Question about Travel Systems

pregnantalready09

I figured I jump on this board since everyone on here has children already. I'm trying to decide if I want to buy a travel system or a stroller & car seat separate. I read somewhere that the travel system is like lugging around all of this weight that doesnt even include the baby's weight. Then my DH just told me the carseat is the stroller in the travel system but I really dont know. Can any & everyone give me some feedback on travel systems because I am totally clueless when it comes to them. TIA!

ilovemygirls

I never had one, but I think the 'travel system' includes the infant carseat, base & stroller on which you can put the infant carseat/carrier.  I'm sure that you'll get some recommendations, but I see lots of people say many are heavy & cumbersome.  I never saw the need for one.  If I was going grocery shopping, I'd put the infant carrier right onto the cart.  If I had to go anywhere else, I wore the kiddo (sling when tiny, Bjorn later on- though I hear the Ergo is pretty awesome). 

Once they got enough body/head control, I went to an inexpensive umbrella stroller type thing- one that had a basket underneath & a sun shade but was lightweight & folded easily.  Once I had #2, I did get a sit & stand type stroller off craigslist, but those were the only two strollers I ever had & got along just fine!  I have heard that some people like the snap n go- it's essentially a frame that you can snap virtually any infant carseat into. I actually bought one when I had DD#2 but ended up returning it because I didn't need it/use it.  HTH!

luckyluvr

You'll read a lot of negative comments, but I couldn't function w/o my travel system. When DS was born, we got the Graco Quattro Tour. It came w/ the infant car seat, base, and stroller. The infant carrier snaps right into the stroller, so it's really convenient for moving the baby around w/o disturbing him/her. I also couldn't fathom the idea of my infant lying, facing away from me in a traditional stroller w/o the carrier. I call my the SUV of strollers, but really, I'm not a big woman (5'1" and average weight), and I can lift, open, and close my stroller w/ 1 hand. The only downside is that it does take up space in the car. We have a large SUV, so it's no so bad. I love the smooth ride, the double cup holders, the clock, the 2 storage compartments, the large basket underneath....I love it all. We did switch to a high-weight capacity umbrella when DS was 1.5 b/c he was just too big (he's near 100 percentile in ht./wt.), but we're using it again now with DD. If you plan on walking a lot of places, not necessarily where you'll be in and out of tight spots like public transportation, you can't beat the travel systems. I was so sad to store it away between babies b/c it was so much more convenient than the umbrella stroller.

Zenya

I almost never used the travel system.  It felt weird to me to have a tiny baby that far away (I know it's not that far but I just always felt the need to hold them).  I don't use strollers until 6+ mos.  Even my 10 month old is usually on my back instead of in a stroller.

Addicted2thenot

I did not get a travel system 

I had a bugaboo with a peg car seat 

I have to agree with PP I never really used the stroller until DS was over 6 months old. 

 

I am not crazy abiut the travel systems, I find them heavy, bulky & a tad flimsy.

I have only tried the graaco ones when pushing friends DC.

I think Peg has a nice compact lightweight one  

lsufan

I LOVED my travel system. ?I also had the Quattro Tour with the Snugride carseat. ?It is big, but it fit in my car trunk easily. ?We walk outside quite a bit, and it was sturdy enough for that, whereas I felt like the snap 'n go wouldn't have been. ?When Evan was little, I'd walk to the grocery store and just use the basket underneath for all of my groceries. ?It was so nice that I could leave him sleeping in the seat if I wanted, but if he was awake I still had the option to get him out and sit him up in the stroller.

These days I have three kids, and I can't use that stroller anymore. ?We make do and it is what it is, but I was thinking longingly of that stroller just yesterday. ?:)?

Jen2004

I swear by my travel system, best thing I ever bought, I have a Graco Quatro Tour LX. I'm on baby #3 with it. DS and DD#1 both love to walk now so wherever we go DS and DD#1 walk with me while I push DD#2.