The high resistance frame – which has ventilation holes to help regulate temperature – offers double protection. The patented backrest (set at 125° for a newborn and 110° for three months plus) ensures correct posture so your baby can breathe easy.
What we love
Generally speaking, first impressions of anything are usually formed on looks, so when you first clap eyes on the Strata you can’t help but think: wow. The overall health and safety features certainly make this stand out from the crowd, as does the quality of the gorgeous padding. Its compact shape fitted nicely into our medium-sized car, and its low seat belt routing means you can install it in your car even if it has shorter seat belts. The seat belt also locks onto the Strata giving more stability.
The entire surface that comes into contact with your baby is protected with shock absorbing material. My daughter Elsie looked like she was engulfed in duvet and was very comfortable strapped in to the sturdy five-point harness, which you adjust by simply pushing a lever at the rear of the seat – no faffing about rethreading it into the chassis here.
The adjustable seat angle took minutes to master: simply glide it up and down for the most ideal angle for your baby’s age. Strapping it in, however, took a bit of practice: it has a ‘lock off’ point located at the rear of the seat to secure the seat belt, and the lap section of the belt is fed through grooves which go underneath the shell, allowing your baby’s feet to be free. It took me a few attempts but once I cracked it, it felt like it was almost welded to the car; in its correct position it didn’t move around at all.
This year Jané has launched its 3rd generation, award-winning Isofix base. Although this costs an additional £165, it means your Strata seat can be fixed in the car using Isofix, which increases the safety even further.
What to watch out for
All those little extras and safety features add to a fair bit of weight. At 4.97kg it’s heavier than most of the seats I have used in the past, it’s also a little heavy on the wallet, especially if you buy with a base. It also claims to accommodate a child up to 18 months, but I think this is questionable for larger tots with all that padding.
Who is the product best for?
Safety-conscious parents who don't want to compromise on style.
Expensive, especially if teamed with a base, but worth every penny for the peace of mind on all aspects of safety and comfort. However, although the beautiful padding may be one of its selling points, it means that larger babies will grow out of it very quickly.
