Please help me pick a stroller

[earthgirl]

For some reason I am finding the decision of which stroller to buy completely overwhelming. For starters, we have about $200 to spend. (DH's grandma sent us the money and said to pick one out.) Here's what I do and don't need:

1) Something lightweight/ easy to tote around.
2) Something that can be used for a newborn and up to hopefully 2 years.
3) Something really sturdy b/c we live in the city and do a ton of walking.

I don't need one that holds the carseat b/c we hardly ever drive. I'm not opposed to that type, it's just not a necessity. Also, I'm not a jogger so something that will get us by on a nice long walk should suffice.

So what stroller do you city dwellers love? Are those perego strollers worth the price? My DH seems to like those but I don't know enough about them.

[Throkmorton]

I like my peg perego P3 stroller. It's nice, stands upwhen folded (great for small closets) and pushes beautifully. It's nice for city dwelling because it is small enough to maneuver through stores.
Test drive one with some weight in it. If you can shop online, check www.specialtybaby.com where they have some 2005 P3s on sale for $209 just because the fabrics are different for 2006.
Some other good strollers:
Maclaren Techno
Mac Triumph (ok, it says 3mos+. Either use a carrier or do what i do with my stroller and just add a head snuzzler and blanket for torso support. It has a pretty good recline all the same)
Zooper Hula/Swing
Zooper Waltz, if you like the solid bar handle
Zooper Twist, which also says 3mos+ but is my actual stroller, and I am comfortable with DD using it. She has been in it since 3 weeks old.

Or, if you want to go more all terrain, which would be harder to get through stores, but easier to push on long walks:
InStep Safari (it's big, but maneuverable)
Mountain buggy Breeze http://www.specialtybaby.com/mobu20stbrsi.html

Quite honestly, if the stroller is your main mode of transportation, don't skimp.
I made that mistake, and 4 years and 12 strollers later I am finally happy with my choices. For me, that means 4 strollers, each with a specific purpose. For the average person, it means 1 or 2 nice, solid strollers that can survive the beating city life can subject them to. Usually, those will be a lightweight and a jogger, or just a durable lightweight like the Pegs and Macs

[famousmockngbrd]

I have a double Baby Jogger I use on the street. When I get where I am going to, I park the stroller and carry baby DD while DS (4) walks.

[boongirl]

I would get the BOB Revolution. It is on sale right now at REI. It is an amazing stroller. Because the front wheel can lock or unlock, you can use it for long rides and jogs and also for in town. When you unlock the front wheel, it swivels easy enough to maneuver through any department or grocery store or downtown. Most of the other strollers don't swivel and the Baby Joggers have smaller wheels. I think the larger back wheels on the BOB make the ride smoother.

It folds up in a snap. I can even do it one handed. It fits nicely in a trunk. It is not a good stroller to fold and take on a bus because it folds into a square and is awkward to carry on a bus. But if you don't fold it, you would stow it off to the side. It pushes like a dream. I can totally operate it one handed. I sold my peg perego when I got mine at rei on sale last year. You will love it. I just took my dd for a run/walk through the woods in it and she was totally comfortable. The suspension system is great. It is ruggid and yet attractive.

Trust me when I say that you will get every dollar's worth on this one. And, you will use it for years and then you can craigslist it. It is so durable it will last for years. My peg perego was falling apart within days of using it, and in ways that the warranty did not cover.

This stroller is amazing!

[rootzdawta]

For something that is not too too heavy and that you can use with a newborn, I would suggest a Maclaren Techno Classic. It weighs 17 lbs. and can fully recline. I was able to find one on Ebay for $214 ppd. It's a good sturdy stroller that is perfect for walking a lot. It takes city bumps and stuff very nicely. And it is also relatively compact. I like mine and my only complaint would be that the storage basket underneath is pretty small.

[turniptruk]

I have a Graco something or another. Its a decent round town sorta stroller. It weighs probably 20lbs so its not the lightest thing. I'm not sure how it would fit in a small trunk. Evan seems comfy in it on our walks on paved streets & sidewalks- he falls asleep. Its terrible on bumpy roads, grass, gravel, etc. Nothin fancy.

What I would LOVE is a Bob Revolution for all the reasons stated in the earlier post. Bob is out of our price range - sadly!

I've been researching though. I've found the SCHWINN SC506 SINGLE JOGGING STROLLER SWIVEL FRONT at Walmart.com for a decent price. Does anyone have any experience with them? I cant find one in Canada, and certainly not locally here! We're heading to Minneapolis in a few weeks and I hope to check one out in person while down there. However, if I get brave, I may just order one sight unseen.

