View Full Version : X-post question about Kidarooz trailer
mommyj_2
03-04-2006, 12:28 PM
I posted this question a few days ago in the lounge, but only got one response. I'm hoping for more feedback. Do any of you have one of these?
I found one old thread about these, but was hoping for more feedback, since the thread was from 2004.
Do any of you have the Kidarooz bike trailer they sell at Costco? I saw it yesterday, and was hoping to find out if anyone had feedback on these. The old thread said they were made by Chariot.
I'm debating between this and buying a Burley. I'm just wondering if the Burley is worth the extra $. I would probably buy a Burley solo. I know the Kidarooz trailer Costco has is a double.
I plan to ride with my DS in the afternoons. I'm hoping to use it a lot to ride to the library and local parks.
TIA
kellyotn
03-04-2006, 01:56 PM
I don't really know much about the Kidarooz trailer. I saw one @ Costco and it did look REALLY nice for the $. I see them a lot on eBay a lot, too.
If you plan on strolling with it indoors I'd check the width to make sure it'd fit. I have a Chariot double and LOVE it, I stroll up to the library daily. Its tight, but fits. Chariot also makes Trek, FWIW.
One thing re: a Burley, it IS expensive, but they have super high resale value so you could recoup some money later. Something to consider if you are worried about the Kidarooz. Are you near an REI? They were having sales of last year's Chariots and probably Burleys recently.
On the other hand, you can always try it out and return it to Costco if you don't like it! :)
Not much help, huh? ;)
o_mom
03-04-2006, 02:33 PM
Just out of curiosity, how much were they?
mommyj_2
03-04-2006, 03:33 PM
They were around $150. That's why I was considering buying one, even though I had previously decided to get a Burley solo.
mommyj_2
03-04-2006, 03:39 PM
Do you happen to know how much the Chariots were on sale for at REI? We don't have one really close, but it is doable if it's worth the savings. I was going to use the 20% off coupon for the Burley solo, which would make it $240 plus tax.
I'm willing to spend the extra if it's worth it, and I know Burleys have high resale value.
Do you use your double with one child or two? I only have one, but hope to have another DC someday. Hmmmm...maybe I should just buy the one at Costco and try it.
o_mom
03-04-2006, 05:25 PM
They were around $320, I think - there was a post in the last month.
I would highly recommend the double for any trailer - If only one is riding, they can take a bunch of toys for entertainment. Also, when they are 3 or so, you could take a friend alone if you wanted. The doubles seem to have better resale value too. I rarely see a double last more than a day or 2 on Craigslist - usually at 60-80% of a new one. The singles tend ot hang around and have a few price drops before they finally sell.
o_mom
03-04-2006, 05:27 PM
<I will not look at trailers, I will not look at trailers....> :-)
Thanks!
mommyj_2
03-04-2006, 05:30 PM
Thanks for the tip. I've seen a bunch of doubles on Craigslist but no singles. It's good to know about the price. Now I'm leaning toward buying the one at Coscto to try it. I just want to be sure it's good quality and safe.
kellyotn
03-04-2006, 05:36 PM
I'd just call the specific REI and ask what they may still have on sale, I'd hate to drive a ways and be disappointed. ;)
I have two kids and use the Cougar 2 walking with both of them most of the time. This year I'm sure the oldest will walk with me sometimes while the youngest rides. I completely agree about bringing toys along. They love having so much stuff vs. a regular stroller where they drop things more easily. It works really well for us. DH is the one who bikes with it, and he mainly just went with the oldest child last year as the youngest was just over a year and wouldn't wear his helmet very well. (He'd pull it off.) I'm very happy with it!
I do think the Kidarooz looked nice though. And the price was great! If I didn't already have this one, I'd probably give it a shot.
mommyj_2
03-06-2006, 12:46 AM
I think I figured out why this one is cheaper. It's 33 lbs vs. the Burley's, which are around 20lbs. I'm guessing this is because some of it is made of steel.
Do the recent BBB books rate these? Does anyone know?
