Child car seat advice

[Girardi]

Kiddo is getting to be too big for her awesome first child seat. I've been looking at a group 1/2/3 seat to replace it (recaro) due to the fact it's a but once, adjust and forget until she's about 12. Wifey however wants a group 1 seat. Loathed as I am to buy another car seat in a few years time to replace a group 1, is the 1/2/3 false economy (I guess it may expand to fit a 12yo but would it actually last that long?)

Anyone been through this? What was your experience?

The recaro I'm looking at has generally very good reviews and matches the Octy 1 interior [emoji106]

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[Captain Scarlet]

I insisted on having the choice on car seat in our house lol.

Went for the Recaro which is meant to see them through to age 12. But to be brutally honest I can't see how our son will fit in for much longer and he's 6. He's been travelling in it since he was about 9 months old and has loved it. Always comfortable and regularly asleep in it when younger.

It has worn extremely well and is still in great condition. He still likes it now but imo he does look to be getting too big for it.

But at the end of the day it's to transport the most valuable part of our lives, and they have to be kept safe. I would've happily bought a group 1 seat and then replaced it when he'd outgrown it. But at the time and looking to the future it was the most cost effective for us.

Something else to consider is that some countries state that children must be seated in tear facing seats up to a higher age.

But the choice is yours and be happy in which you make.

[Bcc212]

I did a hell of a lot of research into this.

It basically boils down to the fact that children mainly die in cars due to side impact when they're asleep. Obviously other factors play a part, and other types of impact can still kill a child. However, much has been done to reduce that, including the 5 point harness. Some new seats have this bar that goes across them, however, some reports show children can escape from them! So **** that idea right off.

The safest way is to keep them rear facing until they're 4. However, I wasn't a fan of this and I doubt you are either. The next best thing is to buy a good seat with side impact protection.

Personally I wouldn't buy a group 1,2,3 seat, I think you lose some of the protection you need.

I bought the recaro Young expert plus and couldn't be happier. If you look at lots of seats the head area is huge and allows the head to move around a lot, the recaro has huge side impact protection panels and cushions. Not to mention its handsome.

It's not cheap, but is definitely well made. Love it.

Linky link: http://en.recaro-cs.com/child-seats-details/recaro-young-expert-plus.html

Edited 8 March, 2015 by Bcc212

[meta55b]

I don't like and rate the recaro's, and to be honest most men buy just beacause the name. We tend to think they make buckets seats there kids seats must be good too. I bought the cybex palas 2, no straps to hold the kid its a bit mind blowing at first but you do get used to it and great head protection. It also has lots of good reviews.

[Mikek3111]

Both my kids are in these.

http://www.kiddicare.com/p/Kiddicare_Traffic_SP_Group_1_2_3_Car_Seat_Black_Red.htm?product_id=545856&gclid=CNeA65KPmsQCFYnJtAodig0Agw

I'm not one for buying based on name alone, I'd much rather buy something that works rather than just because it has a brand name.

Previous to this both kids were in a Graco car seat that came as part of a pram travel system.

We did quite a bit of research and even went to various places to get the kids to try them first.

These had very good reviews from current and previous owners and the people we spoke to at kiddicare couldn't speak highly enough of them. The kids seem very comfortable in them and are usually asleep within 10-15 mins on our usual 90 mile drive down to London, and don't seem to lul around whilst asleep and going round corners as a previous one did (which was why it went).

I think there are many decent ones out there and every child will fit in them differently. Best bet it to go out and try some. Halfords usually don't mind if you pull them off the shelf.

Go with what fits your child best and what you feel more comfortable with. Just don't buy a brand just because it's got the name. After all it's the safety of your child.

Mine are getting a little bigger now and the eldest has just had hers converted to a booster seat but youngest (3) still in 5 point harness.

[FUBAR]

Buy them all, then you get to sell them on ebay later like push chairs! Make a whit filled description and become rich

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2918068/Father-three-s-hilarious-eBay-advert-children-s-pushchair-net-sensation-buggy-signifies-ended-happy-low-cost-child-free-life.html

[Bcc212]

I don't like and rate the recaro's, and to be honest most men buy just beacause the name. We tend to think they make buckets seats there kids seats must be good too. I bought the cybex palas 2, no straps to hold the kid its a bit mind blowing at first but you do get used to it and great head protection. It also has lots of good reviews.

Just in this case Recaro are indeed better than the cybex counterpart. Any system where there are reports that a child can escape will definitly blow your mind when/if you were to crash and said child ends up through the windscreen.

[Aspman]

We just bought a Recaro Monza Nova 2 for our 4yr old.

