Child Seat Advice

[FreeLitres]

Thanks for your comments.

As a Physicist, I see the benefits of rear facing should the worst happen.

the range of rear facing Group 1 seats seems incredibly limited. From looking at what is for sale, I guess 99% of buyers go for forward facing.

[skip_1]

Does anyone have any experience of the following:

Hauck Varioguard
Casualplay Bi Care Fix
Joie i-anchor safe fix

The idea being to utilise in rear facing mode as extended rear facing. These units obviously wouldn't pass the Swedish plus test as can also sit FF, but I am finding reviews hard to find - no Which or ADAC (possibly as relatively new products?).

Edited by skip_1 on Sunday 16th November 23:49

[lenats31]

FreeLitres said:

Thanks for your comments.

As a Physicist, I see the benefits of rear facing should the worst happen.

the range of rear facing Group 1 seats seems incredibly limited. From looking at what is for sale, I guess 99% of buyers go for forward facing.

You are absolutely correct.

One major reason for this is the annual test conducted by ADAC and Stiftung Waren test in Germany that are submitted to Which and other organisations around Europe to be published.

50% of the total score is userfriendliness, child´s view out of the car, Child´s comfort, space requirements, removing and adding the covers. This is all based on personal opinions and not on meassurements.

Then comes how they are installed and crash testet . Allways worst case scenario which basically means that a rearfacing seat will not be installed with contact to front seat, which benefits the crash performance in them IF the user guide states they can be installed without contact. Those that can be used forward facing will be tested forward facing too and since it is a worst case scenario test, it is the worst results that count. In Plain English: The crash results used in the overall score are those for forward facing use.

These are just the main points in that test. And so this is just a very short version of a looong story.

Then comes parents´ perception of what the child "needs" when travelling in a car. Most parent have the idea that the child want to see them. The child cant see a thing out of the car, the child gets bored, legs hurt. too little space for the legs. This is all personal and mlost often incorrect. Just take a look at a child sitting on the floor and play.... See them while they are lying on floor, They can see plenty out of the car because they can see out the entire back window and both side windows. Parents can be viewed through a small mirror if you buy one. Communication with older siblings is easier and generally safer because the children don´t have to lean forwards to see each other.

This is just a few out of many points

Bottom line is: there are a lot of myths and perseptions involved in this.

[lenats31]

You don´t need a big car. You need a roomy car. Newer Passat cars are very spaceous. The old ones are not. Some of these rearfacing seats are very compact.

And mind you: with a forward facing seat you´ll have to count in the 55 cm forward pitch in a frontal collision (all other crash types have a frontal collision in them too). With this in mind, many cars do not offer room enough for them - perhaps if the you are dead sure that the front seat will move too. But you are not.

[LR90LOU]

Hi Boobles - I've got a Land Rover 90 and need to think about the next car seat for my son (currently 5mths). Realise I've got a few months left in my Maxi Cosi Cabrio but what are my forward facing options?

[Adrian E]

LR90LOU said:

Hi Boobles - I've got a Land Rover 90 and need to think about the next car seat for my son (currently 5mths). Realise I've got a few months left in my Maxi Cosi Cabrio but what are my forward facing options?

What weight %ile on the growth charts is he? Use them to work along his weight gain trend and you'll probably find it'll be fine for at least another 6 months. My son was 98th %ile and was in his Cabriofix till 14 months.

Does your LR have isofix?

[Backtobasics]

Quick question, I'm looking for a child seat (age 4-11), but we'd like a 5 point harness, any recommendations?

[lenats31]

Backtobasics said:

Quick question, I'm looking for a child seat (age 4-11), but we'd like a 5 point harness, any recommendations?

The best option is the new one from Britax: Britax Advansafix that harnesses to 25 kg forward facing. Safest choices are the rearfacing options provided that the tallest ones do not take up too much room in the car and you can install them correctly all the time and of cause are suitable for your car. Same thing with the Advansafix really. Alll of them are fitted with the seatbelt.

Rearfacing options with long backs:

Britax Two Way Elite
Britax Multi-Tech
Axkid Duofix
Axkid Minikid

These have the longest backs

Forward facing:

Britax Advansafix

[soi6]

we Bought "Jane" and never found anything to better them .Lot cheaper in Europe

[FreeLitres]

FreeLitres said:

Thanks for your comments.

As a Physicist, I see the benefits of rear facing should the worst happen.

the range of rear facing Group 1 seats seems incredibly limited. From looking at what is for sale, I guess 99% of buyers go for forward facing.

Quick update from me;

I went for 2 different group 1 seats for our 12 month old.

In my Wife's little run-around, we went for a Maxicosi Axis as she struggles lifting our little one in and out of seats when I'm not there. The Axis has the clever feature that the seat will turn 90 degrees for loading and unloading, but it is forward facing.

For my bigger car, I have gone for the BeSafe iZi Combi X3 iosfix. This is a proper rear facing group 1 seat but the combi feature allows for it to be used forward facing if needed. We use this car more often (whenever I am home) and do all our long/motorway journeys in it.

