Rear facing car seat for 98th centile 9 month old

[ChampooPapi]

Hi everyone, I'm sure this has been done but I couldnt find the information i was looking for in past mumsnet threads, not up to date ones anyway.

I really want a 9 month to 6 year car seat that is rear facing because of my daughters height/centile. The ones that go up to 25 kilo, but rear facing is a must for us.

I had settled on the Britax Max Way plus, but when Which reviewed the 'max way' back in 2015 they said although it passed safety tests they have put it on the not to buy list as there were just to many variables in the installation process that could go wrong.

I understand that is the older model but the plus is only different in the fact it has side impact protection. The installation to the car is the same

Any help much appreciated, even if its 'but a newborn to 4 year one and just buy another when she outgrows at 2 and a half '

If that's my only option that's fine, safety before budget, but surely there's something out there wise mumsnetters!

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

Don't read too much into Which reviews. They're not great for car seats!

Mine are both in 25kg ERF seats (one 91st centile 3.5 year DD and one 98th centile 22mo DS). They're both in Axkid Minikids in our main car which are fabulous seats. They're very easy to install once you know how (thank you YouTube!) but if you can find an independent car seat retailer they'll fit it for you and hopefully shoe you how to do it.

We also have Britax Two Way Elites as our spare seat. Also a very good seat and not difficult once you've fitted it. Your other options are of course the Max Way (slightly shorter shell than the Two Way Elite), the Diono Radian 5 (harder to install but a very good seat) or the Be Safe Izi Plus (very good but a bigger seat so takes up more room).

Basically you can't go far wrong with any of the 25kg ERF seats. There aren't any to avoid and most of it is personal preference, type of car etc.

If you join the Facebook group 'car seat advice uk' you'll find a lot of great information there.

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

We have a Britax Römer from 2016 and it’s great; swivels and very easy to navigate.

We have a beanpole of a DD, she is SO TALL and she was in that at 10mo. It apparently will fit her all the way to 23kg. Which at this rate will be 2041.

[AnotherEmma]

Agree with PP, Which? reviews are good for some things but terrible for car seats.

Do you live within reasonable distance of an In Car Safety Centre? They have a good selection of 25kg ERF seats, and their service is excellent - if you book an appointment they will take the time to try different seats in your car to make sure you have the right fit for your car (and baby, of course!). They will make sure the seat you buy is correctly fitted - which makes the Which? criticisms irrelevant.

We went to ICSC and I think we tried the Max Way, but it didn't fit in our Focus with enough recline for DS (also 98th centile at 9 months!) which was a shame as it was a good seat.

[Borttagen]

The Max Way is shorter than the Two Way Elite - we have both and my eldest lasted until 7 in the Two Way height wise (she's still under 25kg) so if your child is long I would go for the Two Way or the Axkid Minikid.

Installation is fine once you've done it a couple of times. I find them really secure.

[reetgood]

We just bought this for our 91st centile 10 month old. I’m really made up with it, rear facing, seat rotates to put them in, adjustable head rest, some other safety stuff that I didn’t follow but he appears to be really comfortable. Plus great price at mothercare and they fit it for you www.mothercare.com/combination-car-seats-group-0-1/cybex-sirona-s-i-size-car-seat/LNE017.html?dwvar_LNE017_color=lavastone%20black&cgid=#q=Cybex+Sirona&start=5

[AnotherEmma]

Cybex Sirona is a good seat but it's up to 18kg so it will be outgrown before a >90th centile child turns 4.

[KatharinaRosalie]

Axkid Minikid is the tallest I could find. We also had a Sirona, which is a lovely seat, but DS is very tall and grew out of it way sooner than they advertised.

[reetgood]

@anotheremma true. They apparently slow down at some point, right? he’s bang on 91st height and weight. I just got fixated on the spinny...

[ChampooPapi]

@teaandbiscuitsforme Thanks for this fantastic information, very useful to know that the max way has a slightly shorter shell and reading @AnotherEmmathat that recline was effected because of also having a tall high centile scoring baby, has put me off.

