Recommended car seats on the continent

[CatherinesMom]

Hello from Canada,
We're travelling around Holland, Belgium & Germany in October and would rather not bring our car seat. The car hire places supply them, but we'd like to know a few car seat brand names and perhaps which ones to avoid.
Any help/recommendations would be most appreciated.
Jennifer

We hired a car seat with our car in Italy this year and weren't impressed with it either, it slid quite dramatically from side to side whenever you went round a corner. We complained about it but they wouldnt offer an alternative and said it met with European standards. They were also very reluctant to help us fit it in the car as it wasnt covered under their insurance and until we insisted they help us we were worried the reason it was sliding everywhere was because we hadnt put it in correctly.

We had to make do as we had no choice but I would think twice next time. Sorry I dont know the make of the seat.

Catherine will be 11 months and be roughly 18lbs and 29 inches when we go over. I think we'll find out the make and model of the car seat the hire company has then. We don't want to be worrying about it the whole time. Thanks all.

Never seen Graco in Europe. Britax/Roemer, Maxi Cosi, Bebecar, Bebe confort are all similar to UK ones. Hauck also common.We were once rented Storchenmuhle Starlight which Which ? didn't rate well although it seemd nice at the time. Chicco are usually poor in tests. At that age/size you need ot specify an infant seat which rearward faces, personally I'd take your own. Often you arrive and have to help yourselves to one from a heap in the hire car parking area and fit it yourself.

Hi again,
Catherine is in the toddler size one now - still rear facing, but a one piece unit. I miss not being able to just lift her out when she's fallen asleep in the car, but I'm getting better at getting her out without waking her up.

I truly appreciate all these comments and I'm leaning toward taking our own. It attaches either by lap belt or by two latches which hook onto hooks between the seat and the seat back. Does this sound like the same fitting as the ones in the EU? That is to say, do the cars over their have the hooks?
Thanks,
Jennifer

only some cars over here have ISOFUX fittings (thats what we call them over here)

Im not sure if they are same as over there actually!

It is Isofix in Europe (aka Latch in US) but not all cars have it yet and the two may not be 100% compatible. Most Isofix seats can also be fixed by the 3 point adult belt but have seen very few, if any, rear facing toddler sized available in Germany/Benelux although popular in Scandanavia I think.

Rest easy - I'm not American but Canadian... we like to think there's a difference ! I'm not sure if the US latches are the same as here but I suspect they are. We're going to check our 'Canadian made' Toyota to see if the latches look the same.
I really appreciate all the info - the links to pix were particularly good to have.
Thanks again for all this help.