How To Buy A Travel System Without Losing Your Mind

A travel system is one of the biggest, most important things you will buy in preparation for your new arrival – so you need to choose wisely!

A travel system often includes a rear-facing car seat, a carrycot, and a pushchair, which all clips together into one mode of transport. It’s IDEAL if baby falls asleep in the car as you can just lift them out – car seat and all – and clip them into the pushchair. The carrycot can even be used as a moses basket too!

But with so much choice out there, it’s difficult to know where to start… so here’s our simple guide to choosing the right travel system for you, while hanging onto your sanity!

1. Set A Budget

Prices range from around £100 to well over £1,000. Although at first glance, they seem quite pricey, it can often work out cheaper buying a travel system than it is to buy a pushchair, a car seat and a moses basket separately. The difference in price generally comes down to style, and to some extent, ease of use, rather than safety.

All pushchairs sold in the UK undergo rigorous testing to ensure that they’re totally safe for both you and your baby. So they’re all perfectly safe to use, regardless of price. The accompanying car seat and carrycot will also be held to exactly the same standards as those sold separately, although if you are buying a used travel system, I definitely wouldn’t recommend using the car seat. Although it may look perfectly fine, you won’t know it’s history and whether it’s damaged internally in any way – meaning it might not protect your baby fully if your car is in an accident. In this case buying a separate car seat is the safest option – check out our review of the Joie Every Stage Car Seat for a great option.

2. Consider Size, Weight & Storage

Like anything, travel systems come in all shapes and sizes! They tend to be on the bulky side, and can easily block a whole hallway. You’ll also want to check that it fits in your car boot easily. If storage is an issue, a travel system may not be for you. If you’re likely to be carrying baby in and out of the car in the car seat on a daily basis, you’ll want to choose one that isn’t too heavy or, as baby grows and puts on weight, you could really struggle!

3. Check For Compatibility With Your Car

Make sure the car seat that comes with your travel system fits your car perfectly. Test it out – and where possible / necessary have it fitted by a pro. If your baby is likely to travel in another car regularly – for example, with other family members – check the car seat fits their car, too.