It’s exciting to have another innovative car seat and stroller combination on the market. Especially since the new Evenflo Shyft DualRide has some unique features that you’re not going to find on any other product. These car seat/stroller combinations have become wildly popular in the last few years so it’s nice to have more than one legitimate choice in this new category.
I say “legitimate choice” because unfortunately there is a thriving black market of fake and dangerous knock-off car seat/stroller products. If you are buying baby gear online, make sure that you are purchasing from reputable sellers and that there is an option to return the product if it doesn’t work out for whatever reason. In general, if something looks too good to be true for the price, it usually is. Be smart. Avoid getting scammed.
With that disclaimer out of the way, this review is going to focus solely on the Evenflo Shyft DualRide. However, if you’re wondering how the DualRide stacks up compared with the Doona – we have a complete comparison of the two products in this article: https://carseatblog.com/58150/doonavsdualride/
What makes the DualRide so unique? For starters, the carrier can be detached from its stroller frame. So, if you’re carrying a sleeping baby into the house and you don’t need the stroller wheels because you’re only walking a short distance, you can easily detach just the carrier and leave the stroller frame folded up in the base. This saves a LOT of weight because the carrier itself only weighs around 8 lbs. but with the stroller frame attached, it’s almost 20 lbs.
DualRide Specs
- 3 – 35 lbs.
- 15.7″ (40 cm) – 32″ (81 cm)
DualRide Features
- 8-position, no-rethread harness
- Infant insert required for 3-6 lbs., optional for babies 7+ lbs.
- 5-position base with anti-rebound bar (ARB) & belt-tensioning feature (not a true lockoff)
- Push-on lower LATCH connectors
- All models come with SensorSafe technology in chest clip
- Euro belt routing option for baseless install
- Optional “wheel wells”, protect vehicle seat from dirty/muddy stroller wheels
- Handy “quick start” guide in English, Spanish & French
- QR code links to installation videos
- Carrier weight is 8 lbs. (without stroller frame attached)
- Overall weight with stroller frame attached 19.5 lbs.
- FAA approved for use on airplane
- Generous canopy coverage
- 6 year lifespan before expiration
- MSRP $499 – $599 (depending on model and included accessories)
- Additional accessories available for purchase separately include an all-weather cover, an organizer bag that attaches to the handle for easy access to your personal stuff like cell phone/keys/pacifiers and also a padded travel storage bag.
SensorSafe Technology
SensorSafe is technology integrated into the smart chest clip and when the chest clip is buckled (presumably because a child is in the seat), it will send app alerts to your phone via Bluetooth. Alerts will be triggered if the chest clip becomes unbuckled, if the temperature inside the vehicle is too hot or too cold, if the child is left unattended in the vehicle, or if the child has been seated for too long.
3 DualRide Versions
All DualRide models come with a base, SensorSafe smart chest clip and a parent cup holder accessory that attaches to the handle when it’s extended. The cup holder must be removed when using DualRide in the car, which means that it may get left behind frequently on the floor of your backseat unless you’re good about remembering to place it in the carry-all or the stroller organizer bag. All models also come with optional wheels wells that attach to sides of the base to keep dirty/wet stroller wheels from touching or dripping onto our vehicle upholstery. That’s a great feature that you will only find on DualRide.
Base model Shyft DualRide
MSRP $499
Fashions: Beaufort Gray/Ayer Pink/Bryson Blue
DualRide with carry-all storage bag
MSRP $549
Fashions: Boone Gray/Sylva Pink/Durham Green
The carry-all storage bag is a place for your personal items since you don’t have a storage basket underneath. The detachable bag is roomy and has a supported bottom. The carryall bag is really a necessity since you don’t have a storage basket like you would with a traditional stroller. You can purchase the carryall bag separately if needed, but it makes the most sense to just purchase a DualRide model that comes with it.
Gold Shyft DualRide
MSRP $599
Fashions: Onyx Black/Moonstone Gray/Opal Pink
Gold line offers premium fabrics, a white shell, an extended canopy with peek-a-boo window, full wrap vegan leather handle, chrome details and a limited lifetime warranty. It also includes the carryall bag. The limited lifetime warranty is a big upgrade over the standard warranty, which is only 90 days.
