Friday, January 31, 2014

Review of The First Years Compass Booster Seat

Compass B540 Booster Car Seat, Sticks and Stone
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $89.99
Sale Price: $66.82
Today's Bonus: 26% Off
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I purchases The First Years Compass B540 for my grandson for his 4th birthday. He has hip problems and spends a lot of time in the car going to skills training for Autism. I purchased this car seat because it seemed so plush and comfy. With large padded wings so that when he fell asleep he would have a soft place to rest his head. Four months later the vehicle he was in was totaled in an accident. A full size truck broadsided directly into his door, tipping the vehicle. When I arrived on scene my grandson was standing beside the car with only scratch's. From emergency personnel on the scene I was told "Great car seat grandma!" "He's fine, because of his car seat!" "I heard you bought him this car seat, I wish everyone had such a good car seat!" "Awesome car seat, its rare to walk away from an accident like this." I confess that, when I bought it, I did not know what the safety features were. I purchased this car seat because it was heavily padded, I thought for comfort. After the accident I found out it has a special foam to absorb the impact, like what is in a bike helmet. With in days I ordered three car seats for my 3yr old granddaughter, another for her daddy's car, and one for my grandson to replace his. It's rare to be able to say this is a great car seat, we tested it! Even if the price is a little more than you would want to spend... it truly is priceless.

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I purchased this booster for my almost 4 year old son when he hit the 40" limit for his convertible car seat. He is 36 lbs. I researched for hours on the web and decided to try this one. Besides comfort, it was very important for me to have side impact protection. But it was also important to find a booster that worked for sleeping toddlers where his head would not fall forward. We purchased the Graco high back booster for my husband's truck which he rarely rides in. The Graco is VERY flimsy, no side impact protection and his head fell completely forward the one time he did fall asleep in it. When the Compass arrived, I could tell right out of the box how much more substantial it was. The colors are great. We live in Florida and it's NOT black so it doesn't get hot. The side head wings are big but he can still see everything. They are great for resting his head against with lots of padding. The cupholders are great and retractible. We just returned from vacation and he rode happily for 6 hours without a problem each way and he slept comfortably. The seat padding is great and the seat is plenty wide enough. The only thing that was hard was positioning the seat in the center of the back seat of our Pacifica. It worked fine for his seat but because it is so wide, I had trouble buckling my seatbelt next to him because his seat covered my seatbelt latch. It may not be that way on other cars. Still well worth it for his safety to have a little inconvenience. The belt path is fine...no issues with that. I would highly recommend this seat to anyone...it's great! I'm very happy with the purchase and with the fast delivery by Amazon. By the way, no assembly required! I hope this helps other shoppers.

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Getting used with the sturdier carseats for smaller kids, I had a hard time picking a booster. They all looked shaky, lacked LATCH, just didn't feel the same. After some reading I realized that tha LATCH was really needed to hold in place the heavy seats, not the child. With the light booster the seat belt can handle the entire load.

With this worry gone, I started to look around for boosters. I never liked much the Graco ones available in Toys R us. They are very shaky, especially if you lift the headrest. I guess they would do since their only purpose is to lift the child, the rest is jus feel-good for the parent.

I got to see the Compass boosters in a store in Minneapolis once and I liked it better. The back does not move that much, even extended. With the head rest up it still has a full back rest because the whole back moves up. The seat belt guides on the headrest also look sturdier. The side padding for the head and back are also a nice safety addition.

I looked around for a while, but there's really not much other than Graco in regular stores. I decided for the Compass but could not find it anymore until I read on Amazon that it has been renamed to "First Years"

I've been using it for weeks and I'm very happy with it. My daughter loves it too. It is much more stable on the middle seat in the back than I would have expected (though it probably varies from car to car). It stays nicely in place when she gets on and off. It's more comfortable for the child and leaves more room for the others in the car than the bulky hard-back car seat & booster combos.

I am very happy for the purchase and I wish I would have made up my mind faster.

Honest reviews on The First Years Compass Booster Seat

I was in love with this booster until last week. It is easy to buckle in, has wonderful cupholders, looks and feels wonderful, and folds up easily. Then the IIHS came out with its latest booster seat ratings. Basically, they gave the seat an indeterminate rating: "These seats can provide good protection for some kids in some vehicles, but not in as many cases as top-rated boosters. If you are using one of these seats, make sure that the lap and shoulder belts fit properly. The lap belt should fit flat across a child's upper thighs, not the soft abdomen. The shoulder belt should cross snugly over the middle of the shoulder." I am much more conscious of how I buckle my child in now. Unfortunately for my wallet, I am also considering getting a different booster.

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bought this for my son a year ago at the time he was five, very happy w/ this booster, very comfortable... and most important keeps seat belt in proper position. we were recently involved in a rear end accident hit by an suv going about 45mi, my son was in his booster in far back of the van...he took brunt of impact, his booster did its job, he was shook up but walked away without a scratch!

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Reviews of Baby Trend Flex-Loc Infant Car Seat

Baby Trend Flex-Loc Infant Car Seat, Chickadee
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
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We have a tiny car and I was afraid we would have to upgrade our vehicle before the birth of our third child. I measured the backseat of my car and got 49.5 inches, divided by 3 to get 16.5 inches, and then consulted the internet to find out if carseats come that narrow. I found a couple that did, and was very excited until I saw the prices on them. I did some more research, found carseat forums where moms discussed what carseats fit in the backseats of their narrow cars, and several were recommending the Chicco Keyfit, but again, I didn't like the price.

So I took my trusty tape measure to my local Target and found this Baby Trend seat right next to that Chicco Keyfit. I measured them and found that this one is actually narrower (only by half and inch, but that matters in a tiny backseat)! I took the seat down from the shelf and measured the base, too, and it was also very narrow. I fiddled with the adjustable back and am VERY excited to not have to rethread the straps as my baby grows. I played with the LATCH straps to see if I'd like them. I put the carseat in and out of the base a few times. I rocked the carseat on the floor, played with the sunshade, tested the front button for adjusting the straps, tested the fasteners.

Pros:

1. It's 16.5 inches across!

2. ADJUSTABLE BACK!! No more strap rethreading as my baby grows!

3. The strap length is easily adjustable from the front of the carseat. You can adjust the straps as you're putting your baby in, or after baby's already in, without having to turn the seat all around and do it from the back.

4. As long as you get the right model, it is rear-facing up to THIRTY POUNDS. My 2 1/2 year old daughter just hit thirty pounds, and to think of her still in an infant seat is laughable, but I do remember how sad I was when my first child outgrew his infant seat and we HAD to switch him to the convertible. Life did get more difficult b/c I could no longer just carry in his seat when he fell asleep in the car; I had to unbuckle him and pick him up, and he usually woke up and I had a hard time getting him back to sleep or dealing with him being grumpy for the rest of the day. I would much rather be able to switch to a convertible seat by choice instead of by necessity.

I did find that there were a couple of small things I didn't like:

1. The button to release the carseat from the base is in the front of the seat, not the back like I'm used to. When the carseat is installed in a car, it's a little difficult to get to that button. Whoever designed that must have never actually used a carseat...

2. The straps only fasten into the buckle when they're put together just right. Unlike most carseats, you can't fasten one side and then the other. Again, whoever designed this must have never been a parent! We've had a carseat like this before and I SWORE I would NEVER buy another one, b/c if my son didn't want to go into the carseat, it was darn near impossible to get him buckled. The only reason I did go ahead and buy this was because as a more experienced mom, I think I'll be able to handle the screaming-infant-doesn't-want-to-get-in-her-carseat better this time. Also, I think that if I just loosen the straps a lot, it'll be easier to get the infant buckled, then tighten them to a safe point, and this should be pretty simple with the easy adjustability of this seat.

3. The cover is not machine-washable. Again, designers didn't have children! It is at least removable; having to hand-wash a cover isn't really THAT big a deal when I'm already used to cloth diapers. (I machine-wash my kids' diapers, but I do have to scrape the poo out of them after they start solids.)

