Which carseat / travel system is best?

[umlautsmith]

Absolute beginner. Advice required on car seats and benefits of travel systems or seperate equipment. Including 3 or 4 wheels, 2 in 1 or 3 in 1 systems please. Finding all the choice baffling. Recommendations required for brands / styles etc. To avoid or consider. Thank you

So much depends on your car, your lifestyle and your budget. Give us a few details and will see what i can suggests. Will it be used in more than one car and does car have isofix? Do you use car a lot? Do you wish to be able to attach the seat to your pram chassis or would you be ok with a seat that stays in the car? Are you likely to need to take your baby in taxis?

Do you also want a carrycot option (better for babies to lie totallly flat than curled in a car seat most of the time)?

Do you need it to fold without removing wheels?

What is your budget?

Thank you...budget not a priority but I never spend more than needed. I feel I will need a car seat for 2 cars (Audi A3 and currently Vauxhall Astra), regular car use, regular walking. I live in a village and travel to nearest towns by car. Not sure if seperate car seat better. Low on storage space in our house and car does mot have large boot space either. I guess wish list is: lightweight, foldable, good for walking, practical space wise and incorporates carry cot/car seat. Does that help?

Mamas and papas urbo is a lightweight travel system compatible with cybex aton car seat which has good safety reviews. The oyster travel system is fairly compact and you can use it with maxi cosi pebble seat which also gets good reviews.
Remember that babies shouldn't spend too long in a car seat. Clipping it on the buggy for a quick trip around the shop is OK but not for an afternoon out. If you don't think you need to clip the car seat on the buggy you could go for a combination car seat such as the britax dualfix which is suitable from birth to 4 and can be used extended rear facing if you wish. I think this makes more sense than buying separate baby and toddler seats. Then just pick a pram you like that fits in your car without worrying what car seat goes with it. Visiting a large John lewis, kiddicare or babies r us is a good way to compare prams.

The Bugaboo Bee is really nice. It has like a soft coccoon rather than a carrycot, for newborn, and is compatible with a carseat though I cant recall which one. Probs maxi cosi.

V

Oops...poor typing!
Thank you so much for your advice...will do some more research and try a few out in stores too.

I've been happy with our Babystyle Oyster. It was that or the Graco Evo for us. Both v similar. My LO is 18 mths now. HTH.

Thank you...will look into those xx

No problem.

Main difference between Evo and Oyster is that you don't need a separate carry cot for the Evo as seat lies flat so suitable from birth. They do make a carrycot for it too if you prefer. We got a carrycot as seemed cosier for a winter baby like ours.

We got the Maxi Cosi seat to go with the Oyster but in hindsight I'd have got the Britax SHR instead as it's one handed release - easier to use and pop on and off pram frame.

If you have a bigger budget, I have friends with the Uppababy Vista and that's very nice too.

Also have a look at the more unusual brands like Jane, Norton and Concord and Mothercare and Kiddiecare's own brand ones too.

I adore my bugaboo bee, and almost feel sad that DS is getting too big for a pram and prefers to walk (slowly!)