Strollers

[navy_officer_dad]

My wife and I have taken time to review the Baby Bargains Book. It was helpful and clarified some of the issues in strollers. We are going to have our first child in March 04. I am trying to get ahead of the game and determine the critical needs list of items. The stroller is indicative of our active lifestyle. I like what I have read about the Peg Perego and McLaren models, but I am open to others (WE are open to others). I am looking for feedback on what people have found that works and what doesn't work, paying special attention to the needs of the first year (infant, walks, shopping, excursions, etc.) Thanks and I am looking forward to your feedback.

[Momof3Labs]

Please read through the posts already on this board - there is tons of information already here that should help you tremendously, including suggestions for other strollers that could work for you. Besides that, it would help us to know what is important to you and how you plan to use the stroller!

[navy_officer_dad]

Thank you.
We are big weekend activity people from walks in town and through shops to food shopping, with the dog in tow, trips elsewhere too, so I guess ease of breakdown is important also. I am really learning as much also here. I have enjoyed what people have posted. Some good advice on how much more cushioning is necessary for infants. My wife likes the more fashionable hand in hand with the practical as many women do. Thanks.

[momathome]

You may want to check out the Peg Perego P3. This is suitable from newborn and up, has a full recline, compact fold, child snack tray and parent cupholder, and a relatively compact fold. There are several stylish fabric choices - check out www.babycatalog.com to see them. We have been using this stroller for a while and love it. It handles sidewalks, zoos, and malls equally well. Good luck!
-Lauren

[KathyO]

I guess the one piece of advice/words of experience I would add is that, contrary to my pre-baby assumptions, no stroller really does "do it all", especially if you are a reasonably active couple. So although I "cheaped out" and went second-hand in a number of areas (clothes, crib, etc.) the stroller is one place where I ended up with two of them, and haven't regretted it (lots of folks have WAAAY more!!)

I started out with a second-hand spring-suspended carriage (AKA the Colic-Mobile) which was a lifesaver for the first three very noisy months. Now I have a light, compact, narrow, one-hand-fold, easy-to-heave-into-the-car stroller for going to the mall, or other crowded areas, and because I live near a major hiking trail, and also like to be out in ice and snow, I have a Mountain Buggy Urban as well, which I adore. Getting outside is a major factor in my mental health, so as indulgent as I felt owning multiple strollers, it was definitely The Right Thing to Do.

I guess my point is - do consider the possibility of more than one stroller to fill your needs! And congrats on your March arrival-to-be!

KathyO

[nyccindy]

I've had a few strollers already--my son is 15 months now, and will give you my opinion on these few i've had--hope it helps!

I had the Peg Perego Venezia (Maritnelli) at first, along with the Kolcraft Universal carrier and car seat. the Venezia with the Martinelli fabric just looked so pretty, and they had reviewed it well in baby bargains, i was hooked right away. I did like this Peg Perego, at least initially because of the reversible handle, so I could see my newborn, and that it had a nice boot, and could be folded to be more like a "pram" or carriage, than a stroller, so it was cozy and warm for his first winter while he was very young. It doesn't have the best suspension though in my opinion and wouldn't go over cracks in the sidewalk too easily without me lifting up the front. It turned pretty well, but compared with the Kolcraft carrier or Maclaren i later bought, this one was not great. It is nice a sturdy though and will probably last as long as I wanted it too! I think if i did it over though, i'd get a stroller with a reversible handle (which was important to me), but that had a more rugged suspension system (i think this is easier to find now than when i purchased them maybe?)--maybe someone else here could give you some suggestions on a stroller like this, sorry i don't know of any off hand.

The Kolcraft universal carrier was great, and i used this until he outgrew his carseat, which was around 6-7 months (in his winter gear!). I think if you end up needing a car seat carrier (if your stroller doesn't hold it or you just want one in addition), the kolcraft looks a little better than the snap-n-go but i never really tried to push one of those, they just look a little flimsier.

