Car Seat VS. Travel Systems...What are your thoughts???

Hopingfor1soon · #1 September 27th, 2010, 10:59 AM

So, last night I decided it was time to start my registry online at BRU. Of course I have NO CLUE what I am doing. So my first question is their list states to register for a Car Seat and a Travel System...do I really need to do this or do I register for just one? I am so clueless on this stuff. I guess my question is as far as a carseat and stroller goes what do I ACTUALLY need?

Thanks a ton!!!

Lyz · #2 September 27th, 2010, 11:05 AM

it depends on your usage. I got the travel system because everyone told me to. I ended up buying the snap and go stroller for her carseat because the travel system stroller was so darn bulky! Then, I kept throwing my back out lugging her carseat around, so I switched to my convertible seat when Bella was 4 months-ish.

So, if I had to do it all over again, I would buy an infant carseat, a snap and go stroller and a nicer lightweight stroller (we have a chicco one that I love)

mlyster · #3 September 27th, 2010, 11:36 AM

My husband is very active and wanted to be able to run with baby in the stroller next summer so we got a jogging stroller (3 wheeled, built for more rough terrain) and then got an infant carseat that we could use with the stroller when needed.

My sister got a travel system (stroller/carseat together) but didn't like her stroller after a few months (bulky, not easy to get around with, big to store in the car, etc) and ended up getting a jogging stroller and an light weight umbrella stroller as well.

My advice is to think about the use of it first then figure out what you need and what you want. Because we wanted a jogging stroller we knew we were giving up some on some of the features and we knew it would be more expensive. But so far we love the stoller we bought (we have used it a few time with my niece to try it out since our baby is not here yet).

polarbearmama · #4 September 27th, 2010, 11:43 AM

I agree with the above posts. It really depends on your needs.

We ended up getting a travel system type thing, the carseat and stroller were sold seperately, but matched. I really wished we had just purchased a snap & go stroller as our fullsize one is so bulkly and takes us most of the trunk space in my little Honda.

These days, we use our 5 point harness umbrella stroller more than the fullsize one since it's lightweight, easy to handle, and store.

Sam914 · #5 September 27th, 2010, 11:53 AM

I personally love our travel system... I really liked being able to just snap the carseat on top of the stroller when he was younger... now that Michael is older and getting heavier alot of times i leave the carseat in the car and just use the stroller. I like the infant seat aspect because i personally prefer to strap him in and out of the seat in the house rather then trying to cram myself in the backseat of the car. Alot of people skip the infant seat/travel system because they're bulky and the baby grows out of the seat pretty fast... but like i said i love ours so you really need to decide what works best for you

MarinaAndCharlie'sMommy · #6 September 27th, 2010, 12:12 PM

Ditto to what Sam said. I love our travel system, it's a chicco one. It's so nice to be able to just snap the carseat into the stroller, especially when she's sleeping and I don't want to wake her up to get her in a stroller. We also have a Maclaren umbrella stroller which I love as well. I like the storage that the travel system has, but I love how light weight the Maclaren is. I agree with the other ladies that you should just take a look at your needs before deciding.

jensma · #7 September 27th, 2010, 12:23 PM

I went ahead and got the travel system just b/c we got such an amazing deal on ours. I'm sure we'll end up getting a smaller stroller and in fact i'd LOVE to get a jogging stroller but we'll just have to see what happens. I've been looking at getting a used one on craigslist. I've looked at snap and go strollers too...like the other girls i'm not sure how long i'll be able to lug around the car seat with a big old boy in it!! I'm sure we'll learn from this kid and do something different next time. We'll see!

Hopingfor1soon · #8 September 27th, 2010, 01:13 PM

Thanks ladies!
For us we are super active and on the go quite a bit. However, our little man is going to be born in Feb. which means for us we still have 2-3 months of cold winter weather left. So I really like the idea of being able to just snap the seat in and go. At the same time in the summer we like to do alot of softball and walks and the zoo etc...so lots of activities outside. So a good stroller is going to be really necessary. With that being said I guess I still dont know what a good fit for us really is. Any thoughts to that?

chrisam143 · #9 September 27th, 2010, 01:13 PM

We were orginally going to get a travel system, but I also really wanted a jogging stroller. So after talking to friends with babies, we decided to get the Bob jogging stroller and added the infant seat adapter. We can use the stroller as an everyday stroller if needed, and use it with the infant car seat we purchased. We also got a snap and go stroller, which will be good for quick trips and when we don't want to pull out the jogging stroller, which can be heavy.

Regarding registering, I thought the lists provided by BRU were a little extensive, as they include everything, but you may not need everything. Do you have a friend or family member with a baby or kid that could go with you to register? That is what I did and it was a blessing! When there are 10+ brands of bottles to choose from, it was nice to have someone share with me her experiences (though every baby will be different).

