Choosing your Extended Rear Facing Car Seat: 18kg v 25kg
Choosing Your Extended Rear Facing Car Seat
As many parents have Isofix installed infant carrier seats one of most requested features of the next stage Rear Facing car seat is Isofix installation. The second most requested feature is the swivel/swing function. In this article learn more about all the options for extended rear facing car seats!
Weight / height limits
With regards to Isofix installation the weight of the seat and the child must not exceed 33kg. For this reason the majority of Isofix car seats have a weight limit of 18kg or a height limit of 105cms in i-Size car seats. Isofix installed seats are installed with Isofix and support leg. These are classed as Group 1 car seats and will last until approx age 4. There are also R44 approved seats that are seat belt installed: the weight limit of the majority of these seats is 18kg and the height limit is similar/slightly higher than i-Size seats.
Group 1, 2 seats have a weight limit of 25kgs: as they are installed with 3 point seatbelt, lower tether straps and most have a support leg. The height limit of 25kg ERF seats is on average approximately 125cms also. These seats will last until approx age 6.
Swivel / swing feature
The swivel/swing function is a feature of 18kg/105cms i-Size car seats only also. This feature can be great for saving your back: some parents find that when a child gets older it is more difficult to lift a child up into the swivel car seat and in a vehicle with 3 seats across the swivel function can mostly not be used further. Many of the ERF 25kg seats are designed with low sides and this makes it easy to secure a younger child and also enables an older child to climb in themselves.
Installation Safety
The installation of an extended rear facing car seat may be different to Isofix installation, however when both seat belted and Isofix car seats are installed properly they are both as safe as each other. If you need to use an ERF 25kg between vehicles there is the option of having a second set of tether straps in place in the other vehicle also so that only the seat needs to be moved, allowing for quick re-installation.
Rearfacing.ie Car Seat Recommendations
Based on your child's weight and height we will calculate their percentiles and gauge when he/she will reach the weight/height limit of a particular seat. If your child will grow out of an 18kg/105cms i-Size seat prior to 4 years then an 25kg extended rear facing car seat will be recommended as we advocate for rear facing until at least 4 years.
Our car seat recommendations also take into account the vehicle(s) that the car seat needs to be installed in, whether the seat needs to be moved to other cars occasionally, your current seat(s), who will be installing the seats etc. Contact us at rearfacing.ie for free advice on the safest rear facing car seat that will suit your child and your family's needs. We have a large range of rear facing car seats for sale and offer installation and after-sales service with free tracked courier delivery! Click here to contact us