Graco Safeseat vs. Snugride???

dalmatian21

New member
DH & I are in search of a carseat/stroller (preferring a travel system, at least at this point) for our first baby, due in November. I'm debating between http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=7B00IMP3&CategoryID=12 (quattro travel system w/ SS) and http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=7255GPK3&CategoryID=12 (passage travel system with SR). Not sure what kind of car it'll be getting installed in, we are needing to replace my car within the next couple months. I'm hoping for a Subaru Forrester, but that's still up in the air.

Advice for a first-timer please?

Thanks so much!

Susan
 
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Lys

Senior Community Member
Having just recently installed both seats, I prefer the new base on the Safeseat. It's easier to adjust and I love the new lockoff at the belt path.
 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
From what I can tell, the particular SnugRides you are looking at do not have a front harness adjuster. If you can afford the SafeSeat or a more expensive SnugRide (with the front adjuster), do that. The rear harness adjusters are a pain in the neck.

Congrats on the baby!
 
Either seat is great...as long as you get a safeseat with a front-adjust harness. For us the Safeseat wouldn't be necessary b/c my kids would outgrow it by height way before weight, but I think it's a great seat. Some places like Babies R Us and Baby Depot will let you try the seat in your car before you buy it, so if you can stand to wait until you get the new vehicle (if that's before the new baby!) then maybe it'd be best to try them out and see which one you like in your new car.
 

cpsaddict

New member
I like both, but the Snugride with front harness adjust is MUCH better. My friend has the rear adjust Snugride with the passage stroller. Loves the stroller, loathes the car seat. I prefer the Safeseat because the base is so nice with that lockoff. I would definately wait to try it in your car because Suburus tend to have some installation issues.

The Safeseat also has a nicer cover and non twisting straps and it lasts longer. Better deal in my opinion. :thumbsup:
 

chelle80

New member
I throw my vote for the safe seat, i love it!!! You will get so much more use out of it than a snugride. And the base is a dream to install. Here are some pics to compare with the snugride. These were taken on the same day with Colton dressed the same. He was 9m, 16.5lbs, and 28" long.

The snugride is the blue with white animals and the safeseat is the black and blue one.

SD530453.jpg
SD530441.jpg


SD530440.jpg
SD530442.jpg


And here is the lockoff on the SS1base.
SD530451.jpg
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
The Safe Seat 1 is definately the superior seat. Its much easier to install than the SR and my daughter was 2 before she weighed 30 lbs.
 

mominabigtruck

New member
Just a thought on the strollers, if you do go with the quattro tour travel system make sure its going to fit in your trunk. It is a very large stroller and it does not fold small. I know new moms always want the travel system, I know I did, but I've found as time goes on that it's just easier to buy a really nice seat and a really nice stroller you like regardless of what goes together. The strollers that come with the travel systems usually are not as nice as what you can buy by theirselves.
 

arly1983

New member
I love my Safeseat and I have stoped using it as a carrier for the most part...I REALLY love how easy it is to install the base...

As for the stroller, I have had the graco quattro, literider, and the double (can't remember the name) and got rid of all three. The only GRACO stroller I can recommend is the Mosaic.
Some people don't like the handles, but man it folds small and is light for only $90. It doesn't come in a travel system. While I was pregnant with Camille, I bought the Mosaic and the Safeseat separatly.

http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=6060GIS3&CategoryID=2

http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=8A06JEN&CategoryID=1
 

jessclear

New member
I love my Quatro Tour stroller. It is big to use all the time, but great for shopping. I used a frame stroller to drop my snug ride into while dd was small enough to be kept in the seat during outings. Now that she is big enough for the stroller, I use it all the time. It does fit in my trunk, with some room on either side for groceries, etc. My dd is small and still fits in her snug ride at one year, but if big babies run in your family, the safe seat may be better. So I guess what I'm saying is, for the beginning, a frame is fine to drop a seat into. Then, buy whatever stroller you like best when dc is big enough for a stroller without a seat. It will leave you more trunk space and you don't have to worry about movin a seat and a big stroller before it's necessary.
 

