Do we need an Isofix base?

[PushkinTheCat]

This may be a stupid question but we didn’t have a car last time we have a baby! Now we do, I’m wondering whether we should get an Isofix base? We’ll be using a Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix, which I’m confident fitting with a belt, but am wondering whether the Isofix base is significantly safer than a correctly fitted belted seat?

[TheCraicDealer]

I understand that it's no safer, so long as you're using the belt method correctly. The base just reduces the margin for error (I think!) as you only need to fit it once rather than every time you go out in the car.

I was going to go without the base- my DSis did for her first so I was well used to just belting the seat in. But my work got us amazon vouchers for a particular item and I used the residual value to put towards a base. It's really, really convenient, especially in shit weather. No having your arse hanging out of the back of the car in the rain whilst you wrestle with belts!

[CrazyOldBagLady]

We never had one and just used the seat belt, worked fine.

[Strictly1972]

I would say yes to getting one if you can afford it. They are really easy to use & offer peace of mind that your child is in securely

[twins2019]

You don't need one but they do make life a lot easier - quickly in and out - no standing in the door in the rain making sure the seatbelt is on right and hanging over the car seat (I'm short) trying to get the belt looped and fastened right!

[Expressedways]

I wouldn’t bother. They are a bit more convenient than the seatbelt install I suppose but I’m not convinced that the minor convenience comes anywhere close to justifying the cost. We bought one (first baby, sucked in by the sales pitch) but we really didn’t need it- it’s not difficult to fit an infant carrier correctly with the seatbelt, they’re not supposed to spend too long in a car seat when they’re newborn anyway and then they get too heavy to comfortable lift in the seat so we hardly ever took it out of the car.

[Fireextinguished]

No safer but very good to have especially with second child.

[Moreanonymousme]

We swap our car seat around quite often between our car and both sets of grandparents, so it was easier for us all to get a base, because it's so easy to fix the seat onto it. Also, our DS was involved in a car accident a while back while with one of the grandparents and he emerged without a scratch. Reassuring to know that the seat and base did their job well. Definitely recommend using a base!

[jnl0612]

They are no safer but soooo much quicker
I managed to pick A 2nd hand one up and it was worth its money 10 times over !
I've got 3 children, didn't have a base for my 1st as it wasn't really a thing but my god for the 2nd and 3rd I did lol

[BertieBotts]

It's actually slightly less safe with the base - that seat gets better safety ratings off it.

The reason isofix is "safer" is that it hugely reduces the potential for error when fitting. For example, a common mistake is to route the shoulder and lap belt portions the wrong way around, which would be quite catastrophic. However I never found it difficult to fit an infant seat with seatbelt, it takes a few seconds, similar to belting yourself in.

I think the maxi cosi bases in particular are very overpriced for what they are.

[Teddyreddy]

I much prefer the seat with the isofix base. I don't take the seat out the car (DS is a screamer). If you seat belt the seat in, then you have to undo the seat belt to get the baby out even if you aren't taking the seat out as the belt path goes over the top of the seat. With the isofix, you don't have that problem. It depends how long you intend to keep using the seat for though - the Cabriofix is a big seat and we kept using it until shortly before 2, if you aren't intending to use it very long it's a different matter.

[PushkinTheCat]

Thank you, everyone - confirms my view that this isn’t straightforward! We used the seat until about 21 months last time and I assume this baby will be a similar size. Comments are really helpful though - thank you!

[moobar]

My cabriofix was only suitable to 12 months but she managed to about nine and then needed next stage

[Greatnorthwoods]

No safer but, they are useful, we got 3 bases on Facebook super cheap.

[PixieDustt]

We have an isofix base but it came with the Joie I size so didn't pay any extra.
It's easy to use

[bathorshower]

We had a belt-in baby seat for DD, and I think I only got the belt fully correct about half the time - I was tired, she didn't like the car seat, and you could leave the seat partially belted it, then I'd forget to put the second part across (it was a different seat to yours; the baby had to be in the seat to do this). If we ever have another child, I'd get an isofix base, now that I know how poor I can be at getting the belt right every time.

[EpcotForever]

I would definitely get one if you can afford.