RF seat for Seat Ibiza?

[SomeCatsLikeCheese]

I posted a few weeks ago about our car seat dilemma, with a view to transferring our 15 month old to a Joie Stages (currently being used for our older child in HBB mode). This plan has now been scuppered as, try as we might, using all the short seat belt tricks, we cannot fit it RF in our Seat Ibiza.

I’m going to have a final attempt but am working on the basis that we need a new seat. It needs to be RF but with the option to use FF: I would like to keep DC2 RF for as long as possible but if this isn’t workable, eg he gets travel sick or whatever, I want a seat where we could use it in FF mode. I think this rules out the Axxkid seats.

It obviously needs to be a smaller seat in view of the Stages fiasco and the size of our car as the passenger needs some leg room and this is a family car rather than a second car. We can’t really spend over £200 as we have to replace the Stages with a HBB as well.

I’m wondering whether the Joie 360 Spin might be an option? I also looked at the Britax Multi Tech 3 but I wasn’t sure if we needed tethers and I’m not sure if our car has those.

Any recommendations?

[BertieBotts]

Joie 360 spin fits using isofix, do you have isofix? It is one of the smaller ones front to back of the isofix seats.

Britax Multi Tech does use tethers but it's not the same as top tether, these are lower/Swedish style tethers. You don't need a specific dedicated point for them, they can be installed around any suitable solid part of the car - generally the runners for the seat in front or around the front seat itself. You would need to check the fit list, Britax don't like you using cars not on the fit list. It's also quite an upright seat and the room around the bum area is wide for a 1yo - consider you may want the comfort insert as well which bumps up the cost.

You may want to estimate what age your child will hit 18kg as the Multi Tech is only harnessed to 18kg forward facing. Same with Joie 360 Spin as this is only up to 18kg either way (like the Stages harness).

Alternatively Axkid Move is reduced to £185 for the last day today (bank holiday offer) this should be for all retailers. I know it doesn't go FF, but it's quite unlikely you'll ever NEED to FF - there are strategies etc to deal with car sickness rear facing although appreciate you may just want the option! Since you already have the Stages seat, you would always have that as a backup FF option if need be.

Both Axkid Move and Britax Multi Tech use less seatbelt than the Stages when RF.

[SomeCatsLikeCheese]

Thank you - that’s really helpful. He is quite big - 75th centile from birth - so I am slightly concerned that he may outgrow an 18kg seat before I think he is old enough for a HBB.

We ended up putting our older child forward facing at an age younger than I was comfortable with because he simply would not sit properly in the seat - he kept twisting and so on because he wanted a better view and the straps kept slipping down his shoulders regardless of how I adjusted them. We didn’t have our own car at the time so this was mainly on journeys when visiting my DPs. So rightly or wrongly, he was FF before he was 3.

We do have Isofix so that is an option. I’ll take a look at the Axkid Move. I’m quite irritated about the seatbelt thing with the Stages but I just can’t quite get it there even with DH leaning on the seat and I think even if we can secure the seat, if it’s that difficult then we need something else.

[BertieBotts]

Yes, it doesn't sound like it would be safe if you can't get it in properly.

Also short belts and Stages is impractical because of the seatbelt being in the way of the door to get the child in. If you have slack in the seatbelt you can move it out of the way to help get the child in, but if it's tight there's nothing to do that with.

If you miss the deal on the Axkid you could keep an eye on Britax Max Way and Multi Tech as these do sometimes go a bit cheaper too. I think Multi Tech is still under £200 on amazon. But if it's urgent then you may not have time to wait for sales. Do you still have space in the infant carrier? If he's within height and weight limits they can stay in there longer than 15 months, that's just a guide.

[SomeCatsLikeCheese]

He is OK in the infant carrier at the moment - I think we’ve got max three months left. Maybe less! We probably need to get the new HBB for our older one first as he has pretty much grown out of the Stages. I have a telephone appointment with the in car safety centre people next week so will see what they say.

[BertieBotts]

Oh OK great - they should be able to give you good advice :)

FWIW you can go quite cheap on a HBB and not sacrifice safety. It's only really if you want things like the crotch guard that you end up paying more for them.