Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

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.

Safest stage 2/3 car seat?

8 replies

DinoSn0re · 16/10/2019 20:45

Looking for advice please. I would like to get the safest stage 2/3 car seat possible for my DD, I’ve googled but it doesn’t come up with a conclusive result, how do I find out which car seat/seats have been rated the safest?

Also, if anyone has any particular recommendations for car seats they have purchased I would love to hear those too. Thank you!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 16/10/2019 20:47

How old is she? And what weight?

I'm a big fan of Britax generally, but there are some other good manufacturers out there. I also like extended rear facing, the seat we chose (Britax Two Way Elite) rear faces to 25kg and can also forward face to 25kg with the harness too.

DinoSn0re · 16/10/2019 20:55

She’s 3.5 and tall and quite well built for her age (not sure on exact weight, I’ll check tomorrow). She wears age 4-5 clothing. She’s currently rear facing in a BeSafe izi X2 but it’s starting to look pretty snug on her now. We’ll continue to use that for now in our car but I need to purchase a car seat for her for the occasional journeys she does in my parents car (they can’t use the izi x2 as it won’t fit in their car, it’s massive), and then once she’s outgrown the izi x2, the new one will become her main car seat across both cars.

OP posts:
DinoSn0re · 16/10/2019 20:57

Thank you for Britax recommendation, I’ll take a look. I had been looking at the MaxiCosi Rodifix Airprotect as I’ve used those seats before through my work, but don’t want to buy something just because I’m familiar with the brand if there’s something better on the market.

OP posts:
MissRainbowBrite · 16/10/2019 21:02

We have a Cybex Solution Q2 fix for DD and have been very impressed. Comfortable, good side impact protection and the headrest extends upwards with the side wings expanding width ways at the same time.

MatchyMatch · 17/10/2019 08:07

If you join Which? (You can join for a one month trial for £1 and then cancel) they review and tank car seats - there are a few variables. We have a Recaro Monzo Nova.

MatchyMatch · 17/10/2019 08:08

Rank. Not tank. 😂

And actually read the reviews - sometimes which doc points for silly things like not having a range of colours.

BertieBotts · 18/10/2019 10:15

It really depends on what you want to prioritise, there isn't a simple answer on what seat is the safest.

If you're looking for the best test results, you can look at ADAC or ÖAMTC however both of these sites are in German so can be a bit of a trial to search. My German is reasonable - I'll look some up for you.

(Smaller numbers are better.)

Maxi Cosi Rodifix XP scores 2.6 for safety. I don't think the Airprotect is tested.

Best scores just in safety category (bear in mind not every seat has been tested):

Britax Romer Kidfix III M - 1.6

Cybex Solution S-Fix - 1.7
Britax Romer Kidfix SL SICT - 1.7

Joie Traver - 1.8
Cybex Solution M (and other variants of M) - 1.8

Joie Trillo LX - 1.9

If you google ÖAMTC + seat name you can look at the breakdown (front crash, side crash, sturdiness of installation) or check whether a seat has been tested - many models haven't.

As your child is 3, you may wish to prioritise child seats with an anti-submarine strap, that is a strap that goes between the legs and hooks over the lap belt to stop them slipping under it. Britax Kidfix range have this in some of their models, as does the new Besafe i-size booster. I think a Joie one has it as well.

If she naps in the car at all, you might want to look at seats with a headrest designed to "catch" the child's head as they sleep. Cybex's headrests recline, Britax's are built in a V-shape - I don't know whether other brands have similar points.

Long term, obviously safest means the one you can use the longest. If you stop using it at age 9 and move to a backless booster for 3 years where you could have kept her in a high back, that's less safe. So you could go into a shop with a tape measure and see which has the highest back rest extendability. Diono seats claim to be usable up to 160cm, which is much higher than the UK recommendation.

Of course, safety also means a seat that fits your child well and fits your car well. Rear headrests can often cause a problem with high back boosters and need reversing or removing so that the seat can be flat against your seat back without a gap. If you have very moulded seats this may also cause a problem. So trying several seats in your car for a good fit is important. Also trying them out for a good fit on your child. Look for - lap belt crossing thighs or hips, not abdomen. Shoulder belt crossing collarbone. Head nicely contained in head rest. Comfortable for her to sit up, not slouch forwards (you may want to add a box as a foot rest especially as she has been rear facing).

Lastly - you do have the option to keep her in a harness until 25kg with the Joie Bold or even rear facing until 25kg (which is undoubtedly safer) with a seat like the Two Way Elite as mentioned or an Axkid seat, or a larger Besafe. Just thought worth a mention in case you didn't know :)

DinoSn0re · 20/10/2019 21:43

Wow, thank you so much for the responses, recommendations and safety information (especially you @BertieBotts, you’re obviously very well clued up on the subject). I’ll definitely take plenty of time to read through it all and do some research and I’ll come back to let you know what we decided on.

Thanks again!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread