And I thought having the baby would be the hard part! I had an easier time picking my last car than a stroller! I am pregnant and overwhelmed! I want something that will work with an infant car sit through toddler age,
nothing too big (I don't want to bump into things all the time,
something that travels (folds up to a manageable size) with easy.
I don't want to pay $1000 for a stroller (unless I hear some really compelling reasons).
I do a lot of walking, but no longer live in the city so I will be doing a lot of in and out of the car.
I am trying to find the impossible?
I like the looks of the Britax Vigour, it seems to have these features. Has anyone had success with it? Is there a great reason to spend the money on a Bugaboo or Orbit? Thank you so much for your help!
I have the Graco travel system. I think it cost about $200 but came with the infant seat and everything. It is very durable- I even took a stroller exercise class with it and it was great. It does well on any terrain and my daughter is very comfortable in it. I just recently bought a good umbrella stroller, because I wanted something small and lightweight for travel. I did a lot a research and ended up buying the Mclaren stroller (suppose to be the best). I think it was around $180 with a Babies R US coupon. I love this Stroller also and it was worth the money.
I have the Graco travel system. I think it cost about $200 but came with the infant seat and everything. It is very durable- I even took a stroller exercise class with it and it was great. It does well on any terrain and my daughter is very comfortable in it. I just recently bought a good umbrella stroller, because I wanted something small and lightweight for travel. I did a lot a research and ended up buying the Mclaren stroller (suppose to be the best). I think it was around $180 with a Babies R US coupon. I love this Stroller also and it was worth the money.
I love my Chicco stroller. It has everything my old stroller didn't: it reclines completely flat so if she falls asleep I lower her and she naps, the leg rest is adjustable, the handle you use to push is comfortable and adjustable, the front tray for the child comes off, the insert for it comes off and is washable, the visor will move down to go in front of the child to block the sun, the front wheels swivel and lock (as well as the back wheels locking) and it's just a smooth ride. The Chicco carrier car seat sits in it nicely too. When I bought it the woman at the store locked in the car seat in and could pick up the car seat and stroller by the handle of the stroller, it locks in that securely. I love this stroller. My sister-in-law bought a $400+ bugaboo and from what I've seen of it, mine is better =O). They fold to about the same size and are about the same weight, although her bugaboo is the jogging stroller style so it's a little smaller width when it's open. The only complaint I have about my stroller is that it's kind of hard to lock once it's folded, which I've mastered. What I wish I did when I was shopping (this is my second stroller and my daughter is 10 months old) was go to a smaller store where the people really know their products and take them for a spin around the store. I found the car seat I wanted and bought the stroller that matched. If you are up in the Petaluma area there's a place called the Baby Warehouse and the people really know their products and are great at helping you find what you want. I almost forgot, it's around $150-$200.
Good luck and enjoy!
We have the Bugaboo Frog - LOVE IT! Yes, it cost a fortune but we have used the heck out of it, traveled with it, run it over lava fields in Hawaii and over sand dunes on the coast, and even over the snow. I walk about 30 miles a week for exercise, much of that pushing my daughter in the stroller. And it still performs as well now as it did when we bought it 3 years ago.
They recently came out with the Bugaboo Bee which looks incredible (and is around $500, which I know is a lot, but it's not as much as the Frog). The Bee looks like it collapses very easily - one thing I'll say about the Frog is that although it's easy to take apart, if you have a small sedan, you'd have to take the seat part off to get it in the trunk. (We have an Expedition, so it just goes in there in one piece with no issues.)
We had the Graco travel system for our older daughter and I hated it. It was big, clunky, and heavy, and fell apart with amazing speed. (I had to buy a new stroller after only a year.) Also it was too wide to fit easily through an aisle at Baby Gap. I know that sounds crazy, but try it!
To me, after having bought a number of strollers throughout my Mommy career, I'd spend the money on the Bugaboo again in a heartbeat. Good luck in your stroller search!
