It seems mildly ridiculous to me that I have three strollers and yet am shopping for another. Who knew before kids that you actually need more than one kind of stroller?
The old Graco that came with my first travel system back in 2002 is finally falling to pieces after two and a half boys, and I have to replace it. I also have a Maclaren Triumph that I got on serious clearance, and my very indulgent but well-used Chariot running stroller circa 2002. The Maclaren is great for travelling as it’s light as air and folds up small, but it doesn’t look terribly comfortable and you can’t lie down it down flat. The Chariot is wonderful for snow with its big bicycle wheels, but is a pain in the arse to fold and unfold and cram into the car.
I need want something decent to replace the Graco: a good-sized, durable, easy-to-use stroller that I can use every day to walk the boys to school and still cram it into the van to tote it around town with us. I don’t want to spend a fortune and am amenable to used, so I’m just scoping out what’s available out there. What you kind of stroller do you have, what do you love and what do you hate about yours? What do you covet in a stroller?
My wishlist is fairly short: I’d like a snack-tray with cupholder for Lucas; a seat where he can sit upright and lie more or less flat; a nice basket for storage; and, most important of all, a cupholder for me. Lightweight is good as is compact, but not my primary concern. I’d like to come in under $200 new, which seems a bit unlikely unless I go with one of the fancy-ass umbrella types, and I’ve pretty much got that covered with the Maclaren. I’ve been eyeballing everything from a Zooper (I saw a Zooper Waltz second hand for a song and have e-mailed the seller) to a Peg Perego Aria to a good old Evenflo.
Talk stroller to me, baby!
I bought an Aria in 2004 and loved it. Not only was it light, but much more narrow than other strollers on the market. I could breeze through displays in stores where others would get stuck and was still in great condition when I craigslisted it a few months ago.
I bought a $69 stroller from Sears that has all of the features you described above. For a cheap, basic stroller it has been absolutely fantastic. In the winter, I switch to the chariot to walk through the snow. If my cheap little stroller dies one of these days I’ll just buy another one exactly like it knowing I’ve got my money’s worth and more.
I bought a Combi Torino brand new last year. My baby is one year old today and we still love it. It’s a nice size, but still light. Every one is always surprised by how light it is. We have it in green, but I see the website is only showing a gray color right now.
Check it out…
http://www.combi-intl.com/
I have the Evenflo Aura and I DO NOT recommend it. We bought it last fall largely because the car seat it came with (a 22-lb version) fit best into the back seat of our car, leaving space for the front passenger. We also liked the look and how smoothly it moved.
However, we didn’t realise 2 important things until later. While the seat is samller, the stroller itself is longer from front to back than the Graco, so it has a wider turning radius which makes it a little harder to manoeuver in smaller shops. Also, the seat does not go all the way into a 90-degree sitting position — so the only way our daughter can reach the snack tray is by pulling herself up and holding herself there with one hand. Otherwise, she’s always semi-reclining. If we had to do it again, I’d probably buy a snap-and-go and a high end umbrella stroller like the Maclaren, or else a jogging-style stroller with the universal adapter for the carseat and a front swivel wheel (since I’d never jog with it) As it is, we bought a $30 umbrella stroller I now keep in the car for most of our excursions (it has no basket, but it does fully recline) and the Evenflo stays in the garage for neighbourhood trips.
Good luck with your search.
No stroller advice from me, but I’m watching your comments for people’s suggestions. My 9 wk old sling baby will be in need of a stroller soon, and it needs to be subway friendly! I hope you’ll let us know which stroller you choose, and how you like it.
Good luck on finding a fabulous stroller! I can’t recommend one for your needs, but have you checked out this website:
http://www.strollerqueen.com/
Lots of great reviews there by a woman who’s made it her mission to find the best strollers in the universe.