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View Full Version : Someone please help me make a decision!!


journey4justice
01-30-2005, 08:30 PM
At the end of Feb we are going back to Amsterdam for 5 weeks. I'm still trying to decide on which stroller to take. Whatever I choose will be our "main vehicle", as we will not have a car in the city. We will be walking everywhere and using buses, trains, and the rare taxi. Many of the streets are bumpy with cobblestones, but I can't have anything too wide because the stores are very narrow.

We will walk to get our groceries and for any other shopping that we will do and it will be springtime so the kids' coats will be on and off depending on what we're doing (stored in the stroller basket when they're off). It rains daily so a rain cover and good canopy are important.

We rented a canal house apartment which is on the 3rd floor (no elevator because it is a historic building). I'm not sure if there is a place to keep a stroller in the downstairs entryway - we will most likely need to carry it up and down the stairs when we go out.

Jagger just turned three and is around 34 lbs and 39 inches tall (tall for his age).

I am able to get a Zooper sport from someone and I'm wondering if it would meet my requirements. I know that they are heavy (24 lbs or so?) but I am pretty good at carrying heavy stuff. Does anyone know how the steering is on the Sport? How is the basket? It looks similar in size to the P3 basket. Is it? Is it durable enough to carry some groceries? I like the air tire idea for over the cobblestones. Is it easy to open and fold? I'm not that fond of the color of the one available, but I guess I could deal with it.

I've also fallen in love with pictures of the MAc Ryder in Chestnut brown. The wheels are just a bit bigger than the Quest and it has front and rear wheel suspension. We took a Quest on our last trip to Amsterdam. It did okay. I had the Mac Organizer and it added a lot of storage space (and tipiness when it was packed too full!) It was just okay on the cobblestones. Would the suspension of the Ryder make a difference?

So what do you all think of the above strollers given my situation? Or is there something else you can recommend? I bought a MB Breeze thinking it would be great to take. It was ADORABLE and I LOVED it, but the fold was just too big. Once we put the Breeze in the taxi trunk (small Euro cars) there wouldn't be enough room for anything else!

Any feedback would be appreciated!

heatherlynn
01-30-2005, 08:47 PM
Maybe an Atlantico? I think, but I'm not sure, that it is about the same size as the Zooper Sport, but weighs less. It has the bigger tires than the P3, a great basket, and child and parent trays. The fold is a book fold, so maybe too big for the taxi trunks? It's a little wider than the P3 (I think by 2 inches), so maybe not so great for stores.

Not sure I've been much help! There is one on swap for sale, I think (not mine).


Good luck!

H-
Heather
dd 3/98
ds 8/04

journey4justice
01-30-2005, 09:43 PM
Thanks. Yeah, I do want to try to avoid the book fold. Their cars are very small and even when we rented a car there wouldn't have been much room for a stroller in the trunk. Plus when we eat at restaurants we'll need to put the stroller somewhere. The restaurants are all small places with the tables close together. Something with an umbrella fold is really a necessity.

JamiMac
01-30-2005, 11:34 PM
I think I would go for a Techno. They do have a nice suspension, and are a good toddler stroller. I have never seen the Ryder, but that might be a good option too. I think the Techno's wheels are bigger though, and I like that it has all the reflectors for nighttime walking. They fold pretty small, compared to most strollers and you can place lots of stuff around them in a trunk.
HTH!

bubbaray
01-31-2005, 12:41 AM
I don't know if this is an option for you, but I would try to NOT take a stroller and get one there. There are so many cool strollers there, I'm sure you could find something funky and functional! :)

If that's not an option, given the ages of your children, I would probably stick with the Quest that you used on your last trip.

Have a great trip!

Melissa
Mom to Maya http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/binky.gif & Dog Mom to Bubba http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/dog.gif

http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/11089.birthday.png

jesseandgrace
01-31-2005, 01:40 AM
There are so many, but since you love that Ryder i would go with that!