Strollers or Travel System...AHH!?

mlatiolais

So I am totally overwhelmed!

I'm glad I have 33 weeks to descried because I feel like I'm going to need every second to research and pick something! I don't know if we want a travel system or a stroller and infant/car seat separate?

How did you all make a decision on which way to go? And then after deciding that how did you pick the actual travel system/stroller to go with?! I never in my whole life realized it would be such a hard decision! 

bisabelm

Look into purchasing the Baby Bargains book-- they review all the strollers and give you a general idea of what would be best for your needs.

In the end we were between the Peg Perego Pliko or the Uppababy Vista and ended up getting the Uppababy Vista. We didn't like the bulkiness of the travel systems and the Uppababy had a lot of features we really liked (comfortable for me who is only 5'1 and for my husband who is 6'2), large basket underneath the seat, easy open/close, big sun canopy, bassinet which we can use for him to sleep in at home. We also got the attachment for the Peg Perego infant seat.

Make a list of what is important to you and how/where you will be using your stroller. It may seem overwhelming at first but you will find that you can eliminate a lot off the bat. 

irlndsumer

Ditto PP-- pick up Baby Bargains, it was a HUGE help in navigating all of the choices. 

We ended up with a Snap-n-Go for our car seat.  I didn't like the bulkiness of the travel system.  When we have to buy a new car seat for LO down the road we'll determine if a traditional stroller or just a simple umbrella stroller is a better fit for our needs.

luckybride1128

We ended up registering for the Graco Snugride 35 car seat and one of the snap-n-go frames.  The travel systems just seem so huge.  This will be our everyday stroller until the baby is too big for the infant seat.  Then we will move onto a nice umbrella stroller, like the Maclaren Volo or something.  We also registered for a jeep stroller, for jogging and the beach.

I also suggest the Baby Bargains book.  I LOVE it.

ladymisszar

It can be overwhelming, but you've got some time to research, test drive and decide.  There is a lot to consider and everyone has different things that are important to them.  Safety, budget, design, size, space..etc.

These resources really helped me pick out all my gear (and create a registry):

-Consumer Reports Baby Products book (should be available for check out at your local library if you don't want to purchase - frankly I don't think you need to buy it.)

-Pregnancy magazines - They have tons of ads for baby products I didn't know you needed!  I like Pregnancy & Newborn.

-Pregnancy and parenting websites (register, subscribe or like them on facebook).  They have reviews and ratings as well on certain products.  Babble was really handy, as they have the Babble Best awards.

-Reviews, reviews, reviews - Amazon, BRU, Target, wherever there are reviews.  Also from forums like this one.  Once I found something I liked, I asked if any moms had it and how they liked it.  It's important to find out how long theyv'e had/used the product as well.

-see it in person if possible to test drive and give a closer inspection.

Each week, I would focus on one thing (the stroller, the crib, the glider, etc.) I ended up picking the Chicco Keyfit 30 car seat because of the safety reviews and the Uppababy Vista stroller because of all the positive reviews, the features that it offers and from my own test drive.  When I saw it in person and pushed it around the store, I knew it was the one for me. I haven't had a chance to actually use these items yet, as my baby's not due for a couple of months, but that was my process.  Hope it helps, and sorry if it was long-winded. 

lindsaybethmiller

I have had lots of conversations with my girlfriends about stroller requirements - and things they wish they knew when they bought their strollers.  The big thing from most of them was that they wished they'd realized that they would end up buying a dulie - or at least have to buy a new travel system with the new baby because of upgrades.

 Because of that - I have decided to go high priced out of the gate - and get a Phil and Ted's explorer.  It can transition into a dual stroller very easily - and you can get a travel system addition for it.  The people that I know who have had the sport version (that the explorer is replacing) have had it through 3+ kids and still love it.  Its a bigger hit in the pocket book right away - but figure the over all cost of the stroller will average out after we have had 2 kids (we plan to have our kids fairly close together). 

 That's just my two cents!!

Kimee13

Carseats and strollers are 3 items that I wanted the best(or the best for our needs) in so I did a lot of research. I would stay away from travel systems, most of the lines are not made well, bulky, and just plain fugly.  Many of my friends that bought them have since upgraded to a nicer stroller because they hated them so much.  Here's what we have:

Carseat(s) - Chicco Keyfit 30 and extra base.   When he outgrows this we will buy a Britax Marathon or Roundabout for each car.

Umbrella/travel stroller - Baby Jogger City Mini (with carseat adaptor since we'll be taking LO to FL betweeen 8-12 weeks)

Main stroller - Uppababy Vista - it was between this and the Bugaboo Frog and the basket on the Vista was HUGE(big plus for me), we preferred the look of the Vista and sales associates at a couple different stores actually recommended it over the frog.  I orederd it in-store at Bed Bath and Beyond and was able to use my 20% off coupon.

As others have said, Baby Bargains is a good start but I took a lot of what I learned on here and real-life experience.

Good luck!