Graco infant car seat/travel system - anyone have one?

[Snoozan]

I'm planning on buying a carseat/stroller for my DS and his DGF for a baby shower. They have a Graco travel system picked out. I'm just looking for feedback on the plusses and minuses to this set-up. Back in my day, they were bought separately. Is it really practical to use that bulky carseat on top of the stroller? Seems rather cumbersome to me, but I had my newborn son in a umbrella stroller from birth so I'm probably not a good judge.

Any suggestions on what's a good model? Is the "lite" stroller a good option?

 

[laughinplace199]

I had travel systems for all three of my kids. It was great to not have to wake a sleeping baby to go from car to stroller. Just take the whole carseat out and snap it into the stroller and baby can keep on sleeping. The same is true if baby falls asleep while you're out shopping or doing errands. You can just take the car seat off of the stroller and snap into into the base in the car.

For my last baby (who is now 2.5 yrs old) I had the Graco Metrolite stroller with the Graco Safe Seat car seat.

 

[freckles and boo]

I would have been lost without my snap-in car seat, especially when I had a newborn and a toddler. Yes, they are bulky and can be heavy. It still beats waking up the baby to get her in and out of the car. Plus, you can buy extra bases for the cars if she has more than one care-giver. The downside is that they are really only good for the first year or so but the stroller can be used for a long time.

 

[Kit'smommy]

I would have been lost without my snap-in car seat, especially when I had a newborn and a toddler. Yes, they are bulky and can be heavy. It still beats waking up the baby to get her in and out of the car. Plus, you can buy extra bases for the cars if she has more than one care-giver. The downside is that they are really only good for the first year or so but the stroller can be used for a long time.

My MIL bought one for us. I really hated it and only used it for a couple of months before switching to a different car seat and separate stroller. The stroller was heavy, took up most of my trunk and wasn't easy to push.

My best friend bought a similar set a year or so later and she didn't like it either.

It is nice to not have to have to take a sleeping baby out of its seat, but I still wouldn't want another of these sets.

 

[bekkiz]

IMHO, DO NOT buy a travel system. The car seats are fine, but the strollers are awful. Super hard to push, a pain to fold up. No one I know with a baby is happy they bought the travel system.

A much better idea is to buy the car seat (and Graco's are great) and then buy a Snap and Go frame http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Trend-Single-Snap-Stroller/dp/B000BMKEVC

It's really light and easy to use, and then they have a few months to evaluate what kind of stoller fits their lifestlye best. Maybe it's a lightweight umbrella type, or maybe they need a SUV type jogger. We have 3 strollers, each for a different purpose.

 

[tiggger1]

I loved mine. Yes the stroller was a bit heavy but I still use it and my son is 2 1/2

 

[mjkacmom]

I used a snap-n-go with my kids (a lightweight, compact stroller frame that holds the carseat), and had a double for my twins. Kids need strollers for at least 3 years - why be stuck with a heavy one. I had a lightweight one for the van, a jogger for walks. IMHO, there is no perfect stroller, and the heavy combo ones are the worst.

 

[Shmily1]

DD has one of the Graco ones. We just don't have the baby yet to put in it!! He's due in 9 days though!

The stroller is really easy to open and close. To close it, you just push a button on the handle and twist it. It drops to the ground. It has a place for drinks and sunglasses or snacks, temp gauge and a clock. It does everything but walk the baby for you!! We are ready for him though!!

 

[Disney Ron]

I have the Graco Castleton Travel System and hated it. It was to big and took up all of my Toyota Camry Trunk. This is the one we have.
http://www.babygearbuyer.com/products/graco_quattro_tour_travel_system_castleton.html

My stroller recommendation is the City Mini Baby Jogger. It is top quality, and easy to push. DH is hard to please and raves about this stroller. It is so compact, easy to fold, and can be pushed with one finger. The sun shade gives full coverage and the seat fully reclines.
Here is the link, watch the video...I know they would love it!

http://www.babyjogger.com/city_mini_lp.aspx

Enjoy spoiling that grandbaby!!!

Mrs. Disney Ron