Britax Affinity review – first impressions of the pram

Gillian — Tue, 27 May 2014 12:53:50 +0000

Here’s our Britax Affinity review…We’ve been sent a new pram to review, the Britax Affinity buggy, as part of my role as a Britax Ambassador. As the Britax Affinity is suitable for use from birth, our Britax Affinity review is going to consist of us testing it in two modes – with a toddler (now) and then a newborn (in the not too distant future). A bit of pram background? We used the Bugaboo Bee – aka the ubiquitous London pram – from when Eliza was born as it was small and light, perfect for public transport and being in a top floor flat. We also have a basic Maclaren, bought to go on holiday, that we now use most of the time as it’s so light and compact. While we put it the Britax Affinity through its paces for a proper review, here are our initial impressions. Britax Affinity: assembling the pram… The Affinity came in two boxes. The main body of the pram, then the fabric set (seat cover, basket lining and so on). Our noble pram assembler, Mr C and his little assistant Miss C put it all together. Verdict? “It was easy to put up with no major problems.” I was pregnantly ‘project managing’ proceedings, and this did indeed appear to be the case. No frustrated swearing was heard during the making of this pram. Britax Affinity: first looks… We were sent the black model with Black Thunder fabric set. The seat itself is grey, but the frame and everything else is black or silver. I think it looks really good – sleek, modern and pretty sophisticated as prams go. We generally go for more neutral colours (our Bugaboo is the sand one) and this is definitely a colourway I would have chosen. Size-wise, it is bigger than our Bugaboo, especially in terms of the large back wheels and wider wheel span (but then it’s not marketed as a small, lightweight urban pram, so seems slightly mean to compare). And while it’s on the heavier side, I can still lift it – unlike the Quinny Moodd we tested – although I’m not sure I could lift it with a toddler in. Britax Affinity: first outings Again, over to Mr C, who took Eliza out in it last weekend so I could have a rest (e.g. paint my toenails in blissful silence). Here are his thoughts: It handles well, it’s a smooth push and really solid pram The brake is certainly better than on our Maclaren (not hard!) As it was sunny, the long hood and integrated sun visor were very useful A small minus point; there’s no safety strap on the handle. However. Eliza was comfortable, and liked holding on to the bar over the front. And some thoughts from me, after taking Eliza to ‘the big shops’ this weekend: The plastic window in the hood is pretty useful – you don’t have to keep peering round the front when the hood is down – and we both found it fun We struggled slightly getting round some shops as it is just that little bit bigger at the back (in particular the crowded aisles of H&M were a challenge at points) However, no problems getting on, off, or parking on the bus Lots of storage space – so great for shopping – and no chance it will topple over when you take your toddler out We’ll be posting a full Britax Affinity review in toddler mode soon. The Britax Affinity retails at around £400. We were sent the Black Thunder model for the purposes of this review. If you liked our Britax Affinity review then read our Greentom Upp review and iCandy Raspberry review

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By royal appointment to Britax – and a parent’s guide to rear-facing car seats