I hate it when people leave reviews for products they haven't actually used yet, but this is one I think I can safely review. I've used three different infant carseats between my first two babies so I feel like I know what I'm doing this time :D I also really wanted to let everyone know that there is a less expensive alternative to the Chicco Keyfit for narrow backseats!

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I never write reviews for products, but I HATE this seat with such a passion, I have to do it.

There are two things I like about this seat. One: it's cute. Two: it snaps in and out of the base very easily.

That's it. Two things that I'm sure I can find on another car seat.

It is so DIFFICULT to get my daughter in and out of this seat. I bought it because it says it goes up to 30 lbs. What a laugh! My daughter will turn three months in two days (granted she's big for her age) and she has already outgrown this seat. She can barely move when she's in there and every time I pull her out she is just drenched in sweat. I have the straps as loose as they will go and they still pinch her legs. The snaps are also really difficult to do. I feel like I'm hurting her when I put her in this seat! I have purposely not left the house until my husband is home to watch her simply because I did not want to deal with the chore of strapping her into this seat.

Struggling to put her in this today, my husband remarked that whomever made this seat should be beaten. Today is the last day we will ever use this seat.

UPDATE:

I gave this seat to a friend to use until her son is old enough to use the toddler seat she has. Her son was much smaller when born than my daughter (he was less than 6lbs, mine was 9 lbs) and it's working well for him. He's now 3 months old, the age my daughter was when I gave up on this seat. Either way, just keep in mind this seat is SMALL! I still wouldn't recommend it as it doesn't give a lot of growing room.

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Some people seem to really hate this, but I bought this seat for my baby before she was born on the advice of multiple parents who'd used it and liked it. It's nice and small, but my daughter just turned one year old and is currently 22 lbs, almost 30", and she still fits in it. She's about to outgrow it length-wise, but we may keep her in it a little longer, since she's not uncomfortable in the slightest. I love the adjustable back--the knob is easy to turn to move the straps up and down. It goes down to 5 lbs, where some infant seats only go down to 8 lbs, and it goes up to 30 lbs, where some only go to 20 or 25. I liked this one in the store because it felt like the lightest seat to pick up by the handle, which is important to me as I'm small and I have one bad shoulder. A heavy seat could've been a dealbreaker in the beginning. The handle is also nicely ergonomic. We never intended to have a stroller but we bought the Baby Trend jogging stroller to go with this and let me tell you, we use it all the time. It handles like a dream. I don't know about the regular stroller, but if you want a stroller with this seat, you can't go wrong with the jogger.

After one year of use, the seat looks surprisingly clean and not at all like the milk-and-Goldfish mess it should look like.

As far as some of the complaints, we have had the straps twist from time to time, and it's a bit difficult to untwist them. Other reviewers have indicated that other seats don't have this problem--I'll believe it when I see it. Regarding difficulties tightening it down, pulling the strap on the front does tend to tighten one shoulder strap more than the other, but you can grab the hip straps and pull on the tighter side to take up the slack from the looser side and then pull the front strap again. I've never found it to cause problems.

Installation is very easy, and, besides the fact that it has a 20-pound, squirming baby in it, I find that getting the seat on and off the base is also a cinch.

Honest reviews on Baby Trend Flex-Loc Infant Car Seat

I loved this seat. It was nice just buying extra bases and having this seat. I also loved that Baby Trend makes a jogger that works with an infant seat so that I could go over any terrain easily and still use my carrier. He did outgrow it by the time he was 6 months; but I still have the stroller and am planning to use Baby Trend again for my second child!

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Don't waste your money this car seat is terrible and may just as well come without a warranty. The car seats handle and buckle sticks all the time and the company will only offer a repair on this death trap if you are willing to be without a car seat for at least a month.

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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Britax 2012 B-Agile and B-Safe Travel System Reviews

Britax 2012 B-Agile and B-Safe Travel System, Black
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $399.95
Today's Bonus: $0.04 Off
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My husband and I spent a good amount of time researching strollers and car seats taking into considering safety (of course), reliability, comfort, size, price and others. We settled on Britax almost immediately and I spent countless hours trying to find a set that was affordable. On the Britax website the stroller itself is over $300! Ouch! You can imagine my surprise when I found this set on Amazon and I immediately made the purchase.

When our order arrived I was elated to find out how compact the stroller gets, considering I had a Lexus ES. A large stroller wasn't really an option. But I can fit 8 of these strollers in my trunk! Also the car seat and base set were easy to put in the car!

The stroller was super east to assemble and looks fantastic. We chose the black set, so we could use it for a long time and hopefully with our next baby. We tested it out around the house and the stroller takes corners with easy, feels light weight (but not cheap) and we love the big wheels!

If you are like us, getting ready for a new baby and care about safety, size, etc go with this set. You won't be disappointed!

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The baby's not here yet, but I'm already really glad we went with Britax; we'll see how I feel in a year or two.

In the end, a lot of picking a stroller/travel system is just what feels right to you, so you should go to a big baby store and try several strollers out. We went shopping with a totally different brand in mind, but after a mind-boggling hour of pushing, pulling, folding, attaching, and detaching several travel systems, we went home with the Britax B-Agile in large part because my wife just liked the way it folds and deploys the best, as well as how light it is -it was one of the lightest in the store. I was leaning towards a Chicco, but its pull-handle folding mechanism was admittedly a little frustrating and it was definitely heavier, whereas this B-Agile is just click, lift, whoosh done. Plus, as an engineer, I liked the click-and-go attachment system of the Britax (note: NOT the same as snap-n-go...more on that later), where the strollers and the carriers have dedicated receptacles that are very easy to use; the other brands seemed to use the same bottom hook that connects to the car base unit, but it just hooks onto the stroller's drink/snack tray, which was pretty detachable. I just wasn't thrilled with the robustness of that design. And THEN I started going crazy with the modularity of the system....

I'm sadly starting to succumb to paranoia about all the potential threats to my future baby's health, and as soon as I opened the box I started worrying about how much time kids spend in the car seat, because everyone seems to just babies around in car seats like a chihuahua in a blinged-out purse. Some news stories and studies suggest it's not exactly great for their developing spine and lungs, and again, as an aerospace engineer I've spent enough time harnessed into crashworthy seats to know it's not how I'd like to pass my spare time. One downside to the B-Agile stroller is that the toddler seat doesn't really lay all that flat, no matter what some marketing material says. I don't know if other stroller seats lay completely flat to create a more bassinet-like place for baby to stretch out on walks around the block, but frankly, looking at these seats, I'm not sure I'd just plop Junior in there as is, anyway. Lucky for me (and Amazon's profits), Britax makes a bassinet attachment! It'll add another third to the cost of the system, but having just installed it, I know I will feel much better about my kid having room to breathe and wiggle about for the first several months of walking the dog or even taking a ride on Metro. The bassinet attachment doesn't seem to be marketed that heavily in the US and seems more popular in Europe (Britax is the product of a British-German merger), where they love their prams (and they call the bassinet a "carrycot"). Stateside, the bassinet is marketed as an attachment for the much pricier B-Ready stroller (which is probably a better investment if you're going to have a second baby soon), but it also fits the B-Agile. Unfortunately, you have to recline the stroller seat all the way to make room for the bassinet, and then if you walk too close to the stroller you'll tend to bump your shins into it. On the British version of their website, Britax has a video of the B-Agile that shows you can remove the toddler seat to make room for the bassinet and/or have a minimalist frame for mounting the car seat on. However, you won't see any instructions for removing the toddler seat from the stroller in the American instruction manual; and comparing the British version of the instruction manual (downloaded from their website), I see there are two subtle design changes made to the American stroller to discourage us from removing the toddler seat (which, frankly, we're not going to use for the first few months). This was probably done to satisfy the lawyers of stupid people who would put it back together wrong and then sue the company. And as a disclaimer, let me just say that you should NOT remove the toddler seat because you might cause injury or death and it's not my fault, but I'm just sayin', if you're a rocket scientist like me or even just vaguely coordinated, you might find a way to easily, reversibly, and non-destructively remove the toddler seat from the stroller (which folds nicely for storage) and make plenty of room for the bassinet, as shown in the photograph I've uploaded. I'm psyched.

And speaking of removing the seat (disclaimer: don't do it, you'll cause injury or death, not my fault), this is as close as you'll get during the infant months of having a Snap-n-Go style system, because one downside of the Britax click-and-go system is that the B-Safe car seat does NOT fit in the Snap-n-Go, in case you wanted to keep something like that in the trunk for quick shopping trips. So that's one downside to this system. This gave me momentary pause before I threw away the packaging for our new B-Agile system, but the B-Agile is light enough -and extra light and sleek with the seat removed (disclaimer: injury, death, not my fault) -that I'm now thinking the money saved not needing the Snap-n-Go recovers half the cost of the awesome bassinet attachment.

The other negative about this system is that it comes with no frills that are standard on other brands. Drink holder? Extra. Toddler tray? Extra. Dang, babies are expensive, yo.

But, I am so excited about the system we have now accumulated -between the B-Agile, B-Safe, and the bassinet attachment -and how it's going to serve all our needs for the next few years in a lightweight, adaptable, sturdy, and good-looking way, that I really couldn't bring myself to dock the rating by a whole star, so while my wallet might say 4.5 stars, I'll round up and call it 5. And if we do have another baby, I see a B-Ready in our future.

PROS:

* Super-easy folding, fairly easy unfolding

* Lightweight both the stroller and seat

* Bassinet attachment! (Not included)

* Highly maneuverable

* Robust click-and-go attachment system

CONS:

* Seat doesn't lay completely flat (again, I don't really think it would matter)

* Tray, parents' drink-holder extra

* Push handle is not adjustable (height/angle) like on the Chicco Cortina, which was very comfy, so take it for a test drive.

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Individually these pieces are fine. Together they're better than okay, but not great. The stroller with the infant seat on it is extremely hard to steer (impossible if you lock the front wheel, which they say you have to do if you're using the infant seat), and even harder with only one hand. Also, as noted in the review of the car seat by itself, the great canopy on the stroller bumps into the handle of the car seat so that it's impossible to completely keep out the sun or rain (see customer pics on the car seat).

I paid $314 (+ tax) for this set; I wouldn't pay $439 for it. I like Britax stuff and the pieces individually, but the one killer is that I can't go shopping with the baby, and for that reason alone I wouldn't buy it again. I might actually go and get a different Britax stroller (since I'm kind-of stuck with the car seat; they're hard to sell because you're not supposed to buy them used) just so that I can have a bigger underseat basket.

Individually:

**Stroller**

Pros

+ super-easy folding -really possible to do with one hand in one motion (after you press the grey button, which can also be done with one hand)

+ automatic lock when folded

+ compact when folded; easy to steer without infant seat

+ lightweight and easy to lift

+ great brakes that feel really safe and are easy to engage and disengage

+ large canopy works great without infant seat

Cons

really small underseat basket, so it's really hard to shop with your baby (compared to, say, the Chicco KeyFit 30 stroller frame, which can fit a whole duffle bag)

all accessories are separate (drink holder, kid tray) -you'd be surprised how much you sometimes just want a place to put a bottle of water with you on a walk

practically impossible to turn corners with front wheel locked

**Car seat**

Pros

+ Comfortable for baby without lots of extra padding that gets in the way

+ No infant insert needed (comes set for under 11 pounds; adjusts for bigger babies)

+ Nice big canopy

+ Locking mechanisms and shoulder strap guards have a good feel

+ Good up to 32 inches (great for tall babies; most car seats only good to 30 inches) as well as 30 pounds (and I don't think any baby has ever hit 30 pounds before hitting 30 or even 32 inches)

Cons

You have to rethread to adjust the shoulder straps and buckle

A little heavier than other car seats (although most car seats feel heavy to me, with or without baby)

Honest reviews on Britax 2012 B-Agile and B-Safe Travel System

First of all...Amazon I love you! Second, I originally saw this Britax B-Agile travel system at Babys r us and was captivated by its three wheel design and mass of positive reviews. So, like any loyal amazon.com user I compared the price here. At Babys r Us the model was selling at $379 (in the tan color) and $349 (in red and black) and was not always in stock, here on amazon.com it was $319 which is by far a better offer! I was still concerned to spend this much on a travel system as with my previous two children I had spent no more than $150 on a travel system/stroller so I went into research mode. I googled and checked reviews from various sites including the Britax site and official reviews by experts.

The Britax B-Agile travel system is exactly what I was looking for: Safety, convenience, ease-of-use, quality, and durability. Upon purchasing this item from Amazon.com I received it just 2 days later (which I love about Amazon!) And I immediately opened it and began assembly (if you can even call it that!) The "assembly" was simply snapping the wheels in place along with the canopy which took all of 5 minutes!

Next, I decided to put the stroller to the test with my 4 year old daughter as the test rider. She is taller than the average 4 year old and weighs approximately 38lbs. I was very suprised to see that I could manipulate this stroller with extreme ease AND with only ONE HAND! The breaking system is amazing and only requires you to step on one side of the wheel to engage BOTH wheels. Also, setting the front wheel to a stationary position (not allowing it to rotate) is remarkably smooth and I even took a short jog around the house and found it made for a very enjoyable experience.

I then began manipulating the various features of the stroller to see for myself what all the rave was about. I adjusted the harness positioning which was a simple unzip and one hand squeeze up or down depending on the height of the child. I also laid the seat back into an almost flat position and pulled the straps out for an easy transition to sitting. The safety button and fold system were very very easy to use and the whole stroller reportedly weighs about 17 lbs but to me it feels much lighter!

Now comes the carseat; the Britax B-safe. Right out of the box it was lighter than any other carseat I have ever owned (no exaggeration)! The flat angled bars on the outside of the handle made it ideal for carrying the carseat with ease over your forearm and the gray rubber like handle was awesome for a secure grip! The carseat fit great in the base and was also easily removed with a simple squeeze of the release button in the back of the carseat. And installation of the seat into the stroller was also very very simple with the two carseat adaptors snapping into place then the carseat snapped right into those for a very secure fit with each audible "click" (love this clicking as it ensures the proper installation each time!)

Overall the Britax B-Agile travel system is a remarkable system which I give my full support and cheer! I would recommend spending the extra money on this system just to put your mind at ease with the safety and convenience this system WILL provide!

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I did a lot of research on safety, ease of use, longevity and I believe this system has it all for a bargain price. My baby boy will be six months this week and we use it all the time. I purchased it in black through Babies R Us and I have to admit, I paid too much...wish I had looked here first. Red wasn't even an option elsewhere. I like the look of both. I'm shopping today for the tray and cup holder. Now that he's getting heavier and wants to sit up I will probably just use the stroller without the car seat attached soon. Knowing he is safe in this car seat is more important to me than how easy it is to carry. You can tell the difference in safety in the cheaper/lighter models. The system is so easy to use just click the car seat in and you're off! Also very compact and easy to put away (one button). The plus is this is a very sleek and stylish system unlike many of the cartoonish options out there. You won't be disappointed.

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Cheap Graco RoomFor2 Stand and Ride Classic Connect Stroller, Metropolis

Graco RoomFor2 Stand and Ride Classic Connect Stroller, Metropolis
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $149.99
Sale Price: $134.57
Today's Bonus: 10% Off
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**SEE BOTTOM for UPDATE (still POSITIVE) after owning this for 7 months**

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For the price, and the "pound for pound" value (no pun intended, since this is actually one of the lightest doubles out there too!), this is the **absolute best double out there** I have a son who's almost 32 months old, and a 6 month old daughter. It is easy to fold up, it is as light as you can get (easy for me as a guy, and reasonably easy for my wife and our nanny who is small). It's not small, but I was able to fit it yesterday in our mid-size sedan's trunk, when it already had a large duffel bag and some other stuff in the trunk. It's under-seat storage is easily accesible, and the cupholders are great also. My son loves standing on it, which we did not expect, because as he gets closer to 3 years old, he can be a little whiny :) But when he's tired, he likes sitting too. Further, my 6 mo old daugher is still obviously in her car seat (a Graco SnugRide 32), and that seat fits quickly and simply into this. I was worried from some reviews and the pictures that when the car seat was in, my son would find it more difficult to sit on the bench, because the car seat foot-end juts out a bit, and my son is in a phase where he finds his baby sister a bit annoying, so I was worried her feet might bother him, etc: the seat *does* jut out a bit much, but my son (who is about 38" tall) didn't even notice. And once my daughter is out of the SnugRide, and we're not carrying her car seat everywhere, the built-in seat is great for her: we've already used it with her, and it's fine. It's not all luxury cushy, but it is perfectly acceptable.

I spent a great deal of time looking at all the doubles out there, eliminating very quickly all the side-by-sides, which I find offensive to the sight, particularly when I see people navigating them through narrow aisles in stores, etc. Ugh. So we knew we wanted a front-to-back style that takes up no less horizontal space than a regular stroller. Then after reading all the review of the high-end models, it seemed clear that most of these strollers are: 1) quite heavy; 2) not easy to fold; 3) notwithstanding their $250-400+ pricetags, still with annoyances of their own. So then I went shopping at a lower pricepoint, and found the 2 Graco double strollers, the "Room for 2" (the one I am reviewing), and the "Ready2Grow" version that costs an extra $70. I strongly advise picking the Roomfor2 over the Ready2Grow, for the following reason(s): I went to a physical store and tried out the more expensive Ready2Grow it is a behemoth. I did appreciate that it had 2 removable/interchangeable cushiony seats, and not just a bench, so I could see that in the short-term, when my son is still enough of a "baby" that he can go into the toddler seat, it would be a tad more comfy for him. But at what price (and I don't mean $$). The thing is GIANT and HEAVY, and it is absolutely DIFFICULT to fold down and unfold....I couldn't even figure out how to unfold it, once I had folded it up! **I'll save you some time, too: take a look at both product videos on Amazon. They both look great, right? BUT, notice that when the smiling Mom is using the Ready2Grow, and about to do the alleged "one hand-fold" of the product, the VIDEO CUTS AWAY. HAHAHA. That's because they wouldn't want you to see that when it folds down, it is HUGE, bulky, etc. I don't see how most people are fitting that in a trunk -even many SUVs. Meanwhile, the video for the the Roomfor2 *does* show you the full 1-handed fold-down of the stroller, all the way to the ground, and it is *compact*, reasonably light to carry, and simple.

For me, it was a no-brainer -and now that we've been using it for 3 or 4 weeks, we couldn't be happier. Good luck!

-----------------------------

***UPDATE*** 7 months later: So my son is now 3.5 years old (an almost 2 inches taller!), and my daughter is almost 15 months. A commenter asked me to update my review, and now is the perfect time: we just got back from a week in Orlando/Disney (right before the east coast blizzard, luckily!) We brought this as our only stroller for the 2 kids, and it performed like a champ. It remains VERY easy to fold and stick in the trunk (and for what it is, it's really relatively light), and also note that we had a rented a Nissan Altima, and there was plenty of room in the trunk for 2 big suitcases and this stroller. Further, after navigating Disney World, I can only reiterate that I would NEVER want one of those side-to-side strollers...no offense, but I find them obnoxious, taking up so much horizontal space, tough to walk around, etc., etc. On one day, I actually noticed someone with another front-to-back model, but it was one of those expensive $300-400+ jobs. I remember looking at it, and noticing that it looked pretty darn similar to ours and then I remembered that not only did they pay an extra $200+ for it, just go read the reviews of all of these, and there were serious negative reviews of the more expensive ones --far more than for the Stand and Ride! So I did an inappropriate mental whisper of "sucker!" and went on my way. :)

Some other observations/caveats: 1) sometimes we still had my daughter in her car seat (like when we went through the airport), and in those cases, if my son is sitting in the seat (facing the person pushing the stroller), he's now tall enough (almost 40") and she's now big enough that her legs/feet extend past the lip of the car seat, and if she feels like it (and she did a few times), she can give a good kick to the back of my son's head. Likewise, when he's standing up, and she's in the car seat, she's a sitting duck if he feels like giving her a smack/push, etc. But such is life with 2 children 2 years apart, I guess! My son is relatively mellow enough that he didn't mind the occasional kick (or at least, didn't respond with overwhelming retaliatory force!)

2) Also, there have been times where my son (he is 3.5, remember) finds it funny to use his feet to hit the brakes of the stroller, which is annoying. But kids can find various creative ways to hinder your forward progress no matter the stroller you use, and he soon learned if he did that, he would have to walk with us instead of ride (and if I was in a real hurry, I'm big/strong enough to actually lift the whole thing up and just push it only on its front wheels so that the back wheels w/ brakes don't even have to roll...but some people might not be able to do that). In any event, it still wouldn't cause me to blame the stroller, and every front-to-back stroller would have this identical problem.

3) You really should buckle up your bigger child when they're sitting in the seat facing you. We have had a few near-"incidents" where he just hopped on to the part of the stroller where he can stand or sit, and we were lazy and didn't buckle him in when he sat down. In one instance, we were rushing to catch the monorail at Disney, and my wife grabbed the back of the stroller to lift it into the train (creating a 30+ degree angle from the front of the stroller) -he wasn't buckled in, and went tumbling under the handle, onto the ground. He was fine, but startled...and obviously that was our fault for being lazy. There were also one or two times while I was pushing the stroller at a fairly quick pace where he didn't realize he couldn't just step off the stroller onto the ground! Suffice to say, we're now much more diligent about always buckling him in when he's sitting, and he learned you can't step off a moving object without consequences.

Overall, I still highly recommend this stroller. Great price, great performance.

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As a background, I have three children under 3 1/2, so I have to have a lightweight, easy stroller that turns easily, has decent storage, and doesn't take up a ton of space. I am really quite particular with my strollers, and I definitely liked this one of all the strollers I tried.

Pros-

*Folds really small, almost as small as my single graco metrolite stroller!

*Has a latch to hold it together when it is folded so it doesn't keep opening when you're trying to get it in the car.

*The front tray swivels, making it easy for the child in the front to enter and exit (important with a baby in an ergo so you aren't trying to juggle carrying kids!)

*The front seat reclines enough that my 2 year old could take a nap in it (although she never has).

*The front tires can be locked, making it easier to go over rough terrain.

*The basket is easy to access and can hold a decent amount, although it isn't huge. I can fit a diaper bag full of stuff for three kids though. You won't be able to fit lots of bags if you go on a shopping spree. :-)

*The parent tray cupholders are deep, so my drinks aren't spilling or falling out.

*The center slot in the parent tray fits my smart phone and keys perfectly, and is just out of reach of my preschooler.

*My preschooler loves to stand in this stroller! It has comfy handles for her to hold onto. When she gets tired, the seat is comfortable and has straps to keep her in if necessary.

*Pretty easy to steer, although not with one hand. You can steer with one hand, just not easily.

*Super lightweight, so easy to take in and out of my car.

*My Graco carseat snaps into the front easily and feels secure. There is still room for my daughter to sit or stand in the back with the carseat in. Her head is pushed a little forward from the carseat, but not enough to bother her.

*My husband doesn't kick the board where the child can stand! Yahoo! I don't either, but as a reference, my husband is 6 feet 2 inches. The other stroller we had, he kicked a lot!

Cons:

*Front seat doesn't recline completely flat, so a little baby would have a hard time napping in it.