Any advice on it??

Pam

[Vanessa]

I'd get a Maclaren for sure. I absolutely love my Volo, but you can't put a newborn in it as it doesn't recline. Not a problem for me as I just put my older child in it when he doesn't want to walk and wear the baby.

They have models that recline, and if I needed a bigger stroller, that's what I'd get for sure.

[robugmum]

I don't know if you've thought of this or not, but the most important feature a stroller can have IMO is the ability to stroll wth the baby facing the parent. It makes me so sad to see newborn babes being wheeled around forwards without the comfort of and social interaction with his or her mama, papa or caregiver. The 2 best strollers I've ever found are the old style Perego Elegante and the Silver Cross Wayfarer. My Elegante has lasted me through 3 kids and is still a total workhorse. I do all my grocery shopping with it and it also put in a lot of time towing a Buggy Board. My Wayfarer, is kept in the car because it's easier to fold. BTW, the Wayfarer always gets me tons of questions and compliments. It's kind of cool looking, with a swivel bucket seat and a large wire underbasket. You could probably find one of these on Craiglist or ebay or something for less than $200 as well! Good Luck!

[boongirl]

Originally Posted by turniptruk

What I would LOVE is a Bob Revolution for all the reasons stated in the earlier post. Bob is out of our price range - sadly!

We save for 2 years to get ours and managed to get it on sale at REI last year. Saved almost $100 getting it on sale. It was worth all the saving.

As for strolling while looking at the baby, you could opt for babywearing until baby is old enough to be sitting up. There are pros and cons to the baby bucket stroller. Pros are that you can see the baby while strolling and watch her and lift her from car to stroller easily. Cons are that spending too much time in the bucket is not good for head shape and they get really warm in there. My spring baby was piping hot in her peg perego bucket. She was much cooler being worn, believe it or not.

[LittleMonkeyMom]

Buying a stroller can be very overwhelming! I find it to be as tough as buying a good baby carrier because you are making an investment and you want something that really works well for you. Otherwise it's money down the tubes.

We live in a somewhat urban neighborhood and most places I can and do walk (school, restaurants, drugstore, some shopping) to, however, we do take the car instead of public transport when we need to go somewhere I can't reach on foot. So take that for what it is worth. In your shoes, I would look for something with air-filled tires (makes for a much smoother ride) and a front wheel(s) that swivel is a must to negotiate through crowds, stores, etc. The good news is that Schwinn and InStep both make strollers like this for under $200. The bad news is they are generally heavier and harder to fold/less compact than the higher end strollers (Dreamer Design, Mountain Buggy, Baby Jogger, BOB, BumbleRide, Zooper). Though, come to think of it, I think Dreamer Design has a stripped down version of their urban stroller for around $200.

I currently have a Baby Jogger City Series single, and I have to tell you I am in love with that thing. It steers beautifully with one hand, plus, you only need one hand to fold it! No, I am not kidding. It's a beautifully made stroller. The sunshade leaves a little to be desired, but that's its only fault IMO.

Now, if you'd prefer a more traditional stroller like a Peg, Graco, etc., you have a wide variety to choose from. I'm admittedly less familiar with these, though I hear great things about the Maclarens. Our first stroller was an Inglesina Zippy, and I was really happy with it. It's great for smooth surfaces and it is lightweight and features a convenient one-handed fold. I loved it in malls, but liked it less when traversing over uneven sidewalks and steep curbs. Not to say that it didn't do the job well, it just made the job more work.

Two sites that are helpful in researching strollers are www.babybargainsbook.com and www.joggingstroller.com. Baby Bargains has a huge forum and decent search function. I'll admit that materialism runs rampant there, but to give the devil his due, some of those ladies really know their stroller stuff. Also, some people there keep track of webstores that are having sales, so you may be able to score a good deal. The other site has a lot of reviews, both expert and user.

HTH!

[earthgirl]

Originally Posted by robugmum

I don't know if you've thought of this or not, but the most important feature a stroller can have IMO is the ability to stroll wth the baby facing the parent.

I had thought of this, actually. I just assumed I would have a hard time finding one that allowed the baby to face me/DH b/c I see this so seldomly. Good to know there are some out there.

I hadn't even considered looking at REI. That's good to know. Thanks everyone!

[mimim]

I met someone with one of these the other day and it was AWESOME!

I dig my Maclaren Triumph, but it doesn't fully recline for a newborn. A newborn doesn't need a stroller though. It's much easier to carry a tiny baby in a sling or Mei Tei, IME.

