Impact Shield or Harness

[Theonlyoneiknow]

Hi,

We currently have DD (20 months) in a TWE and DS (4yrs but only 14.5kgs) in a Kiddy Guardian Pro. (can't really get 2 RF seats in our car - DH is 6'3").

I need to get two more car seats for my parents so they can help with the nursery pick up. I am very happy with the Kiddy Guardian Pro but after doing a lot of further reading keep coming across conflicting advice about the safety of impact shields versus a traditional car seat harness.

As DS is only 14.5kgs he still has 3.5kgs to go until he needs a HBB (I have no idea how long it will take him to put on this much weight!).

I am veering towards getting a couple of Kiddy Energy seats for the parents then when DS grows out of his can get a HBB and keep the Energy seat for DD.

Does anyone have any thoughts - should I get an impact shield seat or stick with a more traditional Britax one?

There seems to be some very anti-impact shield people around, especially on the RF threads (although more on other parenting sites). DS needs to FF now so I am just looking for the next best thing really.

Thanks in advance
TOOIK

If rearfacing isn't an option then I would use a FF harness over a impact shield.

I don't trust them and didn't before britax did that video.

That video put me off impact shields totally.

Because of DPs height and the fact we change drivers a lot we can't fit another RF behind his seat so DS has had to give his RF to DD. He was RF till aged four so have done as best we can with what we have.

It is confusing why impact shields win the awards then? I genuinely don't understand. All we, as parents, want is to choose the safest seat we can for our DC. None of the harnessed seats do especially well in the Which tests? Arghghghg

sorry for interrupting, but I know is Sweden they have their kids in the front seat as RF- would this allow you an option? I might have to re-read your post in case my answer is rubbish.....

Thanks but no, not possible. Both kids need to be in the back

Do you have the budget for a klippan triofix? It only takes a few seconds to change it from rear to forward facing, and when he gets to 18kg you take the harness away and continue using as a high back booster until he reaches the height limit. It will last you a very long time. Obviously if you are never going to use it rf it would be a waste of money and in that case I would go for a britax evolva. I'm not a fan of the impact shields either.

Anyone got a link to the video?

www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/why-five-point-harness-britax/five-point-harness-facts-figures

Didnt kiddy reply to that video (from a competitor)? This is why i find it so hard to choose a seat. Why are they which best buys?

Because Britax UK have no ethics whatsoever. They sling mud at any company that is a threat to them. Just a couple of years ago they were slating ERF. now they can't get enough of it. Why? Because it became profitable! The video is not independent, Britax paid a huge amount of money. Also that is the most ridiculous roll over test ever. How were the seats installed?
It's interesting that no other INDEPENDENT testing company ( who will no doubt have had access to this ) have made any mention of these concerns and that impact shield seats consistently perform better in crash tests than harnesses.
Not for everyone but if ERF is not an option, well worth considering.

Haven't Britax been making the TWE for years? If so why would they slate erf seats? And didn't they make impact cushioned seats at one time, they stopped producing them for a reason

I don't like impact shields. That Britax are against them is evidence enough for me, but I've also heard several cases of children sliding out of them, and dd2 hated the Sirona when we tried it with the impact cushion in place.

I posted on another thread asking about why impact shields score so highly in Which? tests, surely it can't be just because they are easy to use - surely Which? also have to counter in their safety ?

Have been reading a bit about this and they are safe (impact shields) as I don't think they could sell them in the EU otherwise. The conditions for the brittax video are unlikely to happen according to the companies that produce seats with impact shields. The safety of cars these days etc etc they shouldn't roll in an accident. I guess they don't live near the roads we do in the country were if you went off the road you'd be dropping into a field and the car would most certainly roll! The impact of the brittax video is powerful and has put me off impact shields totally. DD is petite and slight and on first seeing the impact shield seats I immediately thought she'd slip out of it!! Reminds me of a fairground ride! Guess you just gotta weigh it up with the type of driving you do etc etc

RF aside, what FF seats do people use?

I use a Kiddy Guardianpro in my car because much as I would have liked an ERF seat, none are suitable for use in my car (as verified by highly-regarded independent seat shop, before anyone gets a cob on). DD rear faces in DH's car - I think it's the Britax Dualfix. I have no problems with impact shields, although I cannot the say the same for Britax's marketing department.

We have a cybex sirona q swivel seat and have just turned it around to front facing. The impact cushion is an absolute joke! How can any child be comfortable in it! We are buying a new seat and getting rid of this one.

Tunbridge, you should turn it back. That child is too young to be forward facing. This is also why the child looks too small for the impact shield, regardless of any arguments for or against them.