Doona Review

The Doona infant car seat was the first product made by the Simple Parenting™ company and was named after the founder's nickname for his daughter, Danielle. The founder, Yoav Mazar, aimed to take his little one everywhere without fussing with a stroller and traditional infant car seat. This experience inspired his creation of the Doona. Simple Parenting aims to improve and simplify parents' and babies' lives with innovative products. Simple Parenting works to identify areas where a new product could enhance daily life. Then, they work to create a solution for the problem that makes life easier.

Performance Comparison

Crash Testing

The Doona did not perform as well as the average seat in the crash tests we had commissioned. In our analysis, it scored almost at the bottom compared to the other seats we tested.

While considered safe by federal standards, it does not potentially offer an additional margin of protection like higher-scoring seats might. The sensors for this seat recorded higher than the average G forces inside the crash test dummy, where lower results are better. It has a higher HIC sensor result, and only a third of the group had higher results. Plus, the chest clip sensor result was one of the highest in the group. Together, the analysis of the results earned the Doona a lower score for crash testing, making it one of the worst performers in this group. You want the lowest possible sensor results so less forces are being put on the baby's body, and this seat did not meet the results of the top performers in our tests.

Ease of Installation LATCH

Installing the Doona using LATCH is easy enough, but it scored below average for the group and isn't as easy as installing it without the base altogether. It does not offer an anti-rebound bar or load leg. The base is noticeably wider than the competition, making it a potentially tough choice for smaller cars. The LATCH connectors are attached to flexible webbing straps. The holes for the belt pathway are large, and we could stick our whole hands through to thread the connectors. This is a nice feature given the wider base size, so you don't have to wrap yourself around the base to make the far LATCH connection. Also, the handle is pretty long, and we preferred pushing it all the way back during installation to keep it out of the way. However, it needs to be pushed all the way forward after installation when the car is moving.

This seat has a little more wiggle than most but still passes the wiggle test. It felt hard to get a tight, secure fit because of the bulk of the base, and the more padding or contours the vehicle seat had, the harder it was to get the whole thing tightened down.

The tensioner has a button to release the straps so you can remove the LATCH connectors from the anchors. This seat was easier to remove than some of the competition.

Recline Adjustment

The recline adjustment has an infinite number of possible positions. It has a needle-style level indicator. It is a spinning dial on the foot end of the base. It is easy to turn and use but is a sort of a hassle should you need to make significant alterations to find the right angle for your vehicle.

The needle indicator doesn't move much during adjustment. The needle is on a single pivot point, so it flutters a bit before settling into place. This means you need to take a pause to allow it to find its place.

Ease of Installation - Belt

The Doona scores slightly above average for installing a vehicle belt instead of LATCH. Its belt performance ties with the LATCH installation, so it is similar in difficulty.

The lock-off is a clasp you push down a flap over the belt webbing far enough to get the clasp closed. The final snap in place is harder to do than it should be. It is somewhat finicky and not what we'd call straightforward. None of the steps posed a huge problem, but it all felt a little more difficult than most of the competition. Our installation was stable in both test cars.

Ease of Installation - w/o the Base

The real draw of this car seat is the ability to secure your child in a safety seat without the base so you can stroll immediately on your arrival at your destination. With this in mind, it is good that the Doona's easiest installation method is without the base. This makes it a potential contender for urban residents who might otherwise legally forgo a safety seat.

This carrier has a line decal on the base to find the correct installation angle, and it uses the European belt path with color-coded markings on the path to guide you. The belt path is on the underside of the handle, which is unique to this seat and includes directions on the seat, so you have a little help. It is big and bulky and hard to work with, especially if you are petite.

Tightening the vehicle belt around the carrier was easy, but we almost ran out of belt to do the full wrap. The carrier itself is so long it is more akin to a traditional base and carrier than a car seat alone. We think the bulk has a reassuring feel to it. Luckily, the handle must go all the way back to keep it out of the way during installation. In the SUV, the handle buttons were higher up and a weird angle for our tester, but this is so dependent on the car and the tester that we don't think it will be a problem for everyone. Overall, it felt stable in both our test sedan and small SUV.

Ease of Use

Anytime you add new functionality to a type of gear, it can get harder to use. Since this car seat is also a stroller (though not one of the best strollers), it is hard to say how it compares to the competition, but many of the features and functionality outside of the stroller are similar and easy to test side-by-side. Overall, it manages a below-average result for ease of use.

Buckle

Overall, the buckle and chest clip of the Doona are below average. The slits in the back are wide enough that it could end up accidentally twisting the webbing, which is a no-no. Also, the crotch strap position is low, so grabbing it to put the buckle together is awkward. It has a big red oval button, but when you press it, the side prongs do not pop out on their own.

Harness Tightening/Loosening

Tightening and loosening the harness is easy compared to the competition. Everything moves equally on both sides. The loosening/release button moves down like a diving board on one end, so it is easiest to push with a finger and not your thumb. The tightening strap pulls smoothly in an intuitive direction, and the webbing has no problem moving along the path.

Harness Adjustment

This carrier has a rethread height adjustment with slots in the back and a splitter plate. The slots are on the thinner side and could be more of a challenge for parents with bigger fingers. Because there is an integrated stroller on the carrier, there are extra bars in the back you need to navigate. There is slightly more weaving going on. While it isn't difficult, there are more things to manage than a traditional rethread style height adjustment.

