Our method
Welcome to our big footmuff test 2021. Here we present all the footmuffs we have tested in detail. We have compiled detailed background information and added a summary of customer reviews on the web.
We would like to make your purchase decision easier and help you find the best footmuff for you.
You will also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. If available, we also offer interesting test videos. Furthermore, you will also find some important information on this page that you should be aware of if you want to buy a footmuff.
Contents
- 1 Weekly newsletter with the best personal finance tips
- 2 Summary
- 3 The Best Footmuff in the United Kingdom: Our Choices
- 4 Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying a footmuff
- 5 Decision: What types of footmuffs are there and which is the right one for you?
- 5.1 What distinguishes a winter footmuff and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
- 5.2 What distinguishes a summer footmuff and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
- 5.3 What distinguishes a universal footmuff and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
- 5.4 Can you use a footmuff for a baby car seat, pram, buggy and car seat?
- 6 Buying criteria: Use these factors to compare and evaluate footmuffs
- 7 Facts worth knowing about footmuffs
Summary
- There is much more room in a footmuff than just a child's feet; in fact, a child should find room up to the shoulders in a footmuff
- In addition to different sizes, a distinction is also made between winter, summer and universal footmuffs
- A footmuff is the ideal solution for the pram when blankets and snowsuits are not enough in winter
The Best Footmuff in the United Kingdom: Our Choices
Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying a footmuff
What is a footmuff?
This "sack" made of fabric has the advantage that, unlike blankets, the child cannot easily get rid of it by trampling on it, which is why there is never any danger of the child getting cold.
Furthermore, footmuffs that are well attached to the pram and secured by straps provide additional protection for your child so that he or she does not run the risk of accidentally slipping or falling out of it.
The distinction between the models of footmuffs is largely dependent on the seasons. Contrary to what one might think at first glance, there are not only footmuffs for winter, but also footmuffs for summer. Furthermore, the so-called universal footmuff (also multi-functional footmuff) should be mentioned at this point.
This model, which consists of several pieces, can be taken apart depending on the season and thus tries to achieve optimal protection in both cold and warm summer temperatures.
Did you know that the best dress code for your baby in cold temperatures is the twilight look?
If you put several layers on your baby, it will be warmer than a thick ski jacket. In general, you can remember that you should always put one more layer on your baby than you are wearing yourself. It is also important not to forget the mittens! Even if your baby's arms are in the footmuff.
How much does a footmuff cost?
The price of a new footmuff usually starts at 20 euros and can go up to 230 euros. Depending on the brand and material and the parents' personal demands on the bag, the price can increase even more.
Of course, the aim is not to buy either the cheapest or the most expensive footmuff at the same time. Because one does not necessarily exclude the other, and if you think you have made a good purchase with the most expensive one, you may also be mistaken.
After all, the goal should be to buy the best footmuff. Both in terms of quality and the comfort and handling of the footmuff.
The price of a footmuff varies enormously depending on the manufacturer and material.
In the following table you can see the prices of different types of footmuffs.
| Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Summer footmuff | 10 € to 90 € |
| Winter footmuff | 5 € to 150 € |
| Universal footmuff | 7 € to 213 € |
What should I look out for when buying a footmuff?
It thus offers a sensible entry aid and can significantly influence your purchase decision.
But not only customer reviews and other ratings, also official product tests such as those of Stiftung Warentest can help you in your decision-making process. Nevertheless, it is important to pay attention to a few points when buying a footmuff on site and there are test criteria that need to be met.
What alternatives are there to footmuffs?
- Baby sleeping bag
Nowhere does it say that a baby sleeping bag has to be limited to the cot, as it was designed to give babies enough warmth while they sleep.
- Baby blanket
Sometimes a simple baby blanket, which is usually already available at home anyway, can also be used. It is not a bad alternative to the footmuff for warmer temperatures, but in winter it might be a bit too chilly.
- Thick clothing
Why be complicated when it's easy? Good winter clothing keeps your baby just as warm as a footmuff does. By the way, the old rule of the onion-skin principle applies here, so that you are sometimes more or less appropriately warm or thinly clothed, depending on the temperature.
- Wraparound blanket
A padded cover is a wonderful counterpart to a winter footmuff. It is also often easier to handle than a footmuff.
Do you need a footmuff in summer?
Unfortunately, the youngest children are not yet able to make themselves understood and parents cannot see inside them, which sometimes makes it difficult to interpret whether they are cold or warm.
However, it should be noted that babies and toddlers do not get much movement in the pram, which is why the production of their own body heat is not as high and they can therefore cool down more quickly and therefore also freeze more quickly.
Decision: What types of footmuffs are there and which is the right one for you?
The primary goal of any footmuff, no matter what season it is designed for, is always to keep your child warm and safe.
Whether in the baby car seat, pram or buggy, a footmuff always ensures optimal heat regulation.
This is a particularly big advantage for babies, as especially the smallest ones have not yet learned to influence their own body heat and therefore they can often freeze faster than the bigger ones.
What distinguishes a winter footmuff and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
As soon as the temperatures start to drop, you should go for a footmuff that offers the best insulation thanks to its thick and warming inner material (footmuffs with a lambskin lining are the best choice here) and ensures that the child always stays warm.
While the water-repellent outer material ensures that the child always stays dry, no matter whether it is raining or snowing.
When it comes to the fit, make sure that it is suitable for both prams and child seats. This keeps the child protected and warm at all times.
But winter footmuffs offer more than just protection from the cold. Since darkness falls earlier in the cold season, some winter footmuffs are equipped with reflectors that ensure greater visibility and safety in the dark.
What distinguishes a summer footmuff and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
The summer footmuff is suitable for days that are already warmer.
