We don't have a car and have two kids with a third on the way. We use the Chicco Fit2 and are very happy. Easy to install without the base (we ditched the base, never used it). I will say that when I was pregnant with my first, I spent a half hour or so just installing it multiple times in a friend's car just so I could get used to it and not feel stressed out when taking cabs with a newborn. I've put it in a ton of cabs since then, easy peasy.

I will say, every once in a while the seatbelt will be a little too short to easily do the European belt path. There is another way to do it that's perhaps SLIGHTLY less than ideal, but I've used it a few times in a pinch and it's fine. Considering my kids are in a car less than a dozen times a year, I'm not going to stress about it.

The real advantage of the Chicco Fit2 is that it's the longest lasting infant bucket seat on the market. A kid in like the 80th percentile for height still fits in it on his second birthday. Makes it super easy, cause if you're an infrequent car user (like me) you can go right from it to an easy to travel with forward facing option (like the Cosco Scenara or the WayB Picco). You can also get an adaptor to click it into both the UppaBaby Vista and the City Mini (and a ton of other strollers, those are just the two I have).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need the base. It isn't intended to be used the way you describe regularly.


I loved my Doona, but I never used it without the base.

This isn’t true. It was designed and tested to be used without the base. That said, it’s definitely supposed to be the exception and not the rule and all car seats are going to be much harder to put in and take out on a regular basis if you’re not using the base. You need a vehicle, OP. For convenience yes but way more for safety. I would never trust someone else driving my kid every single place we need to go in a car seat with no base.

It is the easiest thing in the world with the base. The others don't have the stroller function. Op should have started with a regular one, then she'd appreciate the Doona.

Anonymous wrote:You need the base. It isn't intended to be used the way you describe regularly.


I loved my Doona, but I never used it without the base.

This isn’t true. It was designed and tested to be used without the base. That said, it’s definitely supposed to be the exception and not the rule and all car seats are going to be much harder to put in and take out on a regular basis if you’re not using the base. You need a vehicle, OP. For convenience yes but way more for safety. I would never trust someone else driving my kid every single place we need to go in a car seat with no base.

Cybex and maxi cosi car seats are light, easy to install with and without bases and do very well in safety tests. The doona is terrible bc the stroller does horribly on uneven city streets and it’s too low unless you are very short. It also lacks a real basket

Anonymous wrote:I had a Cybex Aton 2. It’s really easy to install without the base.

This is what we used and I agree with this. I think our kids moved out of the seat earlier than they would have with other car seats. As they got bigger, the seat was less comfortable. But while it worked, it worked well.

Anonymous wrote:We have a Nuna that has a baseless seatbelt option. Once you know how to do it it’s super simple and fast. There are adapters to get it to fit in other strollers that are just clips.

https://nunababy.com/usa/pipa-car-seat-adapter-for-uppababy-vista-cruz

We have a Nuna that has a baseless seatbelt option. Once you know how to do it it’s super simple and fast. There are adapters to get it to fit in other strollers that are just clips.

I have the clek liing! Very easy to install without a base. I find it easier to install if sitting in the back seat.

I had a Cybex Aton 2. It’s really easy to install without the base.

Are you renting a car to travel to the suburbs?

You need the base. It isn't intended to be used the way you describe regularly.


I loved my Doona, but I never used it without the base.

Just get the UppaBaby Mesa. You can install that Euro style.

Installing a car seat without a base is difficult

No advice on other car seats, but does someone have a car you could borrow to practice for the day? I have gotten really good at getting our seat in and out, but it probably took me 10 times before I was confident. Hang in there!

Really hate our decision to get a doona. Every time (which has only been 4 times because it’s so frustrating) we use it, we spend 5-10 minutes finagling the Euro belt path system in an uber while the driver contorts himself over attempting to help. I’m short as shit and am scared to use it alone, I don’t feel like my arms are long enough. Plus I don’t like using it as a stroller, I’ve gotten way too used to the uppababy.

Are all car seats without bases like this? Are there any smaller ones?? Ideally that could fit on an uppababy cruz? We looked into the nuna urbn but it seems like you have to get the stroller that goes with it, it is basically a different form of a doona that may be slightly easier to install.

I’ve avoided using the doona by just walking everywhere but we are traveling to the burbs soon and so it won’t be an option . It’s a $550 zero-resale-value waste of space atm ((((