Help please - the new Britax Xtensafix, Kiddy Guardian Pro or something else?

[littleoaktree]

I'm looking for a new seat for Ds1 who is 4.5 but only 14.5kg so can't go to a group 2/3 yet. He's currently RF in a Britax TWE, I now need that for ds2 who at 14mo is outgrowing his Group 0 seat.

I'm after a group 1-2-3 because as I said he can't go to group 2/3 yet but he wouldn't be in a group 1 for very long. I want the safest seat I can get that will fit in my car (2010 ford focus estate).

We're off to a car seat shop tomorrow to test some so would really welcome some opinions

So I think my options are:

The new Britax Xtensafix (if I can get isofix points retrofitted into our car) I like the fact that it has a harness until 25kg which seems a huge benefit to me. I like Britax seats generally, however it's v new and I can't find any information on safety tests for it so don't know how it compares.

The Kiddy Guardian Pro 2 - hadn't considered this until I saw that it was considered the best buy by Which, not sure about the impact shield v 5 point harness but going to see if ds1 finds it comfortable tomorrow. Don't know anything about these seats other than reading the Which review.

Recarco Young Sport - the side impact protection looks good from what I can see when I looked at it in Halfords and it felt like a solid well built seat however it doesn't score that well on the Which tests (56%).

Any other ideas? Any experience of these seats?

TIA

Bump - planning to go to the shop tomorrow do any advice v welcome

we have a guardian for similar reasons to you (DD1 is nearly 4 and is only 13kg). the other big bonus for us is that the impact shield makes it really easy for grandparents to use and to get right in the car. It also looks like the hbb's most of her friends are in so she doesn't get quite so upset about being in "a baby seat" when we go out with her slightly bigger friends (she was in a besafe izi combi til recently when I took it for her little sister who is 9.5kg and happier in the besafe than in our baby carrier as she likes looking out of the window)

why not another britax two way? it's harnessed and rear facing until 25kg isn't it? i've just got one for DS1 as he's now too heavy for his isofix be safe. Besafe also have a new one out soon which goes to 25kg but suspect that would be expensive option!

Thanks both. So would you recommend the kiddy guardian sleepless?

I did think about another britax TWE but he's getting too long for it RF in our car and I'm not sure that it is as good FF and I'd rather not have to get yet another one in a couple of years.

Any other experience? Particularly with the new britax one?

I'm just about to buy a second guardian so yes I would recommend it. It also means if I take DD1 out for the day with a friend leaving baby DD2 with her dad, I can put her back in the besafe and use the guardian as a HBB for her friend to sit in.

I would have a look at the new britax one. If you look at the instructions it goes in with a seatbelt from 18-25kg anyway to use the harness so you might not need isofix. The instructions are on line. Britax also have a bit on thier site about why 5 piont not shield

Kiddy have responded to Britax video about 5 point not shield

www.kiddy.de/blog/uk/2013/03/impact-shield-v-harness-which-is-safer/

I have 2 kiddy car seats in use at the moment. I still think the kiddy seats are safer than the 5 point harness.

to use the harness on the xtensafix from 18kg it has to be attached with seatbelt and tether

Thanks for all your help. We tried the kiddy guardian and the britax xtensafix and ds1 really didn't like the shield on the kiddy one, he was very uncomfortable and it just didn't suit him at all - particularly in this hot weather. Also he's close to the weight limit for needing it so guess it is more suited to smaller babies/children.

We went for the xtensafix - the guy in the shop fitted it for me with just the seatbelt and I can get isofix fittings retrofitted to the car if I want to which I may do for added security but it feels really solid in the car with the belt. The harness is comfortable and the side impact protection looks great as the seat is quite deep. Ds1 pronounced it very comfortable and it's reasonably narrow so fitted next to the RF TWE nicely. It's got a useful recline function that's easy to do with the child in it. overall very pleased with it.

@ littleoaktree
all below are group 123
There no info about the new britax xtensafix i think it should receive a good score but think as it has a safety harness in a frontal or side impact will be worse than the big three shield impact seats

cybex pallas 2fix stiff warentest (german which?) 1.9 - 1.7 score (lower the better)

Recaro nova monza - 2.0 stiff warentest

kiddy guardian pro 2 - 2.1score

this is all info based on german adac (german aa) & stiff warentest (german which?)

Would it be possible for you to send the test from which? For the kiddy cybex or recaro if you can send to this forum or email

all info would be great and much appreiciated as i need to buy this week

regards

If anyone has any which? Results regarding

• cybex pallas fix 2
• kiddy guardian pro 2
• recaro nova monza

please can you write back. much appreciated.
Ps all are group 123

parent123abc ive sent you the details but they are all impact shields and given latest info from britax I would urge you to look at alterntatives.

1. I've seen many 4 years old child get regularly the arm out of the 3 point seat belt, so I opted for Xtensafix 5 point harness up to 25 kg.
2. Britax romer says it has 3 reclining position, but I discovered you have to choose the position before you mount the seat in the car. You cannot adjust it without loosing the top tether. To me, it looks as a design mistake.
3. I hope in this brand new seat, there are not also design mistakes affecting the safety. What I see, in my humble opinion, is a general lower quality compared to the many previous Roemer Britax products I bought.