I had previously used the Britax first-stage car seat which came with our travel system, and my daughter always seemed very comfortable and secure in it. So, when she outgrew it, we looked at several brands, but we did have confidence in Britax already.
However, what swung the decision for us was safety - we looked at the encap safety ratings, and when you use the Isofix points in your car, this seat was the best in our price range. It can be used with a seatbelt also, however, and still comes highly rated.
Isofix relates to anchor points which are fitted in your car - rather than using the seatbelt, you connect the seat straight into these points. Apparently a lot of seat-belt connected seats aren't fitted correctly, so we were keen to use this system.
We actually contacted Britax by phone to make sure that we could use the seat in our car - they do have a guide online, but it's not 100% comprehensive. We found the ladies on the phone really helpful, actually, and knowledgable.
My hubby actually fitted the seat, so will have to take his word on the ease with which this was done, but he assures me it was simple to do! Certainly getting my daughter in and out is simple - so much less hassle without having to deal with a seatbelt!
Now the seat's in and we've been using it for a while. I think it's been a real success; it looks good, it's not too bulky, and it seems to be comfortable. My daughter falls asleep in it easily, and it does tilt quite simply, so her head doesn't loll about.
Downsides - the shoulder straps are a bit bulky, I'd say, and I struggle to tighten the straps, which is important for safety. It's a tug of war in the mornings, but I CAN do it, so it's not a huge negative. Unlike other reviewers, I've not had any noise when she's not in it at all.
Only other thing I'd say was that the fabric options are limited in the UK - Mothercare only sells one colour, for instance. We ended up going to Kiddicare and bought the imported European-branded seat, by Roemer, which is exactly the same but just with a different name.
Prices vary quite a lot, so I'd recommend shopping around. As I say we got it from kiddicare.com - RRP is about £200 for the style we got, but we got it for £130.
Actual ages are 9 months to 4 years, I think, but that's not an option I can pick in the descriptions here!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Giving you the flexibility of two installation options the ISOFIX system or a 3-point ... more
seat-belt installation. The ISOFIX system anchors the child seat directly to the car offering maximum protection, while our unique Pivot link system reduces the chil...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Giving you the flexibility of two installation options the IsoFix system or a 3-point ... more
seat-belt installation. The IsoFix system anchors the child seat directly to the car offering maximum protection, while our unique pivot link system reduces the chil...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
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