Doona+ Car Seat Review
The Doona+ car seat is the innovative product that converts from a car seat to a pushchair in a matter of seconds creating a fully integrated travel system, a world’s first! It has quickly become a must have for parents looking for extra convenience and ease when on the move with their little ones. We think it’s great, but what did our parent testers think of it? After weeks of testing, keep reading to find out our trust parent testers verdict of the Doona+ car seat.
Parent Tester – Katy Kerswell
I was over the moon to have been selected by Natural Baby Shower to test out the Doona+ infant car seat. Having chosen the colour I soon received a confirmation email that the Doona+ had been ordered, the following day I also received tracking information from DPD so I was able track when the Doona+ was due to be delivered. On the day of delivery I was given a 1 hour time slot, which was handy as it meant I didn’t have to wait around all day. The package arrived within this time slot and had no visible damage to the box. The Doona+ had been very well packaged within the box meaning it was protected from any damage.
The Doona+ is available in 6 vibrant colours, meaning there is a colour to suit all styles and tastes. After much deliberation I went with the Royal blue. The colour of the product perfectly matches that of the one on the website, which I was very happy with as sometimes the colour online doesn't quite match the colour when the item comes.
Once all the packaging was removed I was keen to test out the Doona+ straight away. After a quick look I was able to unfold the wheels with just one button and without the need for any instructions. The car seat is group 0+ meaning its suitable to use from birth to 13kg. My little one was 5 weeks old when we first used the Doona+, so it was used with the newborn insert. When fastened in with the 5 point harness he looked very comfortable, but more importantly was well supported and secure.
The Doona is not only practical but it’s also very stylish. The materials used are very good quality and feel soft against delicate skin. I particularly like that the cushions are made with bamboo fabric which is also antibacterial, hypoallergenic with humidity and thermal regulations meaning your little one wont overheat.
The Doona+ is very easy to use as previously mentioned. There was no need to follow any instructions to put it up or down, but in-depth instructions are provided in the box should you need them. It converts from car seat to stroller in seconds with one simple motion which leaves me able to get the baby out of the car as well as be in control of a busy toddler. This makes it perfect for quick trips as a everyday on-the-go stroller.
The Doona+ pros
- Its quick and easy to use meaning I'm not getting as wet on rainy days, as no putting together or dismantling our usual pushchair before and after use.
- Its surprisingly lightweight and weighs less than my old car seat despite being both a car seat and stroller.
- Its leaves my boot with a lot more space, as we now only take our travel system when we plan longer trips.
- It has removable and washable fabric, ideal for a sicky baby.
-It has a big stretch material canopy which has been perfect for winter walks when the sun is lower.
The Cons
- For me as the main user of the Doona there were no cons , but my husband being 6ft 2 found that it was too low to the ground for him, making it uncomfortable for him to use.
I have been using the Doona+ for several weeks now and can honestly say it been an absolute game changer for me. Making trips to the supermarket, nursery drop off and picks up run smoother and quicker. It has definitely made life much easier and I would now not go back to using a standard car seat travel system. I would highly recommend the Doona+ to anyone and wish that I knew about it when I had my 1st child as I would have definitely have bought one.
Parent Tester – Gabriella Philpott
The Doona+ arrived in its original packaging via DPD. I was kept up to date via text so there was no hanging around the house to wait for an all day delivery slot.
Upon unboxing the car seat, my husband was delighted to see that it was all in one piece with no assembly required. The lead up to a new baby can be overwhelming with flat pack so this was a welcomed sight. It was well packaged in plastic and even the Doona sign had a little strip to protect it.
It didn’t take long to work out how to use it, with an easy to read instruction manual. When excitedly taking it for a quick spin around the living room, it was easy to push and the handlebar height was perfect for me at 5’ 6”. My husband is 5’ 11” and he said it was ok too but anyone much taller may find themselves a little hunched over. My 3 year old was delighted with the lower height of the handle bar too and enjoyed pushing his sister around to show her off at nursery pick up.
We went with Nitro Black, to keep things neutral. It is a dark black and doesn’t look at all washed out.
Savannah was 3 months when we got the seat so didn’t require the newborn insert and it was very easy for us to work this out using the manual.
Installing the Doona+ in the car was very simple using the standard blue seat belt indicators and the perfectly placed message reminding us to rest the bar against the seat is great. The more I’ve used the car seat the faster I’ve become at installing it, however, as we are using this more than our standalone ISO-fix car seat we will probably buy the base so it truly is pop in and go.
Helpfully, the Doona+ came with a protective sheet for the car, this was a really nice addition. It is a little on the thin side so if you aren’t going to get the ISO-fix base I’d maybe look for something thicker.
Out and about, the Doona+ is very easy to manoeuvre, the baby being so low to the ground does feel a bit strange initially, but we soon got used to it. The red and green brakes work well, my 3 year old a can now work them so they aren’t stiff or clumpy.
Putting baby in the car seat is very easy with the button to loosen the straps visible and easy to use unlike some car seats I’ve used in the past. Savannah seems very comfortable in the Doona+ and will happily doze off. The canopy gives good protection from the sun or wet weather when we are nipping from the car into a shop or the house.
It is quite heavy and will only get heavier as baby gets bigger so this may be something to note if you have to carry the car seat for any distance day to day. The Doona+ is ideal, however, if you are short on space in your boot. We look forward to taking the Doona+ on a planned trip away, if COVID restrictions allow, as we will be travelling by ferry so space in the car is at a premium.
It would be nice if the Doona+ came with some form of storage, even just a mesh bag to attach for when you are nipping into the supermarket for a few things. Pushing the car seat, carrying items and herding a 3 year old was interesting. You can buy a snap on storage bag but I felt that buying this on top of my nappy bag and pram storage bag was a little excessive for me, especially as I’d then need to find a place for it in the house.
However, the Doona+ is ideal for all the Click and Collect shopping we find ourselves doing these days. I loved being able to quickly take the baby out the car to pick up items without needing to set up wheels, search for adaptors or locate a car seat trolley.
Overall, I’ve loved the Doona+ car seat and would definitely recommend it to new parents.
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