ISOFIX Baby Seats small human advice
Discussion
AB8219 said:
Thanks very much for all the advice. It's great to get lots of new parents opinions on this sort of thing.
I think I will take the advice of heading into a Mothercare outlet and getting the whole thing shown/explained before making a decision.
I'm finding that I have to learn very quickly with all this stuff! So I'll probably back to pick your brains some more.
Thanks
OP, my advice, stop focusing on ISOFIX and focus on the far more important issue of safety - Extended Rear Facing - read up on this.I think I will take the advice of heading into a Mothercare outlet and getting the whole thing shown/explained before making a decision.
I'm finding that I have to learn very quickly with all this stuff! So I'll probably back to pick your brains some more.
Thanks
As mentioned above only a few brands cater for this so you need to clear about where you want to be two or three years down the road in order make a decent purchase decision.
Personally ERF was priority number one so that dictated a BeSafe seat for us at that time.
http://www.rearfacing.co.uk
kambites said:
"Which" do pretty good safety tests of most of the seats on the UK market. You can subscribe for the first month for free to browse their site; just don't forget to cancel the subscription before the end of the month. 
Yeah, we did the same for all the baby stuff. Recaro Privia won the Which? test too.They don't have that much in the way of UK distribution though, it's pretty much JL and a few online places.
Manufacturers are starting to releases seats that carry through from birth into ERF preventing the need for a seat change after 6months- 1 yr. That's something i'd be looking into.
A lot of new parents seem to be focused on this ISOFIX issue whilst the more important stuff gets lost, that's really what I was getting at.
A lot of new parents seem to be focused on this ISOFIX issue whilst the more important stuff gets lost, that's really what I was getting at.
I won't repeat what has been said before but one point on the MaxiCosi swivel seat thingy when your little human is a bit older - I have an E46 Touring and due to the swivel base it takes up a lot of room in the back of the car, to the point where the front seat needs to be quite a long way forward. I am 6'3" and my daughter could not go behind me in the car in that seat.
kambites said:
Depends on your priorities, I suppose. For me Isofix was an exercise in convenience and user-friendliness not safety.
The two are not mutually exclusive.But how many threads do we get about ISOFIX, and how many about ERF??
Clearly a lack of awareness out there, hence the content of my post.
Congratulations OP!
Non-isofix car owner here. We've got a 9-month old and a nearly 4-year old. We've got a Maxi Cosi Axiss (which fits very securely on the seatbelts, and stays in the car) and a Maxi Cosi Cabriofix on a familyfix base - the base attaches via the seatbelt and stays in the car, and the seat locks into the base. It works very well.
The thing I would add is that although we had the option of attaching the Cabriofix to our buggy as part of a travel system, we used it about twice with the first, and not at all with the second. We used a buggy + travel cot, and then just the buggy, instead - the advice is that babies should lie flat (rather than with their spine in more of a "v" like in a car seat, so we just picked our girls out of the car seat and most of the time that stays in the car too. We only lift the seat out if she's asleep and we want her to stay that way!
Overall, I'd say Isofix is a nice to have, rather than essential, but I would say any system that makes your baby car seat easy to remove/reinstall (i.e. an Isofix/non-Isofix) base is definitely a good idea. The familyfix base was second hand for about £35, and I'll probably be able to sell it for not much less than that when we're done with it - very sturdy piece of kit.
Non-isofix car owner here. We've got a 9-month old and a nearly 4-year old. We've got a Maxi Cosi Axiss (which fits very securely on the seatbelts, and stays in the car) and a Maxi Cosi Cabriofix on a familyfix base - the base attaches via the seatbelt and stays in the car, and the seat locks into the base. It works very well.
The thing I would add is that although we had the option of attaching the Cabriofix to our buggy as part of a travel system, we used it about twice with the first, and not at all with the second. We used a buggy + travel cot, and then just the buggy, instead - the advice is that babies should lie flat (rather than with their spine in more of a "v" like in a car seat, so we just picked our girls out of the car seat and most of the time that stays in the car too. We only lift the seat out if she's asleep and we want her to stay that way!
