If you have recently bought a stage 1 car seat , which one is it and how easy is it to get in/out of various cars?

[CherryChoc]

I don't drive myself (DP does, but he works) and I am starting to look at the stage 1 car seats. I need one which goes in and out of various cars easily, but I am confused - do they all need bases or will they go in with just the seatbelt? Is it best to just look at the weights (they seem to range from about 6 or 7kg to over 10kg) when thinking about manouverability? I am a small person and a bit puny so I don't like the thought of lugging a giant car seat up and down the steps in our front garden (we live on a hill.) !

Also, this "fit finder" thing I have heard about, does that only apply to isofix cars, or is it a concern for all - since the Stage 1 car seats are bigger than the baby seats, are they harder to fit into certain cars?

What do other non-driving parents do?

I've got a Maxi Cosi Tobi - it's one of the safest non-isofix seats according to Which? Magazine.

It's pretty easy to get in and out and fits with a seatbelt. The harness section is easy to use too. It's big and bulky but not too heavy (I'm puny too and managed to carry it!!)

Don't get an isofix as they won't go in a lot of cars.

Our car isn't isofix anyway so I wouldn't be getting one - I was just wondering whether they all needed bases or what!

I've heard the Tobi recommended before. Think I might go to Mothercare with both DP and my Mum and try the different seats out in both cars as they are the two we travel in most often.

We have bebe confort iseos tt-very easy to fit and feels very secure in every car we've put it in. No buckle crunch issues. Halfords said it is one of their safest seats.

Nania one, bugger to fit but ok once in.

Maxi Cosi Priori- very easy to fit& feels very secure.

The tobi is a very good seat and we wanted it but it had buckle crunch in both our car and my parents car (Honda Civic and Vauxhall zafira) so wasn't suitable-the Halfords guy also said he wouldn't recommend it for moving from car to car because it is a bit trickier to fit than some others. It depends though, if you know which cars you need it to go in then you can check the buckle issues and I am sure that once you've got the hang of fitting it it won't be harder than any other.

What is buckle crunch?

I have just been reading reviews and they say the Tobi needs a long seatbelt - this is an issue I've found with our current one (mothercare travel tot) - in most peoples' cars you have to pull the seatbelt out to maximum length to fit it and in DP's car I have to tilt the carseat up to get the belt around the back of it and can then tilt it back again into a more reclined position once it is fitted.

The Priori SPS is lighter than the Tobi according to their website, but the Priori XP is slightly heavier. I think the Priori Fix is a permanently fixed one.

We have the maxi cosi priori as I am a non-driver who gets lifts all week long form my friends in return for lunch! It has served us very well though they are all quite heavy to lug in and out, so watch your back.