VLsMom

New member
Kathleen, you said the Safe seat has a front harness adjuster...and Jacky, you said the Snugride had the front harness adjuster.

So which has it and which doesn't? I'm confused.

Thanks :)
 

mominabigtruck

New member
I didn't mean for it to seem like I don't like the quattro tour, I had one and loved it and currently have the quattro tour duo and LOVE it. I just mean that you need to make sure it works for you. I've read alot of the reviews and some people say that its just too much for them to lift or that it doesn't fit in their vehicle. Personally, from graco I would only buy their quattro tour because I think their other strollers are too cheap feeling, some people love them though and think they're great. You need to figure out how you're most going to be using your stroller before you buy so that will help you know what you need.
 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member
I used a SnugRide with all three of my kids. All three of them outgrew it by weight by a few months old (4 months old on average).

I just bought my 5-month old a SafeSeat 1 and I have to say that I LOVE it !!
 

arly1983

New member
I didn't mean for it to seem like I don't like the quattro tour, I had one and loved it and currently have the quattro tour duo and LOVE it. I just mean that you need to make sure it works for you. I've read alot of the reviews and some people say that its just too much for them to lift or that it doesn't fit in their vehicle. Personally, from graco I would only buy their quattro tour because I think their other strollers are too cheap feeling, some people love them though and think they're great. You need to figure out how you're most going to be using your stroller before you buy so that will help you know what you need.

Your right, the quotro was great when we went to the mall. BUT everytime I had to left it up into my Explorer, I cursed it. ;)
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Now that I'm not nak, I'll respond a bit better. ;)

We started with a 29" limit snugride with front adjuster for ds and were happy with it, except he outgrew it much quicker than we'd hoped for and because we wanted the use of the carrier through the cold months and weren't quite ready to have him in a convertible, we bought a safeseat 1.

I honestly wish I'd just bought it from the beginning. It was new on the market when we were shopping for ds's seat, and I didn't want to spend an extra $60 when I knew he'd need a convertible to rf in anyways, so that's how we ended up with the snugride. Hind sight is 20/20. Could've saved myself some money & I think the Safe Seat would've fit him even better from birth. (He was a preemie & the snugride fit when we brought him home, but I much prefer the head support on the safe seat & think it would've been a better fit.)

I tried ds in a snugride at wal-mart last week and his head is at the top of the seat shell. He still has 2 to 3" left of torso growth room before outgrowing the SS1. (3 to 4" of shell above his head.) He's 7 mos old & VERY long torsoed.

eta: I'm in CAnada, so there is a bigger price discrepancy between seats to begin with.. also the snugride I could get on the sale, at the time the SS1 hadn't been on sale and TRU was the only place I'd seen carrying it. It's available cheaper and at more stores now. I ended up paying only $10 more for his SS1 than what I initially paid for his snugride, so if the dollar value is comparable, go with the safe seat all the way. The straps are nicer too, and it's really so easy to install. We use ours like a convertible now too unless he falls asleep in it.
 
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dalmatian21

New member
Thanks so much! You guys have given me lots to think about -- in a good way! DH still needs to see the SS, but after showing him this thread I think he might be leaning towards it -- depending on the car we end up getting. Not sure if there's any stores around here that I can try out the seats before purchasing -- I know there's no BRU near us (closest is about 60 miles or so away, in a bigger town, and we don't know our way around there at all! :D)

Also now have to debate (and figure price difference) between the different strollers -- the Mosaic, Quattro, and whatever else. I do know that I'll use the stroller/carrier combo as long as possible to get into daycare (where I work) because otherwise I'll have way to much to carry in and out everyday.

Who knew having a baby would cause soooo much debate!

Susan
 

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