The Tri Safe was produced by Safety 1st to satisfy the demand for a car seat that would suit a child from 9 months to 12 years and not have to be exchanged for a second and even third seat. It sounds great but it’s a tall order and I felt that this car seat was perhaps trying to do too much.
The Safety 1st Tri Safe is installed with the car’s seat belt and has no ISOFIX option but this does keep the price down. It looks great and seems well padded and comfortable - Daniel loved it. I found it really straightforward to get him into as the car seat’s armrests rotate out of the way making access a doddle – much easier than many we’ve used.
The well-padded headrest extends relatively easily as your child grows and appears to give good protection. However, most worryingly, was a few reviews, which didn't recommend it due to the difficulty users had fitting it correctly and the results of collision testing, particularly side impact.
What we love
The Safety 1st Tri Safe is excellent value for money and looks super coming in either bright Mars red or classic Black caviar. It should last for years, seemed to give Daniel lots of room and has great padding for good comfort. I particularly liked the way the armrests swung sideways to make getting your child in and out easier. We also found the harness straps were easy to adjust and fix.
What to watch out for
I found the Safety 1st Tri Safe car seat extremely difficult to fit and after getting very frustrated, hot and sweaty, I had to call on my husband to wrestle it in. Most importantly, once fitted, we never felt confident that it was as secure as it should be and found it hard to adjust to make it more stable. We had to check and try to re-secure the seat each journey, which was fiddly and worrying. I would have liked the rotating armrests to click into place but they didn’t seem to.
The Tri Safe might suit someone on a budget who wanted a seat that they wouldn’t have to change right up to the age of 12, if it survived the wear and tear, but in my view anyone really concerned about safety would have to avoid buying this seat.
Who is the Safety 1st Tri Safe car seat best for?
Parents aware of its safety issues who’d still like it as a spare car seat.
The Safety 1st Tri Safe car seat seems really comfy and is trouble-free to strap your child into each time. However, it is hard to install and know whether you’ve fitted it correctly and therefore safely. This means it really doesn't offer peace of mind or value for money at the end of the day.
