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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Travel systems

28 replies

WutheringTights · 11/08/2012 21:57

Sorry if this is the wrong place, but please talk to me about travel systems.

I?m only 21 weeks but we were looking at them today to try to get an idea of what we want and, frankly, I?m bewildered. Are travel systems better than getting the bits separately? I have been reading research about how you shouldn?t have a baby in a car seat for more than 2 hours a day (and ideally 1 hour) so I?m not sure why I need a car seat that clips onto a buggy. Will I ever use it? I can see the benefit of being able to strap him into the car seat inside then carry him out and just pop him into the car, but don?t ordinary car seats allow that? Should I be looking for a lie flat car seat anyway? Any recommendations/ tips?

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twobecomethree · 11/08/2012 22:16

Hi Wuthering, in my opinion travel systems are best for use from birth to toddler-dum however that's where my expertise ends as I'm a first timer! Just wanted to suggest you post in the pushchair area of the Product topic as I posted a query there this morning and have had lots great advice from the ladies there just today so there'll be able to point you in right direction.

Original poster

WutheringTights · 11/08/2012 22:31

Oh,thanks. Did have a look but didn't see that. Must be losing it! Will try again.

OP posts:

Weekipper · 12/08/2012 06:43

I've bought one in preparation for first child. My colleague with 3 under 4 has one and she often just uses the car seat bit when out and about as its easy to unclip and carry if she's not going to be there for 2hrs or more. Mine came with a pushchair/toddler seat and a carrycot do will do everything I could need. I liked how sturdy it is too. We've also bought a moby wrap for when we don't want to have to take the 'pram' out.

I agree you should ask on the buggy topic as there's some very knowledgeable posters!

melliebobs · 12/08/2012 06:48

Car seat clipping into the pram (for us) is a godsend

More often than not 5month old dd falls asleep in the car. Waking her up to put in pram/shopping trolley etc will only result in me pushing round a pissd off screaming baby!

Also it's quicker

If I'm not going to b long it's quicker than the faff of loading the car with ALL of the pram and takes less space

Midgetm · 12/08/2012 07:51

Never had one, never missed having one. All a bit bulky and I'd rather the baby got used to be a bit of prodding and poking as don't want them becoming really light sleepers. Hardly use them for long either. Really depends on you and the baby really. I'd prefer a sling and the lightest equipment available (this is rarely a travel system).

NellyBluth · 12/08/2012 08:07

I think it depends entirely on how much you will be in the car. We had a travel system at the start (a Graco Tour Deluxe, don't even look at it, its a tank) but I don't drive, baby was never in a car, and so we had this huge pram for no reason. At 3mo we upgraded to a pushchair which could lie flat (Maclaren Techno XLR, absolutely amazing for the money). So, if your baby will be in the car most days then I'd say you absolutely need a system where you can just lift the car seat out and clip it onto the pram. If they won't, though, there really isn't much need for little one to be in a car seat so much, so focus on a pram that has a good cot feature.

One thing I have noticed is that some friends have spent a lot of money on travel system prams but are starting to find, when their child is about a year or so, that the pushchair is actually quite heavy, and want to change to a lighter buggy - but because they have spent all this money they feel reluctant to do so.

So my advice would actually be to buy a separate/generic car sear, and then a cheaper pram so you can change to a buggy when you want.

PrimaBallerina · 12/08/2012 08:45

I was always a bit of people who had those fancy travel systems when DS was born but we got on fine without tbh. We also have a Maclaren XLR and had a carry cot attachment got the first couple of months. Most supermarkets have trollies that hold a car seat so don't worry about screaming babies, you can just plonk them in as they are.

It all depends if you've got the money and storage space really - that's why we just stuck to a buggy which would last from birth to walking.

nannyl · 12/08/2012 08:48

travel systems are great if you are doing a short errand and a short trip

perhaps a school run where you drive, or when you nip into town for a few bits (rather than a whole morning shopping)

There were several times when i was greatful i had a buggy that was a travel system (in those early days i had a baby who fed every hour and 45mins for over an hour.... this gave me

LouiseMBE · 12/08/2012 09:03

We had the best of both worlds. We bought a new car seat (maxi cosi) that fitted onto a travel system that we were given when friends had finishd with it. It was big and bulky, not stylish but free.

