Strolling Along

The reason there are so many stroller choices is because there are so many different needs when it comes to transporting your little one. Strollers may be the most confusing piece of equipment you’ll purchase for your baby. Some parents live in the city and need a stroller that will work well on side walks and be lightweight and very portable so they can get it in and out of taxis and buses. Some parents are looking for a stroller that will spend most of its life in the trunk of the car or strolling in the mall. Then there are parents who live in the country and want something that wheels over rougher terrain.

Whether you’re going around the block or all around the town, having the right stroller will make your life easier. Both your baby’s size, as well as your lifestyle, are primary considerations when you’re shopping for the perfect baby stroller. There’s a good chance you’ll need more than one stroller before you graduate from this stage and they can be a big investment so it’s important to educate yourself first and then open your wallet.
There is no perfect stroller. The trick is to find the perfect stroller for you. Here’s a list of types of strollers to get you started.

• Carraige/stroller…A carriage stroller is like a little bed on wheels. These are perfect for infants, since they spend so much of their time sleeping. They also can sit up and face forward when your child is older and wants to see what going on in the world. There are some full size strollers that will fit an infant car seat so that you won’t have to purchase a Travel System at all. Depending upon your life-style, these high end strollers may adapt enough to prevent you from having to purchase any additional strollers. Although a good one can be initially expensive, it could cost you less in the long run.

• Lightweight Stroller… These are made for convenience. They’re something you’ll want to throw in the trunk of the car, use for a quick walk to the store or take on the airplane and put in the overhead compartment (if that’s still allowed). They’re often less sturdy than their more expensive counter parts and don’t lie flat so they are meant for children over 6 months old. Because they are so affordable it’s nice to have one as a secondary stroller.

• Jogging Stroller… are built with large wheels and streamlined lightweight frames for the parents who spend lots of time running or hiking. These strollers will have three bicycle size wheels which are sometimes slightly tilted outward at the bottom for stability. Please note that not all three wheel strollers are meant for jogging. Read the manual or if you’re at a specialty shop, ask your sales associate. Because you could be moving quickly in a jogger, safety is a top priority. Be sure that you have a 3 or 5 point harness to secure your child, hand brakes, a hand strap just in case the stroller gets away from you, and shock absorbing suspension for a comfortable ride. Most joggers are made for children six months or older.

• All Terrain Stroller…An All Terrain stroller is made to hike on rough roads, but not jog. Therefore it has smaller wheels and a front swivel wheel.

• Travel System Stroller…Someone was on the ball when they came up with this. It’s a regular stroller, often lightweight, with a car seat that fits inside. The best part of this combo is that when your baby falls asleep in the car, as they almost always do, you can lift out the car seat portion, pop it into the stroller frame and you’re set to go without waking anyone. Because they are car seats as well as strollers and a car seat can save your child’s life, the most important thing you’re purchasing in a Travel System is the car seat feature. Check the most recent recalls at www.recalls.gov and read Consumer Reports to see what’s currently rated safest.
These systems are often available with a reclining feature, built in stereos to play music to sooth the savage beast and cup holders in case you get a moment to stop by your local Starbucks for a double latte de-cafe.

• Twin Strollers… True twin strollers are most often side by side so that both babies get the same view, the same recline, the same everything. These strollers may seem large, but they’re usually less than 36” wide so that they will fit through a standard doorway and up and down most store aisles. Like everything else in life, twin strollers are never perfect. If they do everything you want them to do they are too big and heavy. If they are lighter weight they are not made as well and some features are left out. It’s a give and take and you have to decide what you’re will to give and what you must take. Like any other stroller, you should walk each of your choices around the store before you make a decision. Try opening and closing them. Don’t rush. This is a long term investment, so be sure you know which one both you and you babies will feel most comfortable with. Parents generally like the side by side style for twins, while they prefer the front to back stroller for an older and younger sibling.
When you have an older (bigger) and a younger (smaller) child a tandem (front to back) stroller will often work the best. If you get one with ‘stadium seating’ the infant will sit in the rear/ higher seat and the older child will sit in the forward facing lower seat so that both children can enjoy the view. Some models will have a full recline seat for the newborn while the older child will sit up.

Before you go shopping make a list of what you’re looking for otherwise how will you know when you find it? Then once you think you’ve found it, be sure to push it around the store a bit and open and close it several times so you know that you can handle it.

Bugaboo Chameleon $799

The Bugaboo Chameleon is an innovative stroller that has set the gold standard for all of the others on the market. This stroller was designed by a doctor/industrial designer who understands what it takes to transport your child in safety and style.
There’s no question that the Bugaboo is pricey. When it first came onto the market everyone wondered who would spend $700 (the first stroller they came out with was the Frog and it was in the $700 range) on a stroller. But they broke the price ceiling by offering exceptional quality along a sexy look and lots of extras.
My favorite Bugaboo is the Chameleon aptly named because you can customize the colors according to your taste. It includes a bassinet, a three position seat recline, a five point harness for safety, rain cover, large storage basket, adjustable suspension, a telescoping handlebar for the taller parents and a multi position removable sunshade. All this and it only weighs 22 pounds.
It can be used forward or rear facing, and with a simple wheel adjustment (swivel or straight), it’s great for long walks at the mall or on the beach. Not included, but available as an extra, is their infant car seat adapter. These features come in handy so that you may be able to use this stroller from 0-4yr and not have to purchase a 2nd or 3rd stroller which makes this stroller still a good value.
The only complaint parents seem to have other than the price is that the bassinet/stroller section must be removed in order to collapse the stroller.

