A travel system is simply a package of travel equipment like a car seat, pushchair or pram that you purchase all together.

Here is a round up of pros and cons of using travel systems as opposed to a stand alone buggy, and things to look for:

Pros

• The car seat will fit on the pushchair, either on the chassis or will secure on top of the pushchair
• Everything will co-ordinate
• You don’t have to wake your baby up if he falls asleep in the car, you can just take the car seat and secure it onto the pushchair
• You can get tandem and twin travel systems. Sometimes you can add on items to the main pushchair. ie with the Phil & Teds Sport you can add on the double kit for a tandem ride. Then add on the accessories from car seats to cosytoes.

Cons

• The initial price can be daunting. However as you could need all of the items anyway, you COULD be saving money.
• If you need to replace the car seat, you will usually have to buy the same one again, different seats won’t necessarily fit onto the pushchair
• When your baby grows bigger (About 9-12 months) they will need a new car seat, which is not included in the travel system

Things to check

• What age/weight is the car seat suitable for?
• What age/weight is the pushchair suitable for?
• What items are included in the travel system? e.g. some come with a carry cot, some with a change bag or parasol.
• Storage area, some pushchairs have much better storage areas than others. Not only should they have a good place to hang a change bag, but a good storage area can be invaluable. When out shopping this can often be your only way to carry things.

What safety features are included?

• a locking wheel either in the front or the back of the pushchair
• what type of restraint is used, the safest restraints are 5 point safety harnesses
• side impact protection on the car seat
• removable newborn insert for the car seat, so they fit snuggly into the seat while they are small
• multiple position options
• Some car seats for use with travel systems use ISOFIX, some don’t. (See our ISOFIX articles)

Will you use all the items in the package?

Does it fit with your lifestyle?

What experience have you got of a travel system? What kind have you used – what did you think?

Car seat jargon buster.

Group Car seats are all grouped – which do I need? Children grow at different rates so it’s important to know roughly how much your child weighs, so you can change seats at the right time.   The different weight categories are:

Swivel function The seat rotates 90 degrees for easy access to seat your child

Safety harness A single pull adjuster strap tightens or loosens the straps simultaneously to secure your child.

Forward facing Children aged approximately 9 months – 11 years can face the direction the car is travelling

Base recommended For maximum safety and confidence of fit

Impact protection For extra safety and additional side impact protection for your child

Rear-ward facing Babies from birth to about 9 months approx have to face the opposite direction the car is travelling

Adjustable head support Adjustable headrest which you can alter as your child grows.

Machine washable Has a machine washable cover that can be easily removed.

Recline position The seat tilts to help your child sleep more comfortably. Don’t use the car seat as somewhere for them to sleep for long periods, but they will nod off when you are driving!

Isofix Isofix secures the car seat safely to the car chassis, minimising the risk of incorrect seat installation.

For more on Isofix car seats see our article

Great deals on baby and child car seats and carriers

For more information on individual ISOFIX car seats and bases, have a look at the products below. Click on the images and there is useful customer reviews, great prices, and items are delivered right to your door. You can use the box below to search for products or just browse.

Other related articles:

Baby car seat – first things first – safety.
Baby car seat – quick guide to ISOFIX car seats.