Infasecure Achieve Review

The Achieve is my primary seat for my youngest child, which I've been using for him since becoming a CRT.

Limits:

-Rear facing: 39cm seated height (bum to shoulder, avg 4-5 year old)

-Forward facing: 51cm seated height (bum to shoulder, avg8-10 year old)

What I like about it:

-Peace of mind that it’s a solid, safe seat and is crash tested to the more rigorous Aus/NZ standard.

-It has an adjustable harness and headrest that easily move together as your child grows.

-Extended rear facing and extended harness with easy to read limits – I have giant kids and I know that they’ll get as long as possible both rear facing and in a harness. I also don’t have to keep track of their height/weight as I can see on the labels when they will outgrow each stage.

-Simple installation – it is straightforward and easy to replicate moving between vehicles once you’ve got the hang of it.

What I don’t like about it:

-The crotch buckle adjustment is fiddly – luckily it’s a once a year type adjustment and it’s a good reminder to pull it apart and clean it!

-The names of the different models make it confusing for shopping and comparisons – the Atlas, Optima, Achieve, Emperor and Grandeur are essentially the same seat with different fabrics but the Optima and Grandeur don’t have Secur-air protection in the headrest.

Best For:

-When you want a solid allrounder car seat that will fit in most vehicles and see your child through safely until they’re ready for a seatbelt booster.--If you are planning to have other car seats or passengers in the vehicle.

FAQ’s:

-Do I have to use the rear facing tether?: Yes. The rear facing tether significantly reduces the forward movement of a child (and their restraint) in the event of an accident. It drops out of the way to lift your child in and out. If it won’t loosen, you likely need a tether extender to give you a bit more length.

-Does it have seatbelt booster mode?: No. Most seats that go “all the way through” will still require your child to use a seatbelt booster afterwards anyway because of their height requirements.

-Does it have ISOFIX?: It doesn’t but the seatbelt installation is easy enough that you don’t need it. ISOFIX and seatbelt installations are equally safe.

-Does it take up much depth for the vehicle passenger seat in front of it?: It takes up about the same amount of room as a capsule and base. It’s a mid range depth seat.

-Can I fit it in a 3 across setup? Yes, it’s 44cm wide and a fantastic option for three across. The extended harness height also means that you can keep kids in a harness for longer so that they’re not trying to reach into a tiny gap between seats to do up a seatbelt.

-Can I machine wash the covers?: Yes, and you can take them off without uninstalling the seat.