graco strollers

[cara1]

Are Graco strollers really THAT bad? (Strollerqueen, don't kill me). I really like the big basket and stuff. Will I regret it?

[suzska]

Hard to say. I will say that I am forever spoiled by the HUGE basket on my monster stroller from my Graco travel system. (Hey, I was a first time mom, and that's ALL they sale around here! Cut me some slack! :-) ) DH liked the stroller, so it can't be all bad. And since I can't afford a "real" all-terrain stroller, now that I'm enlightened, ours has worked out well for walks around the neighborhood and to the park (no sidewalks, lots of grass). Having said that, it does take up my whole trunk (a Subaru Forester), so it stays at home, parked in the living room. I know there are smaller Graco's out there, and some people are very happy with them. But when I needed a "smaller" stroller I got a Combi Convenience one, which still had a pretty good size basket, but no parent tray. The Combi still takes up most of my trunk, but at least it's lighter. I have mixed feelings about the Graco one-handed fold. Everytime I use it, the stroller drops onto my toes since it doesn't stand when folded (which is why the thing is "parked" in our living room and not standing in the corner like the Combi does when it's not in my trunk). Ultimately I think it depends on your lifestyle and how you will use the stroller. Which may be hard to know before baby arrives. I thought the feature of putting the carrier onto the stroller was a great idea. We did it all of once! Since most of the time that I used the stroller was for walks around the neighborhood, I just put Evan in the stroller without the carrier (mine has the "carriage" feature so that it truly, fully reclines). When we went shopping it was usually to department stores with carts and not to the mall, so we just put the carrier into the shopping cart.

Hope this helps in some small way....

[Melanie]

Yep, unless you plan on keeping it intact (not folded) somewhere for neighborhood walks. I have the new Combi Convenience 6630 & if you're looking at a big Graco, I recommend this instead. I have both plus a lightweight. I could have skipped the Coachrider for the Convenience. It's got most of the same features, but stands when folded and I can lift it into my car with one hand (not easy, but doable) while holding the baby. I wouldn't call it a lightweight, but a full-feature LIGHTER than GRACO weight. =) I like it better than the Metrolight because you can still get into the basket a tiny bit when it's fully reclined.


Mommy to Jonah

[strollerqueen]

I won't kill you! I'm not anti-Graco. In fact, I own the DuoLite. I haven't actually USED it, but I do own it.

I'm all for "whatever works for you." I have a friend who bought an Evenflo, even. I just told her what features to look for, and to choose whatever SHE liked!

ALl I can say about Graco is don't expect much in the way of durability or longevity. Most people report major steering problems, wheels falling off, frames bending, etc., after a few months.

I have heard of a few exceptions, so maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones!:) :7 :D

[pamela mom of 3]

I agree w/strollerqueen, even the fields recommend the literiders as a budget choice for mall crawlers saying "it boasts a large number of features at an affordable price"

I think as long as you don't expect, longterm durability, go through a couple kids and high resale. Then why not? As long as you are aware upfront what the realistic expectations are, then they do have some pretty nice 'goodies'

All that being said my metrolite was a bust, but i did like my duorider, which is really a double literider when you think about it ;)

[jmaren]

I am also in the market for a stroller, and Graco/Evenflow types are what I find most in the stores around my area. I do have a Graco DuoGlider, and I pack two toddlers and one infant in there to go for walks around the neighborhood(I do daycare). It hasn't given up on me yet in the past year even though it's WAY over loaded. It even handles the uneven sidwalks well. I too am leaning towards a Graco due to the fact that the combi, perego etc.. are much more $$ and I don't think I've even seen one in the store. Good luck.

Janel

[suzska]

If you're leaning towards a Graco, give the Combi Convenience strollers a look. If you can. The ToysRUs's and Target's/Wal-Mart's around here (Pittsburgh) only seem to carry Graco and similar monster strollers. I did manage to see a Combi 6600 at Burlington last year when I was looking, but the salesgirl didn't know how to fold it!

My mother bought us the Graco Coachrider travel system, because other people (around here) told me to buy a Graco travel system, and I admit I fell in love with the Sawgrass pattern. Not a good reason to buy a stroller, huh? But then when we needed a "travel stroller" (meaning just about anything lighter than the Graco) to take on the plane to Disney, I looked at the Combi (and a few other strollers that I managed to find at Burlington). Since I was spoiled by the Graco's huge basket, the 6600 was the only one I could bring myself to buy. I never did like the fold on the Graco. I have come to terms with the fold on my Combi. Anyway, the Convenience strollers are much more reasonably priced, especially if you get an older model from their outlet site.

Having said all that, we have been lucky so far with our Graco. It has been around and around the block many, many times now. And to the park quite a few. And through the crowds at a folk festival a few times. I'll admit it's tough to stear one-handed with a ~25 pound toddler inside, but then I was trying to eat an waffle ice cream cone and keep the balloons tied to the stroller from hitting everyone else while making my way done the crowded street against the throng of festival-goers too oblivious to me, the huge stroller, and the two balloons. ;-)

Watch, now a wheel will fall off or something! Better not! Knock on wood, or whatever....