- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Nurseries and Baby Gear
Ceridwen21
member
Travel system vs regular stroller
Ceridwen21
member
Can someone please tell me if this is correct?
A travel system is a stroller where the baby sits in what is also its carseat, so when you move from stroller to carseat it's very easily.
With a regular stroller (ex. Uppababy or City Mini), you have to have a car seat separate from the stroller.
If you have pros and cons about both options, that would be helpful too. Thanks!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Travel system vs regular stroller
Yes the travel systems come with a car seat, base, and stroller. They tend to be very bulky and heavy and do not maneuver well.
While regular strollers do not come with the car seat and base (you'll have to buy them separately) you can buy a car seat adapter for them thus making them travel systems. These strollers tend to be more expensive but imo made a lot better - sturdier, smoother ride, and turn corners on a dime.
We went with a Maclaren snap and go with a Chicco keyfit 30. It pushes wonderfully and has a huge basket. The snap and go strollers are very light and fold up so much smaller than a travel system or regular stroller. We also have a Bob Revolution for walks around our neighborhood and a Maclaren Quest for shorter trips to the mall now that LO outgrew the infant car seat
Go to the stores and test them out. Also make sure whatever you decide on fits in your car! Most stores will let you try this with a floor model
Yeah, you've got it. It's buying as a set vs. buying pieces.
Travel systems tend to be inexpensive, but bulky (heavy, bit stroller). Individual strollers tend to cost more, but be lighter and handle better. You also have to make sure that the car seat you buy fits on the stroller you buy, if you care. You can also get a snap-and-go for the car seat, which is just a frame the car seat sits on (so you only use it with the infant seat).
My plan is to just get a snap and go to go with the seat we've already got. I don't know what I want in a stroller yet - I can't quite envision what we'll use the stroller for, vs. what we'll use our ergo for. I know a travel system probably won't really fit in my small car, and I don't want a ginourmous stroller, so I've decided against that.
Natural Birth Board FAQs
Cloth Diaper Review Sheet
Thank you! Next clarification question...
So the people who buy regular strollers and then car seat adapters basically want the advantages of both? ie best strollers out there but kinda like a travel system too?
Oscar born October 2011
Miscarriage at 8 weeks (August 2013)
DD due September 1, 2014
They want a nice stroller, but the option to leave the baby in the infant sleep if s/he's sleeping. A young baby can also only be in a stroller that reclines all the way flat, I think. An infant seat has more support, but it's pretty heavy to lug.
The drawback of the snap and go is you only use it for a few months, vs. a stroller you can use for a few years.
Natural Birth Board FAQs
Cloth Diaper Review Sheet
Oscar born October 2011
Miscarriage at 8 weeks (August 2013)
DD due September 1, 2014
This exactly. Most people who buy a travel system because of price or convenience tend to regret that decision and buy a "nicer" stroller anyway. Just forgo the travel system imo
Oscar born October 2011
Miscarriage at 8 weeks (August 2013)
DD due September 1, 2014
Honestly, go to the store and play with all of them. Decide which you like best and if it comes as a travel system, buy it that way. If it doesn't then you can figure out what attachments you need to make it into one. I don't understand all the hate towards travel systems - it's such a gross generalizaiton to say that travel systems are bulky and made poorly. We have a Graco Metrolite travel system and it is very lightweight (hence the name), fits in the back of our hatchback, and yes it was affordably priced, but it still performs well. We've taken it to the beach and driven it on cobblestone roads and it handled nicely (baby even fell asleep while strolling on the cobblestone). If you want to run a marathon or go mountain climbing, look elsewhere.
It's more than if you're in the car or not. My baby is 5 months, and she still looks awkwardly small in a regular stroller. Babies don't really fit in regular strollers until they can sit up -- so the car seat situation allows you to make a special seat for them in a regular stroller.
Travel systems are one way to deal with this. Snap and Gos are another, and car seat adapters a third.
The way I see it is you can buy a graco travel system for $150-220, and Graco snugride alone costs $80-150. So no matter what you do, you're paying an extra $70 for the stroller -- a stroller you are probably going to ditch before you start using it as a stroller, since travel system strollers are crap.
The Chicco brand is an even worse rip off -- $179 for the keyfit alone versus $300 for the travel system.
And then, if you do buy a travel system, spending between $70-120 for it, in 6 months you will buy another stroller for another $150-400.
You can get a really nice stroller that you will use for the child's entire toddlerhood (let's say the city mini) for $220. You can get a snap and go, new, for $50 (or get one of the dozens and dozens of used ones available on craigslist), or a car seat adapter for $50-60 depending on the brand and use it with your really nice stroller EXACTLY like you would use a travel system.
So, do the math (this is the math I did for my chicco keyfit and city mini:
Travel system: $300 + $220 for a "regular" stroller = $520
Car seat/Snap&Go/stroller: $180 + $50 +220 = $450
Car seat/adapter/stroller: $180+$60+220 = $460
Car seat/stroller/snugli: $180+$220+$25 = $425
Unless you know you will never buy another stroller, it's a waste to buy a travel system.
We don't use our car a lot, but we don't use the stroller, either. I can count the number of times I've used the stroller with my baby. I don't understand how people walk their dogs with strollers at all. I put my baby in a sling when I walk the dog.