I have the Maclaren Quest umbrella stroller and I LOVE it! Its so lightweight and easy to fold and get into the trunk. (I have small trunk but it fits great!) It also reclines which is great!
The only thing is that this stroller is for babies that can pretty much sit up on their own. I just moved my son into it this week.
Before this, I used a travel system which was bulky and huge. I still have the big stroller but only use it for short walks to the park b/c the huge basket holds everything (blankets, snacks for 2 kids, toys etc...)
Good Luck!
Depends on your needs. I did a huge amount of research. My top picks are:
Rock Star Stroller (this one I have)
Uppa Baby
Bob Revolution (this can have a car seat adapter and be a jogging stroller!)
Quinny
For jogging, I have a second stroller - a 16 inch wheel Baby Jogger because we do trail runs and around the neighborhood.
My Rock Star Stroller came with a car seat adapater, bassinet (which i used when my son came home for him to sleep next to our bed), Toddler Seat. It folds nicely into the trunk of our wagon.
I have a Peg Perego and Love it. I have the Pliko 3 and it is a little pricey, but the weight is great. It is only 15 lbs and folds up really easy. I have the car seat that goes with it. For me it was worth the price because of the convenience of it.
Don't kill yourself trying to get one that will do too much. We ended up with an Evenflo one that would take the infant seat and then convert to larger. I don't remember the brand, but it was 4 years ago so they're all different now anyway. Make sure that you get one that you can fold up with one hand and that you can EASILY put in and out of the car. We also really liked the one we got because it had a bag underneath where you could store stuff, it had cup holders, and the back reclined so the child could sleep in it. When the child gets older, just get one of the $20 umbrella strollers. They work great!
Pliko P3 has worked so far. Easy fold, a little big, but will go through infancy to toddlerhood w/ potential for second child too. 300 or so dollars, don't spend more than that. Try to spend less even...
Yep! You're trying to find the impossible. There will have to be some give-and -take with your requests. If you are DEFINITELY doing alot of in and out of the car, I would get a car/stroller in one. Especially if you get tendonitis like I did, then it's easier to get your baby in and out of the house.
Otherwise, I LOVE my double jogging stroller, and the kids have fit in it for YEARS! We have used it for everything.
I LOVE my Graco Snugride...it is a travel system with the infant car seat, and was rated no. 1 by Consumer Reports for safety. I have taken it everywhere- through airports, the car, Disney World...it was around $200. This is for my 3rd child and has stood up way better than the ones I had for the other 2. I chose the one with a black and cream geometric pattern since when I got it I did not know what I was having. It has lots of cupholders, big basket underneath, even a thermometer and clock! also has a compartment for keys, sunglasses, cellphone, whatever. It folds nicely and and easily! You can fold with one hand. I also have an umbrella stroller that I throw in the car if I don't want to take the big one. That was only $30. To me it was a lot more practical than spending upwards of a $1000 for the Bugaboos etc...
email me if you want any other info on baby items..I researched everything!
I liked my Graco MetroLite Travel System (around $200) for the first year. Is it fairly light and yet carries a car seat. Without the car seat, the seat reclines. It has an adjustable handle and the one-hand fold mechanism. It has a nice lower basket. It has a canopy, a parent tray with cup holder, and child snack tray with a cup holder -- very nice for longer outings.
I bought a Maclaren for a vacation and have since given the MetroLite System to a friend with a newborn. The Maclaren is not good for the little babies, though, but sure is nice and small when they are sitting up and out of the infant carrier car seat.
