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Car seats

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Recommendations for toddler car seat

1 reply

whattheactualfrog · 19/12/2023 12:14

My son is 13 months old and quite small for his age, he’s still under 10 kilos. He fits quite comfortably in his current car seat (Cybex Cloud Z i-size) the issue is he hates it and has a meltdown every time he has to go in the car.

While he still fits I think it’s getting “tight” and he finds the straps quite uncomfortable. So I’ve been thinking about upgrading to another car seat but not sure of what meets the requirements.

I think it would help & he’d be happier if:

  • he had more room to move while still being safe
  • are there any with comfortable straps?
  • sitting upright
  • still rear-facing
  • easy to load him in & out without having to squish him
  • isofix so can be used in multiple cars

Any ideas?

---

If you’re short on time, here’s a round-up of the best toddler car seats Mumsnetters are recommending on this thread:

  1. Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size, £200 (was £249)
  2. Axkid One 2 - from birth till age 7, £650
  3. Cybex Sirona G i-Size 360 Car Seat, now £240
  4. Britax Dualfix M Plus, £220
For a deeper dive into infant, toddler and child car seats, check out our guides to the best baby car seats, best toddler car seats, the best 360 spin car seats and the best car seats for 4-year-olds.

MNHQ

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BertieBotts · 19/12/2023 13:06

Yes, plenty! :)

I'd look at either the rotating seats, such as Britax Dualfix M Plus, Cybex Sirona G i-size or Maxi Cosi Mica.

Joie 360 spin is also popular in this category, but I would say that the straps aren't quite as nice/comfy.

Besafe izi Turn/Twist also have great straps but are more expensive.

The above can all be rear facing up to 105cm/18-20kg (depending on the seat).
They are isofix fitted - but they are all heavy and bulky, so not hugely easy to move from car to car. Unlike baby seats the toddler seats are usually permanently attached to the isofix base.
They spin to the side to make it easier to get the child in.
They are more upright than the baby seats, and can be reclined e.g. for naps.

Or you could look at the Swedish type rear facing seats, such as Axkid Move, Axkid Minikid 2 or 4, Britax Max Safe or Safe Way, Besafe Stretch.

These are all rear facing up to 125cm and 25-36kg depending on the seat.
They are seatbelt fitted, but they are lighter and easier to move in many ways than the spin seats. They also require the use of tethers around the front seat, of which spares can be purchased to leave in other cars to make swapping easier.
They are more upright than the baby seats and isofix fitted seats. In many of them you can choose the exact angle to your child's preference.

Lastly you could look at Joie i-Prodigi or Axkid One2 or Tinyseats2. These are isofix fitted versions of the Swedish type seats and have a 125cm/23kg limit. They are more expensive, but they are very light and easy to move. I understand that the Axkid is a bit more comfortable and open than the Joie. The Tinyseats is designed to be a portable seat so may be less comfortable.

You could also look at the Cybex Sirona Z if you can still find it in stock anywhere, as this will work with your base. But it's more expensive than e.g. the Cybex Sirona G i-size and it is an older model. It also means that your base is in use so you can't reuse the base if you have another baby.

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