Thanks to veteran KPIX #NewsMom Kate Kelly for this recommendation! She used one of these for her (now college-aged) boys. Based on her recommendation, we purchased the convertible car seat stroller for a recent trip to South America, and I can’t imagine how we would have survived without it!
This is definitely a must-have for families who are frequent travelers, though I DO NOT recommend a convertible car seat stroller for everyday use.
Please note that experts say you should never let a child sleep in a car seat outside of the car and you should limit your child’s exposure to the chemical flame retardants in car seats. Products like these should be used sparingly i.e. only while traveling.
Read “Wake The Baby! Don’t Use Car Seats as Stroller Seats” for details.
5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat Stroller
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- Car Seat
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- Stroller
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- Booster
THE PROS: The 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat Stroller is super simple. No more lugging your car seat through airports or renting a who-knows-how-old car seat at your destination. Push down the lever, wheels pop out of your car seat. Pull up the handle, it turns into a stroller. Want lunch? Simply pop the wheels back in and use it as a booster in the booth.
- Reduced luggage:
You no longer need to travel with both a bulky stroller and a car seat. - Portability:
When your kid isn’t in it, just pop out the wheels and throw in your carryons. It can double as a luggage cart. - Versatility:
The 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat Stroller converts to a booster so you don’t have to park your stroller outside the restaurant (though it doesn’t fit in some restaurant chairs with arms). - International Travel
Many foreign countries don’t have car seat regulations (or car seat rentals for that matter). The 5-in-1 makes it much easier to bring your own. - Simple Installation:
You basically strap your kid into the seat with the 4-point harness, then use a standard seat-belt to strap the seat to the car. This is super convenient for cabs.
- Safety:
While my gut says this is not the safest car seat on the market (especially in older cars without a self-locking seat belt), the Sit n’ Stroll gets a “good to very good” rating from Consumer Reports. It is a far better alternative than riding in a cab without a car seat or renting a used (and probably recalled) car seat overseas. - Sleeping Babies:
You don’t have to wake your little ones to move them from the stroller to the car (or vice versa). However, I would practice converting from car seat to stroller several times before your trip (with and without your kid in the seat). It can take some getting used to.
- On the Plane:
Our little one is still a “lap child,” so we haven’t tested it on an actual plane. We gate check our car seat, but my gut says it’s not going to fit down the airplane aisle or in coach airplane seats.
While the car seat may fit in a business class seat, there are plenty of compact, carry-on and even inflatable boosters you can purchase for the plane flight itself.
We primarily use the car seat function in cabs and cars while traveling. - Stroller Limitations:
Don’t expect this to perform like a jogging stroller. The base of the seat is very close to the ground. While it strolls smoothly through airports and hotels, it is not ideal for uneven pavement or cobblestone streets.
For day trips and tourist stuff, I usually bring along a lightweight backpack baby carrier. - Sun Shade:
This may be “user error,” so to speak, but we could not figure out how to properly attach the sunshade. Ultimately we had to jury-rig it to get it to work.
That said, I absolutely recommend using the sunshade! It can be crucial to helping your little one fall asleep—and stay asleep—on the go. - Chemical Flame Retardants:
This product has them. The pros and cons of toxic chemical flame retardants is fodder for another post. However, if you are green mommy, this product is nowhere near “organic,” “natural” or “green.” As a result, I would not purchase it for everyday use. - Price:
It ain’t cheap. At around $300, this is a fabulous investment for families who travel a lot. It might also be worth considering a joint purchase with one or two other families (provided you don’t travel together or at the same time). However, for most families, it’s probably not worth purchasing for just one trip. - Reviews:
While the car seat stroller gets an overall four-star rating, these two-star Amazon reviews pretty much sum up the “full disclosure.”
(I always read bad reviews first for the worst-case scenario.) - Poor Customer Service:
While there is a Canadian version of a convertible car seat stroller, there is currently only one US manufacturer. I have purposely refrained from specifically naming their product until now because I don’t endorse the company. In my experience, Lilly Gold has very poor customer service.
I initially ordered their “Sit n Stroll” through SkyMall, and it never arrived. After a month of waiting, SkyMall had to cancel my order because they couldn’t get reach Lilly Gold. Neither could I. Unfortunately for now, however, it seems that Lilly Gold is the only game in town. - Defective Models:
Ultimately, I ordered the Sit n Stroll through Amazon because I knew they had stock and would replace the stroller if needed.
Based on Amazon reviews, I deduced that in a few (likely defective) models, the wheels could unexpectedly fold back in while strolling. It seemed to be an issue that was resolved when Amazon sent a replacement stroller.
Based on my experience with Lilly Gold, I would not rely on the company to replace defective models in a timely manner. I suggest purchasing through a retailer with excellent customer service… and purchasing the stroller well in advance of your trip so that you have time to test it for defects and order a replacement if needed.
NOTE: In our experience, the wheels did collapse back in once while strolling into an elevator… but it was “user error” (we didn’t listen for the “click” when we extended the wheels). Lilly Gold never responded to my request for a statement.
UPDATE:
Someone recently posted this stroller on the @NewsMomDotCom facebook page. I have no experience with it but it may be worth checking out.
Again, I stress that I DO NOT recommend a convertible car seat-stroller for everyday use.
Experts warn you should never let a child sleep in a car seat outside of the car and you should limit your child’s exposure to the chemical flame retardants that are in all car seats. For every day use, get a stroller with a separate bassinet or stroller seat.
Read “Wake The Baby! Don’t Use Car Seats as Stroller Seats” for details.
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