ISOFIX Car Seats & Bases

nick.lidgett · 4 Apr 2017 at 10:15

We just bought a Silver Cross Silver Cross Wayfarer Chelsea travel system with a car seat and isofix base, it looks like it will be a great purchase, the car seat clips straight from the isofix base to the buggy frame which also has a proper pram type thingy that clips into the buggy frame for longer spells in it.

I cant wait until August now to try it out.

Rexxar · 4 Apr 2017 at 10:40

I went with the Maxi-Cosi "FamilyFix" Base, it secures to the isofix points on the seat and also has a supporting leg which braces against the floor. I then progressed to the "2-Way Pearl" which is as the name suggests, a rear and forward facing seat.

The 2-way Pearl starts rear facing tilted back , then can be put upright and also tilted back and upright when facing forward. They are both Big Seats, but they grow with the child.

+1 for Isofix here, although it can limit your car choice if you plan to change vehicle depending how many kids you have and where the isofix points are.

Devrij · 4 Apr 2017 at 17:15

mjt said:
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.

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.

I think it's a maxi cosi, but her legs are already bent against the seat back, and much longer it'll start being uncomfortable.

Valid point to whoever said you don't need a detachable base for forward facing, but if I had had the foresight to get a reversible seat/base I would have gotten a few more months out of my first one. That said, I inherited our seat so not particularly bothered.

Hostile-17 · 4 Apr 2017 at 17:19

I use and ISOFIX base and seat and have done since little one was born. He is now 3 and the base is still used. I found it really useful when he was a baby as it was simply click in and go, no messing with seat belts.

Not had any issues and would recommend

Django x2 · 4 Apr 2017 at 17:40

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.

Is she 4? If not, then she's not too long to sit backwards and that is due to be law here soon from what I gather

Devrij · 4 Apr 2017 at 19:47

Django x2 said:
Is she 4? If not, then she's not too long to sit backwards and that is due to be law here soon from what I gather

No it's just our seat is size 0. The rest of her fits fine, but her legs are up against the seat so it's like she's sitting in a half pipe. I've been looking at fast facing group 1/2/3 size seats to get her shirts for the next few years. Seems like now you can have them rear facing as long as 6 years in some cases (4 seems to be the norm though)

paradigm · 4 Apr 2017 at 19:54

I've recently (the last few months) bought myself the Audi isofix bases (a pair of, one for each car), the G0 (0-15 month/13KG, rear facing) and the G1 (9 month to 4 years/9-18kg, front or rear facing) seats (one of each seat) for under £300. These were all ex demo units, so unused but not "new". Had I bought at RRP this setup would have cost me £704.

Fortunately these bases do both front and rear facing

Luckystrike123 · 4 Apr 2017 at 20:33

I have a 12 week old and an isofix base, couldn't imagine phaffing about with a seat belt so money well spent imo.

theone8181 · 5 Apr 2017 at 07:51

FWIW neither of our cars have isofix seats in them. My wifes focus 2012 has the points but mine doesnt (2001 911) due to age. We have a rear facing and a forward facing seat in each car, however my son who is 7 months is getting a bit heavy for my wife to carry in the seat anyway unless hes asleep (never ever remove a sleeping baby from the car seat, they will wake up and not go back over). Her rear facing is on a base but its a seatbelt base rather than an isofix one as i thought they isofix is expensive, can damage seats and im not an idiot so i know how to fit a car seat.

nick.lidgett · 5 Apr 2017 at 08:14

Has a 911, thinks £100 for an isofix base is expensive

rhysduck · 5 Apr 2017 at 08:32

Thanks everyone. Very helpful information and just confirming what I already know.
I think from what I've read the last few days that I'll go for a car seat with integrated isofix base (Maxi Cosi Milofix we've been looking at)

Luckystrike123 said:
I have a 12 week old and an isofix base, couldn't imagine phaffing about with a seat belt so money well spent imo.

What car seat do you have?

Jamesyboyjim · 5 Apr 2017 at 08:58

How can you spot the ISOFIX clips / brackets or whatever they are? My seats have a little tag that says isofix but out of interest I was looking and couldn't see anything that looked like you could attach something to it?

Zatoichi.uK · 5 Apr 2017 at 09:10

Jamesyboyjim said:
How can you spot the ISOFIX clips / brackets or whatever they are? My seats have a little tag that says isofix but out of interest I was looking and couldn't see anything that looked like you could attach something to it?

It's usually just a horizontal bar between the seat and backrest. You can't see it as it's a inch or so back from view.

Rexxar · 5 Apr 2017 at 09:25

rhysduck said:
Thanks everyone. Very helpful information and just confirming what I already know.
I think from what I've read the last few days that I'll go for a car seat with integrated isofix base (Maxi Cosi Milofix we've been looking at)

What car seat do you have?

You've probably already checked but does your car have the top-tether points needed for the Milofix?

Jamesyboyjim said:
How can you spot the ISOFIX clips / brackets or whatever they are? My seats have a little tag that says isofix but out of interest I was looking and couldn't see anything that looked like you could attach something to it?

If they have the tags, you'll normally find the slots/cut outs in the seat just about where the base joins the backrest.

rhysduck · 5 Apr 2017 at 10:23

Rexxar said:
You've probably already checked but does your car have the top-tether points needed for the Milofix?

Yeah. '14 Plate Golf Gti has them in the boot.

theone8181 · 5 Apr 2017 at 13:20

nick.lidgett said:
Has a 911, thinks £100 for an isofix base is expensive

I know but it just seems unnecessary if you're competent. The forward facing seat in my wifes car which i believe is an britax evola 1-2-3 is held by the seatbelt, however if it had an isofix that was part of the seat (so not having to buy extra bits) i would have used it as there is nothing the tension the seat unlike the maxi-cosi tobi ive got in the back of mine. On a side note the seats in the back of my wifes st are quite firm and leather so the seat has a lot of support but when the same model of seat is in the back of my dads mgs due to seats being soft as pig **** i have to really jump on it to tension the belt.

james.miller · 5 Apr 2017 at 13:29

Competency has little to do with it. It's ease of use. Damn sight easier lifting a paddle and pulling the whole seat out than messing around with a belt. did that with the first child, bought an isofix this time round for the second. So it's not like I have difficulty doing a belt up.

It hasn't damaged the seat either ....

oldestgregg · 5 Apr 2017 at 13:31

We got one and its so much easier and safer. Shouldnt be any doubts over you buying one really.