We spent our buggy fund on a really good Maclaren, ours was the XLR. We kept the travel system in the car, choosing to clip car seat on or use it as a lie flat pushchair each trip, depending on what we wanted.

The Maclaren lived under the stairs and we used that for all non-car trips. It worked great.

We noticed that friends with similar aged babies all got rid of their travel systems at about 12months, buying Maclaren style buggies. At least we didn't waste money on the travel system. Could you borrow one or buy a cheapie from ebay to just get you through those first few months where the travel system is handy?

nannyl · 12/08/2012 09:52

Agree with Lousie

i had my mountain buggy and maclaren techno XT.
My mountain buggy can take any group 0 car seat, & a nice carrycot (& is lie flat from birth) and is great for off road (and we use it "proper off road" a lot)
Maclaren is the one thats small and now lives in the back of car, though i didnt get the Maclaren until she was 4m old

I always knew i would have a mountain buggy and a Maclaren, and never had any intention of buying an actual conventional travel system

rogersmellyonthetelly · 12/08/2012 10:14

Travel systems are great if you do a lot of short run errands, like popping to shops, school runs, baby groups, and you do most of your travelling in a car.
Most of the popular modern pushchairs will take a maxi cosi car seat with adapters.
One thing I will also mention about travel systems is get seat base that goes in the car. You strap it in and leave it, the car seat just clips in, and clips back out. Much easier than faffing with the seat belt every time, and less margin for error in your sleep deprived state!
I wouldn't recommend the Graco Quattro though, huge, bulky, heavy. Only good side was the big, easy to access basket and the fact it folded with one hand. I abandoned mine when ds was 6 months old, he hardly used the seat and I still only got £20 on eBay second hand!

Original poster

WutheringTights · 12/08/2012 12:07

Thanks so much for all the info. That's really helpful. Thing is, we just don't know how much we'll use the car as we don't tend to drive much at the moment (we both work FT and commute by train, live fairly centrally, shop within walking distance, great public transport etc) but we think that will change when we have the baby and I'm home all day. Also he's due end Dec which might make a difference as I might want to drive more if the weather is bad. My mum has offered to buy us our pram and hasn't balked at the price of travel systems (we're looking at the Silver Cross Surf) so we are kind of getting it for free, but I don't want her to waste her money on something we end up replacing fairly quickly. We're also looking at the Manduca carriers (per another thread somewhere on here). We need to think on it a bit more. Thanks again.

OP posts:

backwardpossom · 12/08/2012 13:03

I would advise not spending a lot on a fancy travel system as you might find when the baby is a bit older and steadier, you'll want a lightweight buggy to replace it. Well, that was my experience with DS anyway! It is very very handy to be able to clip the carseat into the buggy chassis though. You don't have to spend a fortune on them though... good luck!

ItsMyLastOne · 12/08/2012 14:16

The majority of pushchairs these days are travel system compatible so don't get bogged down in that. Firstly you need a decent pushchair and if you can get a car seat on it too then great, if not then you'll live. Lie flat car seats aren't really that great TBH as their safety standards aren't generally as high and your baby is likely to outgrow them far more quickly. It's much better to get a decent group 0+ seat that will last your child for a long time. The Britax Babysafe group 0+ is very good (my 23 month old niece still fits in ours fine and is in it today), and Besafe seats are great. The Besafe Izi Go and Izi Sleep (which is actually a reclining seat) can both go on maxi cosi adapters too. Keep in mind too that car seats in the UK are only safety tested for head on collisions at 30mph, so not all seats here are particularly safe IMHO.

The more important issues are how you want to use it - so do you need a small fold for your boot, one piece fold, one hand fold, narrow open width, parent facing, light to lift, light to push, off road capability or just ok for parks and pavements, single/double convertible type, big shopping basket, and what's the budget?

There's a pushchair chat board on MN with loads of info here, and have a look at Best Buggy too.

MamaMary · 12/08/2012 15:45

We use the car a fair bit and I'm so glad we had our travel system when DD was little.

With no.2. due in January, not sure what style of double buggy we'll get, but I'm really going to miss that travel system.

newby2 · 12/08/2012 18:02

Hiya, I went into hospital really quickly and early and had to pick a pram/buggy in around an hour (on the way to hospital) in a specialised pram/buggy shop.