Good luck and remember you don't have to register all at once. They make it real easy for you to add and remove things online as well!

Hopingfor1soon · #10 September 27th, 2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisam143

Regarding registering, I thought the lists provided by BRU were a little extensive, as they include everything, but you may not need everything. Do you have a friend or family member with a baby or kid that could go with you to register? That is what I did and it was a blessing! When there are 10+ brands of bottles to choose from, it was nice to have someone share with me her experiences (though every baby will be different).

I agree that the list is a little extreme. I already see some things that I know I will not need. Sadly I am the first one in my family to have a baby in the last 12 years. And the only friends I have with children live a long ways away...

So I am pretty much on my own for now...we will get it figured out though.

KDD · #11 September 27th, 2010, 01:33 PM

We had already decided to buy an infant car seat rather than a convertible one. We actually picked the stroller first (Uppababy - which you can use with a car seat, bassinet, or seat). We bought the Chicco carseat 'cause that's the one that snaps into our stroller frame. We looked at several travel systems, and while they are less expensive, we found them to be fairly big and bulky.

I hope that we like it!

SassyMama · #12 September 27th, 2010, 07:45 PM

I registered for a travel system because I wanted my infant carrier to match the stroller (how vain of me, I know). I seriously used the stroller part maybe 3-4 times and I hated it. It worked fine but it was just soooo bulky! I ended up carrying her around in a Bjorn most of the time anyway since she was so tiny. Next time around, I'm just getting a Snap-N-Go for the infant carrier. I also have a Maclaren lightweight stroller for her now that she's bigger.

LindsLuvsSi · #13 September 28th, 2010, 02:06 AM

Here's what would be my recommendation....

-Get an infant car seat (whether it be a Chicco KeyFit, Graco one, etc)
-Get the snap-n-go stroller for it, to use when he's little and while it's winter there
-definitely get a bundle me for the car seat as well to keep him warm
-and then for the stroller- upgrade to a nice/bigger one, whether it's a jogger or what not when he's like 3 months old or so, when winter is over. (one's we liked where the babyjogger city mini. We have the BabyJogger City Select it's a single and a double

....i know many who love their BOB or Phil & Teds- which if you plan to have another you can buy the extra seat) (or if you don't want a jogger- get the travel system and the snap n go, use the snap n go when he's tiny and then the stroller when he's able to sit in the stroller)
HTH!!

Hopingfor1soon · #14 September 28th, 2010, 09:34 AM

Thanks ladies!!

Linds thanks so much for your suggestions!! It makes it so much easier to see it that way!!

LindsLuvsSi · #15 September 28th, 2010, 09:54 AM

No problemo Alicia!

Sam914 · #16 September 28th, 2010, 11:01 AM

Lol sometimes its just easier being told what to do!

MommaLee · #17 September 28th, 2010, 11:36 AM

I just wanted to say that my LO does not like her carseat - we are just getting to the point where she won't scream her head off coming home from daycare/grandmas/dayout. I have a stroller that you can take the seat off and snap in a carseat or the seat faces you or out (it is a contours 3 wheeler) but she won't sit in it. We just carry her because she is content being carried.

We also have a nice jogging stoller that we laid her down in when she was wee little and go for walks, but now she won't sit in it either...again, she likes to be carried around the neighborhood.

I just wanted to add that because you may have a baby that may not like her carseat so it would be a useless feature.

Hopingfor1soon · #18 September 28th, 2010, 12:31 PM

Sam you are totally right! haha

Thanks Leighann! I never really thought about that. I just remember that my sisters (alot younger than me) would sleep in their car seats for hours even in the house...I never really considered that he might not like it!

USArmySPC_2010 · #19 September 29th, 2010, 04:01 AM

We got both a jogging stroller and the travel system. First off we go the travel system because we travel all the time especially by plane and well DH is a pilot and got recommendations from other pilot buddies that the travel system is awesome if you travel all the time.

We got the jogging because we love to go for hikes at the local boy scout camp that DH volunteers at.

Like PP's said it is all whats best for you.

Micksbabe · #20 September 29th, 2010, 11:48 AM

I have a Graco travel system, it is awesome. I have never found it to be big and bulky. It lays flat or sits up , which has a cup holder and little snack tray. I used to put Hunter in it when we were taking walks and she would lay down and sleep. Now that she is older she sits up and looks around. The infant seat snaps onto it. The infant car seat was great in the winter (dec baby) because you could put them in it in the house and then take them out to a warm car and just snap them in.

I haven't even thought about getting another stroller, I will use this one for our next baby too. I used to put it in the trunk of my Acura RSX and I still had room in there (those cars are not very big) so I didnt' think it took up to much room. I have also taken it to the dog park and gone down dirt trails!!