Can anyone advise me on my sirona car seat in forward facing?

[nhssecretary]

Hi there
I'm a bit confused by all of the information out there.
I have a sirona for my son. He is 17 kg
He is very tall and has forward faced for about 9 months now.
I have been using the pillow to restrain him in it facing forward.
My question is, can I use the 5 point harness on him forward facing or do I need to use the pillow?
He is big now and I think it would be more spacious with the belt on instead

Just double check with the car seat manufacturer that your particular seat is approved to go in the front of your car as not all seats are compatible with all cars regardless of isofix or the age of the car.

There is usually a list on line or in the manual that came with the seat or you can call them and ask.

I checked that when I bought the seat as I had just ordered the car and didn't want to have to buy a new one!

Isofix is only to 18kg anyways. Correctly belted is equally as safe as correctly isofixed.

I just don't feel that metal rods locked to a car and a pole to the floor to secure are as as secure as a belt !!

It's only my opinion

The reason isofix is said to be safer is it reduces the risk of incorrect fitting. A correctly fitted seat with the seatbelt is just as safe as a correctly fitted isofix seat. It’s not really a matter of opinion, it’s something that has been tested and proven.

You are right to be concerned though as incorrect fitting is common. This can be avoided by having somewhere like the in car safety centre fit your seat.

If you need a 25kg harnessed seat though you won’t have any option other than to seatbelt and tether it as isofix seats to this weight don’t exist.

What about the Pallas

Pallas is no good for a child following his height and weight. You can only use the impact shield to 18kg and then it's just a high back booster.

Isofix isn't safer than belt fitted. As has been explained, it just reduces the chance of human error on installation. I've had 3 isofix seats and now 3 belt fitted and I can honestly say that the belt fitted are far more secure than any of the isofix were. You can get a much better fit with a seatbelt than you can isofix because it's not rigid.

You need a 25kg seat or your child will not be safe. Rear facing is best (look for Axkid Minikid or Britax Two Way Elite). If you are happy to compromise on safety, your only choices are the Joie Bold, Cosy and Safe Excalibur or the Diono Radian 5.

There is no more advice you can be given without testing seats in your new car.

You can get high back boosters that isofix in but it’s the seatbelt that is restraining the child, not the isofix. The isofix is used to hold the seat in place so you don’t have to belt it in when you don’t have a child in it (otherwise it’s a loose object in the car).

Isofix is only tested up to a combined weight (child and seat) of 33kg so a seat held in place by isofix without use of the seatbelt does not exist past this weight.