Spare seat for 3.5 yr old advice

[INeedNewShoes]

DD will be 4 in May. She weighs 15kg and is roughly 1m tall.

Her main seat is a gb Vaya which we use rearfacing. She looks like she'll get another 6--12 months out of this seat.

We already have a Joie Stages as our spare seat but due to unforeseen circumstances we are 300 miles from home without the Stages and will be away a couple of months.

I'm injured and can't drive nor lift/install the Vaya between cars. DD and I are being looked after by my aunt and my DPs and for long and complicated reasons DD may need to travel in both my aunt's car and my DPs' car over the next few weeks. I'm worried about others moving the heavy Vaya between cars.

Due to all of the above I'm looking at buying yet another seat and am stuck between buying another Stages (£99) or looking ahead a bit and getting something like a Britax Evolva (£90) which could live up here and be the spare for years to come while the Stages can be DD's main seat FF once she grows out of the Vaya.

I am well versed in the very good reasons for RF but my budget is limited (income affected by injury) so unfortunately cost and the fact DD is approaching end of Group 1 may be a factor.

Journeys with the spare seat will be local (but I know accidents happen close to home).

Any advice welcome!

[INeedNewShoes]

Hopeful bump

@BertieBotts - I hope you don't mind me calling you to my thread

[BertieBotts]

Hello :)

Yes I'd get the Evolva in this case. It's a decent seat and it lasts longer than the Stages. Get the SICT version if you can. It has better side impact protection, and softlatch hooks for securing the seat in booster mode (optional, but a good idea).

For your main seat, be aware the Stages is only a short booster designed for up to 6-7 years. It's heavy and has no isofix. You'll need to replace it at some point anyway, so when she outgrows the Vaya I would seriously consider getting a standalone HBB and using that once she outgrows the rear facing mode on the Stages, rather than waiting until she outgrows the booster mode.

[INeedNewShoes]

Thank you @BertieBotts

I will hunt down a good price for the Evolva SICT.

It's a shame I can't just buy a group 2/3 high backed booster to use now given the situation but I really feel DD needs a proper harness rather that using the car seat belt and I'm iffy about the impact shield seats even though I think they look comfy!

I also like that the Evolva reclines as it feels a better position for a small child.

[BertieBotts]

It doesn't recline very much. Most of the 123 seats don't.

I agree I don't like impact shield seats. I've read too many negative things about them, especially for older children.

I think it's a good idea to keep her harnessed for now :)