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Car seats

Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here. For Mumsnetter-approved essentials, sign up for Mumsnet Swears By emails here.

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Original poster

What car seat for 3.5 year old?

17 replies

NichyNoo · 13/10/2013 08:28

Hello, in a few months when DS gets to about 3.5 years old his baby brother will become too big for his Maxi Cosi Pebble and will move into the Maxi Cosi Pearl that DS1 currently uses. So I'm looking for car seat recommendations for DS1 who is currently 15kg and of average height.

It has to be isofix but other than that I just want a safe seat that he can use for the next few years. Cost isn't really a problem.

Does anyone have any recommendations please as I don't know where to start? Thank you.

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ClaraOswald · 13/10/2013 08:34

For the time being, keep him in the pearl. He is only just at the minimum weight to move up and if he loses any should he have a tummy bug, the next stage won't be safe for him.

littleoaktree · 13/10/2013 08:36

As he's been FF i guess you don't want an ERF sear so how about the britax xtensafix? Ds1 is 4.5 and he has that one and it feels solid, he finds it comfortable (no complaints even after an 8hr journey) and the side impact protection is great. I like the fact it has a proper 5 point harness until 25kg rather than just using a seat belt which most seats for 15kg up have.

www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/car-seats/xtensafix

ClaraOswald · 13/10/2013 08:38

But have you had a look at the Britax kidfix? Some of the newer ones have side impact protection that can extend depending on the width of the car. That's called Sict.

SkodaLabia · 13/10/2013 08:46

We have the Britax Kidfix with SICT, it's very sturdy.

Original poster

NichyNoo · 13/10/2013 09:04

Thank you. I don't really want to keep him in the Pearl as it would mean buying a new Pearl for DS2 to use for the six months or so before DS1 really was too big for it.

I really like the idea of keeping a 5 point harness. When I started looking online for the next stage car seats I didn't like the fact that they seemed to use a normal seatbelt.

OP posts:

Janek · 13/10/2013 09:19

I think it's quite unlikely that your ds1 will be 18kg in 6 months time, if he's only 15kg now! My 5 year old has only just come out of her harness. I think 3.5 is very young to use the adult seatbelt, even with a hbb.

If you do choose to do this, make sure you get one that he can sleep in comfortably - as the seatbelt only went over one of her shoulders my dd1 fell out of the seatbelt when she fell asleep in a carseat we borrowed. It was horrible, i had no idea that could happen. Of course i woke her and got her to sit up again, but it was hard to keep a sleepy girl safe for the rest of the journey.

She is now 7.6 and now has a hbb that catches her head if she sleeps (not very often, but good to have the option!)

racmun · 13/10/2013 09:28

We had this issue and got a pampero one in halfords, it's stages 123 so could have been used instead of the pearl so you don't need to worry if your son is only just big enough.

It's the only isofix I could find that did stages 123 and I think it was £90. Ds was literally bulging out if the pearl and seems so much more comfortable in this one.

racmun · 13/10/2013 09:29

Should add ds is still in the 5 point harness but as he grows you can start to use the seatbelt etc.

YoniBottsBumgina · 13/10/2013 09:33

You can get car seats called Group 123 or 9 months - 12 year car seats. They cover both the group that the Pearl is in and the high backed booster stage. They tend to be slightly less sturdy than the Group 1 seats, but they have a harness. You then remove this when he reaches the weight limit (18kg) and use the seatbelt instead. The Britax Evolva is supposed to be a good one but it is extremely wide so might not be any good if you often have an extra passeger in the back or plan to have another baby as you wouldn't fit 3 seats across the back.

However, how old/big is DS2? They can fit into the baby seats for far longer than you think, usually.

Artandco · 13/10/2013 09:37

Concord transformer xt. Solid and safe, slight recline, adjust out and up as they grow

YoniBottsBumgina · 13/10/2013 09:46

The Evolva is on offer in Mothercare at the moment for £109 which is a great price. It's not isofix but I don't think isofix is great for HBB anyway. This may be why they are harder to find.

You also have the Cossatto Troop which uses an impact shield rather than a 5-point harness which might be a nice transition for him. They are supposed to be safer as well. DS had one and he liked the little "shelf" it gave him.

The Pampero Plus I'd be wary of because it looks like it's made by the discount car seat manufacturers who make a lot of own-brand car seats and also nania - they go under a lot of different names but (especially the basic seats) look flimsy to me. I wouldn't buy it without seeing it in the flesh.

Your other option if you're desperate for isofix is either to look at extended rear facing seats, not to use rear facing (unless you wanted to for your LO?) but because they come in isofix and most tend to be harnessed FF for longer.

Or, buy another FF isofix seat and then an isofix booster later.

littleoaktree · 13/10/2013 09:54

As I understood it from the specialist shop when I bought the xtensafix I recommended above is that the xtensafix (which is isofix btw) is the replacement for the evolva so that's why the evolva is on sale in lots of places. Personally I decided to go with the newer version as it seems a lot better (isofix, harness to 25kg, narrower so easier to fit in, better side impact protection etc) especially as you say price isn't too much of an issue.

YoniBottsBumgina · 13/10/2013 10:04

Ah! That's good to know, oak tree.

OP I've just noticed while looking at car seat sites that some of the new i-size regulation car seats are starting to be listed although they are not available yet. I think if you leave your search until the new year you are likely to find more choice and many more options on the market because of this. (Old/current regulation car seats will continue to be legally sold until 2018, and legally used until they wear out or expire, so don't worry on that count, but newer is probably better)

Original poster

NichyNoo · 13/10/2013 10:17

Thanks again. We can definitely wait until Feb time when DS2 will be 14-15 months old and too big for the baby seat. Great to see that seats with 5 point harness are out there as I much prefer a harness.

I'm confused by the new i-size regulations. Really don't understand them and the difference with current seats but will be able to wait until they come into the shops so will be able to look at them.

OP posts:

Janek · 13/10/2013 11:26

britax explain i size regulations

ClaraOswald · 13/10/2013 11:29

Don't forget though that the weight limit on the baby seat is 29lbs and head out of the top.

YoniBottsBumgina · 13/10/2013 14:02

True Clara, 14-15 months is fair enough though. Most babies are coming to the end of theirs. DS was 18 months but his car seat was big (and he was small for weight, avg for height though)

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