What travel system would you suggest?

Auntie2six · Jul 17, 2010

Okay so my friend's brother is expecting in November. The baby shower is in October and my friend is thinking of what to get for them. I suggested she get the car seat and stroller

and she agreed with me! They are having a boy so none of the cutsey girly travel systems will do, darn. The budget is about $210 tops. What would you suggest? I have no idea where to start and I agreed to help her look. Any help is appreciated. TIA!

msg221 · Jul 17, 2010

Unless they really like the stroller that the travel system comes with, I don't think it's worth it. When my godchildren were in their infant seats, we just used a stroller frame that the car seat snapped into. Later on, we got strollers that we really liked. It was just that the strollers that come with the travel system are usually very heavy and bulky.

My friend and his wife just had a new baby and hadn't decided on a stroller so for their gift I bought this new stroller frame that fit their Chicco Key Fit 30 perfectly: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3955967

It has a huge basket underneath and pushes so easily with the large wheels. He and his wife love it and said they are very happy I got it for them!

ketchupqueen · Jul 17, 2010

I have to agree. Most of the strollers that come with travel systems are not great. I'd choose the stroller, and the car seat, and if they work together great, and if not then either don't use it as a travel system (most strollers can after all be used from birth) or use a car seat frame.

Now, if they HAVE to have a matching travel system, I suppose I'd probably choose a Chicco. The Keyfit is of course wonderful, and the Cortina's not too bad.

Actually I haven't seen whether there are any new Combi travel systems to go with the Shuttle 33. If so I might consider one, some of their strollers are very nice. (But again, some aren't, and I'd be wary of a travel system that cheap.)

I think there is ONE Graco ts that I'd maybe consider okay but I think it's more than budget. That's going to be the rub on most of these, really, any of the DECENT travel system strollers are usually going to be more than budget.

I'd consider a car seat plus frame for sure, and any money they get at the shower could go toward getting a really nice stroller, either new or off Craigslist or something.

Patriot201 · Jul 17, 2010

I'm going to add my agreement here. Most "travel systems" are junk. Either the carseat is garbage, the stroller is crap, or they are both trash.

I agree with the above advice. Choose the carseat and choose the stroller(s). If they don't play well together, figure out something else.

Kids shouldn't spend much time sitting in their carseats outside of the car anyway. They need to be in different positions other than the one they are in in the infant carseat. I know it is convenient to snap the carseat into the stroller all the time, but it shouldn't be done all the time anyway.

hrice · Jul 17, 2010

Agreeing with pp about Travel Sytems being useless. I think it is hard to convince a first time parent that the matching stroller/car seat combo is not a must have though. I am currently working on a friend with the same thing. I hated my Graco Travel System stroller and my Britax Chaperone stroller. I absolutely love my Maclaren though and am eyeing a Quinny Zapp. Tell them to find a stroller they love...play with it..fold, unfold, lift, push, put it in and out of their car, etc. If the stroller they like doesn't fit the car seat get a stroller frame. After all you don't tote them around in the infant carrier that long anyway.

poohbear · Jul 17, 2010

I agree with PPs.
I'd take a look at the First Years Indigo. It is an inexpensive reversible stroller that takes a carseat and is compatible with basically every infant seat available.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Indigo-Stroller-Urban/dp/B002WB2GL6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1279414696&sr=8-2"]Amazon.com: The First Years Indigo Stroller: Baby[/ame]
(It is $120 in grey, slightly more expensive in red)
Basically for a few dollars more than a snap n go, you get a parent facing stroller... There are quite a few threads about it on the baby bargains boards.

If they still really want a system, then a Chicco Cortina or Graco Metrolite are the best ones...

babycat124 · Jul 17, 2010

Chicco Cortina

I love this this stroller. We have it for my nephew and just love it. It has great cup holders for the parents and the kids. Also the other thing I really like is that you can take the kids tray off and wash it.
I don't belive in using the car seat in the stroller, babys and kids are on there backs to much. (This is just my opion). The stroller you can fold up the one end of it so the seats endclosed for the baby. Also the seat is very deep so there is less of a chance of the baby falling out. Alot of the strollers I have seen like the combi stroller we had the seat wasn't really that deep.

