Regent tether ?

[malu]

So my dad has a pretty old Toyota that my sons wizard is in. Lap belt only.

It was pointed out to me on another board that if I get the Regent like I planned for my dad's car(and mine, ds is in the Parkway now. He is 6 and like 3.5 feet tall, I think!), it would need to be top tethered if child is over 50 lbs and with a lap belt only, as per user manual.

My dad is saying he wont go to the dealership to get it done (if they will even do the tether thing), since the car is pretty much on its last legs. Who knows when this car will die out anyway, I think he was being dramatic Now im wondering if the Wizard is supposed to be tethered in his car? Ds isnt in it all the time, and I think he is like right at 50 lbs. Any suggestions?

I really wanted the Regent for the 5 pt harness, I plan on leaving ds buckled as long as humanly possible, plus our state finally passed new child seat laws, keeping kids in boosters till 7 (at least!). Plus,the wizard just sits really high, yk?

Thanks for any advice guys.

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness.

	Britax Parkway - Click for more info The new Parkway Booster from Britax builds on their company's reputation as the maker of some of the safest seats on the market today. It's one of the only boosters to offer True Side Impact Protection - the EPS foam-padded headrest and side "wings" aren't just great for naps, they're engineered to provide vital protection to your child in the event of a side-impact crash. (Side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 6-14, making this an issue of major importance for booster seats.)

	Forum Speak DD: Dear Daughter DS: Dear Son DH: Dear Husband DW: Dear Wife SO: Significant Other BF: Boyfriend GF: Girlfriend

[scatterbunny]

Yes, Regent must be tethered past 50 pounds. No, Wizard does not require top tethering, but any foward-facing seat is made safer by top tethering.

For your dad's information, he can just order the tether anchor kit himself and install it in, like, 5 minutes. That's what we did in our '91 Accord.

No techs post here on a regular basis to check the LATCH manual for parts numbers, but if you post the question on www.car-seat.org someone there will be able to help you. The parts for my Honda only cost $15.

Your ds will need something sooner rather than later for your dad's car, and all the options over 65 pounds require a top tether. Also, most 65 pound limit seats are outgrown by height (shoulders over top slots) before weight. Most kids I know outgrow the Wiz/Marathon/Decathlon/Boulevard at 45-55 pounds.

If your dad is totally resistant the only safe option would be to put him in the front passenger seat, which decreases safety but would be safER than being in a lapbelt-only.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Britax Boulevard - Click for more info It is all about the wings with the Britax Boulevard convertible car seat - head and torso safety wings help keep your child from harm in a side-impact crash. And this matters - side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for 6 - 14 year-old children. Of course, the safety wings are only one of the many safety features that the Britax Boulevard offers: built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, a push button release LATCH system with Versa-Tether®, and a sculpted base, ensuring an easy installation with a secure fit.

	Britax Decathlon - Click for more info Like its predecessors the Britax Roundabout and the Britax Marathon, the Britax Decathlon is built around two core ideals: safety and comfort. Its easy to see that the Decathlon is comfortable: it's loaded with a 3-position crotch strap, patented HUGS harness system, plush (and washable!) seat cover, belly pad, removable toddler head pillow, and an infant positioning system for newborn babies. These features provide a comfortable, adjustable fit as your child grows - all the way from 5 to 65 pounds.

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness.

	Forum Speak DD: Dear Daughter DS: Dear Son DH: Dear Husband DW: Dear Wife SO: Significant Other BF: Boyfriend GF: Girlfriend

	LATCH LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. It is a system mandated by the Federal government in an effort to standardize and simplify the installation of child restraints without using the vehicle's seat belt system. New vehicles and child safety seats manufactured on and after September 1, 2002 will be equipped with the LATCH system. Cars, minivans, and light trucks will be required to have anchor points between the vehicle's seat cushion and the seat back in at least two rear seating positions, and a top tether anchor (with the exception of convertibles). Child safety seats will have a lower set of attachments that fasten to the vehicle anchors. Most forward-facing child safety seats will also have a top strap (tether) that attaches to the top anchor in the vehicle.

	Top-Tether A top tether (or top strap) is the supplemental attachment now standard on almost every new carseat in the USA. Top tethers can be used with either the seat belt or with the lower anchors (as part of the LATCH system). In other countries, their use may be required by law. A top-tether is simply a strap that connects the top of the carseat to an anchor mounted in the vehicle at a location behind the carseat, usually the parcel shelf or a point on the floor of the cargo area. It is designed to prevent the forward movement of the top of a forward-facing carseat in a frontal crash. This reduces the head excursion of the child, and can reduce the chances of injury. Almost all current carseats can only meet the tougher new federal safety standards when the tether is used, even though they must still meet the minimum safety standards without a tether.

[malu]

Thats the website I used to post at a long time ago! I totally forgot where it was, thank you.

And its great to know about ordering the kit. Though I almost had a heart attack just picturing my son in the front seat, lol! Yeah, not happy about the lap belt only situation...

thanks again!

[scatterbunny]

You're welcome.

I know, the thought of any child up front is scary...but if the only choices are in the back in just a lapbelt or up front with a lap/shoulderbelt and booster, the front is safest.

You can also install a carseat up front and tether it to a seatbelt in the rear. This is in the tech LATCH manual and perfectly okay to do. It's how I have my daughter's seat tethered in my Mazda MPV (installed in the middle row, tethered to the third row middle lapbelt).

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	LATCH LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. It is a system mandated by the Federal government in an effort to standardize and simplify the installation of child restraints without using the vehicle's seat belt system. New vehicles and child safety seats manufactured on and after September 1, 2002 will be equipped with the LATCH system. Cars, minivans, and light trucks will be required to have anchor points between the vehicle's seat cushion and the seat back in at least two rear seating positions, and a top tether anchor (with the exception of convertibles). Child safety seats will have a lower set of attachments that fasten to the vehicle anchors. Most forward-facing child safety seats will also have a top strap (tether) that attaches to the top anchor in the vehicle.