Child Car Seats without Isofix

Infant car seats without ISOFIX

Infant car seats are suitable for transporting your baby right from birth and up to a weight of approx. 13 kg. Usually, infant car seats are to be installed in your car in a rear-facing mode. The baby takes a semi-lying position and thus is provided with optimum protection in case of a collision. If the infant car seat does not feature an ISOFIX fitting, it needs to be fastened with your car’s own seat belt. Most products come with coloured marks that help you find the belt’s proper position so that it can be fastened safely.

There are infant car seats with and without a base. Those without a base are to be placed directly onto the seat and in a rear-facing position. Only the three-point belt of your car secures it then. Every time, you put your child into such a car seat and lift him out again, you have to reset the belt before taking out the infant car seat with your child. This is quite laborious and takes a lot of time. Manufacturers such as Britax Römer also offer infant car seats with a base. The base has to be fastened by using the three-point belt in your car while the infant car seat has to be clicked in afterwards. This system supplies parents with much more comfort as this Britax Römer’s infant car seat (and every other compatible car seat) can be attached to and released from the base in less than no time.

Infant car seat without ISOFIX for prams

Brand manufacturers such as Britax Römer also offer full travel systems which complement each other perfectly. This way, an infant car seat by Britax Römer is not only suitable for using in the car, but can also be attached to the chassis of a Britax Römer pram or other compatible systems by using an adaptor. A great benefit is that the compact chassis fits easily even in small car boots. The infant car seat replaces the upper part of the pram. Due to its easy-to-use click system, your little one won’t even notice whether he is still riding in the pram or already sitting in the car.

Things you should be aware of

In order to make sure that you purchase a child safety seat or infant car seat that provides optimum protection for your child, there are a few things you should be aware of:

• The right weight category: Every child safety seat is made for a specific weight category. Purchasing a car seat with the wrong weight category bears a safety hazard.
• Standards and regulations: Every child safety seat must feature the United Nations standard ECE R44/04 which guarantees that the car seat meets the latest European safety requirements. As an addition to this, it features the authorisation type (universal, semi-universal and vehicle-specific).
• Check belt length: If you purchase a child safety seat that is to be fastened with the seat belt only, you must make sure that the seat belt is long enough. Always check the length of your seat belt before buying a child safety seat!
• The right base and adaptor: Manufacturers such a Britax Römer offer complete sets that include a base and adaptors. However, they do differ depending on the model. Top safety is only provided by the right combination of base or adaptor and car seat.
• Prefer test winners: Especially, when purchasing a car seat that has to be fastened with the seat belt only, you should make sure that the car seat meets the highest safety requirements. Manufacturers such as Britax Römer or Cybex have ranked top positions in independent tests for many years.

Child safety seats without ISOFIX

Child safety seats without ISOFIX are available, too. Car seats that do not feature ISOFIX fittings are usually called universal car seats which can be used in almost all vehicles – even in vintage vehicles. The prerequisite for these car seats is that your car is equipped with a belt which is long enough. In order to fasten the car seat, you need to guide the belt around the seat. Coloured marks help you fasten the seat properly. In any case, you have to make sure that the belt secures both car seat and your child.

As an alternative, there are manufacturers such as Cybex who offer child safety seats which come with a large cushion (a so-called impact shield) that protects your child in case of a collision. Similar to other universal car seats, Cybex car seats without ISOFIX are fastened by using your car’s own three-point belt. However, the belt only keeps the car seat in the right position – safety is provided by the large, soft impact shield.