[AmyLouise]

I've decided to splurge and buy a Peg Perego Venezia stroller for my baby due in November! I'm usually frugal but my DH agrees that I should have a luxury!

I'm so excited about ordering it but before I shell out the moola I thought I would ask to see if anyone hear has used any of the Peg strollers.

- were you happy with your peg?
- did you have the venezia?
- did you like the pram feature?
- what about the peg carseat?

Thank you!!!
Amy

 

[sylvi76]

I've got the aria and love it. Customer Service is great.

 

[AmyLouise]

bump

 

[Marimami]

I highly recommend that you get the book "Baby Bargains" if you want a review of different strollers, etc. There is an active site with the same name too. The mamas there know of all types of strollers and can give you some good advice. Lots of them are mamas who combine stroller use with babywearing so it's a pretty good balance.

Holli

 

[beth568]

I have an older (2001) Venezia. It's a lovely stroller with lots of nice features for a young infant. I'm about to sell mine, though, because my second DD doesn't like it and it's a bit too much stroller for us now that she wants to sit up.

Things I loved about it:
- reversible handle, so baby could face me
- accepts infant car seats (I used a Graco Snugride) with an adaptor bar
- big sun canopy
- full recline (which we really only used for the first month or two, after which the baby could sit with a partial recline)
- reasonable size basket, though not that easy to access

Things I don't love:
- the steering isn't great
- size - it's a pretty big stroller, so it does not maneuver easily through stores and such. This is less of an issue if you only have one child - I often need to steer one handed while I hold my older DD's hand, and the Venezia is too big to maneuver well that way
- the wheels aren't big enough to handle bumpy sidewalks well. We're often getting stuck when there's a big crack in the sidewalk, or on an unpaved path. My DH has hated the Venezia from moment one because of this. But it handles beautifully on flat, indoor surfaces.
- weight

Pegs are good, solid strollers. The pram feature and the boot will be good for your little one in November/December if you live someplace cold. And if you'll be wheeling the baby around indoors as a newborn, in malls, museums, etc, you'll do fine. If you are planning lots of outdoor walks on anything other than a nice flat paved street, though, you may get a little frustrated.

 

[Kirsten]

- were you happy with your peg?

VERY. We are still using the Peg stroller we bought new for dd1 back in 1996! Now using for our dd3 - this stroller has seen a LOT of use, in varied situations (indoor, outdoor, everywhere we go) and is still wonderful!

- did you have the venezia?

I don't remember the name.... I went to the PP website and it looks most like the Venezia.

- did you like the pram feature?

Not sure what this is?

:

- what about the peg carseat?

Didn't have that so can't comment.

I love being able to switch the handle so baby can ride facing you or facing out. It is a sturdy stroller. Back in '96 there were more fabric options and I got a really cool taupe with a little bit of black in it - the baby store employee said (as we looked at the fabric choices) "they are all nice - except for that one that looks like a man's tie". :LOL Of course, that was the one I wanted! She died of embarassment but it was a plus for me - I don't want what everyone else has anyway.

I used the boot a few times when dd1 was tiny. It was nice but have never again since.

I find this stroller to be tough to use in gravel or at the beach in loose sand. But it is so good in all other applications that I wouldn't let that stop you - I bet that most strollers are bad in those situations unless they have the giant wheels maybe?

I have never been sorry we bought this stroller and I feel very safe in recommending it to you.

 

[edensmummi]

We chose not to get a Peg- Only because we live in a small town with really crappy sidewalks and I wanted something with bigger wheels. What I have now doesn't have the pram option, which I really miss.

We did get the Peg car seat and absolutely loved it!! It was really easy to use. A little bit heavy, but that helps to make it safer. When I looked at the other options, the peg definately looked much sturdier and safer. Tonnes of extra padding and looked more like a cocooon! My son loved it. He's very tall for his age and unfortuately grew out of it because of his length at 3 1/2 mths, long before 20lbs. I was a little bit miffed as it was $250 CAN and we used it for such a short time. However, there is no way to predict as I'm a towering 5'4'' and dh is maybe 5'10'' . Where ds height comes from...not sure! At least it still looks brand new for the next one! All in all, glad we splurged!

Good luck!