[rootzdawta]

Originally Posted by mimim

I met someone with one of these the other day and it was AWESOME!

I dig my Maclaren Triumph, but it doesn't fully recline for a newborn. A newborn doesn't need a stroller though. It's much easier to carry a tiny baby in a sling or Mei Tei, IME.

I totally agree . . . a newborn has no need for a stroller, IMO. If I had to do it over, I would have gone with the Triumph which is lighter than the Techno Classic and therfore more versatile and easy to use for city living.

[robugmum]

Originally Posted by boongirl

There are pros and cons to the baby bucket stroller. Pros are that you can see the baby while strolling and watch her and lift her from car to stroller easily. Cons are that spending too much time in the bucket is not good for head shape and they get really warm in there. My spring baby was piping hot in her peg perego bucket.

To be clear, the Wayfarer doesn't hold a baby carseat, the seat itself is like a bucket seat in a car, similar to the Bugaboo or Rock Star strollers. As for wearing the babe, of course, I feel that's the ideal too. Once he or she is over 20 lbs though, I find it too hard on my back for long trips. I use a rear facing stroller so that even though I'm not holding her, she can still see me. We talk and sing and comment on the world we're both seeing. Its fun. BTW, my youngest is now 15 months. I don't think I'll ever turn her around, unless maybe she asks me to one day

I've got a good friend who has a Bumble ride. They are lovely too, but basically the same design as the Classic Peg Peregos, just more hip and stylin'!

[treemom2]

If I didn't already have a couple strollers I would definately get this one!! Check it out, it's so cool!!

[srain]

If I were you, I'd research and pick one out you like, but don't buy it yet! Unless you are SURE you'll need a stroller (back problems, etc.) you might decide you don't need one when the baby is really little. (We didn't get one until my son was 18 months old; we walked about three miles a day.) If you wait, you won't have to store it, and when you do decide you need one your options/ needs might increase- new strollers may come out, but more likely, you'd be past the point where you need one that fully reclines. If you do decide you want on right away, you should be able to have one shipped to you within days if you do your research ahead of time.

[Jilian]

I have a Maclaren Quest and I LOVE it. I'll only buy Maclaren from now on. The steering is AWESOME, one handed steering is easy. The stroller is great for tall people too. It's compact, you can fold it up with one hand, and there is a carrying handle to carry it with then it is folded. It is also lightweight.

If you want something for a newborn you'll need the techno by Maclaren, or like a pp said, use a baby carrier when the baby is small and then get a Quest when the baby is bigger.

ETA: If you live near a babies r us you can go in and test some strollers out before buying. But buy online, the prices are usually much cheaper. I bought my maclaren online, I think it was from albeebaby.com. I waited until the newest models came in and then bought a "leftover" from the previous year and got it for a great price!

[Fiercemama]

Originally Posted by srain

If I were you, I'd research and pick one out you like, but don't buy it yet! Unless you are SURE you'll need a stroller (back problems, etc.) you might decide you don't need one when the baby is really little. (We didn't get one until my son was 18 months old; we walked about three miles a day.) If you wait, you won't have to store it, and when you do decide you need one your options/ needs might increase- new strollers may come out, but more likely, you'd be past the point where you need one that fully reclines. If you do decide you want on right away, you should be able to have one shipped to you within days if you do your research ahead of time.

:

Grammy bought us a big expensive ocean liner of a stroller when I was pg. A lovely Peg, that yes, turned to face either way. It was nice, but if I'd known then what I know now.... Don't buy the stroller now. Get a good baby carrier - not a Bjorn! a sling or a wrap. That's enough for quite a while. Then when you actually start needing a stroller, you'll have a better idea of your needs.

We live in the city, ride the subway and public transit, don't have a car, and must fold our stroller (small house too). After a year with the lumbering Peg, I convinced DH we needed a Maclaren. We got a Quest - the lightest one that reclines. Couldn't live without it. Can be manovered with one hand in dollar stores. Need I say more.

If you are using your stroller on public transit, you must be able to lift your stroller with your kid in it. And I say that living in a city that does have a mostly "accessible" transit system with elevators and kneeling buses. But at some point, they are not working when your DC is asleep in the stroller.

[earthgirl]

Does anyone know where I can test out a Bumbleride? I've never seen them in stores and don't want to buy anything without testing it first. The bumbleride appeals to me b/c of the reversible handle thing.

[boongirl]

Have you tried their website? Perhaps they have a way to find stores that carry them near you?