Ickle Bubba include the Galaxy Car Seat and ISOfix base with their popular Stomp V3 travel system, but did you know that you can also purchase it alone?
Quick Summary: Offering products that are good value for money are what Ickle Bubba are all about, and they don't disappoint with the Galaxy Car Seat. At around the same price as a different brand infant carrier, you are also getting the ISOfix base included too. We would just like to see a better way for the hood to attach more securely to the seat. Some additional padding in the seat base when you remove the infant insert would also be great. We found the base simple to fit, and as with ISOfix, there's not really much space for error. The loud clicks and green indicators letting you know that everything is fitted correctly. The seat sits on the base and allows you to remove the car quickly, which is perfect for shopping trips! If you are on more of a budget, but would like an infant carrier with an ISOfix base to offer safety and ease of use, we definitely recommend checking out the Ickle Bubba Galaxy Car Seat.
Whats good?
- ISOfix base included
- Thick and soft newborn insert
- Easy fitting
- Lightweight
Whats not so good?
- Could do with more padding in main seat
- Hood needs a better way to attach
Here at Pushchair Expert, we know that the decision on baby’s first car seat can be difficult, especially when there’s so many on the market. We’re taking a look at the Ickle Bubba Galaxy Car Seat to get the details.
Installation
The Galaxy can be installed with either the car’s own seat belt or on the ISOfix base. To fit with the seat belt, the lap belt fastens over the top, and there are blue arrows to show where the belt hooks are. The shoulder part of the belt then needs to be passed around the back of the car seat and slotted under the blue belt hook. The seat belt just needs tightening to remove any slack and it’s ready to go. Different from other infant carriers, the handle of the seat should be pushed forward to touch the back seat of the car.
To use the ISOfix base, the first job is to pull out the support leg and lay the base flat on the vehicle’s seat. The leg can be adjusted to the correct height by pressing the button at the front of the leg, and there’s an indicator to let you know when it’s right. There are two buttons at either side of the support leg which extend the ISOfix arms. Once these are fully extended, you can push them on to the ISOfix anchors until you hear the click. To let you know they are connected, the indicators will turn green. You’re ready to sit the car seat on the base, and there’ll be another click. When you want to take the seat out of the car, you just need to press down the red release lever at the front of the base and pull up with the car seat handle.
Everything is quick and simple to install in the car, with the green indicators reassuring you that everything is done correctly.
Safety
The Galaxy car seat is approved to the current Child Safety Standard ECE R 44/04 and has features to make sure that your child is kept safe.
A thick double layered headrest offers better side impact protection, with a plush newborn insert helping to keep them in a flatter position. The three-point harness is easy to fasten, keeping them secure.
Day-to-Day use
To keep your baby comfortable and in a good position, the Galaxy comes with a two-part newborn insert. The headrest helps to keep a tiny baby’s head still and can be slid off the straps when baby grows. The body part of the insert is padded with really soft foam that is also around the sides of the seat to protect the hips. Again, this is easy to remove once baby needs a bit more room. It would be nice to see just a bit more cushioning in the seat itself, so that the same level of comfort is provided once you remove the insert.
With five positions, the padded headrest moves up and down with the harness. This is adjusted by pulling out the lever at the back of the seat. It’s really quick and easy to do and so much better than having to rethread, which can be confusing and time consuming. As the headrest is so thick and padded, it will offer great protection to a small child’s head, and it’s nice to see an infant carrier with this double layer.
A three-point harness is fitted to keep your child in place, with shoulder pads to prevent any rubbing. There’s also padding around the buckle. To lengthen the shoulder straps, there’s a small slit in the fabric with an arrow to guide you to it. Reaching a finger in, you can press the button and pull the straps out. Tightening everything back up again is just a case of pulling the black strap.
At 3.4kg, the Galaxy is one of the lightest infant carriers that we have come across. As you can use the car seat on your pushchair chassis, it is made to be moved to and from the car regularly, so this makes a big difference. Even with a child in situ, you can tell the difference. The curved handle makes transporting the seat comfier, and has a ridged foam covering at the top.
To keep out the sun or wind, the Galaxy comes with a canopy that holds around the back of the seat and handle with strong elastic and stretchy loops. Made from a stretchy, Lycra material, it should keep its shape well. Though it fits well over the handlebar, we’d like to see a more secure way for hood to attach to the seat, as when you adjust the handle it can come away.
Depending on your pushchair, you can use the Galaxy on your chassis with the addition of adaptors suitable for the Maxi-Cosi car seat. It is also included as part of the Ickle Bubba Stomp V3 Travel System. You can even create a lightweight travel system, as the Galaxy fits the new Ickle Bubba Aurora stroller as well with Ickle Bubba’s universal car seat adaptors.
Perfect for colder weather, Ickle Bubba provide an apron that slides over the bottom of the car seat to keep out the elements. The bottom of the apron is elasticated to give a better fit and keep it in place. You will only be able to use the apron for the first few months, as it doesn’t allow much room once their legs grow past the end of the seat.
Conclusion
Offering products that are good value for money are what Ickle Bubba are all about, and they don’t disappoint with the Galaxy Car Seat. At around the same price as a different brand infant carrier, you are also getting the ISOfix base included too.
We would just like to see a better way for the hood to attach more securely to the seat. Some additional padding in the seat base when you remove the infant insert would also be great.
We found the base simple to fit, and as with ISOfix, there’s not really much space for error. The loud clicks and green indicators letting you know that everything is fitted correctly. The seat sits on the base and allows you to remove the car quickly, which is perfect for shopping trips!
If you are on more of a budget, but would like an infant carrier with an ISOfix base to offer safety and ease of use, we definitely recommend checking out the Ickle Bubba Galaxy Car Seat.
