How To Choose The Best Stroller?

[jennyfirstime]

Hi All,

I'm sorry if this is in the wrong section, but I couldn't see a part of the site specifically for things like strollers. We've been preparing loads for our first child but I still don't feel ready! I guess that's a common feeling though :) One thing we haven't done yet is get a good stroller, so that's the next task on my (very long) to do list.

I've been looking around online trying to find the best stroller in our price range (around $400). That's probably more than we can really afford at the moment, but we plan to have more than one baby so it makes sense to get a higher quality model. There seems to be a lot of choice in this price bracket, so it's getting confusing. Unfortunately we can't afford the "Bugaboo" yet, which would make things a lot more simple!

A few questions that I can't seem to find answers to are:

1. Is it safe to buy a second hand stroller?

2. Are there companies with a better safety reputation than others?

3. Is $400 really enough for a high quality stroller? (when buying new)

The Britax B-ready looks like a good option - it's got good reviews on Amazon anyway - but it would be great to get some real recommendations on here.

Thanks!

Jenny 

[~Adorkable~]

welcome to mothering.com!

i absolutely love my Baby Jogger City Select, one thing that is great about it is that it can be a single for you now and then later a double when you have a newborn and a toddler and shift around for what you need. 

[JoyFilled]

Have you checked Walmart?  For my first DD we bought a car seat/stroller for $50.  I loved it because the car seat went in the stroller and faced me as I walked.  It only lasted the first year of her life and than was broken.

Are you planning long walks right away?   If not then smaller and simpler is better at first.  Save your money for a double.

We went straight to a double stroller after buying a very cheap first one.  We bought http://www.joovy.com/p-18-caboose-stand-on-tandem-double-stroller.aspx and  http://www.chariotcarriers.com/english/html/cougar.php.  

We bought the chariot first with the bike attachments.  It works very well for long walks and for getting the kids to sleep.  The Joovy works well for shorter walks, airports and stores.

I would for sure buy second hand.  You just need to have a new car seat.

[nia82]

http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Touring-Baby-Inc-Targo/dp/B0013HZVHQ

I seriously considered this one but went with Teutonia (more expensive, but a heavy stroller which is good in our remote, windy area - the Bugaboo would basically blow away here!).

And this one is really cheap:

http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Stroller-Black-Green/dp/B004FN0Z8A/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1317914711&sr=1-1

[askins]

Are you getting a bucket (infant car seat)?  If so, I suggest buying a stroller frame first.  They are cheap and lightweight, and you can determine how much you're actually going to use a stroller, in what kinds of environments, what features are important to you, etc. before you make the big investment.

That said, we absolutely *adore* our BOB Revolution.  It can be a fixed-wheel jogger or the front wheel can release and freely rotate.  In the latter configuration, it turns on a dime and handles with the touch of a fingertip.  It's got inflatable tires that are great for all sorts of terrain - we've taken it up 4WD roads in Colorado.    It can be converted to accept a bucket too, before DC can sit unsupported.  It's got shocks so the ride and the handling are incredibly smooth.  Love it love it love it.  It is our "one true stroller."

We bought ours on Craigslist from a family who needed to upgrade to a double.  I have had no concerns about safety.  But BOBs retain their value very well, so I would have no qualms about buying one new, if you have the budget and intend to use it for more than one DC. 

[rducky]

I have the Britax B-Ready and I love it.  DD is 10 weeks and we've used it with the carseat and the bassinet.  It folds really easily and pretty flat. Fits well in the trunk of our Kia Soul.  I like that the seat can face forward or back.  Very easy and smooth to push, no shaky wheels!  No problems off pavement either (ex. gravel, grass).  It can convert to a double which is great. Once DD is a bit stronger with head/neck control we will switch to the stroller seat.

So far I feel that it's definitely been worth the price!  Feel free to ask if you have specific questions about the stroller.

