Are Graco travel systems that bad????

[veronica]

First time mom here and just went to register. I like the fact that they match and am set on having the snug ride as my infant seet. But, once they grow out of it, is the Graco stroller that bad? Should I look for something completely different? If so, how do I take my infant for walks around the neighborhood (I don't like the look of those snap n go's). I am sensitive to weight and have registered for the Metrolite in Tyler print but should I go another direction with the stroller? When can the infant go into a stroller without the seat?

[schums]

I never had a travel system, so I can't tell you from first hand experience how bad they were. But all my friends had them, and as soon as baby was out of the car seat, they HATED them. Most of them sold/gave it away and bought a better stroller, the Graco stroller was that bad. And the quality was pretty low too.

As for when the baby can use the stroller without the car seat, the answer is IMMEDIATELY!! You really shouldn't use the infant seat with the stroller except for short trips (20 minutes or less). Anything more than that, you should take the baby out of the car seat and lay him/her in the stroller. Leaving the baby in the car seat for long periods of time can cause all sorts of health issues. This was just discussed either here or in the lounge recently -- do a search to find the thread.

As for what stroller to get, it depends on your area, and how you'll use it. Many posters here like the Peg P3 or the Zippy. Mountain Buggy is nice but pricey if you want/need an all terrain stroller.

HTH,
Sarah
Mom to Alex (3/2002) and Catherine (8/2003)

[HIU8]

The snugride fabrics (some of them) match closely or blend with the P3 fabrics. Plus, it really isn't all that important, since you really shouldn't keep DC in the infant carrier that much anyway.

I have never used a graco stroller. IMO they look really plasticky, and I have heard bad things about them. Also, you have to consider what kind of fold you want. for example, the P3 has an umbrella fold and weighs 17 pounds (means not constantly bending down to the ground to fold and pick up to put in your trunk).

HTH

Heather
DS Coby 11/27/04

[kellyotn]

I can't say if they are "that bad", I never liked how bulky and plasticky they were, so I skipped them. I research every purchase to death, and strollers were no exception!

I did have a Snap and Go, which is great for quick trips. They are super light and minimal, I loved it!

I had a winter baby, so I could not take neighborhood walks when she was a newborn - so the Snap and Go got us thru doc appts, quick trips to the library, etc. Then I had a nice Mac umbrella. Very light, again very minimal. Love it. It takes up almost no room in my trunk!

If I had been able to take her on walks as a newborn, a stroller where a baby can lay nearly flat is now prefered to a car seat. Lots and lots of strollers are ok to use from birth. We are just conditioned to think the car seat w/ matching stroller is their only mode of transport! :-)

Its hard to say until you've been there done that, I guess. But I just knew I didn't like the hugeness of travel systems, confirmed that here on this board, and skipped them. I also had several friends who ONLY used their Graco Travel System strollers as a car seat carrier. Once that feature was done, they realized they didn't like the stroller itself at all. They thought the Snap and Go was brilliant, after the fact. ;-)

If you can compare a Graco vs. a Peg or a Mac, I think you'll see the quality differences. Look at weight, fold dimensions, fold type, quality of fabrics, wheels, etc. You'll use it as a seat carrier for 4-8 months, and as a stroller for years. I know I see Gracos everywhere where I live, so they must be OK, but I really like my Mac. (Two actually, a single and now a double!)

HTH,
kelly

[JenaW]

When my DS was born, we did not have much of a choice. DH was in his first year of residency, and I quit my job (which meant a 2/3 drop in our income) to be a SAHM. We bought a graco quattro tour (car seat and stroller to match) and I still have it and still use it when I need a single. I too wanted the travel system, and for me it worked great. I also loved the conveniences of the quattro tour (HUGE basket, super easy one-handed fold, comfy for DS, parent tray, etc). It was a bit heavy (not sure of the exact weight) but since we do not have a garage, I keep mine in the back of my van and have no problems getting it in and out. Since I have no experience with any of the other strollers listed, I can't compare. I do now have an almost $400 double (the e3), and althought I absolutely LOVE this stroller, I do miss many of the above conveneices my quattro had. I know gracos get a bad rap, and I think many of their strollers ARE junk. I have no experience with the metrolight, so I can't comment on that, but I do think I got my money's worth and more out of my quattro tour.



Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03 & Madigan ~ 09.28.04

[Nooknookmom]

Yes they are! I say that from having 5+ of the Century/Graco models befor DD was around 3.

Also please do NOT buy a stroller based on whether the carseat will attach. Babies should not be strolled in the carseat in the stroller. Can cause health issues. Baby needs to be in a full recine stroller with good padding and support.

Your best bet will be to purchase a well engineered durable stroller. Keep in mind that many of us needed a "mall-crawling, walking stroller" and a "lightweight" errand stroller as well.

Good luck!!!

[indiemom]

Okay-IMO this message board appears to be dominated by people that have no problem spending upwards of $250-500 per stroller and many people have multiple strollers. From my research - there is no "perfect stroller" as even those people that have $400 models find the need for another one at one time or another. Now- to your question about Graco. The Graco Quattro Tour was just rated as Consumer Reports #1 pick and was given as good of a rating as the Bugaboo and Stokke models which were both 6X the price. For the price, I think the Graco models have everything that you would want/need even if they do look somewhat "plasticky". When did strollers become a fashion symbol for goodness sake? Also, for the $100-140 that a Quattro tour costs, you can always get a real lightweight Maclaren Volo for $100 or less if you need something lightweight as the baby gets older.

[sunriseiz]

I have the 2003 Graco MetroLite and love it. I used it with a snug ride when we were shopping until dd outgrew the carseat, without the carseat for walks and continue to use it now. There are a couple of things that I would change (and I think Graco may have changed now). The big one is that with the seat fully reclined, it is almost impossible to get into the basket. Mine weighs about 19lbs. It has a one-handed fold and I can put it in the back of our car or SUV while holding dd, and I am a relatively small person. I have not used any of the higher end strollers, so I can't compare, but especially for the money I have been really happy with my metrolite.

HTH!
Sunny

[melbb]

ITA! I have almost been afraid to post here because all you hear about are Peg Peregos, etc. Anyway, I have no experience with strollers, but was also considering Graco. I had tentatively decided on the Metrolite, which gets pretty good reviews from most people on amazon. But, I was a little scared away when I came to this board and heard so many bad comments about the Graco. I didn't want to spend $300+ on a stroller, though. I was also a little worried about the weight of the Gracos. So, I compromised and just bought a Zooper Waltz on sale for $149 at Tinyride. It accomodates infant seats, but also fully reclines if you want to use it without the carseat. Anyway, my point is, if you are a little worried about the Gracos, there are quality strollers that cost more than the Graco, but don't cost $300+.

[kellyotn]

Very good post! :-) My first stroller purchases were recommendations from this board and are still in use nearly 3 years later. (A Snap and Go which my sis is using, and a Mac Vogue.) The Mac was a great deal, clearance from the previous year. At the time, I know I wouldn't have spent the "big bucks" on a new Mac. I was ever so grateful for the tip on the clearance sale!

I think its like everything. If you are passionate about scrapbooking, you are going to gravitate toward the expensive stuff. If you are like me, a shoebox will do. A board dedicated to a specific item is going to be hot for the "high end" latest and greatest stuff. But, plenty of other options exist too!

I'm currently in a big stroller phase. Just because with 2 kids now, strollers are my freedom and my sanity. I was adamantly opposed getting a double, then reality set in! I attempted to use a tandem hand-me-down, but it wouldn't fit in my trunk at all! So back here I came. (Oh no!) Got a nice Mac twin for errands. Then..... summer came along. Started using my Mac for walking outside. I fell utterly in love with walking outside. Book on CD, happy kids, QUIET time for me. I needed a better "outdoor" stroller, so I came back again.

