Joie Versatrax vs Graco Near2Me DLX Travel System: Both Bases Spin, Only the £450 Carrycot Is Rated for an Overnight Sleep

COMPARISON · TRAVEL SYSTEMS

Most parents shopping for a first travel system set a budget, filter by price and then get stuck on a wall of near-identical bundles. Under £500, two of the most complete packages we list are the Joie Versatrax & Ramble XL bundle at £428 and the Graco Near2Me DLX Trio at £450. Both come with a reversible pushchair seat, a carrycot, an i-Size infant carrier and, importantly, a rotating base for the car. That last part is what usually pushes a "cheap" travel system up by another £100 or more, so getting it in the box matters.

On paper they are almost twins. Both pushchairs are rated from birth to 22kg (roughly four years). Both infant carriers fit babies from 40cm to 75cm, roughly the first year, and weigh within 50g of each other. Both bases click into ISOFIX and swivel the carrier towards the open door. So the choice comes down to the smaller things you notice on the school run and the late-night car park: how heavy the frame is to lift, how it folds, what the carrycot is rated for, and what the base does once your baby outgrows the first seat.

We compared the two using the manufacturer specs, live retailer listings, independent hands-on testing and the feedback parents share with us about living with each one. Here is how they really differ.

Lil' Bubba's verdicts

• Best Overall: Graco Near2Me DLX Trio · 8.0/10 - lighter pushchair, a carrycot rated for occasional overnight sleep and a base that turns a full 180°
• Best Value: Joie Versatrax & Ramble XL Bundle · 7.5/10 - £22 less, a bigger, easier-to-reach basket and a fold that works with the seat facing either way

Quick comparison

	Joie Versatrax & Ramble XL	Graco Near2Me DLX Trio
Price (at time of writing)	£428	£450
Pushchair weight (with seat)	11.7kg	Approx. 10.9kg
Pushchair rating	Birth to 22kg	Birth to 22kg
Carrycot	Ramble XL, approx. 3kg, to 9kg, daytime naps	Near2Me DLX, 3.5kg, to 9kg, occasional overnight sleep
Infant carrier	i-Snug 2, 3.35kg, 40-75cm	SnugLite i-Size, 3.3kg, 40-75cm
Base	i-Base Encore, 90° turn for the infant carrier, 360° with later Joie seats	SnugTurn, 180° turn to either door, pairs with Graco's toddler seat
Fold	One-piece, seat facing either way	Stand-alone, seat forward-facing
Rating

How we picked these two

We started with every travel system in our catalogue that is in stock with a retailer we work with, then narrowed to bundles under £500 that include all four pieces: pushchair, carrycot, infant carrier and base. Plenty of budget bundles drop the base or the carrycot to hit a price, which looks like a saving until you buy the missing piece separately. These two were the most complete packages left, from brands with a long UK track record and spare parts that are easy to find. We then checked each against the brand's own specs and independent testing, and weighed it against what parents tell us actually wears thin after six months of daily use.

What to look for in a budget travel system

Count the pieces, not the price. A "3-in-1" can mean pushchair, carrycot and car seat without a base, so you either buy the base later or belt the carrier in every time. A rotating base is the piece most parents end up wishing they had, especially with a low car or a tight space in a car park.

Check the carrycot rating. Some carrycots are for daytime naps only, while others are rated for occasional overnight sleep on a flat, level surface. If you plan to stay at grandparents' or travel in the first few months, that rating saves you buying a separate travel cot early. Always follow safe sleep guidance: baby on their back, firm flat mattress, nothing loose.

Lift the frame. A difference of 0.8kg sounds small until you are lifting it into a boot with a baby on your hip. Check whether it folds with the seat on, which saves a step every time.

Think beyond the first year. The infant carrier is outgrown at around 12 months. A base that also takes the brand's next seat stretches your money; one that only fits the infant carrier becomes clutter.

Be realistic about the upper limit. "To 22kg" is a safety rating, not a promise that a lanky three-year-old will be comfortable. Seat depth and back height matter more as they grow.

1. Joie Versatrax & Ramble XL 4-in-1 Bundle / 10 · Best Value

The Versatrax is Joie's everyday four-wheeler, and this bundle pairs it with the Ramble XL carrycot, the i-Snug 2 infant carrier and the i-Base Encore. At £428 it is listed well below its £725 RRP, which makes it the cheaper of the two here by £22. The seat reclines flat from birth, faces either way, and the whole thing folds in one piece with the seat still attached in either direction, then stands up on its own.

The base is the quiet strength. On the i-Base Encore the i-Snug 2 turns 90° towards the door, and the same base takes Joie's later toddler seats with a full 360° spin. If you plan to stay with Joie for the next seat, that saves buying a second base. The trade-off is weight: at 11.7kg with the seat on, the Versatrax is the heavier pushchair, and the base itself is around 7kg if you move it between cars.

What parents love

• A basket you can actually reach. The basket opens from front and back, and stays usable with the carrycot or seat fitted. Independent testing fitted around four bags of shopping in it, and there is a zipped pocket too.
• Smooth on rough pavements. All-wheel suspension and foam-filled tyres take kerbs well. One parent told us: "It felt pretty sturdy going up and down kerbs, and it wasn't too bumpy for the baby on uneven pavements."
• Folds with the seat either way. No need to take the seat off or turn it round first. With the seat on, it fits a family-hatchback boot with room for a bag or two.
• A roomy carrycot. The Ramble XL is long and well padded, with a lie-flat mattress and a canopy that retracts.

What to know before you buy

• The fold needs a firm tug. A parent shared: "You have to give it a bit of a yank to release the lock, and sometimes I needed a second hand on the clips." There is also no clip to hold the folded chassis shut.
• Carrycot is for naps, not nights. The Ramble XL is not rated for overnight sleep, and the handle sits on the hood, so it carries a little unevenly.
• The seat runs snug. Although rated to 22kg, a three-year-old of around 13kg was already a tight fit in testing. Expect to move on to a stroller earlier than the label suggests.

Best for

• Families who want the full four-piece set for the lowest price
• Parents planning to stick with Joie for the next car seat, so the base keeps earning its place
• Big weekly shops on foot, thanks to the front-and-back basket
• Bumpy town pavements and kerb-heavy routes

2. Graco Near2Me DLX Trio / 10 · Best Overall

The Near2Me DLX is Graco's upgraded take on its popular Near2Me pushchair, and the bundle we list comes with the DLX carrycot, the SnugLite i-Size infant carrier and the SnugTurn rotating base. It costs £22 more than the Joie, and for that you get a lighter frame at roughly 10.9kg with the seat, a five-position recline, three handle heights and four-wheel suspension.

The two details that tip it for us are the carrycot and the base. The DLX carrycot is rated for occasional overnight sleep, which is genuinely useful for the first few months away from home. The SnugTurn base swings the SnugLite a full 180° to face either door, has a load leg and anti-rebound bar, and also takes Graco's rotating toddler seat, so the same base can see you through to around four years.

What parents love

• Lighter to lift. Around 0.8kg less than the Versatrax with the seat on. It does not sound like much, but parents who lift a pushchair into the boot every day notice it.
• Overnight-rated carrycot. At 3.5kg it is the heavier carrycot, but it collapses for storage and can be used for occasional overnight sleep. For a first weekend away, that can save buying a travel cot in the early months.
• A base that turns all the way. 180° rotation means you can face the carrier straight at you from either side of the car, with colour indicators to confirm it is fitted correctly.
• Comfort for both of you. Three handle heights suit taller parents, and the padded seat and adjustable canopy keep babies settled. A parent shared that comfort for both baby and parent was the clear stand-out.

What to know before you buy

• The fold has a routine. The seat needs to be forward-facing and upright before it folds, and parents of the earlier Near2Me found the "one-hand" fold took two hands in practice. Worth trying in store if you can.
• Seat doesn't sit fully upright. On the earlier Near2Me, parents noted the seat is always angled slightly back. Fine for naps, less so for a nosy toddler who wants to sit up and look around.
• Stock is thin. At the time of writing the retailer flags this bundle as last items in stock, so check availability before you plan around it.

Best for

• Parents who lift the pushchair in and out of the car every day
• Families who travel or stay over in the early months and want a carrycot rated for occasional nights
• Smaller cars or tight parking, where a full 180° turn helps
• Taller parents who need the handle higher

What about buying without the base?

Both brands sell cheaper versions of these bundles without the rotating base. They look like a saving, but a stand-alone rotating base usually costs well over the difference, and without one you are threading the seat belt round the carrier on every trip. If you only have one car and drive most days, the base is the part of the bundle you will use most. If you rarely drive, a base-free bundle can make sense, as long as you check the carrier is approved for belted fitting in your car.

How to choose

Choose the Graco Near2Me DLX Trio if you will be lifting the pushchair into a boot most days, want a carrycot that can double as an occasional overnight bed in the early months, or like the idea of a base that turns all the way round and carries on with Graco's toddler seat. It costs £22 more and the fold takes a little practice, but it is the more complete everyday package.

Choose the Joie Versatrax & Ramble XL Bundle if price comes first, you walk more than you drive and want a basket that swallows the weekly shop, or you plan to stay with Joie for your next car seat. Accept that the carrycot is for daytime naps and that the seat will feel snug for an older toddler.

Add it to your Nest

Not sure yet? Add both to your free BubsNest registry and let family and friends chip in towards the one you choose. A travel system is one of the biggest single purchases on most lists, and it is one of the easiest gifts to split between a few people.