*You can't steer it with one hand easily.

*underneath basket could be bigger, but seeing as this is a compact double, it's a good size!

*My preschooler LOVES to push the brakes while we are walking. We are working on this. I don't blame the stroller though, she could probably do that on any double.

*The sunshade is a little too small to help. Plus you could buy an extra one if needed.

*No snack tray for the rider in the back. I solved this by purchasing one that clips on. It works great and my daughter loves it!

Comparisons: (yes, I have really owned all these strollers!)

*Joovy cabooseI didn't have the ultralight, although the only difference between the caboose and ultralight is weight. I don't feel like there is anything about this stroller I like better than the Graco. I guess the footprint felt a little smaller, and it was TINY folded up. There are a lot of things I don't like. The front tray doesn't swivel, it is impossible to steer, the basket underneath is useless and fell off all the time, when a carseat is up front, a child can't sit in the back, there is no parent tray so you have to buy one, and those aren't very nice, the sunshade isn't big enough, when you do put a Graco carseat in you have to use an adapter, the snack tray for the child is tiny, the front seat barely reclines, the seats are hard and uncomfortable. I guess one more thing I like more than the Graco is that it comes in fun colors! But not worth it. Graco is much better.

*Graco ready 2 growThis would have been my favorite, but I returned it for a few reasons. It is HUGE. I have an Expedition, and it BARELY fit in there folded. I couldn't fit my groceries from Costco and the stroller at the same time. The board where the child stands is so far back that I even kicked it when we walked (I'm only 5'5"!). My husband kicked it so bad that he decided he didn't want to use it at all, so I had to push it when we walked. The parent tray is ridiculous. Is swivels out for a drink, and isn't deep enough, so things always fell out. I couldn't fit my phone in the tray and even when I did my daughter could reach it. The brake is right below the child, and my daughter kept accidentally kicking it! It is a beast, and I could barely lift it! The things I liked better about this stroller than the one we have, the room for 2, are the following: definitely easiest to steer out of the strollers I tried. You can steer with one hand. It also includes an extra jumpseat so a baby can face you, but you have to wait to use it until the baby can really hold their head up because of the angle. It comes with two sunshades that are ample. When folded, it stands on it's own. I would say the obvious winner here is the room for 2. It comes in cuter color choices like black and green, but still not worth it to me!

*Bob double jogging stroller, revolution (older version from 2009)I have a love hate relationship with this stroller. It is an amazing stroller for jogging or even walking. I love so many things about it! The child seats are really comfortable and can recline flat, there is a peek a boo window on the sunshades to check on the kids, the sunshades are HUGE!, it steers so easily and pushes so easily that you don't notice the weight, the front wheel can either swivel or stay still, it comes in cool color choices. However, the things I don't like about this stroller make me not use it often. It. Is. GIANT! I can hardly lift it in and out of my car! It doesn't latch shut, so it is really hard to lift. There is no parent tray included, and the one you can buy is pretty lame. You have to buy kid trays separate. The stroller and accessories are so expensive!!!!! The basket underneath is really little, suprisingly, considering how giant this stroller is. We have small sidewalks where we live, and if someone is walking towards us, we either have to move to the street or they do. It is really big, did I mention?

*Babytrend sit and stands (I don't own but tried out at the store)these are nice strollers, that fold pretty small. I only tested them, but my impression was that they are made really cheap. They felt flimsy and the seats were kind of hard! They are not inexpensive either. I would go with the Graco.

*Phil and Ted (don't own it, just tried it)these things are cool because they really are the size of a single, and are SO incredibly easy to steer. My problem is the weight, the basket size is tiny, there is no parent or child tray, the sunshade isn't huge, and the poor kid in the back is practically riding on the floor and can't see anything. My three and a half year old is pretty small, and sitting in the back seat made her look like a giant! She wasn't comfortable back there!

Hope this review was helpful! We love our Graco Room for 2 stroller, and recommend it highly. It isn't perfect, but no stroller is. This has the most important features to us, and our kids are happy when we go on long walks, which is so nice! They are close enough to share food and drinks with each other, but not so close that they are bugging each other the whole time. Good luck finding the perfect fit for your family!

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I wanted to love this stroller and was a little disappointed withe the number of little things that I don't like about it. None of them are major but when added all together I can see how much better the stroller could have been.

Pros:

This easily holds both my daughters. My three year old loves that she can sit or stand and thinks getting to ride in the stroller with her little sister is a lot of fun.

The stroller collapses easily and is just as small as our single travel stroller when collapsed.

The stroller is light enough to move easily when collapsed.

The stroller steers easily even with both kids in there.

There are lots of cup holders and places for snacks.

The basket underneath is a good size.

Cons:

My husband said the instructions for putting the stroller together were not great and when he pushed down (as instructed) to attach the foot rest one of the clips to hold it on broke easily.

The stroller fully collapses to the ground which means you have to pick it up to move it which is not easy when holding on to the younger child. (My other stroller collapses to a standing position and can then be moved on the rear wheels.)

When the front seat is in the reclined position, my three year old really needs to stand to have enough room. If she wants to sit, she ends up leaning forward because the other seat is in her back.

The five-point harness for the front seat is not easy to use pieces are all separate and must be fitted and held together while trying to buckle the child in.

The sun/rain cover for the front seat is stiff and not easy to adjust.

The way the seats are positioned makes it difficult to get anything large into the bottom basket even though the basket is large enough to hold it. I'm not sure I could fit our diaper bag in there.

The rear wheels have separate brakes so you have to push on each of them. The child in back can also easily reach the brakes with their feet and push on the while you are moving. (I have no idea how this one could be avoided though!)

We will definitely be using this stroller when we go places outdoors that require a lot of walking. It is a good stroller that could have been made even better with a few small adjustments.

Honest reviews on Graco RoomFor2 Stand and Ride Classic Connect Stroller, Metropolis

I ordered this for our 3rd and 4th child (almost 3 years and 2 months old). With my first two children I owned a Baby Trend Sit and Stand. We have owned many many strollers. My favorite was the Metrolite by Graco. That is the reason I picked this stroller over the Joovy and Baby Trend sit and stands.

Cons:

-The front tray of the stroller is flimsy and the release is awkward to grip to open/close.

-When the front seat is reclined there is no room for toddler to sit without leaning way forward (causing toddler to lose balance). Same thing when using the carseat.

-The parent cupholder is on the inside of the stroller facing toddler. It does not securely attach and only holds 3 lbs. I don't see why Graco didn't permanently attach parent cup holder.

There are no secure clips to lock in carseat. You are instructed to use the front lap seat belt to secure infant seat.

-The Sunshade is small and extremely hard to move. I did go ahead and purchase the Protect-a-Bub to shade my toddler and I was able to make it work. My toddler likes having a little tent above his seat.

-The basket seems small and is hard to access with toddler in stow. Had to hang diaper bag on handle of stroller making it harder for my toddler to get in and out of his seat.

-The front seat's straps are very very tall.. I put my 2 month old in just to get an idea of how long it will be before she can ride without the carseat and it will be months. The lowest straps were level with the top of her head.. I was hoping she'd be able to sit in it around 4 or 5 months.

-The front tray is very tall also. I will add pictures just to give you an idea.

5pt harness is a pain all pieces are separate and must be fitted and held together to buckle.

Pros:

-It is compacta bit heavy but seems pretty durable (other than the flimsy cup holders).

-It drives very well for a double.

-I find it easy to fold and lock (with the exception of the shade).

Overall I would not buy it again. I do not plan on returning it since I'd pay a lot with shipping. I hope I will like it better once my baby is able to sit in the front seat without her carseat. Then my toddler will have more space. I don't remember having these complaints with my Baby Trend Sit and Stand. I choose the Graco over the Baby Trend because it accepted my carseat and from the experience I had with the Graco Metrolite.

