OHS seats

[scatterbunny]

What's so special about the Fisher Price OHS?

The shield on the FP Futura sat much lower than other OHS seats, almost on the child's thighs. It was a 60# harnessed seat, FF-only, so for bigger kids who'd outgrown 40# seats (either by height or weight), the Futura was a great option (narrow, too, at just 17 inches). At the time, there weren't many other options, aside from Britax (wider and more expensive), so this was a great choice. We used the five point harness version of the Futura for quite awhile, and now my friend (IRL and on the boards) AndieW is using it for her 6yo son until it expires in a few months.

 

[Melizerd]

I said I'd walk or stay home. If we could predict when the accident would happen none of us would have them and if I put my son into an OHS and had THE accident and something happened I could NEVER EVER EVER forgive myself for going and choosing an OHS when we know that they can be dangerous.

 

[skiersnowboarder3]

The shield was LOW (like right on top of the lap) and thin. It would have been very, very hard to hit a head on it.


That was also a FF-only seat, so there shouldn't have been any young babies in it.

Oh, thanks. I had seen pics of the 5 pt but not the OHS.

 

[Judi]

I will have on of those Futura seats in a couple weeks.

 

[azgirl71]

I will get one later this year after it expires or is done being used.

 

[Gypsy]

You didn't have an option for me, but the closest was if there was no other option...

My ds is 3.5, 35 pounds - yeah I'd let him ride in one if there were no other options. If he was younger, smaller - NO.

 

[An Aurora]

No way would I ever let my kids ride in one.

 

[threemonkeys]

I would not put and infant in one. I would put a toddler in one only if there were no other options.

 

[Shaunam]

I voted yes if there were no other options. I'd feel more comfortable with it if it were an older baby/toddler rearfacing, but I suppose if I had to choose between that and just a seatbelt, I choose the the OHS.

Hopefully we'll never been in a situation like that! Can't imagine how we ever would be anyway...

 

[joolsplus3]

The Versa Fit (Scenera and I think Enspira unless they stopped making that, like, this year), shield is actually really close to the body, you want it as close to the body as possible (remember the shield is acting 'like' the lapstraps), and I think shields are mimicing the FP one a lot better than they used to. I learned yesterday, while reading the Tribute manual, that you do want the shield in the outermost position for a baby RF, though, you just act like the seat is a 3 pt harness infant seat.

Older shield seats were *totally* up in the kids' face...ack.

The only GOOD carseat advice Consumer Reports ever gave me was to show me a OHS seat completely failing in crash tests and tell me to buy a 5 pt (love that 1997 baby gear buying guide...)

But they suck, I can't wait till they are completely off the market. The excuse about how they are 'easier' for grandparents to buckle would be completely out the window if every seat had a NICE harness..if you can't buckle and tighten a Key Fit/Roundabout/Nautilus, you maybe don't have the dexterity to drive safely (whereas expert seamstresses who lift weights can't be expected to use a Tribute V properly )

 

[TerisBoys]

http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/terib/jackson2.html

My friend's son is in my Futura on this page. He was 35# and short. Maybe 40" at that time? In the bottom pic you can see how low the shield rests.

The Futura also had amazing head excursion numbers un-tethered.

 

[skaterbabs]

Is this an aliens have landed and destroyed every other possible seat scenario? Yeah, maybe then.

:yeahthat: