Maxi Cosi Tobi or Kiddy Comfort - best car seat for someone without a car?!

[Betty24]

Living in London and we don't have a car, still need a car seat that will fit easily and quickly into mini cabs and grandparent's cars and also light enough if we need to take it on trains. We have Maxi Cosi cabrio fix and loved it so considering the Tobi. Concerned about the loose straps issue though.
, anyone had this problem? Kiddy comfort looks amazing but do you think it is comfortable, worried that the strap is too high and restrictive?

Also is it just as safe to use these seats just with seatbelts or do you really need a base or Isofix?

Any guidance appreciated, its a shopping minefield out there!

Hi - we have the tobi. Apparently (according to someone else on mn) its the safest non isofix you can get. I think it is great as, when fitted properly it is really secure and you can;t move it. We haven;'t had any problems with loose straps, although I have heard that some children can get their arms out (I think if they are on the smaller end of the weight/size for the seat, or the straps aren't pulled tight enough).

On the downside I would say that it isn't the quickest seat to fit, and like most other does take a bit of practice. Once to get the hang of it, it doesn't take too long though and is really comfortable.

hth

I have always had a tobi and isofix brittax up to now. But now I have the Kiddy Guardian (similar to Comfort) and it's AMAZING! I am so impressed, for me there will never be any going back.

Plus points for Kiddy against the Tobi:

• It's about half the weight (Mmmmm, feels half the weight anyway!)
• It takes about an eighth of the time for me to fit
• It's safer in an accident, according to Which et al
• My child cannot wriggle out of the straps and therefore for me, much, much safer! The tobi and brittax were a nightmare for this.
• It goes all the way up to age 12
• It's really comfortable for the child

HTH Cx

You need the kiddy, it's 4kg, you rest it in the car, child sits in, cushion in front of them and strap them in, v easy, quick and safe - as long as seat belt is tight.

Check out the kiddy website.

cordyblue pretty much sums it up. We have the kiddy infinity and we both love it. I bought it because i didn't used to have a car, yet needed a seat, and the safety stats.

As it uses the seatbelt (3 point connection to the car) it is the same as ISOfix in terms of safety.

Thank you all for the information, looks like Kiddy gets the vote! I need the easiest seat to fit with impatient taxi drivers waiting and I hate getting flustered and worried that I haven't fitted it correctly. The Tobi looks comfortable but didnt realise that it didn't fit some cars - thanks Loopymumsy. The Kiddy looks great just need to decide whether to go for the energy pro (it's on sale at Kiddicare at mo) or just go for the comfort or Guardian which will go up to age 12. Any benefits to getting the ones that just go up to 4 years?

Anyone seen any good deals on the Kiddy car seats?

There are never any good deals on them - it's a price fix, but in a very polite way. Basically, if a retailer reduces them from the 'set' guideline price, they may suddenly discover they cannot order from the manufacturer in the colours and quantities they want. It actually protects the small independent shops - (as explained by my local small independent shop, who swore blind I'd not find the guardian a different price anywhere else.)

It's worth every penny though

I've got the Kiddy Energy Pro which I like BUT I've had a couple of incidents where DS has pushed the cushion out. Both times DH fitted him in so I think he wasn't making sure the seatbelt tension was right - I use mine daily and it's nver been an issue when I've fitted it. I like it as it's confortable for DS, light, and when done right is very safe.

But, I won't let granny or BIL's / SIL's use it after the incidents above. I'm very PFB but I honestly only trust me and DH (now after training!!) to fit in correctly!