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I was so glad to see that Graco came out with a sit and stand stroller since I have always liked their products and had good luck with them. There wasn't much to put together and it seems to be really sturdy. My Graco carseat snaps right in the front When you use the stroller with the carseat the front seat is in the upright position so there is plenty of room for my todder to sit on the bench or stand. When comparing the RoomFor2 to my Graco one-seat stroller there isn't too much differnce in lenght. The wheels are almost exactly the same just the tray on the RoomFor2 sticks out a little farther. The handle is padded with a nice material that won't tear like my old Graco stoller did. The bench seat for the toddler has a little padding and the standing platform has some bumps on it to help with traction. The front seat is nice and there is a bar on the back of it that you lift up to recline the seat. It folds up so easily and is actually smaller when folded then my Graco one-seat stroller. It easily fits in my trunk. It is easy to steer and push with a toddler and baby in a car seat. I haven't used any other sit and stand strollers so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I am sure this will work great for my kids.

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

UPPAbaby Bubble Infant Car Seat Shade Review

UPPAbaby Bubble Infant Car Seat Shade
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
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I recently bought the Bubble for a trip to Disneyworld with a 3 month old. I use my car seat (Chicco KeyFit 30) constantly since I use a MacLaren Easy Traveller stroller [like Snap-N-Go]. My car seat has a puny sunshade and the bubble MORE tham makes up for it. At night, when the mosquitoes came out, I was happy to zip up the insect netting. As far as being able to repel rain, it worked perfectly for a light summer shower. I got numerous compliments on the way it looked while at the park and even once at Babies R Us. "How futuristic!" and "How sleek!" I was so happy that it's made to fit all sizes of infant seats, even mine which works for up to 30 pounds. I am so happy that I bought this. For 20 dollars you get quite a bang for your buck, as it blocks sun, bugs, and rain.

*To address other reviews: Yes, you can see into the sides (through the black mosquito netting), so SOME sun can get through. I think that the benefit of the parent being able to see the child outweighs the con of a tiny bit of light getting into the car seat. The silver sunshade is opaque and does a great job of shading the sun and keeping the baby cool, even during the brightest hottest part of the day in Florida.

If you want the keep your baby even cooler during summer months, also buy a small stroller fan, like Kel-Gar. It makes it an AIR CONDITIONED Bubble.

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I live in San Diego, CA, so strong sun is an issue even during the winter months. I bought the UPPAbaby shade because I am using the infant car seat in combination with my stroller frame, and the infant car seat came with a sun shade that was too short; I got tired of using a blanket to shade my baby. The UPPAbaby Bubble, unfortunately didn't live up to the expectations. It looks great, is very stylish, and it fits fine on my car seat, however it doesn't shade the baby completely from the sun: the side mesh, that is not covered by the silver layer, lets the sun through. I really don't understand why the sides can't be covered as well by the outer layer. On the other hand, it seems like it does protect from the rain. I hadn't have the chance to test the bug resistance. I ended up buying another shade, that may not look quite as good, but does a better job in protecting from the sun.

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When I first ordered the UPPA Baby Bubble I had no idea just how much I use it. Every time we're out with our baby and car seat the UPPA baby bubble comes with us. Our baby was born 4 weeks early and the bubble was perfect preventing unwanted hands touching our baby whilst out of the house.

We have the Maxi Cozy car seat that has a small canopy. The bubble fits very well around the car seat and is easy to put on and take off. No need to take it off in the car either as you can leave it on whilst the seat sits in its base.

The UPPA baby bubble does work very well to protect your baby from the sun, rain, wind and bugs but it also works well to help with the Georgia pollen in the spring time. It also helped stopped our neighbors cat from sleeping in the car seat whilst visiting their house.

Trust me; if you have a baby on the way or have a new born, you want this bubble! It's great.

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We use a Graco snugride infant car seat and the UPPAbaby shade fits perfectly. I find the shade more convenient and easier to store than the stroller plastic rain cover. With the UPPAbaby infant car seat shade you avoid the wind blowing the rain cover, the blankets and any items inside the car seat. You also avoid having strong sunrays peeping through the canopies. The shade also shields my 2 month old son from our two shitzus and from stares from strangers so that he can sleep more peacefully. The car seat has a canopy which fits under the UPPAbaby shade for added protection from the sun, wind and rain. I would have given the UPPAbaby 5 stars if not for the zipper which opens half way instead of all the way to make it easier to put the baby inside the car seat without having to remove the UPPAbaby shade.

With the UPPAbaby infant car seat shade you don't have to worry about the weather conditions when you step out of the door with your baby.

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I use this shade every day with Graco Snugride car seat. Whether I take my baby on a walk (I just put the car seat with the shade on it on the stroller frame), or take him for a ride I do not need to worry about the sun hitting him! Plus I know my son gets enough air from the ventilation on the side, yet he is totally protected!

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Britax B-Agile and B-Safe Travel System Review

Britax B-Agile and B-Safe Travel System, Black
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $299.99
Today's Bonus: 25% Off
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We've had this combo for about a year and although i love the looks of it ( ours us red) we chose it because of its lightwight and safety rates.

Everything comes with a price, because the stroller is so light and somehow compact (the two front wheels are together and act like one) there is not much storage underneath . We bought the cup holder accessory and that works well. The basket underneath is small and only holds up to 10 lb. Maneuvering the combo (stroller +carseat) with one hand can be difficult at times and it tends to tip a little to the sides. We have a dog and it took a bit of practice to walk her and the baby together. Not a deal breaker, but worth mentioning.

Without the carseat, the stroller is also great (and more stable). Very easy to maneuver even with one hand (walking the dog). It lays down flat and is well ventilated. I wish it would go straight up more, because my daughter holds onto the bar to see out because the upright position of the stroller is "not upright enough" for her. The bar was also bought separate.

Another thing worth mentioning is that all the accessories (cup holder, bar/tray for the stroller etc.) is sold a la cart.

The stroller is very light! Easy to fold ( just push a botton on the side and pull the handle) easy to oper as well. Although this is not a jogging stroller, it has shockers on the wheels and you can walk fast and even run with it (cautiously).

I dont like the porous rubber on the handle. Although comfortable to hold onto, im concern about its cleanliness. Its hard to clean that type of material and i find that porous things are great for bacterial growth, again not a deal breaker.

For the caraseat, it is great, but it does tend to make the baby hot! Its structure is solid but the nylon type fabric does not ventilate very well and my daughter gets very hot in there. When she was big enough, we removed the extra paddding to creaddle the baby's body. That helped a bit, but it was still hot. Again, not a deal breaker, but something to considere if you live in a hot climate.

This system is highly rated for is safety and i think safety overrules everything else when it comes to my child, but i thought it would be helpfull to point out some of the "not so great" aspects of this combo. Despite my observations, I'd still recommend this combo to anyone in the market for an easy to handle, lightweight, great looking and most of all safe system!

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I researched stroller/car seats extensively before ordering this. I got mine a couple months ago and absolutely LOVE it!! I bought the foldable double cup holder and child tray to go with it. I also bought a mommy hook for multiple shopping bags. The cargo basket below holds my medium/large JJ Cole diaper bag just fine and the cup holder holds my coffee, water bottle, wallet, keys, phone, and a binky no problem. I also love how light it is and easy to fold up. I can fit it in the back of our truck with the third row seat in just fine. This is also super easy to maneuver around, I can easily move and turn it one handed. Lastly it seems to have a nice smooth ride for our walks/jogs. I would definitely recommend buying this!

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We bought this travel system and extra base for our first child this August. Overall, I think it's a great product, not perfect, but I'm happy with our purchase. Our experience has some pros and cons:

PROS:

The carseat snaps in the base and stroller effortlessly.

Extra bases come in handy.

The base is one of the easiest to latch in your vehicle according to my friends that use other brands. I didn't know we had a LATCH system until the nurse helped us install the carseat properly. It's so easy.

Stroller maneuvers great! Wheel locks keep it from moving, period. It's a very smooth ride for our baby.

