What do you think of Sit'n'Stroll?

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi,

I'm considering a Sit'n'Stroll convertible as a second car seat for travel (air and land). I was wondering if you all recommend it? And if not, any other suggestions of good convertibles that are good to take on a plane, and easy and safe to install in cabs, rentals, grandparents' cars etc?

A bit of background: My baby is 10.5 months, ca. 20 lbs, ca. 29 in. She is still in her Chicco KeyFit 30 and has a little more than one inch over her head, so I think she'll outgrow it soon. I already bought a Marathon 70 to be our primary convertible, but we haven't installed it yet. I heard that the Marathon can be a little too wide for air travel. Our families live abroad so we plan to do a lot of air travel, and then local driving around at our destinations.

Thanks in advance!
 
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LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Hi there, and welcome!

It's pretty rare that I will outright yell, "Don't do it!!!" but I need to here. :) The Sit n Stroll is notoriously difficult to install correctly, plus it's a very small seat that won't last long, especially for the price. It's a great concept, but unfortunately not very practical.

The Marathon will fit on a plane, though you'll need to raise the arm rests. It's a bit heavy, so it wouldn't be my first choice as a travel seat, but I have done it before.

The Scenera is an inexpensive, lightweight option that's good for travel.

Since your daughter is so young, a larger infant seat might be a good option if you travel very frequently. Otherwise, I'd stick with a convertible.

If you travel internationally, you might find that other countries often don't have seatbelts that lock. In cases like that, a seat with built-in lock-offs (like the Marathon) will let you avoid using a locking clip (as you'd need to with the Scenera).

I hope that helps! I'm sure others will be along with some suggestions, too.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
A Combi Coccoro is small, light, fits everywhere, and has a lockoff. But it also only has a 33 pound rear facing weight limit and a fairly short shell. However, for smaller kids it's a great travel seat (it's our travel seat).

Wendy
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
*cough*...uhmmm...

There's this movie made from the TV show Good Luck Charlie...where the Dad is constantly fighting with a Sit N Stroll and the teeny 2 year old little girl is too tall for the tallest harness slot...most truthful car seat usage ever shown on TV.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thank you so much for all the replies! I am so glad and grateful for this forum. It really doesn't seem like the Sit'n'Stroll is worth it for us. I'll look into the Scenera and Coccoro (I love the look of the Coccoro, what a beautiful design).

When you take it to the plane, do you lug it using one of those wheeled car-seat carriers? Other suggestions? We only traveled once with our baby, when she was 4 months old, and we used the infant seat and snap stroller.

Thank you again!
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I don't check luggage, so I use a Traveling Toddler. It attaches the carseat to my suitcase. If you check luggage, a luggage cart or the GoGo Kidz is a great solution. The Coccoro also has the Flash stroller frame available to it.

Wendy
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
I just posted pictures of my Coccoro strapped into the stroller frame I already had for my infant seat. I suspect you could make it work with any frame stroller, though if you don't already own one it probably makes sense to get the Combi one.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=214695

I just used the LATCH strap in the rear-facing belt path along with a plastic toy link (I think I'll swap it out with a metal ring when I can locate one) in order to fasten the seat to the stroller. I am planning a train trip next weekend and will need a car seat at my destination. I think this will be the easiest way to go. I could take my Roundabout or my Radian, but since I have a Coccoro, why not? It's SUPER lightweight, and if I need to move my daughter out of the rental car while she's sleeping I should be able to do that with the Coccoro, especially if I'm installing with LATCH.

My daughter weighs about 28 lbs and is just under 31" tall. In the picture it looks like she's too tall for the seat, but that's only because she's not sitting all the way down in it and isn't strapped in. I just plunked her down and snapped a picture really quick. She has an inch or more left of growing room in the shell; I think she'll outgrow the rear-facing limits by height and weight at about the same time.
 

Eclipsepearl

New member
I have the SnS and I loved mine but we fly a lot. I fly alone with three children between Europe and California twice a year, plus other flights. We also fly on foreign airlines which accepted the SnS while they wouldn't let me use a "real" car seat. I also had my children close in age (older mom, kind of didn't have a choice lol!) so we did get a lot of use out of it. We also travel to other European cities so it gave me an option for taxis.

For the record, I never had any problems with the mechanisms but I was very careful with it. What I didn't like was the fact my biggish girls outgrew it so quickly. The shoulder slots are really low (I think 14").

If you live abroad, in a bit city like we do and fly a whole lot, it might be a good idea but for occasional use, no, I can't recommend it.

It was a second baby gift and the Coccoro wasn't on the market yet. If I had a child today, I would go with that and a stroller frame instead.
 

cupcakepirate11

Active member
Brigala said:
I just posted pictures of my Coccoro strapped into the stroller frame I already had for my infant seat. I suspect you could make it work with any frame stroller, though if you don't already own one it probably makes sense to get the Combi one.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=214695

I just used the LATCH strap in the rear-facing belt path along with a plastic toy link (I think I'll swap it out with a metal ring when I can locate one) in order to fasten the seat to the stroller. I am planning a train trip next weekend and will need a car seat at my destination. I think this will be the easiest way to go. I could take my Roundabout or my Radian, but since I have a Coccoro, why not? It's SUPER lightweight, and if I need to move my daughter out of the rental car while she's sleeping I should be able to do that with the Coccoro, especially if I'm installing with LATCH.

