"Mobile" or light-weight seatbelt fixed car seat for toddler

[SainteCroissante]

I was wondering whether anyone had some recommendations/experience: DP and me do not own a car (city dwellers), but for the couple of times we take a cab, rent a car, or go anywhere with a friend's car we have always owned our own car seat for DC. They've now outgrown their original MaxiCosi iPebble which I loved, cause it was easy to carry around and install in any vehicle.

Obviously car seats for toddlers and up are much bigger/heavier, but I was wondering whether anyone had recommendations on any models that make installing/lugging them around a little bit easier than average.

I've liked the "Joie Stages FX" model, and the "MaxiCosi Beryl", but am rather unsure whether they are at all reasonably fast to install safely, and how horrible it will be to carry them if necessary.

[Ifeellikedancing]

How old/tall/heavy is your child?

[Ifeellikedancing]

The Beryl only rear faces to 13kg. I would not be forward facing a child that small.

[DockOTheBay]

Joie stages is easy to install both rear and forwards facing and rear faces to age 4. It can be carried around, but I wouldn't want to carry it a long way. Would be fine for 5 minutes or so.

[BuanoKubiamVej]

mifold.co.uk/ is suitable from 15kg. The MaxiCosi iPebble you have goes up to 13kg. I think in your position I would just avoid needing to use any private cars for the relatively short duration of time between these two sizes. You can use the "london cab" style taxis by just keeping your child strapped into their pushchair and roll it on up their ramp.

[Ifeellikedancing]

@BuanoKubiamVej

mifold.co.uk/ is suitable from 15kg. The MaxiCosi iPebble you have goes up to 13kg. I think in your position I would just avoid needing to use any private cars for the relatively short duration of time between these two sizes. You can use the "london cab" style taxis by just keeping your child strapped into their pushchair and roll it on up their ramp.

Forward facing in a booster at 15kg is really not a good idea, legal though it may be. There are plenty of decent car seat options that are far safer than this.

[SainteCroissante]

@BuanoKubiamVej

mifold.co.uk/ is suitable from 15kg. The MaxiCosi iPebble you have goes up to 13kg. I think in your position I would just avoid needing to use any private cars for the relatively short duration of time between these two sizes. You can use the "london cab" style taxis by just keeping your child strapped into their pushchair and roll it on up their ramp.

Thank you, I had never heard of this brand/model, very interesting!
They say from age 4 and up though, so the gap until then is just too long to go without a seat (DP won't fit into the iPebble safely anymore and is not at 13kg yet.)

We've used the cabs that let you strap in the pushchair for very short trips, but I am really looking into getting a proper seat as soon as possible.

[randomsabreuse]

Britax 2 Way Elite might do but it's a faff to put in. It's light enough just needs tethers around the seat in front as well as the seatbelt. Goes 9kg to 25 (RF) or 18kg front facing.

I put my 15kg 4 year old on a high back booster (light and lanky) but my 3 year old is 15kg and definitely ready for a booster as yet.

[gogohm]

If you are ok with just forward facing it's a lot cheaper, more compact and crucially lighter than extended rear facing. We didn't have extended rear facing and had the Halfords 1,2,3 ones myself, they used them from 18 months to approx 11 years old.

[PurpleSwizzle]

@SainteCroissante

I was wondering whether anyone had some recommendations/experience: DP and me do not own a car (city dwellers), but for the couple of times we take a cab, rent a car, or go anywhere with a friend's car we have always owned our own car seat for DC. They've now outgrown their original MaxiCosi iPebble which I loved, cause it was easy to carry around and install in any vehicle.

Obviously car seats for toddlers and up are much bigger/heavier, but I was wondering whether anyone had recommendations on any models that make installing/lugging them around a little bit easier than average.

I've liked the "Joie Stages FX" model, and the "MaxiCosi Beryl", but am rather unsure whether they are at all reasonably fast to install safely, and how horrible it will be to carry them if necessary.

Joie Tilt or Steadi - great options and rear face to 18kg

[BertieBotts]

The Beryl is really easy to install, probably quicker than the Stages but it's heavy. However it's a great option for forward facing whereas the Stages isn't. If you plan to rear face until your child is 3/4 and can go in a booster seat, definitely go for the Stages. If you think you're likely to switch the Stages to forward facing after a few months then go for Maxi Cosi Beryl or Britax First Class Plus.

I would not bother with the FX version of the Stages especially if you're going to use it rear facing. The isofix connectors only get used when forward facing and you need top tether (or you can belt fit it but then why pay for the FX fitting?)

Rear facing seats are not inherently heavier than comparable forward facing seats. Yes, if you get a 25kg limit one it will be heavier than an 18kg limit one, but no heavier than the Maxi Cosi Beryl which is also a 25kg seat.

If you're going purely forward facing I'd look at Maxi Cosi Tobi. Better crash test results. Rear facing at least initially is a very good idea, though.