Plenty cover from sunshine and rain when locked in the stroller.

CONS:

The carseat is very heavy with a child in it. It's 9 lbs 8 oz by itself. I recommend using the stroller whenever you can. My daughter is 13 pounds now and it has become more difficult maneuvering the seat out of the base. My husband has no problem, however. I thought I'd build more strength in my arms carrying her and the carseat around but I didn't count on being so exhausted.

We drive a 2013 Ford Explorer and our seats constantly hit the carseat moving it around and blocking the release. This doesn't happen in my friend's GMC Acadia. We have to lean over the carseat to pull the release then wiggle it out. We obviously don't have as much room as some other vehicles. This isn't the fault of the manufacturer but something to consider.

You do have to simultaneously pull up on each side of the seat to remove from stroller, making it impossible to get a better grip on the seat; you just have to bring it in the car like that. It is a little awkward but I haven't dropped her yet.

The right strap on the carseat constantly twists and tangles! I'm not sure why it's just that side.

Baby gets hot hot hot! I'm going to get a breathable liner for it. She justs sweats so easily.

Limited storage space below. I received a Mommy Hook at my shower that makes carrying purses, diapers bags, or shopping bags easier.

I'm happy with the travel system despite the cons. It was easy to get the 3 pieces together and I knew after using it a few times I would know what accessories I needed (most definitely a cup holder or the organizer). It is a bit pricey compared to other brands but I felt this was a very safe one to go with. I'm sure others may come with larger, more accessorized strollers. In hindsight, it may be better to get just the carseat and base alone and then a universal stroller, but I still love pushing this stroller around. Read your instructions thoroughly! It took me forever to figure out how to loosen the straps and open the stroller when I actually started using it.

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Really good product. Easy to use because all parts attach/detach with one click or snap. Only wish that it included more added features like cup holder and place to prop your foot when lifting carriage up over high side walk. Overall, great car seat stroller. Worth it to get the combo rather than separately. I would recommend getting multiple bases for more than one car.

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Great stroller very light and easy to adjust, loved it! Also it was affordable for being great quality and can't forget it's cute

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Cheap Brevi Travel system Ovo car 043 viola mirtillo

Brevi Travel system Ovo car 043 viola mirtillo
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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This travel system is fantastic. Rated 4 stars because:

1. Options bassinet, car seat, stroller (front or rear facing), footmuff, raincover AND a diaper bag

2. Ease so easy to swap to whichever option you want to use literally takes 2 seconds

3. Quality Sturdy, not plastic looking, and the fabric is great so soft in the car seat.

4. Bassinet is beautifully made, and the lining is gorgeously soft, plus it has an option to raise the head part

5. Easy to keep clean all the parts are made to zip off so you can clean them

6. Diaper bag is sturdy and compact yet just big enough to hold exactly what you need

7. Weight the car seat and bassinet are light to carry

I spent so many months deciding what to get, and ended up ordering this plus a BOB revolution with car seat attachment to compare. Although it doesn't run as smoothly as your BOB stroller would, I have to admit I kept it over that because of it's comfort, looks, and ease of use. It also folds down very neatly. You can also order a separate car base attachment for the bassinet which I'm going to do. Much nicer for the baby to sleep lying down, and nicer to to be able to transfer to crib without waking the baby up.

Very satisfied buyer worth the money!!

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Cheap BabyHome Emotion Stroller Car Seat Adaptor - Graco

BabyHome Emotion Stroller Car Seat Adaptor - Graco
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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This review is for the Graco car-seat adapter for the Babyhome Emotion stroller.

The Emotion stroller itself is a great alternative to the full-featured Umbrella-stroller. Its also a solid contender as best urban stroller, and best Lightweight Stroller, for travel and urban use. I could go on. We tried 10 different lightweight strollers (Thanks, Amazon!) to use for travel and errands, and this one won.

We just returned from 4 days in Cleveland, flying from Los Angeles. We used the Emotion stroller and this Graco adapter throughout the trip. Of note, the picture shows the canopy removed. We left the canopy attached and the Snugride still fit fine.

Pros:

1.The adapter attached in less than 5 seconds, with a secure click on each side.

2. Graco/Teutonia car-seat locks onto the Adapter securely

3. Allows this great compact stroller to functionally replace your Snap-n-go and act as full-featured Travel system

Cons:

1.The stroller cannot fold with the adapter attached. This is because Graco car-seats need a large metal adapter to sit on and click into. (Compared to Maxi-Cosi) This ring doesn't flex or fold, so it needs to be removed before the stroller will fold shut.

2.To remove the adapter takes a bit of force and practice, but it got easier for us once we figured out exactly where to push.

I contacted Babyhome with questions when we first got the adapter, and they wrote back immediately with explanations. THANKS Babyhome!

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Monday, January 27, 2014

Reviews of Sashas Wrap Around Rain and Wind Cover for Infant Carrier/Car Seat

Sashas Wrap Around Rain and Wind Cover for Infant Carrier/Car Seat
Customer Ratings: 2.5 stars
List Price: $32.95
Sale Price: $21.99
Today's Bonus: 33% Off
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This rain cover was not a good fit for our Chico KeyFit 30 car seat. Plus, the closure around the handle is really sort of just silly in its design.

Other then that, the cover did its job and kept my son dry even in pretty heavy rains.

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Purchased to use on Maxi Cosi Mico since Maxi Cosi doesn't sell their custom cover in Canada. This thing sucks. First off it is not cheap... As such I would expect it to be effective in the least. The velcro attachments made no sense. Wind easily blew it off because the velcro attachments were pathetic and baby was wet from weather on more than a few occasions. The Brica and Jolly Jumper version appear to be more affordable and effective.

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I bought this one and the jolly jumper. I found this one confusing and jolly jumper is way cheaper and also has an elastic to make it a snug fit.

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it's a bit awkward in size for the gracco snugride and too expensive for what it is -this product should be sold for around $10.

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This product is very good, it is better then the regular rain plastic. The fact that it only fits over the car seat makes it better, there is extremely less wind that gets under the plastic onto the baby. If you have a carseat wit the snap and go or Graco frame this is an excellent product to purchase.

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Graco Size4Me 70 Convertible Car Seat - Grafton Review

Graco Size4Me 70 Convertible Car Seat - Grafton
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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This is the 2nd Graco Car seat that I am buying for our 2nd vehicle. The model fits well in a compact Ford Focus and blends nicely in the larger vehicle we just bought. My son can sleep comfortably with good head support. The cup holder comes in handy for sippy cups and snacks. My only issue with these seats is that the release button for the belt can be hard to unlatch at times, but it's really not too bad. Works well for an infant all the way through the toddler years and is a great buy! Get it on sale and you can't go wrong!

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Sunday, January 26, 2014

Review of Car back seat organizer - full 15 pockets in various sizes

Car back seat organizer - full 15 pockets in various sizes - Waterproof fabric protects vehicle seat - Car organizer back seat -Universal fit adjustable top and bottom ties keeps this car organizer backseat securely in position. -Rugged construction -100% guaranteed
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $21.99
Sale Price: $12.99
Today's Bonus: 41% Off
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This looked like a great product, so I ordered 2. It was just what I wanted for a 14 hour car ride with a 6 and 8 year old in the back seat.

When I FIRST opened the package I was surprised at what I thought was great quality of product. BUT and it is a big BUT when I went to install the organizer the bottom strap ripped right off the fabric on both sides. I did not pull hard on the straps although they were a bit short to get around a seat. The single thread holding them on ripped out. This causes the bottom to hang where it will be kicked, caught on feet, and basically be a pain in the neck.

I was able to salvage the situation with safety pins by pinning the organizer directly to the seat. Since it is the bottom it shouldn't rip or tear very little weight will be on the pins. (I used large quilting pins, velcro did not work) The second one I did not even try to use the strap, learning from experience.

