Move or Lose It -Baby Coming Through!
Written: Sep 08 '00
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Pros: sturdy, durable, safe, smooth ride
Cons: big, bulky and expensive
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| rmgood's Full Review: Evenflo Trendsetter Travel System |
Clear the way -here we come! My daughter used the car seat/carrier for the first many months of her life (until she reached the dreaded 20 pound maximum) and has used the stroller portion for her full span (nearing fifteen months now). If you are looking for the durability factor, then look no further.
The plastic base for converting the infant carrier into a safe car seat fits snugly in the car by threading the back seat lap belt through. It is a bother to remove and re-install the car seat base, but the great designers at Evenflo have you covered there, too. The carrier snaps into and out of the base as easy as lifting the carrier handle, pulling out a lever in the front of the carrier and lifting. The base conveniently stays in your car to save the time and hassle of re-threading the belt. This is an important factor for two reasons: First, if you are in a big hurry, you might not install the base as carefully as you should which could jeopardize your child's safety. And second, over 80% of child car seats are installed incorrectly despite a parent's best efforts so this gives you a chance to have the seat professionally installed by a dealership (many do it for free just for the asking -Chrystler dealerships for one) and can simply leave the base installed until your child no longer needs it.
For those of you who transfer cars often, the carrier is designed to be strapped into a car without the base. However, in my personal experience, I found this option to be much less secure than when using the base. The lap belt stretches over the carrier near the infant's feet and secures on it side of the carrier by sliding under small ledges. I would not recommend using this option for long car rides or for older infants who tend to wiggle a lot. When you this option, it is important to make sure you use a lap belt that locks up (preferably in the middle back seat) and to use a clip if using a over-the-shoulder harness so that the top portion also doesn't move.
As for the carrier itself, I can't stress what a lifesaver it was very me. (Note for new grandparents and grandparents-to-be: This system makes for a wonderful gift. The price tag sometimes makes new parents hesitate as they eye their growing credit card bills, but I would consider this to be one of the "must-haves" for new parents.) I had one of those babies who instantly fell asleep at the sound of the car engine and it was SO nice, so VERY nice to be able to move her from the car to the stroller without disturbing her slumber. Simply snap the carrier out of the base and snap it into the stroller and, TADA!, one happy, still-sleeping baby. The carrier handle is bent at an angle to make carrying it much easier. Also, the handle bends back and locks into three reclining positions. I found this especially useful for feeding my daughter when she was still too small for the high chair. We used that carrier as a car seat, bed, chair and rocker! It was especially nice when going out to restaurants since most high chairs are designed for older babies who have mastered the art of sitting up.
Now for the stroller. We still use this stroller, although we have long since packed up the carrier portion. My feelings about this stroller are a little mixed and I now use it for a secondary stroller. (I have purchased a Combi stroller for primary use which better suits my needs.) However, there are some circumstances in which this stroller is still ideal.
The stroller has a large, sturdy frame with four bigger-than-average wheels to match. It provides a smooth, safe ride even over fairly rough terrain. For our daily walks around the neighborhood or to the park, I use this stroller as it handles small rocks and loose gravel with the greatest of ease. A large basket underneath provides enough room for even the bulkiest of diaper bags. The cup holders are a nice feature, as is the center bar to allow for one-handed steering, although these two features in themselves do not justify the large price tag. But combined with all the other advantages, the trendsetter system is definitely worth its value.
Of course, that same design which makes for such a smooth and safe ride, also make for a bulky, hard-to-maneuver stroller. I don't mean the stroller is hard to steer, on the contrary it corners like its on rails. However, this is not the stroller of choice for crowded areas. Clothing stores, for example, are usually impossible to navigate through. The combination of the large, wide stroller and narrow aisles doesn't mix well. The size also makes it hard to carry when folded as it does not have any easy handle. Its fairly heavy and uncomfortable for lugging around folded, so forget bus rides, too. And its large size does take up almost all of the room in my trunk, but I drive a Neon and trunk space is not in abundance.
Despite its size and maybe because of it, I still highly recommend this travel system to parents. A car seat is a necessity, a stroller is a necessity and a carrier is a very welcomed luxury so why not purchase a system that integrates all three? This system does so very well with an emphasis on safety and a smooth ride.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 170
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 months
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Epinions.com ID:
rmgood
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Member: Raquel
Location: Minnesota
Reviews written: 89
Trusted by: 85 members
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