I was given this seat to test by Mother and Baby and at first glance my initial reaction was fear!! Its a monster of a seat and its not to be carried by the faint hearted. Its Big, heavy and bulky but its weight accounts for the amazing safety system that it has got going on. The Safefix can be installed with Isofix or using the cars 3 point seatbelt. It also has an extra foot prop to give extra stability to the seat. There's a huge amount of side impact protection and the head cushioning would give a formula 1 seat a run for its money. The seat is so easy to install it takes a matter of minutes to get it locked in safely and I was completely confident that my child was safe in this chair. Even more so after using the clicking system on the harness which sounds when it is pulled tight enough to ensure optimum safety.
My little girl who is 1 fits in the seat well, she looks very comfortable and her head is always supported when she sleeps because of the lovely cushioning. It reclines to a good angle meaning I know not only is she safe but she is also comfortable. However, my eldest girl who is 3 and a half and average size doesn't really fit in the chair- even though it is supposed to last until age 4. Her head seems to be squashed in the cushioning and she is crushed by the side impact protection. This is really a very small moan though as she isn't far off the age limit and it wouldn't stop me recommending the chair...unless you have a larger than average child that is.
Another drawback is the material. It is a breathable textile with small holes that gives a sort of waffle appearance. It does not wear well and I have noticed that it snags and pulls and has started to bobble.When the baby drops food it becomes stuck in these little holes and can only be removed by a good wash in the machine. Washing the cover is a doddle, it is removed in one swift manoeuvre and put back on again just as easily...and us mums know how important being able to wash the cover is. I put the cover on a quick 30 degree wash and let it dry on the line. The cover looked as good as new and apart from the bobbling which I have already mentioned it has washed extremely well and kept its shape.
The main thing to consider when buying this chair is what age is your child and how big is your child? I wouldn't personally buy this chair for a 2 or 3 year old as I don't think they would get enough use out of it to warrant the hefty price tag of £200. I also probably wouldn't choose this chair if I knew I had to move it between cars a lot as it is really very heavy! Having said this we have decided to keep the Britax Safefix plus for our 1 year old. When it comes to safety I haven't come across a chair that can beat this and that is the most important thing in my opinion.
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