toddler travel car seat stroller image
Claire W
My boys will be 17 months apart, so I need a stroller that will accommodate a toddler and an infant. I am hoping to find one that is like the travel systems that come with the car seat stroller combination. Please help with any online store or regular store suggestions. A specific brand/model would be ideal.
Answer
The Peg Perego Aria is a side by side double stroller that will accommodate one car seat. It will only take one of their brand car seats(which I highly recommend.) A Peg Perego car seat will latch and lock in rather then strap over the stroller. The Aria is one of the lightest double strollers you'll find, and the car seat is one of the heaviest. The carseat is heavier in part because of the extra side impact protection. The aria runs at about $199.99 the carseat at $219.99
The B.O.B. Revolution Duallie side-by-side stroller will take a car seat as well. It will take any car seat with a $90 adapter. The great thing about the BOB is that it will last as long as you need it. It'll take something close to 75lbs in each seat. It also does not squeeze the toddler next to a bulky car seat. Pretty spacious. Runs about $570 + what ever carseat.
You can get both of these strollers almost anywhere. I recommend going to the Right Start or USA Baby. All Right Start stores are closing, so you may be able to get a good deal on them.
There is also the double Graco. I don't recommend it. It is very bulky, heavy and set up front to back. The car seat just about sits on top and can have a "shopping cart effect."
The Peg Perego Aria is a side by side double stroller that will accommodate one car seat. It will only take one of their brand car seats(which I highly recommend.) A Peg Perego car seat will latch and lock in rather then strap over the stroller. The Aria is one of the lightest double strollers you'll find, and the car seat is one of the heaviest. The carseat is heavier in part because of the extra side impact protection. The aria runs at about $199.99 the carseat at $219.99
The B.O.B. Revolution Duallie side-by-side stroller will take a car seat as well. It will take any car seat with a $90 adapter. The great thing about the BOB is that it will last as long as you need it. It'll take something close to 75lbs in each seat. It also does not squeeze the toddler next to a bulky car seat. Pretty spacious. Runs about $570 + what ever carseat.
You can get both of these strollers almost anywhere. I recommend going to the Right Start or USA Baby. All Right Start stores are closing, so you may be able to get a good deal on them.
There is also the double Graco. I don't recommend it. It is very bulky, heavy and set up front to back. The car seat just about sits on top and can have a "shopping cart effect."
What is the best car seat stroller combo that grows with baby?
Deanna
I'm expecting and looking into purchasing a car seat stroller combo but would like the set to grow with the child so I'm not buying new ones every couple months any ideas??? Thanks.
Answer
Congratulations! There is going to be a lot of info here. I hope it doesn't make you feel overwhelmed!
There are two types of car seats that you can get for a newborn baby. One type is an infant only seat that comes with a base and a carrier. The base is installed in the car and the carrier can be clicked in and out of the base. This makes it transportable. The carrier can also be installed without the base and can be clicked into a stroller.
Most infants outgrow their infant car seats by as little as 6 months to as much as 18 months (for the tiniest and really petite children). Some infant car seats go up to 30 and 35 lbs; however, babies will outgrow these seats usually by height, not weight- when the child's head is less than 1 inch from the top of the seat, the seat has been outgrown. Here is how to measure that 1 inch: http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=278124&postcount=1
Most infant car seats have very similar shell heights. For example, the Graco Snugride Click Connect 40 infant car seat goes up to 40 lbs, but has the same shell height (height limit) as the Snugride 22, 30, 32, and 35 model. The Graco Snugride Click Connect 40 has different features that differ from other models. I just don't want you to be misled by reading the weight limit and thinking that it will last longer.
Another type of a car seat that can be used for a newborn is a convertible car seat. These are big seats that stay installed in the car at all times, which means that they are not transportable (unless if you uninstall them). A convertible car seat can be used for a newborn provided that the harness straps can be adjusted at or slightly below the baby's shoulders. This means that the bottom most harness slots need to be low enough to fit a newborn's torso. Slots less than 7 or 8 inches will fit most full-term newborns.
