Challenging Install
June 30, 2020
This car seat has tons of rave reviews, and with number three on the way, it seemed like the logical choice to get some extra space in the back seat of my Subaru Forester. The seat itself is quite solid, and the fit and finish is very nice—comparable to the Britax Marathon that my three year old has been using. Unlike the Britax, however, which installs quickly and easily, this seat is tough to install. I installed two, one rear facing and one forward facing, and they are both a challenge.
I used the latch system to install both seats, and it didn’t go well. As opposed to the Britax, which has two independent latches that make tightening a breeze, the Diono has the system where both latch connectors are attached to one another, and one is fed through the seatbelt installation portal. Other seats that I’ve used with this method have been a challenge to get tight, and this is no exception. Rear facing was a bit easier to get tight, but was still time-consuming, difficult, frustrating, and tiring. Secondly, the ether strap on the forward facing seat is almost impossible to get snug enough that it restricts the seat’s movement. The big issue with the seats is that as you pull the straps tight, they begin to act as though they are fully tightened when they are nowhere close. I was pulling with all my might to tighten the latch strap, only to check it and find that I could easily slide a finger underneath the fabric. I am a strong man, and I had trouble getting these straps tight. This was not the user experience that I expected. Now that they are installed, I am happy with them, but wow, what a pain.
Pros
- Nice fit and finish.
- Sturdy seat.
- Nice fabric.
Cons
- Incredibly difficult to install