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Originally Posted by PorscheRacer
I used both the latches (sides and top) and the seatbelt. I don't see where it can hurt to have more support so why not use both?
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Your thinking about using both the LATCH connections and seatbelt may be sound, but I wouldn't do it since it hasn't been tested, isn't recommended, and isn't necessary.
Link (another!) to a discussion on it:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=88964.
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It is NOT advised to use both and in fact might even be dangerous.
Seats are tested stringently to particular standards. Either the seats weren't tested with both, or DID test with both and failed dismally. We have no way of knowing, and in either case, you're putting the child in the seat in harms' way.
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There is some thought (and keep in mind this is just speculation, but it makes sense) that using both systems can make a crash harder on a child.
In a crash, even a super-tightened seatbelt or LATCH strap will stretch significantly, and that's a good thing. It allows the child to "ride down" the crash. If the belt/strap didn't stretch, the seat wouldn't move at all, and all the crash forces would be transferred onto the child.
One theory is that using the seatbelt and LATCH together will cause neither system to stretch enough, and therefore transfer more forces onto the kid.
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