I'm not sure what my point is. ;-) I guess I was glad to find this place b/c I'm in a part of the country where no fun strollers exist. I love being able to learn about different options (and deals) and shop online! :-) Everyone has different wants and needs, there is totally no one "right" option. I guess just seeing a few friends dump their Graco's so soon colored my view of them. I mean, yes, they were a great price to start, but they didn't get their money's worth out of them as infant carriers only. One friend took her Graco on vacation to a big city, and ended up hating it and buying a new stroller on a whim. She was so excited telling me about it. Turns out, it was a Maclaren. I said, "That's what I have!" She wanted to know how in the heck I learned about them when, at the time, they weren't available anywhere near us. ;-)

[Nooknookmom]

For the record, to purchase a high quality stroller (S), one does not have to pay full price.

*Strollerswap* is a GREAT place to pick up a gently used Peg, Inglesina, Chicco, Teutonia, Silver Cross, Mountain Buggy, Prams, etc. Also many older models go on sale before the new years line up rolls out. For what a new Graco/Kolcraft or the like would cost, it is possible to get a really nice stroller that will last 3-4 times as long as the Graco-ish brands.

I say this not to be a stroller-snob, but from my own experience. I hate to see people get ripped off! I have been there way too many times with strollers that "looked" real nice yet fell apart in 6 months. Why pay for something when the wheels fall off, the canopy won't stay closed, the folding mechanism may be faulty, the basket disentigrates, the frame rusts and the seats cannot be removed for cleaning. Happy shopping!

[lizanov15]

I am not a stroller aficionado, so I actually don't mind the Gracos. Granted, they do seem a little 'plasticky' as someone has mentioned, but they do the trick for the price. And I'm not one to spend $$$ for a stroller as well.

We don't have the MetroLite, but actually a step down stroller, the LiteRider. We bought the travel system at a good deal ($120 I think for carseat and stroller) and are still using the stroller to this day. My DD is almost 3 (bday in Nov) and now her baby brother is using it. This stroller has survived almost 3yrs of abuse! It goes everywhere with us, indoors, outdoors, traveling and even survived as airline baggage. To this day, we have had no issues with the stroller.

Just my 2 cents.
Liza

[schums]

FWIW, I spent just over $100 on a Combi Convenience stroller 3 years ago, and it's still working just fine today. A step or two up from Graco, but not a $250-$500 stroller by any means. If Peg would have been more available, I might have looked into it, but for the $$, mine was fine. Now, if you look at my double, you'll see some $$ put into that purchase . . .

Sarah
Mom to Alex (3/2002) and Catherine (8/2003)

[jray]

Honestly, I didn't mind my Graco at all. It was a great stroller and travel system. The only downfall (and it's like this with any full size stroller) is that it just gets heavy lifting in and out of your car all the time. I recently sold mine, and purchased a lighter-weight stroller now that my son is older. My Graco did wonderful on grass and rough terrain and my son loved it. Gracos are affordable and offers parents lots of features...and their strollers are getting neater and classier by the minute!

With that said, I wouldn't ever buy another travel system again. I would buy a Snap N' Go, then a lighter stroller. If you're looking for a reasonable priced stroller with tons of features and great ratings, check out www.zooper.com.

Good luck to you!

[melbb]

I havae to say, I got my Zooper Waltz yesterday and am very pleased with it. I was especially happy with how easily it folds as the one I saw in a store seemed more difficult. I agree, it is reasonably priced and has a lot of features. I have never heard anyone say anything bad about their Zooper Waltz.

[Deborah_Hogan]

I didn't use a Graco System, but had a Evenflo system.

Quite simple: couldn't lift the stroller. Too heavy. I was on a train with baby in Evenflo and it was too long a train for the platform. I couldn't take stroller through to other car: too big. I had to get out and run to other cars each time train stopped, in hopes of getting to a car that would platform at my stop. Couldn't carry baby and travel system down a flight of train station stairs. Couldn't leave baby at top to carry down stroller, so had to walk along major road to bypass staircase. Found I'd carry baby rather than lug that thing out of the car.

I became obsessed with lightest possbile weight strollers...

That being said, I had a Graco Citilite (10lbs) and the quality and performance was great. It isn't a brand thing, it is a weight thing for me.

