What Is An i-Size Car Seat?   

All car seats must comply with regulations and pass tests before they can be sold. Child car seats are categorized either by the child’s weight or height. The age of the child is not taken into consideration when choosing them.

So, to answer the question, what are i-size car seats? Then to make children’s car seats safer, the European Union has recently adopted i-Size, the first stage of the R129 safety standard. 

It is intended to keep kids rear-facing for longer, offer superior side impact protection, and facilitate proper car seat installation. That is why it becomes important to always look for a reliable car seat manufacturer to ensure child safety is not endangered.

This article focuses on i-Size car seats, also known as height-based car seats, described below in greater depth.

What Does I-Size Mean For Car Seat 

The most recent R129 UN Regulation, which controls car seat safety standards, has a type-approval category called “i-size.” According to the i-size categorization, the car seat has been designed to provide improved safety and security and complies with an i-size position in cars.

Since it concerns kids’ safety, choose a baby product company that offers certification to ensure the car seat you are buying complies with the strictest ECE R129 safety requirements and follows ECE R44/04 safety standards.

Aims And Benefits

After a better understanding of what is an, I size seat is, its aim and benefits are also important to look out for. However, having an ECE R44/04 universal car seat is also beneficial. The benefits of i-size car seat are: 

Easy Classification

Weight is not used to categorize children; instead, height is. Thanks to this categorization, parents can choose the ideal car seat more easily. The best protection and safety performance—as well as greater comfort—will be delivered by a car seat that is properly fitted for the child.

Easy Installation

ISOFIX for a more secure installation. The ISOFIX compatibility of all i-Size chairs facilitates and secures installation. A car seat’s ability to provide safety is significantly diminished by improper installation.

Improved Side Impact Protection

Considering that i-size car seats go through side-impact testing, it makes them safer. The improved child head containment provided by the i-Size testing results in higher side impact performance standards.

Standards/Regulation

Baby car seats must meet this European safety standard. Thus, baby car seats that satisfy the ECE R44/04 safety standards may be purchased and used in European nations and other areas that have registered to adhere to ECE standards. This new safety rule for infant car seats, “i-size,” was introduced in July 2013. 

What Are Ece R44/04 Safety Standards 

The laws and ECE R44/04 safety standards say that: 

• Up until they are 12 years old or 135 cm tall in the UK, kids should be secured properly with proper restraint.
• The minimum height requirement is 150 cm 
• Up to 15 months, the child must ride rearward facing.
• Until they weigh 23 kilograms, the child cannot use a booster cushion.

The law will presumably only permit the sale of R129 seats at some point in the future; however, parents will still be permitted to use their current ECE R44/04 seats for a while afterward.

The primary modifications brought forth by i-size are:

• Instead of using a child’s weight, i-size chairs use their height. Therefore, confirming that the child’s height is inside the seat’s range is crucial.
• Up to 15-month-old infants should use i-size rearward-facing restraints. Parents frequently transition their child into a forward-facing seat too early.
• A side impact test is part of i-size to ensure the seats implement safety from side-impact incidents.
• I-size seats that face forward will soon be available. I-size child car seats can be installed in vehicles with Isofix fitting points, but one should still confirm that the seat is compatible with the vehicle.

Ece R44/04 Vs. R129 (I-Size) 

They must undergo accident simulation testing, and quality management to ascertain whether the kid’s car seat is secure enough. At present, there are two rules:

•  ECE R44/04 
•  ECE R129 (i-size)

These safety criteria evaluate car seats.

The most current safety standard governing how child car seats are made is called “i-Size,” which is ECE R129. It first appeared in July 2013. The objective was to make baby car seats simpler to install, offer greater side impact defense, and keep kids in rearward-facing positions for longer.

The R129 i-Size car seats have become the new benchmark for car seat safety, requiring the sector to follow the strictest safety regulations. 

ECE R44/04	ECE R129 (i-Size)
Classified on the basis of a child’s weight	Classified on the basis of a child’s height
Grouped into (Group 0+, 1, 2, 3) categories	There are no groups
Suitable for ISOFIX or seat belt use	Only suitable for ISOFIX
Impact tests for the front and rear	Testing for side, front, and rear impacts
Upon reaching 9 kg, a child can face forward	The child must be rear-faced for at least 15 months
P dummy with four sensors used in crash tests	Thirty-two sensors are used on the Q dummy in crash tests.

I-Size Vs. Isofix 

The term “i-Size” refers to a new EU rule to ensure that all car seats fit securely in all vehicles using the ISOFIX anchor points. I-Size uses ISOFIX mounting points found on all current family automobiles to ensure that all car seats fit all vehicles. 

To be certain that an i-Size seat will fit the car, one must verify the manufacturer’s supplied list of permitted vehicles before making a purchase. The old ECE R44/04 prescribed seats will be gradually phased out to achieve the goal of standardizing i-Size, albeit a specific date has yet to be decided.

ISOFIX is a system for attaching the child’s car seat to the vehicle safely and securely. It is not a seat size. While utilizing an ISOFIX-compatible child seat is optional, the i-Size system will be required to ensure that the child is seated in the right seat for their height.

River Baby I-Size Car Seat 

River Baby was founded in 2003, and the company’s headquarters are in the Chinese province of Zhongshan. They have a 12,000-square-foot facility and two completely automated production lines with a daily output of five hundred units. 

To guarantee quality and effectiveness, its plant has gained certifications from organizations like International Organization for Standardization and BSCI. Its goal is to provide its customers with dependable and secure baby product options, such as car seats, prams, lightweight stroller, jogging strollers, etc. 

The River baby car seat complies with i-Size R129 requirements with an ISOFIX base. It features side impact protection for increased safety for the child. Adding a fordable canopy will protect the child from the sun, drizzle, etc. The River Baby Car Seat’s changeable headrest positions allow it to grow with the child as they do. It also features an adjustable ISOFIX connector for simple installation in the automobile.

River Baby aims to establish a reliable, production management and integrated supply chain for customized baby products. In addition to being a premier stroller and car seat manufacturer, River Baby also has a sizable client base and strong product demand abroad. To guarantee the highest possible level of product quality, this brand adheres to the most recent international market regulations and guidelines which is important in car safety.

Conclusion 

Summing up, it is important to know what are i-size car seats since they are connected to a child’s safety. A child must have a car seat, a necessity designed to keep the child secure while being transported. Therefore, the vehicle seat must adhere to the I-seat standards or ECE R44/04 safety standards. It is one of the very few things a parent would ever buy a child that has the potential to save their life. When interacting with a baby product supplier, focusing on durability and high-quality products at amazingly reasonable prices is important. So, if you are looking for a reliable manufacturer, contact us.