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Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here.

Car seats

Car seat for a wriggly 3 year old

21 replies

Curiouslygrumpycola · 06/10/2014 21:34

My just turned 3 year old has nearly outgrown his car seat, so I need to choose the next size up. I feel he is too young for just a seat belt.

If money was no object, what would be your most recommended final car seat?

I'm soooo confused. Don't trust which as they aren't great fans of erf.

Ds is coming up for 18kg and his height is 104cm (approx!).

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Curiouslygrumpycola · 07/10/2014 13:13

Bump

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Velvet1973 · 07/10/2014 19:18

Not any experience of this age range but we've been very impressed with cybex sirona so if we were going to switch forward facing after this we'd seriously look at the cybex Pallas? Depends whether you still want to rear face though?

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Curiouslygrumpycola · 08/10/2014 21:48

Thanks, I will check that one out. It's the sirona he has grown out of.

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Curiouslygrumpycola · 08/10/2014 21:50

Actually, there is a thread on mumsnet about children escaping from the Pallas mid journey.

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wingcommandergallic · 08/10/2014 21:52

We have the pallas and it's great.
If he's wriggly it could be brilliant or dreadful. A few children have been known to wriggle out- god knows how - but a lot of parents have reported that kids who hate a traditional harness prefer an impact cushion.

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 08/10/2014 21:53

The two way elite rear faces to 25kg but you may not want to buy another erf.

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wingcommandergallic · 08/10/2014 21:53

That parent did describe her child as a houdini type anyway.
if it's fitted securely I really don't see how a child could escape.

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FlipFlopWaddle · 08/10/2014 21:58

What about the Advansafix?

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bluetrain · 08/10/2014 22:03

I love my two way elite, DS is 4.2 years and 18kg. he is in it forward facing and will be until he's around 26kg. bought it when he was three and a half so it'll be well worth the money by the time he's outgrown it.

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bluetrain · 08/10/2014 22:06

but that britax one above looks great ^

I kinda wish we'd got that now as it can be used with a seatbelt after 25kg. same price as the two way elite too, grr.

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MisForMumNotMaid · 08/10/2014 22:09

Jane Montecarlo Plus. We have one of these for DD. I've been really impressed. She was very bad with a harness and not ready for a belt.

Its very adjustable. You can adjust the side and head wings so make the cushion a very snug fit but also meaning it will grow with your child. It has a few slight recline options so lolling head isn't an issue on longer journeys.

I don't really understand how a child could wriggle out of one of these if its all properly fitted and the seat belt tensioned. But I guess children are not predictable and are very trying!

I do lots of school runs with five DC in the car and if I don't have DD the older ones argue over who gets the arm chair as its far more comfortable than the boosters that are the alternative.

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Pico2 · 08/10/2014 22:17

DD is in a 2 way elite that rear faces with 5 point harness to 25 kg. It can FF too. DD was about your DS's size a few months ago and still seems comfy in the seat RF.

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4yoniD · 08/10/2014 22:21

I'm in a similar position, DD2 is 3.5 yrs, just short of 18kg and about 110cm - almost too tall and heavy for her britax first class (5 point harness).

Choices are - car seats which have been sold in UK for a little while, often sold as special needs car seats, such as Britax 2way elite - or the new Britax advansafix which will forward face 5 point harness to 25kg - or the new Britax Maxway which will rear face 5 point harness to 25kg.

Rear facing is still the safest at 3 years old (and 4, 5...) but I'm not sure how I would get my DD in - she is getting too heavy for me to lift easily. Plus it would be a big step to change her back to rear facing.

5 point harness, forward facing, isn't as safe as rear facing. When they do it in motor racing they have an extra tether on their head/shoulders because 5 point harnesses actually make your head jerk more as the body can't move to absorb the forces - so it puts MORE stress on the neck than an adult seatbelt and high back booster.

High back boosters (1) only work while your child sits nicely in them - lean forward to play with something or fall asleep and drift to one side and they won't do their job and (2) Smaller children are more likely to submarine - slip partly or fully under the lapbelt, causing serious injury or coming out the car seat completely.

If anyone disagrees, do say. But that's what I've managed to gather. It's a bit of a bugger. I know that I SHOULD go for the rear facing Britax Maxway, but to be honest I'm probably going to buy the Cybex X-Fix group 2/3 high back booster. It has good reviews, and has a degree of recline (to hopefully hold DD well positioned in the seat if she falls asleep). I don't do much motorway/fast driving mind, which may be affecting my decision.

Good luck!

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4yoniD · 08/10/2014 22:23

Just to add, shield car seats only use the shield up to 18kg - then a lot of them convert to normal high back boosters.

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Pico2 · 08/10/2014 23:15

4yoniD - can you DD climb in herself? My DD has been able to for some time.

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Velvet1973 · 09/10/2014 11:36

Did you look at the cybex Pallas? Only because I stumbled across the safety video if it the other day and it was saying exactly about your point if leaning forward, falling asleep etc and it has a reclining headrest in it to keep them in the safety zone. It should see them through to 11? Haven't looked at it in any great detail though so may have missed some obvious flaws.

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Curiouslygrumpycola · 09/10/2014 22:26

I didn't realise the shield is often limited to 18kg. How did I miss that?

So my options are harness rear facing or seat belt forward facing for best safety?

Will have a look at the options linked above. Thank you.

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AliceMum09 · 09/10/2014 23:13

4YoniD, have you looked at the Britax Multi Tech II? It's rear facing up to 25kgs but is quite 'shallow' so it's more a case of lifting the child 'onto' the seat rather than 'up and over' into a bucket-shaped seat.

You can also use it FF with the harness up to 18kgs, then remove the harness and use it as a HBB (it's the same shell as the Britax Evolva Group 1-2-3 seat). There is a weight limit for using it as a HBB though, it won't last until 135cm. This is because it's a very heavy seat.

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4yoniD · 09/10/2014 23:22

Did think of the multi-tech but I understand that it is best to get it fitted, and I don't live even vaguely near anywhere that would sell and/or fit it. Other than that it does sound like the not-bucket would solve the problem of getting DD in it!

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4yoniD · 09/10/2014 23:23

also dd2 will climb in when she is in the mood, but certainly not when tired. It's almost impossible getting her in the forward facing britax first class when she refuses to help (she is a weight)

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SickAndScaredOfThisHarassment · 09/10/2014 23:27

I have the cybex Pallas and if you strap them in correctly they can't escape.

You need to make sure the lap bit is pushed in nice and snug and not just comfortable and then you do the seatbelt lap bit first pull it really tight then tuck it all in. My son has NEVER escaped and he can climb in and out of his seat and anything else he gets into. It reclines for when he's going to sleep and has an adjustable headrest and last till they no longer need a seat!

Best buy imo and you don't have to buy them clips to put across the two arm belts to keep there arms in because they can move them about freely!