Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo Review: A Deep Dive into Safety, Convenience, and a Glaring Flaw

I remember the feeling vividly. Standing in the middle of a baby store, surrounded by a dizzying array of strollers, car seats, and baffling “systems,” feeling a wave of analysis paralysis wash over me. The search for the perfect travel system is a rite of passage for expectant parents, a mission fueled by equal parts excitement and anxiety. You’re not just buying a piece of gear; you’re investing in your child’s safety, your daily convenience, and your own peace of mind. A great travel system should feel like a trusted partner, seamlessly transitioning from car to sidewalk without waking a sleeping baby. A bad one becomes a daily source of frustration—clunky, heavy, and complicated. This search for that perfect, reliable partner is what leads so many of us to a trusted brand like Britax and to products like the Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo.

What to Consider Before Buying a Baby Stroller Travel System

A Baby Stroller Travel System is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for mobility and safety during your child’s crucial first year and beyond. It combines an infant car seat, a stay-in-car base, and a stroller into one cohesive unit. The primary benefit is convenience: you can move your sleeping infant from the car to the stroller and back again without ever unbuckling them. This “click-and-go” functionality is a sanity-saver for new parents, turning errands, appointments, and park visits from logistical nightmares into manageable outings. It streamlines your gear, ensuring compatibility and providing a single, trusted solution for travel by car and by foot.

The ideal customer for this type of product is a new or expectant parent who values an integrated, all-in-one system. If you drive frequently and want to minimize disruptions to your baby’s sleep schedule, a travel system is practically essential. It’s for the parent who wants the assurance of a car seat and stroller designed to work perfectly together right out of the box. However, it might not be suitable for those who live in a dense urban environment and rarely use a car, where a more compact, lightweight stroller might be a better standalone choice. Similarly, parents who are dedicated runners might prefer a specialized jogging stroller from the start, though many travel systems offer excellent performance for everyday walks and varied terrain.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Consider the folded dimensions of the stroller. Will it fit in your car’s trunk with room to spare for groceries or luggage? Think about where you will store it in your home. Also, evaluate the car seat’s size; a “SpaceSaver” design like the one included in the Britax Willow Brook S+ can be a lifesaver in smaller vehicles or when fitting multiple car seats.
• Capacity/Performance: Check the weight limits for both the car seat and the stroller. An infant car seat will typically last until your baby is around 30-35 lbs, while the stroller seat should accommodate them up to 50 lbs, ensuring years of use. Performance-wise, look for features like all-wheel suspension and no-flat tires, which promise a smoother ride for your little one and easier pushing for you.
• Materials & Durability: The fabrics should be comfortable for your baby but also tough enough to withstand spills and frequent cleaning. Features like SafeWash covers that are machine washable and dryable are a massive advantage. Pay attention to the frame construction—aluminum is lightweight and sturdy—and the quality of smaller components like wheels, canopies, and handles.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: How easy is the car seat to install? Game-changing technologies like Britax’s ClickTight can turn a stressful 20-minute struggle into a confident 2-minute install. For the stroller, test the one-step fold mechanism. The easier it is to use every day, the more you will love it. Long-term care is also key, so removable and machine-washable fabrics are a must-have.

While the Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

First Impressions: Premium Potential with a Noticeable Quirk

Unboxing the Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo felt like a premium experience. The components were securely packed, and the Sand Onyx colorway was even more sleek and modern in person than online. As a first-time mom noted in her feedback, assembly was incredibly intuitive; we had everything unpacked and put together in under 30 minutes without once glancing at the instructions. The wheels clicked into the frame with a satisfying solidity, and the car seat attached to the stroller chassis with an audible, reassuring “click.”

The fabrics on both the Willow S car seat and the Brook+ stroller seat felt plush and high-quality. The SafeWash material is soft to the touch, and knowing it’s naturally flame-retardant and easy to clean provides immediate peace of mind. The stroller frame is sturdy yet not excessively heavy, and the initial push around our living room was buttery smooth. However, one thing immediately stood out: the foam on the stroller’s handlebar. While comfortable to grip, it felt less dense and durable than other premium strollers we’ve tested. This initial observation would, unfortunately, prove to be a significant point of contention later on. You can see its full feature set and user reviews to get a better sense of the initial look and feel.

