The Doona is the world’s first infant car seat with fully integrated wheels, switching from chair to pushchair in seconds. The system has four wheels that collapse under the seat base; when the wheels are released (with the push of a button – one hand holds the seat handle and the other releases the wheels) hey presto! you have a pram.
As a pram for quick trips and urban living, the Doona is unrivalled in convenience. Here's what parents James and Charlotte thought of the Doona Infant Car Seat...
How did this product make your life easier?
This Pram was brilliant for short trips out, such as when I wanted to take both kids out to the park or for a small shop trip. Some of the big advantages of it are that, unlike a traditional travel system, you do not need to disassemble and reassemble the pram every time you get in and out of the Car. The pram is also very light, and very easy to steer, compared to some larger prams which makes going out on short trips a breeze. The Doona is stylish and I often have comments from other parents surprised at the size and compactness of it. Many describe it as cute!
The Doona I had was grey and came with an Isofix base to fit the pram into in the car. Unfortunately, my car does not have Isofix points on it, so I was unable to use the Isofix base. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the seat was able to fit in, even without the Isofix. When I went to visit my mum, we tested the Isofix base in her car, and I am pleased to report that it only adds to the convenience of the Doona experience. The Doona seat is significantly larger than the average child seat because of the wheels stored underneath. This can mean that you may have to push the front seats forward more than you would for some car seats. I could imagine this may be an issue in some smaller cars.
The biggest disadvantage to the Doona is the lack of storage space available as the place where storage would normally be on a pram is taking up by the fold-out wheels. This can make it inconvenient for longer trips where you will be out for more than a couple of hours, and bigger shopping trips where you may have to carry lots of bags. Because the pram is so light it is not easy to hang bags of it either as it easily messes up the weight distribution.
Would you recommend this to other parents?
I would recommend this product to other parents, mainly as a complimentary item to a full-size travel system or pram. The Doona gets used every day in our house, and I use it in many situations where I would have before taken out a full-sized travel system. This has cut down the time taken to get out in many cases. However, it is not a complete replacement for a travel system and remains unsuitable for longer trips and trips where you need to carry lots of things, such as larger food shops.
Would you choose this product above all others on the market?
Having used the Doona, I definitely would choose this product again in the future. I feel it would be complementary to a full travel system, and not instead of. The biggest advantage of the Doona is the convenience and speed at which you can get out the door with your baby which makes it perfect for smaller trips or when you are in a hurry. However, if I were on a budget I would not say this is an essential piece of kit, as you could make do with just a standard travel system.
What changes would you make to this product?
If I had to make any changes to this product it would mainly be surrounding the storage space. I would like there to be some way of being able to store more on the pram, maybe a bucket underneath or some more clips on the handles or around the frame to be able to hook bags onto it. Other than this the Doona does exactly what it should do and remains a convenient and easy-to-use pram great for everyday use.
Product Information
Dimensions: 72.3 (L) x 46.5 (W) x 40.2 (H) cm
TUV and FAA Aircraft Approved for travel
Anti-Rebound Crash Technology
Superior 5-point safety harness
New-born infant insert cushion provides a near-flat ergonomic position for your child
Fail-Safe Mechanisms to prevent misuse
Tested and certified as an Infant Car Seat, a Stroller and a Reclined Cradle
The only car seat with integrated wheels
Unique double-wall ‘Side Impact Protection’
Helps keep your boots clear and decluttered of travel system parts