Roundabout- Do kids ever outgrow it while still RF?

[elektra]

I'm not exactly sure how to phrase this question, but I'll give it a shot. Is it common for a child to reach the RF height or weight limit on the RA before they are really ready to go FF? I was always assuming that DC would be ready to FF before he or she outgrew the Roundabout RF, but maybe that's not the case?

Or maybe my question is this: Do you wish you would have gotten the Marathon for longer rearfacing, or was the Roundabout sufficient?

[Joolsplus2]

Yes, it's really short for extended RF... my dd is too tall now and she's not quite 2 and maybe 34 inches (time to measure again, maybe 35), and only 25 pounds. She's probably got a couple years till she's 33-35 pounds and too big for the Marathon or Evenflo Triumph Advance or Radian RF.

[daniele_ut]

Or maybe my question is this: Do you wish you would have gotten the Marathon for longer rearfacing, or was the Roundabout sufficient?

My DS outgrew the Roundabout RF when he was 18-20 months old (can't remember exactly) and we ended up selling it and replacing it with a Marathon at that point. I had originally bought it because it was a little smaller and took less space in my car RF, but I should have just gotten the Marathon to begin with. I did miss the awesome harness adjuster on the Roundabout though!

[Joolsplus2]

But you know, I was thinking...there are definitely some stockier babies that the Roundabout is adequate for...I always forget them (...as I cinch the waistband tighter on my scrawny kids' pants....)

:)

[californiagirl]

We wish we had started with the Boulevard we have now. DD outgrew the Roundabout rear-facing nearly 6 months before she outgrew the Boulevard rear-facing. We bought the Boulevard when she passed the Roundabout's rear-facing limit and used the Roundabout as a secondary/travel seat until she outgrew it altogether. At almost 4 she's still in the Boulevard forward-facing.

[ljackson]

my dd is too tall now and she's not quite 2 and maybe 34 inches (time to measure again, maybe 35), and only 25 pounds.

Is it her torso length that is the problem? The Britax website says that the Roundabout is fine for children up to 40" tall. Is it common for children who are so much shorter than that to be too long in the torso?

Lindsay

DD 12/06

ETA signature

[californiagirl]

The height limit you're quoting is the forward-facing limit, not the rear-facing limit. DD forward-faced in a roundabout for a considerable period after she outgrew rear-facing in it.

[ljackson]

The height limit you're quoting is the forward-facing limit, not the rear-facing limit.

According to the Britax website it's the same limit facing forward or rear. Is this something that has changed recently? (I am probably about to purchase a new Roundabout.)

http://www.britaxusa.com/products/product_detail.aspx?ID=10

[Joolsplus2]

Yeah, the manual says head one inch from the top of the seat rearfacing. (at 40 inches your kid's head would be all sticking out of the top of the seat, you wouldn't really feel safe seeing how easy it would be for the head to strike something else in the vehicle or to overextend and risk whiplash during the downward rotation phase of the crash). It's different for forward facing, the head is farther from striking something and the seat will protect against whiplash during the rebound phase of the crash just fine even if the head is above the seat shell somewhat)

[ljackson]

Yeah, the manual says head one inch from the top of the seat rearfacing.

Thanks so much for pointing that out. I'm so glad I found that out before I bought a Roundabout. I'm off to see if a Marathon fits in my car tomorrow :)

Lindsay

DD 12/06

[o_mom]

Chiming in late, but my DS2 is 2 yrs 8 mos and still RF in our Roundabout. He is 30-31 lbs, so he actually may make it to 33 lbs RF in that seat, but it is rare. His head is right at an inch below the top. Mine is an older one that actually says you can use it rear-facing until the ears reach the top, but I would rather move him to our Marthon once the top of his head is even with the top. As Julie said, in the new manual they say once inch, so he would be right at the limit and probably would NOT make it to 33 lbs RF.

[Joolsplus2]

Thanks so much for pointing that out. I'm so glad I found that out before I bought a Roundabout. I'm off to see if a Marathon fits in my car tomorrow :)

Lindsay

DD 12/06

If an infant seat fits, a Marathon will fit :)

[sivan]

If an infant seat fits, a Marathon will fit :)

I don't think that's true Jools. I tried two marathons in my Honda Odyssey captain chairs and couldn't make it work, because the front row seats would have had to be WAY scrunched forward to fit. I just couldn't see making my dh crunch his legs for 3 years every single time he got in to the car. That's why we decided to go the roundabout and then probabaly Regent route. I want a bigger harnessed seat, but can only do it when FF.