To prevent sweating, the summer footmuff is made of a thinner material, which ensures that excess heat is released on the one hand and that sufficient heat is retained in the footmuff on the other.
This ensures that the footmuff is always at exactly the right temperature and provides optimum protection.
What distinguishes a universal footmuff and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
As the name suggests, a universal footmuff attempts a balancing act between a winter and a summer footmuff.
Generally, this also works quite well, as these are thermo-functional materials, such as fleece, which can both retain heat inside and release it to the outside, thus ensuring improved air circulation.
In addition, the inner lining can be removed in some cases and the front (the foot section) can also be detached.
Can you use a footmuff for a baby car seat, pram, buggy and car seat?
Can you use a footmuff for everything? In short, not really, because it usually has to do with the size of the child. Just as there are prams for different sizes of child, there are also footmuffs.
Shorter footmuffs (up to 85 cm long) are suitable for baby car seats and prams, while larger children who have already taken a seat in a buggy also need a longer footmuff (approx. 100 cm).
Buying criteria: Use these factors to compare and evaluate footmuffs
In the following, we would like to present some buying criteria that should be considered when buying a footmuff, so that everyone can enjoy the footmuff for a long time, no matter what the season.
- Material
- Size
- Suitable for harness system
- Closure
- Design
With the help of this checklist, you can compare and evaluate footmuffs to find out which one is right for you.
Material
The demands on the material of a footmuff are high. On the one hand, it should always offer the best comfort for your child by being cuddly and soft, on the other hand, it must also be able to withstand a lot and be particularly hard-wearing.
Depending on the season, the footmuffs are made of different materials. For winter footmuffs, lambskin or fleece material is often used, while summer footmuffs are often made of cotton and more breathable material.
However, an easy-to-clean or dirt-repellent outer material is always in season, regardless of which footmuff is used. After all, a footmuff also protects children's feet, which sometimes like to be stuck in not-so-clean children's shoes.
Size
Footmuffs are by no means uniform in size. Unlike pushchairs with age-typical recommendations, the height of the child is the decisive factor for footmuffs. Consequently, there are also footmuffs for small and footmuffs for large children.
The size of the footmuff is directly proportional to the pram: for baby car seats (such as Maxi Cosi), a footmuff is not as long as a footmuff for a buggy, which should generally only be used by already older children.
The general rule is that a footmuff up to 85 cm is suitable for prams and longer footmuffs (approx. 100 cm) are primarily intended for buggies.
Of course, many manufacturers of prams attach great importance to parents finding everything they need for their child. So it should be a piece of cake to find the right and, above all, suitable footmuff from the manufacturer of your pram.
The following table shows the suitable size of a footmuff depending on the pram:
| Type of pram | Optimal length of footmuff |
|---|---|
| Pram | Footmuff up to 85 cm |
| Buggy | Footmuff approx. 100 cm |
Belt system suitable
Nowadays, it is common for pushchairs to be fitted with a seatbelt. The two main variants are a three-point and a five-point belt system.
But a belt system does not only play an important role in prams and pushchairs, they are also used in car seats.
For this reason, footmuffs must have their own belt slots. These belt slots on the footmuff show which model the footmuff is suitable for in order to adequately secure the child.
Not all harness systems are the same: there are three-point and five-point harnesses, which is why special attention should be paid to whether the footmuff also fits the respective harness system.
It is strongly recommended to check the car seat or infant carrier before buying a footmuff to make sure you buy the right one.
Fastener
Parents will already have made the experience that it can sometimes be quite a challenge to put something on a child.
Especially with active children, this requires a lot of dexterity, especially once they have learned to crawl and at the latest when they have learned to stand on their own feet. That's why you have to be quick when it comes to getting them into a footmuff.
Did you know that fresh air is also very healthy for your baby in winter?
Fresh air strengthens your baby's immune system and promotes vitamin D production.
Closures in the form of zips that are easy to use are a great help in this task. These zips should open a footmuff completely and not just halfway.
It is important to make sure that the zip does not open by itself, otherwise unpleasant cold can set in during the winter.
Design
Footmuffs come in all kinds of colours and patterns today, so it is primarily up to the parents' taste which look they choose.
From classic colours such as blue for boys and pink for girls to neutral colours if the child's planning is not yet complete and it is possibly to be used for the next sibling.
Even though everyone should like the design so that they can enjoy it for as long as possible, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that the function should be the main focus and not the other way round.
In summary, here are the advantages and disadvantages of a child's footmuff:
Facts worth knowing about footmuffs
Origin and history of the footmuff
In the past, blankets were used to wrap babies in when they went outside in the cold air. Wool blankets were particularly suitable for keeping babies warm.
The footmuff as we know it today only came into being with the further development and the emergence of different models of prams such as buggies.
The original idea was to protect children sensibly from cold weather and therefore it was necessary to use materials that were not only warm and soft, but would also keep up with the many movements without slipping too much.
In the course of time, the system of the footmuff would become more and more sophisticated with the addition of zip systems, flaps for fixing it to the car and slats and nubs to prevent it from slipping.
How do I care for a footmuff?
Parents know: everything that can get dirty also gets dirty. Even the best dirt-repellent outer fabric is of no use. With the right care, your footmuff is guaranteed to last for a long time.
Many footmuffs are made of a material that can be washed in the washing machine at 30-40 degrees.
Furthermore, you should use particularly mild and pollutant-free ingredients in your cleaning products, which are easy to rinse out. These are particularly safe for the child.
Last but not least, you should always make sure that no soap residue or other cleaning agents remain on the material to prevent irritation.
A final tip: let the footmuff air dry well after washing to prevent mould.
Picture source: 123rf.com / 62520453
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