Which hbb's do NOT require head support behind them?

[Pixelated]

And as I recall, Diono has since said, "follow your manual" and retracted their statement about support being needed.

Wendy

I emailed Diono yesterday. Here's what they said -- mind you, I am in Canada, and I didn't think to ask if it also applied to the US, but here's what I got:

When using the Monterey booster seat, child's head must have the support of the vehicle seat back or vehicle head rest behind it (the child's head).

Whether using the Monterey in its high-back or backless configuration, the tops of the child's ears must be below the top of the vehicle head rest. In the case of vehicle seats that do not have head rests, the tops of the child's ears must be below the top of the vehicle seat back.

'

I, too, am of the opinion that if there's so much confusion about use that an official statement of clarification could be issued.

 

[RubysGirl]

I am so confused. I thought the whole point of a HBB was to give head support when the seats were too low to use a low back booster.

When did this change?

 

[wendytthomas]

Yeah, I happened to email Diono on a separate topic this week and talked about my Monterey being used in a van without headrests and I was told that it needs support. Page six on the manual has some questionable wording which Diono means that no matter what the child needs support. Though as I recall from the last time this came up that they retracted that even with the confusing wording, then said to read the manual (which has the confusing wording). She also said the sticker on the side says to have support from the car. My Monterey back is deep in my closet, so not easily accessible. Does someone else have the back visible and can see what the sticker says?

Here's what the manual says:

• Maximum Child Height: Child is too tall if the top of the ears are above the top of either the fully raised booster seat headrest or fully raised vehicle headrest.

Which many of us took to mean as, "when used in a high back mode go by the ears above the booster, when used as a backless go by the headrest in the car." Hence the confusion.

As for why they are being made without reinforcement, that's not consistent. Britax, Graco, and Evenflo have never required support from the car. Chicco doesn't require support. Compass/First Years doesn't require support. Recaro has said multiple things. Diono has said multiple things. And Dorel has always required support from the car. I guess it's just the plastic/reinforcement and how it's made.

Wendy

 

[tam_shops]

I wonder if the Diono people understand the difference between *must* and *should* b/c there is a pretty big difference for most of us here and it meant the difference of a Parkway over a Monterey for me, even though I like the SIP of the Monterey better...

I get that it should have one, but it's just not always possible and I don't think they *get* that! And, that annoys me b/c I think the Monterey would fair as well or better than the Parkway in the type of (rare) crash they're worried about.

tam

 

[MomToEliEm]

Does someone else have the back visible and can see what the sticker says?

Here is a link to a picture someone took of the monterey sticker:
http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=2306363&postcount=12

It states:
"With or without backrest use only with children who weigh between 18-54 kg (40-120 lbs) and whose height is between 97 cm (38") and 160 cm (63") and whose ears are below the top of the vehicle seat headrests"

The above picture was for the Diono Monterey. I checked my Sunshine Kids Monterey and it is similar to the above sticker. I think mine might have the pounds and inches first with the metric values in parenthesis.

 

[HaileysMommy]

No worries!
Parkway is 3 across friendly usually. Although, if he is that tall, maybe it's time to go backless? Or you could check out the harmony V6 booster, might give you another inch or so. Not sure if that requires head support.

He can't go backless bc there is no headrest in that position. He needs the headrest in the HBB bc he is taller than the back of the seat (or I'd assume bc if he isn't then there is no point in asking right, except maybe for the future).