 

thought the build quality was far beyond others for the same or more money. We were quite happy to pay £180+ but thought the Gracos and Britaxes even at that price were thin and uncomfortable.

Picked up the Recaro from amazon (not with the baby chest pad) for under £130.

 

Wee man is pleased with it but it is difficult to get the belt clicked in. Might be an issue particular to our cars.

 

Easy to clean as well which we found out when he barfed on it on his second trip out. Haven't tried the inbuilt speakers.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/RECARO-Monza-Nova-Seatfix-Graphite/dp/B00CKJ8OV6/ref=pd_sim_by_3/279-5518525-2631147?ie=UTF8&refRID=010D5P4B02Q1YFN5MRC9

[meta55b]

Just in this case Recaro are indeed better than the cybex counterpart. Any system where there are reports that a child can escape will definitly blow your mind when/if you were to crash and said child ends up through the windscreen.

Do you have a link for any reported cases of kids escaping from the Pallas 2's. I just don see how it's possible for them to get out once in and the big restrainer is in place. Not unless it's down to parent failure.

[Aspman]

Amazon is saying there is a new version of teh Cybex Pallas for 2015

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/CYBEX-PALLAS-Beauty-Pallas-Trading/dp/B00O48QDS2/ref=dp_ob_title_baby

[Bcc212]

Do you have a link for any reported cases of kids escaping from the Pallas 2's. I just don see how it's possible for them to get out once in and the big restrainer is in place. Not unless it's down to parent failure.

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/car_seats_chat/a1134543-Cybex-Pallas-not-safe

I've also read about other car seats with the same issue, that use the restraint bar. Not for me thanks.

[Aspman]

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/car_seats_chat/a1134543-Cybex-Pallas-not-safe

I've also read about other car seats with the same issue, that use the restraint bar. Not for me thanks.

 

Comment at the bottom - "For what it is worth, I have seen other children wriggle free from 5pt harness seats just by shrinking their shoulders inwards and putting their arms through."

 

TBH I'm sure mine could have escaped the 5 point if he wanted to. Nothing is perfect but maybe kids find those big cushions more nasty and want to escape more.

[Bcc212]

The thing is, the 5pt harness is adjustable and to be frank, I could damn near cut off the circulation to my daughter in the recaro (if I wanted to). The restraining bar things aren't adjustable enough to fully hold a child. I don't know, I'll go with my gut.

[mdon]

I'd go for the cybex range, the sirona is very good and we have it for ours, you can keep them rear facing up to 4 if you like but we've just turned ours around at 13 months as she was getting bored in the car looking at the seat.

Below is also a very good seat and cybex crash tests can be found on YouTube, they've won lots of awards.

Amazon is saying there is a new version of teh Cybex Pallas for 2015

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/CYBEX-PALLAS-Beauty-Pallas-Trading/dp/B00O48QDS2/ref=dp_ob_title_baby

As for the escaping from the chest cushion, load of cobblers, they must be fitting them wrong as there's no chance ours can escape from our seat, she's wedged in.

I wouldn't buy any car seat unless it's been rated by ADAC or similar.

[Huskoda]

I did a lot of research into this subject as ours recently outgrew the group 0 seat.

I found the EU test is rubbish. Low speeds and no side impact testing at all. I went with a pair of rear facing Swedish child seats as they are tested to much higher standards (80kph instead of 50kph and also side impact).

They were expensive, a pig to fit and not easily transferable, but I consider a child seat an important safety item, not just a legal requirement and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened because I wanted to save a few quid.

[Girardi]

Thanks for all the input so far.

Is there anywhere good for viewing/comparing crash tests? It seems very easy to get the ncap rating of any car I want but near on impossible to get anything on car seats (other than 'it's safe' from the manufacturer themselves...)

Bloke at work has a Which subscription (to be fair he's about 70) and based on what I've seen on there I'm not especially brand sensitive, more specific models (ie some Recaro scoring very well and others badly, similarly some cybex brilliant and others pretty pants) but which is just some men with beards rather than 'proper' testing.

As far as the impact barrier is concerned, this seems to be the safest way to carry a child from an impact point of view but o can't see why you can't get one with this plus an additional three point harness for piece of mind?

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[meta55b]

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/car_seats_chat/a1134543-Cybex-Pallas-not-safe

I've also read about other car seats with the same issue, that use the restraint bar. Not for me thanks.

Cheers for the link, it was interesting reading. Couple of points stood out to me, if the child can turn to the side and raise a leg, the support bar is not fitted correctly. The second point, is the coushion in seat base fitted for lower age group. It is a seat that freaks people out when they see it but once explained how it works they seem to go away happy. It also has heaps of awards from the ADAC and which magazine.