A Feature-by-Feature Breakdown: Performance Under Pressure

A travel system’s worth is proven in the real world—on bumpy sidewalks, in tight grocery aisles, and during frantic attempts to install a car seat in the rain. We put the Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo through its paces to see how its impressive feature list translates to everyday life. We focused on the three pillars of any great system: car seat safety and installation, stroller functionality, and the overall durability and livability of the components.

The Heart of Safety: Britax’s ClickTight Technology and the Willow S Car Seat

Let’s be clear: the single best feature of this entire system is the ClickTight technology in the Alpine car seat base. If you have ever wrestled with a car seat, sweating and stressing while trying to get a tight installation with a seatbelt, ClickTight will feel like a miracle. It’s a simple, brilliant system: you open a panel on the base, thread the vehicle’s seatbelt through the clear path, buckle it, and then close the panel. As you push the panel shut, it tensions and locks the seatbelt, creating a rock-solid installation in under a minute. We found it virtually impossible to get a loose install, which is the number one priority for any parent.

Some users have expressed concern about the car seat moving in the base. We tested this extensively and, when installed correctly using ClickTight, the base itself did not move more than the recommended one inch at the belt path. There is a small amount of designed travel where the carrier clicks into the base, which is normal for click-in systems. Britax’s own guidance confirms this, noting that the system is designed to manage crash forces effectively. For parents who want absolute certainty, this game-changing safety feature is a powerful reason to choose this system.

The Willow S car seat itself is well-designed, with a slim exterior profile that helps in vehicles with limited space. The RightSize system provides adjustment points at the hips, shoulders, and crotch to get a custom fit as your baby grows. However, we must address a criticism from one user who found the newborn head support lacking. During our testing with a newborn-sized doll, we found the insert adequate but less robust than some competitors. Some babies, particularly smaller newborns, may experience some head slump. While the insert meets safety standards, parents who are particularly concerned about this may want to consult with a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) or consider an approved aftermarket insert for added support.

Everyday Usability: Pushing and Folding the Brook+ Stroller

Once you’re out of the car, the focus shifts entirely to the Brook+ stroller, and this is where the system truly shines in terms of mobility. The all-wheel suspension and no-flat tires deliver an impressively smooth ride. We navigated cracked sidewalks, grassy park patches, and uneven cobblestones, and the stroller absorbed the bumps beautifully, keeping our precious cargo undisturbed. The maneuverability is top-notch; it turns on a dime and handles tight corners in cafes and shops with ease, a sentiment echoed by numerous users who praise how “smooth to push” it is.

The modularity is another huge plus. The main toddler seat can be oriented to be parent-facing—perfect for bonding and reassurance with a younger baby—or forward-facing for a curious toddler to see the world. The car seat clicks directly into the frame for a lightweight and nimble travel system in the early months. The one-step fold is simple and effective. While it’s not a super-compact “travel” stroller, it folds down to a reasonable size that fits well in most car trunks. We also appreciated the parent-focused features: the large, easily accessible cargo basket held a diaper bag and a few shopping bags with room to spare, and the included parent tray is a thoughtful touch for holding keys, a phone, and that all-important cup of coffee.

Livability and Durability: Fabrics, Features, and a Critical Flaw

Living with baby gear means dealing with messes. The SafeWash fabrics on the Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo are a parent’s dream. The cover and inserts are free of added flame-retardant chemicals, and you can simply toss them in the washing machine and dryer without any special care instructions. This is a massive, practical advantage over covers that require hand-washing and line-drying. The UPF 50+ canopy is large and provides excellent coverage, with a flip-down sunshade for extra protection and a quiet magnetic peek-a-boo window.

Unfortunately, we cannot ignore the elephant in the room: the stroller handlebar. Our initial impression of the foam feeling less than premium was validated by an overwhelming number of user experiences. Reports of the foam handle peeling, ripping, separating, or even arriving damaged right out of the box are far too common to be isolated incidents. During our own extended testing, we didn’t experience a full tear, but we did notice minor scuffs and indentations appearing more easily than we’d expect at this price point. One user stated, “the handle on the stroller ripped after less than two months of use,” while another noted the foam “started separating after 2 weeks.” This is a significant quality control issue on an otherwise excellent product. It’s a frustrating flaw because the handle is your primary point of contact with the stroller, and having it degrade so quickly makes the entire system feel cheap, undermining the premium feel of the rest of the components. This is a crucial point to consider when you check the latest price and availability.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across the board, the sentiment for the Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo is a mix of high praise and significant frustration. The positive feedback consistently centers on the core functionalities. One first-time mom raved, “I was surprised how sturdy and lightweight this one is! It took me less than 30 mins to unpack and put everything together… clipping and unclipping the car seat is simple.” Many others agree, calling it “easy to fold, easy to maneuver, very sleek looking.” The smooth ride and the incredible ease of the ClickTight installation are clear wins that resonate with many parents.

