Oh yes....ANOTHER Britax question!

[andreac]

So I have a decathalon for dd (10mo) and the straps are INSANELY hard to tighten, like pulling with both hands and all my weight to get it move a smidge! For now, I just leave them tight and with such light summer clothing I can just manage to squeeze her in w/o loosening the straps. As clothing gets bulkier, I think I'm going to have a huge problem. Is my seat defective? Is it just because it's new(ish) and needs to be broken in? Anyone have any advice?

[crazydiamond]

No, it's not just you. Mine's really hard to tighten too.

I also thought mine was defective but then I read over at the carseat area of Windsorpeak.com message boards that the seat is designed that way. I'm not sure why, to tell you the truth, but supposedly that's how it's supposed to be.

[andreac]

Seriously!?!? That sucks! I literally have mine as tight as I physically can, it's a good thing she's not any smaller, 'cause no matter how hard I pull I can't get it any tighter. This should be fun to deal with for the next...ohh 4 years or so. Now I wish I'd just bought another Marathon.

[Shaunam]

Even if it's designed to be tough to pull and loosen, that still seems like over-the-top stubborness. Is the dc like the marathon as far as the harness goes? Have you tried uninstalling the seat to see if the clip that holds the straps behind the seat has caught on anything?

[mbhf]

britax seats are generally harder to tighten because the harness is made of a different material. it shouldn't be harder to adjust than any other britax seat though. maybe they do get easier to adjust with age.

i second making sure the clip isn't stuck on something.

and you shouldn't be putting coats or heavy clothing between your baby and the carseat harness. a thin fleece jacket is all that should be worn, with a blanket or heavy coat over top of the harness. so you shouldn't have to adjust the seat for cooler weather.

[thepeach80]

I would check to make sure the straps are straight and not caught on anything either. Also, maybe try pushing in the button when tightening or my fave trick is to reach behind the seat and pull the straps tight in the back and then tighten in front.

[andreac]

Originally Posted by mbhf

and you shouldn't be putting coats or heavy clothing between your baby and the carseat harness. a thin fleece jacket is all that should be worn, with a blanket or heavy coat over top of the harness. so you shouldn't have to adjust the seat for cooler weather.

Oh, I know, I just meant...clothing heavier than a onesie, like a sweater or something. Thanks though.

Thanks for the tips ladies. As luck would have it, the seat is uninstalled anyway because I just got my car back from the mechanic, so I will take the cover off and give it a good once-over in the morning!

[crazydiamond]

britax seats are generally harder to tighten because the harness is made of a different material. it shouldn't be harder to adjust than any other britax seat though. maybe they do get easier to adjust with age.

I have a Roundabout, a Decathlon, and a Boulevard and the Decathlon is definitely much harder to tighten than the other two. I still like my Decathlon, but the harness adjuster is a PITA and worse than the Roundabout and Boulevard.

Another thing I forgot to mention is that you need to pull the strap straight up, not at an angle. If you pull it at an angle, it won't budge at all. But if you pull it straight up with a lot of force you should be able to get it to tighten. If you still can't get it to tighten at all, then maybe there is something wrong with your seat.