Quite happy with my selection, but it has set me back a few bob!

[Ved]

Has anyone fitted a rear facing seat in the back of a a W205 C Class without having to push the passenger seat forward to an uncomfortable distance from the dash? I'm 6 foot, need a new rear facing seat for my 10 month old and need a new car.

The C and E class appear to have the same amount of space in the back for any of the seats I've seen but some real world experience would be most appreciated.

[sirbadger]

does anyone have any experience of the Jane Koos car seat before? The Jane Epic travel system we are looking at comes with this seat and was wondering how it compares to a besafe izi go or maxi cosi pebble.

[Ved]

The Jane is part of the same group as Concord and are very similar. I bought a Concord Neo Travel System and all of it was brilliant, including the car seat. Keep in mind you'll need a new seat and base at 10 months or sooner. Concord have a new rear facing seat out next month called the Reverso which could be worth a look too. We used the crib attachment very little so we should really just bought the case seat and the stroller top and chassis.

[sirbadger]

Ved said:

The Jane is part of the same group as Concord and are very similar. I bought a Concord Neo Travel System and all of it was brilliant, including the car seat. Keep in mind you'll need a new seat and base at 10 months or sooner. Concord have a new rear facing seat out next month called the Reverso which could be worth a look too. We used the crib attachment very little so we should really just bought the case seat and the stroller top and chassis.

Thanks, interesting to know about concord, will see what they have to offer also.

The travel system comes with the seat so its not so much of an issue if it needs replacing in 10 months time, just don't want to have to buy another seat right now due to the included seat being pants. We're edging towards the Jane Rider Strata system at the moment as the Strata car seat seems a bit safer.

[morrisk1]

Ved said:

Has anyone fitted a rear facing seat in the back of a a W205 C Class without having to push the passenger seat forward to an uncomfortable distance from the dash? I'm 6 foot, need a new rear facing seat for my 10 month old and need a new car.

The C and E class appear to have the same amount of space in the back for any of the seats I've seen but some real world experience would be most appreciated.

We've got a 2way maxi cosi in my S205 and there isn't loads of room but it's ok. It's installed passenger side and my wife's only 5'4" so that helps. We traveled from Birmingham to Cardiff last week and we were fine with it.

[Ved]

morrisk1 said:

Ved said:

Has anyone fitted a rear facing seat in the back of a a W205 C Class without having to push the passenger seat forward to an uncomfortable distance from the dash? I'm 6 foot, need a new rear facing seat for my 10 month old and need a new car.

The C and E class appear to have the same amount of space in the back for any of the seats I've seen but some real world experience would be most appreciated.

We've got a 2way maxi cosi in my S205 and there isn't loads of room but it's ok. It's installed passenger side and my wife's only 5'4" so that helps. We traveled from Birmingham to Cardiff last week and we were fine with it.

That's great thank you. Do you know the measurement from the rear of the passenger seat to the back seat? That's all I have to go on at the moment until I can arrange for a car to take it out to check various seats.

On another note, how's the car for you all?

[13 DJP]

Hi, we have a Renault Laguna Estate (2006) and are looking to put our daughter into her next stage car seat. Want rear facing and the ability for it to swivel ( the missus is only 5'2" so struggles!).

We seem to have ended up between the Cybex Sirona and the Britax Dualfix. About to push the switch on the cybex but any other suggestions or reasons not to?

Will also be getting a Joie Stages for the child minder as she does not have isofix, again unless anyone thinks otherwise?

Cheers
Dave

[skip_1]

We have purchased a Hauck Varioguard as a rear facing seat for our 18 month old. Fits very well in both Honda Accord and Kia Rio with plenty of room up front for passenger in both cars.

[ChiefWiggum]

Hi guys -

Any tips on choosing between the different rear-facing seats for toddlers/small children? Our little-un is coming up to 2yo, small & light for her age. Wife and I are convinced RF is the way to go.

We currently have an 07my Legacy Tourer with ISOFIX. We'll probably change cars this year, another mid-size estate or perhaps SUV (XC60?), whatever we get will have ISOFIX again.

Mainstream candidates look like Britax Max Fix & Maxi-Cosi 2-way Pearl, £300-400, also the cheaper Hauck Varioguard & Casualplay BiCare Fix, £200 odd.

With the Hauck/Casualplay, is there a safety compromise or do we just save on the brand name and convenience features (e.g rotation)?

Cheers

[lenats31]

13 DJP said:

Hi, we have a Renault Laguna Estate (2006) and are looking to put our daughter into her next stage car seat. Want rear facing and the ability for it to swivel ( the missus is only 5'2" so struggles!).

We seem to have ended up between the Cybex Sirona and the Britax Dualfix. About to push the switch on the cybex but any other suggestions or reasons not to?

Will also be getting a Joie Stages for the child minder as she does not have isofix, again unless anyone thinks otherwise?

Cheers
Dave

I would go for the Dualfix. research shows that those impact cushions might not be so safe after all. Dualfix is a bit taller, harness height is higher. it svirwels 360 degrees without removing the harness. It uses the harness system rearfacing as well as forward facing