Meet the BeSafe Stretch 2: The Car Seat That Goes the Distance

If you've ever found yourself Googling "how long can my child stay rear-facing?" at 11pm, welcome. You're in the right place. Choosing a car seat is one of the biggest decisions you'll make as a parent, and it's rarely as simple as picking the one with the best reviews and clicking add to basket. It needs to fit your car, suit your child, and actually make sense for your life. The BeSafe Stretch 2 has just arrived, and honestly, it's the kind of seat that makes that decision a lot easier.

What Is the BeSafe Stretch 2?

The Stretch 2 is the upgraded version of the original BeSafe Stretch, already one of the most trusted extended rear-facing seats on the market. The team at BeSafe, Norway’s safety experts behind many of our favourite car seats at Parent Studio, have taken an exceptional design and improved it even further.

The big picture: the Stretch 2 keeps your child rear-facing from around 6 months all the way to approximately 7 years old, up to 125 cm and 36 kg. That's one seat covering some of the most important years of your child's life, without the "what do we buy next?" panic every couple of years.

Why Rear-Facing for So Long?

It's the question we get asked all the time, and it's a fair one. Rear-facing is up to five times safer than forward-facing for young children. When your child faces the back of the car, the seat cradles and moves with them during a collision, spreading the forces of impact across the whole body rather than putting all of that pressure on the neck and spine. The longer your child travels rear-facing, the safer they are on every single journey.

The problem is that most children get turned forward-facing far earlier than they need to, usually because of leg room or a weight limit that's been reached. The Stretch 2 was built specifically to solve both of those things.

What's New in the Stretch 2?

The headline upgrade is the Ergo Cushion, a tailored comfort system designed around how children's spines actually develop. Insertable cushion pads slot into the backrest and provide targeted lumbar support that adjusts as your child grows. This is especially important between the ages of 3 and 7 years old, when the natural lumbar curve in the lower back starts to form. The Ergo Cushion actively supports that curve on longer journeys, rather than working against it.

The result is that the Stretch 2 is officially AGR certified, recognised by the German Campaign for Healthier Backs as genuinely back-friendly for children. That's not a badge BeSafe put on themselves; it's an independent accreditation, and it means something.

Seriously Impressive Safety

Comfort aside, the safety credentials of the Stretch 2 are about as thorough as it gets. It's Swedish Plus Test approved, widely considered the toughest crash test in the world for child car seats. BeSafe went even further by testing with larger dummies and additional weight beyond the standard requirements, because they wanted certainty that the seat would protect bigger, heavier children in real-world conditions.

The Stretch 2 also features BeSafe's unique external Exo frame. Most car seats rely on the shell alone to absorb energy in a collision. The Stretch 2's frame takes on those forces directly, while the rigid seat spine keeps your child stable. Add in the Dynamic Force Absorber headrest and the included SIP+ side impact attachment (which provides up to 20% additional protection in a side collision) and you've got a seat that really has thought of everything.

The Leg Room Problem, Solved

One of the most common reasons parents turn their children forward-facing earlier than recommended is leg room. The child looks squashed, the knees are up against the back seat, and it just doesn't seem right. The Stretch 2 offers a market-leading 26 cm of extendable leg space, adjusted simply via the front bar. That's enough room for children to sit comfortably well into their school years, and kids who've always travelled rear-facing tend to find it completely natural. It's usually the adults who are more bothered by it!

No ISOFIX? That's Actually a Good Thing

The Stretch 2 installs using your car's own 3-point seatbelt rather than ISOFIX, and BeSafe made that choice intentionally. Belt installation means you can place the seat anywhere in the car: rear seats, the middle bench, or the front passenger seat if needed (with the airbag deactivated, as per your vehicle manual). No dependency on where ISOFIX points happen to be, and no compatibility headaches if you're switching between cars.

Built to Last

BeSafe designed the Stretch 2 with a lifespan of around 15 years. When you factor that in, the cost per year starts to look very different from the initial price tag. This is the kind of seat you invest in once and don't think about again for a very long time, which, when you're juggling everything else that comes with having a young child, is worth a lot.

Is the BeSafe Stretch 2 Right for Your Family?

It's a brilliant choice if you want to keep your child rear-facing for as long as safely possible, if you're after a seat that genuinely takes you from baby all the way through to school age, or if your car doesn't have ISOFIX in every position. It's a larger seat, so it's always worth checking compatibility with your vehicle first, and as ever, we'd strongly recommend coming in for a fitting so you can see it in person and make sure everything works for your specific car.

The BeSafe Stretch 2 is available now at Parent Studio, online or available to view at our Kensington showroom. Our team are always happy to talk through your options. Car seat safety is something we genuinely care about, and there's no question too small.

Because when it comes to your child's safety on the road, you deserve more than just a good guess.

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