After spin seat 🫣

[SmallbutMighty1]

Looking for some advice. Both my boys are in spin seats (one is 2, so is staying in his spin seat) and the other is 3.5. He's only 95cm and less than 15kg so can't move him to a Group 2/3 yet.

Neither of them are rear facing and haven't been for a while so I am not considering returning to rear facing.

Baby number 3 is due next week and while I will use my baby seat for a bit I ultimately prefer the spin seat for babies as I hate carrying a baby seat.

So I want a seat suitable for the 3.5yo that will continue being useful. So far I've only found the Joie Elevate - which from what I've seen on Mumsnet isn't great.

Please help!

[PuttingDownRoots]

Are you needing to get the third seat between the two spin seats?
In that case you may be better going somewhere with loads of seats you can try in the car.

[SmallbutMighty1]

Lovely thought but hell no. I've got no chance of getting all 3 in together. Baby will be in the front as rear facing.

[SmallbutMighty1]

I've only got 30cm between both spin seats so definitely a no 😩

[Caspianberg]

Maxi cosi titan?

https://www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/car-seats/titan-i-size

[Caspianberg]

https://www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/car-seats/titan-pro-i-size?color_swatch_id=5513
titan pro might be newer version

[SmallbutMighty1]

I love it but definitely don't have £270 😩

[Caspianberg]

https://www.halfords.com/baby-and-child/car-seats/baby-car-seats/joie-elevate-r129-group-1%2F2%2F3-car-seat---thunder-819454.html?stockInventory=undefined

the newer joie elevate is r129 also

[TeddyBeans]

Can you put a spin seat in the front? I thought they were all isofix and I don't think I've ever seen isofix on front seats

[Youcancallmeirrelevant]

@TeddyBeans

Can you put a spin seat in the front? I thought they were all isofix and I don't think I've ever seen isofix on front seats

There are cars with isofix on front passenger seats, lots of renault cars do for example

[TropicalTrama]

We have the Britax Advansafix for our toddler. We got sick of the bulkiness of the spin seat, especially DH whose seat he was kicking whenever he was driving, and the spin function seemed a bit pointless once forward facing. But for longevity I wanted one that converts to a booster and the advansafix is really well rated for safety compared to other forward facing harness -> booster seats.

[TeddyBeans]

@Youcancallmeirrelevant

There are cars with isofix on front passenger seats, lots of renault cars do for example

Learnt something new today! I had no idea

[SmallbutMighty1]

I am indeed lucky enough to have isofix in the front!

Thanks all. Checking the new Joie Elevate out. Hadn't seen!

[BertieBotts]

I'm not a fan of the Joie Elevate and although the r129 version is probably better, it's still not what I'd opt for ideally I don't think. It's really prone to forward anchorage (it even has it in their own fitting video) and that makes it loose in a lot of cars.

If you do get that one, get it somewhere you can test the fit first and check that it has no movement (pull on the harness when installed). And I agree that the R129 version is a better buy for £80 than the original. Looks like John Lewis, Smyths and Halfords all stock it potentially.

That one's £80. So for a similar price, up to £100 you could compare to:

Kinderkraft Safety Fix or Safety 1st Ever fix - quite basic seats/basic brands, but both have the isofix and top tether, which the Joie one doesn't. 123 seats (convert to booster) OTOH, these are both the older standard, whereas the new Elevate is R129 (better safety testing). If I had to guess, I'd say the new Joie will be better for side impact protection/better as a booster seat, whereas the tether seats will give you more safety in the harnessed mode. Top tether 123 seats tend to get reasonable safety scores, even from the cheaper/less safety conscious brands (like nania).

If you can go up to £150 you could look at:

Maxi Cosi Axiss which lets you keep the rotate function even though it's only forward facing. Belt fitted, with tensioners (means you are likely to get it tight enough easily). However, only up to 18kg. OK safety rating. It has a recline (the elevate doesn't)

Maxi Cosi Tobifix. Isofix, forward facing, only up to 18kg, but good safety and recline function.

Britax Evolva SL SICT which is a 123 seat (turns into booster) with good safety rating. Likely substantially better than Joie Elevate, probably better than the Kinderkraft or Safety 1st. Seatbelt fitted.

In the event you can go up to £200 or wait for sales, you could keep an eye out or look for older/more basic versions (I found options for all of these currently on sale less than £200, if you want links to any): Silver Cross Balance, Britax Advansafix, Maxi Cosi Titan or Recaro Tian - all of these have very good safety compared to other 123 type seats, all convert to booster so will last you a while. Sometimes they go even cheaper (up to £150ish) especially the older Maxi Cosi Titan models. Maxi Cosi in particular often do the Black Friday sales in November, and there are often end of summer sales around the Aug Bank Holiday (28th this year).

[SmallbutMighty1]

Ooh @BertieBotts I'm glad you showed up.

I'd just ordered Joie Elevate but now I'm doubting myself.