 

[Azreial]

We have a peg-perego aria and My sister and I used a peg-perego twin when we went out with our boys years ago. Both were very well made. However I don't think a big carraige/stroller is a wise investment. I had a stoller not quite as large as the venezia and also one of those old-fashioned pram with the bassinette, when ds (7) was little. I thought I would love them becuase we walked everywhere, I didn't have a car. But no, I have found that you'll love it when dc is really small 2mth or less but then you'll wish fomr something smaller. I would reccomend the pliko if you want something a little large and cushy. Its lightweight and folds small. Features which I'm sure most mums will agree are great

 

[umefey]

We had a peg perego pliko and i hated it.

:
Mabye I'm just a stroller-idiot (We got it when my pregnant belly was too big to use my trekker or a sling) but It drove me nuts. It was sooooo hard to collapse.
I used it mabye 3 times and then sold it.

 

[robugmum]

I'm a big fan of Peg Perego Strollers...
I'm still using my trusty Peg Elegante that we bought at a Dept. Store closing out sale in 1999. It has been a total workhorse, big rubber wheels, ample flat basket on the bottom - holds tons of groceries. We've just had our 3rd child and the stroller is as good as new. I'm not sure which of the newer models it would be most like though. We do almost everything on foot around here and its perfect for outdoor sidewalk and park trail use. The Elegante doesn't have swivel wheels in the front, which I like because it's so much easier to steer one handed (even while holding a cuppa) if your stroller isn't trying to turn different ways. I guess, though, if you were using a stroller for malls and other indoor spaces you might like the swivels.

As far as car seats go though, the Peg's can only be used with the base. Not so convenient for taxis or travelling or emergencies (ie. your car gets towed!). They are also very expensive for something you might only be able to use for a few months. I think their strollers are a much better investment.

A funny aside, Italy has the lowest birthrate in Europe (which is low in general) - but makes some of the best baby gear!

 

[kbridi]

I got one and have only used it about 4 or 5 times. DS likes to be slung/carried. Maybe when he gets older and is too heavy to carry all of the time I'll get more use out of it.

It seems like a good stroller though.

 

[Periwinkle]

I have both the Peg Perego Duette (for twins

) and the Peg Perego Venezia w/ pram feature etc. I also have 2 Peg Perego Primo Viaggio infant carseats (again, from the twins) one of which we just re-used for the baby.

After 3 years of using PP strollers & carseats, I would NOT buy PP again if I didn't have twins (the Duette is the only twin stroller that IMO works well with twin infants but that's another story).

My reasons:

1,) The carseat and especially the stroller are a ridiculous amount of money compared to Graco. Ridiculous. My twin stroller ALONE was $550. (A gift from the office pool at work g*d love them). But even if you add up just the Venezia and 1 infant carseat (Primo Viaggio) , that's still over $500!!

2.) The Venezia stroller is very very very very very big and bulky, doesn't collapse easily, weighs a lot, and requires two hands (and two feet and a lot of patience) to fold. Just what you need when you go to the mall with a baby. Also, the basket/storage area is very small and hard to access. Finally, no cupholders!

: My friend has the new Graco stroller (travel system) and it's a dream. Big baskets, lots of storage, and 2 cupholders and a little tray up by the pushbar so you can stash your cell phone, car keys, etc. LOVE that! Also it's a one-handed fold and compressed down to practically nothing.

3.) The Primo Viaggio carseat is NOT the safest carseat out there... the Graco SnugRide and the Britax infant seat are ranked higher. It is also teensy tiny and your baby will outgrow it before you can say "waste of money". My baby was a big baby (ok, a very big baby) and outgrew the Primo Viaggio by 2 1/2 months! Also, I found the Primo Viaggio to be small and cramped, meaning the baby may be scrunched up in there. My baby HATED being in the car - a real screamer everytime I tried to even run to the store.

He is now in the Britax Roundabout (which works rear-facing for infants from 5 to ~33 lbs.) and I'm PO'd we didn't just go that route to begin with with the twins. He has not cried once since being in it... he's not as scrunched up in there. My twins had terrible reflux and now I know why they hated being in the car too. Must've hurt their bellies.

****

So, in summary, 3 years ago, I was lured by the Peg Perego name and the fancy design/fabric. I HAD to have Peg Perego. Nowadays I know better and am over the whole label thing and if I had it to do all over again for one baby, I would never ever get Peg Perego.

 

[Throkmorton]

I don't like the Venezia. I find it overpriced and the steering isn't great. The car seat has made improvements over the past couple years, but perhaps the greatest improvement is that you can now use any infant car seat with peg strollers. It's also kind of heavy and lacks an adjustable handle for taller parents. For the price, there are far better strollers out there.

If you want a stroller where the infant can face you, look at the Peg Perego A3, Peg Pramette or the Bebecar X-Fold (super nice) instead. An infant can face you when it is fully reclined.
If you want to have a full-featured stroller where your DC can face you either reclined or sitting up, look at Zooper 3-wheelers (really cushy), the Quinny Freestyle 4 (*heavy* but nice), Bertini steerable prams, the Bebecar Raider, Bumbleride Queen B and a few more

Other strollers, like the Mountain Buggy offer removable bassinets that clip on like car seats, but can then be brought into the house to use as a bassinet.

 

[LizD]

I love the Venezia. The most important feature is a reversible handle, for me, so there really aren't many other affordable options. I had an ancient Graco handed down to me which had a reversible handle and pram fold-up footrest, which was wonderful but we kept breaking it. It was also steel therefore very heavy.

The handle is difficult to get the hang of on city streets if you are most accustomed to a two-handled stroller, like an umbrella stroller, but the wheels are just fine. I use my venezia on old brooklyn streets and it's great.

You can buy brand new venezias (and other peg peregos) on ebay for $100 off the retail price, or even cheaper. I wouldn't have paid $350 for a stroller and I got this brand new in the box, totally unused, for $240. It is very sturdy, well-made, and durable enough for my very active, destructive baby.

 

[mum2tori]

We have both a Venezia (mine) and a Pliko (DH's) and we love them both. I love the reversible handle on the Venezia, totally worth having with a newborn! And my older DS loves it when he's tired. He just kicks back and relaxes... and goes to sleep.

Relative to other strollers I didn't find it to be that heavy. Okay yes the storage basket is very small! It folds up fairly small for the general size of the stroller, it is much bigger than a cheapy umbrella but not bigger than a "standard" stroller. I don't have too much trouble with the wheels and uneven terrain. It does take a little getting use to the steering when its rearfacing (those wheels are locked).

I've had quite a few strollers. I found the Gracos to be total junk. They are heavy and break WAY too easily.

Weird about the other PP that said the Snugride was bigger than the Viaggo carseat. I found it to be the opposite. My youger DS has outgrown the Snugride but still fits into the Viaggo with more room.

I also got mine through one of the dealers on eBay. I bought both strollers at the same time and still paid less than the cost of the Venezia. Definitely check them out online (MUCH cheaper!) unless someone is clearancing them out.

The only strollers I would consider replacing the Pegs with are a Quinny Buzz or Zapp (no one sells them in the US

) and another one that is also unavailable in the US.

: The name is escaping me at the moment. Its a double stroller but its about the size of a regular stroller.

ETA: Mutsy UrbanRider ! That's the one that can be set up with two and its the same size as a single stroller.

 

[LizD]

Just wanted to chime back in that the basket on the new venezias is large and kind of snaps up when the stroller back is up, and folds down to access stuff when the stroller is flat (ie sleeping kid). Also, my handle is height adjustable. I am 5'9 and my husband is 6'2 and it works well for us. I have a friend who is 4'11 and she finds hers comfortable also.

The only weird thing about it is the boot is permanently attached to the stroller- it comes off but has to stay in the basket. I took the rod out, took the boot off, and put the basket back sans boot since we do not need it often in south florida now he is no longer a newborn! But this is easy to do if you wish.

The other great thing is the bumper bar extends, with a snack tray, or comes off altogether and the edges can be capped; so you have the open aspect of the umbrella stroller for a bigger kid. I like that a lot.

 

[robugmum]

I just went to the Peg website and I guess the stroller that's closest to what I've had is the Culla which is under their carriage line, not their strollers. I didn't have the bassinet though, just the fully reclinable seat with a boot etc.