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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this advice can't be right?

64 replies

AmIGoingMad · 07/08/2013 19:56

DS is 2.6. He's really tall for age and weighs 17.5kg so we need a new carseat to replace his maxi cosi axiss.
Mothercare assistant told us that due to his weight and height we should get hog back booster which is used with 3 point adult seatbelt as there's nothing in between that's suitable. This can't be right can it?

OP posts:
3boys3dogshelp · 08/08/2013 08:06

We have a maxi cosi rodi xr as it reclines which was handy with him still sometimes falling asleep in the car. Don't know whether you can still buy them now though. The which website is quite handy for car seats.

fledtoscotland · 08/08/2013 08:22

We had a graco nautilus for ds1. The harness goes up to 65lbs according to the website but we moved him into the 3pt belt about aged 4.5. It reclines and really well padded plus he loves the cup holders and storage compartments.

blondefriend · 08/08/2013 11:39

We also have a Grace Nautilus. My dd is 4.5 and I still prefer her to be in a harness, especially on long journeys when she might sleep. She has only just topped 18kg but I am pleased that the Nautilus will allow her to stay in a harness for longer (until 29kg). It is not an overly expensive seat (£120) and will last until 12 years.

Personally i would say that age does matter. Not only might a 2/3 year old open their seat belt (I know my 2yr old ds would) but no matter their height and weight they do not have the upper body and neck strength of a 4/5 year old and the harness keeps them in a more secure position within the seat. Rear-facing would be even better but we struggled to find a seat that fitted our range of vehicles despite driving up to Milton Keynes specially to look around a specialist shop.

EagleRiderDirk · 08/08/2013 11:49

We have DD (2.5) in a high back booster. She is too tall and weighs over 18kg and can't afford to buy a 5th carseat (2 kids, 2 seats each as DS's head came out the top of the infant seat at 4 months so that seat didn't get reused for long and we'd stupidly bought him one for use when he was older). She has only once played with the belt buckle but knows its naughty and the position of the chair makes it really awkward for her to get to, plus she was able to open the 5 point harness on her buggy/nan's car seat/anything else. Thankfully she finds the electric windows far more fun to play with...

MoominsYonisAreScary · 08/08/2013 12:25

We've bought the britax evolva. You are supposed to take the harness off over 18 kg but we've kept it on and have just taken the chest pads off and the carseat belt goes over it. The seat belt is still snug to his chest so I can't see a problem keeping the harness on and the headrest adjusts do its at the right height for him.

Because he's used to having a 5 point harness he hasn't seemed to notice that the seatbelt is over him as well so he hasn't messed with it, which I think he would do if the 5 point harness wasn't there

They told us in the shop that over 18kg having the seatbelt around the back won't hold the weight in a crash so that's why it goes around the front at that point

The 5 point harness ones they showed us were all over £250 and somehow fitted into the car using the isofix things, which older cars don't have

JollyHappyGiant · 08/08/2013 12:27

I'm sure our Britax Two Way Elite is harnessed up until 25kg.

Cheeseatmidnight · 08/08/2013 12:35

Kiddy energy pro without straps is great for all ages and weights

MoominsYonisAreScary · 08/08/2013 12:51

Actually in going to ring graco and check because kuddicare had the nutilus and they told us the harness has to be removed after 18 kg

Original poster
AmIGoingMad · 08/08/2013 13:00

Eagle which do you have?

Moomin that's interesting to hear why they use the 18kg upper limit.

OP posts:
fledtoscotland · 08/08/2013 13:20

Moomins - graco themselves on their website say it can be used up to 65lbs with the harness

Sorry about the link as on phone but here www.gracobaby.com/products/pages/productdetails.aspx?ProductID=8J00MTX#sthash.LEjN0Gbf.dpbs

worldgonecrazy · 08/08/2013 13:26

Volvo stock a rear facer that goes up to 25kg. It fits other cars too, so you could try your nearest volvo dealer.

