REASONS TO BUY
Super easy car to strolling transition
Easy to push and turn
REASONS TO AVOID
Limited lifespan of 6-9 months
Doona Combo Review
Best for city dwellers looking for a safe, quick transition from taxi to on-the-go adventures
The Doona is an infant car seat that also converts to a self-contained stroller.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price: $550 List
By Juliet Spurrier, MD & BabyGearLab Team ⋅ Oct 14, 2019
RELATED: Best Stroller and Car Seat Combos
The Skinny
The Doona Combo is a unique product and is the only option that is both a car seat and stroller in one. This design gives the Doona an edge over the competition as there are no car seat attachment concerns or worry about how big the stroller is and if it will fit in your car. The Doona is a great combo product that allows you to move from car to strolling in a snap with no setup. It earned a good score for maneuverability taking tight turns with ease and fitting where most of the combos could not. We like this innovative product and think it is an excellent fit for parents who live in the city and frequent public transportation. With no concerns about strollers and fold or wasting time, the Doona helps keep baby safer in taxis and ready for adventures on the sidewalk. While not the best option for all families, it certainly fills a void for a much-needed combo product. Check out our article on the best stroller and car seat combos to see how it ranks versus competitors.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Doona Combo | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | $550 List $550.00 at Amazon | $450 List $399.99 at Amazon | $110 List $87.99 at Amazon | $700 List $699.99 at Amazon | $350 List $279.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Good choice for urban parents with quick changes between public transport and strolling | Compact and lightweight with easy car seat attachment and useful features | Great frame stroller with parent console and easy carrier attachment | Quality option for your strolling lifetime with easy car seat attachment | Budget-friendly, multi-seater with easy car seat connections for up to two infant carriers |
| Rating Categories | Doona Combo | UPPAbaby Minu Combo | Chicco KeyFit Caddy | UPPAbaby Cruz v2 Combo | Evenflo Pivot Xpand... |
| Ease Of Attaching Car Seat (30%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (30%) | |||||
| Weight/Folded Size (25%) | |||||
| Quality (10%) | |||||
| Maneuverability (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Doona Combo | UPPAbaby Minu Combo | Chicco KeyFit Caddy | UPPAbaby Cruz v2 Combo | Evenflo Pivot Xpand... |
| Weight | 16.8 lbs | 12.6 lbs | 11.7 lbs | 18.8 lbs | 24.3 lbs |
| Folded Dimensions | 18"W x 16"H x 28.3"L | 20.4"W x 13.5"H x 24"L | 19.8"W x 11.5"H x 33.5"L | 22.9"W x 10.8"H x 30.4"L | 26.7"W x 19.23"H x 32.7"L |
| Capacity Limits | Minimum: Birth Maximum: 35 lbs/32" |
20 | Minimum: Birth Maximum: Max allowable weight/height for the car seat. |
30 | Minimum: Infant - Toddler When stroller seat is in infant mode: birth - 6 months Maximum: 55 lbs/38" |
| Included Car Seat Compatibility | Doona | None | Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30, Fit2 |
UPPAbaby Mesa |
Evenflo SafeMax, LiteMax |
| Click-in Car Seat Adapters | Doona | UPPAbaby Mesa Maxi-Cosi Mico AP, Mico Max 30, Mico Nxt, CabrioFix, Pebble, and Pebble Plus Cybex Aton, Aton 2, and Aton Q Nuna Pipa |
Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30, Fit2 |
UPPAbaby Mesa Chicco KeyFit 30, KeyFit 30 Zip, KeyFit 30 Zip Air, Fit2, Fit2 LE, Fit2 Air Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30, Mico NXT, Mico AP & Micro Max Plus, Nuna PIPA™, PIPA lite, PIPA lite lx, PIPA lite r & PIPA lite rx Cybex Aton, Aton 2, Aton Q & Aton M |
Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30 Evenflo SafeMax, LiteMax Graco SnugRide Click Connect 30, 35, SnugRide SnugLock 30, 35 Peg Perego Primo Viaggio |
| Strap-in Car Seat Adapters | None | None | None | None | None |
| One-handed Fold | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Locking Fold | Auto | Auto | Auto | Auto | Auto |
| Self-standing Fold | n/a | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Handlebar Height - Min/Max | 32.5"/39" | 41.2 | 36"/42" | 40"/43" | 33"/44.7" |
| Sandal-friendly Brake | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Storage Basket Size | n/a | Medium | Large | Very Large | Extra large |
| Included Accessories | Infant Car Seat and Stroller In One | Storage bag | None | Rain Shield, Bug Shield | None |
| Setup Time | n/a | 4:23 | 8:28 | 5:54 | 5:15 |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Doona is the first product created by the Simple Parenting™ company. This innovative seat/stroller name is the founder's nickname for his daughter Danielle. Yoav's goal was to take his new baby everywhere without the hassle of a stroller and a traditional car seat. This desire inspired the creation of the Doona. Simple Parenting's goal is to simplify life for parents and babies.
Performance Comparison
The Doona is an infant car seat with stroller capabilities. This product is unique in this gear category and means parents no longer need to hassle with transporting or juggling two products.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Attaching Car Seat
The Doona has a car seat and stroller that are permanently connected.
Unlike the competition, this product is all-in-one with no additional parts to carry or purchase. This design means there is no problem attaching the car seat to the stroller.
The folded size of the Doona is similar to that of an infant car seat. The wheels of the stroller do make it somewhat larger, but you only need to find space for one item not two.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Weight and Folded Size
While the Doona is a heavy infant car seat at 16.5 lbs, it is lightweight in the combo category because the combined weight of the stroller and infant seat is far below other combinations.
The weight of this product is hard to compare. The strollers in this review were weighed alone and configured as they would be to accept an infant car seat. However, they were not weighed with an infant car seat attached. The Doona cannot be separated, so we weighed it with the infant seat and the stroller. The lightest stroller in this review is 10.9 lbs, while the average infant car seat carrier is 10-11 lbs, so combined they are 20+ lbs, or 4+ lbs heavier than the Doona. It is important to remember that unlike other combinations, you will never carry only one part of the Doona, nor will you need to find a location to store the stroller.
The folded size of the Doona is essentially the dimensions of the car seat, 8,150 cubic inches. Don't forget, you don't need to worry about two components, and you'll never need to "fit" your stroller in the car.
Folding the Doona consists of 4-6 steps and is a two-handed operation. The fold includes compressing (above left) and rotating the handlebar and releasing the wheels (above right) so the apparatus can be folded up and under the seat. It isn't difficult, and once you get the hang of it can be done quickly, but it is convoluted.
The handle of the Doona rotates from upright to a standard stroller angle for pushing. Testers found the upright position was useful in tight spaces so their overall footprint was smaller.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Maneuverability
The Doona is maneuverable enough given that you won't be using the Doona for your entire strolling years. Because the Doona will only be your stroller for 6-9 months, maneuverability is less of a concern.
This stroller is easy to push and turn, and its smaller overall footprint makes it useful in tight situations. The narrow width means it fits almost anywhere, and the rotating handlebar means you can control the stroller without taking up extra space.
The small plastic wheels on the Doona were surprisingly agile given their structure and materials. However, whatever they lack in maneuverability for 6-9 months isn't as important as a stroller you may use for 4+ years.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Doona is not great at moving on rougher surfaces, and it struggles over gravel and grass. It is light enough to pick up and carry over smaller distances, and younger babies shouldn't be moving over super bumpy roads anyway. So, while not the best at off-roading, it is on par with those with smaller plastic wheels.
The Doona did not score well for ease of use because it lacks some of the features we would look for on a stroller like storage and a large canopy.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The Doona is the hardest stroller to use in this group, which is probably a reflection on its unique status as a car seat that turns into a stroller.
The Doona struggled in the ease of use department not because it is hard to use, but because it has limited features that are a product of being a unique car seat with a stroller.
Storage
The Doona doesn't come standard with storage. There is no basket or pocket, and parents will need to purchase storage or carry a diaper bag.
Brakes
The brakes are single action brakes that are very easy to set and release. The brake pedals are color-coded and located next to each rear wheel. The pedals are stiff to set but lock in place well and feel solid.
The brakes on the Doona are nicely placed and easy to use with color coded indicators. The canopy is small and does not truly protect baby from the sun.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Sunshade
The sunshade on the Doona is smaller than the competition and does not come with a peek-a-boo window. While most car seat canopies lack a window, because the Doona is also a stroller means it would be nice if it had one.
The Doona is a quality product and while not as nice as some of the competition it is definitely above average and will last for baby's first nine months.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Quality
The Doona's quality is good for what it is which s nice given the higher price tag.
There isn't much to the Doona, but it looks like higher-end materials put together nicely. The fabric is sturdy and somewhat soft, and is machine washable and fits the seat well. The frame is rigid and didn't flex much during testing. The plastic wheels are better than most and rotate smoothly. The handlebar is hard plastic and shorter than the competition, but it works well and has a nice shape. The Doona doesn't have any suspension, but this is on par with the frame strollers (the closest stroller type for similarity). Overall, the stroller has few exposed connections or fasteners and looks sleek.
Ease of Setup
This product comes completely assembled and requires nothing more than unpacking it and taking it out of the box.
Accessories
Simple Parenting has a few accessories for the Doona that improve the storage capabilities stroller, comfort, and different bases for the car.
Doona rain cover
Credit: Simple Parenting
- Doona Rain Cover — This rain cover completely covers the seat and keeps your baby protected from the weather. This accessory is ideal for strolling, and a good addition for any parent that plans to stroll frequently as weather can change without notice.
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD & BabyGearLab Team
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