Peg Perego Pliko P3 $240 to $270

Before Bugaboo came on the scene, Perego was top dog. Although they’ve lost some of their panache they still make a lot of great strollers and they continue to make them in Italy, rather than China.
My favorite Perego is the Pliko P3. It’s a lightweight stroller (17 lbs) that can be used with the Peg Perego infant car seat (which sells separately), so it works like a travel system but with a well made stroller rather than the typical quality that comes as part of the package. The designers have improved the one hand fold and it can stand on its own once it’s in the fold position.
They’ve included are lots of bells and whistles like the rear footboard for a 2nd passenger, a 5 point harness for safety, multi position recline (which goes down to 150 degrees not a flat 180 degrees), a snack tray and large storage basket, a handle to carry it when its folded, a window in the hood and ergonomic adjustable handles to accommodate parents of most any height.
The only complaint parents seem to have is the size of the cup holder. Not bad when all things are considered.

Uppa Baby
Uppa Baby is the newest kid on the block and they’ve really done their homework. To start out they have made a commitment to be an eco-friendly company devoted to creating a better environment for our children, including recycling used strollers by donating them to families who are in need.
They make two strollers and both are worth noting. The UPPAbaby G-LiTE which will only set you back $100 is the lightest (8.3 lbs) full size umbrella stroller on the market. It has a washable removable seat, a basket that you can really reach into, it stands when it folded and it has an easy to carry strap. The frame is elevated so you aren’t stubbing your toes as you push it and you can open it with hand a mechanism so you don’t have to use your feet.
UPPA-baby’s full size stroller is the Vista which competes with the Bugaboo, but for a lot less ($599). It has all of the standard features, but the designers had their thinking caps on when they included additional stuff like tires that cannot go flat, an elevated seat that brings you closer to your baby, a reversible mattress that’s warm in the winter and breathes in the summer, no axle in the rear to get in your way when you’re walking, an adjustable handle for all size parents. But the innovative features that make the Vista stand out from the Bugaboo are the independent bassinet that requires no fabric swapping and the one step fold that can be done without removing the seat. All this and it only weighs 22 pounds.
Both strollers have car seat adapters available for the Graco and Perego car seats so they can be used as travel systems and are suitable for children up to 40 pounds. All and all the Vista and the G-LiTE are great additions for new parents. If UPPAbaby continues to create innovative well made equipment at prices that make the others look steep, they will become an important resource for parents.

BOB Jogging Stroller $359.99

For the jogging (or walking) parents the BOB Revolution Jogging Stroller seems to have mastered the performance of a jogger and the convenience of a traditional stroller. In addition to the typical jogger stroller features, like three wheels (the back two being 16”) and light weight aluminum frame, the BOB has added lots of your typical traditional stroller features. I think parents will love the fact that the front wheel that can either swivel to allow maneuverability for ordinary walks or lock into a straight wheel position if you go out for a jog. The designers also figured out how to add a car seat adaptor option that will fit the Perego, the Britax and both of the Graco infant car seats without giving up the simple fold mechanism. Most standard strollers will hold up to a 40 pound child while the BOB can handle up to 70 pounds.
If you’re a walker more than a jogger, try the BOB 12” AW Revolution stroller for $379 which has three 12” wheels and is perfect for the serious or casual walker as well as the occasional jogger. 23.5 pounds
Parents seem to think this stroller is all it’s cracked up to be. Easy to fold, easy to push. The only complaint is that the sunshade could be a little deeper.

Phil & Ted “Sport” $399 and “E3 Twin” $549 Strollers

Phil & Ted, a relatively new company from New Zealand, has designed a one of a kind stroller “The Sport” that changes with your families needs. This 24 pound stroller starts as a single 3 wheel all terrain stroller which can later become a double with the addition of an interesting click on attachment seat for $89 (this attachment can also change into a bouncy seat for infants and toddlers, but that’s another story).
What makes this unique is that it clicks on beneath the original seat. As a result, your stroller doesn’t become cumbersome by getting longer or wider when it travels for two. All together these two seats can transport 88 lbs…55 pounds for the child in the first seat and an additional 33 pounds for the child in the add-on.
The padded seat has a 5 point harness and adjusts from a complete lie-back for infants to several different upright positions for toddlers. The handle also adjusts in height to accommodate parents of all sizes. It has a lockable swivel front wheel to take you from smooth pavements to any where off the beaten path with a flick of a switch.
For an extra $25, you can purchase a car seat adapter that works with the Peg Perego Viaggio and Graco Snug Ride infant car seats, but some parents have complained that this attachment does not feel secure, especially over rougher terrain.
Their designers have put the same thought into their E3 Twin stroller. At 29” wide, it fits easily through doorways and shopping aisles. It has the same lockable front wheel, multi position handle, 4 position seat, etc. It’s obvious that their goal is to make life easy and convenient for parents, and safe for children.

Valco Tri-Mode $425 single $650 double

Like their New Zealand neighbor Phil & Ted, this Australian stroller company has created several well built strollers with interesting features. The signature stroller in the line is the 23 pound all terrain Tri-Mode, whose major selling point is its convertibility.
The front swivel system has 3 wheel functions…full swivel, fully fixed and 45º swivel which is best for use with their optional easily mounted toddler seat ($80) or bassinet ($150) attachment. This attachment turns this single stroller into a double without adding the width or length that’s common in a twin or tandem stroller.
They’ve made life comfortable for your child with a sun cap in the hood, a head rest and harness strap covers. Their car seat adaptor ($40) is compatible with Britax, Combi, Graco and Peg Perego infant car seats.
Parents like the one touch seat recline, one touch brake system, adjustable height handle, storage pockets everywhere and rave about the way it maneuvers, but some think it’s a bit heavy and too wide to fit down some aisles.
All and all this stroller is a winner in the single as well as the double version.