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View Full Version : New Parents: HELP!! Mountain Buggy vs Valco vs Zippy... :o



JohnnieBlue
10-15-2004, 10:53 AM
Please help us! My wife and I are expecting our first baby next week and have been looking at strollers for weeks now. Every store we go to seems to push something different, which is really no shock. We’ve narrowed it down to the Inglisina Zippy, the Mountain Buggy, and the Valco. We already bought a Graco car seat and moving the car seat directly to the stroller is something that we plan to do often.

From how I see it, here’s the pros and cons of each:

Zippy: Obviosuly much different than the other two models here. The Zippy seems very easy to move the car seat in and out of the stroller without purchasing any additional pieces, unlike the other two. Also, the folding on this stroller is very easy and seems convenient for throwing the stroller in the car. Third, it’s much cheaper than the other two.

Mountain Buggy: Very smooth to push and maneuver. Seems to be an easier folding mechanism than the Valco, and we’ve found in test drives that it steers a little smoother on grass and off-road. Cons of this stroller are that it doesn’t really accommodate an infant without an extra backing, while the Valco comes equipped to take an infant. Also, we didn’t like that you have to remove the entire backing just to be able to put on a piece that holds the car seat. Seems like a lot of work.

Valco: Like I mentioned above, we liked that you could put an infant straight into the stroller without purchasing any extra equipment. Also, you can add a bar to accommodate a car seat without taking the whole seat off. We also liked how this stroller folded a bit smaller than the Mountain Buggy, but it also seemed cumbersome to fold. Furthermore, it seemed significantly heavier than the Mountain Buggy.

Let me also add that before we ran into these three strollers we were just going to get a Graco Metrolite for now and a McLarren for a few months down the road. For some reason, my wife also wants a Universal which I think is a waste, but it’s not very expensive either. I was wondering if anyone uses one of these light strollers for the car and one of the above models for the house and neighborhood walks. Pretty much, we are very confused and any guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks!

shyviolet
10-15-2004, 01:14 PM
I was thinking about getting the Zippy for the mall and the Valco for everything else, but all the recent reviews rave about how great the Valco performs at the mall, I've just about crossed Zippy off the list. The Valco will be my only stroller, although I will probably get a SC Micro or a Mac Volo when my baby is about a year old.

Zippy: It is a great stroller but IMO, not necessary if you have the Valco. I think I'd want a plusher-type stroller like the Zippy if I had the MBUS, though. It'd be good for quick in-and-out errands, if you do those alot. For me, if I'm just in and out quickly several places, I'll probably just use the sling anyway instead of getting the stroller out for a young baby, and for an older baby, I'd have my lightweight umbrella. If you are looking to buy only one of these strollers, I would get a MBUS or Valco over the Zippy.

MBUS: I do think it'd be irritating to have to remove the seat canvas to snap in the carseat, but it's such a great stroller otherwise, it might not really be a big deal. The 2005's are supposed to be fully padded and have an adjustable handle and a bumper bar, among other things, but I'm not sure when they'll be out. If they are coming out fairly soon, you could use the snap 'n go for the first few months and then buy the '05 MBUS. Unfortunately, the new features add about 3 lbs. to the stroller, so it'll be 22 lbs. now. Also, you can add a Snuzzler or other type of fleece insert to make the stroller more padded.

Valco: I'm a little biased towards this stroller, but I must say, I think it's awesome! It is 6 lbs. heavier than the '04 MBUS and only 3 lbs. heavier than the '05 MBUS, but for a little extra weight, I think you get alot more. Also, it folds a bit more compact than the MBUS, so even though it's a bit heavier, I'm thinking it'll be much easier for me to lift in and out of the trunk by myself.

I think the snap 'n go and the MacLaren are a good idea too. If you get the Zippy, you might not need the SNG, but I'd get it with the Valco or MBUS. The carseat bar for the Valco is $40 and the clips for the MBUS are almost $50, and you can get a SNG for around the same price and skip the attachments for the stroller. The SNG is alot lighter than either of these strollers, so it'd be more convenient to deal with than the Valco or MBUS for quick in and out errands. The MacLaren is a good idea too IMO, once your baby is older, for a lightweight mall/errand stroller.

annasmom
10-15-2004, 04:41 PM
Hi, I actually do not have any of the strollers you mention, although I am actively researching the MBUD and Valco Twin. All of these strollers, MB, Valco, and Zippy get great reviews on these boards. What I wanted to let you know was what a life-saver I felt the universal stroller was when my dd was a newborn. I had gotten a Peg Perego P3, which could also accomodate my car seat, but the universal (I had the snap-n-go), is lighter weight and was just perfect. I used my P3 with the car seat maybe a total of 2 times! If I were you, I would get a universal, and then relax a bit and decide on the next stroller. Best of luck to you!!

Eileen

jk3
10-15-2004, 04:43 PM
The Kolcraft Universal was by far the best $40 we spent on a baby product. It's perfect for errands. I was extremely sad when we moved my DS out of his infant seat at 6 months mainly due to this stroller.

In terms of the other strollers, it really depends on how you plan on using them. If you are planning on doing some serious walking, I would definitely recommend either the MBUS or the Valco. Maclarens are fantastic strollers to keep in the car for errands. I use our Techno as our primary stroller + I love it. I wish I had an all-terrain since I do tons of walking but the Maclaren handles pretty well in most situations.

Basically, it is difficult to choose the perfect stroller. It's even more difficult prior to actually having a baby because your needs + wants will change most likely. I would suggest buying the Universal + testing out a stroller with your infant. I definitely did not do this and regret some of our stroller decisions.


Jenn
DS 6/03

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