I just recently heard of the Combi brand while at a friend’s house for a multi-family get together. They have one of Combi’s walkers (the red car one) and my son just loved it! I truly wish I had found this company sooner! Imagine my excitement when I learned I would be reviewing the Combi Twin Sport double stroller and Combi Shuttle infant car seat! I’m excited to tell you about both of these great pieces of baby gear today!
While my husband and I only have one baby at the moment, we do plan to have another down the road. If you will be having two little ones born closer together, then the Combi Twin Sport may be the right stroller for you! Instead of buying a single stroller just to have to shell out more money in a year or two for a double, you can buy the Twin Sport and use the extra seat as ‘storage space’ like we do.
The Shuttle infant car seat snaps right into place (no extra adapters needed since they are built-in) on the left seat with ease, making it a travel system instantly. Unfortunately, the adapters are not on the right side as well, so mothers of twins would need to wait until they are older and can sit in the stroller without the help of the infant car seat. I have never even pushed a double stroller before trying out the Combi Twin Sport, so my experiences are completely new and unbiased. Let’s begin!
A Review of the Combi Twin Sport Stroller Travel System
Combi Shuttle Infant Car Seat
First, I want to talk to you about the Combi Shuttle Infant Car Seat. The features on this car seat are pretty impressive! check them out:
- Accommodates infants from birth to 35 lb and 33 in
- Extended seating area to fit 97% of children at one year of age
- Adjustable sliding headrest
- SafeGuard® LATCH connectors
- 5-point harness system with padding
- One-pull harness adjustment
- EZ Harness™ Height Adjustment System
- Tru-Safe® Anti-rebound Bar
- Tru-Safe® Side Impact Protection
- Ergonomically designed handle
- Easy to use level indicators
- Adjustable canopy
- Removable and washable seat cushion
- Aircraft approved
- Compatible with all Combi strollers
I must admit, we already own one infant car seat. After looking at possibly every infant car seat southern Louisiana has to offer, we both agreed that an anti-rebound bar is a must-have. We were lucky enough to receive a Britax Chaperone at our baby shower that also has an anti-rebound bar like the Shuttle, but our baby outgrew it by three months old. Not that the Chaperone doesn’t share the average 30 lbs/30 inches limits like most infant car seats, it’s just that our son is literally off the charts and is the length of a two-year-old…making virtually any infant car seat unfit.
I always accidentally wake my son when trying to sneak his sleepy head out of his convertible car seat, so I was beyond happy to learn that the Shuttle has a 35 lb and 33 inches limit! My baby boy actually fits an infant car seat again! Now, you probably wouldn’t want to lug 35 lbs (plus the car seat’s weight) every time you take the car seat in and out of the car, but it makes a world of difference to have the option to not wake your child for once.
If you don’t make it home or to your destination before they have an ‘accident’ that the diaper cannot contain, no worries – the cover is washable and comes off easily!
The strap covers come standard unlike some companies that require you to buy them separately; most people are unaware that ANY added item (yes, including strap covers that were not provided by the car seat’s manufacturer) actually void the warranty.
Babies don’t have the strengthened neck muscles that older kids have, so Combi’s Tru-Safe Side Impact Protection provides extra stability and security for those little noggins! The seat is very plush and provides a lot more padding than those I’ve seen in baby stores as well which I’m sure my son appreciates.
The 5-point harness system with padding is super easy to adjust and great for fragile hands like mine. Currently, winter has wreaked havoc on my psoriasis-covered fingers (most seasons you can’t even tell I have psoriasis) and since I’m breastfeeding, medication is not an option. It is so bad that making a simple fist results in gashes across all of my knuckles, and I dread tasks that have metal involved in some matter. Our convertible car seat doesn’t have the padding when adjusting the seat’s straps, and the metal always seems to create another gash when my fingers slip while operating it. With Combi, you just ‘press here’ and neither you or your little one has to even go near cold metal!
While I do look at the instruction manual for anything and everything, that doesn’t mean I want to have to pull it out every time I need a quick and simple answer…especially in Louisiana’s heat and humidity! I love how easy it is to find what I need help with right on the base and the bottom of the car seat (in case I don’t have the base). Warnings, written instructions, and pictures with demonstrations are easy to read and follow. Adjustments are also superbly easy and there’s even a recline indicator based on your child’s weight!
The safeguard LATCH connectors make installation very quick and painless and are truly something I believe every car seat should have. The Shuttle even has a neat compartment for you to hide (and protect!) the LATCH connectors when in storage so they aren’t just ‘dangling’. Combi truly thought of everything when manufacturing the Shuttle infant car seat!
Combi Twin Sport Double Stroller Review
Now, let’s take a look at the Twin Sport double stroller! I was so overjoyed to try out the stroller that in my rush I forgot to take pictures of it right out of the box. The stroller actually comes folded in the box; you literally just take it out, take all of the plastic and package padding off, and you’re ready to go! You couldn’t ask for an easier or quicker set up in my book. Lightweight at only 22 pounds with a carrying capacity of 45 pounds per seat, the Twin Sport will be a part of our household for years to come.
Features of the Combi Twin Sport
- Compatible with the SHUTTLE 33 to form a travel system
- Folds in 3 seconds with the 3-Second Fold®
- Fits easily through standard doorways
- 5-point harness system
- Infant safety boot
- Multi-position reclining seat
- Wide seating area
- Removable guardrail with child cup/snack holders
- Adjustable canopy with storage pocket and viewing window
- Removable and washable seat cushion
- Storage basket
- Carrying strap
The first thing I noticed was how smooth the ride was. There’s a lot of wheels it seems (but hey, it is a side-by-side double stroller) and it took a little while to unlock all of the wheels. I wish the wheel locks were longer so I could actually unlock and lock with my feet instead of bending down and doing it with my hands, but that could just be me since I have pretty big feet anyway.
The handlebar has a bar that divides it so you have the option of using single or double stroller organizers and parent trays. This is more convenient than I first realized: I can have a smaller parent tray and cup holder (if I need more than one) on one side and a larger organizer on the other, I could utilize the pockets on the stroller hoods or any combination of these. Since most diaper bags now have stroller straps, that middle bar is necessary to hang our diaper bags like I prefer.
Combi includes some accessories that other companies would require you to buy separately, which is always a plus! The Twin Sport includes a cup holder for the parent as well as a removable guardrail with three built-in child cup/snack holders. You can also remove one side or both if needed. I love that there are three because I can put my son’s bottle in one, a teether in another, and my keys in the last one. Two are within his arm’s reach and help foster his independence, while the other is easily accessible to me while out of his way.
There are also two pockets on the back of each hood for toys, bibs, or anything else you want to keep close. Paired with the adult cup holder, you won’t need to buy an extra parent console if you prefer.
Both hoods are adjustable and include viewing windows so you can peek in on your little one. You can lock the hoods in place to provide shade or fold them so curious little eyes can observe their surroundings.
I just love that the contrasting design is on the inside of the hood too, and often I catch my baby following the ‘scribbles’. I accidentally spilled coffee on one of the hoods and was impressed with how quickly it came out of the fabric. Apparently, the seat cushion is removable and washable too, so no more worries if there’s an ‘accident’!
The multi-position reclining seats are a breeze to maneuver. Whether your little one just wants to lay back with a bottle or is falling asleep, you can transition them to a comfortable position to accommodate their needs without disturbing them.
The one thing I wish was different about the Twin Sport is the storage basket. I was impressed with many of the features of this double stroller, but the storage basket is a little disappointing. It’s smaller than I thought it would be and there’s a bar that divides it in half as well. The material is very flexible. however, so I feel like you can still fit a decent amount of objects in it separately (ex: blankets, toys, carrier, lunch box for snacks/bottles) but my diaper bag is far too bulky to squeeze in.
If you all could have seen me trying to fold this stroller, you would’ve gotten a pretty good laugh! Like I said earlier, this is my very first experience with a double stroller so I never thought a double could fold compactly. Apparently, I was wrong. I made the mistake of letting my excitement get the best of me and taking the stroller for a whirl before I even finished reading the manual. Let’s just say this stroller should receive an award for how well certain features are hidden so its overall beauty isn’t obstructed…I had to carry the manual with me for the first three outings so I could remember where the folding levers were!
For the three-second fold, you just lift the conveniently placed (ironically, right in front of you. I’m just blind) folding levers that are located on both sides of the stroller’s handlebar. While lifting them, you roll the stroller forward and then onto its back wheels very quickly (this part makes it flat). Now here’s where it gets really cool: with an underhand hold, you then turn the handle inward until the sides of the stroller comes together (it folds in half!! how crazy!) and then secure it with the latch (attached to one side of the stroller, once again very cleverly hidden! Never noticed it before) to the other side. This makes it incredibly compact and there’s even a carrying strap (its okay, I was wondering what that strap was too before I folded it) for traveling and on-the-go. I personally like to roll it; with the fold, there’s a wheel that it perfectly centered allowing for easy transport while rolling it behind you as well.
Overall, I found both the Shuttle infant car seat and the Twin Sport double stroller a blast to review. While there are some changes I would make with the Twin Sport concerning the storage basket and adding adapters to the other seat as well, there are definitely other features that offset these inconveniences that make them both well worth the price. If you’re looking for quality products without the sticker-shock pricing, I highly recommend you look into the Shuttle and Combi Twin Sport stroller!
If you’re currently choosing a stroller, you may also be interested in reading my Britax B-Agile Double Stroller review and my Joovy Twingroove Ultralight Double Stroller.
**This review was written and shared by Britt. You can read more from her personal blog, Buddy-Doo’s Adventures. *