusion and misinformation about how it works. :twocents:

Its also great that you can use it in a lap belt only position yet there has to be a top tether in that spot. For older cars that don't have the option of adding a tether in that particular spot its useless yet again.

So after reading the manual I don't want one. I think it'd be cool for the boy that i'm about to start nannying for that'll be 3 next month and isn't RF. But I don't want the hassle of having to basically install it everytime he gets in it. I just want to click the harness together and make sure its snug and be on my way

I didn't see anything in the manual requiring a top tether when using with a lap only belt. :scratcheshead: It just said to use the top tether if available.

As for whether it would be easier than a FF harness or not, well I guess that amounts to personal preference, but I don't see how using the shield would amount to "installing" the seat ever time... It seems pretty easy and straight forward to me. Maybe not much easier than a harness (unless you're using LATCH), but not much harder either :shrug-shoulders:

So, I see they are saying that the max height for the shield is 43in tall. What happens when my skinny girl is over 43in but less than 40lbs? And not booster ready?

That is an excellent question! I wonder what Kiddy would say about that? The booster alone has a 40 lb. minimum, so would a tall & thin child simply be unable to use the seat?

But wouldn't a little one fall asleep leaning on the shield? That would be "out of position" according to kiddy?

I don't see why... I didn't see anything in the manual about kids not being able to sleep on the shield. Doesn't seem like it would be an issue to me.

I don't understand this seat at all. In the crash test thing I saw the dummy was tall and it's head and shoulders were thrown over the bar. But when I see them install it the child is way smaller. That child's head would smash into the bar. So this is for what...tall skinny kids? I'm just not getting it at all.

The shield is made out of energy absorbing material (think EPS foam), so unlike the dangerous (expired & recalled) "shield boosters" which were made only out of hard plastic, it would NOT be terribly dangerous for the child's head/body to strike the Kiddy shield in a crash.

I'm not sure how I feel about the staying in position part. I think at 4 I could teach her to stay sitting upright, but it's definitely something I'd have to think more about. I'd rather just keep her rear facing.

Again, the shield keeps kids IN position. They don't need to be mature or "booster ready" to be properly restrained when using the shield.

 

[HaileysMommy]

Ok so if the child's head striking the shield isn't a big deal then I can see this working for someone who needs to move seats often and can't buy multiple seats.

 

[Syllieann]

In the other thread w/ the German to Enlgish translation, kiddy responded to an incident where the child was injured and said that it was because the child was "out of position" from falling asleep on the shield. If the manual claims the shield keeps them in position, this looks like a problem. They also say on their fb page that a child is better off rf than in the booster w/ shield, so it looks like another contradiction there.