If you are a (new) parent and expecting a baby very soon, the chances are that you are researching your best options for a few essentials you will need when you have a baby.
Strollers and an infant car seat are part of the must-haves for every parent.
There are numerous Baby Travel Systems on the market. It can be overwhelming for you to find the best product that will fit you and your baby’s need.
A baby travel system has the all-in-one functionality. That means it is a package that contains
- a Stroller (three or four wheels)
- an Infant Car Seat
- a Car Seat Base
All car seats are tested and approved for safety regulations. You need to decide if you prefer a three – or a four-wheel stroller or if you are most interested in the safest car seat on the market.
My review will give you some guidelines on what to look out for in a baby travel system and aims to help you to make an informed decision.
Benefits Of A Baby Travel System
If you decide to purchase a baby travel system, you will get these benefits:
- Convenience for you and your child: you don’t need to lift your baby out of the car seat to put her in the stroller. The car seat is designed to fit into the stroller with one click. Let your child sleep while you do your shopping.
- Compatibility: no guessing if the stroller fits the car seat or vice versa. It is designed to match perfectly.
- You can choose a travel system with your preferred style of stroller, a three, a four-wheeler or a jogger style
- all car seats are suitable for Newborns and cater for the baby who weighs up to 30lbs, more or less depending on the brand which I will specify later on.
Features In A Stroller
Here are some features I think are important to have in a stroller. Most of these functions you will find in my three top-rated baby travel systems.
- The stroller should be lightweight.
- Easy to fold preferably with one hand.
- The height of the handles should be adjustable, for easy use by mom and dad.
- Easy maneuverability and stability.
- A good sized storage compartment/basket.
- A child and a parent tray for additional storage.
You will see that not all of these desired features are available with each stroller. Just pick the ones that would be most important to you and go from there.
How About The Car Seat
As mentioned before, all car seats on the market are approved for safety regulations.Also here are some key features to have:
- Energy absorbing foam for side input protection.
- Removable infant inserts for smaller babies.
- Bubble level indicator for the car base
- 5 point safety harness.
Comparison Chart
| Our Top Picks | Infant Car Seat Suitable for babies from/to | Stroller weight | Colors | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System | 4lbs to 30lbs height: 30" | four wheeler 27lbs | Papyrus, Lilla, Orion, Empire, Polaris | $$$ | The Chicco Bravo stroller is lightweight, foldable with one hand and is self-standing. The travel system also features the #1 top rated car seat Chicco Keyfit 30. These features combined make the Chicco my favorite travel system. |
 Britax Agile Travel System | 4lbs to 35lbs height: 32" | three wheeler 18lbs | Black, Meadow, Red, Cyan,Steel | $$$ | The Britax 2016 B Agile travel system is a high-quality sturdy package of a lightweight stroller and a safe infant car seat. |
 Baby Trend Expedition | 4lbs to 30lbs height: 30" | three wheeler 30lbs | 9 colors | $$ | The Baby Trend Expedition Millenium is great value for money. |
Let’s have a closer look at my top three picks. To be clear again (because some first-time parents can get a bit confused by all these details): all travel systems come with a car base, a stroller, and an infant car seat.
#1 Chicco Bravo Trio System, Empire
Chicco is the largest baby brand in Europe and has been around for more than 50 years. The company primary focus is on products specially designed for children from birth up to three years of age.
The Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System features the #1 top rated car seat Chicco Keyfit 30 which is suitable for newborns/babies from 4lbs up 30lbs and a height of 30″. The car seat clicks easily in and out of the stroller base, using the adapter key. It has all the safety features as discussed under car seats. The canopy is the right size to provide sun protection for your child.
The Bravo Stroller is a four-wheeler with an aluminum construction. It is suitable to go on grass, gravel or even muddy areas and is easy to maneuver. The seat and canopy can be easily removed to make more space for the car seat. The stroller holds up to 50lbs and features a parent tray with cup holders, a large storage basket, and a height adjustable handle. The seat can be reclined to a semi-reclined and deeply reclined position with one hand.
Pros: lightweight with 23 lbs- one hand fold – self-standing fold – large storage basket – parent tray – height adjustable handle – all-wheel suspension – linked rear brakes – available in different colors; #1 top rated car seat – both stroller and car seat are easy to assemble
Cons: no toddler tray (buy separately) – some customers complain about squeaky wheels (can be fixed with some grease 🙂 )
Overall, the Bravo stroller is lightweight, you can fold it with one hand and is self-standing. All these features make it my favorite Baby Travel System.
Please Check The Price And Availability On Amazon
#2 Britax 2016 B-Agile/B-Safe 35 Travel System, Red
Britax is another well-known brand that has been leading the way in child safety technology for over 70 years. The company was launched in the states in 1996 and has become a trusted name with parents and caregivers.
The Stroller is three-wheeled and with 18 lbs a little bit lighter than the Chicco Bravo Stroller. The car seat is proudly made in the USA; the stroller in China.
The car seat has side impact protection and an impact absorbing base. It is suitable for babies from 4lbs up to 35lbs and height up to 32″.
The Britax Agile Stroller fits children up to 55lbs, is foldable with one hand and has a fully expandable canopy with a peek a boo window. The stroller also features rubber wheels, a large basket, swivel front wheels and a large basket. The seat is fully reclinable.
The innovative click and go system connects any Britax infant car seat to this stroller.
Pros: three-wheeler – easy to maneuver even with one hand – lightweight with an aluminum frame – different color choices – canopy fully expandable – easy to assemble – different colors available.
Cons: Stroller: no footrest – the handle is not adjustable – no parent or toddler tray ( buy extra as accessories). It is also quite pricy compare to other baby travel systems.
Overall, the Britax 2016 B Agile travel system is a high-quality sturdy package with a lightweight stroller and a safe infant car seat.
Please Check The Price And Availability On Amazon
#3 Baby Trend Expedition LX Travel System, Millennium
The Baby Trend company is with 26 years much younger than Chicco and Britax. The company is specialized in various baby-related products and has received many accolades for their infant car seats.
Baby Trend Expedition LX Travel System features a jogger style stroller and a car seat that is suitable for babies from 4lbs up to 30lbs and are shorter than 30″. The Flex Lock 30 Infant car seat has side impact protection and removable and washable seat pads and inserts.
The stroller is with 30 lbs a bit heavier than the Chicco and Britax stroller, but it is a breeze to maneuver for all terrains thanks to swivel wheels.
If you go jogging (without an attached car seat!) you need to lock the front wheel. Baby Trend Stroller also features a parent and child tray, a large storage basket, a huge adjustable canopy and a foam padded handle. The seat is nearly fully reclinable and has 5 point safety harness.
Pros: lightweight steel frame – easy to assemble – easy to fold down and stands by itself – sturdy – parent and child tray – footrest for your child – large storage basket – fantastic value for money.
Cons: the stroller is a bit bulky but still fits in most cars – some customers find the straps in the car seat get tangled a lot – the car seat seems a bit uncomfortable for some babies.
Overall, the Baby Trend Expedition is affordable and great value for money!
Please Check The Price And Availability On Amazon
Conclusion
All three featured Baby Travel Systems are great value for money and will make your life as a (new) parent much easier. Just to clarify, all Travel Systems include a stroller, an infant car seat, and a car base! All infant car seats are rear facing as well. This is the best way to protect your baby while traveling in a car.
I do hope this guide will help you in making an informed decision on what travel systems would work best for you and your baby.
If you are looking for a lightweight stroller especially for air travel, please find my recommendations here.
If you are looking for baby carriers:
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