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Best Travel Systems for Parents Who Want a Car Seat + Stroller Combo

Travel systems—car seat + stroller combos—make getting out with your baby a lot easier., by jen labracio, cpst | medically reviewed by holly peretz ot.

When you’re ready to get out the door with your baby, a car seat and a stroller are key. Thanks to the genius who designed the first travel system―an infant car seat that attaches to a stroller―you can make one purchase and get both essentials. 

We’ve weighed feedback from thousands of Babylist families, spoken to several experts and tested dozens of car seat stroller systems over the years, and we think the Chicco Corso LE Modular Travel System is the best travel system for most families. It combines our top infant car seat pick, the KeyFit 35 , with the Corso LE stroller, creating a travel system that’s high-quality, easy to use and competitively priced.

And since we know parents shopping for a travel system often appreciate a good value, we’ve chosen three additional favorites in an affordable, mid-range and luxury price point so you can find the best combo for your budget and your lifestyle.

Why Trust Babylist?

Babylist is the expert in baby; we know baby gear inside and out. We talk with parents face-to-face in our showroom and on our user panels and hear from thousands of people annually via our Best Baby Products survey. We know what items millions of expecting parents are adding to their baby registries. 

I have over half a decade of experience with baby gear of all types, especially car seats and strollers. I’ve tested countless travel system combos both in my role as Babylist’s gear editor and as a mom of two young boys, ages ten and two. I also spoke with many industry and safety experts while writing this guide, including Joe Colella, the Director of Child Passenger Safety at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and 2020 Child Passenger Safety Hall of Fame Inductee, pediatrician Kelly Fradin , MD, FAAP and Courtney English , a pediatric occupational therapist. I also talked to a car seat safety expert, Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) Samantha Taylor of Mama Knows Car Seats . 

I interviewed Babylist Showroom Registry Consultants Tatyanna Hunter Jones and Pateel Markaradi, part of a trained team of experts who work on the Babylist Beverly Hills floor, answering questions daily about baby gear and helping parents-to-be build their baby registries. I also incorporated travel system feedback from thousands of parents through Babylist’s annual Best Baby Products survey of over 6,000 Babylist users and talked to parents at Babylist for their input.

The Best Travel Systems

Best Overall: Chicco Corso LE Modular Travel System

Best Affordable: Graco Modes Nest Travel System

Best Mid-Range: Nuna x Babylist PIPA urbn & TAVO Travel System

Best Luxury: UPPAbaby Aria Infant Car Seat & Vista V2 Stroller Travel System

How We Judged

Ease of use. Most parents choose a travel system for convenience. All of the car seat stroller systems on our list work seamlessly both together and on their own. 

Best of both worlds. Many travel systems on the market offer a great stroller but a not-so-great car seat—and vice versa. We chose car seat stroller systems with the best of the best in both categories.

Features. We focused on features like safety, ease of install, canopies, a multi-position seat, storage and recline options when choosing our best travel system picks. 

Value. Travel systems range from a few hundred dollars to well over a thousand. We factored in cost while making our top choices to provide you with a solid option at any budget. 

Best Overall Travel System

Chicco Corso LE Modular Travel System - Veranda

• Car seat is a parent + safety expert favorite
• Slim car seat, works 3-across in most cars
• Stroller has great maneuverability + many high-end features (for a mid-range price)
• Rear suspension and rubber tires = smooth ride
• Car seat is heavier than some other options
• Stroller handlebar isn’t adjustable
• No snack tray or cup holder included

Most parents choose a travel system for two reasons: convenience and value. Chicco’s Corso Travel System checks both of those boxes—and more.

This travel system includes the KeyFit 35 infant seat, a popular parent and expert favorite and our top pick for best infant car seat . It’s “remarkably easy to install,” according to CPST Taylor, and fits babies of all sizes well. It also has high rear-facing height and weight limits, meaning you’ll be able to rear-face your little one longer than in many other car seats. (This is called “extended rear-facing,” and it’s a term you’ll likely come across as you research car seats.)

“According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it’s safest for infants and toddlers to ride rear-facing in a car seat for as long as possible,” explains Colella. “This recommendation is based on data showing that rear-facing seats offer better protection in crashes for children from birth through 23 months of age.”

The included stroller is just as praiseworthy. Every time I push it, I forget I’m not maneuvering a stroller that’s double the cost. That’s because of the many premium features like large, foam-filled tires and rear-wheel suspension for a smooth ride, a multi-position reclining seat, an adjustable canopy and footrest and leatherette trim. The seat is modular so you can face your baby toward you or out into the world. And the stroller seat is fully removable, turning it from a full-featured toddler stroller into a lightweight, skeleton frame that’s much easier to manage when you’re using it with just the infant car seat.

There aren’t many downsides to this travel system, especially considering the price. The few I’d note include that the car seat is on the heavier side (just over 10 pounds), which can make a difference when you’re getting it in and out of a car, and is a longer seat front-to-back, so fit could be an issue in more compact cars and/or if your front seat driver or passenger are tall. Speaking of tall folks (I’m 5’10”), the stroller doesn’t have an adjustable handlebar. And the storage basket has a 10-pound weight limit, which is lighter than most and isn’t ideal if you use your stroller for heavier items like groceries.

Real Parent Reviews

“This travel system has been so great, and is holding up well 8 months in. The car seat is really easy to adjust as baby has grown, and is so easy to install. And I love that the 35-pound weight limit means we’ll be able to have her rear-facing for longer. The stroller is the thing that I use the most, and it is one of the best pieces of baby gear we have. It’s super maneuverable and very easy to push one-handed. We walk every day in our city neighborhood with old broken sidewalks and the stroller handles all that terrain beautifully. The stroller can also be used comfortably by people of different heights. I’m 5’5” and my husband is 6’2” and we can both comfortably push the stroller. My husband doesn’t kick the stroller when he’s walking (something that I’ve read can be an issue for tall people with other strollers).” — Kate H

“As a CPST I trust Chicco and all of their products. The ease of the KeyFit35 install is to die for. The car seat also feels comfortable and sturdy. I also love this stroller! The one-hand fold and the sleek design. It looks beautiful with the flower-like wheels and leather handle. It’s also a beautiful color. I would recommend to anyone.” — Patience Mabin

“I get so many compliments on my Corso LE travel system. I love it so much… It is a smooth, stylish ride. My only conundrums are the following: I’m 62 inches tall (5ft 1.75in) and the handlebar is to my chest. I don’t mind it too much, but it would be nice if the handlebars were adjustable. I wish the storage basket supported a bit more weight. I haven’t had any issues yet, but the limit of 10 lbs is always on my mind while food shopping alone…Overall, definitely recommend this stroller. Very easy to fold and store. I love the handle it has, and it’s a great price.” — Ysa

Additional Specs

Best Affordable Travel System

Graco Modes Nest Travel System - Sullivan

• Good value considering safety + features
• Infant car seat is easy to install; also has anti-rebound bar
• Stroller includes bassinet mode
• Child snack tray and cup holder included
• Plastic wheels, no suspension system (rides can be bumpy)
• Self-standing fold only works when toddler seat is forward-facing
• Folding and unfolding take some getting used to

Affordability can be a roadblock with some travel systems. Even mid-priced systems average about $500, and many creep well over that mark. The Graco Modes Nest is our favorite for an affordable pick, coming in at under $400.

Like the Chicco system above, the car seat included with this travel system is a parent favorite from the brand’s SnugFit line, a line of seats known for their ease of install. “The SnugLock arm on the base makes installation in any vehicle an absolute breeze,” says Taylor. The seat weighs under 10 pounds and features an anti-rebound bar (a bar that reduces the movement of the car seat in the event of a crash, adding a layer of safety) and five recline positions for proper installation and a comfortable fit. It also has a high rear-facing weight and height limit.

The standout feature of the Modes Nest stroller is optionality. It’s three strollers in one, working as an infant car seat carrier (you can click the car seat directly onto the stroller frame), a bassinet (called a pram in this case) and a toddler stroller with the ability to flip the seat parent- or forward-facing. The bassinet is a noteworthy addition here. While babies sometimes fall asleep in an infant car seat, AAP safe sleep recommendations say you need to transfer them to a firm, flat sleep space as soon as possible. The bassinet mode in this stroller allows you to stroll safely while your baby snoozes and not worry about moving them from a car seat. The toddler seat also has three different height positions, a nice perk when your baby is parent-facing so you can keep them close. Especially considering the price, these are all impressive (and convenient) features.

The biggest downside of this travel system lies in the stroller. Like many lower-priced options, there isn’t much suspension and the stroller’s wheels are plastic, making for a bumpy ride over anything other than smooth pavement. (More expensive strollers will have foam or air-filled tires.) This wouldn’t be my pick if I lived in a more rural area with dirt or gravel paths or if I was in a big city with uneven sidewalks. Many parents also note that this travel system is a pain to put together. But for the right family, the Modes is a solid choice and a great value.

“The car seat was easy to install and feels very tight and secure with the added Snuglock feature. It easily adjusts its harness height with just the squeeze of a button and the carry bar can be adjusted with one hand as well. The shade cover comes down nice and far and has a very elegant look to it as well….The stroller is very beautiful and customizable. My favorite feature is the HUGE storage basket! That is a must for me…The sun shade on the toddler seat comes down nice and low and the seat reclines in multiple positions. The braking system was easy to push and lift. The stroller frame itself is lightweight and easy to stick in the trunk for an outing. It works very well with the car seat…The main problem I had with the stroller was that it cannot handle going over any type of lip or ledge in the sidewalk. If it hits a bump it jarringly stops and can not glide over it. It then has to be lifted over said bump which is not easy to do since the storage basket collapses and doesn’t give much foot levering support.” — Macai

“I’m tall and this stroller does not have me hunching over. I feel very comfortable pushing it around and the height adjustment on the seat is wonderful. Another bonus is that it is very sturdy and has decent-sized storage underneath. On the downside, sometimes it’s not a smooth action when folding it closed if the wheels are pointing a certain way.” — Jaymills

Best Mid-Range Travel System

Nuna Nuna x Babylist PIPA urbn & TAVO Travel System - Refined

• Baseless infant car seat with a quick, easy install
• Car seat weighs just 7 lbs
• 4-wheel stroller suspension = smooth ride
• Thoughtful stroller features: adjustable handlebar, breathable seat, magnetic buckles
• Car seat has lower height and weight limits compared to many infant seats
• Stroller seat isn’t reversible to be parent-facing
• Child snack tray sold separately

Coming in at just under $700, this travel system is on the pricier side of mid-range but I think worth the extra splurge. It combines a popular car seat and stroller into one beautiful, functional system. “Just stop stressing and get this one,” one Babylist parent commented. (And if you’re stacking it up against other Nuna travel systems, I agree. The urbn also comes paired with the MIXX stroller, but it’s almost double the cost and I don’t think the MIXX’s features warrant that price tag. You can also pair the urbn with the TRVL , the brand’s lightweight stroller, but that combo is better suited for travel—and you can read why later in this guide.)

The infant car seat that’s included in this duo, the urbn, captivates me every time I install it. (You can see the installation for yourself in Nuna’s video .) That’s because it’s completely baseless and doesn’t even require a seat belt; simply push a button on either side of the seat to reveal the built-in lower anchor connectors and then attach them to the anchors in your vehicle’s back seat. That’s it! It’s foolproof and takes just a few seconds. And more so, it’s safe, as a properly installed car seat is a safe car seat. It’s also one of the lightest infant seats on the market, weighing in at seven pounds.

These features mean the urbn is a great seat for any family, but especially if you plan to use your seat on the go in rideshares or taxis. “I love being able to move the car seat in and out of any car without worrying about a base,” one Babylist parent told us.

High points of the TAVO are things parents have come to love about Nuna strollers, including a huge storage basket, four-wheel suspension for a smooth, easy push, an adjustable handlebar and a fairly compact fold considering the stroller’s size. I’m always impressed with Nuna’s attention to the little details that make a big difference. I love the breathability of the all-season seat and the magnetic buckles that make the task of getting your baby in and out of the stroller a bit less arduous.

The urbn does have a lower height and weight limit than many infant car seats, which is something to keep in mind when you’re thinking about your infant seat’s longevity. And the stroller doesn’t have a modular seat, so you won’t be able to parent-face your child unless you’re using the infant car seat attachment.

“After extensive research, this is the set we decided on. It had the most benefits for the price point. The baseless quick install has been a breeze. The stroller is really nice. It feels luxury and well-made and steers like a dream. The only con is that this is not a small, lightweight stroller. It will take up trunk space and it isn’t super light. It is great all around, however. The biggest benefit is that it has a built-in infant lounge position, which means you can use it from birth without the car seat.” — Dana N.

“I naively thought we’d never need a stroller (I could just carry the baby everywhere right?), but now that we have the TAVO I wish we had gotten it so much sooner. It’s a joy to use and makes everything about navigating the world with baby easier. They thought of it all when designing this model. It’s incredibly simple to use and everything about it is so smooth. Took a few tries to get the hang of the baseless car seat install, but now it’s a breeze to install and I love that there’s not a base always taking up a seat in the car.” — Ryan Q.

Best Luxury Travel System

UPPAbaby Aria Infant Car Seat & Vista V2 Stroller Travel System - Jake

• Stroller can fit up to 3 kids (with attachments; sold separately)
• Great suspension and huge storage basket
• Lightest car seat on the market at 6 lbs
• Car seat has anti-rebound panel and load leg
• Stroller has bulky fold
• Car seat is long front-to-back, may be a tight fit in smaller cars

If you have the budget and this stroller and car seat fit your lifestyle, this is my favorite travel system to recommend to parents-to-be who are up for a splurge. It’s similar to the car seat stroller combo I used (and loved) for years with my first son, although at that time the system came with the brand’s first infant car seat, the Mesa—and now that it includes the Aria instead, I love it even more. (But more on that later.)

UPPAbaby’s Vista V2 stroller consistently makes it into our best strollers guide. Almost 30% of the 6,000+ Babylist users who completed our Best Baby Products survey voted it as their favorite stroller—the highest percentage for any stroller on the list—saying it’s “worth every penny” and calling out the stroller’s quality as “amazing.”

The Vista is a pleasure to push. It steers easily with one hand, turns on a dime and takes on rougher surfaces like cracked sidewalks and gravel effortlessly. It also grows along with your family, accommodating two infant car seats, two bassinets and countless other combinations. Other features parents love include the modular seat (so baby can face you or the world), huge storage basket (with a 30-pound weight limit to hold all the things) and adjustable handlebar.

The Aria is just as great. It weighs just six pounds minus the canopy and inserts, the lightest infant car seat on the market and four pounds lighter than the brand’s other infant seat, the Mesa V2 . Even I was surprised at how light it was when I picked it up—and I’ve tested a lot of car seats. Safety features include an anti-rebound panel and a load leg as well as an easy-to-install LATCH system complete with visual indicators that turn red if something’s not right with installation.

Minus the price—this travel system’s obvious downside—know that the Vista V2 is a large stroller that’s not for everyone. (Need something to travel with or a stroller that you can pop in and out of your trunk a few times a day? The Vista probably isn’t for you.) The Aria takes up a bit more room front-to-back than some other seats, a concern if you drive a compact car or need more room in the front seat.

For a slightly more affordable option, check out the UPPAbaby Cruz V2 & Aria car seat stroller combo. The Cruz is more compact than the Vista and doesn’t convert to hold two+ kids, but you’ll save almost $400.

“We’ve been a big fans of UPPABaby strollers so we were excited about this pairing when looking for a travel system for our second baby. I could not be happier with the Aria. It’s SO light—I still can’t believe how much easier it is to carry than the last infant car seat I used. I also wanted a seat that prioritized safety and the Aria more than delivers. It’s also easy to install both with or without the base.” — JL

“So many options for car seats but we choose the V2 and it made sense to have the car seat as well. This was helpful when traveling to the doctors’ appointments on the 1st months. It’s easy to lift and place on frame with no hassle.” — Ellena

“Holy grail of strollers…Bassinet has been amazing for walks & for our baby to sleep during hockey games. The car seat is easy to maneuver from car to stroller which makes shopping & travel super easy! We can’t wait to use the toddler seat & love that this will transition with us when we decide to have a 2nd baby! The stroller is smooth and I can control with one hand when other hand is occupied…Worth every penny.” — Nikki W.

Other Travel Systems We Love

If you’re looking for something more specific in your travel system, like an extra lightweight option or something for jogging, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few more of our favorites. 

Best Lightweight Travel System

Nuna PIPA urbn & TRVL LX Travel System - Cedar

• Compact, lightweight stroller with easy fold
• Baseless infant car seat, weighs just 7 lbs
• Carry bag included
• Car seat has lower height and weight limits compared to other car seats
• Handlebar isn’t adjustable like with other Nuna strollers
• No snack tray available

If you plan on traveling frequently while your baby is an infant, or simply prefer a more lightweight stroller for everyday use, this is my travel system of choice. It includes the urbn, the baseless infant car seat reviewed above, and the TRVL stroller, Nuna’s lightest and most compact stroller. Standout stroller features include a quick, one-handed fold, a compact size (it stands on its own and weighs just over 13 pounds) and a smaller but easily accessed storage basket.

“Assembly was super easy and the quality of the materials and fabric is amazing. The set is compact, lightweight and the stroller is very agile with an effortless push/pull/turn functionality. The stroller’s easy collapse and standalone feature makes life much easier. I am giving it 4 stars and not 5 for the following reasons…Car seat requires rethreading harness which is less than ideal. Handlebar on stroller is not adjustable and when the canopy is pulled back it touches the handlebar, and therefore rubs against your hands. It would be nice if you could adjust the handlebar by being able to move it up, down, or out towards your body to avoid this and also for general height consideration of the person pushing the stroller. The button to secure the car seat in the stroller is very firm and not easy to click back and forth. The storage basket is very small and will not hold a normal-size diaper bag unless you squish it in. Adjusting the straps within the stroller isn’t difficult but the remaining slack dangles and isn’t easily secured. Overall, I think the quality and functionality outweigh some of the cons but its something for Nuna to consider when designing future models.” — Kristina D.

Easiest to Fold Travel System

Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 All-Terrain Travel System - Opulent Black

• Stroller folds with one hand in seconds
• 3-wheel design = easy to maneuver
• Car seat includes anti-rebound bar
• Bulky items/large diaper bags may be difficult to fit in the storage basket
• Stroller seat isn’t modular; only faces outward
• Car seat is heavy and fabric isn’t very breathable

The Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 stroller is a parent favorite and a Babylist bestseller thanks to its agility and unparalleled one-handed fold. This travel system matches it with the brand’s City GO 2 infant car seat.

The GT2’s slim profile and ability to quickly turn corners make it perfect for crowded city streets or suburban sidewalks. You can whip it closed with one hand and carry it up stairs or onto a commuter train no problem—it’s lighter than most full-size strollers. And because of its tight fold, it fits in smaller trunks. The compatible City GO 2 car seat is just as great. You can install it with or without a base (perfect for taxis or ride shares) and it pops right into the stroller.

“We are an NYC family, but also do quite a bit of driving, so we wanted a car seat that could easily pop in and out of the car. The stroller is super easy to fold with the one-pull handle, and we easily carry it up one flight of stairs. It’s not a feather, but it’s not that hard to carry one handed with something else in the other. I wish the stroller bucket was bigger, but we knew going in it wasn’t as big as others.” — AFS1122

Best Travel System for Jogging

Chicco Activ3 Jogging Travel System - Solar

• Easy to access stroller brake and front wheel swivel lock controls
• Oversized treaded tires and good suspension
• Comes with easy-to-install car seat
• Shallow storage basket
• Front wheel needs to be removed for stroller to fold flat, otherwise the fold is bulky

While you can’t jog with your baby until they have strong head and neck control, usually around six to nine months, you can use this stroller with the infant seat attachment to walk with your little one from day one. This is the best choice for an out-of-the-box travel system from the same brand. (There are other jogging-friendly travel systems out there, but most you’ll need to DIY by mixing and matching brands.)

Babylist parents call this car seat stroller combo “amazing” and “in a league of its own.” It includes the easy-to-install KeyFit 30 car seat and the Activ30 jogging stroller. The jogger has something called a Control Console, a unique area near the handlebar that includes a hand-operated parking brake (to keep the foot area clear), a front swivel wheel lock (to keep the stroller steady when you jog with it) and a height-adjustable handlebar. It also folds more compactly than most jogging strollers.

“As a runner the stroller is easy to handle and the car seat is sturdy and stays in place the entire time while running, jogging, walking. I love how easily it folds up and fits in my car. It’s such a well-made product and I feel as though my child is safe and that as a parent makes me feel better.” — Amy C.

How We Chose Our Best Infant Car Seats

We analyzed results from Babylist’s Best Baby Products survey, which polled 6,000 Babylist users and asked them to share the baby products they love the most and why.

We utilized insight from the Babylist editorial team, including me, Gear Editor Jen LaBracio, an expert in the baby space for over six years and a mom of two who has written hundreds of baby gear guides and personally researched and tested hundreds of baby products, including many travel systems.

We interviewed several experts, including Joe Colella, Director of Child Passenger Safety at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and 2020 Child Passenger Safety Hall of Fame Inductee and pediatrician Kelly Fradin , MD, FAAP. We also spoke with Courtney English , a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, and Child Passenger Safety Technician Samantha Taylor of Mama Knows Car Seats . 

We talked with Babylist Showroom Registry Consultants Tatyanna Hunter Jones and Pateel Markaradi. They’re part of a trained team of experts who work on our Beverly Hills showroom floor, answering questions daily about baby gear and helping parents-to-be build their baby registries.

We researched information on car seat safety and reviews from several leading car seat experts, including Car Seats for the Littles and The Car Seat Lady , as well as information from the AAP. We also considered the NHTSA’s Ease-of-Use Ratings .

What Is a Travel System?

A travel system is a car seat and a stroller that attach. Just unclip the car seat from its base in the back seat, snap it into the stroller and you’re off—and vice versa. 

Sometimes also referred to as a car seat stroller combo, you can purchase a travel system in two forms:

As a package deal from the same brand (the type of travel systems we’re reviewing here), or

As a “make your own” set that combines a stroller and a car seat from different brands using adapters.

Travel systems from the same brand:

Guarantee that your car seat and stroller will work together—no adapters required.

Eliminate some decision fatigue.

Can be more economical than a DIY version.

Build-your-own travel systems:

Give you more choices and the ability to mix and match brands as you’d like. You’re not locked into one brand for both your car seat and stroller, which means you’ll be able to customize each item to best suit your lifestyle. But…

Not all car seats and strollers work together. And the ones that do often require separate adapters. Check Babylist’s Infant Car Seat and Stroller Compatibility guide to learn more.

Do you need a travel system?

TL;DR: you don’t need a travel system, but you do need a way to get your newborn from point A to point B—and a travel system can help.

Unless your stroller comes with a bassinet attachment or fully reclines and is approved for newborn use, it’s not suitable for your little one until they can sit up unassisted—which usually isn’t until they’re around six months of age (or 25 weeks , if you’re counting). And even if that is the case, you’ll still need to move your infant every time you want to transfer them from the car seat to the stroller (and back again).

Here’s where a travel system comes in. A travel system solves for strolling with your newborn before they’re able to sit up independently. It also means you won’t have to disturb your little one every time you need to make the switch between your car seat and your stroller.

“Parents are shopping for/prioritizing travel systems because they like the convenience of taking baby from stroller to car and vice versa,” says Hunter Jones, a registry consultant in Babylist’s Beverly Hills showroom. “Guests will come in looking for an infant car seat that will click onto the stroller,” Markaradi, another showroom consultant, echoes.

You’ll need a travel system right from birth if you plan on using your car to transport your little one. At around six to nine months old, your baby will learn to sit up independently and will likely want a better view of the world—and then you can use the stroller on its own. And because you can use the stroller from infancy through toddlerhood, it’s the only stroller you’ll need to purchase.

Want to skip the travel system altogether? You have a few other options for newborn transportation.

A stroller frame is a bare-bones frame with the sole job of wheeling around your infant car seat. They’re typically inexpensive but stop being useful once your baby outgrows the infant car seat at about a year old, and most lack some of the nice-to-have features you’ll find on a standard stroller.

You can wear your baby in a baby carrier until they’re old enough to sit up unassisted and graduate to a stroller. But this can be tough on some parents’ backs, and you’ll lose the convenience of the car-seat-to-stroller-and-back-again transfer.

Using a Travel System Safely

Travel systems are safe for newborns, but there are some guidelines to keep in mind.

The AAP’s safe sleep guide recommends against the use of car seats for sleep outside of a car. If your infant falls asleep in their car seat, they should be removed and placed in a crib or bassinet (or other safe sleep space) as soon as possible.

But what if your baby falls asleep in their car seat while you’re driving and is still asleep when you arrive at your destination? According to pediatrician Dr. Fradin, the best practice is to remove them and transfer them to a safe sleep environment.

“However, many parents, myself included, will want the child to finish their nap for a brief period. If you choose to do this to reduce risk be sure the baby is not overheating by removing hats, blankets and ventilating the car. Also, keep the straps snug and place the car seat on the floor under your direct supervision.”

“If babies are in an approved stroller with the car seat properly restrained, I think of it the same as being in a vehicle,” explains Dr. Fradin. “Keep them cool and supervised.”

And since you may be using your infant car seat more frequently than parents who don’t rely on a travel system, keeping in mind what some experts call “the two-hour rule” is recommended.

“Safety experts [say] to limit car seat use to no more than two hours in a 24-hour period,” says English, a pediatric occupational therapist. “This is because research shows that when a baby is positioned in a semi-upright position for longer durations, it can restrict airflow to baby's lungs resulting in breathing issues. Additionally, it puts baby's spine in a stressful position when semi-inclined for longer durations.”

How to Choose a Travel System

Since a travel system includes two products, an infant car seat and a stroller, you need to think through the features of each (and how you’ll use them) both separately and as a pair.

Choosing an infant car seat

An infant car seat faces the rear of a vehicle and is designed specifically for younger babies. Infant car seats can be used from day one until your baby reaches the seat’s maximum height or weight limit (usually anywhere between 30-35 pounds, depending on the specifics of your seat).

As you review infant car seat options, look for a seat that meets these criteria:

Fits your child.

Fits your vehicle.

Can be used consistently and correctly on every ride.

All car seats sold in the US must meet the same strict safety regulations and pass all testing and requirements set forth by the NHTSA. But these three things—how a car seat fits your child, how easy it is to install and how easy it is to use day in and day out—are inextricably linked to a car seat’s safety. You can buy a seat with added safety features, but if it’s tricky to install or doesn’t fit well in your car, none of the extra bells and whistles matter.  

These are the features to think through when shopping for an infant car seat.

Size and weight, including how a seat will fit in your vehicle

A seat’s height and weight minimums and maximums

LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren, a way to secure your car seat to your vehicle that uses built-in anchors and straps instead of your vehicle’s seat belt)

Safety features such as an anti-rebound bar, side impact protection and a load leg (a metal pole that extends from a seat’s base to the floor of a vehicle and can help absorb crash forces to a baby’s head and neck)

Ease of cleaning and fabric type

Canopy size

For more information on how to choose an infant car seat, including the features to prioritize and why, safety information, determining car seat fit and our expert-recommended seat picks, check out our Best Infant Car Seats guide.

Choosing a stroller

You’ll be using your stroller longer than your infant car seat. Also, the specific needs and lifestyle of a family often impact the type of stroller they need more so than what infant car seat they choose. Here’s what to think about. 

Evaluate your lifestyle. “Just because one stroller worked for a family member or your bestie doesn’t mean it will be the perfect stroller for you,” stresses Hunter Jones. Think through your lifestyle and your daily needs to help you narrow down a pick.

Think through features. Things like a modular seat, fold, wheel type and suspension, an adjustable handlebar, a storage basket, fabric type and canopy size are features that can affect how you use your stroller day-to-day.

Factor in family size. If you’re planning on having multiple children close in age, you may want to consider a convertible stroller from day one instead of registering for a single stroller and then having to purchase a double shortly after.

Consider safety. Look for a five-point harness, an easy-to-operate brake and a good fit.

Keep cost in mind. Strollers range widely in cost. More expensive models will often have all-wheel suspension, better maneuverability, modular seats, high-end fabrics or the ability to convert to a double, but there are many high-quality, more affordable stroller options, too. It’s all about finding what works for you and for your budget.

How to Choose a Stroller walks you through making a decision step-by-step. You can also consult our Best Strollers guide for a deeper dive into all things strollers and our most-loved product picks.

Once you’ve narrowed down your stroller and car seat options, you can decide if a travel system is the best option for you and which one meets your family’s particular needs.

Jen LaBracio,

Senior gear editor, cpst.

Jen LaBracio is Babylist’s Senior Gear Editor and a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). When she’s not geeking out over car seats, testing out a new high chair or pushing the latest stroller model around her neighborhood, she likes to run, do all things Peloton, listen to podcasts, read and spend time at the beach. In her past life, she worked for over a decade in children’s publishing. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and their two boys, Will and Ben.

• Smart Living

The Cute Capsule System That's Perfect For Traveling

Whenever I travel, I only ever take a carry-on suitcase . For me, it's easy to cut down on sweaters and jeans, but the one area I would always overpack in was my cosmetics. Then I tried the Cadence Build Your 6 ($74, originally $84) bundle, and packing all my cosmetics in one small bag suddenly became easy.

The smart capsule system is obviously cute and eye-catching, but the design has made my life so much easier. Each one is the perfect size to fit all my must-have products that range from cleanser to serum to shampoo and conditioner. While using them for my traditional liquids was helpful, it went beyond just that. I started using the capsules for vitamins, jewelry, and even hand lotion. This meant my bag was suddenly filled with far fewer little bottles and baggies and just a handful of these tiny pods.

I can attest from several successful flights that these are truly leakproof, watertight, airtight, and TSA-approved.

What makes them really stick out? The features speak for themselves. The magnetic sides and tops make them easy to keep together and open and close. I can attest from several successful flights that these are truly leakproof, watertight, airtight, and TSA-approved. Small but mighty, the design can hold one to two weeks' worth of product, and the large opening up top makes them easy to scoop from and refill. They're easy to clean and use time and time again.

My favorite feature: thanks to the brand's newest launch, you can now create custom tiles ($20, originally $24 for six) and names for your capsules. You can call them anything you want and even use fun emoji, making it easy to create your custom cosmetic kit for every type of trip.

While I love mine for traveling, a few have ended up in my everyday bag , too. Whether you want them forever yourself or you're on the lookout for a good gift for someone who travels often, these are an overall winning product in my book. Keep reading to see mine in action, and shop the brand's cool choices.

Are the Capsules Magnetic?

The smart capsules are made with magnetic sides and tops, so you'll never lose or drop them. Not only do they stick together easily, as you can see from my video, but the tops also stick to the sides of the capsules. This ensures you won't drop your tops on the floor.

How Deep Are the Capsules?

The capsules are uniquely deep, which helps you get the maximum amount of space in a jam-packed design. I particularly love the wide opening at the top of each capsule, which makes finger scooping and grabbing product easy. It also makes it easy to fit larger items in there like vitamins or even jewelry.

How Much Do the Capsules Hold?

Each capsule is equivalent to one travel-size TSA bottle that you can buy at your local drugstore. Made with a short design, you might not see it, but they're spacious! Each one holds approximately one to two weeks' worth of skin-care product.

For me, this depends. I use a lot of moisturizer, so I would fill two with my favorite cream for a 10-day trip. For the same amount of time, when it comes to my face wash, which I use more sparingly, I would use just one capsule.

The Perfect Starter Set: Cadence Build Your 6 Bundle

I started with the Cadence Build Your 6 ($74, originally $84) bundle, which has six pieces. This works great for my basic products like shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and even vitamins. I can't help but admit I want more now, though.

A Mini Set: Cadence Get Outside Bundle

If you are not a big traveler and want to start small, I suggest the Cadence Get Outside ($42) bundle. This is a great choice to take in your handbag. You can fill it with vitamins, lotion, and even hand sanitizer.

For Custom Tiles: Build Your Tiles

You can now customize the Build Your Tiles ($20, originally $24 for six) set to say whatever you want. You can even get them with cute little emoji.

• Product Reviews
• Travel Products

An Honest Cadence Capsules Review: Uplevel Your Packing Game

Categories Lifestyle , Travel

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After trying out Cadence during all my travels this year, I’m diving into a Cadence Capsules review, giving you all the details and my honest opinion!  

If you hate packing travel toiletries for trips, you’re not alone. Keeping all your belongings in check while ensuring everything fits (and your bag meets the weight limit) can be a hassle and stressful. 

But I recently learned about Cadence before my next trip, and I’m so glad I did. You’ve probably seen the aesthetic Cadence travel containers on your Insta, but if you aren’t familiar with this brand, let me give you a quick rundown. 

Cadence completely revolutionizes how to pack for your trips by offering different combinations of one basic unit, the Capsule .

Just like how it sounds, the Capsule is a small, durable, lightweight container shaped like a pill capsule weighing 0.56 ounces. 

These magnetic refillable containers are super handy for consolidating my toiletry items—they save me so much space and weight when packing my skincare and hygiene essentials! 

Let’s discuss the deets, pros, and cons of this trendy travel product in my full Cadence Capsules review.

Cadence Capsules Review: Are Cadence Capsules Worth It?

Here’s the lowdown on how the Cadence travel Capsules work…

The individual Capsules are small enough to fit within the palm of your hand. The bestseller bundles often have six Capsules that magnetically stick together into an orderly hexagonal or honeycomb shape. 

Because these travel accessories are magnetic, you don’t need to worry about fumbling through your hanging toiletry bag to get that one product that’s constantly jostled away from the rest.

The Capsules are also leakproof, a non-negotiable feature when storing your travel essentials.

These containers are handy for replacing big, bulky bottles or jars—I love my skincare, so this is a big one for me! 

Another remarkable aspect of their travel container design is the rounded edges. This makes it super easy to scoop out products, so you’re not wasting any of your expensive skincare.

Cadence Brand Values

I can always get behind a sustainable brand, and that’s precisely what Cadence is. Steph, the CEO and founder of Cadence, created the company to make products that fit her values of artistry, sustainability, and innovation.

That means these Capsules are made with 20% recycled ocean-bound plastic and 30% excess manufacturing material. They had to create over 200 designs to reach this sustainability point until they were satisfied and felt they had the perfect design.

I appreciated how every part of the packaging is compostable. Everything from the box to the shipping label is recyclable—and their seed paper can grow wildflowers! 

Cadence Capsule Stylizations

The products come in many chic, original colors ranging from neutral to bold—Cadence also occasionally offers limited edition collections with different color selections.

Besides the colors, you can customize the tiles on top of the Capsules however you’d like. You can use text (which supports all languages and international keyboards), icons, or the provided labels. 

Since their entire brand has a minimalist and clean aesthetic, their icons feature shapes like the Pill, Jewelry, Droplet, Sun, Eye, and Heart. 

Personal Customization

For an additional $3, you can customize your label with anything you want. These customizable labels helped me keep track of my routine since I labeled each Capsule for products like hand cream, lotions, or body wash.

If you have an extensive hygiene routine, you’ll appreciate being able to group all your products by label!

And, if you use the Rainbow, Heart, or Wave icon, all proceeds go to non-profits such as Heart of Dinner, Trans Woman of Color Collective, and Nest. 

Here’s a list of the Capsule labels I got: 

Makeup Remover

Face Moisturizer

Shaving Cream

Face Exfoliator

Conditioner 

CBD [custom label]

Night Cream [custom label]

Cadence Capsules Review: Pros and Cons

Space-saving: Since Cadence Capsules are small and magnetically fit together neatly, they have consolidated and saved space in my toiletry bag. Instead of carrying a large Tatcha jar like this one for my Dewy Skin Cream (that I can’t live without), I put a few scoops of Tatcha in a Capsule that’s a quarter the size of a jar! 

Weight-saving: I’m a chronic over-packer and always use my suitcase scale to ensure my checked bag is 50 lbs. While Cadence Capsules are probably heavier than your average toiletry travel bottle, they’re lighter than a full-size jar, so in the end, it does help my checked baggage and carry-on bag weigh less.

Leakproof: Cadence Capsules are leakproof, and I’ve tested them! I’ve put everything from goopy sunscreen to hair gel in my capsules, and none of my beauty products have leaked.

TSA-approved: The Capsules are TSA-compliant, so as long as you’re under the usual limit for liquids in your travel bag, airport security is a breeze. No more throwing products away in a panic at the airport because they’re too large!

BPA-free: I’m leery of plastic products, so I was happy to read that Cadence’s travel Capsules are BPA-free and non-leaching. The brand’s transparency helps me feel more at ease about using them over other sketchy store-bought containers—you know the ones. 

Aesthetic AF: I’ve never seen a more aesthetic travel toiletry container—they spark joy for me. From the sleek design of the Capsule to the magnetic feature and the soft colors they use, these travel products look good in my toiletry bag and on my bathroom counter.

Labels/customization: I loved that Cadence has many options for labels and icons, plus the option to customize your own labels if they don’t already make one for something specific. 

Magnetic design : The top of the Capsule is also magnetic, so when you’re pouring out the contents of, say, your Facial Cleanser Capsule to wash your face, you stick the top to the side of the capsule. It’s a nice feature and touch and ensures you don’t lose a lid.

Dishwasher-safe: Cadence Capsules are top rack dishwasher-friendly, making cleaning easy when you’re ready to swap the contents out for something else. 

Woman-owned: We love supporting women-owned businesses! 

Sustainable : We also love an eco-conscious brand and the fact these small travel bottles are reusable. Those efforts mean a lot, from their compostable packaging to using 20% recycled plastic that would have ended up in the sea otherwise.

Price: Let’s talk about the elephant in the room here. As much as I love the products, the downside is their steep price tag, especially if you need 7+ Capsules (like me) and customized labels. 

Ultimately, no one needs Cadence Capsules . They are a luxury and one that I thoroughly enjoy when I’m traveling. Are they nice to have? Absolutely. Are they a necessity? Of course not. 

But if they’re within budget for you, I’d say go for it. They will, without a doubt, upgrade your travel game.

Size: While the Capsules save space, I wish they were bigger. I don’t use Cadence for body wash, shampoo, or conditioner because the Capsules aren’t big enough to hold a week’s worth. Instead, I use these travel squeeze bottles from Amazon for some of my personal care products.

While I did order body wash and conditioner labels, I used them for other related toiletries (for example, I have hair oil in my conditioner Capsule ).

For other toiletries like moisturizers or cleansers, the Capsule size is perfect for a one to two-week trip.

Maybe Cadence will come out with a larger size option in the future—fingers crossed.

Tiles: The magnetic tops that act as labels are an excellent idea, so you can swap them out quickly. But if you drop a Capsule while in the shower, your tile will fly. 

It’s not a big deal if you can quickly recover them and pop them back on, but there have definitely been a couple of times where I’ve been like, where did my tile go, and is it gone forever?

Cadence Capsules Review: Top Collections

1. originals – set of 6.

The Originals – Set of 6 is my recommended collection to get the most out of these on your travels. 

The original Capsules can store oil cleansers, powder shampoo, cream face moisturizer, vitamin supplements, and face wash. 

Since my routines for personal care have multiple steps, getting a bundle of six is more cost-efficient than getting 3-4 singular units. 

You can label your set of six Capsules however you want in this collection. I would recommend this for those who want more freedom with their usage.

2. The Honeycomb – Set of 7 Flex

This seven-piece bundle is perfect to keep your routine in order. I would say that this collection is the most versatile in terms of keeping your routine consistent.

There are seven Capsules to quickly identify which supplements you are taking for the day.

I sometimes forget whether I’ve had my daily vitamins and take them twice by accident, so this Honeycomb Set is the perfect solution.

3. Starter Set

The aesthetic Starter Set helps prioritize your skincare routine with handy labels and icons.

With three small and three medium Capsules, this set has everything you need for a weekend getaway.

If you’re new to Cadence and unsure which products to try first, the Starter Set is an excellent option.

That’s the end of my Cadence Capsules review—let me know which ones caught your eye! I genuinely think Cadence Capsules are the most elevated travel containers out there.

If you travel quite a bit, Cadence is worth it. Keeping up with your skincare and routines (or keeping your Cadence, as the brand refers to it) is made easier with these little capsules.

If you decide to purchase any products from this Cadence Capsules review, tag me on Insta (@ wtfab ) so I can see how you customize and use them!

Enjoyed this Cadence Capsules review and looking for more lifestyle content? Get inspo here .

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Cadence travel Capsules are TSA-safe and can be brought in your carry-on and checked bags.

A Cadence Capsule can hold about 0.56 ounces.

It depends on what product you’re storing. Generally speaking, a Cadence pill case can store skincare products for 1-2 weeks, 2+ weeks for liquids like serums, and 2-3 days for pills. Check out their capacity calculator in every product description for more specific questions.

Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of  What The Fab , a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.

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These Sustainable Travel Capsules Are the Best Way to Keep Your Toiletries Organized On the Go

This is about to be your new favorite travel accessory.

Here at Travel + Leisure, we're always looking for the best gear and accessories that make traveling easier and more enjoyable. Often times, that includes items that help keep you pack light and stay organized, so you can spend more time enjoying your vacation and less time worrying about fitting everything into your suitcase . If you're looking for a better way to store your toiletries and other small essentials, look no further than Cadence , an ultra-organized and sustainable capsule system that's taking over the internet. And,  Travel + Leisure  readers can unlock extra savings on the game-changing capsules; use the code  TravelLeisure  at checkout   for $10 off your first order of $100+.

The brand offers the option to buy capsules individually or to " build your six ," a more economical bundle. The magnetic capsules, made from ocean-bound plastic, snap together, allowing you to keep all your essentials in one place. Their leakproof design makes them perfect for holding everything from facial cleanser, sunscreen, vitamins, even jewelry. You can even personalize the capsules with pre-made or custom labels so you know exactly where everything is.

To buy: keepyourcadence.com , $76 for six capsules (originally $84)

And shoppers agree, Cadence's travel capsules are a must for travel and everyday life. "I absolutely love my Cadence Capsules! I love that I can bring all my favorite products everywhere I go. And, I love that I'm creating less plastic waste because I no longer have to buy travel size products when I'm traveling!"

Another reviewer emphasized how useful these capsules are for life on-the-go. "Cadence capsules have found their way into so many parts of my life in the west. Whether I'm traveling back East, to a new skiing destination, or camping out on a mountain biking adventure, I have my capsules with me. Not only great for carrying toiletries, they're amazing to have on the river while tackling whitewater or in my bike bag to re-up on sunscreen."

Regardless of what you've got on your calendar, it's clear that the Cadence capsules are the best travel companions. Don't forget to use the code  TravelLeisure  at checkout   for $10 off your first order of $100+.

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.

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Our Favorite Spillproof Travel Containers Just Got a Major Upgrade

By Julie Vadnal

Updated on Apr 26, 2023 6:36 PM EDT

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I travel —a lot. Just last week I was in North Carolina. The week before that? Mexico. And the week before that? San Francisco. At this point, I’ve got packing down to a fine art. That’s not to say I’m perfect: Recently I forgot to bring my daily contact lenses, and another time, a phone charger never made it into my bag. But I never, ever— ever! —forget to pack my Cadence capsules. 

I first tried them out a couple of years ago on a camping trip, where I filled up four of the recycled plastic containers with shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, and vitamins. Each one comes with a custom label—you can choose words or icons—so you know exactly what’s inside, and the labels are magnetic, so you can swap them out. I tossed them in my bag and got in the car.

When I say that not a drop of shampoo leaked in my bag—it was as if I had discovered the Fort Knox of shampoo carrying. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could escape the tight seal of the screw cap. At .56 ounces each, I had enough hair care for my entire two-day trip (and then some). Plus the wide mouth means they’re easy to fill, unlike the drugstore squeeze bottles I bought that had a very tiny opening and were impossible to add to with anything thicker than shampoo. 

Since that trip, I’ve used them on multiple vacations; and at home, I use them to store pills and jewelry. I thought I couldn’t be happier with my capsules—but this week, the brand released a new line called the Capsule Flex System that’s definitely bigger, and might just be better.

The Cadence Capsule Flex System

The bestseller bundle, cadence.

The new Capsule Flex System has a bigger circumference than the O.G. containers, and there are three different sizes: .56 ounces (same as the original capsules, but it’s wider and flatter); 1.32 ounces (for shampoo and supplements); and 2.75 ounces, which you make from combining a medium-size container with an extender that enlarges it. 

The extender is by far the coolest part of the collection because it allows for flexibility. For example, if you don’t need that much shampoo for a trip, you can take apart the large size, remove the extender, and transform the container into a much smaller carrying case. 

The capsules come in eight millennial-minded colors, like terracotta and petal (a dusty pink), and you don’t have to stick to just one hue when you build a seven-pack. As you choose your shades, you can also choose your labels, which are fully customizable, though the existing list is pretty thorough, from jewelry to lube. There’s even a set of seven that has the days of the week—chicest pillbox ever?

Before, I would have been the person who, rather than overstuffing a Stasher bag with toiletries, would say, “Screw it; I’ll buy minis when I get there.” But never again. Now I’ll fill my Cadence containers with everything I need; stick them all together because, yes, the capsules themselves are magnetic; and head off to wherever, knowing I’ll arrive mess-free.

Shop the Full Collection

The 56, cadence, the 275, cadence, the extender, cadence, build a system, cadence.

13 Best Travel Toiletry Bottles: Editor Tested, Leakproof, & Reusable

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Beauty and skincare products like shampoo, moisturizer, and face wash are essential on every packing list , whether you're heading to a hotel or are staying with friends or family. Since buying miniature versions of your favorite products can be expensive—and typically means purchasing a whole lot of single-use plastics—having practical and reliable toiletry travel bottles you can pull out for every trip is a must.

To make sure the reusable bottles we're throwing in our Dopp kit are easy to use and don't leak, we tested out a variety of affordable travel sets to see which ones actually get the job done. Below, you'll find 13 of the best travel toiletry bottles that will protect the contents of your luggage—and all of the creams, soaps, and serums you've shelled out for—and keep you organized on the go. Even better, all of these picks are TSA-friendly in size, so you don't have to worry about any of your favorite products being thrown out at the airport. As an added bonus, many of these travel bottles are available on Amazon Prime, so you can get your hands on them quickly before a last-minute getaway.

How we tested

I scoured the internet to find the most popular travel toiletry bottles—searching a variety of retailers, reading hundreds of reviews, and considering online ratings. After my initial research, I put many reusable toiletry bottles to the test, trying out dozens of options that range in price, size, and design. I've had some of these toiletry bottles for over a year and they've accompanied me on a mix of weeklong vacations in checked luggage and short weekend trips in tightly-packed duffel bags .

Over the last several months, I tested another batch of options: I've filled them with a variety of skincare, hair care, and body products—thick body wash, contact solution, and leave-in conditioner included. I've even left these filled containers upside down overnight to see if there were any unexpected leaks. My findings: There are many great options on the market to choose from and you don't need to break the bank to find the perfect set for you. Below, the best travel toiletry bottles to pack wherever you're headed next .

Our top picks

• Best overall: Tocelffe 18-Pack travel bottles
• Best for easy packing: Cadence The Capsule Flex System
• Best for in-shower products: LiquiSnugs silicone travel bottles
• Best for perfume: Vonovo mini refillable perfume bottles
• Best for contact solution: Cauyuan portable contact lens case

Browse reusable bottles for:

Hair and body wash, cleansers and serums, contact lens care, a variety of products.

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

No matter how organized I try to stay, my bathroom counter at every hotel always becomes cluttered with my many toiletries and hair products . The LiquiSnugs look like your classic silicone travel bottles, but they feature a clever suction cup on the back that allows you to stick them onto any shower wall—freeing up limited counter space. These are great for in-shower products like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. This set of four bottles features two 3-ounce bottles and two 2-ounce bottles, so you can choose how much product you need depending on the length of your trip. Another smart design feature: Twist the top to adjust the label name so you won't forget what's inside. I've had these for about a year now and I consistently reach for these to pack shampoo and conditioner.

Pros : The unique suction cup design makes them great for shower products.

Cons : These occasionally will fall off shower walls if there's not a little bit of water to keep them in place.

This Amazon bestseller is versatile enough for every type of traveler. The 18-pack from Tocelffe features four silicone bottles of varying size (two 3-ounce bottles and two 2-ounce bottles), four small jars for creams and serums, two spray bottles, two spatulas, a funnel, labels, and a cleaning brush. These all come in a waterproof toiletry bag that you can reuse to carry makeup or tech essentials. In this set, I find myself mostly reaching for the ultra-soft silicone bottles, which are great for products like body wash, face cleanser, and micellar water. Each of these bottles feature three-layer leak-proof tops so you don't have to worry about spills in your bag. Something I love about these bottles is how they can be bent and squeezed easily to get every last bit of product out of them.

Pros: Very affordable, comes in a clear toiletry case, and the bottles' wide opening makes it easy to refill. Cons: The small plastic jars are not as reliable as the silicone bottles in this set.

If you're just looking for a few affordable no-frills travel bottles, these are for you. Available in a variety of colors, the silicone bottles do just what they say they will. They're leakproof, come in a set of four, and are easy to refill and clean. While there’s no bells and whistles, these three-ounce bottles pleasantly surprised me with just how much product they fit compared to some of the other classic silicone bottles we tested, making them an ideal option for a longer vacation. Plus, these have an average of 4.5 stars on Amazon with over 11,000 global reviews.

Pros: Versatility; available in many colorways

Cons : This set doesn't come with labels or a proper toiletry case.

Another solid choice for travelers is this set of four 3-ounce silicone travel bottles. These are squeezable, leakproof, and versatile enough to use for everything from shower products and soaps to sauces and baby food. These reusable bottles are all the same size and each a different color so you can differentiate them. Bonus: This set comes in a transparent toiletry case to keep them all organized in.

Pros : This set is available in a dozen colorways; wide opening makes them easy to refill without needing a funnel. Cons : This set doesn't come with labels.

If you prefer to bring along a bar of soap instead of using what's provided at the hotel, this compact soap box is a great travel companion. Inside, there's a soap mat that absorbs any excess water and prevents the soap from becoming mushy. I've used other plastic soap cases before without a mat and it always leaves a mess. This one features a silicone band that wraps tightly around the box for extra protection, and is about the size of a deck of cards.

Pros : Fits most commonly used soap brands, affordable, and features a simple-to-use design.

Cons : The soap box needs the band to stay secure so be careful not to lose it.

I've been a fan of Cadence's capsules for a few years now. These leakproof, airtight, and watertight magnetic capsules are unlike any other travel bottles I've used and are a true game changer when it comes to packing your own beauty products. The individual capsules magnetically snap together to take up as little space as possible in your Dopp kit and are designed without any right angles or edges, so you get every last bit of product available.

The original .56-ounce individual capsules are great for weekend trips and storing small items like daily vitamins and safety pins. The Capsule Flex System allows you to customize your own bundle with your choice of small , medium , and large sizes, as well as The Extender —an add-on that allows you to increase the size of the bottle when you need more room. This makes it so easy to customize your travel routine, whether you want to pack extra product for longer trips or bring enough body wash for you and your travel buddy. With The Flex System, you can still choose your own label for each capsule (the labels are interchangeable), as well as the color and number of capsules in your bundle.

Pros : It's easy to get every last drop of product inside each capsule and they are so easy to rinse out and reuse. The custom labels can be swapped out depending on what you're packing.

Cons : These are the most expensive option on our list.

I was eager to test out the Ries travel bottles after hearing a lot of buzz about the product and seeing them make their way into retailers like Sephora and Goop. These are a more elevated, aesthetically pleasing take on the classic reusable travel bottles you may have used in the past. Ries prioritized sustainability and design with these essentials: Each bottle is made from recycled plastic and features a large opening at the top, which makes it easy to refill and clean (not to mention, they're dishwasher safe). Travelers can purchases these bottles individually (a 3.4-ounce bottle or a 1.7-ounce bottle) or in a set with both sizes . My favorite thing about these bottles is the airless pump—I feel so glamorous while doing my nighttime skincare routine with these, and it makes it easier to use products like face wash or cleanser on the road. The bottles are pre-labeled (shampoo, conditioner, body, face) and you can twist the top to the side to conceal the opening, so product won't spill out.

Pros : Sustainably made; if you prefer a pump, these are for you.

Cons : On the pricier side; the bottles are a bit bulky and take up a little more room in my makeup bag than most travel-size products I use.

Finally, a solution to my contact lens woes. I can't count the number of times I've stopped into a drugstore to buy a mini bottle of contact lens solution before heading out on a trip, or to pick up rewetting drops because I'm dealing with dry contacts while away from home. This compact case makes cleaning and caring for contacts on the go much easier—it comes with an easy-to-fill reusable dropper that gives me a long weekend's worth of solution, a contact case, and has a mirror to help get them in and out. (I don't like to fly in contacts, so this is particularly handy if I forget to switch to my glasses before leaving home.) It weighs next to nothing, and will fit in all but my smallest handbags, so I've been keeping it on me regularly, not just when traveling. — Madison Flager, senior commerce editor

Pros : It comes with a tiny pair of tweezers to make removing contacts from the case less messy. Cons : The contact solution holder isn't large enough for weeklong trips.

I admit I've also been guilty of buying mini versions of my favorite contact solution. As much as I love reusable toiletry bottles for my skincare and hair products, I've never had anything that felt right for the consistency of my contact solution. I wear daily lenses, meaning I don't need a whole lot of solution with me when I travel, so it is a little frustrating to carry around a bottle that takes up precious space in my Dopp kit. Lately, I've been carrying about the Cauyuan eye glass case which comes with a super small dropper for contact solution. This refillable dropper holds just enough contact solution for weekend trips and shorter vacations and takes up such little space (I've even found myself tossing it in my handbag in case my eyes get a little dry.) This durable case keeps all of my eye care essentials together and protected, with a separate compartment for eye glasses, and another that holds the dropper, tweezers, a contact case, and a mirror.

Pros : All of my eyewear essentials are now in once place and stay organized; the dropper is small enough to fit in a tiny purse. Cons : The compartment for your eye glasses is on the small size—if you have thick or bulky frames, they might not fit.

I've never found a reusable spray bottle for my perfume that I've liked, so I've always relied on buying miniature versions of each of my favorite fragrances. But let's be real—those travel-size perfume bottles are expensive! They're often made of glass, too, making them vulnerable to breaking in your luggage. Enter the Vonovo mini refillable perfume bottles: Each of these holds 0.2 ounces of your favorite scent, more than enough for a long vacation. This set comes with five spray bottles, so you can bring along any of your favorites—or all of them. And they are so easy to use—simply pull off the top of your full-size perfume, press the bottom of the mini bottle on top of it, and keep clicking until its refilled. Each of the bottles have a clear vial inside so you can see how much product you have left. My favorite part: These are so tiny—think the size of a lipstick— meaning I can even bring them with me on a date night when I'm only carrying a small purse .

Pros : Easy to refill and compact enough to fit in even the tiniest of travel bags Cons : These spray bottles wont match the look of your full-size perfume and don't have labels, so you'll have to remember based on the color of the mini bottle you choose. Also, these can be refilled with the same perfume, but I wouldn't recommend reusing them with another scent.

For those with a more rigid skincare or haircare routine, this 16-pack lets you bring along every last product you want—and it all fits into one reusable case. The set comes with four silicone bottles, four jars, two spray bottles, two scoopers, a funnel, and a cleaning brush. The variety means you can pack everything from soap and shampoo to serums and sprays in here, and the cleaning brush makes the bottles easy to clean and re-use. I like this set best for packing my more expensive skincare serums and creams in the small jars that have a scooper to use.

Pros : A variety of types of containers

Cons : The toiletry case the bottles come in isn't the best quality.

The Kitsch Ultimate travel set includes leakproof holders that are compact and lightweight enough to pack in a purse or tote bag . In addition to three flat pouches, this set also comes with two pump bottles, two mini jars, one mini funnel, one mini spatula, and one mini pipette. This set is best for a longer trip—say, a European vacation or a cross-country road trip —as you can store a lot more shampoo, conditioner, and lotions in the pouches without going over any TSA limits (plus, they'll get lighter as you use them).

Pros : The flat pouches are easy to pack and take up less room in a Dopp kit than bulkier bottles.

Cons : The pouches are a little bit harder to refill than bottles with a wide opening.

If you're packing toiletries for your entire family , this 21-pack of travel bottles has you covered. This package comes with four silicone bottles, four cream jars, four toothbrush covers, two spray bottles, two pump bottles, two trowels, a funnel, and labels to keep everything straight. Whether it's a trip to Disney World or multi-generational cruise , this set makes packing for the whole family easy.

Pros : These come with toothbrush covers–a nice travel accessory that none of the other options on our list offers.

Cons : Not ideal for weekend trips or light packers.

Had To Share

If Only People Were As Reliable As These Fancy Travel Containers

They’re worth every penny, BTW

Anyone who has ever had to pack for an overnight trip knows how tedious the toiletry-packing step can be, and how, surprisingly, all those products you cannot part for more than 36 hours can take up so much real estate in your suitcase. Perhaps you are all too familiar with the travel-sized options from your local drugstore or have been using the same reusable travel containers for at least a decade (the very ones you’ve never properly cleaned), but I’m here to tell you there is a highly superior option: Cadence’s magnetic travel capsules.

Cadence’s Capsules are these beautifully designed, delightful little pots suitable for traveling or everyday use. They come in a rainbow of aesthetically pleasing, sophisticated hues — their version of white and black, for example, is sand, a slightly off-white tone, and charcoal, a muted black. All the eight color options look good together, and you can choose to buy them as individual units, sets of the same color, or mix and match any colors you favor. Not only are these TSA-compliant, 0.56-ounce leakproof containers a sensible size for holding at least a few day’s worth of essential toiletries (anything from shampoos to face oils), but they are also designed to hold small ‘things’ that could easily get lost in the abyss of a Dopp kit (rings and other small jewelry, pills, vitamins, packaged contact lenses, and more).

It’s most surprising and exciting attribute that really differentiates them from other travel containers, as practical as they may be: The Capsules stick to each other using some pretty sturdy magnets. This means all your toiletries literally stay clustered together, facing the same way, in neat, perfectly aligned rows that are both space-saving, and zen-inducing. You can simply pluck the entire mass of pods from your bag, lay it on the counter, and see what all your items are in once glance.

• Price: $14 each pot, $42 for 3, $84 for 6, $143 for 12
• Size: one size
• Colors: 8 colors: charcoal, petal (pink), lavender, sand (off-white), terracotta, pacific, eucalyptus, 7pm (yellow)
• Materials: BPA-free, non-leaching, made from 20% recycled ocean-bound plastic and 30% excess manufacturing material
• When to use: travel and everyday use
• Pro-tip: If you know exactly what colors and labels you want, go for the fully customizable sets. If you prefer a little guidance, they have themed sets (days of the week, skin care staples, hair care staples, etc) available.

On the inside, the sides and bottom of the Capsule are rounded, so there are no angles products can potentially get trapped in. In other words, you won’t find yourself trying to use a too-wide finger to scoop the last bit of face moisturizer you desperately need from an angled corner within, and you won’t waste any bit of product.

The ergonomic hexagonal exterior makes them easier to grip to open and close, especially if your hands are lightly greased up from lotion or other product, and it means the Capsules lock more securely together, than if they were shaped like cylinders.

The texture of the Capsules are are slightly pebbled, which is quite nice, and keeps them from feeling too slippery. Yea, you won’t be disappointed in the “handfeel.”

The label design is truly ingenious. The labels, which are actually removable tiles, come in an array of pre-printed options (or blank), can be customized in any language (for an additional fee of $3), and are also magnetized, so you can easily swap them around if you accidentally put a product in the wrong pot, for example, or just like to switch up the colors for aesthetic purposes.

The colors are soft, matte — to put it plainly, they’re pleasing to the eye. And because they come in so many options, you’ll definitely find some options that suit you. Customers that opt to build their own set can choose the color of each individual Capsule and label, and the specific label. (I, for example, opted to order all my skin and hair care essentials in sand, medicines and vitamins in petal pink, and jewelry in green). With time, you can keep building to your set, and still keep your entire kit cohesive.

The ASMR experience

The sound you hear when you attach the magnetic tile labels or ‘snap’ the Capsules together... it’s the ASMR experience you didn’t know you wanted. Click… click… click... Yes, please.

Pros & cons

Easy to clean, travel-friendly, versatile, made from recycled materials, aesthetically pleasing, and reliably leakproof.

A bit on the heavy side due to the magnets (not noticeable if you only have a few, but collectively can feel surprising); expensive as far as reusable travel containers go.

The final verdict

Are they worth it? $14 does sound a bit steep for a travel pot when you can find something perfectly functional from Muji, Amazon, or the Container Store for a fraction of the cost, but these truly are in a league of their own. They’re brilliantly designed and really make packing and unpacking significantly easier. They’re much more convenient and a thousand steps up from a simple clear, acrylic pot.

And they don’t need to be relegated to your suitcase. They are great for everyday use. A couple units (hand cream and pills) live in my purse, and it really feels like they hardly take up any space. In comparison, they’re about a-third the size of the travel-sized body wash I find myself buying on nearly every vacation, and a-fourth the size of the reusable shampoo container I used to use. Before, I easily filled two dopp kits when packing toiletries for the family (2 adults and two young kids). After I got a set of Cadence capsules, I probably cut the volume down by about a third. If I had more capsules, I easily would’ve fit everything in one bag.

I’m definitely buying more.

Had To Share highlights the products and finds that Romper editors and contributors love so much, we just had to share in the group chat.

This article was originally published on Dec. 24, 2022

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The Best Car Seat and Stroller Combos for Traveling Near and Far

Move your newborn seamlessly from the car to the stroller with these editor-tested travel systems.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks
• Other Notable Travel Systems
• Our Testing Process

Our Experts

• Factors to Consider
• Safety Tips

Parents / Dera Burreson

A travel system—an infant carrier, base, and a compatible stroller—allows a seamless transition from a vehicle to the sidewalk, so you don’t have to wake up your sleeping baby (or needlessly annoy an awake one). The infant car seat attaches directly to the stroller without additional accessories. Some travel systems are one unit, meaning the infant car sea t converts directly into a stroller. Once your child outgrows their infant carrier, you can often use the stroller for their toddler years or pass the entire system down to a younger sibling. 

Car seat and stroller combinations should be user-friendly for parents, grandparents, babysitters, and others who may watch your child. Additionally, the strollers should maneuver effortlessly on different terrains and have safety features, such as brakes, UV canopies, and five-point harnesses.

To find the best travel systems, we tested 23 highly rated models in our testing lab and at home with our own children. We looked at assembly, stroller design, ease of installation in and out of vehicles, and function. Additionally, we considered value because travel systems can be costly, and we want families to find an option that lasts.

Easiest to Use

Uppababy cruz v2 + mesa v2 infant travel system, why we like it.

In terms of ease of use, the Uppababy Cruz travel system is hard to beat. The stroller arrived nearly assembled in the box—all we had to do was pop on the wheels. The sleek, full-grain leather handlebar and seatback are adjustable to accommodate both kids and parents. The large cargo area easily holds a medium-sized diaper bag, although a bar runs through the middle, making it difficult to have anything bulky and large. 

Maneuverability : The stroller is lightweight and easy to push on all terrain. We only had trouble getting it up steps due to the large tires, but it was light enough to be picked up and carried. It’s also worth noting that the toddler seat has a high weight capacity, so this can grow with your child as they get older.

Car Seat Installation : We tested Attaching the car seat to the base or stroller is seamless and makes a loud clicking sound, so you know it's installed all the way. Taking the car seat out of the base or stroller is also simple with the push of a button. A level indicator on the base turns green when it’s leveled correctly, giving you peace of mind your baby is secure. The no-rethread harness is simple to adjust, and there are storage pockets for harness buckles. 

But Take Note

Though it’s on the pricier side, it comes with several extras: a rain canopy, a mesh canopy to keep bugs away, and an extendable sun shade for super sunny days. Unfortunately, we had difficulty getting the canopy on the infant seat to stay securely in place. On the plus side, the stroller folds in half for easier portability. 

The Details:

• Stroller weight: 35 lbs. 
• Car seat weight: 10 lbs. for car seat, 19 lbs. with base 
• Stroller dimensions: 22.75 x 37.5 x 40 in.
• Car seat weight/height limits: 4–35 lbs., up to 32 in.

Best Mid-Range

Britax grove modular stroller.

According to one of our testers, everything about this stroller felt “easy breezy.” It’s almost effortless to use, from a less-than-10-minute installation to comfort touches like a lumbar cushion to a one-handed fold. 

Maneuverability: The Britax Grove is a medium-sized stroller, but our testing found that it takes turns more like a compact stroller. Its generously sized wheels are large enough to take bumps in stride, even without suspension, and the stroller handled turf and concrete like a pro. The stroller felt light, solid, and high-quality while pushing with the car seat in place. 

Car seat installation: The car seat base features Britax ClickTight technology, meaning you can install it in a vehicle by threading the seatbelt through the base compartment (which conveniently opens), buckling it, and then snapping it back to close. This installation method is the easiest of all the car seat bases. All Britax infant seats work with a simple click-in and latch-out method. 

The only thing we didn’t love about this stroller is that it has two brakes, one on each back wheel, and they don’t have color indicators to show which is engaged. You have to press both brakes to keep the stroller entirely in place. If you press one, the stroller won't roll away from you, but it will turn. 

• Stroller weight: 24 lbs.
• Car seat weight : 9.3 lbs. seat; 10 lbs. base
• Stroller dimensions: 37 x 42 x 23.5 in.
• Car seat weight/height limits: 4–30 lbs., up to 32 in.
• PHOTO: Parents / Dera Burreson
• PHOTO: Parents / Alexander Huang
• PHOTO: Parents / Joy Kim

Best Luxury

Nuna rx car seat travel system.

With a sleek and aesthetically pleasing design, the Nuna Mixx Next + Pipa RX Travel System feels high-quality, grows with your child, and maneuvers like a dream. It’s a lightweight travel system with soft, comfortable, and durable fabrics. 

The stroller came fully assembled—we only had to glance at the instructions to figure out how to unfold it, which was easy. The cargo area holds a diaper bag , but we wish it were a little bigger. Details like a leather carrying handle , magnetic buckle holders to keep straps out of the way, an adjustable handlebar, and no-rethread harnesses are all great touches. Plus, the UPF 50+ canopy is water-repellent, featuring an extendable sun shade, a flip-out eyeshade, a ventilation panel, and a peek-a-boo window to see your baby. 

Maneuverability : The stroller's suspension system gives it a smooth ride, and the rubber wheels have good traction. An overall lightweight feel makes it extremely easy to maneuver no matter where you are. We love how it still folds with the toddler seat and the one-touch brake that keeps the stroller securely in place. 

Car Seat Installation : The car seat is impressively light at just over 7 pounds, making it a breeze to carry and move from the base to the stroller. Attaching the car seat to the base and stroller—as well as detaching it from both—was simple, and we could do it one-handed with the press of a button. You can also adjust the infant seat or toddler seat to face forward or backward in the stroller.

The car seat base was trickier to install in a vehicle than other combos we tested. Installing the base took about 30 minutes, and we had to consult the manual and instructional videos to figure it out. Ultimately, we discovered that you have to be at a particular angle to use the LATCH system successfully, and overall, this was more difficult than many other options we tested. 

• Stroller weight: 28.5 lbs. 
• Car seat weight: 7.6 lbs. without base; 25.4 lbs. with base
• Stroller dimensions: 23.75 x 32.75 x 45.5 in. 
• Car seat weight/height limits: 4–32 lbs., up to 32 in. 
• Stroller age/weight limit: Birth to 50 lbs.

Best Budget

Graco modes pramette travel system.

The Graco Modes Pramette is one of the most inexpensive travel systems on the market. It offers a smooth ride and plenty of storage space . The fabric is nice, and the spacious cargo area holds enough items for babies and parents. We appreciate extra features like a phone holder, cup holder, reclining toddler seat, and adjustable canopy. 

Maneuverability : This lightweight stroller has an excellent glide. It rolls smoothly over various terrains and is easy to lift over curbs, even with a 20-pound child and a diaper bag in the cargo space. The wheels operated efficiently around corners and through curvy "roads" in the lab. 

Car Seat Installation : Installing the car seat base into the vehicle using the LATCH system is simple. The infant car seat felt secure and fairly lightweight at just about 10 pounds. Attaching the car seat to the base is straightforward, while detaching it is slightly more tricky (the button is under the canopy). But the seat pops right in and out of the stroller and makes a clicking sound to let you know it’s secure. 

We had a little trouble assembling the stroller and detaching the toddler seat. The buttons on either side of the stroller seat require two hands to push down. Also, the handlebar doesn’t adjust, and we can’t fold the stroller one-handed. 

• Stroller weight: 20.9 lbs. 
• Car seat weight: 9.8 lbs. without base 
• Stroller dimensions: 23.5 x 34.5 x 44.75 in.
• Car seat weight/height limits: 4–35 lbs., up to 32 in. 
• Stroller age/weight limit: Up to 50 lbs.

Best for City Use

Doona convertible infant car seat stroller system.

The Doona is a one-piece stroller and car seat. The car seat converts into a stroller in seconds , with fold-down legs and a pull-out handlebar. It’s a convenient space saver and ideal for people who often use ride-shares or public transportation. We also recommend it for families who just want (or need) something quick and simple for in-and-out trips from the car to the next destination.

Maneuverability : Overall, we’re impressed with how easily this stroller maneuvers despite its 17-pound weight. It offers a gentle glide on most terrains, although its lack of suspension made us dubious of how it would perform on a rocky or bumpy surface. The size is small and narrow , so navigating crowded spaces and tight spots isn’t challenging. While the stroller is comfortable and straightforward to clean, it doesn’t feature any sort of storage basket or cup holder, and the seat does not recline. 

Car Seat Installation: We initially had difficulty figuring out how to attach and detach the seat from the base. You have to click a button on the base, which isn’t intuitive but becomes less complicated each time. We were in the same situation when learning to release the wheels; once you know how to operate, it’s simple. 

The Doona can be a little awkward to use because the handlebar is so low, and it doesn’t grow with your child as much as some other options—you’ll need to buy another stroller once your child reaches the weight limit of 35 pounds. 

• Stroller/car seat weight: 17 lbs.
• Stroller dimensions: 17.3 x 23.6 x 26 in. 
• Car seat and stroller weight/height limits: 4–35 lbs., up to 32 in.

Best Handling

Chicco corso le modular travel system.

The Chicco Corso travel system boasts a sleek design, convenient extra features, and a stroller that maneuvers easily on almost any terrain. The trendy design with mixed colors and leather accents stands out and includes several convenient features like a parent cup holder, a removable handlebar for kids, and an extendable canopy for full sun coverage. Plus, the spacious cargo area holds a lot of stuff. 

We appreciate the stroller’s simple one-handed fold that “can be done with a baby on your hip at the same time,” one tester noted. The stroller grows with your child, with a comfortable toddler seat that faces forward or backward, and you get a lot for the price.

Maneuverability: This travel system moves seamlessly with a loaded car seat and full cargo space. It maneuvers surprisingly well on almost every surface; we only had a minor issue when going over a crumbling sidewalk. 

Car Seat Installation: Installing the car seat base into the vehicle using the LATCH system only took a few minutes. We had no problem attaching and detaching the car seat to the base with one hand, and throughout the process, each piece felt sturdy and secure.

One thing to note is that this combo requires a separate piece to click the car seat into the stroller. While this attachment comes with your purchase, you’ll need two hands to put the car seat and stroller together and connect the car seat and base. 

• Stroller weight: 18.7 lbs., 24.8 lbs. with toddler seat
• Car seat weight: 10 lbs. for seat, 18.5 lbs. with base 
• Stroller dimensions: 34.5 x 24.8 x 42.8 in. 
• Stroller age/weight limit: 50 lbs.

Best Jogging Stroller

Bob gear wayfinder pack.

The BOB Gear Wayfinder Pack is comfortable to use as an everyday stroller, but it’s also ideal for joggers and runners, thanks to special features. For instance, the stroller has a hand brake, wrist strap , Velcro-shut mesh peekaboo window, an adjustable canopy, and more (like a parent cup holder). The cargo area zips to prevent anything from spilling out during jogs and runs, too. 

Maneuverability: For as heavy-duty as this jogging stroller is, it was downright effortless to maneuver, even with the front swivel wheel locked, which our testers, who are long-time runners, attested is unusual for a jogging stroller. The stroller maneuvered through turns and over every surface with ease, and the suspension kept the ride smooth , even on gravel. One key feature joggers will appreciate is that although the locked wheel will keep the stroller in a straight line, it can move left or right to weave through a crowd if necessary. 

Car Seat Installation: The car seat with the base is heavy, at nearly 20 pounds, and we struggled to snap it into the base. Beyond installation, the entire unit felt secure and didn’t wiggle. 

You may have to take the fabric off to adjust the car seat straps, which can be challenging (and time-consuming). Also, folding this stroller is more tedious because of its many features meant for maximum durability. 

• Stroller weight: 31.1 lbs.
• Car seat weight: 9.3 lbs. for car seat, 10.2 lbs. for base
• Stroller dimensions: 28.1 x 24.11 x 16.9 in.

Best Lightweight Car Seat

Bugaboo fox 3 bassinet and stroller.

The Bugaboo Fox 5 Stroller is compatible with the impressive Bugaboo Turtle Air by Nuna car seat (sold separately). We tested this car seat with the Bugaboo Fox 5 and found the travel system thoughtful, simple, and lightweight. The stroller is also lightweight yet sturdy and has just the right space in the under-storage basket, snack tray, and cup holder. Although it is a larger stroller, so you’ll want to check that you have the space to accommodate it if you need to store it indoors. 

Maneuverability: Our tester could wheel the Bugaboo around with one hand, taking sharp turns and sailing through doorways as smooth as butter . With cargo in the seat and basket, it still turned on a dime on all terrains. The brakes are also very easy to engage, so immediately stopping is doable.

Car Seat Installation: We are currently finalizing our testing of the compatible Bugaboo Turtle Air by Nuna car seat and recline base. Installation requires adapters, but the company includes them with this bundle. A color-coded chart on the reclining base specifies which position your baby should be in based on their current weight, with easy options to switch it up as needed. Installing the car seat base does require a few steps, per the product manual, but once it’s in, the base is very secure. 

Converting the bassinet to a seat is a challenge and requires two adults. Our testers admitted that they actually broke out into a sweat doing it. The good news, however, is that the transition is only a one-time thing, so once you finish it, you’re done with that task. Despite the claim that it’s a one-handed fold, we also found that reality requires two hands to complete the job. 

• Stroller weight: 22.97 lbs.
• Car seat weight: 7.06 lbs. for car seat
• Stroller dimensions: 36.6 x 23.6 x 41.3 in.
• Car seat weight/height limit s: 4 to 32 lbs., 15.7 to 32.6 in.

Best Convertible

Graco modes nest2grow travel system.

The Graco Modes Nest2Grow is a three-in-one travel system , with the stroller transforming into an infant car seat carrier, infant pramette, and toddler stroller. We love the useful features, like an expandable cargo area ideal for a whole-day excursion. (This is particularly useful for city dwellers who walk to the store). We also appreciate the included cup holders for parents and kids and a snack tray. There’s also some adjustability: you can move the seat up or down to your preferred height, and though the fabric does feel a little scratchy, it looks pricier than it is. 

Maneuverability: The stroller glides smoothly over different terrains and is surprisingly easy to lift up stairs. Without a child inside, the stroller feels lightweight. The stroller folds, so you can put it in your vehicle’s trunk or store it out of sight, but you’ll need two hands to fold it. 

Car Seat Installation : With some guidance from the manual, installing the car seat was mostly simple, but we had some difficulty assembling the stroller. We had no trouble installing the car seat base into the vehicle using the LATCH system (though it also feels secure with a seat belt installation). Additionally, we encountered zero issues when attaching and detaching the car seat and toddler seat into and from the stroller. At just 7.5 pounds, this car seat is very lightweight , so it’s a great option if you plan to carry it around often.

The stroller is a little heavy to push, especially with a child inside the infant seat, and it’s on the larger side for a stroller. 

• Stroller weight: 21.96 lbs. 
• Car seat weight: 7.5 lbs.
• Stroller dimensions: 38 x 26.77 x 41.85 in.
• PHOTO: Parents / Leticia Almeida

Other Notable Car Seat and Stroller Combos

We also tested the following car seat and stroller combinations, and while they did not make our final list of recommendations, we found them worth mentioning.

• Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System : The Chicco Bravo is a straightforward stroller that offers value and ease of use. Unfortunately, it doesn’t push as smoothly on concrete surfaces as the other strollers we tested, and it had one loose wheel. 
• Baby Jogger City Sights Travel System : While this travel system had some nice features, like great maneuverability and a sleek design, it lacked any additional bells and whistles that would justify its price tag. 
• Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Travel System : Unlike most car seat and stroller combos, this Baby Trend doesn’t “click” into the stroller but attaches over a child tray, so it does come with a bit of a learning curve. It’s a basic stroller meant for rugged terrain. 
• Evenflo Shyft: The Evenflo Shyft is an infant car seat that converts into a stroller. However, you can’t use the stroller as a standalone version past the infant car seat stage, so we felt that there were more functional options for the price point. 

Our Testing Process 

Parents editors, staff, and real parents tested 23 car seat and stroller combinations in our testing lab and real-life situations over time, reassessing results at two-month and six-month intervals. We tested each car seat both as a standalone car seat and in combination with the stroller and assessed the following attributes: 

• Ease of Assembly: We assembled each stroller, if necessary, noting what pieces we required attachment and if the process was effortless or challenging. 
• Vehicle Installation: We timed how long it took to install the car seat base into the car using the seat belt or LATCH system, paying attention to how simple it was to click the car seat into the base and remove it. We noted whether these things could be done one-handed and if doing so jostled the seat enough to wake a sleeping baby.
• Stroller Installation: To assess how the car seat worked with its stroller, we examined whether the seat popped effortlessly into the stroller and if the process required one or two hands.
• Design: We considered the weight, features, adjustability, and size of the car seats and strollers. 
• Maneuverability: We walked the strollers on different terrains in the lab and real world, including concrete, grass, rocks, and more. We wanted to know if strollers felt stable or shaky and how they maneuvered up and down steps or curbs. 
• Ease of Cleaning: Testers followed the manufacturers’ cleaning directions for the car seats and cleaned each at least once during the testing period. 
• Value: At the end of the initial testing period, we asked testers if they felt their travel system was worth the cost or overpriced. We wanted to know if they would pay the price tag—or more—or on sale. 

We consulted the following experts on safety tips and features to keep in mind when choosing a car seat and stroller combination:

• Petra Stanton, car safety seat installer and trainer at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida
• Kelly Moriarty, Injury Prevention Coordinator at Novant Health in Charlotte, North Carolina

Factors to Consider When Buying a Stroller Car Seat Combo

Along with personal factors, such as your budget and any brand preferences, we found it helpful to consider the following when choosing a stroller and car seat combo:

• Age, Weight, and Size Limits: Most car seat-stroller combinations have a weight limit of 35 pounds (but check your brand’s specific limits). “Keep in mind that your child may be ready to transition into a larger car seat in the first year of life, so look at the stroller and decide how convenient it will be to use the stroller after the child outgrows the car seat,” adds Stanton. “Thinking ahead is the key here.” If the travel system has a detachable infant car seat, you can use the stroller for older infants without an infant car seat, surpassing the average 35-pound limit.
• Stroller Size and Portability : In general, most parents want a stroller that is fairly compact, easy to store when not in use, narrow enough to fit through most doorways, and portable enough to be taken almost anywhere. Bulky, large strollers may quickly feel inconvenient. On the other hand, a larger stroller that can convert after the infant car seat stage offers longevity for older children, too. Consider how you’ll use the stroller, such as quick in-and-out trips for school pickups, navigating public transport, or using it for travel.
• Maneuverability: A stroller shouldn’t be difficult to push, so look for features to enhance maneuverability, such as a suspension system and durable tires. These features make a difference once you add a child’s weight (and potentially their car seat) to the seat.
• Installation: Remember the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) safety guidelines when installing the infant car seat base into your vehicle. You can use either the seat belt or LATCH system, but regardless of the method you choose, tightly secure the car seat and allow for zero wiggle room. Remember that infants should ride in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible until they max out on height or weight. If you are unsure of how well you installed the seat or experienced an issue, don’t hesitate to consult a professional. “Find a local nationally certified car seat technician in your area,” suggests Stanton. “The list of technicians can be found on cert.safekids.org . If there are none in your area, look for technicians who offer virtual education.” 

Is Buying an Infant Car Seat and Stroller Together Worth It?

Travel systems are very convenient for families and caregivers who are often on the go. Think about how often you’ll need to click your car seat into a stroller. If you plan on running many errands with your baby or taking them out a lot, a travel system can save you time and energy. If you don’t plan on doing this, it’s not necessary—you can just purchase a separate car seat and stroller. 

How to Use Infant Car Seats and Strollers Safely

Don’t assume that learning to use your car seat and stroller is intuitive. “Read the manual that comes with it to make sure you are using the products correctly, from strapping the child in properly to correctly installing the carrier in your car,” Moriarty urges. If you need additional help, many parenting products feature a scannable QR code to pull up a digital manual on your phone.

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind: 

• Ensure the stroller fits you: A stroller and car seat should fit your baby, but they’ll also need to fit you to adhere to ergonomic standards and keep your own back and body healthy. “Make sure the stroller is a good height and that you are able to operate it comfortably,” says Moriarty. A car seat that attaches and detaches from the base and stroller with just one hand makes it much simpler for caregivers with their hands full. If these processes require two hands, it may not be the best option, especially if you have more than one child. 
• Know how to use all the safety features: Since car seat safety is the biggest priority, “ease of car seat installation is one of the main points to look for,” Moriarty says. An improperly installed car seat may not work in a crash or a sudden stop. The same goes for the stroller: check for features like brakes that lock with clear visual indicators, “click-in” car seat installation, and level indicators. You’ll also want to check for any potential safety hazards, like buttons or levers little fingers could get pinched in. 
• Keep your baby properly harnessed: All travel systems or car seat stroller combinations in the U.S. will come with a full five-point harness. Our safety experts recommend keeping your baby harnessed even when using the car seat outside of the vehicle. 
• Avoid sleeping and strolling: Don’t completely replace the stroller seat with the car seat, our experts advise. Whenever possible, your baby should sleep in a car seat while strolling. “Car seats are for riding in cars, not all-day stays,” Stanton warns. “While it’s easy to keep the baby sleeping in the car seat, it may not be the safest choice. Safe sleep research shows that babies are safest in their empty beds on their backs.” If you want your baby to nap safely while on the go, opting for a travel system with a bassinet attachment might be beneficial. 
• Register your car seat stroller combo: Lastly, now that parenting product safety regulations are updated frequently, registering your car seat and stroller is always a good idea to get notifications about any safety recalls. For recall notices, you can also check the Consumer Products Safety Commission’s (CPSC) site . 

Chaunie Brusie, RN, BSN , is a labor and delivery nurse turned health and parenting writer and a mother of five. She has written extensively on parenting products, including car seats and strollers and their combination use. Although not a primary pick on our list, Chaunie’s favorite travel system was the Baby Trend jogger, primarily because she pretended to be a jogger down her rural dirt roads in her prime baby-rearing days.

Car Seats: Information for Families . American Academy of Pediatrics. 2024.

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Best travel systems for newborns: tried and tested by parents

In an effort to help new parents, we've researched and tested the top travel systems on the market. From designer brands like Bugaboo to budget prams and compact folds, here are the best travel systems to buy right now.

By Lucy Cotterill | Last updated Sep 17, 2024

Buying a pushchair for your newborn can feel a little daunting. With so many choices available and lots to consider when it comes to transporting your baby safely from A to B, it can be hard to narrow down your options. 

For new parents, a travel system can make a convenient and practical choice, allowing for seamless transfers from car to pram, as well as relaxed and comfortable strolls with your newborn.

If you've already decided that a travel system is for you, excellent! We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching the products loved by real parents (that includes both Mumsnet users and consumers), tested dozens of prams with our team of parent testers and consulted trusted pushchair experts for the latest up-to-date guidance to bring you a round-up of the very best travel systems to buy right now.

Be sure to check out our FAQs further down this page for tips and tricks on what to consider before buying a travel system too.

Best travel systems at a glance

Best overall travel system: Nuna Mixx Next | Buy now

Best budget travel system: Maxi-Cosi Zelia³ Luxe | Buy now

Best travel system for a newborn and toddler: Oyster 3 | Buy now

Best versatile travel system: Venicci Tinum Edge | Buy now

Best all-terrain travel system: Mamas & Papas Ocarro | Buy now

Best travel system for rough terrain: Bugaboo Fox 5 | Buy now

Best travel system for a growing family: UPPAbaby Vista V2 | Buy now

Best travel system for easy fold: Joie Versatrax | Buy now

Best travel system for design: BabyStyle Egg 3 | Buy now

Best travel system for country living: Cybex Priam | Buy now

Best lightweight travel system: Nuna Triv Next | Buy now

Best travel system for city living and travel: Bugaboo Dragonfly | Buy now

Nuna Mixx Next

Offers good longevity

Accessible storage basket

Comfortable and well-padded seat

Easy to steer 

Machine-washable covers

Easy to switch between parent- and world-facing modes

One-handed five-position recline

Height-adjustable handlebar

Two hands needed to fold

Sun hood is a little noisy to extend

Price: RRP £1,200 | Suitable from: Birth to 22kg | Orientation: Parent-facing and world-facing | Car seat compatible: Yes | Folded dimensions: H42 x W60 x D76cm | Weight: 13.1kg | Basket capacity: 4.5kg | Extras included: Rain cover, footmuff and car seat adaptors 

Tested by parents: Read our full Nuna Mixx review

An upgrade to the incredibly popular Nuna Mixx , the Nuna Mixx Next exudes comfort and style at every turn, with some significant improvements that have proven to be a huge hit with Mumsnet users and consumers alike. It can be used with a Nuna carrycot (without needing adapters) or with compatible car seats from Nuna, Maxi Cosi or Cybex using the car seat adapters included in the box.

Thanks to the comfortable seat, easy manoeuvrability, excellent storage and large all-terrain wheels, it easily takes our top spot as the best travel system you can buy today. It’s also worth mentioning that the Nuna Mixx Next is a Which? Best Buy and one of the top-scoring pushchairs in their lab tests.

While slightly heavier than the original model, improvements to the folding mechanism mean the Nuna Mixx Next now folds in upon itself, resulting in a more compact fold that’s around 16cm shorter than its predecessor. It conveniently self-stands, so you don’t need to worry about it getting the chassis dirty as you move it in and out of your car, although it's not a particularly portable travel system for public transport. The Nuna Mixx Next also has more durable rubber wheels than the original Mixx, with improved wheel suspension that can even tackle tricky terrain such as gravel or snow .  

It’s easy to steer (even one-handed), manoeuvres well around tight corners and obstacles, and tackles kerbs with ease. The leatherette handlebar also offers a choice of heights between 106cm and 115cm, making it easy to achieve a comfortable and natural hold for both petite and tall parents. We love the green and red indicators on the brake pedal that provide quick visual reassurance that the brake is engaged - ideal when you’re travelling around a busy urban environment.

Suitable from birth using the lie-flat recline, the Nuna Mixx Next has a comfortable all-season and machine-washable seat with a removable cosy padded liner and a mesh back for breathability during the warmer summer months. The included rain cover offers good protection from the elements on wet days and, although it's a little noisy to extend, the UPF 50+ hood with a viewing window provides good coverage from the sun. It’s even water-repellent, so if an unexpected downpour comes your way, your baby will still stay warm and dry. 

We love how the five-point harness can keep your baby safe and secure but converts to a more convenient three-point harness as your baby grows. If your child tends to nod off on their travels, you’ll also appreciate the one-handed, five-position recline, allowing you to switch from upright to lie flat quickly and easily. The two-handed fold on the Nuna Mixx Next does require some force, but once folded, the pushchair sits relatively compact - although if using it with the carrycot you’d need to remove this first. 

When it comes to storage, the Nuna Mixx Next has an under seat basket with a 4.5kg capacity, which isn’t as generous as the likes of the UPPAbaby Vista V2 , but is easy to access from all directions and provides plenty of space for your newborn essentials . It can even be split into two distinct compartments using the interior wall if required. 

Read next: The best lightweight strollers and buggies

Maxi-Cosi Zelia³ Luxe

Value for money

Lightweight

The seat converts to a lie-flat bassinet

Easy one-handed fold

Compact when folded

Height-adjustable handlebar 

Rear-wheel suspension

Tricky to change seat position with a heavier child

Wide frame – hard to fit through narrow doorways

Straps can be fiddly and tricky to adjust 

Quite heavy 

Struggles a little on rough surfaces like gravel and sand

Two-handed fold

Price: RRP £980 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg |  Orientation:  Parent- and world-facing Car seat compatible:  Yes |  Folded dimensions:  H53 x W62 x D81cm |  Weight:  10.7kg | Basket capacity:  10kg |  Extras included:  Rain cover and boot cover/apron

Tested by parents: Read our full Maxi-Cosi Zelia review (previous model)

The Maxi-Cosi Zelia³ Luxe pushchair may have one of the lowest price tags of all the travel systems on our list, but it's still up there in terms of both design and quality. 

While the original  Maxi-Cosi Zelia  (now discontinued) was only suitable for babies up to 15kg, the Zelia³ Luxe offers greater longevity, lasting until your baby weighs 22kg, which is approximately four years old. While slightly heavier than the original model, the shopping basket capacity has also doubled (from 5kg to a whopping 10kg) providing valuable additional storage space for your  changing bag  or other essentials during a day out with your baby.

One of the major selling points of the Maxi-Cosi Zelia³ Luxe is the 2-in-1 seat that quickly converts into a newborn bassinet without the need to purchase a separate carrycot - ideal for those who are limited in storage space at home. Our parent tester loved this feature stating, “It saves space in the house and it means the carrycot doesn't become obsolete once your baby is sitting.”   Weighing 10.7kg, it’s also a more lightweight option than some of the multi-terrain models such as the  Mamas and Papas Ocarro  (see below). 

The lie-flat bassinet is suitable from birth and can easily be transformed into a pushchair seat when your baby reaches six months. With a comfortable padded inlay, it offers plenty of space and support for your child as they grow. Alternatively, the Maxi-Cosi Zelia³ Luxe can be used with a compatible Maxi-Cosi car seat, such as the Mumsnet-recommended  Maxi Cosi Pebble Plus  (using adapters) for a convenient transition between your car and the street.

Described as a compact, urban stroller, the Maxi-Cosi Zelia³ Luxe is easy to steer and handles pavements and kerbs with ease, however it may struggle off-road, such as on gravel, mud or sand. It’s also worth noting that while the handlebar height is adjustable, this is only by a small margin, so if you’re particularly tall you may find this pram less comfortable to push. 

We like the significant coverage provided by the sun hood and, thanks to the viewing window, you can discreetly check on your baby without waking them if they nod off during your journey. 

The fold requires two hands, but this is relatively straightforward to do. The pushchair clips together for compact storage and can self-stand. There’s also an in-built carry handle which can help distribute the weight should you need to carry it up and down the stairs. 

We love the improvements to the basket when compared to the original Maxi-Cosi Zelia, which although a little trickier to access when being used in bassinet mode, offers plenty of storage space, with a discreet pocket inside to stash valuable items such as your keys and phone. 

Read next:  Our in-depth Didofy Stargazer review

BabyStyle Oyster 3

One-handed recline (this can be done in parent- or world-facing mode)

Lie-flat seat for smaller babies

Puncture-free tyres

Compact fold

Adjustable handlebar

Can be used with a  buggy board

Carrycot is tricky to remove

Covers are not machine-washable

Storage basket could be bigger 

No extras included

Price: RRP £980 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg |  Orientation:  Parent- and world-facing| Car seat compatible:  Yes |  Folded dimensions:  H57.5 x W37.5 x L72 cm | Weight:  11.7kg |  Basket capacity:  3kg |  Extras included:  None

Tested by parents: Read our full BabyStyle Oyster 3 review

If you're looking for a travel system to suit your growing family, then the Which? Best Buy  BabyStyle Oyster 3  should be top of your list. This large, well-built pram is designed to last well into toddlerhood. With a choice of seven different colourways, it looks beautiful too.

With a maximum child weight of 22kg, which is around age four, this pushchair is suitable from birth, with a lie-flat seat, supportive head hugger and one-handed three-position recline. To use as a travel system, you can attach the Oyster 3 carrycot (sold separately) which offers a more spacious and comfortable lying position over longer durations with your newborn. For an easy transition straight from the car, car seats such as the  Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus  can also be clipped onto the main chassis using the  Oyster 3 car seat adapters  (sold separately). 

Compared to the original Oyster and Oyster 2 pushchairs, the Oyster 3 has had a major overhaul. Not only is it lighter with bigger wheels for improved handling, but it also boasts a more spacious seat, including a pop-out footrest and an adjustable harness that can better accommodate your child as they grow. 

It’s worth noting that, as a result of the seat changes, it’s a little bigger than the previous model, but for convenience it now has a more compact fold, which can be triggered with the seat attached in both parent- and world-facing modes. You do need to use both hands to operate this, however the fold is smooth and simple, with a handy clip that prevents the chassis from springing open. While we wouldn’t recommend carrying the Oyster 3 regularly, there’s even an integrated carry strap for convenience should you need to. 

The Oyster 3 has a soft padded handlebar that’s adjustable between 101cm and 111.5cm, making it easy to adapt to parents of varying heights. Thanks to the all-round suspension, the four puncture-free tyres also offer a really smooth ride for your baby. 

Our parent tester rated the tight turning circle and a slim base, which made the Oyster 3 convenient for use on public transport and she found it performed well on urban terrains such as pavements and kerbs. Like many travel systems, it struggles more on bumpier or uneven ground, but there is the option to lock the front wheels - helpful when navigating across sand or mud.

Whatever the weather, the Oyster 3 can protect your baby from the elements. We rate the large UPF50+ sun hood with an extendable section to provide additional coverage when the seat is fully reclined. It also has a ventilation window which can keep your baby cool on warmer days. Unlike many pushchairs, the elasticated rain cover for the Oyster 3 (included with the travel system) is straightforward to fit should the weather take a sudden turn for the worse.

The storage basket is easy to access from all directions, and although more than adequate for most  newborn essentials , the 3kg maximum capacity is relatively small when compared to the UPPAbaby Vista V2 or Nuna Mixx Next. That said, we love the inclusion of a discreet zipped storage pocket situated beneath the footrest - ideal for safely housing your keys and phone.

Read next:  The best double buggies, as tested by parents

Venicci Tinum EdgeVenicci Tinum Edge

Stylish design

Easy to fold/unfold 

Comes with lots of accessories

Comfortable height-adjustable handlebar 

Spacious shopping basket

Large sun hood

Easy to switch between parent and world facing  

Harness and straps tricky to adjust 

Bulky and heavy

Brakes require some force

The seat is not particularly padded

Price: RRP £700 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg (approx. 4 years) |  Orientation:  Parent and world-facing |  Car seat compatible:  Yes - car seat included   Folded dimensions:  H41 x W58 x D63cm  |  Weight:  12kg |  Basket capacity:  Not specified | Extras included:  Carrycot, car seat, footmuff, changing bag, changing mat, rain cover and adapters

While you may be less familiar with the name, Italian brand Venicci is one of the leading suppliers of quality  pushchairs , officially launching in the UK back in 2011. If you’re looking for a versatile option, the Venicci Tinum Edge travel system makes an excellent choice, with a stylish and practical design combined with lots of additional accessories that make travelling with your baby a breeze.

With a reversible lie-flat seat, the Venicci Tinum Edge is suitable from birth to 22kg. The full bundle includes the Tinum carrycot and car seat, as well as a footmuff, rain cover, mosquito net, coordinating changing bag, changing mat and car seat adapters, meaning you’ve got pretty much everything you need to head out on travels with your baby in tow - whatever the weather may bring.

With some enhancements to the original Tinum, the Tinum Edge features a panoramic ventilation system to help keep your baby cool on sunnier days. It’s now easier to steer, even one-handed, tackling varied terrain well and navigating up and down kerbs without the need to exert too much effort despite its relatively heavy frame. 

While the sideless seat isn’t as padded or cushioned as the  Nuna Mixx  or  BabyStyle Oyster 3 , it has three different recline positions and can be used both world- and parent-facing depending on your preferences, or easily swapping between the two. It’s worth noting that although the straps are adjustable as your child grows, this is a manual process and can fiddly. That said, the integrated hood is quiet to operate and provides good sun coverage, with a handy viewing window that helps you keep a reassuring eye on your toddler when world-facing. 

If you’re a taller or petite parent or sharing the travel system with your partner of a different height, you’ll love the adjustable handlebar height on the Venicci Tinum, which can be adjusted with one hand between 90 and 104cm - a far greater range than some other travel systems on the market. 

The basket is a generous size and includes a zippable compartment for your valuables. While it’s stiff to operate, the centrally located brake is large and easily accessible - reassuring when travelling in busier surroundings.

Read next:  The best pram toys for newborns

Mamas & Papas Ocarro

Dual suspension

One-handed fold 

Tackles off-road terrain well 

Chunky, puncture-resistant tyres

Padded seat with pillow and chest pads

Reflective trim on wheels

A reassuring wrist strap on the handlebars 

Large hood with ventilation 

The basket can only be loaded from the back 

Heavy to carry

Stiff five-point harness

Price: RRP £950 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg |  Orientation:  Parent- and world-facing   |  Car seat compatible:  Yes   |  Folded dimensions:  H33.5  x W59 x D77.5 cm   |  Weight:  13.6kg   |  Basket size:  3kg   |  Extras included:  Rain cover and bumper bar

Tested by parents: Read our full Mamas & Papas Ocarro review

If you’re living in a more rural setting or enjoy heading on outdoor adventures with your baby in tow, you’ll need an all-terrain travel system that can navigate across a variety of surfaces with ease. 

The  Mamas & Papas Ocarro  is a luxury, all-terrain pushchair designed for both comfort and stability. A Which? Best Buy, the Ocarro achieved an impressive score in lab testing and it’s also compatible with several Which? Best Buy car seats too, including the  Maxi-Cosi Pebble Pro .

Available alone or in bundles of varying sizes depending on your needs, the eight-piece combination pack offers excellent value for money, including the pushchair, adapters, carrycot, cupholder, footmuff, changing bag, Cybex car seat and even an ISOFIX base. 

While it weighs over three kilograms heavier than some of the travel systems we tested such as the Maxi-Cosi Zelia³ Luxe its robust frame, dual suspension and large all-terrain wheels ensure it can handle almost every terrain completely fuss-free,  from pavements and kerbs to woodland, sand and grass. While it’s narrow enough to fit through most doorways and manoeuvres well, it’s fairly heavy and bulky, so less suited to travel or for those looking for a  lightweight stroller  for public transport. 

Thanks to the padded lie-flat seat with a supportive head hugger (or the Ocarro carrycot if you prefer), the Ocarro is suitable from birth and can see your child through to approximately four years old. The seat is also fully reversible, so you can easily switch between reassuring eye contact for your baby in parent-facing mode to the world-facing mode for your curious toddler who wants to take in their surroundings.

The soft and comfortable leatherette handlebar is a stylish addition, however it’s worth noting that, unlike the height flexibility on the Venicci Tinum and  BabyStyle Oyster 3 , it can only be raised by a small margin - between 100.5 to 105cm. The brake also requires a fair bit of force and isn't particularly easy to operate wearing sandals or flip-flops. 

We love the one-handed fold - something rarely seen in a multi-terrain pushchair. It can be folded with the seat attached in either direction and self-stands for convenience when folded, but it does take up a lot of space in your car. If you have a particularly small boot, you may find it easier to remove the seat first and store it as two separate pieces.   

The sturdy and robust canopy hood with stylish metallic trim is definitely worth a mention. It offers excellent coverage for sunny days but can also be pushed back entirely to improve visibility.

While still large enough to house a changing bag, the 3kg basket on the Ocarro is actually on the small side compared to our other best travel system recommendations such as the  Bugaboo Fox 5  and Nuna Mixx Next. It needs to be loaded from the back and is less accessible when using the carrycot as this sits at a relatively low height. That said, thanks to the clever catches on the Ocarro chassis, you can also conveniently stash your changing bag over the handlebar without it slipping down.

Read next: Our full UPPAbaby Ridge review

Bugaboo Fox 5

Sliding five-point harness

Advanced suspension for tackling bumpy terrain

9kg under-seat basket with hidden pockets and extendable flaps

One-handed fold

12 fabric colours to choose from

Large puncture-proof wheels

Height adjustable handlebar 

The same frame is used for the carrycot and seat

Footmuff not included

Stiff when first assembled

Assembly takes some time

Price: £1,000 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg (around four years) |  Orientation:  Parent-facing and world-facing |  Car seat compatible:  Yes |  Folded dimensions:  Two-piece compact fold 89 x 53 x 34cm; one-piece self-standing fold 44 x 60 x 90cm |  Weight:  10.4 to 12.2kg |  Basket capacity : 9kg |  Extras included:  None (but bundles are available)

Tested by parents: Read our full Bugaboo Fox 5 review

Released in March 2023, the  Bugaboo Fox 5  is the much-awaited and updated version of the Fox 3, which has a great reputation for tackling varied terrain.

The Bugaboo Fox 5 offers some big improvements to Fox’s much-loved design. It manoeuvres better than its predecessor, offers more storage capacity and has a higher seat and bassinet. It also has an easier-to-operate and more compact one-handed fold, with an extendable footrest and canopy to help adapt to your child’s needs as they grow.

We like the large puncture-proof wheels and bouncy suspension, which provide a comfortable ride for both newborns and toddlers. The pushchair performed exceptionally well on different terrain, including muddy paths, gravel roads and woodland trails, when our parent tester, Beccy, put it through its paces.

Although the fold took time for her to master, Beccy found the one-handed fold and unfold invaluable when out and about with her two children. The handlebar can be adjusted between 92 and 108cm so it’s easy to find the most comfortable setting for your height. 

The generous 9kg storage basket with extendable flaps also adds to the appeal, with plenty of space to house a changing bag or your baby’s essentials. It is quite bulky when folded though, which means it might not be ideal if you have a small car boot.

The seat is easy to recline (almost a bit too easy, so approach with caution) and thanks to the large sun canopy, your baby will be safely shielded from the sun’s glare on bright sunny days. 

While this buggy offers comfort in spades for newborns, the Fox 5 is unique in that the seat and carrycot come as one unit, which some parents may find impractical. Switching from the carrycot to the seat is quite fiddly (requiring the removal of the hood and swapping out the base), however you may only need to do this once and not until your baby reaches six months.

Read next:  The best running buggies

UPPAbaby Vista V2

Excellent storage with a huge basket

Easy to steer and manoeuvre 

Tackles rough terrain well

Includes carrycot for newborns 

Simple one-handed recline

Hood provides excellent coverage

Heavy and bulky when folded

Seat quite thin with minimal padding

Price: £1,000 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg |  Orientation:  Parent and world facing |  Car seat compatible:  Yes |  Folded dimensions:  H48 x W66 x D84cm |  Weight:  13kg | Basket capacity:  13.6kg |  Extras included:  Rain cover, carrycot, mosquito cover

Tested by Mumsnet:  Read our full  UPPAbaby Vista V2 review

Suitable from birth when used with the included carrycot, or from six months as a standalone pushchair, the UPPAbaby Vista V2 can see you through until your child reaches 22 kg (around four years). The spacious seat offers plenty of room for your growing child and can be placed in both directions - opting for parent-facing when your baby is younger before switching to world-facing when they want to explore their surroundings. 

An upgrade from the original UPPAbaby Vista, Vista 2 has seen some big improvements to the pushchair seat. While Which? lab testing felt that the padding was on the thin side, UPPAbaby has extended the height of the backrest and provided a longer footrest to better accommodate your child as they grow. The sun hood now has a ventilated extension panel for enhanced sun coverage and the five-point safety harness is now fully adjustable without needing to be rethread, although this does create some hanging excess.

Whilst the pushchair is only suitable from the age of six months, the UPPAbaby Vista V2 comes with a newborn carrycot included in the cost. It’s also compatible with the  UPPAbaby Mesa i-Size Infant Car Seat  or with brands such as Maxi-Cosi and Cybex if you purchase separate car seat adapters.

For parents, the handlebar offers some height adjustment (between 101 and 108cm), allowing you to tailor the experience to each parent. The one-handed recline is easy to operate, with a choice of six different positions and a fully adjustable leg rest that can support your child as they grow. That said, the seat fabric is much less padded than travel systems such as the Nuna Mixx Next and  BabyStyle Oyster 3 , so it’s better suited to short journeys than full days exploring with your baby.

The flip-flop-friendly brake has colour indicators for peace of mind, offering quick visual reassurance that the brake has been properly engaged. When you’ve reached your destination, folding the Vista 2 away requires two hands due to its weight, however it clips together once folded for secure and compact storage.

We love the enhancements to the sun hood, with a large UPF50+ canopy that provides extensive shade coverage. It has an expandable section that can keep your baby protected from the sun’s rays even when fully reclined. The mesh viewing window is also a great feature, allowing you to check on your baby while they nap without the risk of disturbing them.

By far the most impressive feature on the Vista 2, however, is the shopping basket - the biggest shopping basket we’ve seen. The UPPAbaby Vista V2 basket can hold a significant 13.6kg, which is a big plus point when you’re stocking up on the  best nappies  at the supermarket. The basket is four times greater than that of the Oyster 3, although the chassis does run through the middle, so it requires a bit of spacial awareness when storing larger items. We love that it’s accessible from all directions as well as the smaller pockets for stashing your valuables.

Read next:  The best baby carrier backpacks to buy

Joie Versatrax

One-handed recline 

Easy to fold

Reversible seat

Tackles a variety of terrain

Comes with a cup holder and carry strap

Large shopping basket 

No locking catch 

Removing the car seat can be a little tricky

Price: RRP £630 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg |  Orientation:  Parent and world facing |  Car seat compatible:  Yes |  Folded dimensions:  H81.5 x W64.5 x D36.5cm |  Weight:  11.8kg |  Basket capacity:  4.5kg |  Extras included:  Cup holder

If a quick and easy fold is high on your travel system wish list, then the Joie Versatrax is certainly worth a look. Suitable from birth to four years old and sold as part of a travel system bundle for under £700, it offers excellent value for money. As a Which? Best Buy, the Versatrax also scored highly in their lab tests, with a quick and easy fold that can be triggered with the seat attached in either direction. 

Mumsnet users praise this travel system for its effortless fold. This can even be done one-handed - ideal if you’re out and about with your baby and toddler in tow. Once folded, the Verstrax sits relatively compact and can self-stand. 

The pushchair is heavy though, and while we wouldn’t recommend carrying it far, the integrated carry strap can spread the load for simple transportation to and from your car. If we’re being really critical, we would have loved a locking catch to hold the chassis securely in place when folded. 

The Joie Versatrax is suitable from birth thanks to its lie-flat seat, but you can also buy the Joie Ramble XL carrycot for extra-comfy strolls with your newborn. The Versatrax is also compatible with Joie infant car seats like the i-Snug 2 which clips to an ISOFIX base in your car (sold separately) to meet the enhanced i-Size  car seat safety regulations . 

Unclipping the carrycot is quick and simple to do, however some reviewers have found the car seat trickier to detach due to the simultaneous lift and press of a release button. The pushchair seat is comfortable and roomy for your baby and, although a little fiddly, the strap length can be adjusted child to your child as they get taller. The seat itself is a little thin, but it has good padding across the back and harness, with a removable bumper bar for your baby to grab on to as they get bigger. 

Thanks to the all-wheel suspension, the Versatrax is easy to steer across most surfaces, with a relatively small turning circle and the ability to be pushed one-handed. The heavy design makes kerbs a bit more of an effort and, while not an all-terrain pushchair, the lockable front wheels are a big help when tackling rough terrains such as gravel and mud. The handlebar can also be adjusted to a comfortable height for each user and sandal wearers can rejoice as the brake is even flip-flop-friendly. 

We love the shopping basket on the Versatrax (which at 4.5kg is about average for a travel system of this size). It’s easy to access from all directions even when the pushchair seat is fully reclined, and has an internal pocket to keep smaller items close to hand. 

Read next:   The best 360 spin car seats

Babystyle Egg 3

Good longevity with a high maximum weight of 25kg

Can be converted to a double for twins

Highly manoeuvrable and easy to steer

Three-position recline

Easy to adjust the harness 

Tackles varied terrain 

The car seat requires some strength to remove 

Basket is shallow

Need to remove the seat before folding 

Car seat adapters not included 

Price: RRP £1,500 | Suitable from:  Birth (with carrycot) to 25kg   |  Orientation:  Parent- and world-facing |  Car seat compatible:  Yes |  Folded dimensions:  H71 x D32 x W59cm |  Weight:  15.3kg |  Basket capacity:  3kg |  Extras included:  Rain cover

If you want a travel system that really stands out from the crowd, you’ll love the unique and stylish design of the newly launched Egg 3.

An upgrade from the original Egg stroller, the new Egg 3 travel system features some exciting improvements. The new design has a larger-sized seat which not only sits slightly higher on the chassis but also has a taller back and an easy-adjust harness to support your child as they grow, plus it has a larger, extendable sun canopy with magnets for the viewing window and easy one-pull, five-point harness system.  

Built with practicality in mind, the Egg 3 also has an increased basket size (compared to the original model) and the ability to self-stand when folded - preventing any unwanted damage to the handlebar or chassis when you’re packing it away. And if that's not enough, the wheels on the Egg 3 are also slightly larger, helping it perform better across more challenging terrain compared to its predecessor. 

With a distinctive design, this stylish pushchair is suitable for babies from six months through to an impressive 25kg, which could be up to five years of age - the highest capacity travel system we’ve featured. For younger babies, however, you’ll need to attach the carrycot, which comes with a sustainable, chemical-free soft cushioned mattress suitable for up to nine months, or clip on the aptly named  Egg Shell car seat . It’s worth noting though that car seat adapters aren’t included, so you’ll need to factor this in as an extra when considering the overall purchase price. 

With a robust and sturdy design, the Egg 3 weighs in at a substantial 15.5kg - over 5kg heavier than the heaviest travel system on our list - which may be off-putting to some. Despite its weight, it’s surprisingly easy to steer, with a small turning circle and the ability to be steered one-handed, even across grass, gravel and mud. The four-wheel suspension tackles kerbs with ease, without jolting or waking your baby. 

Unlike the BabyStyle Oyster 3 and Nuna Mixx Next which can fold with the seat attached in either direction, the carrycot or pushchair seat need to be fully removed from the frame before you can fold it away. Once folded, the frame sits relatively compact and self stands without taking up too much space in your car. 

While it's on the higher end of the price scale for a travel system, this is certainly noticeable in its modern and stylish design, with great attention to detail including a height adjustable leatherette handlebar and matt chassis. 

Unlike some travel systems which have wheels that can look plasticity, the tri-spoke design on the Egg3’s puncture-free tyres is quite the opposite. They even leave a unique egg-shaped tread - a novel but lovely touch. There’s even an easily accessible flip-flop-friendly brake which uses only the base of your foot, so no squishing your toes in the process.

The basket capacity could be bigger considering the pushchair’s size, with a 3kg capacity which can fill quickly due to its shallow design, however it does come with concealed storage compartments to store smaller items like your phone or purse.

Read next: The best baby carriers, wraps and slings

Cybex Priam

Suitable for varied terrain

Adjustable handlebar height 

A removable bumper bar for easy placement 

Heavy and bulky

Significant initial assembly

The slim narrow seat could be outgrown quite quickly 

Doesn’t lock once folded

Less suitable for public transport  

Price: RRP £1,700 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg |  Orientation:  Parent facing or world facing |  Car seat compatible:  Yes |  Folded dimensions:  43 x 60 x 95cm |  Weight:  13.6kg |  Basket capacity:  5kg |  Extras included:  Rain cover and car seat adaptors

The robust Cybex Priam comes well regarded amongst Mumsnet users and online reviewers. Thanks to its sturdiness, it’s a popular choice for parents living in a more rural or countryside setting. An updated version of the original Priam from 2019, the 2022 edition offers several big improvements including a one-handed adjustable harness, revised seat design and a carrycot that sits higher up on the chassis.  

Due to the lie-flat recline, the Priam 2022 is suitable from birth through to 22kg, but the seat is narrow so you may find your child outgrows it sooner than age four. The seat can be used parent- or world-facing and, to ensure a comfortable ride for your baby, you can switch between four different recline positions and three leg rest positions.

As a travel system, the Priam 2022 can be combined with the spacious  Cybex Priam Lux carrycot  (suitable until around nine months of age) or the  Cybex Cloud T i-Size baby car seat  using the included adapters - ideal when moving your newborn to and from the car. 

While it's not an all-terrain pushchair, the Cybex Priam 2022 handles the majority of surfaces well with the exception of sand. Its weighty design is less suited to public transport but can navigate well around pavements and kerbs, as well as tackle trickier terrain such as gravel and grass with relative ease. The handlebar height can be set between 99 and 109cm and is easy to adjust when switching between parents or caregivers.

The fold has several steps, but is relatively straightforward, folding to a compact size that won’t exhaust all the space in your boot. At 13.6kg, however, it’s quite bulky to lift and one of the heavier travel systems on our list. 

We love the large central brake pedal which is quick and easy to operate. The included rain cover is simple to install and the generously sized sun hood offers more than adequate sun protection, although you may find the sideless design of the seat can let through some glare. Thanks to the magnetic viewing window, you can keep a close eye on your baby even when the seat is world-facing. 

We’re less keen on the storage basket’s slanted design, which feels restrictive in terms of space, despite its 5kg capacity. That said, you will find some additional small pockets of storage on the back of the seat - a great way to keep your phone close to hand.

Read next: The best all-terrain prams

Nuna Triv Next

Large basket 

Adjustable handlebar height

Smooth on varied terrain 

Large sun hood 

Can’t be folded one-handed

The hood can be noisy when pulled out

Price: RRP £1,000 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg |  Orientation:  Parent facing or world facing |  Car seat compatible:  Yes   |  Folded dimensions:  36 x 59 x 66cm |  Weight:  9.2kg |  Basket capacity:  4.5kg |  Extras included:  Rain cover 

The second Nuna pram featured in our round-up of the best travel systems is the Nuna Triv Next - another Which? Best Buy that achieved the highest lab score of all the products on this list. An upgrade from the original Nuna Triv, the latest edition comes with an even lighter frame and updated wheels for improved handling across varied terrain. 

Suitable from birth to 22kg, the pushchair can be used parent-facing or world-facing, and reclines to one of four different positions, including a lie-flat option for newborns. Alternatively, you can combine the chassis with the comfortable padded Nuna Triv Series carrycot or the Nuna Triv car seat when travelling with a younger baby.

Despite weighing just 9.2kg, the Nuna Triv Next performs surprisingly well over rough terrain thanks to the robust rear wheel suspension, with the ability to navigate across gravel and woodland areas without any significant bumping. We love the five different height options on the leatherette handlebar, allowing for a safe and comfortable hold for parents of different heights. 

Whilst the relatively simple fold does require two hands, the result is a compact and lightweight pushchair that’s easy to carry thanks to the locking clasp and integrated carry handle. As a result, Triv Next is a practical choice for those travelling regularly on public transport. 

The generously sized sun hood can be a little noisy to extend, but is also water-repellent (ideal for those scattered showers) and provides good shade coverage, with a viewing window for discrete checks on your baby while they nap. We love the spacious 4.5kg storage basket which has elasticated sides and can be accessed from all directions, along with the extra zipped storage pocket to the rear of the seat. 

Read next: The best cabin-approved strollers to take on the plane

Bugaboo Dragonfly

Carrycot can be collapsed with the buggy

Excellent storage

Rear storage pocket can be detached and hung on the handlebar

Freestanding when folded

Huge sun canopy with extra extension for sunny days

Sliding, easy-to-adjust five-point harness

Stiff and clunky recline

Takes time to master the fold

No rain cover included

Price: RRP £1,400 | Suitable from:  Birth to 22kg |  Orientation:  Parent- and world-facing |  Car seat compatible:  Yes |  Folded dimensions:  One-piece self-standing fold with seat 36 x 52 x 90cm; one-piece self-standing fold with carrycot 32 x 52 x 90cm |  Weight:  7.9-10.4kg |  Basket capacity:  10kg plus extra 2.5kg when rear pocket is placed on handlebar |  Extras included:  Integrated carry strap; Parasol+ attachment clip

Tested by parents : Read our full Bugaboo Dragonfly review

A great option for those travelling around an urban environment on foot, the  Bugaboo Dragonfly  is designed specifically for city life. With a relatively lightweight frame, this buggy is much lighter than many other travel systems (with the exception of the Nuna Triv Next and Maxi-Cosi Zelia 2). 

Released in June 2023, the Bugaboo Dragonfly features a sliding harness, large extendable sun canopy, leather grip height-adjustable handlebar and huge storage basket with a rear storage pocket that detaches from the basket to be hung on the handlebars like a  changing bag .

While the claim of a one-handed fold is debatable, the pushchair can self-stand once folded, making it easier to carry and store at home or on public transport. It also folds down with the carrycot attached - the first of its kind and a game-changer in the newborn days.

Thanks to its light frame, the Bugaboo Dragonfly is agile and easy to manoeuvre, with a small turning circle that makes it ideal for navigating through crowded city streets or narrow shop aisles.

Its large brake pedal is easy to engage. Parent tester, Laura, says, "The brake is one of the easiest I've used and holds effectively. You simply press the brake down with your foot to engage and disengage it, and this can even be done barefoot or with flip-flops."

As you may expect, however, the Bugaboo Dragonfly doesn’t fair quite so well as other travel systems on uneven ground and struggles in particular when it comes to bumping up kerbs.

What is a travel system?

A travel system is a pushchair that allows you to remove the seat or carrycot and replace it with a baby car seat .

Tailored specifically to newborn babies, a travel system can be bought as a standalone pushchair or as part of a bundle, either a 2-in-1 travel system, featuring a pushchair and carrycot, or a 3-in-1 travel system which also has a baby (Group 0+) car seat.

With the ability to attach a Group 0+ car seat (suitable from birth to 12 months), a travel system allows you to move your baby seamlessly from car to pram without disturbing them. The carrycot accessory is a convenient lie-flat option for your newborn that allows your baby to sleep while on the go, ensuring clear airways and healthy hip and spine alignment at all times. 

The size and weight of traditional travel systems (and in many cases the hefty price tag) means they're not for everyone, so it’s important to consider your lifestyle and habits when making your choice.

How we chose and tested the best travel systems

Over 100 hours of research and testing

Tested with real parents

Consumer-recommended

To ensure we're only recommending the very best travel systems, we first looked to the Mumsnet forums , home to 10 million users a month, to get the lowdown on the travel systems real parents rate and would recommend to others.

We then branched out to the wider web, collated reliable and honest consumer feedback from retail sites and bestseller lists. We also spoke to pushchair and baby travel experts from trusted organisations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) as well as local NCT groups. 

To round out our research, we consulted the views of consumer champion Which? to discover how each travel system performed in their impartial lab testing environment.

Finally, wherever possible, we tested the travel systems ourselves, using a comprehensive testing and scoring system to highlight the best-performing products across the board. Specifically, we tested for safety and stability, assembly, ease of use, comfort, cleaning, materials and value for money. 

What is the difference between a pram, a pushchair, a buggy and a travel system? 

The terms are often used interchangeably, but there are some key differences between a pram, pushchair, buggy and travel system.

Pram: A pram is a lie-flat travel solution, with a bassinet-style carry cot that allows your baby to lie in a more natural sleeping position. Prams are generally tailored towards newborns and young babies, suitable up to the age of around six months. 

Pushchair: Pushchairs offer additional flexibility as your child grows. Once they can sit up unaided (from around six months), your baby may transition from a pram to a pushchair, with the ability to sit more upright and visually explore their surroundings. With modern designs, many pushchairs now offer a lie-flat option that also makes them suitable from birth.

Buggy: The phrase buggy is often used as a catch-all phrase to describe a variety of products, but most commonly refers to a lightweight stroller that offers practical short-term travel solutions. A buggy tends to be less feature-rich and less able to tackle varied terrain, but is often cheaper and easier to store, with an umbrella fold or compact designs that can be stashed out of sight when not in use. 

Travel system : A travel system is a versatile choice and a practical option for parents who will be regularly switching between their car and travelling on foot. Parents can choose between a 3-in-1 travel system or a 2-in-1 travel system depending on their preference. In addition to a pushchair, a 2-in-1 travel system bundle includes a carrycot, which can be clipped onto the chassis as a lie-flat solution for newborns till around six months of age. 3-in-1 travel systems also include a car seat and will often require adapters to link to the main frame of the pushchair. 

Do I need a travel system?

Because travel systems can be bulky and expensive, it’s worth checking whether or not you actually need one.

If you often travel by car, a travel system will save you time and energy when out and about with your baby as you'll be able to easily remove and attach a car seat.

With a parent-facing carrycot attachment, and sometimes even the main seat unit itself, you'll also be able to lie your child completely flat, which will ensure that they are safe and secure at all times.

If you rarely use a car, or if you know you’ll be on and off public transport daily, then a lightweight buggy may be a more suitable option.

Some lightweight pushchairs, such as the Bugaboo Dragonfly can, however, be used as a travel system, which may just give you the best of both worlds.

Read next: The best car sun shades for babies

Should babies lie flat in a pram?

To be suitable from birth, your pram or pushchair seat needs to recline into a ‘lie flat’ position - as close to 180 degrees as possible. This is because an upright seat can actually restrict your baby’s airways and reduce the amount of oxygen in their bloodstream due to the position of their head and neck. 

Some pushchairs are only suitable for use from six months and, as such, require the addition of a carrycot or car seat to be suitable from birth. It’s worth remembering that your baby should not be kept in a car seat for longer than two hours at a time, and should be removed at the earliest opportunity once you’ve reached your destination. 

Video: how to choose the best travel system

How much do travel systems cost.

Prices range from £250 to over £1,000 and most come as part of a bundle, which could save you money in the long run.

More expensive models may come with a multitude of added extras – think footmuffs, buggy boards and general customisable features – but this will, of course, increase the cost.

Read next: How to clean a pram

What should I look for when buying a travel system? 

Here are some important questions to ask yourself when considering which travel system is right for you: 

What does the price include and what is my budget? First up, how much are you willing to spend on your travel system? Consider what elements you will benefit from the most before deciding between a 2-in-1 bundle with a carrycot, or a 3-in-1 bundle with a carrycot and car seat. Some travel systems can be purchased for under £400, but for more luxury designs or bundles with more accessories, you can easily spend £1,000 or more. 

What is the weight limit? What is the maximum weight capacity for the pushchair? The vast majority of travel systems can accommodate children up to 22kg (approximately four years) however some stop at 15kg, so it’s worth checking the specifications with care. 

How easy is it to attach a carrycot or car seat? Does this require adapters and if so, are they included? Can this be done one-handed? If you’re going to be out and about on your own with your baby, it’s important you can attach and remove the car seat and carrycot without assistance. 

What are the seat recline options? How many recline settings does the pushchair element of the travel system offer, and is there a lie-flat option suitable for use with your newborn? Can the recline be triggered one-handed and with your baby already in the seat? Some travel systems have back recline options only, whereas others can adjust the angle of the footrest too - a helpful feature when travelling with older babies and toddlers. 

Can the seat be switched between parent- and world-facing? Most parents prefer to use their pushchair in parent-facing mode initially, enabling good eye contact and helping you keep a close eye on your baby whilst travelling. As your baby gets older, however, they may become curious about exploring their surroundings, so switching to world-facing can provide them with a better view. If your travel system pushchair has a viewing window in the hood, this can be helpful to allow regular checks that your baby is calm and content. 

Is it roomy enough? As well as the weight limits, it's important to consider the style, size and shape of the seat. Some travel systems such as the Cybex Priam are quite narrow and may be outgrown sooner than their specification suggests.

Does it have a five-point harness? How secure is the harness and is it padded for a comfortable fit? It’s also worth considering how easy it is to adjust the harness height as your baby grows. On some travel systems, this will be a simple, one-handed adjustment, while others will require some rethreading. 

How easy is it to fold? Can the fold be achieved one-handed and if not, how many steps are involved? Does the seat need to be removed beforehand? Is the process fairly intuitive or is it a case of practice makes perfect? It’s also worth considering whether the fold requires physical strength - something which will be even more important if you’re recovering from a c-section .

How compact is the fold? What are the dimensions of the pushchair once folded? Will it fit into the boot of my car or on public transport and does it have a safety clasp to hold it securely in place once folded?

How easy is it to push and steer? How easy is the pushchair to steer and can it cope with varied terrain? It’s worth considering the type of surfaces you will be travelling on most regularly. For city dwellers, most travel systems can navigate across pavements and down kerbs with ease, whereas you may need an all-terrain pushchair if you’re planning on taking your travel system to the beach or local woods. 

How heavy is it to carry? How much does the travel system weigh and are you able to lift this yourself, whether that’s to and from the car or onto public transport? Some travel systems include an integrated carry handle and while it's not something you’ll want to use regularly, this can help distribute the weight when carrying up and down the stairs at home. 

Is the handle height adjustable? Is the handlebar height fixed, or can this be adjusted to suit the parent? Most travel systems offer some handlebar adjustment, but to what margin will depend upon the brand. If you are particularly petite or tall, it's worth checking the lowest and highest height settings to ensure it’s comfortable to push. 

What's the brake like? How easy is the brake to trigger and is it flip-flop friendly? Some central brakes can disrupt your strides when walking quickly but are easier to access if you need to stop in an emergency. If you regularly wear sandals and flip-flops, you’re best to look for brakes that don’t require lifting up with the top of your foot to release. 

How big is the storage basket? One of the biggest variations between travel systems is the size of the storage basket, with our choices ranging from a 3kg capacity to over 13kg. As well as the capacity, you should look at the size and shape of the basket, whether it can be accessed from multiple angles, and whether it is still accessible when used with the carrycot. Some travel systems also offer additional storage such as pockets on the back or footrest. 

Does it come with a rain cover? We can always rely on the British weather to treat us to an unexpected downpour so an included rain cover is a handy accessory to protect your baby from the elements. If it’s not included, how much do they cost to buy as an optional extra? How easy is the rain cover to attach and can this be done quickly when the heavens open? 

Will the sun hood provide enough protection? Is it extendable? On warmer days, it’s important to keep the sun out of your baby’s face where possible. A good travel system will have a large sun hood or canopy, ideally with UPF50+ protection and an extendable section that provides coverage even when the seat is fully reclined. 

How easy is the travel system to clean? What fabric is the seat of your travel system made from? Can the covers be removed for easy cleaning, or is it spot clean only? 

What does it look like? Does it come in colours I like? While it's not the most important factor, the overall look and feel of your travel system is still something to consider, as you’ll want to feel confident when out and about with your baby. What colour choices are available? Is it a modern or traditional design? Do the fabrics and chassis look high quality and luxurious? 

Can I convert it to a double buggy or fit a buggy board? If you’re planning on growing your family, it’s worth considering whether the travel system could be easily converted to a double buggy , or whether a buggy board can be attached to the back. The latter is a great option for toddlers who may tire easily when walking on foot, whilst still encouraging some independence. 

What are the wheels like? What are the wheels made from and are they puncture-free? 

Can it handle off-roading? Does the travel system pushchair have any built-in suspension to tackle more off-road terrains? For more lightweight travel systems that don’t claim to be all-terrain, it’s worth looking for a lockable front wheel, as this can provide greater resistance against gravel and mud. 

How easy is it to assemble and take apart? Finally, for the flatpackphobes amongst us, how easy is it to get started with your travel system? Does it require any significant assembly before use and if so, how intuitive is it and are the steps easy to follow? Some travel systems also feature convertible carrycots, so if you are repelled by the prospect of following an instruction manual, you may want to opt for a design with a separate stand-alone carrycot

Travel system safety advice from RoSPA

We spoke to Nick Lloyd, Acting Head of Road Safety at The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), for some safety advice when buying a travel system:

Always buy from a reputable shop or website. Don’t try to get a cheap deal as you don’t know if you’ll be buying the real branded item or a copy

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to fit and use the travel system

Don’t leave your baby in the car seat for more than two hours (30 minutes if your child is a low birth weight or has medical problems). This can cause fatalities

Read next: Can you take a pram on a plane? Everything you need to know about travelling with a pushchair

About the author

Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby/child product reviews and round-ups. Having written product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of baby products, scrutinising reviews and consumer feedback to help parents make confident purchases that benefit their families.  

Lucy has personal experience of researching, buying and using travel systems with her own children, as well as completing several tried and tested pushchair reviews over the years.

Originally from a HR background with a degree in Business Studies, Lucy developed a real passion for blogging and writing when her children were young, going on to write for several online publications including US parenting site Pregistry and the Evening Standard. 

When she’s not manically tapping the keys of her laptop, Lucy loves nothing more than to cosy up with her Kindle and enjoy the latest thriller, or compete in Nintendo Switch rallies with her daughters aged six and 10.

9 Best Car Seat and Stroller Combos, Tested by Experts

These travel systems make it a snap to transition your baby from the car to the stroller and back again.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Transitioning your infant from a stroller to a car seat can be fraught: Will your baby fuss when you release one set of buckles just to strap them into another? There's a product that solves this dilemma. It's called a travel system: a car seat and stroller combo that work together.

Typically, a travel system is a two-piece set featuring an infant car seat that clips into a matching stroller. However, there is also a great one-piece combo and some three-piece sets. Whatever the configuration, owning one of these means your infant can stay in the car seat buckled in and undisturbed.

Our top picks:

Best Overall Car Seat and Stroller Combo

Doona infant car seat & latch base.

Best Value Car Seat and Stroller Combo

Safety 1st smooth ride travel system.

Best Car Seat and Stroller Combo With Bassinet Mode

Evenflo pivot vizor travel system with litemax infant car seat.

Our Good Housekeeping Institute experts have evaluated more than two dozen stroller and car seat combos based on ease of use, safety features, functionality and value. "You may initially be concerned regarding the safety of a car seat and stroller combination," says Rachel Rothman , a mom of three and mechanical engineer who has evaluated children's products for more than 15 years. "Rest assured, all car seats and strollers are required to meet federal standards. So if there is a system, it will have to adhere to the necessary protocols as a car seat and a stroller."

It's extremely important to adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines for safe usage, including ensuring your child is within the appropriate weight and height limits. A travel system should last a couple of years, from the newborn months (many regular strollers start at 6 months, but you can use a car seat on its matching stroller from birth) until past the second birthday.

One note: Travel systems feature rear-facing-only infant car seats . If you're looking to invest in a convertible car seat or an all-in-one car seat that will eventually turn forward-facing, those are build to stay in the car — they do not snap onto a stroller. There are no car seat/stroller combos for extended-use seats.

Doona Infant Car Seat & Latch Base

The Doona infant car seat and latch base is a favorite (90 percent of its Amazon reviews are five-star ones) for many reasons. Unlike a traditional two-piece travel system, this is essentially a rear-facing car seat on wheels. The wheels fold up underneath for car seat mode and drop down for stroller mode — the transition only takes a few seconds. Because this is a car seat and stroller in one, you have less gear to contend with.

While this means that the car seat is heavy at 16.5 pounds, reviewers love the simplicity. Rothman says the device "is a game-changer, notably for city families and parents who travel frequently." It can work safely with its base or without (making use of a backseat's seat belts in a ride share, for instance), so it is especially prized for those parents who are moving between different vehicles often. Tilt the handle toward the rear seatback and it forms an anti-rebound bar for added safety.

We think this is the best car seat stroller combo for flying. The Doona is cleared for airplane travel but is a tight squeeze in some airplane seats; if you don't take it onboard, you can wheel it right up to the gate and gate check it. "This is the easiest stroller to maneuver through airport security and in a terminal," said one mom with two young kids. "Then we snap it right into a car without having to fit both a stroller and luggage into the trunk."

If you don't travel much, you may not enjoy the full benefits of the Doona. Also, most babies outgrow the Doona by about their second birthday. At that point, most Doona-owning parents switch to a lightweight stroller .

The Safety 1st car seat and stroller combo is lightweight and easy to maneuver — and only $200 . Lightweight is both good and tricky: It's easy to cart up and down steps and sling into your trunk. But any lightweight stroller will bump a bit over uneven ground since it doesn't have as much weight to hold it down (even if "smooth ride" is in the name of the stroller). If you're mostly rolling through stores and along smooth sidewalks, you'll be good to go.

The OnBoard 35 LT Infant Car Seat can safely hold your baby through at least their first two years. It's FAA-approved to sit on an airplane seat during a flight. It's about $130 to buy on its own, so the combination with the lightweight stroller is a real deal.

When it's time to fold the stroller, the mechanism is on the seat. You remove your baby, then just lift up a strap on the seat and the stroller folds in an instant. "It's ridiculously easy," said one tester. "You can effectively carry your baby in one arm and this stroller in another with no problem." Also, we love the stroller's snack tray — handy in the toddler years — and the parent organizer with two cupholders.

Our testers love the flexibility and versatility of the Pivot Travel System. It can be a rolling bassinet in carriage mode, a car seat carrier or a regular stroller, and in any mode, you can place your baby rear- or forward-facing. The LiteMax Infant Car Seat holds a baby up to 35 pounds and both the car seat and the stroller seat can have a privacy shade for those times when you don't want people leaning in close to your baby, or you want to encourage a nap.

Carriage mode is an adorable, old-fashioned perk, even if new parents don't use it for very long. You recline the stroller seat flat, pull up the footrest and turn the seat into a little bassinet on wheels. In that mode, you're not using the car seat at all, so you'd have to unbuckle your baby and transfer them when it's time for a drive. But it's perfect for a stroll around the block or through a park. "It's fun for pictures because it looks like one of the more expensive pram-type strollers," one mom said.

There's no parent organizer on the handle, but there is a clip-on cupholder. The relatively small, plastic wheels are fine for most strolling but do not do well on rough terrain. Online reviewers say that the stroller is easy to assemble out of the box. We had no trouble setting it up for testing and found it easy to convert it from one mode to another. Add the Evenflo Rider Board and your older kid can stand and ride behind your younger one.

Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System

A winner in our most recent Parenting Awards , this modular stroller includes some of our favorite features: easy and intuitive buckles, a large under-seat basket, a handy toddler snack tray and, for extra stability, an anti-rebound bar on the car seat base . In our tests, we found that the stroller seat reclines smoothly and the footrest adjusts nicely for comfort. Though it's new and has not been tested over the course of years, the Brook stroller shows promise for lasting from birth through preschool.

The Willow infant car seat uses the Britax ClickTight system that makes it easy to install the base correctly using your car's seat belt. For a long time, that feature was only available on Britax convertible car seats, but now it is here as well. For times when you aren't traveling with your car seat base, there's a belt path to use instead — this car seat is certified for use in an airplane using the lap belt, for instance.

The car seat fabrics can be machine-washed. The stroller frame with the toddler seat attached is a bit heavy and the wheels don't turn on a dime like they do with smaller strollers, but first time parents might be reassured by the substantial feel (online, one fan of this set wrote that it's built "like a tank"). You push the frame with either the toddler seat or the car seat attached — with a modular system, you never need both at the same time. Note that the frame doesn't fold with either seat on it. You must remove the seat in order to fold the frame.

Chicco Bravo 3-in-1 Trio Travel System

Often recommended by Reddit users, the Bravo Trio is popular for its reasonable price as well as its well-reviewed car seat . For the early newborn months you can completely remove the regular stroller seat and just push the KeyFit car seat around on the stroller frame. But you can also use this as a traditional travel stroller and sit the KeyFit on top of the toddler seat — it works that way, too.

We like that you can fold this with the toddler seat still on and, when folded, the stroller stands upright on its own. The fold mechanism is easy and within the seat itself. There's a toddler snack tray as well as a parent organizer, and the basket is large and can be accessed from the front or the back. Finally, we like the jumbo canopy for sun protection.

For more money there's also the Bravo Primo Trio Travel System which features leatherette trim and the Keyfit 35 car seat, our Good Housekeeping pick for best overall infant car seat . That car seat can hold a baby up to 35 pounds.

UPPAbaby Vista V2 Stroller & Mesa Infant Car Seat

While UPPAbaby's car seat and stroller combo is definitely a splurge, it's a great travel system from a sought-after brand, especially among parents who want the smooth-rolling Vista stroller.

It features a springy all-wheel suspension to keep your baby steady as you go up and down curbs or along a dirt road. Investing in the complete travel system gets you a ton of extras including the Mesa car seat, a bassinet, a bug shield and a rain guard. The Mesa car seat can be clipped into your vehicle with UPPABaby's unique Smart Secure LATCH system that makes installation easier. Rothman personally loves this travel system and has used it for all three of her kids.

On the Vista stroller, the handlebar easily and smoothly adjusts for adults of different heights. There's no parent organizer, but the handle is a luxe-feeling leatherette. The basket underneath is giant, so it should hold all your stuff plus whatever you pick up while running errands. The included bassinet is an adorable way to stroll around an infant, and it works as a nap space at home too. For an extra $160, you can buy the UPPAbaby bassinet stand if you want to use it regularly in your home for sleep. One caveat is that the fold and unfold of the stroller takes a couple of steps , and the stroller itself is heavy.

A final, big selling point: If you need to carry two children, you can buy the UPPAbaby RumbleSeat V2 for $270 and turn this into a double stroller . Or you can purchase the UPPAbaby Piggyback for $135 so a child can stand and ride along behind. If you buy both, you could push three children along!

Nuna PIPA urbn + TRVL Travel System

We've previously named the Nuna TRVL the best stroller for frequent travelers for the easy one-hand fold that gets the stroller down to a slim 11" x 24" x 20.25" size. Here it's paired with the PIPA car seat, nice and lightweight at 7.5 pounds.

The PIPA doesn't work with a base; rigid LATCH connectors are built right into the seat so this can easily go in and out of different cars and ride-share vehicles. Together the two pieces make a super lightweight travel system that is among the best car seat and stroller combos for family trips.

We like the Nuna brand's easy, magnetic buckles and premium fabrics, plus the leatherette on the stroller handle, bumper bar and car seat handle. The car seat also has a built-in drape canopy to protect a snoozing baby. The TRVL stroller has a free-standing fold, so when you compact it down you don't have to lean it against anything.

Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Travel System

If you're looking for the right car seat and stroller combo for your mini running buddy, the Baby Trend Expedition Jogger travel system is a great pick with more than 18,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. The three-wheel, bike-tire design means it can tackle rough terrains with ease. The front wheel can be locked straight to keep the stroller from veering as you jog or set to swivel when you're out shopping and need to make tight turns.

Once it's time to load your baby back into the car, the stroller collapses to fit into your trunk, and the car seat simply clicks into the LATCH base. "This travel system may cost you less than a year's gym membership," one mom pointed out. "And you might get a lot more exercise with it since you're able to bring your baby along." The low price reflects the fact that there's nothing splashy about the canopy, the fabric, the padding or the heavy alloy steel frame (about 27 pounds). The EZ-Flex Lock 30 infant car seat only holds your baby up to 30 pounds, while some others go up to 35.

We love the child tray — useful for when your baby turns into a toddler and demands a steady supply of snacks — and the parent tray that has a compartment that closes to keep your phone in place. There are two parent cupholders too.

If you need a car seat stroller combo for twins, we like the Baby Trend Universal Double Snap-N-Go . You'll have to buy infant car seats separately but the frame, just a little more than $100, is an easy way to to push your young twins around in their seats.

Graco Modes Nest Travel System

The Graco brand has been around for generations. The company invented the baby swing in the 1950s and debuted the first travel system concept, a car seat that snapped into its matching stroller, in the late 1990s.

In this century, Graco has often led the way in car seat safety with its SnugRide infant car seat line. We love that this set comes with the popular SnugRide 35 Lite Elite Infant Car Seat, and the stroller seat slides higher and lower on the frame as well as turns forward and backward and converts into a pram. Use the adjustable features to find the height and direction your baby loves (or that you need — this is the best car seat stroller combo for tall parents) and then change it as needed as your baby grows into a toddler.

When you fully recline the stroller seat, you can unbuckle a belt under the footrest to form a bassinet for the infant months. (Graco calls it a "pramette.") To stroll around with the car seat — which is, after all, the appeal of a travel system — remove the stroller seat altogether and use the frame as an infant car seat carrier. The car seat can slide up and down to your preferred height and face forward or back. The SnugRide 35 Lite Elite is among the very lightest infant seats on the market and, at just over 7 pounds, it's a breeze to carry.

Some of the stroller details are fairly standard as opposed to luxe. The plastic wheels are strong but not built for rough terrain. There's no parent tray, just a clip-on cup holder. The canopy is a traditional size, not oversized. There is a nice child snack tray, and we like how the storage basket underneath expands in height so you can fit more without anything falling out.

How we test the best car seat and stroller combos

Over the years, the Good Housekeeping Institute has tested all sorts of baby equipment from booster car seats to double strollers , always making safety the highest priority.

For this story, our Parenting Lab experts tested more than 24 stroller and car seat combos , considering ease of use, safety features, functionality and value. We also sent travel systems to consumer testers for their feedback.

When testing many of the strollers that we feature, the Institute has a brake test that uses a gauge to measure the force required to move a stroller when brakes are engaged. We also perform a stability/tip-over test in which we hang weights on stroller handlebars and measure the force required to tip strollers over. We weigh and measure strollers while folded to help determine how well they can be carried and stored.

Our testers also place infant car seats into a variety of vehicles, taking note of each product's ease of use when it comes to installation. We ensure that each car seat has passed Federal Safety Standards. Then we perform in-Lab and at-home tests to assess stability, ease of adjustments, ease of getting babies in and out of each car seat and ease of removal of the car seat from the base and installation into compatible strollers.

What to look for when shopping for a car seat and stroller combo

First, know that a few strollers call themselves a "travel system" and just mean that they come with an adaptor to hold a car seat.

Be sure that when you're buying something called a travel system, you are genuinely getting both the car seat and the stroller if it's that matching combo that you want. Also consider:

✔️ Height and weight limits: These specifications will be different depending on each car seat and stroller combo. To make sure your baby is as safe as possible, ensure that they fit into the recommended height and weight.

✔️ Your lifestyle: Are you looking for a travel system that will grow with your family or something that will make your jogging trips to the park that much easier? Depending on how you plan on using your car seat and stroller combo, you'll want to seek out a model that fulfills your lifestyle needs.

If you frequently use ride-share vehicles, look for a travel system with an infant car seat that can be installed using just a backseat seat belt, or one with a build-in rigid LATCH system.

If your family owns several vehicles, consider investing in an extra car seat base and installing one in each car. Every infant car seat brand sells extra bases.

✔️ Multiple kids: If you plan to expand your family, you might look for a travel system that allows you to add on a seat or add a ride board to the back for your older child.

✔️ Features: While a no-frills option can be great for your budget, some car seat and stroller combos offer extra features that make all the difference. Are you planning on taking a lot of sunlit walks? Opt for a unit with a large canopy. Do you want to carry a lot with you? Find something with an ample-sized storage basket. Trays and cupholders are the little things you'll use daily.

✔️ Weight: Although heavy strollers usually roll more smoothly than lightweight ones, if you have a lot of steps to contend with, or don't feel confident about lifting a heavy stroller frame in and out of your car's trunk regularly, be sure to get a lighter stroller. We love the new class of under 10-pound car seats, too.

Do you need a car seat/stroller combo, aka a travel system?

Transferring your baby from car to stroller can be a lot of hassle, so using a car seat that snaps into a stroller is fairly genius. That's where a car seat stroller combo will be your new best friend. It also means you only have to make one purchase for both items. Think of it as a two-for-one deal, where you get a stroller and a car seat both at a discount because you buy them together.

Car seat and stroller combos are particularly great for parents who want to move through the world as streamlined as possible. With a few clicks, you can pop the car seat out of the stroller and snap it into your car. There's no need to worry about whether or not your products are compatible since they come bundled together. In most cases, even after your baby outgrows the car seat, you will still be able use the stroller.

You will not want a travel system if your heart is set on one brand's infant car seat and another brand's stroller. In that case, you can check to see if the stroller can hold your chosen car seat with the help of an adaptor. Read all the product specs carefully to be sure you can use them together, buy an adaptor if possible, then purchase the stroller and car seat separately without the two-piece discount.

Another instance when you might not want a travel system is if you're buying an all-in-one car seat for your newborn, intending to use that car seat from birth through the big kid years. Extended-use car seats stay in the car and do not snap into a stroller. You might consider still buying a travel system too, though, and using it just for airplane trips if you are a frequently flying family.

The safest car seat and stroller combos

Keeping your little one secure is your (and our) number one priority. All of the car seats and strollers we recommend meet the federal ASTM standards, and many have the third-party JPMA seal as well, so your baby will be safe as long as everything is installed properly. Here are some tips to ensure your kid is protected at all times:

• Make sure your travel system is correct for the age and weight of your baby . All of the stroller/car seat combos we list are safe from birth. You can sit your infant car seat on top of the stroller base for the first year or two. A 1-year-old might prefer to sit on the stroller seat directly, but you can continue to safely use the infant car seat rear-facing in the car until your baby reaches the weight and height limit, which often happens soon after their second birthday. After age 2, you can continue to use the stroller by itself for years but will want a convertible car seat for your child.
• Always install an infant car seat rear-facing . Every car seat-stroller combo includes an infant car seat, not a convertible car seat, so your baby needs to be facing the rear of the car. This is the safest position until your baby is older than 2 and ready for a larger car seat. See the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration instructions for how to properly install an infant car seat .
• Thoroughly read the directions for your car seat and stroller combo prior to use to ensure that you've included all of the parts and put them together correctly. Very few strollers are ready to go out of the box; you often have to attach the wheels and canopy. Ensure that the LATCH base is properly installed in your car and that the car seat can seamlessly click into place. Many brands provide helpful installation videos on YouTube.
• Double-check the security of the car seat when you place it on the stroller or in your car. Many make an audible click when in place. For safety, pull up a bit on the car seat to make sure it's really securely positioned.
• Don't leave your little one snoozing in their car seat (or stroller) once you get home, per the AAP . While one of the benefits of a car seat and stroller combo is being able to transfer your infant without disturbing them, as soon as you're able, transfer them over to a proper sleep surface such as their crib or bassinet . That will make naps and nighttime easier and safer in the long run.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

The Good Housekeeping Institute parenting pros regularly test and review hundreds of products for babies and young kids with an eye to safety. This includes things such as crib mattresses and baby monitors as well as the best infant toys .

Contributing writer Jessica Hartshorn worked closely with our testing experts to write this article. She's evaluated baby gear for 25 years, including at Parents magazine and American Baby magazine.

Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents .

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Choosing your baby’s first stroller is a exciting time for many families

Travel Systems

Getting out and about with your baby should be an enjoyable time for both of you. Take the hassle out of the journey with a convenient travel system pram. Designed as an all-in-one solution, many travel system prams combine strollers , bassinets and car capsules to make transporting your baby seamless. There’s no need to limit your activities with a travel system pram - adaptable to your lifestyle, a quality pram and capsule travel system is the investment you need for years to come.

At Mother’s Choice, all of our pram and capsule travel systems meet Australian safety standards, so you can shop online with confidence. Browse our travel system prams and accessories below, or get in touch with our friendly team for assistance.

The Flex Medium

Set includes

Limited Edition

Note:  Orders that include the limited edition Neutral Capsules will ship by 12/12.

Add to Cart - $23

The Flex Medium is designed to be your go-to. Offering nearly triple the space of The Flex Medium and Original Capsules, you can take more of the products you need – hair care, body care, supplement routines, and more. Magnetically connects vertically and horizontally so you can pack, store, and display in whatever way works best for you and your space.

Plus, with  The Flex Extender , it’s easy to scale up and down as needed for longer trips.

Shipping: Free US shipping over $65

Extra Fast: Expedited and overnight in the US. Cost calculated at checkout

International (Including CA/MX): Calculated at checkout and based on weight + duties

Returns : 30 day return policy - please see our FAQs for more info

The 1.32 fl oz Capsule Flex is 100% leakproof, magnetic, and infinitely modular. Nearly 2.5x the size of The Original Capsule, and great for cleansers, face masks, and medications. Add onto a bundle or use with The Flex 56 , The Flex 275 , and The Flex Extender .

Summer launch 2024

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Note: Charcoal items are final sale.

Shipping, taxes, and discount codes calculated at checkout.

The Best Gear for Travel

By Wirecutter Staff

Traveling well can be one of life’s great pleasures, whether you’re alone or with family and friends.

But what does it mean to travel well? We’d say that along with traveling safely (of course), traveling well involves avoiding hassle, carrying a single bag (if possible), and bringing only the necessities.

“Traveling well is a fine balance between finding inspiration in the unknown while being grounded in something,” said Wirecutter founder Brian Lam. “Sometimes that is a memory of home, a family, a significant other, friends, etc. Sometimes it’s just the familiar, reliable stuff in your bag.”

Over the past 10 years, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of products to find the most dependable items that will help you travel well. On top of that, we sought the advice and wisdom of Doug Dyment, author and creator of OneBag—a traveling businessman and public speaker, he has logged millions of miles over the past few decades—as well as travel-gear reviewer Eytan Levy, the Snarky Nomad.

And we relied heavily on the experiences of Wirecutter staff, an especially mobile group of individuals. Our staffers have worked remotely from every continent except Antarctica—the five most frequent flyers among us travel about half a million miles in any given (normal) year.

The research

Flying/riding, just in case, travel tips.

A well-packed bag is one that contains less than you think you need but everything you actually need. If possible, fitting everything into one carry-on and personal item will give you more freedom compared to checking a bag or two. You’ll be glad you did if (and when) things don’t go according to plan. While carry-on-only isn’t feasible (or advisable) for every trip—especially extended business trips or weddings where you need multiple outfits to maintain appearances—if in doubt, it’s better to cut.

Carry-on backpack (non-roller)

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

The Allpa’s clamshell design makes organizing your things simple. The strap design lets you easily wear this durable bag on your back or carry it in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind, but most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility and clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts depending on how much you’ve packed. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

We spent six months testing 22 bags, and in the end we chose two as our top picks for travelers determined to never check luggage again: the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (for most trips) and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L features an easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps that make it a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. Handles on all four sides of this bag make it easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it, and the Allpa’s straps are contoured to comfortably fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away. (In August of 2024, Cotopaxi released a slightly redesigned version of the Allpa 35L; we’re comparing it to the previous version and will report back as soon as we’re able.)

The bag is protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Its front panel is made of a waterproof, TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester (a strong fabric covered in a flexible plastic coating), which means you can lay it on its back in a wet field or in gravel without worrying about moisture soaking through or jagged edges ripping the fabric. The rest of the paneling is made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon, which feels similar to a strong canvas but with a more prominent weave. After four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item to store under the seat) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage that Kit Dillon, Wirecutter’s senior staff writer who covers luggage, uses.

One caveat: The Allpa has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth—which is where the personal item comes in handy (see below).

The larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. Not so with the Peak Design: It looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack. You can access the bag through a back panel, which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch, as well as through a front one, if you unzip the pass-through divider. You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps that run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters.

If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. It still feels larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for the ability to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400D nylon and polyester fabrics—it feels tough, but not as tough as the Cotopaxi Allpa. As for flaws, it is expensive, especially if you commit to the entire system of packing cubes and camera cubes . The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses, though Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty.

Finding the right bag is a personal choice, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we have picks in our full review of carry-on travel bags that can double as traveling offices , and bags that are easy to carry while you’re walking long distances .

Carry-on bag (rolling)

Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner

Great features, great value.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, with high-end details. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Since 2015, we’ve researched several dozen suitcases and gone hands-on with the 67 most promising candidates in a variety of tests—including having active flight attendants test bags for us in a fake plane fuselage in their training facility. We determined that for most people the  Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner  offers the best balance of features, durability, and price for most flyers who log less than 25,000 miles annually.

It features smooth-rolling, user-replaceable wheels; solid and comfortable, telescoping handles; and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid internal chassis. The Elite only improves on past iterations in the Platinum line by reducing the size of the stowed handle (which used to jut out about an inch) and adding a second zippered, exterior pocket for easy access on the go and a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. And at 7.8 pounds when empty, this carry-on bag is about half a pound lighter than its predecessor. Compared with other bags in this price range, you also get surprisingly high-end components and a warranty that covers anything, even airline damage, for the life of the bag (as long as you register the suitcase within 120 days of purchase, which is easy to do on any smartphone).

Upgrade pick

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner

For frequent flyers.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles a year, invest in a bag with unique features, superior details, and plenty of expandable room. This manufacturer guarantees your satisfaction.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles annually and you’re willing to invest in a higher-quality product, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22-Inch Carry-On Expandable Spinner. It can fit more clothing than any bag we tested, thanks to a cavernous interior and clever expansion and compression system that can adjust to variable levels beyond open and shut. Over a five-year period before the pandemic, Wirecutter’s founder, Brian Lam, put more than 150,000 miles on his. His only complaint was that longer pants will need an extra fold, or to be rolled. In taller bags, pants will only need to be folded over once.

Personal item (otherwise known as underseat luggage)

As the name suggests, “personal items” are very, well, personal, and no one bag will work for all travelers. Our favorites include the Waterfield Air Porter Carry-On Bag , which shines as a tech organizer that still has enough room to also hold a change of clothes. And it’s still good-looking enough to carry from the plane to the office without raising an eyebrow.

If the Air Porter is too businessy for your taste, you may like the Monos Metro Duffel , a luxuriant shoulder bag with detailed organization and add-ons made specifically for simplifying travel. Should you prefer to roll your personal item aboard the plane, we suggest the remarkably maneuverable Travelpro Crew VersaPack Carry-On Rolling Tote —it’s large enough to carry everything you need for an overnight trip, but it still falls within the average US airline underseat dimensions. See our full guide to underseat luggage for still more options.

Checked luggage

If you need to pack more stuff than a carry-on and a personal item can hold, our first piece of advice would be to reconsider whether you need that extra outfit “just in case.” But you’ll have times when you need to travel with several pairs of shoes, formalwear, a winter coat, special equipment (like diving or camping gear), or all of the above. In these cases, there’s no way to avoid checking a bag.

Osprey Farpoint 55 Men’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with taller torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Farpoint has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

Osprey Fairview 55 Women’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with shorter torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Fairview has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

If you’re going somewhere where you’ll need to walk a lot (particularly if there’s dirt or cobblestone roads), we recommend a travel backpack. We like the Farpoint 55 and the sized-for-smaller-torsos Fairview 55 because they’re comfortable and have plenty of room to store, and separate, our essentials. The front of the main pack unzips like a suitcase, so you can easily fit and access a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries. The daypack, which attaches to the front of the larger pack, has room for camera gear, daily essentials, and a small laptop (via a built-in sleeve). It’s also easy to stow. The main pack’s straps can tuck behind a zippered flap, so they won’t catch on anything if you check your luggage.

These bags are made of a heavy-duty recycled polyester that stands up even to long trips–one of our testers has traveled with a Farpoint 55 for years, across dozens of countries for months at a time, without damaging it. If something does happen, though, Osprey has a lifetime warranty.

Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner

The best checked bag for most travelers.

The bag provides a luxury feel at a reasonable price, with a capacity, warranty, and reliability that should suit most travelers. The 25-inch model should offer plenty of room for most people without going over airline weight limits.

If you don’t plan on walking around while carrying all your stuff, the  25-inch Travelpro Platinum Elite Expandable Spinner Suiter is our favorite piece of checked luggage for all of the same reasons we loved the carry-on size: It has excellent organizational features, it’s especially durable, and it has a better warranty than anything in its price range.

Luggage tags

Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag

Strong and easy to see.

Rugged silicone and a metal cable mean this tag (which comes two to a pack) may well outlive your luggage. The brightly colored case displays its owner’s name but keeps other personal information out of sight.

A good luggage tag should be durable, simple to use, and discreet. Ultimately, a tag should allow someone to get your luggage back to you quickly and easily, and it should withstand the wear and tear of being thrown onto conveyor belts time and again. After researching the top-rated and best-selling models, reading existing luggage-tag reviews, and comparing fourteen tags , we recommend the Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag for most travelers because it’s the only one we’d trust to survive being smashed by other bags, jammed into walls, and generally abused by baggage handlers. It’s the most durable tag we tested, and it comes in a wide selection of colors to help any bag stand out from the rest.

The Ovener tag’s silicone body seems nearly indestructible and is available in a rotating selection of colors (you get two tags per pack). Whereas other tags also feature metal cables, this tag has a metal grommet to keep the cable from eventually wearing through the silicone case.

Should you lose your bag, the Ovener makes it easy for a Good Samaritan to find your contact information. To fully access the info card, you have to unscrew and remove the metal strap; this lets the card slide out of the case. Most luggage tags we tested secure their info card in this way. It isn’t a difficult or time-consuming process, but it is an extra step compared with using a tag that displays all of your information openly. Still, for anyone who wants to keep their contact information out of view, the extra step is worth it.

Another approach to increasing privacy is to hide information in a QR code, as the Dynotag Smart Deluxe Steel Luggage Tag  does, or to provide a user ID number, as the Okoban UID Luggage Tags do. But these seem like overly complex solutions to a problem that doesn’t really exist.

Compression sacks

Originally designed for reducing the bulk of lofty sleeping bags, compression sacks are stuff sacks modified with additional nylon end caps that can be pulled together by strings or straps to remove air and create a smaller, denser package that’s easier to pack. Most travelers use compression sacks to condense socks, underwear, and other stuff you don’t mind getting wrinkled into a package with half as much overall volume. For example, an 8- to 12-liter sack can compress a fleece jacket and a long-weekend’s worth of socks and underwear into something that fits in one hand. They also make a decent pillow in a pinch.

Osprey StraightJacket (8L)

Easier access, less compression.

It has a full-length zipper on its side that allows access to the bag’s entire contents. However, it doesn’t compress as tightly as traditional designs.

Most compression sacks require you to empty out the stuff at the top to get to the stuff below it, but the side-zipper design on the Osprey StraightJacket allows access to the entire contents of the bag at once. The compression straps attach sideways, and are less likely to get tangled and twisted like on most compression sacks with lengthwise straps. It can also sit up on its own, and the handle design lets you break it out as a last minute carry-on to avoid an overweight-baggage fee. However, it doesn’t compress down as compactly as the traditional designs we tested so it’s not the best option if compression is your top priority.

GobiGear’s SegSac takes a different approach to solving the same access issue: It has four inner dividers that run the length of the sack in order to keep your socks separate from your underwear, winter accessories, towel, what have you. This means you don’t have to take out your T-shirts to get to your socks. Unlike the Osprey, it compresses just as much as a normal compression sack, but it loses points for versatility because the segmentation prevents it from handling large items like a down jacket or sleeping bag.

Packing cubes

Packing cubes could change your life. (Okay, maybe just your traveling life.) Packing cubes are basically bags to hold your clothes that you organize within your luggage. Though seemingly superfluous, they’re brilliant in action. If you imagine your suitcase as a dresser, you can think of these cubes as individual drawers: Put all your underwear and socks in one container, all your shirts in another, and your workout clothes in yet another. Then pull out only the cube you want. They make packing and repacking wonderfully simple.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set

Well built with easy access.

Simple and solidly constructed, these packing cubes keep your bag organized while you’re traveling.

The three-piece Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set keeps a week’s worth of clothes organized and moves easily from suitcase to hotel dresser.

The full-size cube is great for shirts, shorts, and insulating layers. The half-cube and quarter-cube are perfect for underwear, socks, and other thin fabrics such as stockings or sleepwear. These cubes are made of 300-denier polyester (a strong fabric) and stay upright when empty, so they’re easy to pack. The Pack-It cubes’ windows are made of the tightest mesh link we tested—better for resisting snags—and the smooth zippers close easily around all corners, even when a cube is overstuffed.

The Eagle Creek cubes have the ability to unzip fully to allow full access to their contents while sitting in a dresser drawer. That means your clean clothes stay protected against some potentially dicey motel dressers. In 2022, Eagle Creek updated the design of these cubes, and now the company no longer uses YKK zippers, which are widely accepted as the best around . That said, we couldn’t tell any difference between Eagle Creek’s zippers and other brands’ YKK zippers, even with a magnifying glass, and their performance was indistinguishable. For what it’s worth, an Eagle Creek product manager assured us that the proportion of zipper-related warranty claims hasn’t changed since the company made the switch from YKK. (In 2024, Eagle Creek redesigned the Reveal cubes yet again; we’re currently assessing the new version.)

Most travelers are likely to be well served by the Reveal set. But if you value lightness above all, the more expensive Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Cube Set is about 50% lighter than similar-size competitors (just over 1 ounce for a medium cube, whereas the Eagle Creek classic style weighs about 4 ounces). Unlike the Reveal set, this set is water resistant. However, the Isolate design’s thin sides—which don’t allow the cubes to stand up on their own—make those cubes a bit more challenging to pack than the Reveal cubes. (The Isolate too has been redesigned in 2024; again, we’re taking a look and will report back.)

Buying the right gear can help organize your existing travel kit, but it’s a red herring if your goal is better portability. “It’s mostly the clothing that allows you to reduce what you need to carry,” explains veteran traveller Eytan Levy, better known as the Snarky Nomad . That’s because clothing, which is very voluminous, makes up the bulk of what’s in your bag. He recommends traveling with basic-looking clothes because you can always buy or rent something nice in a pinch, whereas lugging around formalwear just in case will always be a pain. It also helps if you can avoid cotton and stick to merino and synthetic fabrics, which dry faster. This allows you to do laundry by hand in the sink as needed to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry.

Travel underwear

Good travel underwear keeps you feeling fresh and clean, even when your destination is gritty.  To find the best , we researched an array of underwear designed for men and women to find 37 pairs meeting our criteria: moisture-wicking and breathable, quick-drying, odor-resistant, stretchy, stylish, and cut to fit a variety of body types.

We then conducted rigorous pretesting (wearing the underwear for two days at a time, machine-washing them repeatedly, and tracking their drying speed when hung on a clothesline) before taking them out into the real world. Our testers went backpacking 215 miles throughout Portland, Oregon; hiking in the Canadian Rockies, including walking from the lowest point in the Continental US to the highest; and road-tripping to the national parks of the West. Testers who flew to their destinations wore the underwear on the plane, too.

Afterward, we checked for signs of wear, such as seam breakage and pilling on the fabric. As we continued to test the finalists, we repeatedly checked for durability problems. In addition to comfort and fit, we noted whether each pair seemed lightweight and packable.

ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief

Best for most men.

Durable, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive, this soft-fabric version of ExOfficio’s time-tested Give-N-Go undies will get the job done for years.

The ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief is the best men’s underwear for travel because it balances fit, comfort, odor-proofing, and value better than anything else we’ve tested. The Sport Mesh fabric excels at breathing and wicking and has better odor-resistance than other fabrics. It feels soft on the inside and smooth on the outside so it slides against your pants instead of creating friction, reducing potential for chafing. It also features a sculpted crotch area that gives wearers some much-appreciated support, without feeling stifling. These boxer briefs dry quickly, pack compactly, and weigh less than almost all the other boxer briefs we tried—basically they’re everything you’d want from a pair of excellent travel underwear.

Patagonia Women's Active Hipster

Best for most women.

These light, stylish, quick-drying hipsters stay in place whether you’re walking, flying, or hanging upside down.

The Patagonia Active Hipster doesn’t appear special upon first glance. Only after trying everything else and living through their failures to stay put did we remember what “special” really means in a pair of underwear: Feeling as if you’re wearing nothing at all. The Patagonias have the best fit, comfort, and style out of all the panties we tested. The nylon material is fast-wicking and better than most synthetics for odor-proofing, making it well suited for athletic activities. The Active Hipster is lightweight and packable, and is the fastest-drying underwear we tested—making them perfect for minimalist travelers who go weeks at a time with just one or two pairs. But these same characteristics make them great for any traveler looking for comfortable, packable panties, regardless of where you’re going or what you’re doing.

Budget pick

Uniqlo Men Airism Boxer Brief

Comfortable, compact, and fast-drying, these are a great value but don’t fit quite as nicely and aren’t as supportive in the crotch.

Uniqlo Women Airism Ultra Seamless HipHugger

Similar fabric to the Men’s Airism, with a no-ride cut for women, these underwear are the least expensive of any we tested and among the best performing.

If you want to spend as little as possible without sacrificing performance, the Uniqlo Airism line has long been a great choice for men and women who can wear sizes small and medium. In recent years, both lines have expanded their size range somewhat (men to 3XL, and women to XL). If these fit, you can replace an entire underwear drawer on a tight budget, as long as you can deal with the slightly odd cut and less-effective odor-control treatment.

If you’ve never traveled with merino wool socks, you’re missing out. These aren’t the scratchy wool socks your grandpa wore in the army; they are soft and stretchy ones that have natural sweat-wicking and odor-resisting properties that keep your toes comfortable under all conditions—even when wet. This combination of odor, moisture, and temperature regulations makes them ideal for traveling. "Because of its natural anti-bacterial properties, washing merino wool on a daily basis isn’t absolutely necessary,” explains Snarky Nomad , "after letting it air dry overnight while you sleep, it’ll seem brand new.” The only major downside is that merino tends to be a bit pricier than synthetic counterparts. But it’s a worthy trade-off, since you can go for longer with fewer pairs.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (women’s)

The best quality for women.

The best mix of comfort, durability, and cushioning in a versatile height.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (men’s)

For the best quality.

The same great versatile sock as the women’s model, but in different color options and more sizes.

Darn Tough’s Light Hiker Micro Crew socks (both the men’s and women’s versions) have been our favorite hiking socks for years. Darn Tough made its name through its quality guarantee : “We knit a longer lasting sock that stays comfortable season after season. We’re able to guarantee them for life because we knit them ourselves. If yours ever rip or tear, we'll replace them free of charge.” Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers (hardcore backpackers who walk from Mexico to Canada in one continuous trip) praise them for their durability, comfort, and blister resistance. When you hold a pair of Darn Toughs next to a pair of Smartwools (which only have a two-year guarantee ), the difference is clear. The Darn Toughs are more tightly knit, the yarns are finer and feel sturdier, and the stitching is tighter.

Darn Tough Women’s Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool women’s hiking sock.

This midlevel cushioned sock for women is the best synthetic option for most climates and terrains.

Darn Tough Men’s Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool men’s hiking sock.

This synthetic men’s sock is perfect for day hiking in most weather.

If you are sensitive to wool, prefer a vegan product, or want a cooler option for the summer, we also like the Darn Tough Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock, which comes in women's and men’s sizes.

We appreciated how breathable this sock felt. While wearing the Coolmax Micro Crew in hot summer weather, our testers’ feet stayed dry and sweat-free. The shorter micro-crew height makes the Coolmax Micro Crew suitable for both boots and shoes, too. And like all Darn Tough socks, this model comes with a lifetime warranty.

Indosole Flip Flops (women’s)

A quality flip flop in women’s sizes.

These stylish beach sandals come in a wide range of colors. Be careful, though: Indosole sizes tend to run a little small.

Indosole Flip Flops (men’s)

A quality flip flop in men’s sizes.

These beach sandals are the same as the women’s version but cut a bit wider; we still think they run a little smaller than regular shoe sizes.

A good pair of travel flip-flops should be lightweight, comfortable, and waterproof. The men’s and women’s Indosole Flip Flops offer the best combination of quality, comfort, and easy packability. Unlike many flip flops, which slap against the ground with every step, the subtle arch support of this flip flop kept it secure against our feet. Plus they’re made from waterproof, recycled materials. Keep in mind, though, that our testers found these shoes to run a bit small, so we suggest sizing up for the best fit.

Clothesline

While doing laundry at home can be a large weekly event, OneBag author Doug Dyment recommends approaching travel laundry as a part of your daily routine, especially if you’re trying to pack as little as possible: “The laundry should be more like cleaning your teeth—something you do everyday. It only takes about five minutes to do it. Every night, do your socks and underwear and you’ll have clean socks and underwear everyday.”

A secure, hassle-free option

The Flexo-Line attaches easily to a door handle or faucet and grips garments securely between its loops.

Check out OneBag’s laundry packing list if you want specific tips on how to do it and what you’ll need, but it’s a pretty simple setup: All you need is a toiletry bottle of powdered detergent, a towel to help expedite drying, and a travel clothesline to finish the drying process while you sleep at night.

Specifically, you want a braided—not twisted—surgical latex clothesline with looped ends, which means you want a Flexo-Line . The Flexo-Line can stretch up to 7 feet long, which is enough to span most hotel bathtubs, and it has loops that you can attach easily to a door handle, bath spigot, or faucet. The braided construction is superior to twisted designs made from other materials because the latex does a better job of gripping garments securely between the loops, which means you don’t need any additional clothespins.

Dyment has tried them all, but the Flexo-Line is the one he comes back to. As he explained to me in an interview, “There are others that are fine, but there are far more that are not fine.” More specifically, Dyment says to avoid anything that’s not made of latex , because clothes will inevitably slip out of them. He also says to never, ever trust a suction cup: “They don’t work, period.” If the Flexo-Line is unavailable, Dyment says that the Rick Steves collection from Kiva Designs also makes a nice braided line that is a bit more expensive. If you have a latex allergy, Dyment recommends going with a length of cord ( paracord is nice because it’s durable and you can use it for other things as well) and stainless steel safety pins meant for cloth diapers , because they take up far less space than a clothespin and won’t rust. In fact, it’s worthwhile to get these items even if you can use a latex line because they’re great for making luggage repairs and performing other MacGyver-ish tasks in a pinch. To hang up the clothesline, we recommend using a bowline knot on one end and a taut line hitch on the other. These knots work well together because the bowline creates a simple, slip-proof loop to anchor one end while the taut line hitch allows you to adjust for tension and locks tightly in place. If you could commit any two knots to memory forever, these are the ones to learn.

Laundry detergent

Minisoak Travel Packs

A travel size version of the best delicates detergent.

Perfect for traveling because you don’t even need to rinse it out.

When you’re washing your underwear in a hotel sink, you want a fast and easy experience. For this, we recommend the no-rinse detergent Soak . That’s right, we said no rinse . You just add a drop to the sink, fill with water, and leave your garments to soak. Then press out the water and hang. Done.

In our tests of delicates detergents , Soak cleaned almost as well as our top laundry detergent, Tide; plus, it comes in individual packets of powder  that are great for traveling, as well as in  travel-size bottles of the liquid version . In addition to unscented, it's available in a variety of scents, although Lacey and Celebration are not the most descriptive of scent names. They all smell nice, not overpowering. Soak also comes in an assorted travel pack with two single-use packets of each scent, if you want to test-drive one or two before you buy. In that mini size, you get eight packets for $11 currently, but you really need only a squeeze, not the the whole packet, to wash a couple of pairs of socks and underwear.

One downside to Soak is that you won’t find it in a grocery store or big-box store. But it is available online at Soak’s site . And if you really want to walk into a store and put your mitts on a bottle, you can find it at most local yarn stores.

Don’t feel like buying Soak or bringing along a bit of your own detergent? Shampoo also works pretty well for cleaning garments in a pinch, so make use of that free bottle from the hotel. But a caveat: Neither Soak nor shampoo contains enzymes , which are biological molecules in laundry detergent that break down certain stains. If you have especially stinky or stained clothes, you might need to break out the Tide .

When we first published this guide, this section addressed only toiletry kits and bottles, razors, and packable towels. The times, and traveling, became more complicated. One thing we've learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick and don’t want to share your misery. Fortunately, compared with early 2020, medical-style N95s and KN95s (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel. 

Toiletry kit

We’ve researched dozens of travel toiletry bags and dopp kits over the past several years, and we tested 23 of the top-rated contenders in our most recent round of tests. After packing and unpacking a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries, conducting spill tests, and living out of the top performers on the road, we have a few different picks that stand out thanks to their style, packability, and quality of construction.

Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small)

A space-saving hanging bag.

This lightweight, well-organized bag fits a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries into a compact package. It’s meant to be hung, which makes it good for tight spaces, but it doesn’t have much in the way of internal structure.

The Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small) is compact and durable. It’s small enough to stash in a backpack or laptop bag, but it holds enough travel-size toiletries to keep us supplied for a week. You can open it and hang it from a shower curtain or towel rod to easily see and grab your items. It comes with a shatterproof mirror, two micro-mesh zip pockets and an open pocket for toothbrushes, lip balm, and tweezers, and a large compartment for bulky lotions and hair-care items.

L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag

For more stuff and longer trips.

With a 6.4-liter capacity and over a dozen compartments, this toiletry bag has a place for everything—and everything will stay put during transit, too. It can also accommodate non-travel-size bottles.

The L.L.Bean Personal Organizer (medium) is a great option for longer trips and people who travel with full-size bottles. Its 6.4 liters of storage spread across a dozen compartments means there’s a dedicated place for pretty much everything you could want to bring on a trip—it even has a removable mesh shower caddy for shampoo and body wash. This level of organization is crucial for larger toiletry bags because, as we discovered after years of traveling with our picks, contents that aren’t securely fastened can shift around in transit, which increases the chance of spilling. The downside of all this organization is that the L.L.Bean weighs 14 ounces when empty, so it’s not ideal for carry-on travel.

If neither of these bags seems right for you, read our full review of the best toiletry bags and dopp kits to learn more about our picks and everything we tested.

Toiletry bottles

Sea to Summit TL Clear Zip Pouch with Bottles

These six TSA-friendly bottles are sturdy and smartly designed, dispensing liquids more precisely than any of the other bottles we tested.

For traveling with liquids in your carry-on, the Sea to Summit set is your best bet. All six bottles conform to TSA size limitations; three of them can hold 3 ounces of liquid each, and three can hold 1.5 ounces each, for a total of 13.5 ounces. Despite the set’s name, the bottles themselves are made not of thermoplastic polyurethane—“TPU" refers to the zip pouch—but a high-density polyethylene material, much like what you’d see used in most plastic milk jugs. It has an almost-smooth, semi-transparent surface just textured enough that it’s not slippery when wet. The plastic is also flexible enough that you don’t have to squeeze very hard to get your shampoo or liquid soap or whatever going. An insert at the mouth of each bottle helps regulate the flow, and the screw tops prevent liquids from leaking in transit.

Razor (faces)

Gillette Mach3

The best manual razor for most faces.

This classic razor’s three widely spaced blades provide the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. Its handle is comfortable and well designed, and replacement blades can be had for a fair price.

We researched more than 100 and tested 11 manual razors for our full razor guide , concluding that the Gillette Mach3 is our top pick for manual razors. Although the three blades require a little extra time for a closer shave, it performs comparably to the latest and greatest offerings for as little as half the price.

The Gillette Mach3 provides the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. The Mach3’s simple, round handle is easy to grip and maneuver, and its three blades offer a close shave without over-irritating the skin or getting clogged with hair. And the price of Mach3 blades—$2 per cartridge or less, whether you buy them online or in a store—came close to, or even beat, the pricing of shave-club rivals, and the Mach3 shaved better than those competitors.

Razor (legs/body)

Gillette Venus Smooth

The best body razor.

This classic Venus is one of the easiest razors to grip and maneuver and its three-blade design keeps the blades remarkably free of hair.

Disposable razors (both the completely disposable and replaceable-cartridge variety) are fine to take through airport security , and among them we like the Gillette Venus Original best for traveling. Although it’s now the runner-up pick in our guide to body razors —it was formerly the top pick—we believe that its simple aloe lubricating strips, which don’t become tacky when wet, make the Venus more travel friendly than our new top pick . Plus, as with any Venus, the Original’s body is compatible with any other Venus head and many heads from Gillette’s facial razors, making replacement heads easier to find when you’re on the road.

The Original’s head has three blades separated by considerable slats of space, making it far easier to clean the head between strokes. The Original is intuitive to hold and secure to maneuver, thanks to a contoured handle with corrugated chevrons of rubber. Though our testers have a wide range of hand sizes, no one found the Original difficult to grasp. Despite the significant ribbing, it doesn’t feel too bulky. Gillette claims its razors have lasted for five weeks; we think one razor for a weeklong trip should be fine.

(Know that, confusingly, the Venus appears for sale on some retail sites under the name Venus Close and Clean or Venus Smooth. It’s the same razor. If you’re unsure which Venus model you’re looking at, check for the Original’s three blades and trademark sea-foam blue color.)

Towel (packable)

PackTowl Personal

The best all-around packable towel.

The PackTowl Personal Towel is lightweight, soft, absorbent, quick to dry, and odor-resistant.

We put 20 top-rated towels through a battery of tests including regular shower use, a trip to the beach, camping, and a 48-hour stay in a ziplock bag under the hot Hawaiian sun. After all was said and done, the Packtowl Personal Towel is still the best all-around travel towel for most people. In addition to being the softest lightweight towel we tested, it was more absorbent than competitors made of similar materials. It had the best odor-resisting abilities and comes with a convenient mesh carrying pouch. We also have alternate picks for ultralight and all-natural towels below.

The Personal Towel’s suede-like material was the softest of the thinner towels. The Personal Towel also had superior absorption when compared with other similarly constructed towels such as the Sea to Summit DryLite —in our tests, it absorbed 2.8 times its weight in water, while the others absorbed between 2.3 times and 2.7 times.

One of just two we tested that featured an added antimicrobial treatment, the Personal Towel was only a little musty smelling after 24 hours in a sealed ziplock bag, and remained unchanged at 48 hours.

If you’re looking for a budget option, consider the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel , which is a tad smaller than our other picks and is made from a seemingly lighter-feeling fabric. Unlike most budget options, it has an antibacterial coating and still managed to carry a pleasant smell after being testing in different environments.

Regardless of how you get to your final destination, it’s likely you’ll be stuck in a seat that’s less than ideal. Travel gadgets that claim to reduce this misery, such as compression socks, are popular. But when they take up precious luggage space for the duration of your trip—not just the flight or train ride–they need to be worth every cubic inch of space. The less you can make do with, the better off you’ll be.

Neck pillow

Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

More support for most necks.

Its tall memory-foam walls let it offer more support than any other pillow we tested. It’s also shaped to sit flush against a headrest, and it compresses to a manageable size.

The uniquely angled back on the Travelrest Ultimate sets it apart from other travel pillows we tested because it can lay flat against the seat back. Most other pillows have a rounded back, which pushes your head away from the headrest. The Travelrest also has rubber grip dots to prevent slipping while sleeping. This pillow’s spongy memory foam cushions the entire circumference of your neck, preventing your head from leaning far in any direction, and its adjustable Velcro strap ensures it can fit most necks. The pillow’s cozy velour exterior is removable and machine-washable. Although it doesn’t pack flat, the Travelrest weighs less than a pound and compresses to a quarter of its size when rolled into its Velcro-strapped carrying case. Our only complaint is that the Travelrest’s high walls, though supportive, can push over-ear headphones off of the ears of people with shorter necks.

Noise-cancelling headphones

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.

The Bose 700 headphones deliver excellent noise cancellation in a comfortable, lightweight design that’s traveler friendly—but they carry a high price.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 over-ear set has the most versatile active noise cancellation we’ve ever tested. With 10 levels of noise reduction to choose from, everyone should be able to find a setting that meets their needs. We also enjoyed the lightweight and comfortable design and the easy-to-use controls. What distinguishes the Bose 700’s ANC is the amount of adjustability it gives you: Most noise-cancelling headphones offer controls for only on/off or maybe high/low/off, but with the Bose 700 pair you can set the ANC level from 0 to 10, so you have more flexibility to dial in the ideal setting for your comfort. The 20-hour battery life, while not the best we’ve seen, is more than sufficient to get you to most destinations. We have additional options—including earbuds and surprisingly good budget options for  over-ear headphones and earbuds —in our full guide to noise-cancelling headphones .

Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs

For blocking out the most noise.

These blocked the most noise in our controlled testing and got the most votes from our subjective sleep panel.

When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to fall asleep to unfamiliar noises. That’s why we spent several hours researching new contenders and tested four top-rated models while sleeping in a house that was next to an airport in order to determine that Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam earplugs are the best earplugs  for sleeping.

The Mack’s 37.1 dB noise reduction rating was the highest among the models we tested. According to Cooper Safety , that’s enough to reduce the volume of a gas lawnmower to that of a normal conversation. What made the Mack’s earplugs so effective is the fact that we could insert them and rest assured that they would stay in the whole night. Meanwhile, the Howard Leight MAX1 might be a favorite from crowdsourced sleep-aid review site Sleep Like the Dead , but the earplugs would inevitably fall out in the middle of the night. Thus, they failed to block out the noise of planes landing and taking off throughout the night, despite the MAX1’s 33 dB noise reduction rating. The Howard Leights also made our ears ache on occasion, whereas the Mack’s has a tapered shape that was consistently comfortable night after night.

The Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs cost about 20¢-35¢ per pair when purchased in a 50-pair pack. They come in a plastic case is about the size of a large coffee mug, which is small enough to toss in a large bag or suitcase. Many other ear plugs like our runner-up, the 3M’s E-A-Rsoft OCS1135 , can only be ordered in industrial-size lots that, while perhaps appealing to those who travel constantly (or run a hostel), are annoying to store and often lack a reusable container of any sort.

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

For air travelers and back-sleepers.

The lightweight and contoured Nidra mask is a light-blocking win for most face shapes, with deep eye cups that allow the wearer to blink freely and arrive feeling refreshed.

When bright lights hamper peaceful shut-eye, we recommend the light-blocking, contoured Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask. Of the 14 masks we tested , the Nidra blocked the most light on the most faces. It’s contoured to rest on your face like a pair of soft goggles, with fabric lenses that sit around your eyes (instead of directly over them). This design provides more space for your eyes to flutter during REM sleep, ensuring that you come through red-eye flights with less redness in your eyes. Makeup wearers will also appreciate that, with the Nidra’s elevated eye cups, there’s a smaller chance of smudging.

Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

A flat, silk mask.

A silken exterior material, a flat design, and an adjustable strap make this mask a fit for almost any face, but it puts pressure on the eyes.

Mzoo Sleep Mask

A smooth, contoured eye mask.

Soft, structured, and contoured, this mask stays on all night and prevents any light from seeping through

If the Nidra Deep Rest doesn’t fit your face quite right, we also recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask and the Mzoo Sleep Mask . The Alaska Bear mask lacks contoured eyecups and thus applies some pressure to the eyes overnight like any regular eye mask does. But its flat design easily conforms to fit your face, and its silk exterior feels smooth and soft against skin (the padding is made of cotton). Its relative lack of structure makes it more difficult to knock off when you’re tossing and turning.

The Mzoo mask’s eyecups have a convex gap so your eyes can open and close. That gap is surrounded by a memory foam padding that rests on the perimeter of your eye sockets. The effect is such that you don’t feel like your eyes are being forced closed, but there is a bit of compression near your temples, eyebrows, and cheekbones. Most—though not all—of our testers found this sensation soothing. One liked how the contour of the eyecup kept the mask from brushing against their eyelashes, which makes it a good choice for people who wear eyelash extensions.

Few things are better than landing at an airport, turning on your phone, and having it just work. No hassles, no stress, no worries about brutal roaming fees. You can check in with loved ones, scope out the route to your lodgings, and maybe post an Instagram story or two—because your phone works just like it does at home. This is especially freeing, and it makes travel so much easier. (Of course, phones aren’t the only useful tech to bring: Check out our accessories reviews for guides to the best cables ( USB-C , Lightning , and Micro-USB ), Wi-Fi hotspots , Bluetooth speakers , and more.)

Unlocked mobile phone

One of the most useful gadgets for international travel is an unlocked smartphone that’s compatible with cheap, prepaid phone plans you can sign up for at your destination. Unless your carrier offers plans including high-speed data that you can access internationally (i.e., you’re with T-Mobile or Google Fi), traveling with a phone under contract with a major carrier means paying an arm and a leg for data. Being able to access data-guzzling apps like Google Maps or Google Translate on the fly is worth the hassle to unlock a phone. Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are free, easy ways to communicate with people you meet on your trip and people from home. Plus there’s checking email, TripAdvisor, banking, social media, and so on.

An “unlocked” phone means you can buy prepaid SIM cards in the country you’re visiting, letting you access their local network for significantly less money than the roaming fees incurred by your home carrier. With a prepaid SIM, your phone effectively becomes a new phone with a new (now local) phone number. Instead of seeing “Verizon,” “AT&T,” or “Sprint” at the top of your phone, you might see “Vodafone,” “Yes Optus,” “M1,” or whatever provider you choose in the country you’re visiting. The first thing to check is if your phone will work where you’re going. If you’re unsure if your phone will work where you’re going, check the Wikipedia page for your phone or contact your provider.

Your phone will also require a removable SIM. (If your phone has an eSIM, as all new iPhones do, check out our blog post about those.) Most countries require a passport or other ID to buy a prepaid SIM without a contract, but switching the SIMs is easy. Most stores will do it for you while you’re there. Depending on the country/provider, this could take as long as 10 minutes but is often faster. The next question is easily the most complicated: Can you unlock your phone? Each carrier has different rules and criteria. Generally, if you have a brand new, expensive phone, they may not let you unlock it (there’s usually a waiting period after the purchase date). But if it’s a little older, or if you’ve paid it off, they probably will. The thing to remember is that a provider can deny an unlock request without giving a reason. You might be lucky, though; certain phones on certain providers are unlocked by default. Here are Verizon and AT&T’s pages on unlocking. Alternately, you can buy a pre-unlocked phone just for travel. Amazon and Best Buy, for example, sell unlocked phones. This is also a good option if you think you might lose your expensive phone and a cheaper one will suffice while you travel.

Plug adapter

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Best universal travel adapter.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

(deal on grays and pink)

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we look for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it charged more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with an extra USB cable and a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won’t work (more on that in a minute), a plug adapter could be what you need.

Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set

The best plug adapter.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

The tiny plug adapters from Ceptics are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics set will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter. These charts should help you find the shape you need before you order.

However, getting your gear to work in different countries isn’t quite as simple as it should be, and there’s no single solution that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our “good for most” picks just won’t work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland a few years back. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on those charts, and the plug adapters she had used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn’t fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) The world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there’s a lot of variation. That’s important to keep in mind.

Whether two-prong or three-prong, an adapter just changes the shape of your plug, not anything about the electricity coming through the wires. However, this usually isn’t a problem because almost every power brick that comes with modern electronic gear is capable of accepting both the 110-volt standard used in the US and the 240-volt commonly used abroad. If your device has a power block on the cord, it likely says something like  “100-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz”—that’s the all-clear to use it without a voltage converter so long as the range covers the voltage of the country you’re visiting . This includes the vast majority of modern laptop and USB chargers.

Products without some sort of power block at the end or with a non-detachable cord—in particular, things with heating elements like hair dryers and curling irons—are more likely to need a voltage converter. Putting 220 V through a US 110 V device would be like attaching a firehose to a drinking fountain—you’re likely to blow your face off. But voltage converters are tricky devices, and most of the inexpensive ones have awful (or dishonest) reviews. Since hotels and hostels will often have hair dryers and most newer gear can do the full range of voltages, we strongly recommend that, whenever possible, you only bring items that work with a much simpler (and more reliable) adapter.

Wire/gadget organization system

Now that every device has a battery, every battery has a charger, and every charger has a cable—never mind power-plug adapters if you’re traveling abroad—the sheer quantity of accessories needed just to keep your gadgets running can take up more space than the devices themselves. And unless you organize them, you can bet on having to blindly fish them out of the least convenient spot at the bottom of your bag. Recently, our pick for carrying tech necessities, the Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer, which had been out of stock for a few years, returned to the Incase website and was briefly in stock. (It’s now out of stock again, alas.) If you prefer mesh to easily see your contents, we also like the Container Store Micro Mesh Pouches .

The Incase cable organizer is a poly-nylon blend, so it’s durable. It is a soft-shell bag, however, so its contents can distort the bag’s shape when it’s full. But the bag’s edges remain rigid—so the seams don’t pucker—its contents don’t fall out, and zipping and unzipping the bag is still easy. We have other picks in our full guide to bag and cable organizers , including a roll-up bag and a stylish duo of cosmetics travel pouches ; we’ll also start testing other options.

USB battery packs

A USB battery pack (also called a power bank) can keep your small electronics—from phones and cameras to tablets and more—going while you’re on the road. Although the length of your trip will determine exactly how much extra juice you’ll need to have on hand, whatever your requirements, we have a great USB battery recommendation for you. The Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K weighs about half a pound, and its rounded edges make it easy to hold or slip into a pocket. Its USB-C Power Delivery (PD) port can charge most handheld devices and recharge itself at top speed (with the right USB-C cable and wall charger), and it can pass power to another device while being recharged from a wall outlet. It only comes in one color, but it has enough capacity to fully charge most smartphones up to three times, as well as built-in USB-C and Lightning cables that are easy to slide in and out of their holsters.

If you’re traveling for leisure, try not to get too wrapped up in technology because you might miss what you’re actually there to do: experience a new place. OneBag’s Doug Dyment said in an interview, “Wearing headphones and staring at a screen is like putting a digital wall around yourself when you’re traveling. It makes you seem unapproachable and uninterested in what’s around you.” That may be a good thing if you do truly want to be left alone, but Dyment went on to say that some of his most memorable traveling experiences were the result of just looking lost and getting help from the locals. “One minute, you’re a lost foreigner in an unfamiliar village, then someone asks if you need directions. Before you know it, you’re eating dinner with his family.”

Travel binoculars

Athlon Optics Midas ED

The overall best binoculars.

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars have performance comparable with that of many models that cost thousands more.

Our top pick for binoculars is durable and great for near-home hikes. In hot or dusty environments that may call for a clearer optical boost, the Athlon Optics Midas ED 8×42 binoculars deliver top quality. Its focus dial offers a wide range of depths that makes it easier to see whatever it is you desire—birds, grass or darkened areas of the forest. Our recommendation comes with the assistance of a professional ornithologist who spent over 100 hours putting 17 pairs of binoculars to the test in the mountains of Southern California and the rain forests of southern Mexico.

Although the Celestron TrailSeeker ED binoculars don’t offer a clear edge-to-edge view to the same degree of the Athlon Optics Midas EDs , they’re a comparable runner-up model that’ll be lighter on your wallet if having binoculars while traveling is a must. The TrailSeekers are equipped with great light-gathering qualities, close focus, and impressive optical resolution. Or, if you’re concerned about saving space, we liked the Pentax AD 8x25 WP binoculars. While not quite as powerful as our other picks, this compact pair of binoculars is well made and easy to fit into a carry-on while traveling via plane.

Ebook reader

Amazon Kindle (2022)

The best e-reader for most people.

Amazon’s most affordable Kindle is also its most portable, and it’s finally been upgraded with sharper text on its 6-inch screen and support for USB-C charging. Those features bring it in line with much-pricier e-readers.

The entry-level Amazon Kindle finally got an upgrade and is now our favorite e-reader , with the same crisp display and USB-C charging as the pricier Kindle Paperwhite has (and with double the storage space of the previous entry-level model). Amazon’s well-stocked ebooks store remains its biggest selling point, along with the ease of checking out library books via Libby and sending them directly to a Kindle.

Even if you don’t have time for pleasure reading on your trip, it’s worth investing in a Kindle because many major travel guides are available in fully searchable ebook formats now. Furthermore, e-texts will also work on your phone, tablet, and computer, thanks to the Kindle ecosystem.

Packable daypack

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack

A pack that fits in your palm.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your luggage or coat pocket, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, we think you’ll prefer one of our more-structured picks.

Packing a stowable daypack, one that stuffs down to fit in your luggage when not in use, is a relatively small investment of space in exchange for a high return of function and flexibility. After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack we recommend. Packed up, it is very discreet: nearly the size of a keychain accessory.

The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, which means it’s very light and water-resistant. It has reinforced stitching at stress points, allowing the Ultra-Sil to carry more weight than you would expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially when compared with our more structured picks.

If comfort or waterproofing is important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel .

Field Notes Memo Books

For ultimate portability.

Field Notes are cheap but contain high-quality paper that earns praise from pen and stationery geeks across the web.

For writing your adventures as you travel, you can’t beat the portability, practicality, and romanticism of a pocket notebook. There’s nothing better in that category than Field Notes (three-packs available in a variety of styles and types ). These pocket-sized notebooks are widely praised for their excellent paper quality, and the Pen Addict’s Brad Dowdy tells me “Field Notes is pretty much the runaway pocket notebook champ.” Dowdy has praised it for the lack of feathering or bleedthrough with almost any pen, as well as for the light brown ruled lines, which are easier to write over than solid black. Austin Smith of Art Supply Critic told us in an email that his recommendation is “Field Notes has it, no question.” The Well-Appointed Desk has reviewed a slew of different Field Notes variants for those looking for something a bit more interesting.

Field Notes Expedition

A weather-resistant option.

Weather-resistant Expedition Field Notes are great if you’re writing in wet conditions, but don’t get them if you don’t need them. The synthetic paper feels weird and can cause some inks to smear.

If you think you’re going to be writing in foul weather, Field Notes also has the waterproof Expedition version with pages made from a synthetic water-and-tear resistant paper. You should only get these if you really need them, because otherwise, they just feel unnaturally slick and are more prone to smearing ink. At least one user has said that the paper shows less soaking through when wet than the similar Rite in the Rain books . The one caveat is that the synthetic paper will only work with pencils and certain inks ; thankfully, the Uni-ball Jetstream RT , our pick for best pen , definitely makes the grade.

Things can go wrong while you’re traveling, both where you are and where you’re not. Though you can’t prepare for every worst-case scenario, the peace of mind that a little bit of preparation grants will allow you to focus on what’s in front of you, instead of having to worry about what could go wrong. But preparation doesn’t simply mean buying more stuff just in case; it also means making efficient use of what you already have.

Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit

For the best combination of sewing tools.

The Merchant & Mills Rapid Repair Kit is the only travel kit we found that had objectively high-quality thread and scissors.

There’s nothing quite like a wardrobe malfunction to put a damper on vacation, especially when traveling with limited clothing. A good travel-size sewing kit allows you to mend a popped button or ripped seam on the fly—or even tackle more pressing issues like fixing a tent, sleeping bag, or backpack. After 15 hours of research, interviews with sewing teachers and avid home sewers, and tests of six travel and full-size kits, we found the Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit had by far the best tools and was the easiest to keep organized. Standard travel sewing kits usually contain mediocre thread and plastic-handled scissors that break easily. They can also be hard to keep organized (a truth we confirmed when testing six top-rated travel and full-sized kits). The Merchant & Mills set was the only one that had high-quality thread, all-metal mini scissors (don’t worry, the TSA shouldn’t stop you ), and a durable tin case (about the size of a deck of cards) to keep everything well organized.

Because the sewing pins are neatly stuck into paper inside a slim envelope and the three needles are housed in a mini glass vial, this kit also limits the risk of losing a sharp object in your bags. We found the Merchant & Mills needles easier to thread than others (no need for a fussy needle threader!) and we also like the vintage-looking safety pins that come clipped together along with two small white buttons. Although this kit only comes with black and white thread, the thread is strong and there’s more of it than you’d get in a flimsier set with shorter strands of multiple colors. We do think it would be nice if the kit included a more durable measuring tape than the paper one included, but overall everything about this kit is leagues ahead of anything else we considered. We didn’t find editorial reviews for any of the kits we tested, but the Merchant & Mills rapid repair kit was recommended by several sewing bloggers and is sold in many reputable indie fabric shops.

Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

The best umbrella for most people.

This is a solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella that holds up in high winds. It also comes in a variety of colors.

price may vary by color or style

An umbrella you take traveling should be small, light, sturdy, and affordable. After putting in 66 hours of research and evaluating a total of 48 umbrellas across five rounds of testing (including one thunder-snowstorm), we found that the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is the best umbrella for most people. Its durable, nine-rib construction held up admirably against gale-force winds, and it’s as sturdy as umbrellas that sell for more than twice as much.

The Repel folds up to an 11½-inch long, 14-ounce package that fits easily into most bags and glove boxes. And it forcefully expands at a touch of a button to reveal an ample 37-inch-diameter canopy that protects your head and torso from precipitation in all but the windiest of conditions. Its lengthy, textured handle is easy to grip for hands of all sizes. We also appreciate that the Repel comes in a wide variety of colors, so it’s easier to pick yours out of a crowded umbrella bucket. Finally, despite its affordable price, it’s backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee, but only if you purchase directly from Repel and register the item under the company’s warranty.

Packing method for clothes

While packing cubes and other organization tools are helpful for maximizing your bag’s usable space, efficient packing is also achievable without the aid of tools and compartments. One Bag’s Doug Dyment tried all manners of folding aids and compression products but was unsatisfied with their claims of compression and wrinkle prevention. Frustrated, he developed his own method of packing clothes compactly called the Bundle Method, which he’s used and perfected over several decades of traveling.

The Bundle Method involves layering your shirts and pants at opposing angles on a flat surface, then wrapping them around a small “core” parcel (e.g. a packing cube full of underwear and socks). We won’t get into details, but Dyment does on his website ; you can watch this easy-to-follow video from NBC . The resulting bundle is compact and has no sharp creases that will require ironing out later on. Additionally, Dyment explains that “the slight tension created in the fabric by the wrapping process, along with the anchoring of the resulting bundle, greatly reduces the chances of wrinkling.” You then put it in your bag and use the tie-down straps to provide just enough pressure to keep it together.

While simple to perform, this packing method isn’t something you can master in one go. It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it, it’s like riding a bike. The downside is that you can’t just leave your clothing packed and expect to be able to access your underwear without fully unpacking your clothes first. But unpacking is a good habit to get into anyway, as it allows your clothes to breathe and avoid wrinkles or mildew. Wirecutter founder and frequent traveler Brian Lam says that unpacking the moment he enters a room has a grounding effect that allows him to feel a bit more at home in a new environment.

If this sounds like too much of a hassle for you, you can do what we did before we found out about bundling: roll up your socks and underwear tightly and place them in packing cubes, then put your wrinkle-prone items (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, jackets) in a garment folder—we used the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Garment Folder . This is also travel guru Rob King’s preferred method of packing. Though the garment folder is not quite as space-efficient as the bundle method due to the added bulk of the folder and folding board, the plastic backboard does go a long way towards preventing wrinkles. Just be aware that if you leave your clothes in there for longer than a day, they’ll begin to develop unsightly creases that require an iron to get rid of.

A big thank-you to the Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland, Oregon, for lending us a suite to use for the photos in this guide.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guide

Wirecutter Staff

Mentioned above

• The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L is our backpack pick for most travelers. We also have picks for other travelers, including those who want to carry a bit more. The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks  
• After 10 years of airport dashes and overhead-compartment stashes, the Travelpro Platinum Elite is still the suitcase we want to carry. The Best Carry-On Luggage  
• The Waterfield Air Porter Carry-On Bag is a great bag for tech-carrying travelers to slide under an airplane seat. We also have options for other travelers. The Best Underseat Luggage and Personal-Item Bags  
• After researching 30 models, we found that Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner is the best suitcase for most travelers who check bags. The Best Suitcases for Checking  
• We chose five luggage tags that will help you identify your belongings in a sea of similar suitcases. The Best Luggage Tags  
• After researching and traveling with packing cubes for more than five years, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set is what we keep in our luggage. The Best Packing Cubes  

Further reading

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

Air Travel Is Chaos. This Gear Will Help Get You Through the Exasperating Delays.

These things don’t make your flight take off any faster, but they can make the wait a little more tolerable.

The Best Gear for Your Road Trips

After hundreds of hours of research and 1,500 miles behind the wheel, we’ve singled out the gear that’s absolutely essential for your next journey on the open road.

The Best Travel Pillow

After testing eight travel pillows on four red-eye flights in window, aisle, and middle seats, we think the Travelrest Ultimate is the best for most travelers.

The Hack That Will Solve All Your Overpacking Woes

Create your own travel capsule wardrobe with this easy formula from wardrobe expert wendy mak..

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A travel capsule wardrobe is one of the most efficient, and stylish, ways to pack light.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Packing is one of my least-favorite aspects of travel. I tend to overpack, especially when it comes to footwear, and I often wear only half of what I bring or leave behind one key item.

Enter Wendy Mak, stylist and author of the book The Capsule Wardrobe: 1,000 Outfits From 30 Pieces . Wendy, who’s based in Australia, loves to travel, so it’s no surprise that she also has a travel-packing philosophy.

She shared what a capsule wardrobe really is, how to translate it to travel, and how she packs for trips so that you (and I!) can lighten our load and focus on what really matters: traveling.

OK, so the original idea of a capsule wardrobe is 30 pieces = 1,000 outfits. How does that translate to the suitcase?

You can have different capsules for different occasions. So you can have a work capsule, you can have a weekend capsule—the principle and the philosophy is the same.

Take a few really classic, basic items, make that 80 percent of the base of your wardrobe, and then in that last 20 percent you want to have accessories, fun pieces of clothing, accent colors—stuff that adds the jazz and the fun to your basic minimal pieces. And that’s the same philosophy for travel.

The great thing about a travel capsule wardrobe is that you can make it as large or as compact as you wish. The formula is simple: Multiply the number of tops by the number of bottoms you plan to bring, and that’s the number of outfits you’ll be able to create, as long as every top coordinates with every bottom . That’s the key.

As an example, you could literally travel with nothing more than six tops and four bottoms, and that will give you 24 great outfits, as long as all 10 pieces work together. If you add two or three jackets that you can layer on top, you’ll be able to create even more options.

To work out the number of outfits I’ll realistically need to get through a holiday, I start by thinking about how many nights I’ll be away, and then I consider things like access to laundromats. Then I think about how many of those outfits need to be formal or whether I’m kicking about on the beach, with just a handful of casual nights out.

How do you decide on a color palette?

Generally speaking, I’d say stay in the neutrals. Most of the time, I will say have a black or a dark color. Black may not be your choice. It might be charcoal, it might be gray, it might be navy—but you’ll have a darker sort of colorway as one of your core main colors for the 80 percent.

And then you’ll have a neutral. So whether that’s white, off-white, cream, khaki . . . whatever it is that best suits you and what you love most, you’ll have that. And then you can have another sort of base color, which might be a denim. If you are already doing a black, you might introduce a navy or a gray. So [those are] essentially three to four base colors that you’d be looking for.

Say you’re about to head out on a trip to a warm-weather place. How do you decide what to bring?

As a general rule of thumb, if I’m going away for a seven-night beach holiday, I’d pack two to three pieces of swimwear (so that they have time to dry in between), a pair of shorts and a couple of skirts, four tops that match all my shorts and skirts, and a dress in case I go somewhere special.

This will usually get me through the whole holiday as I can create at least 13 outfits from these eight pieces. If it’s a place that gets a bit cooler at night, I may throw in a light sweater or pants and maybe a couple of beach cover-ups.

I personally would suggest separates over dresses because you get a lot more wear out of separates. You can mix and match a lot more. So I would probably pack a lot more shorts and tees and shirts.

Generally speaking, you won’t get a lot of wear out of dresses. And I think that one of the things that people do tend to fall into the trap of—you know, especially for beach holidays—is packing a lot of dresses, and you only get one or two wears out of those.

What if you’re going to a place with unpredictable weather?

Layers are key. Light layers, such as a long-sleeved tee and a long-line cardigan or sweater, make it easy to adapt quickly to weather changes. Look for pieces in light, thin fabrics, which give you the ability to layer without looking bulky.

Shoes are the toughest thing for me to pare down. How many shoes do you recommend packing?

I love shoes, so I understand your dilemma. The reality, though, is that we rarely wear every pair we bring. If you’re going for a holiday where you’ll be doing a healthy amount of sightseeing and going out to dinner, I’d plan to bring one really good pair of walking shoes, a slightly dressier pair of flat shoes that you can wear to casual drinks, and a pair of heels or wedges for more formal nights out.

I work out quite a bit, so I try to find a gym wherever I travel. So I do pack a pair of trainers or sneakers that double up for both of those. So I can do my gym workout, but I can also go sightseeing and wear them with, you know, a pair of trousers or a pair of shorts, and I don’t feel like it looks totally out of place. The brand On is a footwear in that category. [It] tends to bridge that gap between fashion and being practical.

For a beach holiday, I’d bring a pair of flat sandals for daytime, a pair of beach shoes (rubber thongs or similar), and a pair of wedge sandals for nights out.

From a travel sandal perspective, it’s really important to have a comfy sandal that you can walk in and dress up; you can wear it with a dress and with trousers and shorts. Twoobs sandals —I tried them fresh out of the box when I went to India and I walked for days across all sorts of terrain. And India, you know, the streets are uneven, it was monsoon season, so it was wet, and I did not get one blister. It was just the most amazing pair of sandals.

Checked bag or carry-on?

I am a checked-bag person, and that’s because I hate fighting for luggage space. I’d rather just check my bag and not have to worry about that. I will say, though, if I was traveling for a long period and doing lots of different individual flights, and in countries where I’m not really sure if my luggage is going to make it, I would probably make a real effort to try and do a carry-on.

What did you bring on your last trip?

My India trip was one where I packed a lot of separates because it is still quite humid and warm there, despite it being monsoon season. [I brought] a rain jacket, but I did also pack a couple of dresses.

I think I had maybe two, three pairs of shorts—no more than that. One or two pairs of trousers. And that was mainly for the airport, for the airplane travel, rather than for wearing on the ground. I had three or four shirts, a couple of tank tops.

I did pack one thin jumper just in case, ’cause I knew that sometimes indoors in India, they really bump up the AC. So I thought I’d better pack that. And then I had about three or four dresses. So yeah, it wasn’t a crazy amount. And that was for about 10 days.

Are you a roller or a folder?

I am a combo. I roll anything that’s crush-free that I can roll and doesn’t wrinkle; I put that on the very bottom of my suitcase. And then I fold anything that is a little bit less crush-proof. So if I’ve got shirts—I travel with a lot of collared shirts—and dresses, anything like that, I will try to fold minimally.

If it’s a shirt, I might tuck in the sleeve and then fold it in, flip it in half, and that’s all the folding I’m going to do. And then I place that very gently on top of all my rolled items. So I’m kind of a combo of both.

What about packing cubes?

I find everything gets super crushed in them. And then I am not, I also find I lose a lot of things in the packing cube. It’s kind of like the handbag, where you just throw a lot of things into it and you never know what’s at the bottom.

How has the travel capsule wardrobe changed the way you travel?

A travel capsule wardrobe makes it fast and easy to pack. Traveling light means you spend less time worrying about what to bring and can halve your current packing time. This leaves more time to focus on the fun aspects of your trip.

This article was originally published in 2017 and most recently updated on September 27, 2024, with current information.