BergholtStuttleyJohnson · 08/08/2013 17:30

The britax two way elite forward faces up to 25kg and has a 5 point harness. My tall three year old has plenty of room in it.

ilovepowerhoop · 08/08/2013 19:07

the uk site for the nautilus says the harness only does up to 18kgs. www.graco.co.uk/car-seats/nautilus/34

ilovepowerhoop · 08/08/2013 19:08

Moomins, I dont think you should use the harness as well as the seatbelt as it would obstruct the childs removal in the event of a crash

blondefriend · 08/08/2013 21:22

ilovepowerhoop - that's interesting as the manual that came with our seat clearly says 65lb/29.5kg for the harness.

s3.amazonaws.com/szmanuals/956c72f9c863ebfb26bc677332f5f0f7

It's a bit strange that their own website states something different.

ilovepowerhoop · 08/08/2013 21:26

did you get yours in the UK?

ilovepowerhoop · 08/08/2013 21:30

www.graco.co.uk/pdf/G8J96%20NAUTILUS%20GB%20FR%20DE.pdf - manual that comes with UK seat

MrsLongNick · 09/08/2013 09:54

You are getting a little confused guys, in the USA the Nautilus car seat can harness your child up to 65lb, the UK/European version of the Nautilus it is only 18kg (40lb) the US website is Gracobaby.com, the UK site is Graco.co.uk, you will find two differnt manuals for this seat based on the country. To clarify - the UK/European version of the Nautilus instructs you to remove the harness once your child is between 15 and 18kg. Hi
The Nautilus (UK) integral harness is only suitable until your child reaches 18kg in weight; this is the maximum weight that can be safely restrained and your child?s age is secondary as all car seats are crash tested by weight and not age.
When an internal harness is used past the recommended maximum weight, the child is at risk for serious injury in a crash. Maximum weight recommendations are made via crash testing.The biggest risk in using an internal harness past the maximum harness weight is that the harness straps could pull through the booster seat frame in a crash, allowing the child to be ejected from the seat.

The government website below has a wealth of information on car seats.
www.childcarseats.org.uk

fledtoscotland · 09/08/2013 10:00

I got my nautilus 4 yrs ago when they were 1st available in the uk (had to order it as not in the shops) and was advised that harness suitable up to 65lbs. All car seats in the UK (apart from specialist seats) appear to say the harness needs to be changed at 29lbs in line with the car seat laws.

Fwiw we kept DC harnessed until they were safe to understand the seatbelts (about the age of 4) and I would argue that a slightly higher weight is trumped by the child being safely strapped in. In the event of an accident, the harness will still contain a 30lbs child whereas a child could easily have slipped arm out of 3pt belt.

Now irrelevant as they are both in boosters

MoominsYonisAreScary · 09/08/2013 10:07

Ilove they can cut it off, although I doubt having to unclip a seatbelt as well as a harness would be anymore difficult thanjust unclipping the harness.

Its not that the harness won't take the weight of a 35 lb child if you crash its the weight of the child and carseat on the points of the seatbelt where it goes through the back of the chair aparently

MrsLongNick · 09/08/2013 10:18

The Nautilus UK version has never been advertised up to 65lb (only the US version) fledtoscotland, i think you must have been misadvised by the seller when you originally made your purchase and have been lucky not to have been in an accident. I work for Graco UK and can advise that you really dont want to chance harnessing above the advised weight. I have first hand seen the results of not following the fitting user instructions and its not pleasant.:-/

fledtoscotland · 09/08/2013 10:38

Mrslongnick - I can only say what we advised and this was 4yrs ago. We bought the nautilus as we were told by halfords when we ordered it that it could be used with a harness for longer than most seats. As I said its not appropriate for us as DC are in booster seats but I was posting earlier in the thread about my experience. I will now hide the thread

foreverondiet · 09/08/2013 10:45

Buy a seat which can be used with a 5 point harness or with adult seatbelt, like this? Some of them have 5 point harnesses that can be used after 18kg.

link

However I don't think its terrible advice, as after 18kg too big for stage 1 seat.

We have a cybex highback booster (adult seatbelt) - my 7 year old still sits in it - was bought when my oldest was 4, and it has good side support, head doesn't fall forward, and have used from age 2-3 if I have given a lift to someone else etc.

foreverondiet · 09/08/2013 10:48

Buy a seat which can be used with a 5 point harness or with adult seatbelt, like this? Some of them have 5 point harnesses that can be used after 18kg.

link

However I don't think its terrible advice, as after 18kg too big for stage 1 seat.

We have a cybex highback booster (adult seatbelt) - my 7 year old still sits in it - was bought when my oldest was 4, and it has good side support, head doesn't fall forward, and have used from age 2-3 if I have given a lift to someone else etc.

And fwiw my DS is (tiny) and age 3.5 can easily unstrap himself from britax stage 1 car seat...

blondefriend · 09/08/2013 10:59

I have now contacted Graco and it has been confirmed that the Nautilus harness in UK models is only suitable up to 18kg. I will move my dd over to the 3 point straight away. However the advice is confusing as obviously Halfords staff have been badly informed by their managers and/or have been looking at US manuals.