I also got the Graco Metrolite Travel System. I like it because it is lightweight (as I am small). It folds up with one hand and does everything it needs to (like recline and what not). It has a good size basket underneath as well. We got the Graco Infant Safe Seat along with it. You will get a better feel once you go to the store and try a few out. I did that, then went home and read about my favorites and then went back to get the one I liked most. Good luck shopping!
i didn't find a/thing that could do it all for me and i eventually bought 3 strollers - a jogger, umbrella and a stroller for when the baby was young and needed more support. if you are tall, just make sure that the stroller handle is high enuf so that you aren't bending down. you'll want a stroller that folds down flat so that the baby can sleep. also, a jogger doesn't offer enuf support for a small infant so you'll want a stroller that rolls easily if you'll be using it for walks. also, you'll want a stroller with a canopy to protect the baby from the sun. you'll also want a stroller that's lightweight for putting into the trunk of the car. you may also want a good underneath basket. buy your carseat at the same time to maker sure that it all matches and fits together. all jogging strollers are beasts and i just used them for walks near my house and took my regular stroller w/me to the mall, park and on planes. when the kid gets older then it's all about the umbrella stroller. i liked that my stroller had a place for a waterbottle for me and a little tray for cheerios for my kid. good luck and i truly wouldn't spend a lot of money. just go to goore's on marconi and they'll be glad to help you out. b/c believe me, if you have another kid, you'll need a double stroller or a stroller w/a step. it never ends!
I have bought at least 7 strollers! A $400 Combi, two Gracos, two Maclarens, a jogger, and a double Phil & Ted's. Four for my first baby (who is now 6 years old.) And three for my second who is now 2 years old. (Of course, I didn't save any of the first set ;-) I did better the second time around. And I would say my favorite is the Maclaren Techno. It is not made for an infant car seat, but with creativity you can jam one in there (not suggesting that.) There is NO perfect stroller. I'm glad there was no Bugaboo, etc., when I was shopping or I would have blown the cash. Not worth it unless status is important to you. The are like the luxury cars or the walking mom. You will probably buy more than one. At least two--a travel system and then a light weight umbrella stroller. Maybe three if you get a jogger too, for off road. The time the baby is in the infant car seat and light enough to transfer from car to stroller is so short, don't spend much money on that. Gracos are good (and they have a fancy signature style that looks like a Coach bag.) they have good baskets and cup holders. Cup holders are more important than you think! Then get something like the Maclaren Techno for when they can sit up a little. At this point shade cover is important and ease of use. If you have a second soon, I love my Phil& Ted's for heavy duty. Good luck!
I feel for you - great question to ask BEFORE baby gets here!! The important thing is to determine what type of lifestyle you're planning to lead with an infant & then a toddler. There are plenty of "travel systems" that are one & the same that will allow you to keep the same stroller throughout a child's toddler life. BUT, if you plan on jogging, if you plan on traveling a lot, if you're budget is super-tight or if you have no $$ limit, then you'll have to think a little further.
I invested in a Chicco Cortina travel system. I loved how comfortable my little guy could be in that stroller, but I HATED how large & heavy the thing was. We have a car big enough for it, I'm 5'8, so it was no problem for me to pick it up or anything. But after a few mths, just became a pain rather than an asset. I didn't jog, but we did travel by plane at least once a mth the first year of baby's life. THIS would have made life much easier for me:
It's just a stroller FRAME, so it fits any infant car seat & it's small & lightweight once collapsed. Baby is typically sitting up by 7 to 8 mths & can then fit into a toddler-type stroller much easier. You won't be lugging that car seat out of the car - you can just pull baby out & go.
We invested in a Maclaren Quest for baby's 2nd year & boy did traveling become a breeze after that!! Downsides are no cupholders, smaller basket, etc. but again, it's all in what you anticipate you'll need for YOU.
It really is a trial & error process, no matter how much research you do. I don't know anyone personally who has ONE stroller - seriously.
When I was pregnant with my second child I decided to buy the Phil and Ted. I wish I had bought it when I had my first baby. I personally feel like it is worth the price. It has jogging wheels, but it is also compact enough to take through stores. It fits just fine in my trunk, with room to spare (I have an Accord). You can put an infant seat in it. I didn't even buy the infant attachment, it was a snug enough fit without it. Then, you can use it as a double stroller if you decide to have a second child. The only down side is that there is not a lot of storage on the stroller. If this stroller interests you at all I would go to Letsgostrolling.com. They have a "store" in Oakland where you can set up an appointment to test out strollers.