Choosing a Baby Travel System

Finding the right travel gear is an important part of every parenting journey. As you navigate the first ride home, everyday errands, and trips with a new family member, you’ll need gear designed to help keep your little one safe and comfortable while making your job as a parent easier. Many parents and caregivers opt for a baby travel system to help simplify travel and everyday outings during that first stage of the journey.

Travel systems are all-in-one packages designed to provide convenience and peace of mind for caregivers during the newborn stage and beyond. These systems usually include a stroller, a compatible infant car seat, infant car seat adapters (if needed), and a car seat base. With a travel system, you can easily remove the car seat from the base (which stays installed in your vehicle) and connect it to the stroller without disturbing your child, allowing for seamless transitions that help make car rides and errands easier.

If you're trying to decide whether a baby travel system is right for your family — or which travel system to invest in — this guide is for you. Let's take a look at the benefits of travel systems together and go over some of the most important factors to consider when shopping for an infant car seat and stroller combo.

The Advantages of a Travel System

• Effortless Transitions: The key advantage of a travel system is convenience. With a car seat that clicks right into the stroller, you can move directly from car rides to strolls without disturbing your little one.
• Consolidated Purchases: Opting for a travel system can help simplify your shopping list, ticking off two essential items in one go. It's a strategic move that can ease the decision-making process while helping you save money, as travel systems are often more affordable than individually purchased infant car seats and strollers.
• Stroll From Day One: With many strollers, you must wait until your little one has developed sufficient head and neck control before you can use the toddler seat. But with a travel system, you’ll have the option to stroll from day one with the infant car seat connected to the stroller.
• Unified Style: In addition to functionality and convenience, travel systems are also designed with style in mind. The stroller and car seat are created to complement each other, giving you that “put together” feeling on your outings.

Points to Ponder

While travel systems offer several important advantages, it's essential to consider your family’s specific needs when purchasing travel gear. As you look at your options, take time to think about:

• Space and Storage: Consider the size of the travel system stroller and whether it fits easily in your vehicle's trunk and your home storage space.
• Maneuverability: Travel system strollers, or “modular” strollers, tend to be heavier due to their dual functionality. We recommend a hands-on test drive to ensure that the stroller meets your expectations for ease of use and maneuverability. Many baby gear retailers have display models in store that you can try out before making your purchase. (Contact your local retailer for store information and product availability).
• Car Seat Longevity: It's worth noting that infant car seats are generally designed for the first 1-2 years, depending on the child's growth. Once your child reaches the height or weight limit for their infant seat, you’ll need to purchase a convertible or all-in-one seat. Travel system strollers, on the other hand, offer more longevity. Most Britax modular strollers, including Brook®, Brook+, Grove®, Phases™, and Prism™, are suitable for children up to 50 pounds, allowing you to use the stroller well into the toddler years. (Note that the Brook and Phases strollers are only sold as part of the Willow Brook and Phases travel systems, respectively). 

Selecting the Perfect Travel System

Prioritize Car Seat Safety: When researching baby travel systems, it’s important to think about factors like car seat installation, fit, and daily usability. The “best” car seat is one that fits your child, your vehicle, and your budget — and one that you can install confidently and correctly every time. Take a look at product dimensions and reviews to get an idea about how the seat will fit in your vehicle. Some brick-and-mortar baby gear retailers will allow you to try installing the seat in your vehicle before you make the purchase.

Finding the Ideal Stroller: Travel system strollers can vary widely to match diverse lifestyles. You can find strollers that are specifically designed for:

• Jogging Enthusiasts: A jogging stroller from our friends at BOB Gear® might be the perfect match for active parents.
• Urban Dwellers: Britax Juniper™+ compact stroller Britax Juniper™+ compact stroller by pairing it with by pairing it with adapters and a compatible infant car seat.
• Growing Families: Double strollers cater to twins or siblings who are close in age, simplifying everyday travel for growing families.

Creating Your Custom Solution: If you're struggling to find a pre-packaged travel system that checks off all your boxes, consider curating your own combo with a compatible infant car seat and stroller. Many brands, including Britax, offer compatibility across products to make customization a breeze. Just note that you may need to purchase adapters to connect certain car seats and strollers, especially if you’re mixing and matching across brands. You can take a look at Britax’s compatibility charts to find out which car seats, strollers, and accessories work together.
 

The Britax Lineup   

Willow® Brook®: Designed to give new parents everything they need to travel confidently with their child from day one, the Willow Brook travel system includes ClickTight® technology for easy car seat installation plus a fully-loaded modular stroller with a parent cup holder and a child tray.  

Willow Brook S+: Offers exceptional convenience and peace of mind for new parents with ClickTight® car seat installation, an integrated anti-rebound bar, parent and child trays, and a washable stroller insert.  

Willow Grove SC: The 6-in-1 Willow Grove SC travel system provides the peace of mind of ClickTight® car seat installation and an integrated anti-rebound bar plus the flexibility of the CozyFit® stroller insert and the convenience of StayClean™ fabrics, offering additional value for new parents.

Phases™ : A multi-stage, 6-in-1 travel system with built-in pramette mode and an included parent organizer, providing convenience and value — all in one box.

Prism™: This travel system includes a full-featured modular stroller elevated by a chic, effortless style and a telescopic handlebar, plus an easy-to-install car seat with ClickTight®.

Mix-and-Match Options:

You can also create a custom travel system by combining select infant car seats, strollers, and accessories. Be sure to consult our compatibility charts to ensure that your selected products can work together. 

Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

• Create a Compact Travel System With the Juniper™+: With a lightweight & compact frame, the FastPack™ system with one-hand RapidFold™, and an integrated carry strap, the Juniper+ is ideal for on-the-go families. You can use the Juniper+ adapters (sold separately) to pair this compact stroller with select infant car seats, giving you all the benefits of a travel system with a smaller, space-saving stroller.
• Get More Ways to Stroll With Zinnia®: The Zinnia bassinet conveniently connects to select strollers to provide additional strolling options for infants up to 20 lbs. Zinnia is designed with extra length to give your little one room to grow, and the peek-a-boo window makes check-ins easy.
• Add CozyFit® to Your Brook or Brook+ Stroller: While the CozyFit insert is included with the Willow® Grove® SC travel system, it is also compatible with the Brook® and Brook+ strollers. Add this accessory to your travel system for flexibility and more ways to stroll.

You can also customize your travel system by purchasing an additional car seat base. That way, you won’t have to uninstall and reinstall the base every time you switch cars. Keep in mind that the StayTight™ base is compatible with the Arbor™ infant car seat only(part of the Phases™ travel system), and the Aspen® and Alpine® bases are compatible with Britax infant car seats featuring ClickTight® installation. For more information about car seat and base compatibility, consult our compatibility charts.

Ready for the Road Ahead

At Britax, we believe in providing solutions that prioritize your child's safety and comfort while reflecting your needs as a parent — and your personal style. Whether a baby travel system is the perfect fit for your family or you opt to mix and match, we’re here to help you find convenient travel gear that helps give you confidence for the road ahead.