This is another of my new reviews on the must have equipment for new parents. Previously, I stuck to the Web Services category, as that's my area of expertise. Now I think that my new job of a daddy allows me to comment on the apparati needed for folks with babies.

WHY IS THIS SUCH A TOUGH AND IMPORTANT DECISION?

One of the first things that you look for is your stroller and carseat combination system. It's a tough decision, as this is an important piece of equipment. It's literally a life or death decision in some cases. You need to find something that works with your car or truck, but most importantly, you need to find something that keeps your baby as safe as possible when you are traveling.

A little known fact for most new parents is that car seats are the most commonly recalled item because of safety concerns. That's another reason you need to make sure the seat you choose is made by a quality vendor such as Peg Perego, Graco, or Baby Trends.

All of the systems we looked at were highly rated here at epinions. All were about 200.oo in price, and all are available at Babies R Us. The Graco Sterling, the model we decided on, was purchased for 215.00.

ABOUT THE GRACO STERLING TRAVEL SYSTEM

It's made up of three items: the stroller, the car seat and the base for the car seat installation into your automobile. The Sterling comes in a few color combinations. Our model is a yellow, green and light red tartan plaid with a yellow plastic molding.

Overall, I'd estimate that the seat and the stroller weigh about 40 pounds. The car seat has a question mark shaped handle, which allows you to hold it with your palm up or down, and it also lets you place it in the crook of your elbow for those times you need both hands. NOTE: This is always :>

THE STROLLER

The stroller piece is relatively large. It will take up at least half of your trunk or the back seat of your SUV. This is why we needed to buy the SNAP N GO system for easier travel. The size and weight of this part of the Graco is the main drawback of this purchase. You need to understand that this is a quality item, but it is very bulky and will cause storage problems.

The stroller has adequate storage on the bottom with a kind of cargo net installation. It has an interesting clock and thermometer combo on the handle, which is useful for determining baby's comfort level. It has accordion-like flaps that can completely cover the baby from all sun or rain. It has the same cup holders that all the other strollers have as well.

The stroller folds up for storage and down for use. To set the stroller up, turn the red button on the handle and let the seat fold down to the ground.

CAR SEAT AND BASE

The car seat is a LATCH based system, which is the current safety standard. Most contemporary cars have LATCH compatible hooks that you can use to safely install your seat. It takes considerable time to do this correctly, and you should refer to your car's manual for the right install position. In my car, the manual recommended that the seat should be placed behind the passenger seat. The seat is rear facing. You are only supposed to install the seat in the front of the car if you have no other alternative. Again, when placing the seat and base in your car, make sure that you do it correctly and cinch it in as tight as you can. To properly install it, you may find you need to use two people.

The car seat installs into the base and the stroller. Each install is correct when you hear the button click as the seat settles into place. Once it clicks, it cannot be dislodged until you disengage it by using the red button on the back of the seat.

Overall, we are pleased with this purchase, though it did require the addition purchase of the SNAP N GO.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 215
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months