How long RF in Britax First Class?

[babybabynamechange]

Am starting to research car seats for twins (not due till January, early research).

Am considering the Britax first class for reasons of cost, size (apparently quite narrow based - can anyone confirm?) and longevity. Currently I have DS 2.9 who ERFs in Cybex Sirona but I can't afford two more Sironas. DS isn't yet 13 kg so could technically still RF in the first class but I don't know if he'd fit (and intending to pop into a shop and look at the seat in due course). Can anyone tell me how long your DC fitted RF in the first class? Is there any chance I'd get the twins to 3yrs in it?

Any other seats it's worth me looking at?

[AliceMum09]

Well my DD2 was 3 at the beginning of April and weighs 12.5kgs, so she still sits rear facing in our First Class! My mum has it in her car, we have a Britax Multi Tech II in our car for her.

I'd say you might be ok with the First Class, your DS must be below the 50th centile for weight so if your twins are the same build you'd definitely get longer than 2 years rear facing from it.

The First Class is a pretty compact (width-wise) seat, and does have a narrow base. It fits right up against the backrest of your car's rear seats, so toddlers have to stretch their legs up the backrest of the car's seat, or cross their legs. DD2 tends to cross her legs, and actually my older children (who used the seat forward facing as I didn't know anything about ERF when they were little) used to sit cross-legged in it forward facing! I think it's quite comfortable for them to do that because the edges of the seat support the sides of their knees and hold their legs up a bit.

You could look at the Joie Stages, which rear faces to 18kgs, but I bet it would be wider than the First Class.

[shitebag]

We have the Joie Steadi which is just as narrow as my friends first class but it can rear face up to 18kg as the backrest extends for a taller child.

[babybabynamechange]

Very helpful, thanks both.

Will definitely take a look at the Steadi too.

Can I ask you both how difficult it is to get the child into the seat - does the seatbelt tend to get in the way? We use a Joie Tilt RF occasionally (also fitted with seatbelt) and find that the seatbelt is quite awkwardly placed for getting the child in...

[AliceMum09]

I just tend to pull some extra length of seatbelt out and tuck it down so it's not in the way. But you must remember to put the seatbelt back properly afterwards! DH never did, that's one of the reasons we bought the Multi Tech, on that one both the lap and diagonal parts of the seatbelt feed through the bottom of the seat under where the child's legs are so it's not in your way at all.

And also you might not be able to pull enough extra seatbelt out to tuck it out of the way of your seatbts are a bit shorter.