The Cloud T i-size car seat is a quality German engineered product that allows parents to get their babies and toddlers in and out of the car with ease. The rotating base offers ultimate flexibility and its green light safety check bar ensures the car seat is fitted correctly and ready to go every time. The peace of mind this product gives, knowing that your little one is going to be safe and sound when travelling is second to none.
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Pros
- ISO fix fitting or standard seat belt
- Base allows 180-degree rotation
- Green light safety check bars
- Great online videos and instructions provided
- Up to 24 months – can grow with baby to toddler
Cons
- Handle in the way & pushes front passenger seat further forward than needed when in car
- User error no doubt; I cannot turn the base beeper noise off when not in car
| Suitable from: | Birth 45-87cm |
| ISOFIX compatible: | Yes |
| Weight: | 4.8kg |
| Safety: | R129 compliant |
| Cleaning: | Machine washable covers |
- Ergonomic design
- Side-impact protection
- Reclining chair
- 180-degree rotation
Testing the CYBEX Cloud T i-size
Soon to be first time dad Jordan tried out the CYBEX Cloud T i-size for himself, and this is how he got on.
As a first-time parent-to-be the world of car seats was new to me and the vast options were a little bewildering. However, the Cybex Cloud T i-size really differentiates itself with some great features, particularly those seen on the base.
The base is effectively the setup part that secures onto the ISOFIX points and remains in the car once the car seat is taken out. This is rather sophisticated on the Cloud T model as it rotates so that it faces the open car door, allowing the car seat to clip into the base whilst you face it straight on. This is great as it saves parents some of the effort and back pain associated with awkwardly leaning into the car to align and clip on the car seat. Furthermore, the rotation mechanism can rotate 180 degrees so once the seat is clipped in and secure it can be rotated back into the safe travel position whereby the child faces the rear of the car.
The base also has a rather ingenious 3 check safety bar which ensures anyone can fit the car seat safely. The base starts with three red checks which will only turn green once everything is fitted correctly. The first bar will only turn green once the sliding ISOFIX connectors are clipped into to the ISOFIX points. The ISOFIX connectors are easy to use and move on a sliding bar with little effort and are released at the push of a button. Once connected the base can be pushed back so that it is snuggly fitting into the shape of the normal car seat.
The second bar will only turn green once the base’s leg is firmly on the floor of the car, if not firmly on the floor it will also beep to notify you that solid connection to the floor has not been made. It really is a useful feature and avoids the risk of human error and instils confidence when installing it into the car. The only downside to the beeping noise is that when the base is taken out of the car it is not obvious how to stop the noise as it realises it is no longer connected to the car floor. I have not yet been able to work out how to turn this noise off but thankfully the base will not need to be removed from our car anytime soon!
The last bar will then only turn green once the car seat has been correctly attached to the base and once it is rotated into a safe travel position. The 3-check system is fool proof and alleviates any worry before setting off as you know it is 100% secure and fitted as required. Failing this CYBEX do provide online videos that will illustrate all the above steps which are useful.
The car seat itself is a good product in its own right as you would expect from its upper mid-price point. The materials used feel strong and well built, the seat cushioning is comfortable, the seatbelt clip is sturdy and easy to use. The seat grows with the child as the newborn insert cushioning can be removed, and the seatbelt straps can be adjusted using a clip on the front of the seat which is easily accessible with a child in situ. It's also reassuring that the car seat can be used in a lie-flat position, making it safer and more comfortable for baby to be in for longer periods of time.
The car seat releases from the base by pressing two buttons either side of the seat and the handle allows you to transition baby and car seat into the house without too much trouble. One improvement I would make is for the handle to be fitted so it is a bit more flush to the car seat, when it is not required it can be moved backwards so that it is out of the way, but it sits approximately 2-3inchs higher than the rest of the car seat.
Final verdict
The Cybex Cloud T i-size is brilliant, it is easy to install and the rotating base coupled with excellent safety features make this car seat one of the best on the market. It is a little more expensive than your average car seat and probably a little heavier too, but for that you get better build quality and a product that is very safe and easy to use. As mentioned I would prefer the handle to fit more flush to the car seat itself when not in use but otherwise I would not change a thing. I would highly recommend this product to other expecting parents.