Overall, I'd say Isofix is a nice to have, rather than essential, but I would say any system that makes your baby car seat easy to remove/reinstall (i.e. an Isofix/non-Isofix) base is definitely a good idea. The familyfix base was second hand for about £35, and I'll probably be able to sell it for not much less than that when we're done with it - very sturdy piece of kit.
I have an ISOFIX base which is mostly fitted in my Saab but has been in my mum's 2013 Audi A1, her old 2010 Twingo, my girlfriend's 2013 Focus so it's pretty adaptable.
I must admit, if you're taking the seat in and out of different cars ISOFIX is a lot easier. If it's staying in one car then you can use the belts and I'd suspect it's cheaper.
I must admit, if you're taking the seat in and out of different cars ISOFIX is a lot easier. If it's staying in one car then you can use the belts and I'd suspect it's cheaper.
Nothing to add other than 15 years ago when I became a father for the first time, we had to do the whole seatbelt thing. What a ballache. The new arrival has an isofix seat (we just told the woman in Mothercare we had an XC90 and she sorted the base out) I'd not consider going back. Life's too short to be standing out in cold faffing on with seatbelts.
DoubleSix said:
OP, my advice, stop focusing on ISOFIX and focus on the far more important issue of safety - Extended Rear Facing - read up on this.
As mentioned above only a few brands cater for this so you need to clear about where you want to be two or three years down the road in order make a decent purchase decision.
Personally ERF was priority number one so that dictated a BeSafe seat for us at that time.
http://www.rearfacing.co.uk
We used a cabrio fix with an isofix base in each of our cars for the first 10 months with our daughter. I'm sure people get used to the seat belt approach but there is no denying that being able to clip the seat in and out of the car is easier. We've now switched to a Concord Reverso seat so she can stay rear facing for as long as possible. She's getting to the point where you wouldn't want to carry her round in the seat for long anyway so fixed isn't an issue. We really wanted the Axissfix for the swivelling feature but it wouldn't work with our A3 due to lack of top tethers.As mentioned above only a few brands cater for this so you need to clear about where you want to be two or three years down the road in order make a decent purchase decision.
Personally ERF was priority number one so that dictated a BeSafe seat for us at that time.
http://www.rearfacing.co.uk
In terms of isofix safety, there are arguments either way. Non isofix seats move more sideways in a crash which could be an issue, but equally seat belt held seats have a bit more movement so could dampen the g forces on the child.
Grandad here. Both my offspring have independently gone down the strap-in Maxicozy followed by swivel seats route for their children as the older ones got bigger (and sometimes less co-operative!). Certainly the swivel seats make liffe easier for parental backs.
I think the two hour limit is aimed at those who would leave babies in their Maxicozy all day every day rather than for the odd occasion when it can't be avoided. Common sense rules!
Sheepskin liners seem to be a contentious issue too with young Health Visitors spouting the latest 'thinking' while babies seem totally unbothered and flourish anyway.
I think the two hour limit is aimed at those who would leave babies in their Maxicozy all day every day rather than for the odd occasion when it can't be avoided. Common sense rules!
Sheepskin liners seem to be a contentious issue too with young Health Visitors spouting the latest 'thinking' while babies seem totally unbothered and flourish anyway.
Dogwatch said:
Grandad here. Both my offspring have independently gone down the strap-in Maxicozy followed by swivel seats route for their children as the older ones got bigger (and sometimes less co-operative!). Certainly the swivel seats make liffe easier for parental backs.
I think the two hour limit is aimed at those who would leave babies in their Maxicozy all day every day rather than for the odd occasion when it can't be avoided. Common sense rules!
Sheepskin liners seem to be a contentious issue too with young Health Visitors spouting the latest 'thinking' while babies seem totally unbothered and flourish anyway.
Being a new parent is great. Whatever you do, if you ask enough people or read enough on the internet, then you may be simultaneously either giving them the best possible start or risking their lives every second.I think the two hour limit is aimed at those who would leave babies in their Maxicozy all day every day rather than for the odd occasion when it can't be avoided. Common sense rules!
Sheepskin liners seem to be a contentious issue too with young Health Visitors spouting the latest 'thinking' while babies seem totally unbothered and flourish anyway.
Congratulations though!
Congratulations OP!
