I didn’t think there was much to a car seat until I had a child. Naively, I thought that it was just a matter of some straps, some padding and potentially an iso-fix base (obviously, I had no idea what an iso-fix base was). Alas after the trials and tribulations of first car seats, I learnt a few things. Firstly, that a car journey with a screaming baby is a form of torture and secondly car seats are VERY different.

One thing our baby likes when it comes to the car is consistency. The issue we faced was that the boy had outgrown his first car seat and we needed a suitable replacement. Not wanting to risk having to change again, we opted for a multistage car seat; the main advantage being that you don’t need to change seats as you baby grows – you can adjust them with your child. Winner.

Joie offer one of the best multistage car seats on the market – the Every Stage FX. Since getting one, I can can see why the brand is so highly spoken of. It’s clear the second that you see the seat that it is of the highest quality; the body is rigid, the padding is soft but well finished, and the harnesses and buckles are visibly robust. It’s looks like a solid car seat and I’m not going to lie, if the worst were to happen, all is want from the seat is to protect my son. Unlike some seats, the Every Stage FX is made and designed with real care, and that means a lot when I’m thinking about the function of a product like this.

At the moment, our lad is 8 and a bit months, so he’s still rear facing. The seat isn’t equips with iso-fix points for the rear facing position. Instead, the seat is anchored using the car seatbelt. In the forward facing position, the Every Stage FX has integrated iso-fix arms which quickly and easily clip into the points in the car. To begin with, I was a bit dubious about the lack of iso-fix when I’m rear facing mode; however, once I actually strapped the seat in, it was clear that the seatbelt is equally as effective. Unlike smaller seats, you can pass the belt through specially located points in the base of the seat, meaning you don’t have to move or adjust the belt to put your child in. Once it’s clipped in you can just leave it. Thank goodness.

Secretly, I want an adult Joie seat. There are so many clip-on padding options, you can modify your seat to fit your child perfectly. The inserts allow an almost custom fit for the baby. Our baby has long legs and quite wide shoulders (for his age) so I took out a couple of the inserts and he fits in snugly. When we were testing seats in the shops, we found a lot were the one-size-fits-all. We wanted some comfort for the longer journeys we do. Obviously, with the numerous adjustments available, it means that there are lots of bits and bobs you need to keep safe, and I’m my case try no to lose!

As I mentioned, aesthetically, the seat looks strong, but it doesn’t just look strong, it IS strong. It’s has side impact protection which provides added security for the head, body, and hips in the event of an accident. In addition the Guard Surround Safety™ panels provide extra side protection and fold into seat when not in use – a unique feature to Joie car seats. Finally the seat has a reenforced steel inner seat shell which increases structural integrity for ultimate safety.

I didn’t think the time in my life would come when I was impressed by a car seat. A blooming car seat? It has though. The Joie Every Stage FX ticks all the boxes for me.