I also had a Maclaren daytripper which was OK, but I ended up leaving this at my parents because I didn't love that it didn't recline enough, and it didn't have as good a suspension as the Maclaren Techno which i have now, and love (although the hood is a little crooked, i think it was my fault when i folded it once and put in the trunk?) it's still great. The daytripper was replaced by something else, maybe the Triumph?--so I would suspect that to also not be as great as the techno in going over cracks and rougher terrain etc....

I still have the Peg, and plan on using it for the first few months at least with my second (due in march). but usually choose to take the mac techno out when we go for walks.

Oh, i also have an aprica prestige flash (or whatever the name is for their 8 lb. stoller that folds with one hand). this is not great to push around for more than a few blocks, but I purchased it exclusively for using on the bus, and love it just for that--you can hold the baby and fold it up with the other hand, and I put a carry strap on it, so you can carry it on one shoulder.

I"m looking into doubles now, and most likely will go with the Mountain Buggy Urban Double--I pushed it around a little in a store the other day, and it seems great and this board can't say enough good things about them. The Kiwi E3 also seems interesting but don't know too much about them, but can be converted to a double easily (if your planning on a second), and might be a good single/double to own.

sorry this is sooo long, i got carried away!
good luck!

[jd11365]

I had the Kolcraft Universal Car Seat Carrier...Which I looooove! I dread the very near future when I have to give it up. So light and convenient and a HUGE basket. I also have the P3 which I looooove too! (My only complaint is that I wish the basket was like one on the UCSC.) This is for longer walks and now that Kayla sits up it is her preferred mode of transportation. I still use the UCSC for quick trips to the store when I don't want to have to take her out of the infant carrier. Good luck...just know ahead of time there is no perfect stroller.

Whatever you decide, make sure you buy from Marilyn at arunningstroller.com!!!

HTH!

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
5-1-03

[kensjen]

I will second the recommendation for the P3. It is a great stroller, my every day stroller. It is relatively light, and folds compactly. I also bought the Navetta, which is a bassinet attachment, and we used that for three months. It was more comfortable than the car seat, and we also used it around the house. My favorite feature of the P3 is the steering. It has true one handed steering, something you will need more than you think! :)

It is also true that one stroller will not be enough, although one can certainly get you through the first months. Later, you will probably want a more lightweight umbrella (Maclaren maybe) and possibly a jogger or all terrain type stroller.
HTH!

[strollerqueen]

CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE Pic! What a little doll!

[gisele]

I have the Peg Perego Atlantico. It is one handle (I don't like umbrella handles) and steers great (turn one handed easily). It weighs about the same as the P3. It also has bigger wheels, and good shocks; I've taken this stroller "off-road", crooked sidewalks, etc. and it does great. It is a full recline stroller. I also have the Navetta, and have used it with the stroller and around the house for the first 3 months. It is my everyday stroller, and I think it is the best all-round stroller.

[brittone2]

Our baby boy is due Feb, 21st, and we are waiting for our Inglesina Zippy to arrive after much research. IMHO, the P3 and zippy are good all around strollers (and are quite similar...2 good models to compare/contrast if you are interested in either). You might also opt for a Snap n GO or UCSC w/ an infant seat which will get you through a few months til you make a decision.

THe Peg p3 is nice...decent steering, easy enough fold, snack tray for baby, cup holder for parent, large enough canopy, fairly lightweight for as "cushie" as it is, full recline, adjustable handle height (good if mom and dad will both use it at times) etc. THe zippy folds with one hand and stands on end when folded, is also lightweight, does not have adjustable handles (but my 6' high husband didn't have any problem pushing), napper bar but no tray or cupholder, decent steering, the canopy on the new 04s comes down to the napper bar but not w/ the seat reclined (the old canopies were kind of small), they also have nice padding, full recline, bigger basket on the 04s compared w/ the 03s, and one BIG advantage as far as I'm concerned is that the zippy comes complete w/ the straps to secure an infant seat to the stroller...and can use pretty much any carseat. The P3 only takes a Peg carseat, which are nice, but a little pricey and they didn't get rated as highly as the snugrides and latchlocs. The price is fairly similar on the P3 and the zippy overall. I think both are good all around "starter" strollers.

We also wanted "one" stroller to suit all our needs . After months of reading these boards, we've decided we'll also probably end up needing a good outdoor stroller for running, etc. and eventually a very light weight umbrella stroller for quick errands in and out of the store. But I think we'll get good milage from our zippy.

Good luck! It is quite a search to find "the one." Just do your homework, and if you can compare a few models IRL. My personal recommendations are the zippy and the P3 for new parents. At least, that was what we had it narrowed down to...


Beth

[momathome]

Thank you - I think we'll keep her!

[navy_officer_dad]

thankyou. I have been looking online and reading alot of reviews on strollers and carriers. The McLaren Global buggy seems to be the only stroller of theirs which can be used in conjuntion with most infant seats. Other than that the Inglesina Zippy is compatible with the infant seats with an option adaptor. Where were you and your husband able to give the Zippy a test drive? I checked out babies r us and they didn't have any of them, only a few McLaren and Pegs. I like the Peg Venezia, but I think the Zippy is better on a number of fronts to include the compatibility with infant seat/carriers etc. What do you think?

[brittone2]

Just my opinion, but many Maclarens are known for being "slouchy" with young babies. The seat is designed so that they tend to slump. They are supposedly great for older babies, and many people love them. We looked at the Techno originally. If you use an infant seat w/ a maclaren, maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal but it is something to think about. Maclarens do have some of the best one handed steering out there. The P3 and zippy don't compare in terms of one handed steering from what I've read on the boards. I could be wrong. Other people love Maclarens despite the seat issue. Lately their customer service/quality control hasn't been getting the best reputation either...there have been several people who had problems w/ their strollers and had difficulty getting the issues resolved. There are people that rave about the Maclarens no matter what though. After researching, we just figured for us it wasn't the best option.
We took the zippy for a test drive but it was the 03 not the 04 that we played with in the store. They are harder to find than the p3 but not terribly hard to find. The one we looked at was at the Right Start, and they are pretty popular stores around the country. Other small specialty stores sell them as well. The Venezia is nice but pretty heavy I believe. The Peg p3 is more comparable with the zippy in terms of features and weight. The p3 has adjustable handles, whereas the zippy does not, so that is something to consider as well. If you can, test push each to make sure the handle height is comfortable at least for the primary "pusher" of the stroller and hopefully okay for the other parent as well. My DH is 6 feet tall and didn't have issues w/ kicking the rear wheels or w/ the handle height on the zippy, but for some its problematic.

The zippy automatically comes w/ the straps to secure an infant carrier to it. No extra charge, at least not on the 04s. Some other stroller models require you to purchase that item separately, but it does come w/ the zippy.

We got ours in FN6 (olive green) yesterday and we love it. Our baby isn't due until Feb. so I don't have any real life experience with it, but I'm happy w/ the purchase.

You can always buy a UCSC/snap n go and use that w/ the carrier early on. Very convenient, lightweight and simple. By the time your baby outgrows that, you could sit him/her in the actual strollers you are considering and give them a real test w/ the baby in them.

Good luck!

Beth

[susukal]

>I have the Peg Perego Atlantico. It is one handle (I don't
>like umbrella handles) and steers great (turn one handed
>easily). It weighs about the same as the P3. It also has
>bigger wheels, and good shocks; I've taken this stroller
>"off-road", crooked sidewalks, etc. and it does great. It is
>a full recline stroller. I also have the Navetta, and have
>used it with the stroller and around the house for the first 3
>months. It is my everyday stroller, and I think it is the
>best all-round stroller.

Have you tried using the Graco Snugride infant seat with this stroller? I am thinking of getting the Atlantico Sportivo and was wondering if the snugride will fit in it...

thanks
Sahar

[elvisfan]

Navy Officer Dad-
I believe that there are some Pegs and Combis on the AAFES website.
www.aafes.com The prices include shipping and, of course, there is no tax:)

[Myfourkids]

I have an Atlantico with a snug ride car seat and it fits in perfect!
Plus it even locks in like it was being used with a Graco stroller!
I Love my Atlantico!!!!!!!