As Baby J is now ten months and quite a little chunk, I decided it was time to set about getting him a new car seat. He hates being strapped into anything, but the car seat in particular has been a fight for quite some time now, he tends to go rigid and screams, refusing to let me strap him in. He has never been a fan of rear-facing, I'm not sure if its because he can't see anything, or because H is forward facing, or maybe it's just car seats in general, but I decided to change him to forward facing.
After looking around for advice I found most parents seemed to highly recommend the
Kiddy. It is not a brand I had heard of before, but as I wanted something lightweight, forward facing and preferably isofix, I found their Guardianfix Pro 2 fit the bill exactly. At first I wasn't sure about their innovative impact shield, over the usual 5-point harness, however when I read further I decided to give it a try.
Kiddy have actually been around for over 30 years. They are a company that pride themselves on their innovative products, and the impact shield is just one example of this. The impact shield is made of highly shock-absorbing materials and offers impact protection in the event of a head-on collision. The risk of dangerous neck injuries is reduced by the fact that the impact forces are directed into the impact shield, and this prevents the baby's head from being abruptly thrown forward or backward, as in a child seat with a conventional shoulder harness.
The Guardianfix Pro 2 is a group 1, 2, 3 car seat, suitable for children from the ages of approximately nine months to twelve years old (weight: 9-36kg, approx 20-80lb). It comes in 13 different designs, we chose a neutral colour of Denim. The breathable fabric is lovely and soft, plus it can easily cleaned when Baby J inevitably drops biscuit crumbs all over it!
Both babies having a try
First of all I found the Kiddy unbelievably light. As we will be swapping it between my car and Mr H's on a weekend, this was great as it makes transferring so much easier. Because it is isofix there is no messing around with seatbelts or trying to figure out complicated fixings. It is simply a matter of clicking it in place and go! What unnerved me a little at first was the impact shield. As it was a completely different way of strapping them in - you simply put the impact shield in place, fasten the seatbelt over the front and make sure it is strapped across the impact shield properly. And that's all folks!
Baby J was, and still is, not completely sure about the shield. It is quite bulky and he sometimes looks like his arms are stuck out awkwardly. However despite this he has fallen asleep every time he has been in it.
Even Little H had a turn and she too was in land of nod after a short time. I think as it is so different it will take a bit of getting used but I feel confident that it provides the best safety and fits our needs exactly.
The Guardianfix Pro 2 grows with the child and lasts from nine months to twelve years, which means that although it may seem a big cost up front (aren't all car seats?!), it is one you will not have to do again for a number of years. The seat adjusts to fit the child, from the head restraint that can fit to height and width, to the leg extension which can be adapted as the child grows.
All Kiddy car seats are EEC approved, and comply with the latest European safety requirements. They also meet British Standard 5852 which affects fire retardency of the fabric covers, so you can feel safe in the knowledge that these seats have been thoroughly tested.
I am more than happy with this car seat and would definitely opt for a
Kiddy again. It is lightweight, easy to use, stylish and most importantly it is safe. Check out their
Facebook page for more from Kiddy.
*I have been sent this product for free to review, however all opinions are my own.
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