Travel

Britax BABY-SAFE plus SHR II Infant Carrier

PRODUCT: Britax BABY-SAFE plus SHR II Infant Carrier (www.britax.co.uk)

DESCRIPTION: A Group 0+ infant carrier, for use as a rear-facing car seat for children from birth up to approximately 12 -15 months old (13kg). Compatible with Britax pushchairs which include the CLICK & GO® feature. Features include Single-Handed Release (SHR) button, 3 position carry handle, Superior Side Impact Protection, 5-point safety harness, UV canopy, and adjustable padded headrest. Available in four designs: Alex (black), Bella (pink), Maxim (green) and Olivia (red).

INSTALLATION: The infant carrier can be used as a travel system and has integral adaptors which slot easily and quickly into any Britax pushchair frame which has the CLICK & GO® facility. Removal of the carrier from the pushchair is just as simple using a special Single-Handed Release (SHR) button on the handle.

If utilising the infant carrier as a car seat, it must be used in the rearward facing position (i.e. with baby facing backwards) on either the rear seats, or any front passenger seat without an airbag. In addition, the carry handle must be in the upright position when used for this purpose. The vehicle's standard 3-point seat belt is used to secure the seat in place via blue-coloured lap and shoulder belt guides. Once the car seat is installed securely, a special D-SIP® on the base of the handle can be engaged upwards to provide additional accident protection in the event of side impact (use the D-SIP® on the side of the vehicle door, unless on the middle seat where it is not needed). Note also that the BABY-SAFE plus SHR II carrier can be installed in a vehicle with the BABY-SAFE Belted Base and the BABY-SAFE ISOFIX Base.

A detailed set of easy-to-follow instructions with diagrams are provided with the product. Please also note that the seat has been designed, tested and certified according to the requirements of the European Standard for Child Safety Equipment (ECE R 44/04).

GOOD POINTS: The Britax BABY-SAFE plus SHR II is a versatile baby carrier which can be used not only as a child car seat, but also as a travel system with several of the Britax pushchairs (see our review of the Britax B-SMART pushchair). The seat is very easy to attach to the pushchair, thanks to a unique CLICK & GO® feature, where integrated travel system adaptors on the infant carrier slot into corresponding fixation points on either side of the pushchair frame. Removing the seat is equally quick using the SHR grey button on the carry handle.

Using the seat with the pushchair enables your child to travel facing you so that you can see them at all times, and also allows you to transport baby from the car to the pushchair (or vice versa) without disturbing them! It is also important to note that the seat can additionally be used on its own for simply feeding or soothing your baby using its handy rocking base.

It comes with a sturdy carry handle which has three lockable positions to suit these various uses, and the position of the handle can be adjusted one-handedly, a very useful feature for parents on the go! An additional thoughtful feature of the handle are two soft touch areas to provide maximum comfort when carrying the infant carrier on either arm. The seat also has a sun/wind canopy with 50+ UV protection, which can simply be pulled forward as required for protection from the elements.

The carrier is well-made, and has plenty of padding to provide a very comfortable ride for baby, with a soft fabric cover which can be removed for washing (machine washable at 30 degrees). The five-point harness has soft padded shoulder straps, and the straps can be loosened and tightened to ensure your child is securely fastened via a ‘one-pull’ adjuster strap and release button at the front of the seat. The shoulder straps are inserted through a padded headrest with deep side wings, which provide extra comfort, safety and support to a young baby’s head. The headrest (and shoulder straps) can also be adjusted up and down to accommodate your growing child.

In our opinion, this is a great little infant carrier/car seat which has been designed to provide maximum safety and comfort for a young child. It has some very innovative, effective and easy-to-operate features to allow parents complete piece of mind during any journey, whether by car or pushchair!

BAD POINTS: The seat cover is still a little fiddly to remove and replace, although unlike some other car seats, it is fully machine washable. There are a number of accessories for the carrier, although these must be purchased separately.

PRICE: Approx. £100