I've seen the Joie Bold - this looks decent when he's a small 3.5yo? How do you rate that? I have isofix and top tether in front and back seats.

[BertieBotts]

Ah sorry! You do have 14 days to return under the distance selling act or could potentially cancel before they dispatch if unsure - just check policies, as sometimes opening a car seat box can cause hassle for the retailer so they might be reluctant to take it back (in case you've travelled with it, damaged it etc).

I don't think you need Joie Bold. This is a good option if you have a child who is big for their age, and needs to be in a 5 point harness past the standard limit of 105cm/18kg, but your child is quite small for age and won't reach 18kg/105cm for at least another year or possibly 2 years (you didn't give his exact weight, so guessing, but likely more than a year, even if he's 14.99kg) - unless you want to keep him in a 5 point harness past 5 years old, you're paying for extra capacity in the harness that you won't use. And the crash test on the Joie Bold was not that impressive compared to the Britax/Maxi Cosi/Silver Cross etc, so I don't think it's worth it unless you need that higher capacity.

Joie Bold is about £180, so it's in between the £80 price tag of the Joie Elevate and the £270 that you said was too high. But, there's a more basic version of the Maxi Cosi Titan (i-size) similar to the one you liked upthread which is sold for £199 everywhere, Maxi Cosi offer a 10% discount code on their own website if you sign up to their newsletter, so could get this for £180. (Possibly similar deals elsewhere - Boots have a promo like this although don't stock this model).

Or Britax Evolva is a bit cheaper, good safety rating, on Kiddies Kingdom for £144

https://www.kiddies-kingdom.com/9m-11yrs/31698-britax-evolva-123-sl-sict-moonlight-blue-new.html

Kiddies Kingdom also have Recaro Tian Pro and Britax Advansafix III both for £189.

Silver Cross Balance reduced to £187 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08F8DZPC4?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

The Elevate R129 probably is one of the better options if your budget is £80, so if that's how much you want/have to spend then it's a good choice compared to other options at that price point, although honestly it is worth paying a bit more for better safety when forward facing. If you want safety on a budget, then rear facing is the most cost effective way to do that. That said, the jump even to the Evolva is quite big at +£65, and the others are over twice the cost, so it's worth weighing up. I don't think anyone should put themselves into financial difficulty over a car seat, but if it's more a case of could afford more but looking to see if it makes sense to pay less, I think it's worth paying a bit more. You also gain features like a recline and more comfort with the more premium models.

[SmallbutMighty1]

Thanks so much - Mumsnet should be paying you 😍💯

[BertieBotts]

Oh I thought I posted this last night but it must not have gone through - in case you decide to keep the Elevate I found this video with some tips on getting a really good install:

[BertieBotts]

And you're welcome - car seats are a bit of a minefield!

[SmallbutMighty1]

Sooo we thought we had fit the Joie Elevate perfectly and then I go to tighten the harness and the whole seat moves. It doesn't feel right to me - any ideas @BertieBotts ?

[SmallbutMighty1]

Ahhh. Just realised this is what you mean by forward anchorage? If I pull on the harness it moves. So it's not safe?

[BertieBotts]

Exactly that. Did you try the method as shown in the video? If that doesn't get it tight, you might have forward anchorage.

Confusing name, but comes from this idea: With a belt fitted seat, the belt has to "anchor" (ie, hold firmly) the seat in place. The part where the lap belt is attached to the car on one side, and the belt buckle on the otherside, are therefore called the belt "anchor points".

The place where the seratbelt routes through the child seat is called the "belt path".

When your belt path is further forward than the anchors, it works well, you can tighten the belt and the child seat is secured.

But, when your belt anchors are further forward than the belt path, there is no tension on the seat, the belt itself might be tight but the seat is loose because nothing is holding it in place.

Another demo:

[SmallbutMighty1]

Exactly this. My husband said my belt plugs don't move so it was twisting the belt. I've returned the seat.

We've got Maxi Cosi Priori Sps in his car. So technically my son is fine in that as he's under all limits - 15kg, 105cm and not 4 yet. But his head is over the top - is that still safe?

[BertieBotts]

Yes, that's fine. Actually I was going to suggest Maxi Cosi Priori SPS as an alternative in the up to £100 range, because those Group 1 only seats generally offer better protection than the 123 type seats.

The ages are just a guideline, never go on age for any car seat except the minimums. It's an older regulation one so no height limit, only the 18kg weight limit.

You can use it until his eyes are level with the top of the shell, or until the straps dip behind his shoulders on the top setting. You said he's 95cm before? Or were you thinking 15kg/105cm are the limits of this seat? (It's 18kg and no height limit except when physically too big.)

[SmallbutMighty1]

Oh amazing so he could stay in the SPS until a) eyes reach the top of the shell b) 18kg?

He is 95cm yes and I'm not sure in weight but definitely no more than 14kg.

You are amazing 😍

[BertieBotts]

Yes that is correct :) When either one of those criteria is met the seat is outgrown.