A convertible car seat can be used both rear and forward facing with the harness. (The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says to use the rear facing part of the seat until the child outgrows it in that position as rear facing is the safest way for babies and toddlers to travel). But when the forward facing function of the seat is used, the harness straps need to be coming from at or slightly above the child's shoulders. Slots higher than 17 inches will mean that it will last a child a long time. Selecting a convertible car seat with low bottom slots and tall top slots will mean that a convertible can be a child's last harnessed car seat, from birth to about age 5 or 6,
After riding in a car seat with a harness, a child then rides in a booster seat. Boosters are inexpensive, and some high-back models are under $100. So, what I am saying is that after the convertible car seat stage, you won't be spending a lot of money on car seats at all.
And I wouldn't buy a "3 in 1" car seat in hopes of saving money. These "3 in 1" car seats can be used both rear and forward facing with a harness and as a booster. Most of them are gimmicks that lure consumers to buy them as they advertise that they will be a child's "last seat". For example, here are some flaws on "3 in 1" seats.
The Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite is a tricky car seat to install and makes a terrible, terrible booster as it positions the lap part of the belt on the child's tummy. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) put it on the "not recommended" list: http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/not_recommended.aspx
The Evenflo Symphony 65 e3 makes a great rear and forward facing car seat with a harness. It only gives about 1 inch of growing room in booster mode after outgrowing the harness system.
The Diono Radian models make great rear and forward facing car seats with the harness, but booster mode will be outgrown at the same time harness mode is outgrown as it gives absolutely zero height room to grow in booster mode (the tips of the child's ears need to be below the top of the seat and there is no way to adjust the seat higher).
Congratulations! There is going to be a lot of info here. I hope it doesn't make you feel overwhelmed!
There are two types of car seats that you can get for a newborn baby. One type is an infant only seat that comes with a base and a carrier. The base is installed in the car and the carrier can be clicked in and out of the base. This makes it transportable. The carrier can also be installed without the base and can be clicked into a stroller.
Most infants outgrow their infant car seats by as little as 6 months to as much as 18 months (for the tiniest and really petite children). Some infant car seats go up to 30 and 35 lbs; however, babies will outgrow these seats usually by height, not weight- when the child's head is less than 1 inch from the top of the seat, the seat has been outgrown. Here is how to measure that 1 inch: http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=278124&postcount=1
Most infant car seats have very similar shell heights. For example, the Graco Snugride Click Connect 40 infant car seat goes up to 40 lbs, but has the same shell height (height limit) as the Snugride 22, 30, 32, and 35 model. The Graco Snugride Click Connect 40 has different features that differ from other models. I just don't want you to be misled by reading the weight limit and thinking that it will last longer.
Another type of a car seat that can be used for a newborn is a convertible car seat. These are big seats that stay installed in the car at all times, which means that they are not transportable (unless if you uninstall them). A convertible car seat can be used for a newborn provided that the harness straps can be adjusted at or slightly below the baby's shoulders. This means that the bottom most harness slots need to be low enough to fit a newborn's torso. Slots less than 7 or 8 inches will fit most full-term newborns.
A convertible car seat can be used both rear and forward facing with the harness. (The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says to use the rear facing part of the seat until the child outgrows it in that position as rear facing is the safest way for babies and toddlers to travel). But when the forward facing function of the seat is used, the harness straps need to be coming from at or slightly above the child's shoulders. Slots higher than 17 inches will mean that it will last a child a long time. Selecting a convertible car seat with low bottom slots and tall top slots will mean that a convertible can be a child's last harnessed car seat, from birth to about age 5 or 6,
After riding in a car seat with a harness, a child then rides in a booster seat. Boosters are inexpensive, and some high-back models are under $100. So, what I am saying is that after the convertible car seat stage, you won't be spending a lot of money on car seats at all.
And I wouldn't buy a "3 in 1" car seat in hopes of saving money. These "3 in 1" car seats can be used both rear and forward facing with a harness and as a booster. Most of them are gimmicks that lure consumers to buy them as they advertise that they will be a child's "last seat". For example, here are some flaws on "3 in 1" seats.
The Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite is a tricky car seat to install and makes a terrible, terrible booster as it positions the lap part of the belt on the child's tummy. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) put it on the "not recommended" list: http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/not_recommended.aspx
The Evenflo Symphony 65 e3 makes a great rear and forward facing car seat with a harness. It only gives about 1 inch of growing room in booster mode after outgrowing the harness system.
The Diono Radian models make great rear and forward facing car seats with the harness, but booster mode will be outgrown at the same time harness mode is outgrown as it gives absolutely zero height room to grow in booster mode (the tips of the child's ears need to be below the top of the seat and there is no way to adjust the seat higher).
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