Plus the car-seat I am always hearing such good reviews about it on hear, so you can't go wrong with that.

thepeach80 · Jul 17, 2010

Loving the Indigo, wow!

lorismurph · Jul 17, 2010

I love my Graco! Mine is the Graco Quattro Tour stroller and the Safeseat1 car seat (would be the Snugride 32 or Snugride 35 now). Love the seat & love the stroller. I did have a cheaper Graco system with one of my other kids that I didn't like near as much. It's worth the $$ for the Quattro Tour and SR32/35 seat.

Bolly · Jul 17, 2010

I went with the Britax Companion seat and stroller (unfortunately it is unity blue!) and absolutely loved it. If this one is a girl I am going with the Chaperone and B ready with the extra seat because I love love Britax, would never use anything else. I had the rock-a-tot and stroller when DS1 was born 13 yrs ago!

luckyclov · Jul 18, 2010

I have the Chicco Keyfit/Cortina travel system. I've been pleased with it (LOVE the carseat, best bucket I've ever owned by FAR), but honestly, I only ended up with the travel system because the pattern I liked only came in a travel system. I like the stroller just fine but it's not used too horribly much (I'm a baby wearer) and once we're out of the bucket, the whole system will probably be given away.

Soooo, that said - I'd probably go with a good carseat (like the Keyfit) and maybe a snap n go type of "stroller". I completely agree that in that price range, you're either getting a junky seat or junky stroller, as travel systems (usually) go.

mimieliza · Jul 18, 2010

I'd go with a Snugride 32/35 and a Graco Snugrider frame. Actually, that's what I have (well, SS1, but same thing). SR32/35 for $150 or so; frame for $60.

I am intrigued by the [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Alano-Travel-System-Strata/dp/B002TUTPM8/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1279481235&sr=1-13"]Graco Alano Flip It[/ame]. I love a reversible handlebar on the stroller. This one has a front adjust SR22, but the sunshades on both the stroller and SR look skimpy. $199.

Graco Mertolite is a nice, lightweight stroller (as far as travel systems go) Metrolite/front adjust SR22 combo at BRU is only $139!

A little out of their price range, but the Chicco KeyFit 30/Trevi is only $279 at Albee Baby.

Graco SR22 (front adjust) for $90 and Graco Cleo for $80:

xursusmaritimusx · Jul 18, 2010

just my :twocents: but i love my graco metrolite. it has a huge storage basket, its light weight, has a nice canopy, lays flat, easy to push, adjustable handle, folds up fairly compact for a full size stroller,

my DD is almost 4 and she still fits pretty comfortably in it. it has held up well for the past 4 years. i've traveled with it etc. i just love it lol

it will accept any graco infant seat.

capeKO71 · Jul 18, 2010

here's a few...

http://www.albeebaby.com/graco-stylus-travel-system-wyndham.html

This is the new travel system from safety 1st... looks nice.. easy to use seat... good for smaller tiny babies and larger bigger babies!

http://www.albeebaby.com/safety-1st-aerolite-travel-system-tr003ads.html

Here's a quatro tour travel system:
http://www.albeebaby.com/graco-quattro-tour-deluxe-travel-system-7b19tns-townsend.html

If they are more of a "compact" type travel system people - you could go with this:
http://www.albeebaby.com/maxi-cosi-perle-stroller-penguin.html
and this:
http://www.albeebaby.com/maxi-cosi-mico-infant-car-seat-in-magic-rose.html

LP Mom · Jul 18, 2010

W/out question, a First Years Indigo and Chicco Keyfit. Fab reversible stroller for a very reasonable price. Light, easy to steer, reversible seat and it is not a hunking travel system. The seat can be used as a bassinet for newborns too. It comes with the car seat adapter, parent console and a huuuuuge basket.

Patriot201 · Jul 19, 2010

A First Years Indigo and First Years Via (currently my favorite infant carseat) would be awesome.

ketchupqueen · Jul 19, 2010

mimieliza said:
I am intrigued by the Graco Alano Flip It. I love a reversible handlebar on the stroller. This one has a front adjust SR22, but the sunshades on both the stroller and SR look skimpy. $199.

Run from the Flip It. It has fixed wheels in front, so when you reverse it? Really hard to steer and push. I tried it at BRU and it was really not fun to push.

What travel system would you suggest?

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