I recommend the snap n go (under 10lbs.) and/or lightest possible weight regular stroller that accomodates and infant car seat. In a pinch, you can carry it and baby in car seat. Good basket size, rolls pretty well. Then get a stylish stroller once you aren't a prisoner to baby car seat. Good for baby or not, at first you end up carrying them in it quite a bit.

[veronica]

Thanks everyone for your posts. My husband is convinced that the system will work just fine but I think I am leaning towards a better stroller that can accommodate an infant. It seems as though a lot of people like the Peg Perego's. I'm due at the end of Nov.-any chance I can get a 2005 on sale by then?

[my3fallkiddos]

I have both a Peg Perego P3 and a Graco Metrolite and both are great strollers! My Graco has held up fine and I find it more comfortable to steer because of the one handle over the two seperate ones on my P3. Plus the basket is SO much more accesible.

Anyway, if you like the Graco then you should get it! :)

Carrie
EDD w/#3 9/20/05

[helaina]

ITA. I registered for (and received) a Perego P3 based on the recs on this board. I hate it and never use it. Seriously, it's sitting in my closet. It's supposed to be a great compromise stroller and I guess I don't like compromises. It's too heavy for frequent errands, which is mostly how I use it, and the basket is useless, which is a bigger deal than I thought it would be. It's so hard to predict your needs before your baby is born.

We currently own two Maclarens in addition to the P3. We keep a Volo in the trunk of the car, which is a great stroller for quick errands. We also have a Quest that we store near the front door and use for neighbhorhood walks. I would prefer a jogger for walks but we carry the stroller up and down the stairs everyday so we need something super lightweight. I usually carry the Quest down the stairs in one hand with the baby in my other arm.

On the rare times I've gone to the mall I find the Macs insufficient. So far for those trips I have been using my P3 but I think I'm going to get a Graco CoachRider or Quattro Tour. I want a really huge basket and all the features of a Graco and I don't care about the weight because I don't plan on using it often. Most of the time it will be stored in my closet.

I had planned to get a Snap 'n Go before my baby was born but I never got around to it, so I never had the convenience of being able to snap a carseat into a stroller. Boy, was that a pain! It really would have been so much easier if I'd had one of those. So I recommend a product like that, and if you're not comfortable with a Snap 'n Go then I say get a Graco Travel System. Also get a good shopping cart cover. I started with a cheap one from Walmart that was totally useless so I ended up buying one online that I saw recommended here. It turns out that I love using shopping carts since Jack loves to face me and lots of stores have them (grocers, Marshalls, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc). I wish carts were available at the mall.

If you plan to take neighborhood walks I think you'll need TWO strollers. One to keep in the house or garage and another to keep in your car. We started with our one stroller, the P3, that we kept in the car and it was a real pain to get it out every time I wanted to take a walk. It was an equal pain to keep it in the house and load it in the car before every trip. I'm much happier now that I have separate strollers for the house and car, and I've noticed most of my neighbhors ended up buying second strollers too.

So in conclusion, I say register for both your Graco Travel System and a second lightweight stroller. For the first few months you'll use the travel system, but once the baby outgrows the carseat (usually at around 4-6 months), you'll likely want to keep the big Graco in the garage for neighbhorhood walks and keep a lightweight stroller in your car. If you're only running quick errands you won't need the bells and whistles of a Graco. I go to the pharmacy for Jack's meds every ten days and I'm just in and out, but I prefer a stroller to carrying him since I need to deal with my wallet, the medicine, etc. It's a quick trip and he doesn't need a child tray and I don't need a cupholder for that. I also tend to run to the health food store, the post office, etc and a lightweight easy to fold stroller is ideal for that. When you plan a big trip to the mall, say for holiday shopping, you'll want to put the big Graco in your car since you'll want the big basket and all the features.

[nd93]

I think if you are sensitve to weight you should get something else. I never had a travel system stroller, but from what I saw of my friends' they folded so clumsily, were heavy, and difficult to get out of a car trunk.