Gillian — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 21:48:27 +0000

Here’s an appropriately regal announcement; we have been appointed to the Britax ‘Mumbassador’ parent blogger panel. Britax is the maker of Prince George’s Baby-Safe car seat – the one that millions of people worldwide watched Prince William put into a car, shortly before he drove away from the Lindo Wing where Kate had given birth (the pressure!). I met the Britax team at BritMums Live. and I had a really interesting chat with them about the forward / rear-facing car seat debate. I have read so many conflicting options about the best stage 2 car seat to get, and it’s difficult to know what advice to take. If, like me, you’d like a bit more clarification about the car seat debate, here’s some information from Mark Bennett, Car Seat Safety Expert from Britax. Mark is constantly asked questions about the benefits of rearward facing and the safest travel solution for children. Here’s his responses to the most commonly asked questions to help parents make an informed decision. So; should children be rearward facing or forward facing? Firstly, what does rearward facing actually mean? Rearward facing means that the child is facing away from the direction of travel. The current legislation (ECE R44/04) dictates mandatory rearward facing transportation for children until a minimum weight of 9kg. After that, parents can either use a forward facing car seat or extend rearward facing travelling up to 25kg (approx. six years). Why is rearward facing becoming so popular? For over 30 years in Scandinavia it has been a matter of course for children to remain rearward facing until at least the age of four years. Evidence here suggests that children sitting rearward facing in the event of a frontal collision experience greater protection and less risk of serious injury*. A lot of attention was also brought to the rearward facing debate in 2012 when the American Association of Paediatrics changed their recommendations to say that they recommend all children should remain rearward facing until 2 years of age. A new car seat regulation called ‘i-Size’ has started to raise awareness of keeping children rearward facing for longer. It comes into force mid July 2013 and promotes rearward facing in an ISOFIX fitted seat for all children up to the age of 15 months. *Henary B, Sherwood, C P, Crandall J R, Kent R W, Vaca F E, Arbogast K B, Bull M J. Car safety seats for children: rear facing for best protection. Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402. Why should children travel rearward facing for longer than required by law? Physics dictates that in the event of a frontal collision it is safer for a child to travel in a rearward facing car seat as crash forces are directed to the back of the seat whilst the remaining energy is spread evenly across the head, neck and upper body. In a frontal collision with a forward facing seat, more energy is placed on the child’s body, head and neck. Below 13kg the baby’s neck is not yet strong enough to support the relatively heavy head, so keeping your baby rearward facing for as long as possible (ideally up to 15 months old) will help to protect their vulnerable neck in a frontal crash situation. What does BRITAX recommend, forward or rearward facing? We believe that parents should sit children rearward facing for as long as it is realistic for their child, car, and family situation. The best seat is the one that fits your child, car and lifestyle. BRITAX informs and guides parents to find the optimal solution and make the most informed choice. BRITAX offers the best of both worlds, offering a brand new rearward facing Group 0+&1 seat being the MAX-FIX and also one of the safest forward facing Group 1 seats, the TRIFIX. To help make choosing the right seat clearer and easier, BRITAX has created an excellent online resource called ‘Fit Finder’ which informs and guides parents to find the right car seat for their car and child. What is the PLUS Test? The PLUS Test is a voluntary test, which measures a seat’s ability to provide protection of the head and neck in frontal collisions. Currently, the PLUS Test is carried out on seats designed for the Swedish market which is the only country in Europe where parents transport their children solely rearward facing up to four years. Not all child restraint systems have been able to pass the test since its introduction in 2009. Only nine car seats have passed the PLUS Test successfully. Two of these are BRITAX products: MAX-WAY, MAX-FIX. What is the current law when it comes to car seat safety? The law requires all children to travel in an appropriate child restraint until they reach 135 cm tall or their 12th birthday (UK, NL, DEN) or 150 cm tall or their 12th birthday (GER, AU, CH, IT, CZ) – whichever comes first. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure this is the case. Under the existing laws, parents could switch their baby from their rearward facing Group 0&0+ seat into a forward facing one when they reach 9kg (around nine months old). With the new regulation, called ‘i-Size’, that came into force in July 2013, parents that purchase a child car seat approved under i-Size will have to keep their baby in a rearward facing seat until they are 15 months. There will be no change to the overall law about child seats being compulsory to the age of 12 or 135 cm. Why are there so few rearward facing seats available in Europe (apart from Scandinavia) and what is BRITAX doing to address this? Historically rearward facing seats have been a less popular or available choice for parents in many European markets possibly due to: a perception that they are more complex to install; the space a rearward facing seat takes up in a car; the desire for parents to be able to see their children while travelling; and concerns that children may […]

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Britax Affinity review – first impressions of the pram

By royal appointment to Britax – and a parent’s guide to rear-facing car seats