Review from mom who has been using for 8 months!
February 28, 2016
We purchased this travel system a couple months before my son was born, and we have been actively using it since he was born in July 2015. We comparison shopped some strollers at the baby store, and tested out some friends' strollers. The Graco Modes Click Connect system seemed the best choice by far, because of how practical it was. It was going to grow with our baby, and had so many configuration options, that it was never going to be a problem finding a position that worked for our baby. So.. 8 months in, and I can say that we made the right choice! For the first 4 months, we kept the chair part of the stroller in our garage and just used the frame with the infant seat: -Pros about this stage: the frame is so lightweight, it was easy for me to move it in and out of the trunk of my SUV- even while recovering from a c-section. The access to the storage compartment is unobstructed, and allowed me to carry anything and everything- as any new mom does! I can store my Jujubee BFF bag, an extra blanket, toys, my Ergo carrier and a jacket for me, with room to spare! My son would often fall asleep in the car in his infant seat, so when we arrived to our destination, we would just unclick his carseat from the base and transfer it to the stroller frame, and nap time would continue uninterrupted. We almost always faced him towards us during this stage, but around 3 months when we became more curious, there were times we would forward face his infant seat and he got a kick out of the new sightlines. -Cons about this stage: We travelled a LOT with this stroller in those first 4 months, I think it was about 4 round trip flights (some with layovers). We always gate checked our stroller, and brought the infant seat with us on the plane. I always zipped the frame into a bag to help protect it from the baggage handlers. Even with that precaution- our stroller frame became creaky and a wheel slightly wobbly after our first flight! This was very disappointing, but the integrity of the frame didn't seem to be compromised, so we continued to use it. Month 5&6: started leaving the infant seat in the car more often, and using the stroller seat (baby had good neck and trunk control) -Pros about this stage: the stroller seat has a large canopy, and helps keep baby shaded on walks. The seat reclines to multiple positions- from nearly upright to almost fully reclined (the bassinet option). You can face baby toward you, or away from you- which again is great for walks when the sun is low- if the canopy can't block the sun, i just flip the seat around and that usually does the trick. Also, when my son fell asleep in the car, we could still transfer his car seat to the stroller (you have to have the cup holder installed on the stroller for this to work). -Cons about this stage: The stroller is heavier and a little more cumbersome to move in and out of the car. Also, the 5 point harness is not well designed- you have to attach all of the pieces together every single time, which gets more and more annoying as your baby gets squirmier and squirmier. Month 7: Infant seat has been staying in the car (baby is 21 pounds and too hard to lug around). And, winter in California has been all sunshine, so we have been doing walks everyday: Pros: This stroller is standing up well to daily use- it still creaks and wobbles- but overall is still a smooth ride. We use it on walks on roadways, sidewalks, over grass at the park, and have had no issues (except with sand- do not try this in sand!). The front wheels do lock on this stroller, which does help with walks but does not make this a jogging stroller. If you are into jogging, this travel system will not meet the need you are looking for. Lastly, the material has been so easy to clean (my material is Downton) and we have no lasting stains. Cons: The cupholder/storage compartment for the parent is less than ideal. An iPhone 6 does not fit in the storage compartment, so you have to put it in one of the two cupholders instead. Month 8: We are giving up the infant seat and switching to a convertible car seat since my son is 30 inches and nearing the height limit of the Graco Click Connect seat (31 inches). I am kinda bummed that he outgrew it so quickly, and that I may not have gotten the full value of the seat, but overall I would still go back and make the same purchase again. Side notes: -Four of my pregnant friends/family have purchased this travel system after seeing how well it worked for us. My sister even returned the CityMiniGT stroller after she received it at her shower because she was comparing it to my GracoModes and was disappointed that the CityMiniGT did not even fit her diaper bag in the under stroller compartment, and that it did not have cupholders, nor did it recline as much as the Graco. -We have been so happy with this Graco product, that we purchased the Graco 4Ever car seat and are installing it this weekend. I will post a review about that after we test it out for a few weeks! -If the frame stood up better while travelling, this would be a definite 5 star review. But, the reality is that at the end of the day I still have a creaky stroller to deal with, and that costs 1 star.
This product review was collected by the manufacturer.