Graco Modes Pramette

Thread: "Can someone de-influence me from the Uppababy Stroller?"

Graco Modes has held up wonderfully and we are 14 months in! For reference, I walk daily because I’m a health nut and I take baby with me unless it’s frigid. Graco stroller has been awesome. I do also have a Baby Jogger that I bought used and it’s for running purposes only. Love the sturdy wheels on that thing, even though I bought it on marketplace. Just saying, you’ve got options!

Thread: "What stroller did you get? "

I have a graco modes stroller and really loved it through all stages (newborn-toddler). It lays flat for newborns, can forward or rear face, accepts a graco car seat without any extra attachments and you can also take the seat out of the stroller completely so that it’s just a car seat carrier (if that makes sense?) I’m not a fan of splurging on something when the cheaper brands are still very very good and graco has not let me down. I just had our second baby and got a graco duo glider off marketplace for $40.

Thread: "Baby strollers…is it really worth spending $500?"

NECESSARY no, nice, yes. We started with an inexpensive Graco travel system because I also couldn't imagine paying any exorbitant amount of money for a stroller, thinking they're basically all the same. I started daily walks with baby when she was about two weeks old and the quality made a noticeable difference: it could not handle the bumps and grooves of our sidewalks, often waking baby up and making the walk uncomfortable for us both. I had significant tearing after delivery and its difficulty to maneuver made a hard adjustment to being active again even worse. A few months after baby was born, we upgraded to the Uppababy Vista - it came with a price tag that would have made me do a spit-take a few years ago, but damn if it wasn't worth it. It holds up beautifully to long walks - with my first as a single, as a double once her sister came along, and throughout all of COVID lockdown once multi-hour walks became our lifeline. The ride is smooth, the sunvisors are really big and made me feel like babies were always protected regardless of the weather, and the big basket underneath is really useful for carting all the junk that accumulates with multiple kids. We're expecting baby #3 in February and I've already told my husband he'll be on toddler duty because I can't wait to take long winter walks with what is likely our final babe. If you don't think you'll be walking a lot, I would understand not springing for it - for me, it was undeniably worth it.

Thread: "The overwhelming world of strollers"

We used the Graco modes travel system and going on 2 years and we still love it. Some things to consider How often will you be using it? We live in a more suburban area so all travel is done by car. We can’t and don’t walk anywhere so a very expensive stroller wouldn’t be worth the usage rate. It’s mostly used at stores or places like the zoo. What type of road? Our road happens to be gravel and no sidewalks so we had to consider what kind of tires made sense for gravel for neighborhood walks. Yes there are some GORGEOUS expensive strollers that people love but for us, we wouldn’t be using it nearly enough to justify the cost. If we lived in a city where we walked almost everywhere I wouldn’t bat an eye at spending in the thousands for a stroller but in our weird suburb/rural combo area it would be the biggest waste of money

Thread: "First time parents - Uppababy or Graco?"

Those are complete different ends of the spectrum in price though I wouldn’t really be able to compare the two.

Thread: "Please just tell me what stroller to buy"

The Graco Modes Nest Travel System. https://a.co/d/9sHfohJ I love mine!!

Thread: "FTM. How’s my registry? I’m using a diaper fund also. Stroller, car seat, and bottle washer are private."

This is good advice. I’ll look at some graco ones. Do you think the crib I have listed is a safe brand option? Or should I look into maybe a Graco one too? Thank you so much

Thread: "Anyone with a sedan- what stroller are you using that fits in your trunk?"

Whatever Graco one came with my car seat fit great! It was on the cheaper end of stroller combos.

Thread: "Did anyone regret their stroller purchase? [ab]"

I have a Graco modes and I can’t stand it. It is good for the mall or whatever, but I cannot use it outside, I get taken out by a crack in the sidewalk. I ended up getting a bob double jogger for school runs, and now that my kids are getting big enough that I only need one stroller spot, I cannot bring myself to go back to the Graco. I’ve been looking into seeing if anyone local wants to trade their bob single for my Bob double.

Thread: "Can someone de-influence me from the Uppababy Stroller?"

I also have the Graco Modes. My 6 week old loves the bassinet mode for our walks and the car seat is highly rated. The trend is not worth the additional money.

Thread: "Please help me find an alternative to the UppaBaby Vista for really petty reasons"

We plan to get the Graco Modes Pramette travel system. You can use the infant seat or the toddler seat converts to a bassinet. We mostly would be using it on sidewalks and get more rain than snow so I think it will work fine for us. If you want something like the UppaBaby and are okay with the cost them my husband and I both really like the Cybex Gazelle, based on in-store tests. I've heard good things about it from others too.

Thread: "What is your honest review of the Graco Nest Travel System? [bc]"

We have the Graco Modes Pramette system, which I think is just a teeny bit of a higher price point than the Nest. My husband was very resistant to spending much money on a stroller so that’s the one we ended up buying. I used it for a year and didn’t like it — it was extremely bumpy on city sidewalks (my coffee always spilled all over the place in the cup holder), and it needs to be steered 2 handed. It felt very cheap and rickety to me, the frame felt squeaky and loose. My husband used it for a week during the summer and absolutely hated it. We went and replaced it with a City Select 2, I wish we had just done that from the beginning. I will say that the click connect with the car seat is really nice, but you can also just buy adapters to attach the car seat to other strollers.

Thread: "Does anyone have a Graco or Chicco stroller that you particularly love?"

I have the Graco Modes travel system and have been very happy with it. But I’m easy to please with strollers. Don’t need bells and whistles. Just an infant seat that clicks in and a bassinet/toddler seat option as well. It has met my needs completely. Only thing I wish was that I’d gotten one that transitions to a double. Otherwise I’m 100% happy with it.

Thread: "Stroller recommendations for city living?"

We had the Graco Pramette and we were recommending it to everyone... until the winter... when the front wheels stopped going in the right direction and the back axle started squeaking. Now it makes tons of annoying noises. I ended up getting an Uppababy on Facebook Marketplace. I only wish I had done it sooner.

Thread: "Can someone de-influence me from the Uppababy Stroller?"

We love our Graco travel system! So easy to snap the car seat out of the car and into the stroller!

Thread: "Strollers?"

I'm pretty sure I blacked out and hit "add to cart". So now we have the Graco Modes Pramette Travel System. Baby is due in October, so I didn't really have any reviews. But it was easy to put together at least.

Thread: "Thoughts on Graco Modes Travel System vs. UppaBaby Vista/Cruz?"

I was torn between these exact two strollers for the exact same reasons (Toronto but not downtown, can’t drive etc). We went for Graco Modes and I regret it every day! Clunky, I don’t find it easy to put the carseat attachment on (although it is easy to fold) and I hate the wheels - it feels so rickety especially on uneven terrain (parks etc). I get so jealous when I see moms gliding around effortlessly with the Uppababy lol - I suggest paying the extra!

Thread: "The overwhelming world of strollers"

Type of roads/walkways and tires are key! We initially got a cheaper Graco system but found that the plastic wheels did not work for the uneven sidewalks in our area and upgraded to a trail stroller (we also live near a major dirt walking trail so it made sense)

Thread: "Strollers, I'm so lost"

It's okay if you don't find the one (or two) perfect strollers. We started with a Graco travel system, which was great for taking a new baby out to places via car and for walks on even sidewalks. When our baby was about 6 months old, I bought a used Chicco Keyfit Caddy for $20 for a trip since we used a Chicco keyfit carseat in my husband's car and the caddy folds fairly small compared with the Graco. When our baby was a bit bigger, we bought a cheap umbrella stroller for an airplane trip, then last summer when she was one I purchased a used Bob Revolution jogging stroller for a 5K run (the stroller was about $80 and in very good condition). We've since donated the Chicco and Graco strollers and carseats to a refugee resettlement group. We currently have just the Bob and the umbrella stroller and our toddler is two. When I was pregnant, I wouldn't have considered a used stroller... but by the time I was running the 5K, it seemed like a no-brainer. My advice- buy a stroller new that meets most of your needs for a newborn and then consider getting a different stroller when your needs change. You can either sell or donate strollers that don't work for you anymore... and consider buying used because it is better for the environment and cheaper.

Thread: "I have also been assigned a task! To find a stroller/car seat system. Thoughts? Experience?"

Not sure why you got downvoted. We have a planned c-section in 2 weeks and decided on [a similar Graco travel system](https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B079PM75WW) for under $300.

Thread: "What do I get with luxury/expensive strollers (uppababy, Nuna) over affordable ones (Chicco, Graco)"

We have a Graco Extend2Fit and like it more than our Rava. The Rava straps get twisted nearly every damn day.

Thread: "Confused by strollers, what do you recommend?"

I have one of the graco modes travel systems. Can't remember which one exactly as I bought it 1.5 years ago. But the infant bucket seat can be attached directly onto the stroller, which is so nice if baby fell asleep in the car seat and you need the stroller. It rides really smooth. Graco also has great deals sometimes. I got the stroller, the infant bucket seat, and the car base for under 300 bucks. Im 4'9 so being super small, it was important that I could easily lift the stroller into my suv too and I'm able to with ease.

Thread: "Please help me find an alternative to the UppaBaby Vista for really petty reasons"

Seconding the Graco Modes line - we have the Nest because it has the pram option and three adjustable heights for the seat and 6 orientation options. My husband is 6'6 and I didn't want him bending over in half to pick up the baby. We love the travel system and the price tag.

Thread: "Did anyone regret their stroller purchase? [ab]"

I regretted my Graco and ended up buying a Cruz V2 and love it. I’m using it on my second baby and the board attachment for my 3 year old has been amazing. I’m in AB too and it’s been great in snow.

Thread: "What travel system to buy? Expecting a baby in October [ON]"

Skip the travel system, find the stroller you really like. Get an inexpensive bucket seat that goes with your stroller but actually is light and compact. The best car seat is the one the fits in your vehicle. I had a graco carsest and it was soooo light! And lots of babies grow out of bucket seats so fast. So save your money because the next car seat up is more expensive.

Thread: "The overwhelming world of strollers"

I have the Graco modes jogger travel system and I like it! I think it really depends on how much you’ll be using it and where. I’m really glad that I didn’t go over the top on mine because I literally only use it to walk around the neighborhood, and I stopped using the infant seat with it really early on because she preferred to lie in the big part (she only tolerates her car seat when she’s actually in the car) I don’t take it anywhere, I hate hauling it around and trying to navigate around with it and luckily both the baby and I love baby wearing so it didn’t really end up being the big pivotal decision I thought it would be. I HIGHLY recommend finding a baby gear store and actually pushing them. I never would have thought to get a jogger when I was doing my online research (lol I’m not jogging) but when I went to the store I really liked how easy it was to assemble/disassemble, I liked the size and the cup/phone holders, and I loved how it felt to push around.

Thread: "Is there anything wrong with Graco?"

FTM here too, so I haven't used any of my baby items yet, but I got the Graco travel system (I think it's the one you mentioned), Graco pack n play, and a Graco crib. It wasn't intentional 😂 but all of those items fit my budget and had good reviews so it made sense. Hopefully they work well.

Thread: "New parent question: Are stroller over $500 really worth it? Is a more expensive stroller always better?"

I’m highly suggest seeing what you can get second hand. We put a graco stroller on our registry since it was on the cheaper end so didn’t feel like someone would be spending too much on us. It was a convertible one do had a pram or seat. We got it and I hated it, not enough structure to feel like my baby was secure and comfortable. We ended up returning it and getting an uppababy from fb marketplace and we love it. New they go for upwards of 1500, we got it for 450 in great condition.

Thread: "Did anyone regret their stroller purchase? [ab]"

The Graco modes sucks for outside! I also have it, it’s 8 months old and beginning to rust!

Thread: "Looking for recommendations for a stroller/car seat combo that won't break the bank."

I have the Graco modes to grow, but they have smaller models that will also hold the carseat. It's super convenient, affordable, and I'm about to be using it for baby number two.

Thread: "First time parents - Uppababy or Graco?"

I've owned a few strollers (yay fb marketplace enabling my stroller problems lol) and have used a few friend's strollers as well. I have two kiddos 13.5 months apart (currently 2yo and 1yo) Here's my two cents: \- A friends Graco Modes stroller is one of my least favourite strollers I have ever come in contact with. Yeah sure great convenience with the carseat... but when the seat is in bassinet mode, the massive stroller basket is really hard to access and you have to remove the bassinet to get friend's equally ginormous diaper bag in and out of the stroller. It steers like a tank and is not an easy push (in comparison to other strollers I have owned or currently own). The wheels are not great for anything other than paved paths and indoors. \- I've never owned a travel system. Largely personal preference; I don't find infant bucket seats to be all that convenient. It's such a pain lugging that thing around all the time. I much prefer having a SollyBaby wrap carrier that basically lives on my body and can just pop baby into it whenever needed. When both baby and I are ready for some freedom from that, the baby is ready for the toddler seat. Ditto for when kid number two comes along; toddler goes in stroller seat and baby gets worn in the carrier for at least the first three months. **You will use your stroller way longer than your baby will fit into a bucket seat. Love your stroller first and foremost.** \- Consider buying your first stroller used (hello fb marketplace) and getting a brand new carseat that works with adapters for that stroller. It's really hard to know what features are important for your particular lifestyle and needs until you actually have a baby and a stroller in your life, so if you don't spend the big bucks on your first stroller it's easy to sell it and upgrade down the road as your needs change or your needs become clearer. \- I have a single-to-double inline stroller, and our needs outgrew its usefulness in some aspects. We nap kids on the go A LOT, and we are at a point where if one kid is awake they intentionally disturb the seat of the other and make it difficult for the other one to nap. We picked up a side-by-side stroller recently and absolutely adore it. **Highly recommend both a single stroller and a dedicated double stroller for when you have two kids, so don't be afraid to commit to a single stroller now.** Also, the side-by-side double takes up slightly less useable cargo space in the back of my SUV compared to the single-to-double. It folds flatter, so I can pack things around it better than I can when I have the single-to-double in the back of my vehicle. If I lived in the city (we are very rural and need an all-terrain stroller 90% of the time) I'd personally be leaning towards owning a BabyJogger City Select and maybe a BabyJogger City Mini GT for the fast and light single stroller that can also handle a bit of terrain.

Thread: "New parent question: Are stroller over $500 really worth it? Is a more expensive stroller always better?"

I ended up getting the graco prammette system. Pretty practical travel system, the bassinet turns into a seat once baby gets bigger and you can use the car seat on it. I do like it and we will be using it until baby grows out of it but there are some things I don’t love about it. The bassinet part seems a little wobbly? It has one main connection to the stroller and it’s in the middle so sometimes it felt like it moved up and down too much when my baby was a newborn. It’s also really annoying to unfold, the clasp to lock and unlock it from folded position is on the side and it’s kinda of hard to unfold. You have to set it against the floor or there’s too much pressure on the latch and it won’t unclip. Honestly I’m the only one who can do it without needing to put it on the ground. My mom can’t unfold it and my husband struggles with it. It’s also kind of a weird bulky shape and way to big to fold with the prammette portion and only folds with it attached if it’s in toddler seat mode

Thread: "New parent question: Are stroller over $500 really worth it? Is a more expensive stroller always better?"

This is probably the most honest and accurate review on here about this. It absolutely depends on your needs. As someone who lives in Phoenix, I am incredibly happy with my Graco Modes Nest Travel System 3-in-1. The stroller turns into a pramette or you can pop the car seat right into it, and when baby is older it sits them down so they can people watch! But I hardly ever use it during the summer. No way am I walking anywhere in the summer, unless it's inside the children's museum or something. And this city is sprawled out, you have to first get in your car and then get the stroller out once you get there. If I lived in a city like New York, where everybody walks and the city lends itself to better public transportation, yeah I would've splurged for a higher-end stroller/stroller system. The truth is I'm not using it every day, and I definitely don't use it for a pretty big chunk of the summer, and it fit my needs, so I'm happy. I will say that the popular choice in my neck of the woods wasn't the Vista anything, but the Doona. A lot of people like to get out of the heat during summer and the Doona boasts being a great traveling stroller. Frankly, to me it was not worth the price just for being able to collapse into the wheels and be used as a car seat, but again it fits others needs, so no judgement.

Thread: "Can someone de-influence me from the Uppababy Stroller?"

i also have the graco modes travel system & love it!! its super easy & has a little space underneath which is perfect for my bag. i love the cup & phone holders too. i think it definitely gets the job done & i dont ever think “oh i wish i got XYZ”.

Thread: "Can someone de-influence me from the Uppababy Stroller?"

I used the Graco stroller attachment when my little one was in the infant car seat, and then we switched to a cheap umbrella stroller a few months ago (she’s almost 9 months old now). We also have a stroller wagon, but it doesn’t actually get used often 🥲

Thread: "What (realistically priced) strollers are good these days?"

We have the Graco travel system stroller (3 in 1) and it included the infant car seat. Car seat position, bassinet, and toddler. We also have the keenz stroller which I love for packing a bunch to take with us on a long outing, and lastly a light weight umbrella stroller for short little things around town.

Thread: "Can someone de-influence me from the Uppababy Stroller?"

Graco gang here too! I walk with it for 45 minutes around the neighborhood daily and it is still great at almost five months in. Helped a ton with my colicky baby!

Thread: "First time parents - Uppababy or Graco?"

Not sure if you would be interested, but we have the Graco Modes travel system, which has a stroller and car seat, but the toddler seat can be converted to a lovely flat bassinet. We are into month 6 with this system and we love everything about it.

Thread: "The overwhelming world of strollers"

We will be driving quite a bit to get to places and we have side walks and will be trying to take walks often for sure . Definitely a lot of things to consider 😵‍💫

Thread: "Stroller Recommendations"

I have a graco travel system. It was around $300 for the car seat, stroller and base. It has turned out to be one of those purchases that was unfortunately worth the higher price tag. I recommend going to a store like walmart or target but specifically a more upscale one where the display strollers are not locked down. Push them around, lift them, play with the buttons, etc then search for that specific model second hand.

Thread: "Strollers - what did you wish you knew before you bought?"

So for our first we got an affordable stroller/car seat set from Costco (Graco click and connect, I think) and I would highly suggest something like that to start. It comes with a bucket car seat which just pops on to the stroller so it makes it so easy to transfer the baby from the car to the stroller for outings/walks. Once they’re big enough you can use the stroller without the car seat too. I would not shell out for a fancy or specialized stroller before the baby has been born. I would wait until they’re here and you can see how it’s going with the cheaper one because there’s a good chance it will be good enough for you anyway. It was for us for a long time! But it will depend on your baby and your specific needs/lifestyle whether or not you’ll want or need a more specialized stroller. And your wants/needs/lifestyle are going to change once the baby is here and not necessarily in a way you can predict. You might end up wanting a jogging stroller, needing a good quality umbrella stroller if you take public transit or travel a lot, a double stroller if you end up having a second baby in the next couple years, etc. So yeah unless you have money to burn I would just start with a basic car seat/stroller set and then go from there. Edit to add: if you get a bucket seat/stroller combo I would get it new because of the car seat. If you’re getting just a stroller second hand is great!

Thread: "First time parents - Uppababy or Graco?"

If you get the Graco Modes Nest you get a bassinet that converts to a toddler seat and includes the carseat. And all for a third of the uppababy price. Gracos click and connect is super convenient and their car seat is lightweight. My 1 year old still fits in her infant car seat because the weight and height limits are fairly high. Also the convertable seat is very handy for on the go diaper changes!

Thread: "Anyone with a sedan- what stroller are you using that fits in your trunk?"

Is it the graco-modes travel system? We have that one, and it fits well in my civic!

Thread: "I have also been assigned a task! To find a stroller/car seat system. Thoughts? Experience?"

If you want a hiking stroller, I would spend your money on that and get a cheaper travel system like the Chicco Bravo or Graco Click and Connect. The reason is that you're only going to use an infant seat for so long. The Chicco Keyfit 30 is rated to 30 inches or 30 lbs, which ever the baby hits first. If you have a big baby or an early sprouter, that can come up fast. You also aren't going to be wanting to lug around a 25lb kid in a car seat that weights 10lbs by itself. Plus some babies just hate the infant seat and need to be moved to a convertible seat really early. So I would only spend Uppababy money if you are a) definitely going to have multiple kids or b) will still have a use for the non-jogging stroller or c) you can afford to spend that money on something you end up using for like a month then never again.

Thread: "What stroller did you get? "

I got this travel system as a gift. Works well, no complaints. Baby seems safe and secure.

Thread: "Our Uppababy vista 2 arrived today. As a frugal and over-thinker, I am having second thoughts. "

I feel like I can really comment on this as I have both the graco modes neat and the uppababy! I got the graco first as it was cheaper and I had read online that it was a great stroller and pram. Let me tell you, I absolutely HATED it. Now that was huge and bulky. It was soo hard to fold it. In fact, I was never able to and always had my husband do it. I needed Superman muscles in order to fold it. In addition to that, the pram feature had zero under support and even tilted down where the baby’s head lays. No amount of adjusting and readjusting fixed the issue. One day after a doctor’s appointment, I told my husband fuck it, we are running into Nordstrom and getting a new stroller. It was between the Nuna and Uppababy, but we ultimately landed on the Uppababy. Compared to the Graco, it’s soo much smoother and easier to fold and switch between pram or stroller system. My husband and I have gone out for coffee and I’m always the one to fold the stroller and put it in the car (super easy). On top of that, pushing baby around the neighborhood feels like a smoother ride and he sleeps the entire time. Even my husband has commented how much its glide is smoother. Anyways, I’m running on 4 hours of sleep, so if I missed anything you might be concerned about, feel free to ask :).

Thread: "Stroller/Car Seat Recs?"

Graco modes nest! Super easy and simple to use. I originally bought the evenflo pivot modular and it was such a nightmare

Thread: "Strollers?"

A lot will depend on your use case. Do you walk a lot? On what types of sidewalks? City sidewalks? Or are you looking for something that will be convenient for running errands? My kid is 3.5 and we’ve had 4 strollers. We live in the city and have walked at least 2 miles a day on city/bumpy sidewalks since she was 4 months old. Below are the ones we’ve used: 1. Doona: great for the early days and any travel under 1 year. Was not great for city sidewalks but so wonderful for running errands. We flew at 7 and 12 months and it was amazing for that as we didn’t have to bring both a car seat and stroller to the destination. 2. Graco modes: this was the one we registered for and we used as the primary for 2 years. It is good for smooth surfaces but did not stand up well to our bumpy surfaces. My 6’2” husband also didn’t like that it didn’t like the handlebar height. 3. gbPockit umbrella stroller: this is a great travel stroller once my kid outgrew the Doona. It lives in my car for errands and fits in an overhead bin for air travel 4. Thule Spring: this is what we replaced the Graco with. It is our *absolute favorite*. The wheels are forgiving on city streets, it’s compact and lightweight. We did a lot of research on this one and chose it over the BabyJogger City Mini because its cargo area was better and it stands upright on its own.

Thread: "What stroller did you get? "

So not sure where you are, but here in Canada all the car seat techs suggest finding a car seat that works for your car, and then finding a stroller that works for that car seat. I didn't know that when we bought our travel system. We have the evenflo pivot system, and while the bucket seat it came with does fit, it is very squished because of how big it is and we actually had to install it in the middle so we had enough space up front. If you have a midsize or compact car, Graco is so much more compact (in Canada at least. I'm guessing it would be similar in the US?) When we eventually have a second, we'll probably get the graco modes travel system as it has all the things we like about our evenflo, but will fit on the side seat since we won't be able to middle install with 2 car seats. What I love about the pivot is that it's basically a budget Vista. It's not as smooth a ride or as fancy, but it's similar in that the seat can fold flat into a bassinet, or fold into a toddler seat, and the seat completely comes off the frame. That makes it waaayyyyy easier to store in our trunk as there's 2 pieces and it gives us more maneuverability than if it was stuck as 1 big piece. And the frame folds up quite small, and it's relatively lightweight.

Thread: "Please help me find an alternative to the UppaBaby Vista for really petty reasons"

We have this system and love Graco! It’s a great line and very affordable