Lilly Gold Sit 'n Stroll 5-in-1 Combination Car Seat/Stroller
by Lilly Gold
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List Price: Category: Baby Product See more product details |
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Baby Products Reviews of Lilly Gold Sit 'n Stroll 5-in-1 Combination Car Seat/Stroller
Customer Review: A Travel Nanny's view on the Sit 'n Stroller
Summary: 4 Stars
I have used this stroller with various clients over the last 6 years and we have traveled all over Europe with it. One review said she couldn't fit it in the airplane but it will fit! The secret is to ask for a belt extension as soon as you walk into the plane because not all belts will be long enough. Put the arms rests up if possible. On some of the smaller planes it is a snug fit and the person in front of you is not going to be able to recline if you have it rear facing. If front facing, the child can kick the seat in front so you have to be a bit on guard!
Yes, it is not a smooth stroll down bumpy european sidewalks but the kids don't seem to mind. It does seem to fit kids up to 3 or around 30 lbs unless very tall for their age. It has worked well with infants with the infant insert.
Not really a pro or con but there is a certain "touch" you learn to use to get it to fold up quickly! I have managed to do this with the child in it but once the child has some weight, I let dad do it! I have used this in New York City and even with the uneven sidewalks managed to push the stroller and drag a roller bag behind. I usually bring a mess bag to hang over the handle as underneath is pretty small. You notice a wiggle in the handle and that is natural, it is meant for you to be able to steer with one hand when needed.
Despite being used in these conditions, have never had a wheel break. My only real con was the older version that did not come with an optional shade screen and we had to adapt to portable versions. But the new ones have it where the option snaps right into it.
The one user is correct, when rear facing, the front seat can be moved back to keep it more level or use the towel rolled up under the seat to make it more comfortable. I find this to be true with a lot of car seats...
All in all, for the traveler who doesn't want to lug around a seat and a stroller, this works great. It also is great in the airport if your child has their own seat. Do check to see where the FAA sticker is because there are still flight attendants who have never seen one and question whether it is "legal".
All in all, it gets 4 out 5 stars from me! (I seldom find anything perfect enough for 5 stars!)
The Traveling Nanny
www.thetravelingnanny
Customer Review: sit n stroll - good idea
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought the sit n stroll carseat/stroller conversion product, which is FAA certified for using on airplanes.
The one thing I will say is that I did not realize the airlines will allow a 2 year old on the plane, in their own seat (once your child turns 2 they HAVE to have their own seat per FAA rules, fyi), with OR without a carseat. I was thinking that a car seat was mandatory on a plane just like it would be in the car but this is not the case.
I wish I'd known that before I bought it because it's a good product but VERY pricey. If you don't need the seat on the plane and you prefer to just check your own carseat as baggage, then you don't really need this product. Keep in mind however, your child does have to be seated during takeoff and landing and for smaller kids who want to move around, this seat might be a good idea for keeping them strapped in.
I will say this, though - this is GREAT if you are traveling somewhere where you will be using the subway system to get from the airport to your hotel or something like that. Places such as New York or large European cities, where you don't plan on using a car, but only the trains. It is bulky though to carry around - it folds up but an umbrella stroller is much lighter, obviously.
Another thing I wish I'd known BEFORE I made my plane reservation, about this seat - it can ONLY be used in a window seat (I'd already reserved aisle and middle and had to try and switch on the plane). So if you plan on using this, MAKE SURE you reserve a window seat for this chair. Those are FAA rules as well.
So.....it's a good buy but, in hindsight, one I might not have made simply because I'd be just as happy checking my carseat and just having my 2 year old sit directly in the plane seat, since that is legal.
I'd recommend mostly if you are going to be using subways and such OR if your child might have trouble sitting in the seat without a harnessed carseat. Otherwise just check your current carseat as baggage, place your child in the seat next to you and then bring an umbrella stroller if you're doing a lot of walking.
Customer Review: A MUST HAVE FOR TRAVEL-DESPITE DRAWBACKS
Summary: 4 Stars
Okay, I never do this but I had to review this after taking it on a trip to Mexcio with my 6.5 month old daughter.We got the sit and stroll for traveling since thew infant /kohlcraft combo seemed too small for our 26.75" 18 lb daughter.I traveled solo by car to Sacramento( 6 hours),spent four days running around, in and out of different cars,restaurants,parks, walking trails, department stores etc, then took two huge wheeled suitcases and flew to LAX and then to Mexico to meet my husband-all with the sit and stroll in tow.I needed no help getting in and out of the hotels/cabs/planes because the "one handed steering" is just that.I checked it at the gate each time and put her in the bjorn for everything else.She seemed to be as comfortable as the regular car seat and stroller we use.It was perfect, no extra space needed for a stroller, no gross high chairs at restaurants( and if she was alseep, I just put the handle down and nestled the stroller under the table).Also the toy bag that comes with is my permanent toy bag now-basic ,mesh handled thing that hangs off the bars.I also covered it really simply with some pretty lightweight fabric for warm weather.
