Doona Car Seat Review

November 2, 2018
/ Car Seat

Wow! Infant Car Seat On Wheels!

The Doona car seat on wheels might appear to be luxury at first glance but trust me… it is so much more! An innovative design solution with amazing features.

If you’ve been pouring through endless reviews looking for the best infant car seat, I mean the Cadillac of all infant car seats? Look NO further! The Doona Infant Car Seat is THE infant car seat you want.

Doona has engineered an amazing product. It’s a car seat with wheels, people. No more being on the struggle bus with moving your kid from place to place. Why didn’t anyone tell me about this car seat when I had my baby?

This review is going to hold your hand and walk you through the ups and downs of the Doona and why you may or may not want to buy it. My guess is, you are going to be drooling over it in a few minutes if you aren’t already.

$499.00 Note: Price subject to change without notice. Check Amazon for today’s best price!

Doona Infant Car Seat: Description and Features

When you think of the Doona, you should think of safety, convenience, comfort and a unique design and style. It’s features will make your head spin faster than a kid on a carousel. Let’s take a look at the specifics on this magical device.

5 x 18.3 x 16 inches: It’s fairly wide for a car seat. If you have a smaller vehicle it’s going to take up some space.
5 pounds: On the heavier side, but you have to take into account that includes your wheels.
Suitable for 4-35 Pound Child: Perfect for infants all the way up until 1-2 year olds
Rear Facing Car Seat: ONLY, not for forward facing
Machine Washable Cover: Hallelujah! Throw it in the wash and let it air dry.
5 Point Harness: Safe and comfortable for your little one
Easy One Click Operation: No pulling and pushing and twisting required
Handlebar/Anti-rebound Bar Duo: Efficiency and convenience meet to provide you with transportation and safety at the same time. Just click from one position to the next to go from carrier to anti-rebound bar.
10 Colors Available: Night, Red, Sky, Storm, Sweet, Cherry/Burgundy, Dune (Beige), Fresh (Green), Marine/Navy, Nitro/Black
Ergonomically Sound: Newborn inserts, correct padding, proper recline angles, all to align your little one correctly
Extra Side Impact Protection: Both with newborn insert and extra energy absorbing foam

Check Amazon for more design details!

Why is the Doona Car Seat so special?

I could go on and on and on about this topic. The Doona really has a wide array of features that make it stand out in the sea of never-ending car seats. You’ve read about the design details, now let’s cover and highlight the main features.

Well, the most obvious special feature is that this car seat has wheels! It can turn from car seat, to carrier, to stroller all with a click Doona Infant Car Seat of a button. If that’s not some kind of wizardry, I don’t know what is. It’s super convenient for both city dwellers and adventurers, not that you can’t be both!

It’s machine washable. If you are a parent, you time is very precious. Hand washing a car seat a couple times per month is very low on your priority list. The Doona’s cover comes off so you can throw it in the wash and get on with your day. Beyond having wheels, that’s about the best convenience you can have.

The ergonomics of the Doona car seat is wonderful. So many times you have to buy an infant insert to accomodate for their poor necks. The Doona has a newborn insert and it has the right recline positions so you don’t have to worry about them sagging or getting out of alignment. Your chiropractor will be proud.

Finally, the Doona is extra special because of their extra safety precautions. It passes all federal regulations of course but it has extra side impact protection. Also, the handlebar that doubles as the carrier and stroller handle turns into an anti-rebound bar. The anti-rebound bar is such an excellent safety feature because it stops the car seat from going forward and absorbs some of the impact if you get in an accident.

Doona Car Seat Safety Performance

Speaking of safety, the Doona Is made with highest safety standards. It meets federal regulations of course, but it also was designed by engineers, safety experts, and medical professionals. The holy trio that you want designing your car seat if you ask me. Let’s get into specifics about what makes it so safe.

5 Point Harness

A 5 point harness is a necessity in a car seat anymore. It evens out the distribution of force put on your child. It also keeps them secure and safe in case of impact so they don’t slip out. I always feel like I’m squishing my son, but he can still wriggle his arms and legs to his heart’s desire.

Anti Rebound Bar

We’ve brought up this point before but it really is an excellent feature. I especially like how Doona incorporated it from their handle so it’s not in the way of carrying them around or pushing them in the stroller mode. The anti rebound bar is going to absorb energy if there is an accident and stop the car seat from shifting.

Newborn Inserts

Newborn inserts are more than just for comfort. They also make sure that your baby’s neck is properly aligned so they don’t choke. In addition, it adds extra padding to keep them safe and sound if you would get in an accident.

