What Next after a Besafe ERF and KISS - any research / advice out there? :)

[Carseatcrazy]

Hi, has anyone done any research on the best way to go after our LO's have outgrown their ERF seats? DS tops of ears are approaching the back of his besafe (I'm hoping he'll make it to at least 4yo :) ) and so I think I need to start researching what next..... I've seen some people talking about importing five point harnessed seats from the states that look great, but also wonder whether the impact cushion or five point is best when I've got to make that horrible decision of facing him forward.....any advice anyone? thanks xx

I went with ex. harnessing until 5 in a TWE then got a Sunshine Kids Monterey (now they are called Diono instead of SK but I don't know if the name change is happening in Europe).

I love, love, love our Monterey so much so I got a 2nd one for DD1's spare seat as she had out grown her Premaman Combi seat in HBB and there is no way I am having a 5y in a booster cushion.

It's light, it folds for storage and it has 'ISOFast' (uses the ISOFix anchors in the car so that you don't have to belt it in even when unoccupied). Unfortunately our car doesn't have ISOFix but the PILs does so will come in handy then.

It has a huge back height and also you can make it wider for broader children or when they are taller, it goes to 120lbs/63" (5' 3") in the US and it's the exact same seat they import to the UK so I'm happy to use it past 36kg (if DD1 ever gets there she has been 20kg for the past 18m but is about 6cm taller!).

I am not employed by Diono, I just love this seat and so does DD1.

If you have another child to pass down the TWE or know someone who would buy it off you in a year or two, I'd go with that (you could rf longer too as it's a 25kg seat). I'm really not keen on impact shields, they just don't look great (regardless of testing I'm not sure about them with real life children).

TruthSweet I agree with the impact sheild seats, when tested at a much higher impact with an older child the test dummy face planted the impact shield and broke it's back :-/ If your importing an american carseat it's illegal to use it in the UK or Europe, However if It has an orange sticker saying it's been tested to ECE 44.04 then it's passed our pitiful regulations. Saying that I've never met a copper that's known jack about child seats so I wouldn't worry about being caught!

It's a regularly available seat in the UK but they have changed the manual to show UK/EU weight limits. Same seat as the US just different stickers/manual in UK.

It's about £60 which is okay, I think, for a HBB and it should last a very long time!

Thanks Guys that is really helpful....I think I might go for a TWE....I can use it for DS2 then in a few years :) I think I'm going to turn into a rearfacing seat showroom shortly ;) !!! xxx

I'm feeling a bit dim this evening so could anyone expand on all the various acronyms used above? HBB, TWE, ERF - I get 'rear-facing' but E? Thanks!

I'm interested as I have an Izi besafe for my DD, but need to get her forward-facing very soon - not because she needs it, sadly (she is a small nearly-4 yo) but because her little brother is outgrowing his stage 0 seat and we can't fit two 'big' rearfacing seats into our car - so we're intending to move him to the besafe and buy a new forward-facing seat for DD.

ERF - extended rear facing

HBB - High Back Booster

LBB - Low Back Booster (aka booster seat/booster cushion)

TWE - Britax Two Way Elite

ah, fantastic, thanks truthsweet!

omg TruthSweet i've been researching the Diono and WOW! that seat looks awesome!

I really love the SK stuff (I think they are keeping the name in Europe) but Which? doesn't as you can take the back off for a child who is too tall for the back (would be a very tall child in that case!) but who doesn't yet pass the 5 point test to ride booster-less.

Which I think is a sensible idea - I know LBB aren't great safety wise BUT a LBB that correctly positions the seat belt over a older child's lap (as opposed to them riding with it on their abdomen) is safer than riding in just the seat belt or riding in a HBB that doesn't fit the child any more.

I wouldn't use it backless for a younger child (say 4-8) but for an older child (aged 9+) I would if they were too tall for the back (which would make them about 150cm+ and legally allowed to ride in just the belt even if it didn't fit safely!!).

Hope that made sense!