Though of course will take the advise of visiting an In Car Safety Centre. I have never heard of this magical place, but we are picking up our new (second hand 2009 vauxhall) car this weekend, so we can visit next week. This just sounds essential really.

@PaulHollywoodsSexGut which Britax Romer did you have? because I've seen the swival one but thought it only went up to 18kilos?

Thanks again everyone, so much more helpful here then the whole of the internet combined!

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

Oh god @ChampooPapi you’re right and I’m talking absolute balls.

18kg is indeed the limit. Bugger.

[BlazeM]

I have a Britax dualfix (the spinny one) it’s fab for getting them in and out and my 4 year old still had plenty of room but he is tiny.
I’m fairly certain a child on the 91st centile for height would outgrow the seat before they reach the weight limit (goes to 18kg)

Isofix seats are only tested to 18kg so you will only find belted seats above that. Probably why Which? Think they are more difficult to install. But installed correctly they are equally, if not more safe.

[ChampooPapi]

I'm in Bristol btw, so should be a Car safety centre around these parts. Thanks poster @Borttagen, the Two Way and the Axkid Minikid were ones I had looked at but the Axkid was new territory for me 'brand' wise so wasn't sure what to make of it.

I am seduced by the Axkid, the expense is worth it if it even lasts until she is actually 4, she has grown out of her cybex and that's supposed to last until over a year

[ChampooPapi]

I too must admit I was excited about the swivel times, but it's an unnecessary gimmick isn't it in this situation....sigh

[ChampooPapi]

@PaulHollywoodsSexGut dam you! I got excited as that is the one I was lusting after! But it's also on sale so may have been blackfridayed and lost perspective

[tenbob]

We have the Maxi Cosi Axis Fix and it's the first seat we have for DS which he doesn't howl in

It's only to 19kg though

[Alyx80]

We have the Britax Two Way elite for our 91st centile 3 year old. It lasts to 25kg, is an excellent seat and fits in most cars. I’d also look at the Axkid minikid

[AnotherEmma]

Was she in a Cybex Aton? That's the infant seat we had, bought before DS was born so we had no idea about the importance of choosing a seat with plenty of growing room, and we were disappointed to realise how quickly he outgrew it (98th centile with broad shoulders and he was so cramped and squashed in it). Because he outgrew it so young, he was still too little for the Two Way Elite and the Axkid Minikid, sadly, so we had to get an 18kg seat. But our next seat will be the TWE or Minikid.

Don't rule out the Max Way just yet, btw. The recline wasn't great in our car but might be better in yours. (Turns out the Focus isn't ideal for ERF seats!)

[ChampooPapi]

@tenbob sadly my vast bambino would outgrow that one before it had paid its due. Gorgeous seat though and if she was a new born I'd definitely consider it. Though it is only rear facing until 2 and I do think rear facing until at least 4 years is the safest

[ChampooPapi]

@AnotherEmma Yes it was the cybex aton! she is 8 and a half months and 23 pounds though

[butterry]

We have the Axkid Minikid and it's great. I have 97 percentile tall child who still fits in and is comfortable rear facing aged 4 years. expensive but worth it for safety. It has one of the highest ratings in Scandinavian countries where rear facing is the norm

[ChampooPapi]

@AnotherEmma I totally did the same seat wise so this time I knew that I needed some advice from real parents and not google, especially around this time of year when everyone is trying to flog you stuff.

Visiting this car centre is the one for sure, how else does one know?! it seems so logical now and sensible but after getting terrible advice before at mothercare and halfords I got stuck and very confused online

[butterry]

Also if you are interested in TWE, you might want to check as I think they changed the model and now it only does rear facing till 18kg. I may be wrong but vaguely recall reading about it.

[ChampooPapi]

Oh no I don't think there is a car safety centre in bristol, google says no anyway

[ChampooPapi]

@butterry Axkid minikid does look like it ticks all the boxes

[AnotherEmma]

I've just seen that you're in Bristol, there is no ICSC near you but there is Baby&Co and it looks like they have a fitting service
www.babyandco.com/car-seats-and-accessories/car-seats-by-type/extended-rear-facing-car-seats