WooChx
06-30-2004, 12:35 PM
After reading all of the posts about the Kinderzeat and the U.S. not selling baby conversion kits to make it compatible at 6 months of age rather than 18 months I decided to go to the source. I've spoke with a retailer in the U.K. that answered many of my questions and cleared up some misunderstandings that I had. My only unanswered question is whether this can legally be ordered from the U.K. if the U.S. does not allow the baby kit to be sold here.
The "Tripp Trapp" is available in the USA and Canada under the name "KinderZeat". However, it is not available with the baby / high chair conversion, and the KinderZeat does not accept the baby set conversion (there are no holes or slots in the frame for the rail to fit into, therefore it's not a case of drilling holes through the frame, but of routing the slots to accept the baby rail.).
This means that unless you bought your original Tripp Trapp abroad, a baby set will not fit your existing chair. Also, there has been a small change in design to the Tripp Trapp which means that current baby kits won't fit older Tripp Trapps. Assuming that you're trying to add a baby set to an existing non-US Tripp Trapp, the way to tell whether you have an old or new version is to count the number of grooves above the upper metal rod. If there are 5 (including the groove the seat is in) then you have an old model. If there are 6, then you have the current version. (Of course, all this is irrelevant if you have a US KinderZeat.)
So, to use a baby set, you may have to buy the Tripp Trapp as well.
The approximate cost of the products (changes due to exchange rates):
Tripp Trapp 84.26 ($152.88)
Baby set 16.17 ($29.33)
Cushion set 16.17 ($29.33)
Harness 7.62 ($13.82)
There is nothing special about the harnesses (they are not part of the Tripp Trapp product from Stokke). They are just the standard kind of harness that comes with walking reins and straps to attach it to pushchair, high chairs, etc., so you may prefer to buy that locally.
Also, our recommendation to parents is not to bother with the cushion set and especially the seat part of the cushion set, for a number of reasons:
1. Because the seat part hooks over the front of the seat, it requires you to set the seat too far forward on the frame for a young baby to be comfortable.
2. Babies in nappies (diapers) don't need the padding anyway
3. It will need washing frequently, and getting on and off the chair involves removing the bar, unthreading the leather strap, taking on/off the cushion, and then re-threading the leather strap onto the wooden bar, and finally replacing the wooden bar on the chair.
4. It makes it more difficult for the baby to swivel round and face other members of the family at the table.
The cushion set does have one practical purpose, namely cushioning against the impact on the back of the chair of "head-bangers". However, this behaviour is usually a temporary phase (lasting only a small number of weeks), so many parents choose to take the view that if it hurts, the baby will stop doing it.
So, by all means choose the baby set for its looks, but don't choose it thinking it will improve your baby's comfort, as in all probability it will have the opposite effect.
The "Tripp Trapp" is available in the USA and Canada under the name "KinderZeat". However, it is not available with the baby / high chair conversion, and the KinderZeat does not accept the baby set conversion (there are no holes or slots in the frame for the rail to fit into, therefore it's not a case of drilling holes through the frame, but of routing the slots to accept the baby rail.).
This means that unless you bought your original Tripp Trapp abroad, a baby set will not fit your existing chair. Also, there has been a small change in design to the Tripp Trapp which means that current baby kits won't fit older Tripp Trapps. Assuming that you're trying to add a baby set to an existing non-US Tripp Trapp, the way to tell whether you have an old or new version is to count the number of grooves above the upper metal rod. If there are 5 (including the groove the seat is in) then you have an old model. If there are 6, then you have the current version. (Of course, all this is irrelevant if you have a US KinderZeat.)
So, to use a baby set, you may have to buy the Tripp Trapp as well.
The approximate cost of the products (changes due to exchange rates):
Tripp Trapp 84.26 ($152.88)
Baby set 16.17 ($29.33)
Cushion set 16.17 ($29.33)
Harness 7.62 ($13.82)
There is nothing special about the harnesses (they are not part of the Tripp Trapp product from Stokke). They are just the standard kind of harness that comes with walking reins and straps to attach it to pushchair, high chairs, etc., so you may prefer to buy that locally.
Also, our recommendation to parents is not to bother with the cushion set and especially the seat part of the cushion set, for a number of reasons:
1. Because the seat part hooks over the front of the seat, it requires you to set the seat too far forward on the frame for a young baby to be comfortable.
2. Babies in nappies (diapers) don't need the padding anyway
3. It will need washing frequently, and getting on and off the chair involves removing the bar, unthreading the leather strap, taking on/off the cushion, and then re-threading the leather strap onto the wooden bar, and finally replacing the wooden bar on the chair.
4. It makes it more difficult for the baby to swivel round and face other members of the family at the table.
The cushion set does have one practical purpose, namely cushioning against the impact on the back of the chair of "head-bangers". However, this behaviour is usually a temporary phase (lasting only a small number of weeks), so many parents choose to take the view that if it hurts, the baby will stop doing it.
So, by all means choose the baby set for its looks, but don't choose it thinking it will improve your baby's comfort, as in all probability it will have the opposite effect.