Group 1 car seats (Infant)

[simon]

We also have an iCandy Peach, by far the best quality pram we looked at and a step up from their other ones too (cherry and apple IIRC), it's not cheap though, £700ish I think once you add all the bits on.

Don't get hung up on ISOFIX, if you're really after the best in safety you'll need to go rear facing but good luck trying to find somewhere in the UK that sells them or knows anything about them for group 1+. We got a Maxi Cosi Tobi because it fits all our cars including the Exige. Takes about a minute to fit properly with the seatbelt and it's as solid as any ISOFIX seat I've seen. The only issue I'd say I have with it is pulling the harness tight can sometimes be quite hard and seems to need quite a pull. I'd have preferred another rear facing one but trying to get one in this country isn't particularly easy.

[campbell]

Agree ref all the Isofix stuff above, we too were advised it's not the panacea and, 6 years in, our non-Isofix seats have all done well (whilst none have seen accidents to test them, there have been shares of emergency stops, twisty roads and kiddie tantrums and they've passed all with flying colours!).

Without question the single most important thing you can do ref a seat or buggy/travel system is trial a few shortlisted ones in your own car(s). The smaller independent stores are generally great for this (Corstorphine Pram Centre was our choice FWIW). You can read all the stats and reviews in the world but if the seat doesn't settle properly into your car, or the buggy is a fiddle to load in the boot, it's all going to wind Mum up no end isn't it...

As it happens we discovered completely by accident that our travel system worked brilliantly with our Golf Mk4, probably even before Lisa was expecting...we had friends who popped their buggy in our boot on a short trip and lo, it fitted perfectly. When we started trialling them in anger once Junior was on the way, it turned out that very few others actually worked with the car. So we got the same system (Pliko P3) The amount we then managed to cram in that boot over the years was startling

Of course, if Mum sets her heart on a particular system and it doesn't fit, you could always just change the car to suit...

[rossybee]

Heh, I remember years ago my Mum (less grandchildren at that point, none from me yet) taking her buggy to the car showroom to try it in the boot, thankfully it fitted.

Oh what fun was had in/on that Rover Tomcat Turbo.....




Sorry, back on topic

[campbell]

No let's stay off-topic for just a few more nanoseconds!

We took our double buggy to the Audi showroom and demonstrated how pathetic an A4 Avant boot was - needless to say never invited back and no Xmas card from them either...

...rocked up to the Skoda garage shortly after, lobbed the buggy in the boot of an Octy estate and the salesman asked "would you like to throw the kids in there with it too?" I thought he was joking too.

[rossybee]

<off-topic spraff extended>

Aye, it's amazing how a chilled salesman can sell better than an up-tight a-hole...

...Dundee Mercedes, the sales geezer positively encouraged my two (circa 2004, so 6 & 3 at the time) to try the rear-facers in the E-class estate, which they did in the blink of an eye, the glee in their faces nearly had the wife reaching for the chequebook there & then, only to be stopped by me cos it was a horrid metallic burgundy with beige fake leather (MB tex?) and in serious flat-cap/golf club spec....

</off-topic ended>

[jason]

<remaining o/t>

We went for a test drive in the Foostie... all three of us plus salesman, Joshua in his 0+ rear facing seat, buggy in the boot. Had to be done!

...and, 6 years in, our non-Isofix seats have all done well (whilst none have seen accidents to test them, there have been shares of emergency stops, twisty roads and kiddie tantrums and they've passed all with flying colours!).

I understand that ISOFIX was introduced primarily to prevent people making mistakes when strapping seats into their cars (I've seen such mistakes with my own eyes) and both systems meet required standards obviously... but c'mon, Campbell, seriously, how is what you say objective/factual information as to the relative safety of either system

Joshua is almost 3 and has been in Group 1 since about 14mths (small fella - and best to keep in Group 0+ as long as possible). We now have Maxi-Cosi Prioris in our two cars - one ISOFIX and one seatbelt - they both feel equally solidly fitted if I tension the belts, but not when Su does (size matters ). However, this is not the case if the seat belt version is fitted in the Foostie with a shallower back seat - and this is why we got the ISOFIX version for that car. Conveniently, the seatbelt system doesn't have a foot that gets in the way on the floor, which prevents him climbing-in/hopping-out unaided on the ISOFIX version. But, in the back of my mind, I still prefer the ISOFIX setup - even if that's just my mind's perception.

Whilst rearward facing would have been preferable for safety, particularly early on, I know he'd have hated still facing backwards, not being able to see us to chat, watching us drive the car, seeing out the front window, etc.

[campbell]

c'mon, Campbell, seriously, how is what you say objective/factual information as to the relative safety of either system

LOL, doesn't need to be with you around Jason - you should have a job on the gagdet show with that writeup

It was, of course, factual feedback on my own experience. Can't offer more than that. You've done likewise on the ISOFIX front, so I think that presents a balanced view Couldn't agree more ref seat shapes though. V important point, hence my recommendation about in-car trials above.

It's a minefield.

It was a relief to buy a pair of simple booster seats for our two for use in the MINI, TBH...signalled the gradual transition to no more fiddling with seatbelts other than your own! However the Recaros will be in the Skoda for years to come and they also get switched into the MINI for longer journeys.

[GregR]

Mike, have a look at the "Which?" Website. They review all of the seats quite regularly. Feck knows what junior has but it wasn't cheap from maxi cosi - no point scrimping on a child seat in my view (and I'm sure everyone agrees!)

[campbell]

no point scrimping on a child seat in my view (and I'm sure everyone agrees!)

Too right. Although we do have a rather nice freebie one from Porsche, as it happens, which served the kids rather well as their Elise seat

Never did get round to changing the badging to Lotus. Guess I was living in hope...

[Mike Scib]

Bought a Britax Duo Plus at the weekend. Isofix fitment with the top tether strap so no need for the centre leg support which will be better once Megan is jumping in and out her self which i am sure someone mentioned Good reviews and comes in the Which best buys. Still a little small at the moment to use it so will update on how i find it later.

http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/car-seats/duo-plus

Cheers for the advise guys

[kevham]

Glad you sorted out a car seat. The Britax duo plus is a good one.

Check out Phil and teds for prams. You may not need one for your first but if you have a second or more, it will be unbeatable. We only got ours when we had our third sprog (that's the one when you have to accept that you're going to be driving a bus for 10 years....)