I'm glad I went with my instincts- lightest and most comfy looking I could find. Not technically a travel system, they were too heavy. We bought the City Mini jogger (not a jogging buggy) but Australian hard wearing, completely uv protected INCREDIBLY LIGHT and very cosy 3 wheel buggy for my premature baby when she came out.

It goes from birth to child and fits a maxi cosy car seat as an adjustment. It has its own carry-cot if you want. We used a separate newborn nest and very comfy mamas and papas cosy toes which we strapped in.

The best thing I've ever bought. USing it the second time round in around 10 weeks with a toddler board for my now toddler.

Highly recommend it, it closes with one strap and one hand!

milk · 12/08/2012 20:23

Don't use a travel system, but have a separate Quinny Zapp we keep in the car to put the car seat on for short trips, such as to the supermarket :)

carrielou2007 · 12/08/2012 21:32

For my first I dicn't buy car seat adapters (maxi cost seat and bugaboo) most important was good car seat that fitted my car. I'm a big walker so rarely used the car.

It was a godsend for ds, mostly walked fd to preschool with her on thd buggy board or on her scooter but if I drove it was perfect!! I had the base in the car do literally clipped the car seat out, carried ds in ANC back out and home again.

If you drive everywhere it really does make a difference. I think thd most important thing is to choose a seat that fits your car then if it also fits your pram even better, maxi codi fit most of the major brands.

Otherwise buy a cheap Quincy zapp frame and adapters and leave in thd car

newby2 · 12/08/2012 21:51

Quinnys are the moaned about pushchair in my experience. People seem to like the i candy although none last until they're older.

WillowB · 12/08/2012 21:53

I noticed you are considering the silvercross surf. We bought one for our DS who is now almost 4 months and it's fab. I use ours daily. We have the silvercross car seat which I just pop onto the chassis if we are going to the shops. The pram seems nice and comfy DS seems quite happy to sleep in it.
To be honest in response to some of the comments about travel systems being a waste of money, I have used mine at least once a day, it's saved me loads of time and hassle and I can use it again if I have another child so I think it's £500 well spent even if I only use it for a year.

ItsMyLastOne · 12/08/2012 22:24

I think the only reason you'd think a travel system is a waste of money is if you didn't buy wisely in the first place. If you buy an enormous graco thing then yes you'll be annoyed that you spent so much money on it when you decide you can't cope with it any longer and buy a stroller.

You need to choose something that is good from birth to 3ish years. IME (and I have way too much experience) the best options are Babystyle Oyster, Joolz Day, Bugaboo Cameleon, Icandy Peach, Icandy Peach Jogger and Mutsy Evo for decent all rounder parent facing, travel system compatible pushchairs. (Why is it you don't think iCandy's are suitable for older children newby2?). But the budget really is key to everything!

I also hate the idea of swapping for a forward facing stroller at 6 months or so. My DD is 23 months and is parent facing 95% of the time. It makes for a better experience for both of us as we can chat, we know what each other is looking at, I can point things out to her etc etc. I have had strollers for certain occasions like holidays and in the GP's car but I wouldn't ever use a stroller over my PF pushchairs given the choice.

NellyBluth · 12/08/2012 22:38

Itsmylast - thank god our Graco was a hand-me-down, if I had paid money for that beast I would have been furious! It really is the biggest pram in the world. Though their new ones look a lot slimmer, tbf.

melliebobs · 13/08/2012 05:16

Have to say we have the iCandy peach jogger and so far no complaints. Although I guess time will tell

byhec · 13/08/2012 05:51

We live within walking distance of town centre/shops and decided against a travel system. Ended up with a nipper 360 and a bucket type car seat from kiddicare (can't remember the make but it's not maxi cosi) and it all works fine.

ItsMyLastOne · 13/08/2012 08:53

Just realised my las post should read "aren't suitable". Stupid autocorrect!

Nelly everyone round here has the Gracos which are so big you almost think there must be a second seat in there somewhere! I helped a woman up a couple of steps with one a few months ago and I couldn't believe how heavy it was. I don't think these parents know what they're missing out on not going for something smaller and lighter. Or maybe it's a really clever way of keeping the bingo wings away!

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