Time to buy your first auto seat? It’s easy to get embrangle down and overwhelmed by long lists of features. We’ve looked at four common features set up on Australian seats so you can get a better idea of what you’re looking for in your little bone’s first restraint.
Your baby’s first auto restraint will be either a capsule or a convertible auto seat. A capsule is a baby restraint suitable for babe until around 6- 12 months depending on the make and model of the capsule and your little bone's torso length. They come in two corridor – a base which stays in the auto, and a carrier which can click in and out, allowing you to fluently transition your baby between places. Some capsules are also compatible with buggies, meaning you can transfer them seamlessly between your vehicle and your perambulator (this is generally called a ‘trip system ’).
A convertible auto seat converts from hinder- facing to forward- facing, conforming as your baby grows. They generally are suitable until your little bone is around four times old, or whenever they hit the loftiest height marker.
ISOFIX child conditions
Convertible seats and Capsules in Australia should be very securely attached to the seat of the vehicle. All models available then can all be installed using your vehicle’s seatbelt, but some come with ISOFIX, which is an indispensable installation system. ISOFIX seats allow you to simply crop your child restraint into pre-existing points erected into your vehicle (note not all vehicles are ISOFIX compatible).
Importantly, neither system of installation is innately safer than the other if they're used rightly. This means that the safest install is one that's done right, and some people find ISOFIX points easier to do duly. So, if your auto is compatible, you might want to look for this!
Our ISOFIX pick
We love the ISOFIX compatible Britax SNS b-first infix Convertible Auto Seat. Outside of ISOFIX installation as an option, the ventilation zones offer bettered tailwind to help overheating and keep them comfier, and Advanced Side Impact Cushion Technology adds redundant protection.
* Age is a companion only and operation should always be grounded on height
Extended hinder- facing
Keeping your child hinder- facing in their auto seat for as long as possible is the safest option, according to the National Child Restraint Best Practice Guidelines. The report outlines that backward - facing conditions effectively help injury when used rightly because they support children's head, neck, and chine.
In Australia, height labels are the manufacturer's way of communicating a child’s fit within the seat to insure it'll serve as intended to cover them, so it's important to use age as a companion only and rather use the inbuilt height labels as a companion for your child using conditions.
Our extended reverse- facing pick
The Maxi- Cozy Nero helps keep your little one safer for longer with not only extended reverse- facing capacity up to around 30 months old, but also Air cover technology that offers redundant side impact protection. Plus, wicking fabric helps keep them cooler, while the deep seat helps them stay comfier until they are bigger.
Easy headrest and harness adaptation
Some auto seats bear what's called a homemade rethread every time you need to raise the position of the harness. This means uninstalling the seat each time you need to change the harness and headrest heights, unthreading, rethreading, and also reinstalling the seat.
Other conditions offer a fluently malleable harness, where the headrest and harness move over together, allowing you to simply click the headrest up a position when you’re little bone has one of their numerous growth spurts. This can be a huge time redeemer for parents, especially when time is a big factor, like when you are on the way nearly!
Our easy headrest and harness adaptation pick
The solid and luxurious Joie Armor FX is suitable from invigorated to 4 times. Its deep and probative headrest offers maximum head protection. The Guard Surround ™ system offers redundant kinetic energy immersion in a side impact. Auto Adjust ™ side bodies widen automatically as the Grow Together ™ headrest and harness system can acclimate overhead to custom fit growing little bones.
Compact shell
Capsules and convertible seats come in a variety of sizes. However, you may not have to factor this in, but if you have a lower vehicle internally or three tots to fit across the aft seat, If you have an auto with lots of room internally.
Our compact pick
The Britax SNS Brava is compact for buses where the row of back seats sits near to the frontal row, and you can fit three in a row in utmost lower buses. It also boasts toddler mode with two recline positions for added comfort and a hassle-free harness that automatically adjusts the shoulder strips.
An auto seat is an essential baby item for any family planning to use transport their little bone
in a vehicle, and as parents, we want to know our little bones are being kept as safe as possible while we’re on the move. We hope this point summary has helped you understand some of the terms you’ll hassle as you browse seats.