Extra Energy Absorbing Cushioning

This extra cushioning is for side impact protection. A lot of car seat safety features are for front to back hits or fender benders. Side impact protection is, of course, a concern, but not always do car seat companies do extra to go above regulation. Doona has and it makes me feel a whole lot better about putting my kiddo in that car seat than one who hasn’t.

Installing the Doona Infant Car Seat

As usual, always make sure to consult with the manufacturer’s instructions. It’s the gold standard when it comes to installation instructions and not something you want to get wrong. If you aren’t feeling 100% confident after you have installed your car seat, I would highly recommend getting it checked by a local fire or police department. They know anything and everything about car seats.

Installation using LATCH System with Base

This is my first choice on installation. I just feel safer using the LATCH system and base than just a vehicle belt. Let’s see how it’s done.

Engage LATCH to remove from base on each side.
Loosen strap to allow both LATCH hooks to reach anchors on both sides and engage them. Pull tightly to make sure they are engaged.
Tighten strap to ensure it is secured.
Place car seat on base and lock into place.

Installation using Vehicle Belt without Base

This would be my second choice for installing the Doona car seat, but nonetheless it will work and still be safe.

Place car seat rear facing on vehicle seat, making sure that your handlebar is in position “B” or upright.
Buckle the seat belt into the buckle.
Pull the lap belt or horizontal part of the seat belt into the blue belt guide indicated on the car seat on both sides.
Pull tightly on the diagonal or chest part of seat belt to tighten horizontal or lap portion of seat belt.
Pull the diagonal or chest part of the seat belt around the head part of the car seat.
Put the diagonal part of the seat belt between the blue belt holder and the car seat.
Move the handle to position “A”.

Installation in Aircraft

Installing the Doona on an airplane is just like using the vehicle seat belt only you won’t have the shoulder strap portion. It’s a nice way to get your babe from place to place. I also have to comment how convenient it is to travel with the Doona infant car seat. You can wheel them right onto the place and off.

Place car seat rear facing on aircraft seat, making sure that your handlebar is in position “B” or upright.
Buckle the seat belt into the buckle.
Pull the lap belt or horizontal part of the seat belt into the blue belt guide indicated on the car seat on both sides.
Tighten the seat belt.
Move the handle to position “A”.

Doona Car Seat: Pro’s and Con’s

We’ve been through a lot of the specifics on the Doona infant car seat. So, what does it all boil down to? There’s some amazing things about the Doona and then there are a few things that make me go “Eh, could have done with/without that”. Let’s see what the pro’s and con’s are on this car seat.

Pro’s

Convenient: The wheels feature really trumps all else in my opinion. Getting from place to place has never been easier with a baby than using this car seat.
Safe: The safety features are excellent when you group together the extra impact protection, 5 point harness, anti rebound bar, and infant inserts.
Stylish: There are 10 whole different options for color combinations. Plus, you are going to turn heads when people see you go from car seat to stroller in 3 seconds or less.
Ergonomic: Teaming up safety specialists, engineers, and medical professionals makes this one of the best car seats you can buy ergonomics wise. Your baby will be safe and well aligned.
Perfect for Frequent Travelers: As I mentioned before, airplane travel has just become way more streamlined with a baby. You don’t have to pack a car seat and stroller extra or rent them when you get there. It’s all with you already and you can even use their car seat on the plane seat.

Con’s

Heavy: 5 pounds may not sound heavy, but add your baby into that and add all of the pounds they will put on from when they are born until they are a year or two old.
Wide: It’s kind of bulky. It has all of the extra cushioning and definitely won’t fit 3 across in the back of your car if you need it for that.
Not for Large Babies: Some customers have complained that it’s too small for their child’s shoulders. Those same customers admitted their child was larger than average.
Price Tag: It’s expensive. It will run you about $500. However, depending on what color combination you go with, it could be more. Keep in mind it is not just an infant car seat but a stroller as well. A lot of travel systems will run you pretty high.
No Storage: When you try and put a diaper bag on the handlebars, it tips. You need a lightweight bag on there with not a lot of stuff in it. I would highly recommend getting one of the Doona accessory bags that is compatible with the stroller.

Doona Infant Car Seat Customer Reviews

I feel it’s important to check customer reviews on practically anything before I buy it now. When you are dealing with an investment like a car seat, this holds especially true.

The Doona Infant Car Seat is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon with 86 reviews. The majority of the reviews say how amazing this car seat is with safety, durability, and convenience.

