Best stroller for travel (European),and carseat question

Hi everyone,

I know this has been a commonly asked question, but I haven't found my answer yet...

Traveling to Europe next month and I'm not sure what to do about a stroller/car seat.

My daughter is going to be 5 months old at the time of travel, and right now we are exclusively using a Graco Snugride and Snap and Go. We also have a Zippy, but have barely used it because the Snap and Go has worked out so well.

For this trip, I am worried about carrying a lot of gear and want to pare down our load as much as possible. I know we could take the Zippy and the car seat, but I hate to run the risk of having the Zippy ruined by the airline.

1. Should we take the car seat? From a safety perspective I'm thinking yes...??? I know if we rent a car, we can also rent a car seat. What about taxi rides, private tours, etc.? Any experience/opinions appreciated. I don't know if this will end up being more of a problem than anything.

2. Would we be better off buying, for example, a Combi DX? That way it would be comfortable, light, and easy to carry via the strap.

3. Should we just take the car seat and SNG and deal with it.

I'm just concerned that the SNG/car seat combo will be a problem in the areas we will be traveling to(Amalfi coast, Switzerland).

Help!!!!

I'm looking for great advice from all of you experienced travelers!

I'm leaving for London in a week and am looking for a lightweight for my 19 month old. I too am unsure about the car seat issue, especialy now that he's in a real car seat (as opposed to the infant carrier) and I am traveling alone.

When he was 7 mos, we took him to Germany. At the time all that I had was an Evenflo travel system and it worked quite well for us. I used the carrier/car seat on the plane (there was an extra seat by us) and on the airport transfer bus; I felt much safer than if I would have held him on my lap. We also had to take a taxi from the bus station to the hotel, so it was convient to have the car seat with us. We gate checked the stroller with no problems. The stroller didn't have any shock absorption, but my son enjoyed the bouncing when we went over cobblestones. My advice is to take the Snap & Go and car seat if that is what you normally use.

I didn't feel the need to get a lightweight travel stroller until my son got bigger. I've been putting off the purchase for as long as I can...now I have to decide on something.

Oh, you mentioned the Combi DX...I like it a lot, but my son who is of average height is too tall for it. His feet hang over the foot rest and I'm sure that they'd be touching the floor in no time.

I hope that this was of some help to you.

If you are going to be renting a car, then I would bring your carseat. Otherwise, maybe, maybe not. It is certainly more convenient not to have the carseat during overseas travel. As far as taxis go, I know this is unpopular, but we usually do not use a carseat in taxis when traveling. And most shuttle bus type things do not even have seatbelts, so it is a bit moot.

If I were you, I would take the Zippy. Even if it is damaged by the airlines, its not like its an irreplaceable stroller, KWIM? Many airlines will pay for broken strollers, although not all. If you will be doing a lot of walking in old towns and over cobblestones, you will quickly appreciate having a stronger, more stable stroller. As long as there are two of you, I wouldn't worry so much about the weight of the stroller. In fact, most Europeans have large, pram-ish strollers, because the streets are quite uneven and very harsh for babies in small strollers.

HTH,

Hi
We took my DD to Europe at 4 mos with PP Pliko and attached carseat carrier. We travelled by train but put her in the carseat carrier frequently to nap and hang out while we ate as she could not sit up yet. Also, if you bought her a seat on the plane, they will not let you sit her down without a car seat. I highly recommend buying the seat for such a long flight due to safety as well as comfort. They do have basinettes but I have never had one available on several overseas flights with an under 2 child as they are not guaranteed. They are in the bulkhead row and these seats are frequently given to frequent flyers. Even if you didn't buy a seat the airline will let you bring your carseat on the plane if there is an empty seat available. If you don't have somewhere to sit her you may end up holding her a LOT on your trip.

However, at 5 mos, she may not want to sit in the carrier anymore. You will have to feel it out at the time.

We rarely use a carseat in a taxi while travelling. I don't think any public transportation has seatbelts to attach your seat.

Another thing we have considered is bringing the seat on the plane and storing it at the airport if you are flying in and out of the same airport. If it were me, however, I would keep it with me to set her down on the trains.

I don't know anything about the Zippy but I have never had a problem with damage to my stroller after gate checking it about 20 times. The Pliko is not all terrain but it was fine for a few Europe trips lasting a couple of weeks each. Also, the only reason we would carry the stroller is in and out of the trains. I don't think a carry strap is necessary but, keep in mind that in Europe there are not as many handicap accessible ramps and such and you and dh may end up carrying the stroller up and down steps a lot.

Also, my second child is very picky about strollers. You may not want to use your trip to test your baby in a new stroller. But. . .my baby I think is especially difficult.

Good luck with your decision. I am currently trying to decide whether to bring my MBUD to Germany in October (baby doesn't really like it) or bringing the Pliko (which he really likes) and perhaps buying another single for my 2 year old. Either way, I am definitely bringing my Britax Roundabout carseat for him to sit in on the plane. I may store it at the airport as we will be travelling only by train.

Have a fantastic trip.
Kristin