Carrier to Base Connection

This carrier is bulky and awkward, requiring a few more steps to get into the car than your standard carrier. Assuming you are using the carrier as a stroller, you'll need to do the following to prep it for the car:

• Lock the brakes
• Push the extended handle into the car seat position.
• Pull the release handle on the back of the carrier to reduce the wheels and click them into place
• Make sure everything is locked in place
• Pick up the entire assembly to place it on the base

To release the carrier from the base, there is a button you push down and slide simultaneously. The seat is in the way of this procedure, so it is more complicated than it sounds. Once it is disconnected from the base, you can grab the handle on the back and pull on it while taking it out, and the wheels auto-magically release. This happens each time, so you are ready to roll after releasing the brakes.

Handle

The handle adjustment buttons are on the front of the handle and not the underside or back, like most of the competition. It isn't a deal breaker, but we had to c*#k our wrists back at a strange angle to use it. There is no position for the handle to stop rocking, so if you leave your little one in the carrier without the wheels extended, they could potentially rock. We suspect this isn't a big deal since you'll likely be strolling when it isn't used as a car seat.

Canopy

The canopy comes up at least an inch higher than the handle, so it shoves the canopy out of the way when you use the handle. Pulling the handle up will open the canopy if the canopy is closed. If the canopy is open, moving the handle back will close the canopy. It feels like such a major oversight that is largely unnecessary.

LATCH and Manual Storage

The LATCH connectors tuck into little cubbies on the side of the base. The location is easy to access, and they clip in securely, and you press the button to undo them for use. It is intuitive and straightforward.

The user manual can be stowed under the seat carrier/stroller and under the base. This is a good choice by the designer because there is a good chance you might need the manual when away from the base, given the likelihood of using it as a stroller or installing it without the base.

Strolling

The big draw of the Doona is the ability to immediately stroll when you reach your destination in the car. The stroller wheels drop down, and the handle extends to be your stroller handlebar.

Removing From the Car

No matter how you install the Doona, it's harder to get out of a car thanks to the bigger size, heavier weight, and attached wheels. This is something to consider if you are petite or lack the ability to maneuver or lift heavier items.

This might not describe you prior to childbirth, but a c-section often limits what you can lift, impacting your ability to use this stroller/car seat without help.

Comfort/Quality

The Doona has a higher price in large part due to the stroller components giving you two items in one. Unfortunately, compared to the other car seats, it struggled to catch up with the competition for comfort and quality, earning a below-average score in this metric.

Fabric and Padding

Unlike some competition, the grey fabric and padding for the headrest and infant insert are soft and breathable. Most of the rest of the seat is covered in a rip-stop fabric with a somewhat itchy canvas feel. This might be durable but less skin-friendly than softer material. It might be that its use as a stroller had the designers choose something more durable for strolling in the elements.

The padding is somewhat stiff in the seat, with not much cushion between the fabric and impact foam. When we press on the seating area, there isn't much give or cushion for comfort. There is also more hard plastic on the inside where little ones' knees go, and while this might be good for a stroller, it feels less comfortable than those with padding and fabric throughout the inside.

Handle and Canopy

For a stroller, the canopy is pretty small and not going to offer much protection from the sun; given that some infant car seats offer significantly larger canopies, it's a disappointment. It is more like an awning than an attempt to provide shade or privacy.

The handle is simple and uncomfortable to hold, given the lack of a circular style design. Instead, it is a thin, flat bar that is hard to grip and has pressure points when slung over a forearm or in your elbow crook. The design appears to be more for the stroller aspect of this seat, but even there, it feels like the bare minimum.

Shell

With the stroller components, there is more going on here than a traditional car seat. If any mess drops down the side, it will be pulled into the stroller mechanism and wheels, creating a big mess that could be hard to clean from the grooves, nooks, and crannies.

Weight/Size

The Doona is ridiculously heavy because it includes an attached stroller. With a weight of 17.2 lbs, it is vastly heavier than the competition by a wide margin. While the ability to push it makes the weight more acceptable, if you don't want to stroll or can't in your location, then you'll be stuck carrying this beast. If you are hoping for a carrier to carry, you don't want this monster as your only car seat. If your lifestyle is more strolling than anything, it might make the weight allowable. Be aware that this will likely become prohibitively heavy to tote as your baby grows.

Should You Buy the Doona?

If you live in the city and your main means of transportation are public or rideshare, then the Doon offers something that is hard to find and could make life easier and safer. If you are unwilling to carry a car seat and don't want to mess with a stroller and car seat, then the Doona could be a contender. However, it isn't a great seat and didn't perform well in any metric, including crash testing. While we get the appeal and think it could fill a potential niche for some families, it is not a seat we'd recommend in general or to a friend, both because it didn't perform well and is expensive and heavy.

What Other Infant Car Seat Should You Consider?

If you want a car seat that you can stroll with, the Chicco Keyfit 35 is highly compatible with various strollers, including lightweight, fold-flat, easy-to-use frame strollers. It is a higher-scoring seat with better-than-average scores that could be paired with a stroller for a lower price than the Doona and better crash test analysis scores. While the idea of carting two products might be daunting, they weigh less together, and the frame stroller stows quickly and easily behind most vehicle front seats, creating a combo suitable for many city lifestyles. The Chicco Keyfit 30 is also a potential option with high compatibility, a better crash test analysis score, and a lower price than both the Doon and Keyfit 35.

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