[o_mom]

I can put a Marathon in my Odyssey captain's chairs and it actually takes LESS room than the SafeSeat because I can have it touching the front seat. I have even had my Decathlon there with a newborn 45 degree recline and did not have to move the front seat at all (and I fit a RF RA in the third row behind it).

[Joolsplus2]

I don't think that's true Jools. I tried two marathons in my Honda Odyssey captain chairs and couldn't make it work, because the front row seats would have had to be WAY scrunched forward to fit. I just couldn't see making my dh crunch his legs for 3 years every single time he got in to the car. That's why we decided to go the roundabout and then probabaly Regent route. I want a bigger harnessed seat, but can only do it when FF.
Oh...well...if you have it in a full 45 degree newborn recline, maybe not, but for any kid over 6 months you install it more upright for greater safety and plenty of room. Unless your dh is remarkably long legged, then it might be a problem, but honestly I've installed Marathons in WAY smaller cars with plenty of room for even tallish people to be plenty comfortable (I've installed countless dozens of rearfacing marathons ;) )

[sivan]

good to know- unfortunately two weeks late since i just bought two roundabouts. oh well, when the time comes we'll see, but i had the guy bring it outside from buy buy baby and it did not fit. and he's not crazy long legged. maybe we had it reclined too much...

[Joolsplus2]

Did you push the middle row captain's chair back? It goes back like 4 inches. Oh well, yeah, the RA will rearface till about two...if you want to rearface longer (many people do) then you can get a taller/higher weight rearfacing seat then (we love our Radian in our van, it's very tall for rearfacing).

:)

[sivan]

yeah, middle row was pushed back. it must have been the recline :( ah well, we fly a lot so i'm sure i won't regret the RAs. well, not for a couple of years!

[puff2000]

If I may tag onto this thread, what are the complications of having a child that is above the weight limit only for rear facing? I understand the height limit issue & whip-lash, but am scratching my head, trying to figure out why they want you to turn it around when the baby gets too heavy. Any ideas?

[o_mom]

A RF child over the limit can cause the seat to overrotate which can be bad (I can't remember off the top of my head why, but it is). Also, the seat is not tested above that weight and it is possible it could fail (belts or shell). You are basically using your child as a crash-test dummy at that point.

[Joolsplus2]

I just read someone else's refresher course where they said the forces on the shoulders and spine are VERY high when a seat is too reclined... a kid being too heavy would cause the seat to be too reclined too quickly, I'm guessing. It was mostly an argument for putting older kids more upright as they gain weight to prevent the spinal compression, but I think overweight in an RF seat would have a similar result (higher weight seats in other countries have support feet so that the seat doesn't rotate downward at all, that's how they can have seats that RF to 55 pounds).

[801kelle]

I'm not exactly sure how to phrase this question, but I'll give it a shot. Is it common for a child to reach the RF height or weight limit on the RA before they are really ready to go FF? I was always assuming that DC would be ready to FF before he or she outgrew the Roundabout RF, but maybe that's not the case?

Or maybe my question is this: Do you wish you would have gotten the Marathon for longer rearfacing, or was the Roundabout sufficient?

New studies show you should keep your child rearfacing till max height or weight of RF limits on your carseat. So which ever they hit first is when you would turn them FF. So if they reach height limit before weight limit rear facing you have to turn FF for safety.

When our DD was little we bought the Marathon because I didn't want to buy a roundabout and then when she outgrew roundabout have to then buy the Marathon ... Sorry I know that doesn't help.

The limits on Roundabout are:

Rear Facing 5 lbs. - 33 lbs. up to 40'' tall. seated shoulder height: 10.5'' - 15''
Forward Facing 20 lbs. - 40 lbs. up to 40" tall. seated shoulder height:12'' - 15''

The limits on Marathon are:

Rear Facing 5 lbs. - 33 lbs. up to 49'' tall. seated shoulder height 9.5'' - 16''
Forward Facing 20 lbs. - 65 lbs. up to 49" tall. seated shoulder height 12'' - 16'' .

[Joolsplus2]

Britax must be smoking crack...how do they think a 40 inch kid with a 15 inch torso is going to be below one inch from the top of the seatback (like the new Roundabout manual says is the max RF limit).

The mind boggles at their recommendations...:52:

[o_mom]

Britax must be smoking crack..

:hysterical: