While the BabyStyle Combi has been about for a while, the 2010 model has a reversible seat, so you can have your baby rear or forward facing. The system includes a carrycot, pushchair seat unit, car seat, sun canopy, changing bag, apron and universal raincover.
In terms of weight, the Combi is 12kg with carrycot attached, 11kg with pushchair seat and 10.5kg with car seat.
What we love
Nifty and lightweight, the BabyStyle Combi manages to deliver the flexibility of a full travel system with a chassis that's as light and foldable as a toddler buggy.
Fitting or removing the carrycot, car seat or pushchair seat is a simple one-click motion. I loved the option of being forward or parent facing with no extra fiddly bits - just click the seat onto the chassis facing either direction.
The carrycot is practical and sturdy and Benny, 4 months, was happy to chill out in it while we went for a walk. However, as a sleeping option, because the carrycot has a hard plastic base, the mattress may need extra padding for comfort. Despite being long-legged, Benny still had some growing room, suggesting the carrycot would last most babies up to 6 months.
The car seat was easy to fit and adjust. I loved that it was lightweight enough to lift even with Benny in it.
Granny loved that when folded the BabyStyle Combi could fit into the boot of her car, unlike our regular travel system, and that it was lightweight enough for her to lift into her boot herself.
What to watch out for
Across the smooth surfaces of an even pavement or shopping centre floor, the BabyStyle Combi is a joy to push, and no heavier than a buggy. However, across a gravel path the BabyStyle Combi rattled so much that I thought our spare bottle of milk was in danger of being churned into butter. Benny didn't seem to mind the shake, rattle and roll, however. I attempted to push the BabyStyle Combi across grass but it's not a happy bunny of a travel system on uneven terrain. If off-roading is important to you, you need something sturdier.
Requiring both hands and a foot, getting the chassis to fold down was a labour of Hercules at first. However, we finally cracked it on the 15th attempt. Once you've mastered it, using the travel system in and out of the car is a piece of cake.
According to the instructions no more than 2kg should be loaded onto the travel system. That's about two bags of sugar, meaning the BabyStyle Combi just wasn't suitable for our shopping trips. In fact our changing bag probably weighs more than that alone. Trying to push Benny in the BabyStyle Combi while holding a bag of shopping in each hand wasn't fun. If you need to be able to pop to the supermarket and push your purchases home, this probably isn't the right travel system for you.
Benny found the car seat comfortable enough but I found myself uneasy that our first sample had arrived with a factory fault, albeit swiftly replaced. With the low-sided design and the fact it was so lightweight, I wondered if it might give him less protection in a crash than our regular car seat and others we've tested.
Who is the BabyStyle Combi Travel System best for?
City-dwelling car users after a lightweight option.
If you want a travel system that's lightweight like a buggy, but useable from birth, the BabyStyle Combi is worth considering. However, but it won't get your shopping home or give a smooth ride off road. It really is best for those who use the car a lot, and stick to the paved surfaces.