Here are the down sides to the sit and stroll:
Not the prettiest contraption....(sorry,...vanity..)
Annoying to install, but not as difficult as some have said-put a rolled up blanket or towel underneath to stabilize or use the seat back in front of it(rear facing) to brace it.
On the heavy side to convert alone, but doable.I had lots of bruises on my arm from the bar on the back( I converted it alone for most of the trip, but I did it successfully every time without a whole lot of effort-squeeze and push down or squeeze and pull up).
Sunshade needs to be longer, I used a rayshade extender to supplement.
Wheels aren't cushy at ALL,so any traveling on unsmooth surfaces is not pleasant for you or baby-loud and rattling and bumpy-but for airports and hotels and malls and a day by the pool at the beach it is just fine-cobblestone streets are not so fun though.
that is it!
Customer Review: Buyer beware -- very poor design, and way overpriced.
Summary: 1 Stars
What the manufacturers don't tell you (and the impossible-to-decipher instructions leave out) is that to install the Sit'n'Stroll into a car, the child must already be strapped into the seat with the shoulder harnesses. This is because the straps that are supposed to attached to the car's lower seat anchors (if you choose to use them) as well as the vehicle's own lap/shoulder belt mechanism secure and tighten by wrapping OVER the TOP of the seat (i.e., over the child), rather than through slots underneath the child, as in most better-made seats (i.e., Graco, Britax, etc.). Anyone who's ever installed a child seat knows that it must be sunk down tightly into the car seat to prevent it from moving or rocking side to side - and it is virtually impossible to place your weight on the seat to tighten it when a child is sitting in it! This creates a potentially serious safety issue. Don't believe it? The vague drawings in the instruction manual (available on the company's web site) show the belts wrapping over the child, and the instruction manual says nothing about how the child must be in the seat first. When I called their customer service line to clarify this, the woman I spoke with confirmed somewhat sheepishly that yes, the child did need to be in the seat prior to its being secured in the car. When I asked how they expected the customer to push the seat down to secure it, she had no good answer, instead suggesting that I just push down on the arms. That's not good enough, folks. Now comes the SECOND PROBLEM: returning this dog. The company that distributes it (Little Folks) charges a 10% restocking fee (that's $25 off the top); you'll have to pay your own shipping to send it back (it cost me over $30); and when they finally refund your money (we're still waiting for ours), they tell you that they'll deduct THEIR original shipping cost -- probably about the same as my cost to ship it back. So if you return it, you'll lose almost $100 in the transaction. Don't waste your money. Your child's safety isn't worth it.Customer Review: This product is amazing
Summary: 5 Stars
Every time I go out, I get a comment on this conversion stroller. "Is that a carseat?" "Where did you get it?" "I need one."
I bought this specifically for a trip I was taking alone with my infant; and it has since been on 3 additional trips and pretty much replaced my conventional stroller and carseat.
The pros:
It's a carseat, and one of the easiest carseats I've ever used. I've only used it forward facing.
It's a stroller; and perfectly functional as a stroller. No it's not the biggest, baddest, smoothest thing out there; but that's kind of the point. It's a space saver so you don't have to carry a separate stroller. And if you're just going somewhere for half an hour; do you really want to spend 15 minutes putting the stroller together and putting it away?
It's a booster seat. I don't even have to take my baby out of his chair. I can just slide the booster seat into the booth. Perfect fit 99% of the time.
Traveling at airports. I simply would not have been able to deal with the airport on my own without this device. It is FAA approved for use in the airplane; or you can use it as a stroller and gate check it like a conventional stroller if you are lap sitting.
The cons:
The conversion process can be painful. I'll admit that learning to use this device left my arms black and blue for about 2 weeks. Even with that drawback; it was entirely worth it.
The stroller handle is pretty short. If you are a taller person (5'7" and up) the stroller may hurt your back after a while. An extension would be awesome.
No storage/drinker holder. The built in storage beneath the seat is minimal. You can purchase a separate bag for this stroller, but it doesn't really work. I am a sucker for drink holders/bottle holders; so not having one is a bit of a nuisance.
All in all, if you are reading this; it is worth your money.