DualRide Installation
A handy Quick Start Guide is included which is greatly appreciated!
Installation With Base: A secure installation with base is simple and easy thanks to the “Lockstrong” belt-tensioning arm. Use either seatbelt or the latch attachment (but never both at the same time). There is an additional instruction label on the base, under the lockstrong arm. The base has 5 angle adjustment positions and the level indicator is on the top of the anti-rebound portion of the base.
Removing just the carrier from the base – this is is only way to separate the carrier from the chassis and wheels. When the chassis and wheels are folded inside the base, grab the upper release handle (which is located on the back of the carrier) and it will allow you to lift just the carrier portion – leaving the chassis and wheels folded up inside the base.
Installation Without Base: This is definitely more challenging due to the fact that you need to remove one set of wheels and reattach them in a designated position under the carrier. This extra step is cumbersome because you need to accomplish this while the baby is strapped into the seat. This is probably not something that you want to have to do on a regular basis.
Installation of Carrier Only Without Base: This is a typical baseless installation of an infant carrier using euro seatbelt routing, but you won’t have access to the chassis or wheels (because they will be trapped inside of the base where you left them), so you will have to carry the car seat with the baby inside if you need to go somewhere. However, it’s nice to have this option in case you find yourself in a situation where you need to travel by car with the baby but the vehicle that has the DualRide base in it (with the chassis and wheels folded inside because that’s how you left it) isn’t available. You may never need to install the DualRide this way in a vehicle but it’s always nice to have the option.
Fit-to-Child
The DualRide fits preemies and very small newborns exceptionally well. It’s one of the very few infant car seats rated down to 3 lbs. Preemie doll shown below with the crotch strap shortened to improve harness fit.
Here is the fit on a 3-month old who weighs about 13 lbs.
At the other end of the size range, here is a very large 11 month old, who is 26 lbs. and 31″ tall. He still fit with some growing room even though he was very close to reaching the 32″ height limit.
DualRide Pros & Cons
Advantages:
- Innovative combination of car seat and stroller
- 8-position, no-rethread harness
- Fits very small newborns well
- SensorSafe technology and app
- Ability to leave chassis (with wheels folded) inside the base and just remove the carrier
- Base is easy to install properly thanks to belt-tensioning feature
- Base has anti-rebound design
- Handle is high enough for taller parents but not too tall to be uncomfortable for those under 5’4″
- Optional wheels wells attach to the base to keep dirty stroller wheels from touching your vehicle upholstery
- Carryall storage bag comes with all mid-level and higher trim lines
- Cover can be machine washed (separately in cold water, delicate cycle, never use chlorine bleach, tumble dry 10 – 15 minutes on low heat)
Disadvantages:
- Very heavy (with wheels attached) when compared with typical infant car seats
- Installation of car seat without base requires removal of rear wheels and their placement under the carrier
- Extra bases are not available for purchase
Conclusion
The Evenflo Shyft DualRide is an innovative niche product. An infant car seat with integrated stroller is definitely convenient and it’s easy to understand why a product that combines these two features would be so popular. However, like all car seats, there are tradeoffs that should be considered before deciding if this product is right for you and your situation.
The car seat installation without base is a challenge due to the fact that you need to remove both rear wheels from the axle and reattach them underneath the carrier. And you have to be able to accomplish this with the baby in the seat. If you plan to use DualRide exclusively with its base, this won’t be an issue. However, it’s also worth pointing out that extra bases for DualRide are not available at this time.
You may also find that you become frustrated with a product like this as your baby gets heavier. Trying to hoist a car seat that weighs almost 20 lbs., plus the weight of your baby, then maneuvering it in and out of a vehicle isn’t an easy task for many parents or caregivers. There is also the obvious consideration that when your baby outgrows this product (likely somewhere between 12-18 months) that you will have to purchase a new car seat and a new stroller.
Still, with all that said, these are very popular products and many parents find that the advantages make up for the tradeoffs. The best advice we can give anyone, regardless of what car seat they are interested in, is to “try before you buy”, whenever possible.
Thank you to Evenflo for providing the Shyft DualRide sample for this review. Additional information can be found at the Evenflo website: https://www.evenflo.com/collections/car-seat-stroller-combos