ISOFIX Car Seats & Bases

rhysduck · 3 Apr 2017 at 20:37

Hey...
So impending baby due in a few months (

!!! ) and trying to figure out car seats / prams / travel systems etc etc etc..
Does anyone use isofix carseats for their little uns? I'm trying to work out if ISOFIX is worth the extra expense over just normal seatbelt fixed car seats.
With the price approx £220 for a base and carseat it seems expensive when i can get two perfectly suitable car seats for £100!
Anyone share some insight please?
Cheers
Rhys

Diddums · 3 Apr 2017 at 20:38

Durex.

james.miller · 3 Apr 2017 at 20:39

Yes, buy second hand. Isofix is so much easier.

CraigN · 3 Apr 2017 at 20:42

i have one of each (got the non iso fix one second hand with car seat) the iso fix one feels more secure and has a better mechanism for release. Will be getting a second as it is so much easier.

Second hand stuff is your friend. Normally you dont know how well car seats have been treated but we got ours from the wifes best friend so knew it was good.

also look at bases that can take the larger toddler seats. as you will change out of the infant seat after a year or so and dont want to have to buy new seats and bases.

clubb699 · 3 Apr 2017 at 20:42

We just used the normal car seat with belt fixing on both ours kids save the cash for when there older LoL

mr tommo · 3 Apr 2017 at 20:47

I've had both for my son now.

We had isofix for when he was up to 10 months I think. We bought a Graco pram with the travel system so having the isofix was amazing. You could get them from the car (usually asleep) and plug the seat straight into the pram system without waking them and vice versa. No faff at all messing around with seatbelts etc.

Then at 10 month when we changed to a normal pushchair we just got a fixed car seat as it's never removed so not much benefit in having isofix. I guess it is supposed to be safer but that car seat if installed properly isn't going anywhere.

IainR · 3 Apr 2017 at 20:51

ISOFIX is really handy, clip in, clip out. Much less faffing about, and much more secure than just a seatbelt secured seat IMO.
Used it from when my boy was 0-4, then moved onto a Diono Monterey2 stage 2/3 car seat with ISOFAST fixings which is still going strong and he is 7 now.

Buying second hand, well that's not really for me, not when it comes down to kids car seats. It's a bit of a hefty price, agreed, but if you get the right one, it can last 2/3 years. Plus, family love buying things for newborns, so you might be able to palm the expense off to family? Worth a shot

the_r_sole · 3 Apr 2017 at 21:07

We got the maxicosi isofix base, so it does the car seat for a new born and also a bigger seat when they get older, it is really handy for the early days, we used to just lift the car seat onto the pram frame, saving much faffing around (especially with a snoozing child)
It's not such a big worry for the second seat as that stays in the car all the time now

D.P. · 3 Apr 2017 at 21:09

Makes life massively easier and i find them way more secure. Given how tiring child raising is, making life easier has a lot of value. When you have only been getting a few hours broken sleep a night for 2-3 weeks, the ability to transfer your sleeping baby form car to house without waking them is utterly priceless.

Whitewater · 3 Apr 2017 at 21:27

Diddums said:
Durex.

Their car seats are terrible, the child just slides straight out.

We use both, isofix is definitely easier however for the first few months we kept our son on the front seat. When he was old (heavy) enough to go into a proper seat we got one of the multi stage ones that comes apart as the child grows.

Diddums · 3 Apr 2017 at 21:33

Whitewater said:
Their car seats are terrible, the child just slides straight out.

vincent1989 · 3 Apr 2017 at 21:56

when you've been putting a car seat in and out a car for 6 months using a seatbelt you'll wish you got isofix, take it from someone with experience...

happy_2008 · 4 Apr 2017 at 00:50

I have isofix and it makes life so much easier not to mention it being more secure.

LOAM · 4 Apr 2017 at 01:39

They are great in my opinion, just make sure you get one that can take a backwards and forwards facing seat.

Devrij · 4 Apr 2017 at 07:20

LOAM said:
They are great in my opinion, just make sure you get one that can take a backwards and forwards facing seat.

+1

We just discovered ours only does backwards and our girl is getting too long to sit backwards now. New seat for us coming up.

mjt · 4 Apr 2017 at 08:03

ISOFIX (now replaced by the Euro Norm i-Size) are by far the safest and easiest way of restraining small children. If you use something a Maxi Cosi Pebble, you can leave the base in the car and use the seat as a carry-cot.
Although be aware that with newborns, they really need to be lying flat for long journeys as their necks can't support the weight of their heads, and sitting up is bad for their spines.
Cybex do an almost lie-flat carrycot, although the best would be something like a Britax SafeSleeper.

And rear-facing seats are by far the safest.

Devrij said:
+1

We just discovered ours only does backwards and our girl is getting too long to sit backwards now. New seat for us coming up.

Which one are you currently using and how tall is your daughter?
We have a Concord Reverso Plus and my son is around 90cm and he's still happy in it.

theone8181 · 4 Apr 2017 at 08:03

Devrij said:
+1

We just discovered ours only does backwards and our girl is getting too long to sit backwards now. New seat for us coming up.

Theres no point getting a base for a forward facing seat, its not as tho the seat needs to come out that often as theyre not designed for carrying a child in.

Zatoichi.uK · 4 Apr 2017 at 08:39

Got a 10 month old currently and used a Maxi cosi Cabriofix with Isofix base since it was much cheaper than the newer pebble version and barely any different.

Now have a rear facing Joie stages seat which she will stay rear facing in (Since it's the law) until shes at least 15 months, but more likely until her legs stop her being able to fit. That's a belted one but since the seat isn't really ever moved it's not an issue.

Definitely recommend an Isofix transfer to pram type car seat for a new born since they sleep so much and transferring them between seats is a pain.

Hunders · 4 Apr 2017 at 08:50

Nothing more to add. Get an isofix. They are invaluable and well worth the extra expense.

Also, get your wife/GF to buy a sling to carry the baby in. So much better than having to traipse about with a pram. Tula are probably the best slings.

ci_newman · 4 Apr 2017 at 09:02

IainR said:
ISOFIX is really handy, clip in, clip out. Much less faffing about, and much more secure than just a seatbelt secured seat IMO.
Used it from when my boy was 0-4, then moved onto a Diono Monterey2 stage 2/3 car seat with ISOFAST fixings which is still going strong and he is 7 now.

Buying second hand, well that's not really for me, not when it comes down to kids car seats. It's a bit of a hefty price, agreed, but if you get the right one, it can last 2/3 years. Plus, family love buying things for newborns, so you might be able to palm the expense off to family? Worth a shot

Another +1 to Isofix, but I just wanted to comment that they can last much longer than 2/3 years - we've got an Isofix base and Pebble / Pearl car seat that we've used for both of our children. It is nearly 6 years old and still going strong.