Sorry for all the questions. I don't want to buy it and get DS used to it if it's not going to work out in the end. On the other hand, I don't want to spend the $ for a Burley if I don't need to.
caheinz
03-06-2006, 01:43 AM
Don't know about the books (guessing no), but I think we're going to get one from Costco, assuming they still have them when DH goes tomorrow =)
The weight shouldn't be a big issue, unless you're planning to transport it somewhere often by carrying it -- ten more pounds on wheels shouldn't be a huge deal.
And I'm just not sure how much we'll use it, or for how long. A book we picked up recently about introducing kids to the outdoors suggested it wouldn't be much over a year -- and I just can't justify the cost of the Burley for that, resale value or no.
Also, remember that Costco has a GREAT return policy. If you end up not liking it, they'll take it back!
apeetz
04-23-2007, 01:21 PM
OK, so after extensive research I think that I have figured out the Kidarooz mystery! They are distributed through Chariot Carriers, and have the similiar specs (less detail) than the Cougar 2, and are the same design as the Croozer.
The Chariot are the top of the line, then they have Croozers (mid level/jogging stroller option), and finally the Kidarooz (no jogging option EVERYTHING else the same as Croozer. The Chariots are hand made in Canada and about 20 LBS, the Croozers/Kidarooz in China and are around 33 LBS. I did spend quite some time on the phone with the SUPER friendly Chariot Carrier sales rep .Chariot is the customer service if you have questions or problems with Croozer/Kidarooz, if you look at both sites they have the same phone number, and if you call in it says Croozer designs. Also, there were earlier reports on the stroller front wheel breaking, according to the rep this is one of the things that they have improved the design on (and a few others, mostly astetic)
I did all of this research to place the produce in the bike trailer market so I could compare it to others I was shopping around for to make sure I got the best value for the price I paid, and think that paying $174 at Costco for something idential to a $374 Croozer (w/o jogging option as only design difference) and guarenteed by Chariot Carriers is a good bargain.
I got it over the weekend, put it together quickly and enjoyed our first weekend out on the trails. I'd reccomend rear view mirrors, as I had a hard time getting used to how wide we were!!
__________________________________________________ ____
http://www.bicycletrailers.com/Croozer-535.pro
The 2007 Croozer 535 comes in New Colors ($374)
The Croozer 535 is essentially an economical alternative to the Chariot Cougar 2. It shares the same basic bike trailer / stroller conversion design, most notably the ability to transform back and forth from its original bike trailer form, becoming a stroller or even a jogging stroller. This versatility is a huge plus for families with an interest in both running and cycling, who don't want to deal with storing multiple single-use carriers, or who like exploring the option of doing several activities in a day without having to change carriers.
The Chariot Cougar 2 and Croozer 535 have almost every major feature in common. The big differences are the weight and attention to detail; Croozer products are mass produced in China, while Chariot's trailers are hand-made in Canada. Of course, you get what you pay for: to get top quality, you have to pay top dollar. However, the Croozer 535 is by no means a low-end trailer; it is just not of the same quality level as a Chariot bike trailer.
Parents looking for a single child carrier should look into the Croozer 737.
A few noteworthy distinctions between the Croozer 535 and the Chariot Cougar 2:
The price of the Croozer 535 includes the jogging and stroller conversion kits, whereas separate kits are required in order to transform the Cougar 2. The Croozer has individual bucket seats, while the Cougar 1 has a single bench-style seat. The Cougar 2 has a double bench seat. The Croozer 535 weighs 33 lbs. while the Cougar 2 weighs 24 lbs.. The Croozer 535 uses a center caster with one wheel (included) while the Cougar 1 uses 2 corner casters (sold separately), which seems more stable. The bottom line is that the Croozer 535 is well suited for families that can't or don't want to spend the money for the 'high-end" trailer and the necessary conversion kits, but like the idea of a multi-purpose carrier to serve as a stroller, bike trailer, and jogging stroller.
renefjr
04-24-2007, 11:16 AM
Just wanted to add our 2 cents...
We had the same debate about a year ago. We picked up the Kidarooz trailer/stroller at Costco but ending up returning it. It is somewhat limited for our use since it was essential just a bike trailer. We also wanted a jogger. That's why we decided on the Chariot CX-2. We love it! Sleek looks and has so many features! Plus our DS loves much more than the kidarooz.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.