What is the best stroller/car seat combo?

I am trying to find the travel system.....what in your opinion is the best system? and where online do they have them? Thank you!

If you're set on a system and you're not sure how you'll use a stroller, go for a seat you like and get the Baby Trend Snap-and-Go. Once you've determined how you will use a stroller (mall crawl, outdoor walks, all day baby-needs-to-be-super-comfy style stroller, etc,) it will be easier to guide you. Some people know ahead of time, others prefer to wait until baby arrives.

All my babies outgrew their carseats by 3-4 months. The carseat system strollers are more difficult to fold, are heavier, and won't provide the type of long-term use most parents need and want.

Have you considered a better stroller that can also hold a carseat like the Peg Perego P3 or the Inglesina Zippy? I used my Pliko with a Graco Snugride for quick trips, yet I had the full-recline for longer outings when baby needed to stretch (anything over a 30 minute trip away from home). The P3 or Zippy is the type of stroller that can be used from infancy through the heavier toddler years. They can hold a good deal of weight, aren't likely to tip over, have great canopies, and a smaller fold like the umbrellas.

You might also look at the Mountain Buggy Urban Single if you'll be using the stroller for outdoor walks AND in the mall. The new MB Single strollers have a universal carseat adapter available and are worth a look-see.

I hope that I haven't confused you! In short, skip the system and invest in something that will hold a carseat carrier and/or be a great stroller in the long term! :)

gina, mom to 3

[cdlamis]

I agree with the above post. Before my baby arrived, I read all these posts about not getting a travel system and buying a Peg perego instead. Of course, I ignored all the siggestions and bought a Combi Perfect Match- which is great for a travel system. If fits almost all car seats and is a pretty good stroller by itself. BUT, I cringe with envy any time I see a PP Pliko and so badly wish I skipped the travel system and bought a snapn-go and a lighter stroller (Pliko for me).
I think I didn't follow all the advice because before my daughter was born, I couldn't see past the first 6 months. Does that make sense? All I wanted was a good travel system for my infant, not remembering that I would use it for years after in stopped being a travel system. I also thought that buying a good lighter stroller plus a car seat was more $$ than a travel system but thats not true either.
So, the Combi PM is good for a travel system but I would go for a better stroller for the long run.
Hope this helps-
Daniella

Edited to add: My daughetr also grew out of her car seat by 5 months. So I did all this research for a stroller that was good for 5 months.

[schums]

The Combi Perfect Match stroller is not really a "travel system" (to be picky). It is a stroller that will accomodate almost any car seat out there. You have to buy the stroller and car seat seperately, which enables you to get the car seat you want with a good stroller. And the Combi/car seat combo is usually cheaper that the travel systems, plus the stroller is better.

I LOVE my Combi (model 6630 -- the 2003 version). I still use it all the time (it is my only stroller) and my son is a BIG 14 month old. The stroller has a comfortable seat that reclines all the way, a large basket, both a parent and child tray, folds easily and is fairly lightweight, considering all the features. We rarely used the infant seat adapter, as my son prefered to be in the stroller itself (more room), so the full recline made it easy to use from birth.

I wouldn't buy a true travel system, but I think the Combi perfect match system is a good alternative and gives you a much higher quality stroller.

Sarah

[jbrandy]

I LOVE my COMBI Perfect Match 6630 also!!! I use it with a Century SmartFit car seat and it is fabulous. I also wouldn't recommend a true travel system but instead would highly recommend the Combi PM. It steers really well, I like the fact that it has 3 reclinning positions, the parent tray is fabulous and I can tell you the basket underneath hold LOTS (done a bunch of shopping with this stroller). I did a lot of research to find a stroller that was comfortable for tall people. My husband is 6'2 and I am 5'9. This is the tallest stroller around. It has an adjustable handle that is great. You should also know that you can use the stroller without the car seat with a young child. I use it with my 2 month old. I walk with this stroller and thought my son might enjoy a view of the world instead of me and so I used it without the seat and it worked out well.

Just a note about carrying the infant seats around--if you don't have the stoller carrying the seat is awefully heavy! I find that if I'm running into a store quickly and I don't use my stroller my arm hurts terribly by the time I get out. A friend of mine told me this before I had my son and I didn't really believe her until I experienced. Another friend got tennis elbow from carrying an infant seat around. So--yes using the seat in the stroller is great but..just as easy to just use the stroller. My guy is such a sound sleeper that he doesn't even wake up when being taken in and out the car seat.

Hope all of this helps.

Beth B
Evan 2 months

I think you guys have sold me on tossing the idea of a travel system and going with the Combi PM instead. Last thing I want is a stroller I can't use after just 4-6 months.

One question....when you say you have the Combi PM 6630 model, do you mean the Ultra Savvy PM or the Savona PM? I was confused when I looked on www.combi-intl.com website and there wasn't a "6630 model", but these 2 PM models.

Thanks for your help!
Soon-to-be first Mom