TRAVEL SYSTEM STROLLERS......NEED HELP

[R2BIGDAWGZ]

I have been all over comparing strollers after reading the baby bargains book over and over. Now I reach a problem...In the book it gave century as the best on the travel system strollers, however now century and Graco have merged. The problem is Graco was rated poorly "a D" I believe. So do I still buy century or what. Any suggestions out there? thank you

[alandenisefields]

While we don't like Graco's strollers overall, we do like their travel systems (as a runner-up to Century). Even though Graco has merged with Century, the combined company still is marketing separate brands. So, go for the Century travel system; they haven't changed since the merger!

Alan & Denise Fields, Authors
BABY BARGAINS
Email: [email protected]. Web: www.windsorpeak.com.

[sarsah]

Here's what we did....
I have a Combi storller with the 'perfect match system' which allows an infant car seat to be attached to the stroller and then got a Century Smart Fit Plus car seat.
To me, this is the best of both worlds. The Combi strollers are much lighter and more durable than any of the stollers I have seen included in the travel systems. A lot of the car seats included in the travel systems are only 3-point. You have to buy the higher end travel system to get the 5-point car seat.

For under $150 I got a great stroller & 5-point infant car seat and I was able to choose the feature of the stroller & car seat individually to meet my needs.

Sarah....

[NolansMom]

We really love our Snap & Go. I bought it online when babystyle.com was having one of their specials ($50 off $100) and basically got it for free, plus no tax or shipping. The drawback is that once your baby outgrows his infant seat, it can't be used anymore. But, it is so easy to fold & snap in the seat. The basket is pretty roomy too. It is so easy to manuever through stores & tight spots unlike the Century/Graco travel systems.

The Combi travel stroller came out after our baby was born, but it seems like a nice option too.

[joodyjr]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-06-00 AT 05:49PM (Mountain)[p]I compared the century travel system with the Graco;
personally found the Century more comfortable for me.
The wheels on the Graco didn't want to move very well
when turning and the overall size was smaller than the
Century, (planning for a big baby, I wanted larger)
Well baby is here now and loving the Century that we
bought. Rides super smooth and turns on a dime!
Car seat is great however.... chose not to use base
in car as it placed baby too high.. pediatrician also
noted that as a bad idea..and car seat/carrier is a
bit heavier than Graco but I figured that small price
to pay.
I also placed baby directly in stroller, w/out carrier
when he was 2 weeks old and the recline made it very
comfortable for him. We were walking up street to mail.
Would use carrier in stroller on a more "out" outing.
Love Century!!!

[Rae]

Sarah,
Great idea! Where did you buy the Combi stroller and car seat? I am in Atlanta.
Rae

[ecarley]

I'm planning on going the Combi route as well. The 6600 Perfect Match stollers are currently available at many websites for 89-99.

Combi's official site, www.combi-intl.com , has all kinds of info about the Perfect Match, as well as online and store retailers. Good luck!

[raynjen]

Just to let you know the 6600 Perfect Match went on sale at www.babystyle.com for $59! Happy Hunting!

[ecarley]

Thanks for the hint! Just ordered my Combi.

Dealofday.com also had a $30 off coupon if you spend $100, so I got $140 worth of stuff for a grand total of $87!!

[dianaco]

I to feel in love with the Combi perfect match system. Also, I found the Combi website at WWW.combi-intl.com. This site sells last years "perfect match" strollers at a fraction of retail.

Good Luck
Diana...

[sarsah]

I got a Combi 6600 stroller with perfect match and a Century 5-point infant car seat. It worked great for us and I would highly recommend going that route. I looked at many of the travel systems and the strollers seemed big, bulky and cheaply made. The Combi is light weight, folds fairly flat and has survived 8 airline trips (being gate checked) in the 9 months since my son was born without a problem. I would highly recommend it!

Sarah....

[JakesMom]

I bought a Graco stroller for my mom to use (she insisted on having one), and we both love its easy folding mechanism, but can't stand the wheels. They're hollow plastic and make a ton of noise, and the result is also a bouncier ride.

We did a few things:
1. Century SmartFit infant seat/carrier, with the Snap & Go XL model. I can't recommend this enough -- our son lived in his carseat carrier for the first six months (he got tall early so we graduated to a bigger car seat then, but most people I know use theirs longer). The Snap & Go is very lightweight, takes up virtually no trunk space, and means you don't have to wake the baby if he/she is sleeping peacefully in the car.

2. Peg Perego Venezia stroller -- my brother wanted to buy us a "big" gift, so as sheepishly as I could, I suggested this. It's very expensive (about $289) but SO terrific! It's not meant to be a super lightweight stroller, but it does collapse pretty easily, comes with a boot and reclines all the way. Conveniently, you can switch the handle direction so baby is facing you or facing out, the fabric is machine-washable, and it's very roomy (great for babies with lots of blankets & layers and toys). The basket underneath is pretty deep, the wheels are big rubber sturdy ones, and the ride is incredibly smooth. I can't recommend it enough.

3. Kolcraft reclining umbrella stroller -- we got this one more recently for a trip out of town, and while it's not as inexpensive as the Toys-R-Us cheapies that are like $10, it's a little sturdier and reclines one position, so that baby can nap more comfortably. I wouldn't recommend this until your baby is at least 9 months (or earlier if he or she is big), but if you do travel a lot and want something that folds pretty small and is replaceable, this is a good option.

In general, I'm not a fan of travel systems because, while you might get one component you like, you're stuck if you hate another. I say, make an investment in a good quality stroller if you can, because you may want to use it for years.

Good luck!
- Jodi

[mkmom]

I agree with "Jodi" about the Peg Perego Venezia. It is GREAT, I have been very pleased with this stroller/carriage and all of the features !! Plus, I can clip my Century car seat into the attachment bar with no problem, or detach the bar and it is a regular carriage/stroller. I would get the Peg Perego (or the Combi) before any Graco or Century travel system !!