The downside I heard was mainly based on the diaper bag situation. I get it, not being able to put something like a diaper bag on the handlebars is a serious annoyance. I use a backpack diaper bag and I can imagine not being able to strap it on my stroller. You can get one of the Doona bags but it’s not going to hold more than 7 pounds of baby gear, so that’s not a whole lot better.

The other complaint I noticed was that the newborn insert, while comfortable and great for safety, is hot. The material doesn’t breathe well and it can make your baby sweat if it is warm out.

Check Amazon for today’s best price!

Doona Car Seat Review, Our Verdict?

I think now is the time I get to say, I told you so! The Doona Infant Car Seat is the Cadillac of infant car seats. It’s got everything you could possibly ever need, especially if you grab some of the ridiculously thoughtful accessories.

You can really see clearly that engineers, safety specialists, and medical professionals worked together to create this specific car seat. All three areas shine through effortlessly in every aspect of the seat. From having wheels to an anti-rebound bar and ergonomic infant inserts, they left no stone uncovered.

There are a few downsides of course, but I really think if you consider everything you are getting, those will not bother you. The Doona Infant Car Seat really speaks volumes to innovation and convenience for parents. It’s made so you don’t need to worry about safety, about struggling getting your child from place to place. Just enjoy the journey.

Doona Car Seat review ratings, see our verdict below:

Price: HIGH | Quality: HIGH | Safety: HIGH | Our Rating: 4.7 out of 5

Doona Infant Car Seat Optional Accessories

Doona is the jackpot with optional accessories. You do get everything you need with this car seat package: the base, the car seat/stroller combo, and a vehicle seat protector. However, there are quite a few other fun accessories to add on to your new Doona to make it the ultimate package deal.

Sunshade Extension

While the Doona already has a canopy, it doesn’t cover the whole car seat. The sunshade extension connects to the canopy and snaps on by the handlebars to give complete sun protection to your precious babe.

In fact, it has about UPF 50. It’s adjustable so you can move it around a bit according to where the sun is coming from. It’s also breathable so your little one won’t get scorching hot.

Insect Net

Boy, if you live in a buggy area you are going to want this. They say the state bird in Minnesota is the mosquito and you better believe it. The insect net by Doona connects on to the existing sunshade and makes a seal around your baby’s car seat so no nasty bugs can get in. I like this for camping and outdoor vacations especially. However, I think this would be perfect just for everyday strolls in the summertime.

Snap on Storage

One of the downfalls of this car seat/stroller combo is that it can’t take a regular diaper bag on the handlebars. It’s just too heavy and will tip the stroller. So, Doona decided to create a bag that wouldn’t. The snap on storage snaps right onto the handle bar. It can hold about 7 lbs of whatever you need to carry and has a see through mesh front.

Rain Cover

When you have a baby and it’s pouring out, sometimes it’s just easier to stay home. With the Doona you can leave the house without your little one getting drenched. You can even put the rain cover on inside your vehicle so that they don’t have to get wet at all. I like this so that you don’t have to spend so much time getting wet and can get from point A to point B as quick as possible.

Doona Car Seat Care and Maintenance Instructions

Taking care of any car seat is important. You need to keep it clean and well maintained so it stays as safe as the day you bought it. Luckily with the Doona infant car seat, you don’t have to put much effort in to keep your car seat in pristine condition.

First of all, the seat cover can be removed and machine washed. All you need to do is take it off, using the manufacturer’s instructions, and throw it in the washing machine. Just make sure to wash cold, use a mild detergent, and don’t use bleach. Just hang dry and put it back on the car seat. You can use the same instructions for the sunshade.

The buckle is easily cleaned as well. If you have ever had a blowout, you know you will need to clean the buckle too. Remove from the car seat using the manufacturer’s instructions and dunk in warm water repeatedly. Do NOT use any cleaners. Do NOT lubricate the buckle.

Basically, just don’t do anything else but the warm water dunk. If you do, the buckle can be damaged. If the buckle is damaged, it won’t work properly and could malfunction resulting in injury to your little one. Make sure after the buckle is dry to test it out and make sure it is latching properly. If it isn’t, call the manufacturer immediately. You may need to order a new buckle.

As for the rest of the car seat, just use some warm water with a damp cloth or sponge. I like to use baby wipes first if it is an extra messy mess and then the warm water. It will get the job done.

As a parent you always want the best for your child. Choosing the right car seat for your child is no different.

We hope this Doona car seat review has helped you choose the right car seat for your child.

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