With my first, I got a Graco that reclined completely flat and had a reversible handle so I could use it pram style (which I loved when they are infants). It was a bulky stroller, but not nearly as bad as the travel system ones. Yes, my kids always seemed to wake up when I took them out of the car seat and into the stroller, but honestly I did not go out on many long outings when the babies were little. That was 5+ years ago and there are many better options out there now.

If you really want something to use with the car seat, get a snap and go. Otherwise, try to find a stroller that you like and will last you long term. It's a bit discouraging to spend $ on something only to want something new after 5-6 months!!

How do you live? Are you in an urban area, using public transportation, rarely using a car? Or do you need to be able to get a stroller in and out of a car easily? Do you have room to keep a stroller open and ready to go, or does it need to be able to store? These things will lead you to what you need. You do not need to spend $$ to get a great stroller.

That being said, after DC#3, I splurged and got a P3, which I adore. But I did get my money's worth out of that first $70 Graco!

Good luck to you. Stroller shopping can be most overwhelming.

[lmarcam]

I never looked at the Graco after reading BBs, but my dd is now 6 months and at least five of my mom friends with kids of similar ages have dumped their Gracos for other strollers (primarily Macs). That doesn't speak glowingly of their quality or convenience.

By the way, I have a P3 and love it. It's my second stroller (I also have a Valco that I love) but I think it would do just fine as a one and only stroller. I've also been very impressed with the Zoopers and you can get a great price on the SC Camden now if you have any interest in that stroller.

[amp]

There are some really cool strollers out there, and I wish I had them, but our budget afforded a Graco Metrolite stroller and matching Snugride. It has been everywhere and is still going strong. A part of me hoped it wouldn't make it to baby #2 just because I see all the cool strollers and want one, but it's looking great and will be put into use for baby #2 after all. Despite all the criticsm and bad rap they get, they aren't as bad as all that!

You can put a baby in a stroller with FULL recline from the beginning. They shouldn't spend an inordinate amount of time in the carseat anyway, but it is convenient to have the infant carrier in the early days. My DS grew out of his snugride just past 3 mths old, so we moved on to a convertible carseat after that and he just rode in the stroller or was carried until he could sit up in a cart or high chair.

[kristine_elen]

Snap-n-gos are the best for errands, etc. You will love the huge basket. I'd not worry if you don't like the "look" of it for now.

[lmariana]

I think you'll be really happy with a newborn friendly stroller, like the Peg. I'm not sure about the end of year clearance sales, but for a good deal, I always check StrollerSwap first. In my experience, all the strollers and well taken care of and very well priced! It's also a handy spot to know about if your stroller doesn't work out in the end, great resell value.

I'd also consider the Inglesina Zippy (which you can get at babiesrus.com). It's much like the P3, but I prefer the harness system over Peg's. However, if you and your husband are tall, you'll like the P3's height adjustable handles. I have a tall friend (5'10") and she started out with the Peg P3. After a couple quality issues and difficulty with the harness, she returned it and ended up with a Maclaren Techno.

I think strollers are totally a matter of personal preferences...what one person loves, the next person may not. I do think however that money spent on a quality item (like Peg, Inglesina, Maclaren, Zooper, etc) is wise for a few reasons:

1. resell value if it doesn't work out (Graco's have no resell value at all)
2. higher quality materials = less wear and tear issues
3. longer lifespan...generally with strollers, more money will buy you a longer lasting stroller

Regardless of which stroller you buy, save the box and receipt, just in case. :)

Mariana
Owner of HappyDayBaby
Mom to Gabe, 8/03
www.heinzandmariana.com

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[chiqanita]

Hi and congrats!
I am proud to say I am also a first time mom...twins! I was so confused when it came to choosing all of our baby products so I left it up to my family. We received the Graco DuoGlider Travel system....worked out GREAT! I loved being able to put their car seats into the stroller...they looked so safe and secure! I later purchased the Maclaren Twin Traveler for outings and used the Graco at home...but I didn't use without the car seats until the babies were able to sit up and hold their heads up, too. The Maclaren looks and feels a little more sturdy but the Graco has held up well...just a little squeaky from all of our neighborhood travels. I have since sold my car seats to Kid to Kid.

Good luck!