Thanks for creating the thread that I was going to be posting soon - Baby Craik is due in July.
ISOFIX seems like a no brainer to me, although I'll have to get a belt in seat for the next one, so they can come out in my MR2 - no ISO fix in that, infact the manual says kids have to go in the back seats...
Thanks for creating the thread that I was going to be posting soon - Baby Craik is due in July.
ISOFIX seems like a no brainer to me, although I'll have to get a belt in seat for the next one, so they can come out in my MR2 - no ISO fix in that, infact the manual says kids have to go in the back seats...
Basil Brush said:
DoubleSix said:
OP, my advice, stop focusing on ISOFIX and focus on the far more important issue of safety - Extended Rear Facing - read up on this.
As mentioned above only a few brands cater for this so you need to clear about where you want to be two or three years down the road in order make a decent purchase decision.
Personally ERF was priority number one so that dictated a BeSafe seat for us at that time.
http://www.rearfacing.co.uk
We used a cabrio fix with an isofix base in each of our cars for the first 10 months with our daughter. I'm sure people get used to the seat belt approach but there is no denying that being able to clip the seat in and out of the car is easier. We've now switched to a Concord Reverso seat so she can stay rear facing for as long as possible. She's getting to the point where you wouldn't want to carry her round in the seat for long anyway so fixed isn't an issue. We really wanted the Axissfix for the swivelling feature but it wouldn't work with our A3 due to lack of top tethers.As mentioned above only a few brands cater for this so you need to clear about where you want to be two or three years down the road in order make a decent purchase decision.
Personally ERF was priority number one so that dictated a BeSafe seat for us at that time.
http://www.rearfacing.co.uk
In terms of isofix safety, there are arguments either way. Non isofix seats move more sideways in a crash which could be an issue, but equally seat belt held seats have a bit more movement so could dampen the g forces on the child.
[takes a deep breath]
Whether you choose ISOFIX or not is a seperate and imho lesser consideration. We have it and find it convenient but the question is a distraction from the more important issues.
ISOFIX is no safer.
It simply reduces errors in fitment so useful for grandparents or people who are less familiar with the equipment.
Your other comments are not supported by any research that I am currently aware of but interestingly Scandi fixed base manufacturers are incorporating tech that allows children to swivel away from a side impact.
DoubleSix said:
Again,
[takes a deep breath]
Whether you choose ISOFIX or not is a seperate and imho lesser consideration. We have it and find it convenient but the question is a distraction from the more important issues.
ISOFIX is no safer.
It simply reduces errors in fitment so useful for grandparents or people who are less familiar with the equipment.
Your other comments are not supported by any research that I am currently aware of but interestingly Scandi fixed base manufacturers are incorporating tech that allows children to swivel away from a side impact.
You seem to be getting quite uptight about this![takes a deep breath]
Whether you choose ISOFIX or not is a seperate and imho lesser consideration. We have it and find it convenient but the question is a distraction from the more important issues.
ISOFIX is no safer.
It simply reduces errors in fitment so useful for grandparents or people who are less familiar with the equipment.
Your other comments are not supported by any research that I am currently aware of but interestingly Scandi fixed base manufacturers are incorporating tech that allows children to swivel away from a side impact.
Basil Brush said:
DoubleSix said:
Again,
[takes a deep breath]
Whether you choose ISOFIX or not is a seperate and imho lesser consideration. We have it and find it convenient but the question is a distraction from the more important issues.
ISOFIX is no safer.
It simply reduces errors in fitment so useful for grandparents or people who are less familiar with the equipment.
Your other comments are not supported by any research that I am currently aware of but interestingly Scandi fixed base manufacturers are incorporating tech that allows children to swivel away from a side impact.
You seem to be getting quite uptight about this![takes a deep breath]
Whether you choose ISOFIX or not is a seperate and imho lesser consideration. We have it and find it convenient but the question is a distraction from the more important issues.
ISOFIX is no safer.
It simply reduces errors in fitment so useful for grandparents or people who are less familiar with the equipment.
Your other comments are not supported by any research that I am currently aware of but interestingly Scandi fixed base manufacturers are incorporating tech that allows children to swivel away from a side impact.
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