Our baby son has always been on the tall side. He was born at 9.7lbs and grew out of his rear facing infant carrier seat pretty quickly.
So when it came to buying a seat the next size up (all of which were forward facing), at first we were extremely reluctant. For fear that it wouldn't be safe, as he was only around eight months and could only just about manage to sit on his own for about twenty seconds. However, we had no choice but to buy something - as he was just too tall for the carrier.
For anyone that has used a Mamas and Papas Primo Viaggio seat as their first seat (as we did for our son), you will know how easy it is to use. Naturally, we wanted something that would be just
as easy, stylish, safe and easy to use. We trawled around plenty of shops and searched the internet and still couldn't find anything that we liked. This is until we came across the Tobi.
We don't have an ISOFIX ready car (ours is around three years old) and wanted something that would be just as safe. As many different shops as we went to , we were told that in independent tests, the Tobi was given top marks and was just as safe as the newer ISOFIX ready seats. Best of all, it fits pretty much most cars with ease. We have used ours in a Polo, Almera and a Micra all fine.
The harness within the seat is straight forward to use and similar to the Primo Vaggio that we were already used to i.e. the two sides come together and are then slotted into a central lock. Before we started to seriously shop for our new seat, we assumed that all seats would probably have this feature - however they do not. This is unique to the Tobi! It is so easy to use. Saves messing around so your child deosn't get fed up, and best of all it is nice and secure. There is an added traffic light system (red or green) which lets you know if the belt is secure or not. We found that although this was a bit of a novelty to begin with, it was not something that we would be absolutely lost without. As a bit of common sense helps you to decide whether the harness is secured tightly or not.
My husband wanted something that looked and performed well and expense was not an issue for us. All that mattered was safety and comfort for our son. We looked at the Recaro (speakers built into head rest etc) and other maxi-cosi models, but none seemed as safe as the Tobi. We particularly had our doubts about the Recaro seats which were said to be suitable for nine months plus, but did not look secure at all. Not only does the Tobi look really sporty (comes in a few different colours), it is really comfortable and our son loves sitting in his seat. Best of all, the covers are washable and you have seat belt padding etc which give this seat a good quality feel.
The Tobi has two side impact panels which although are great for cushioning the head, block the child's view out of the side window. However, this is more than made up for by the fact that the Tobi is quite a high seat which allows the child to look through the front window.
We loved the fact that this seat has a reclining position so that when your child falls asleep you just tilt it forward and back into a much more comfortable position. You might be thinking - how on earth can you do this whilst you're driving? But it is very easily done without much effort. Just underneath where the child's legs rest, there is a large button which you just pull down together with the seat. You can do this without even really turning around too much.
This seat is just so practical, stylish and best of all safe to use. It is a bit more on the expensive side at roughly around £150 - £160 (we bought ours from Halfords) than some others, but a great deal cheaper than the Recaro and other top end models which do not look half as good or are even as comfortable or stylish.
Overall a fantastic buy which should last you till your child is about four years old. We started using ours when our son was eight months without any problems. This seat is quite snug and has lots of padding - so it suits both the large and small baby as it has lots of luxurious cushioning. If you want something that's quite stylish, but very safe - the tobi is well worth it.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Innovative easy-out harness, the harness belts and belt buckle won't get in the way Easy ... more
adjustment of the headrest and harness belts at front of product with one hand(7 positions) Side Protection System offers optimal protection against side impact Co...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Innovative easy-out harness, the harness belts and belt buckle won't get in the way Easy ... more
adjustment of the headrest and harness belts at front of product with one hand(7 positions) Side Protection System offers optimal protection against side impact Co...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Fasten your child in the seat in double-quick time with the Maxi-Cosi Tobi with the ... more
innovative harness system; the harness belts and belt buckle no longer get in the way. The height of the head rest and harness belts can be adjusted at the same time at...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: Next day delivery by lunch time....
Innovative easy-out harness, the harness belts and belt buckle won't get in the way Easy ... more
adjustment of the headrest and harness belts at front of product with one hand(7 positions) Side Protection System offers optimal protection against side impact Co...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Jul 8th, 2006
(May 6th, 2008)
very helpful by (100%):