We leave in 2 days and I hope the top sewing is better and it doesn't rip off the headrest. We are only looking to use them for DS games, DS handhelds and DVDs for the trip. I wanted to use the large pockets for books and drinks, but am a little concerned about over burdening it.

I gave it 3 stars because the organizer itself is well made but the straps are not sewn on well. Also because it is a great size, covering the back of the seat (I have a mini-van) and the pockets are a useful size.

Let's hope they work for the trip! If not I will add to this post.

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This is definitely one of the best car back seat organizers we have used. It is strong and is made of heavy duty material and also has lots of pockets. The two straps on top and bottom, both have clips unlike some I have used in the past with strings only.

At last our car is tidy and WELL organized. We also think it will be great when we go out camping...we can use it to hang in the tent, to keep items organized.

Good purchase and would recommend it to all my friends. I don't know why I waited so long to purchase one.

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I love this item. I don't know about your lifestyle, but I spend a lot of time in my car and I always need to have certain things in the car at all times. We travel with our dogs all the time, so that means, bags, travel water bowl, water bottle, extra kibble etc...

And we love to cycle, so we keep sunscreen, extra glasses, extra inner tubes for the bike, and a hand pump. Now instead of having all of our stuff rolling around in the back, it is in one neat area.

This is a must for people who have similar lifestyles. The organizer is sturdy and stylish and it came on time and in perfect condition. I would highly recommend this product.

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I strapped these (I bought 2) onto my back seats and the straps broke on both of them within a few days.

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Buy Baby Bunting Fits Standard Size Strollers, Infants Carriers and Car

Baby Bunting Fits Standard Size Strollers, Infants Carriers and Car Seats - Model 610
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
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I wish I can use it for more than a year, I love it and my baby gril love it too, she is warm and happy inside and she look so cute.

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I love this item very much.. it fit perfect in the car seat but i wish it was more than 1 year use..

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We used this all weekend on a trip into Seattle. It worked great for our average 9 month old daughter. The only issues I have with it are 1) the listing doesn't state that the inside fleece is a dark green, not black; 2) the velcro that the shoulder straps pass through is one long strip, instead of a few smaller sections, making adjusting the straps a little less ideal in fitting through the bunting. We used this bunting in our The First Years 'Ignite' -Sticks and Stonesstroller, and it fit well. I also used it in the upper, rear facing seat on our Ready2Grow Graco. It doesn't work as well, due to the strap attaching the seat to the front tray/handle, but it does work fine in the front facing seat.

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this item really did not fit my son's car seat he has for his daughter.. I bought it as a gift. it works ok but it fits weird.

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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Reviews of Joovy Roo Car Seat Stroller

Joovy Roo Car Seat Stroller
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $84.99
Today's Bonus: 15% Off
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Its perfect with the exception of that the cup tray is positioned to low so is the actual adapter portion for the carseat. Makes the

access to the basket slightly harder once the cars seat is installed.

Peg Perego Click's Right in. Compared to all other Car Seat Strollers where you have to use a strap across the baby and the whole carseat which I did not want.

Great Product, Great Idea...Love it! Not quite perfect, but almost!

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The Joovy Roo is a great clip in stroller for anyone especially if you chose the peg perego car seat. The peg actually clips into it which is hard to find with other clip-n-go's. We weren't too sure about the side view initially but it's been great so far. It really comes in handy at restaurants. The large basket is great for storing all the baby gear but it would be nicer if you could access it with the car seat was clipped in. It rolls well but the tires could be improved especially considering the price premium. I would recommend this to anyone in the market for a clip n go especially if you use the Peg Perego car seat.

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I have recently purchased the Roo for my 4th child for convenience while I am out with my other children. The frame is low and has a wide base, which I love, and it is so easy to push! I use the Peg Perego car seat and it locks in with such ease. I do like how the car seats sit sideways bc it can create that natural side to side rocking and when you need to lean down to care for the baby, there is no handle bar in the way! Very happy and very pleased with what is now my 4th Joovy product!

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Bought this to fit our Chicco Keyfit and really like it! The frame is very lightweight and folds easily. Cup holders are super convenient for not only drinks but also for keys and my cell phone or wallet. The basket underneath cannot be easily accessed once the carseat is on the frame, but I don't find this to be a hardship. Overall, I think this is a great purchase and will have great resell value as well, once our baby has outgrown the infant seat, since the Roo is compatible with two other popular brands of carseats.

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Buy Chicco Cortina Travel System (Graphica)

Chicco Cortina Travel System
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
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I've have used this stroller system for my daughter's entire first year and love it! My little girl is just now getting a bit big for the car seat so we're going to move up to a forward facing one, but this has served us very well. The car seat can be used in the base, or it can also be strapped into a car without the base by threading the seatbelt through notches in the sides (which is useful if you take the stroller on the ferry to visit relatives and don't want to have to carry the base with you). The construction of the whole system is sturdy, the stroller folds flat, the extra cup holders are awesome and there's a big storage area underneath, very handy! The handle is adjustable, so adults of various heights can use it comfortably. The stroller can be used without the car seat as well, if your LO is awake and wants to see where s/he is going, and also reclines fully so if s/he nods off while you're out on a walk, you can make him or her nice and comfy by lowering the seat back to the recline position. We also occasionally used the stroller as bassinet while traveling, and the car seat was so comfy for her, I actually just let her use it as her regular bed until she was about 6 or 7 months old. She slept better in the car seat than the co-sleeper I bought, or anything else I tried.

Regarding issues of having difficulty snapping it together that were raised by one reviewer, it took me abut 5 minutes to figure that out. The handle has to be out and the seat has to be reclined in order for the car seat to snap into the stroller. So, leave the baby strapped in the car seat in the car ... get the stroller out, set it up with the handle up and the seat reclined. Then, lift the car seat out of the base and it snaps into the stroller very easily. No problem. For folding and unfolding the stroller, simply lift the lever at the back ... there's a little handle ... also took me a few minutes to figure out the first time around but was easy after that. So unless the adult managing the stroller has some physical disability or is really low on the evolutionary scale intellectually speaking, once a person has done this once or twice, it's very very easy to manage. Just follow the steps. I bought my system second-hand, so it did not come with instructions, but I imagine the new ones probably come with illustrated instructions too.

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For our family this system has worked great. Any system that is an all in one is going to have some adjustments you will have to make in order for the unit to go from one state to another. Our family has never had a problem using the carrier with the stroller or without it. The car base unit is super easy to install and use. Our son has just out grown the carrier and base units and we are passing them on to a friend who is having a baby soon. We will continue to use the stroller.

I can understand the other reviewer's frustration. You do have to know how the system works and what position(s) certain parts of the stroller need to be in install the carrier. The ability of this stroller to go from a carrier system to a full fledge stroller for a toddler is great for us.

The units are sturdy, well built and thought out for your growing baby. Our family has felt safe using them with our baby. We highly recommend it.

We also preffered the Graphica Color scheme.

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We would be lost with this travel system! It doesn't even compare to anything else, and my husband and I researched many before we purchased this one! Our little guy is safe, and this keeps him comfy.

The stroller is wonderful and easy to break down/transport, and the seat is sturdy, but not too heavy.

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We bought this due to the fact that my wife liked the color and wanted something that would work for both boys or girls. We were also looking for a Fit30...

We registered for it as a baby gift and got it. It looked nice and worked well for our new little guy... However, he started growing very fast and at 6 months now, he weights 19 lbs. And he hardly fits in the car seat.

I ended up looking at the back of the car seat and it says Fit30, and the carseat cover says Fit30... But it doesn't even fit a baby at 20 lbs. I then had my brother dig out his old Fit30, and it was much larger. My son fit in it with no problem. I then went to B r Us and looked at the normal cheap Fit22, and my car seat was the same size....

Not happy that at 6 months old, I have to buy a new carseat due to this issue.

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I love it. It's Great Product. I will recomed this produt to every one.

Thanks !

Vijay Shah McDonough GA

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