Radian RXT Harness covers - optional? (Canada)

[Alison's Mom]

I did a check for someone today who has a new RXT to be used for a newborn. Those padded harness covers are HUGE! My older radians have ones that are a good size, but these new ones not only have very thick padding, they are very long, going above and below the chest clip. I seriously doubt they would fit properly with a newborn, and definitely wouldn't curve at the shoulder very well.

In the manual it says: Always utilize harness pads and attach them as shown.(Fig. 1A). This is at the top of page 33 of this manual, but the photos of the harness pads in the manual are the old type and not these massve ones:
http://ca.diono.com/docs/manuals/Diono_CA_RadianRXT_Manual_CA_Eng_072611.pdf

Thoughts? I thought it might come apart so you could use half of it for a newborn, and all of it for an older child, but no, it's all one piece.

 

[soph's mom]

I was wondering the same thing when I opened our box today... It's hard to adjust the straps with those pads even on our large almost 3 year old...

 

[Alison's Mom]

Really?? Well, actually they're soooo big that I'm not surprised they don't fit a 3 yr old! I may have to phone them to ask on the parent's behalf. . . baby is due in 5 days and I don't want to see them wrestling with those harness pads coming home from the hospital if they don't have to.

 

[soph's mom]

Yeah I placed her in it and fought much longer Than I do with her sunshine kids seats moving the pads up and down so I could tighten the strap and get the chest clip at the correct level. I think it would be great for a child that tried to push their chest clip down but it sure is a pain. I think it is supposed to reduce chest g's though.

I am going to call and see if the old covers are acceptable and if so see if they'll send me a set. I will likely keep the large ones on for her but would like smaller ones for future babies...

 

[Alison's Mom]

Hmmm, thanks for the info. However, in the photo of the infant for the RXT and the 100, it looks to me like the harness pad makes the harness not sit snugly against the child's body. http://ca.diono.com/car-seats/radian-r100 I might email them and ask.

 

[soph's mom]

I understand that. That's why I said I was going to see if I could use the smaller pads for future smaller babies. I just saw you are in Canada. I'm not sure how it was ruled there but I think I read somewhere that the pads were optional rf but required ff. I am not positive at all though so please confirm this with diono...

 

[Alison's Mom]

Thanks. That's what I read too, but it was US information, and I wanted to confirm it was also the case for Canada. I have sent an email to Diono to ask. I will post back here when they reply, but if any Canadian techs or others know about whether or not Diono allows removing the harness pads, please let me know so I can tell the parents. Thanks.

 

[Pixelated]

The big memory foam pads are optional RF and yes, you would have to take them off to fit a newborn for sure!

Don't lose them though, because they're required FF in Canada. I think that they are needed in order to reduce head excursion.

At one time Diono was sending out replacement soft small harness covers for free, but I think that's done now. You can buy a set off their website though: http://ca.diono.com/car-seat-accessories/soft-wraps

 

[Alison's Mom]

Thank you Jen! I heard back from Diono this morning already as well, and they said the same thing, and even will send a set of the small pads for free. Yay! I mentioned they might want to add that info to their manual to avoid confusion. . .