Best Travel System Strollers 2012 Showcase

Travel system strollers are standard single strollers that come with an infant car seat. The infant car seat can be attached to the stroller, which is the perfect solution for moving a sleeping baby from your car to the stroller and back home again. This has become a helpful blessing for moms and dads everywhere who sing the praises of stroller travel systems.

The infant car seat and stroller are made to complement each other and they are great for parents, especially moms who prefer their baby gear to match. Travel system strollers are also perfect for parents who want peace of mind because their infant car seat is guaranteed to work with their stroller.

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Important features for travel system strollers

Most baby strollers have adapters that allow any brand of infant car seat to be affixed onto them, but travel system strollers are guaranteed to have car seats that match the strollers perfectly.

The ability to attach the infant car seat onto the stroller is a huge benefit for infants until they are older than 6 months. This is because your baby's development at this stage means inadequate muscle control in the neck to hold up the head. Baby's entire body, actually, needs snug support for that matter. Therefore, it is important for parents to use an infant car seat because they are made snug enough for babies to give them good neck support, while keeping them safe at the same time. In addition, the car seat sits inside the stroller rear facing toward the parent, giving comfort and security - not to mention bonding - to your child.

When shopping for baby travel systems, parents should evaluate the infant car seat and stroller separately. Consider the features for both car seat and stroller, and make sure that both car seat and stroller have important safety features, such as 5-point safety harness, and brakes. If you come across a set and love it, but you are not too crazy about its complementing car seat or vice versa, opt for the travel system stroller that comes with a better infant car seat.

Full of features

Standard strollers in baby travel systems are usually a bit heavy and bulky. This is because it is made to safely accommodate hefty infant car seats. However, travel system strollers often come with features such as a sun canopy, child snack tray, fully reclining seats, suspension system, and easily accessible large baskets beneath the seat. All these full-featured strollers get heavy!

Parents appreciate extra features like comfortable handles that are also adjustable to fit their height, parent tray with cup holder, and safety features like brakes and reflective accents on the stroller fabric. Although travel system strollers may be bulky and heavy, they generally fold easily

Hot new trend: Convertible Strollers

Here's an alternative to the traditional travel system. If you prefer a more modern look and want the option to add a bassinet or car seat right on the chassis AND have a reversing toddler seat, then you must look at Convertible Strollers. They're generally pricier, however the selection for all budgets is growing. Convertible strollers are far more flexible with their seating options and highly stylish. Best of all, they are much lighter weight and far less bulky than these traditional travel system strollers!

Reviews of Best Travel System Strollers for 2012

Here are some brief reviews of four of the best baby travel systems on the market this year. Based on consumer reviews, professional guides, blog reviewers and as well as personal experience, these are the best travel system strollers this year. Choose the price range that fits your budget for the highest-rated travel systems on the market.

Note: Some of these models are for 2011 as some manufacturers do not release their 2012 strollers til a bit later in the year. I frequently check availability to give you the latest.

Chicco Cortina Travel System

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$266-$310 depending on color and seller

This, in my opinion, is absolutely the best travel system stroller available today and let me tell you some of the reasons why. Chicco Cortina travel systems come in two attracive models, each with a different sized infant car seat. Choose a Chicco Cortina KeyFit travel system with a 22 pound weight limit for the car seat or a Cortina KeyFit 30 travel system in which the car seat has a 30 pound weight limit. The KeyFit 30 is the more popular option with far more color choices.

Both infant car seats feature an angled base that fits into the seat of the vehicle more securely. For added safety, liquid level indicators ensure correct installation and placement of the infant carrier base. You also get a removable soft fabric insert for newborns weighing between 4 and 11 pounds, very good for preemies. Both seats also have energy-absorbing foam lining for side-impact protection, and 5-point safety harness, with comfortable carrying handles. Both of these car seats have a top rating for safety from Consumer Reports. That's reassuring, don't you think?

Parents love both car seats, saying installation is simple, and the safety harness is easy to adjust according to baby's size. Customer reviews indicate that moms and dads appreciate the padded insert for the seats that allow newborns as light as four pounds are carried safely and comfortably. This is hands-down the best travel system for newborns and preemies. The Chicco Cortina travel system is a Consumer Reports Best Buy, with excellent points for ease of use, safety, and maneuverability. This fabulous product is rated at 4½ stars so you definitely should read the complete Chicco Travel Systems review to find out exactly why parents everywhere rave about this stroller/car seat set.

Graco Quattro Tour Travel System

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$250-$300

Graco Quattro Tour travel system offers a full featured stroller that includes a Graco SnugRide 32 car seat and base. This amazing stroller has an adjustable sun canopy with peek-a-boo window, a 4-position reclining seat, and up to 5-point safety harness in both the stroller and seat. And it's fantastic looking!

The Graco SnugRide 32 infant car seat comes with EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) energy absorbing foam, which is a lightweight and resilient foamed plastic created to withstand impact while diminishing impact forces. Because the sides of the car seat are lined with this foam, it acts as a barrier and your child's risk to injury is minimized. I don't know about you, but that sounds really safe for my baby.

This Graco travel system also has a removable head support that helps cushion baby's head and neck. Satisfied customers report that it gives smooth rides and parents who own this product love the durability. Maneuverability is also praised, and they appreciate that this travel system folds easily and assembly is a snap. Graco Quatro Tour travel system strollers average a 4½ star rating. Why? Read the complete Graco Quattro Tour travel system review to find out.

PS: Graco has some more absolutely beautiful and more trendy-looking new strollers like the new UrbanLite that comes as a travel system set. You might want to check out the Graco strollers page to see for yourself.

Eddie Bauer Adventurer Travel System

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$207-$210

The Adventurer Eddie Bauer travel system accommodates babies weighing between 5 and 22 pounds and has a padded removable insert for smaller babies. The stroller can accommodate kids up to a 50 pound weight limit, ensuring years of use with its sturdy frame and quality materials.

Mothers love that The Adventurer offers plush padding in both the stroller and car seat because we obviously want our baby to be as comfortable as possible. Large 8 and 9-inch tires offer smooth rides as your infant sleeps. Parents also appreciate the easily accessible, extra large basket underneath the seat for storing all their necessities. All these features are just fantastic for new moms as they venture out into the world with a tiny infant.

Here's more revealing news: the Adventurer stroller is recommended for its durability and sturdiness. Consumer Reports rated The Adventurer highly for its safety, ease of use, and maneuverability. It is also more affordable, being a notch down in luxuries from the Eddie Bauer Endeavor travel system. However, being more basic does not detract from the high quality this travel system delivers and parents give this item a 4½ star rating. Discover all the pros and cons as well as detailed features of this outstanding product when you read the Eddie Bauer Travel System Adventurer review.

Safety 1st Jaunt Travel System

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$140-$155

Safety 1st Jaunt travel system features an attractive stroller with a two-section adjustable canopy with a peek-a-boo window and other nicities like a parent tray cup with cup holder and a place for your headphone cord access. This convenient stroller can be folded with one hand, and it also stands alone, which is essential when you're busy putting your baby and car seat into your vehicle.

The Jaunt Designer 22 car seat can fit babies as small as 5 pounds, which is totally appropriate for newborns. Parents love the system because the car seat base installs easily into the car. Removing the seat from its base is also easy and can be done by lifting the release bar. This baby travel system is the most economical of the four coming in between $140-$155. The Jaunt travel system comes in a variety of color schemes and has an average 4-star rating. Read additional reviews here and here.

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