Austin Babies
Car seats and strollers? Chicco? Graco? Other? Help? :)
So we are preparing to start our registry list and I have been back and forth about which car seat/stroller to register for. I have heard lots of good things about the Chicco Keyfit and the Graco Snugride, but can't decide which I prefer. Also, should we get a travel set or register for the pieces separately?
I am soooooo lost! Can you ladies rec your car seats and strollers? 
Thanks!!
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Re: Car seats and strollers? Chicco? Graco? Other? Help? :)
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we picked the chicco keyfit over the graco, but they were both at the top of my list too. I told DH that they both got good ratings and he decided that he liked the chicco better - the buttons, straps, etc.
we got a snap-n-go for our stroller, since i've never heard good things about travel systems. so far, we love it. it's so light and easy for me to handle by myself. i think we'll also get a BOB or something else for when she outgrows her carseat (we don't have sidewalks here, so the road is pretty rough on plastic wheels).
We have/had the Chicco travel set and loved it! I love most all Chicco products. However, if we have a second baby I will not do a travel system. I will purchase any carseat of my choice, one with a base that will allow me to click it in and out of the car, and then purchase a snap n' go stroller. For me, the travel systems were just too bulky. I want something lightweight with still a little bit of storage.
Sorry... I am on a mac and can't make it clicky right now.
ETA: Here we go, something like this.
We have a Gracco 35 because I thought we were going to have a big baby, so wanted to make sure I could use it for a while. In retrospect I would get the 32 because I'm not going to carry a baby that big around in a car seat so might as well change to a convertible. We have a Zooper stroller that it fits in easily.
I like Graco though and based my decision purely off of baby bargains.
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By the time I ruled it down to Graco or Chicco, I picked based on which one had a pattern that I liked.
We have the Chicco Keyfit 30 and I have no complaints. It's been a great, easy to use infant seat. It is heavier than the Graco, but I don't think it's the extra 2 pounds that makes it now hard to carry around, I think it's my 21 pound baby
We went with a travel set only because the fabric I wanted was only available in a travel set. In hindsite, that was silly. I don't like the Chicco 4 wheel stroller nearly as much as my jogger. That said, I would never, ever ever pass up the opportunity to have an infant seat that clicks into a stroller, but I wish I'd done one of two other options:
Bought the jogging stroller (City Mini) I wanted with the infant seat and attachement that clicked into that. This would be my first choice. And here's a list of infant seats that fit on the City Mini attachment. Chicco and Graco are on there.
Or bought the Chicco/Graco car seat with a snap n go stroller ... and a jogger later. I think everyone should have a jogger!
We got a Chicco Keyfit 35 to start with. Its a great car seat and I recommend the brand but I wish I had saved money and got one with a smaller weight limit. I could barely carry the thing around with her as an infant, there is no way I could have carried it that long.
I also with I had bought a snap n go stroller frame to go with the seat. That would have been nice to have when she was small.
Also, I'm really glad I got the infant seat that holds longer/heavier babies. DD was 7 pounds 11 ounces when she was born. Perfectly normal, right? Except now she's a giant baby and I just bought her a 3T swimsuit
We have a convertable carseat ready to go, but I just can't give up my infant seat. Yes, carying 30 awkard pounds around is hard, but in restaurants, I love having the infant seat she can lay down and take a nap in, or just lay down and be rocked in.
You guys have been tons of help! I will probably wear the baby in a sling/carrier most of the time, but definitely want the stroller option. At this point I am leaning toward the Chicco, with either a snap-n-go or a jogging stroller. DH says I can't get a jogging stroller until I prove that I will actually use it (dang him!) but it seems practical to me.
Up until this point I haven't heard from anyone (other than online reviewers) who have used the Chicco Keyfit - all of our friends have the Graco Snugride, so I am glad to get some info about both.
We have HUGE babies in our family... all of my nieces were 9+, as was my step daughter, husband and his brother. I anticipate we will hit that 30 pound mark pretty quickly, so I am really torn between getting the standard size car seat/carrier to make it easier on me weight wise or getting the higher capacity one. I doubt I will want to carry a really heavy baby around in it, but who knows!