A carabiner would work well as the metal ring!

I would also say cocorro for travel or a scenera :)
 

cmcki737

New member
I have a CCO and Flash stroller and my friend has a Sit-N-Stroll and after seeing how easy and light my set up was versus hers for travel she is selling hers to be a CCO. Her main envy is how easy mine is to install in cars versus hers also we both agree the CCO functions better as a stroller for daily use when on vacation/ traveling.

sent from my SPH-M580 using Car-Seat.Org
 

Eclipsepearl

New member
Dumb question but can you adjust the angle when the CCO is in the stroller frame?

To the OP, the reason we also recommend the Scenera is simply because of cost and weight. Since you were considering a SnS, the CCO is more in the same budget. It actually pricey for a combination seat that only goes up to 40lbs (you can pay the same for a higher weight-limit seat) but it's designed for easy travel.

Basically, both the CCO and the SnS are what I'd call "luxury travel products".

For the record, I used a Scenera as well and it lasted 6 months longer than the SnS, simply because of the shoulder strap height issue. It's not a fancy product but does a good job for a fraction of the price of the other two.
 

cmcki737

New member
I use the CCO RF'ing in the frame stroller with my 7 month old DS bc it is further reclined and FF'ing for my 27 month old DD bc it is more upright. I tried to attach a photo but it keeps giving me an error message :(

sent from my SPH-M580 using Car-Seat.Org
 

Eclipsepearl

New member
Sorry! That's what I meant to say. The CCO is expensive for a seat that only goes to 40lbs. In the same price range, there are seats that can be used for longer.

Combination seats are those which become boosters, right?

Also, is the definition of a convertible up to 40lbs? Would a Radian be considered a convertible, for example?
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
A convertible converts from rear to forward facing, regardless of weight range. So yes, the Radians are convertibles. The new ones are technically three in ones, but they're ousy boosters, so they're still recommended as convertibles only.

Combination seats combine the harness and booster options.

Wendy
 

Eclipsepearl

New member
Thanks!

Does the CCO rf to the 40lbs limit? That would be another plus!

On really long flights, I could switch the SnS from rfing to ffing for convenience (like if the person in front couldn't recline) for the "cruise portion" of the flight. The CCO can do this too and it also is low so there's less chance of it being a problem in the first place.

Can the CCO go down the aisle on a luggage cart? Also, has anyone had trouble installing it in bulkhead seats? (with the solid armrests that don't come up).

Would it be a valid recommendation for a family who travels a lot to just skip the infant bucket and buy one of these instead? Does it fit newborns well?
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Eclipsepearl said:
Thanks!

Does the CCO rf to the 40lbs limit? That would be another plus!

On really long flights, I could switch the SnS from rfing to ffing for convenience (like if the person in front couldn't recline) for the "cruise portion" of the flight. The CCO can do this too and it also is low so there's less chance of it being a problem in the first place.

Can the CCO go down the aisle on a luggage cart? Also, has anyone had trouble installing it in bulkhead seats? (with the solid armrests that don't come up).

Would it be a valid recommendation for a family who travels a lot to just skip the infant bucket and buy one of these instead? Does it fit newborns well?

It only rear-faces to 33 lbs. It fits newborns BEAUTIFULLY, and I used mine from birth.

I don't know if it would fit down the aisle because I never tried wheeling it. If anything can, it can, but I don't know if anything can.

It's so light that I just carried it with one hand. I also installed it while wearing my 7-month-old in a sling on my front. It's seriously easy.
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
While others :love: the CCO, I'm not a real fan. Yes, it's small, light weight and generally installs well (and comes in cute colors).

I hang out with too many kids that have outgrown convertible seats by height WAY before they max out the weight. For that reason, I'm not one to recommend the CCO.

I would recommend a Scenera (make a noodle pyramid for rf ing) or an MA. Yes, the MA is heavy, but it installs easily 99% of the time (ask for a seatbelt extender on the plane :rolleyes:), has built in lock offs and fits kids a goodly long time. If you carry the baby and put the seat in a stroller or use a luggage carrier, it's not big deal to travel with a heavier item.

Granted, I've only traveled with rug rats once. That was with an MA and Scenera, a stroller, a wheel chair, and two kids in diapers. With a child with severe CP, hauling lots o stuff is the norm.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The CCO fits down the aisle. I routinely drag it behind my roller bag.

Installing it forward facing requires a seatbelt extender. I tried flipping it once during a flight and nearly had a panic attack trying to get it undone. Luckily I had had that happen with our Wizard before, so I know how to remove the seatbelt from the plane.

Wendy
 

Eclipsepearl

New member
The Radian and the SnS fit down the aisle. So we can add the CCO to the list.

The CCO's shoulder straps must be higher than those on the SnS. The Scenera's were only slightly higher but that extra inch meant 6 months more of use.

What I'm proposing, to the OP or anyone reading this, if you travel a lot, or perhaps if you plan on having more children, then skipping the infant seat and getting a CCO might make sense. That would "justify" the cost somewhat.
 

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