[expat_canuck]

Originally Posted by askins 

Are you getting a bucket (infant car seat)? If so, I suggest buying a stroller frame first. They are cheap and lightweight, and you can determine how much you're actually going to use a stroller, in what kinds of environments, what features are important to you, etc. before you make the big investment.

This. We would have bought a completely different stroller, if we hadn't been given a used snap n go to use with an infant seat. In the end it really helped us determine which features were most important to us (tire size, weight and ease of collapsibility). We wanted a full size stroller, that had big enough wheels/tires to handle grass and gravel easily, but also would be light enough to carry up and down the flight of stairs at our front door without too much difficulty and folds up small to be stored in our tiny apartment. We chose a Baby Jogger City Mini, and we love it.

[Blanca78]

I agree, I love our stroller frame (we got it free as a hand-me-down). However, we have a big baby who has already almost outgrown her infant seat at 5 and a half months, so it may not last you long--I would look into a consignment store or something and see if you can pick up a used one (usually around $25, I think?)

As for strollers, you might decide on a model and look into eBay? The only drawback is that you can't usually return stuff.

We have a Bumbleride Flyer, which retails for around $375 (we got ours new for $300 with free shipping on eBay). The reason we chose this model is it has a reversible handle, so you can have your kid facing you or facing out, and being able to talk to her as we walked really appealed to us (my mom read that this is good for language development). This reversible style is more common in Europe but models tend to be quite expensive here in the US. The Bumbleride got great reviews and was less expensive than other reversible models we saw. Pros: it's very cute, and easy to use. I really do like having her face me. At 19.5 lbs or something, I think it's fairly lightweight. Cons: It's somewhat bulky, but then again, I don't know how it compares to other full-sized strollers. Also, I broke the latch that keeps it from unfolding (just a cheapo plastic hook) so it's a bit of a pain to transport when it's folded. Also, the basket doesn't hold much. We have a Chicco umbrella stroller someone gave my parents and I have a feeling we'll end up using that more once she outgrows the stroller frame, because it will be easy to keep in the trunk of the car. http://www.bumbleride.com/strollers/flyer-home.php

Honestly, I find it easier just to pop her in the baby carrier (we use a Patapum, similar to the Ergo) for trips to the store, walks, etc. But I think the Bumbleride will be nice for things like trips to the zoo, and we use it for longer walks around the neighborhood.

[twinpossible]

I recommend the Phil and Ted classic stroller. It is about $300 and is high quality. I love it because of the rumble seat. I have twins so I use the rumble seat ALL the time. I realize you did not mention twins but I constantly talk to other moms about how I wish other parents knew about this stroller. Most of us do not stop at one child, our family grows but sadly strollers do not. So many of my friends bought a single BOB stroller and then had to sell it to buy the double. The Phil and Ted is a stroller that can be a single one now and later you can add the second seat. I loved the price (we paid $360 for the single and rumble seat) and so far I love everything about the stroller! Here is a link to it, http://philandteds.com/.

Best of luck!

[Mulvah]

Edited by Mulvah - 10/16/11 at 6:01pm

[AnnieA]

I got the Peg Perego Uno and I LOVE it. We did not do an infant bucket seat but started out with the Graco MyRide convertible carseat. I love that the handle is reversible and that the seat reclines flat so when DD takes a nap while we are out, she is laying flat. It rides very smooth and I have zero major complaints about it. I have minor complaints but it has nothing to do with the actual build/quality of the product. My minor complaints are that it is a bit tricky to set up and break down the carriage mode and I'm the only one that has mastered it so DH is no help when getting DD in and out of the car. Also, when the handlebar is reversed, the larger wheels are in the front and the smaller wheels are in the back so steering can be a bit tricky. Again, I have no trouble with it but DH can't seem to get the hang of it and runs in to everything when "driving". The basket isn't very large but it's probably good for me because I tend to want to take EVERYTHING with me when we go out so it prevents me from doing that. The handlebar is adjustable so DH can put it at a height he likes and so can I.