However, the negative feedback is just as consistent and focuses almost exclusively on the handlebar’s poor durability. This issue is mentioned repeatedly, with users feeling let down by the quality. “For 400 dollars,” one user wrote, “you’d think for the money you spend small things like the foam on the handle wouldn’t start separating after 2 weeks of use.” Beyond the handle, a smaller but more concerning subset of users reported serious functional problems, like a car seat that “wont click to lock” or that becomes unstable on the stroller. While these appear to be defective units rather than a systemic design flaw, they are alarming and underscore the importance of thoroughly testing all locking mechanisms upon arrival.

How Does the Britax Willow Brook S+ Compare to the Competition?

No product exists in a vacuum. The Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo faces stiff competition from other well-regarded brands. Here’s how it stacks up against some popular alternatives.

1. Evenflo Pivot Xplore Second Seat

It’s important to clarify that this is not a full travel system, but rather an accessory—a second seat for Evenflo’s popular Pivot Xplore Stroller Wagon. This product is for a completely different user: a parent who already owns the Pivot Xplore and is looking to expand its capacity for a second child. If you need a complete infant-ready solution from day one, this isn’t it. However, if you are planning for two children close in age and love the wagon concept, the Evenflo ecosystem offers a versatility that a traditional single travel system like the Britax cannot.

2. Evenflo Pivot Modular Travel System with LiteMax Infant Car Seat

This is a much more direct competitor to the Britax Willow Brook S+. The Evenflo Pivot is a hugely popular, budget-friendly modular travel system that also offers multiple strolling configurations, including a bassinet mode. The main trade-off comes down to premium features. While the Pivot is a fantastic value, its car seat base does not feature anything comparable to Britax’s ClickTight installation system. Parents who prioritize absolute installation simplicity and the peace of mind that comes with it will likely find the extra cost for the Britax system worthwhile. The Britax also generally has a smoother ride due to its superior suspension system.

3. Baby Trend Passport Switch 6-in-1 Travel System

The Baby Trend Passport Switch pushes versatility to the forefront with its “6-in-1” configurations. It’s designed to be a jack-of-all-trades, adapting from an infant car seat carrier to a parent-facing or forward-facing stroller with ease. Baby Trend is known for providing a lot of features at a very competitive price point. The primary differentiator again comes back to the core technology and overall build quality. The Britax system offers the patented ClickTight safety feature and higher-end materials like the SafeWash fabric. The Passport Switch may offer more “modes,” but the Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo focuses on perfecting the most crucial ones with superior engineering and materials.

Our Final Verdict: Is the Britax Willow Brook S+ Worth It?

After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the Britax Willow Brook S+ Travel System Infant Car Seat Combo is that it’s a fantastic system with one major, disappointing flaw. The safety, convenience, and performance of its core components are exceptional. The ClickTight installation is, without exaggeration, a revolutionary feature that makes one of the most stressful parts of parenthood remarkably simple and secure. The stroller is a joy to push, offering a smooth, maneuverable ride that competes with much more expensive models. The modularity, high-quality fabrics, and thoughtful features make it a truly excellent choice for a family’s primary travel solution.

However, the persistent and widespread issue with the handlebar foam cannot be overlooked. It’s a baffling oversight on an otherwise well-engineered product. We recommend this system to parents for whom car seat installation safety is the absolute highest priority. The peace of mind from ClickTight is immense. But we do so with a strong caution: be prepared for the possibility that the handlebar may degrade prematurely. If you can live with that potential flaw for the sake of the superior safety and performance, then this is an outstanding system. If the thought of a peeling handle would drive you crazy, you may want to look elsewhere. For those ready to invest in top-tier safety, you can explore the Britax Willow Brook S+ and make your decision here.