Compare > Espresso Waltz Cortina. Which 1 to buy? P3 vs Zippy too!

[newdad06]

Updated with P3 vs Zippy info > Comparison of Espresso Waltz & Cortina. Ur recommendations & thoughts r requested. I’m trying 2 pick 1 stroller 2 buy! I hope others find this useful 2. I must warn you this is long, however it is detailed and hopefully others find it worth reading.


INTRO


Hi ladies (mostly, haven’t seen too many guys here!) I’m a 1st time dad, and 1st time posting here. My DD is now 8.5 months, and ready to move out of the Graco SnugRide and Snap and Go combo which we’ve been using since birth (it’s worked great). She’s able to still be in it because she is pretty light, at around 16/17lbs, but tall at 29�, so the shoulder straps are at the max now. I’ve been reading here for weeks and finally have all my research done from user feedback, manufacturer and retailer websites, and in-store testing where I could find them. FYI, I research everything until I’m blue in the face, but I am very thorough. And similar to another poster’s comment that made me laugh, I too have had dreams about strollers after late night online researching! So its time to end the madness, and pick one. FYI, the following is a compilation of all my info, so this very well may help others too (I hope others find it useful).

This is intended to be our main stroller for the foreseeable future, mostly used for mall crawling & errands (so in and out of car) and for walks around our suburban neighborhood. I’m sure more situations will arise in the future, but we’re new at the baby game so I have no idea what they would be!

What I am looking for (in order of importance):
-Ease of fold (one or two hand), lock (auto?), and carry (built in handle a plus)
-Smooth and tight steering with good suspension
-Adjustable foot rest (so legs don’t dangle)
-Full upright seat
-Partial or full recline (and easy to use mechanism)
-Easy to access good size basket
-Lighter weight the better
-Fully enclosing hood/canopy
-Higher weight limit (to get more mileage)
-Extra features for us (child/parent snack trays & cup holders)
-Extra features for the elements (foot muff/boot, rain/sun shield/bug net)
-Height adjustable handles (I’m 5’7 and wife 5’4, so shouldn’t be big deal)
-Child footboard on back (for future so toddler can ride on back)


PART 1


I looked at 7 strollers in total, they are: Chicco C1 & Cortina, Inglesina Espresso & Zippy, Peg Perego Aria & P3, and the Zooper Waltz.

These can be grouped into 2 categories:
Less compact book folds and cheaper (Espresso, Aria, Waltz, and the Cortina)
More compact umbrella folds and more expensive (P3, Zippy, and the C1)

To quickly pare down the choices for this posting, I’m getting rid of the umbrella folds. What? Heresy you say? I know the P3 and Zippy are hugely popular here. It must be the price, right? No, at least not outright. I originally thought $300 for a stroller was lunacy, so I immediately wrote those off. But then I realized that if I was willing to spend (or ask for as a gift) $130 for an infant swing that got 5 months of use at best (worth its weight in gold as it was), then I shouldn’t be balking at spending $300 if need be on something that will get years of use with at least one more child planned.

Having said that, if I’m going to spend that kind of money, it better be the silver bullet of strollers, and not have any shortcomings. Well it turns out that with 100 strollers on the market, there is no end-all-be-all stroller that meets all my needs. So if I’m going to be compromising anyway, I can spend half as much and still be just as happy. Plus, I can use that money for a 2nd stroller that meets other needs in the future. And yes, I do realize I can find last years models at much cheaper prices online.

The main things I didn’t like about those strollers were as follows:

P3: (Retail $300 approx)
The basket access is horrible, and it feels rickety, not like a $300 stroller. Many users said it felt cheaply made, and I would have to agree testing it out at BRU.

C1: (Retail $280 approx)
The basket access is horrible. While it felt sturdier than the P3, it was 23 lbs! Usually the higher priced ones were lighter; you pay for that, not so with this one. The one handed fold was also ridiculous to use.

ZIPPY: (Retail $340 approx)
The basket access was bad too. If I were to get a top of the line umbrella, it’d probably be this one. Users seem to love it and say its much sturdier and not cheap feeling like the P3. The one hand fold is supposed to be great. I didn’t actually get to see this one IRL though, as its hard to find Inglesinas in stores.

My conclusion on the umbrellas of this class is that the baskets are always obstructed, and I think I like the single bar handle better anyway. I’ve heard both that bar and dual handles are easier or harder to steer with a single hand. I find the bar to be easier to steer with one hand. So, the basket, handle, price, and either weight or sturdiness ruled out this whole segment for me.


PART 2


So now I’m down to the 4 book fold strollers. One of them is easy to rule out, and that is the Aria. The Aria felt like such a piece of junk in the store, we couldn’t believe they were selling at $200. It felt extremely rickety, and the cup holder on the child tray pops out every time you fold/unfold, and many users said the parent cup holder was too small to hold anything. Plus, it didn’t even have a one-handed fold at that price point, but a cumbersome two handed fold. The only thing going for it was the light weight and compact fold compared to the others in its class.

I am now down to THREE strollers, each of which I thought would be THE one at some point. That is the Chicco Cortina, Inglesina Espresso, and Zooper Waltz. All are around the same price so that isn’t a concern.

CHICCO CORTINA (Retail $150 approx; Online $150 approx)

Pros:
+ Easy to use one-handed fold/lock/open
+ Good steering and suspension
+ Good size basket and easy access
+ 50 lb weight limit
+ Adjustable leg rest
+ Full seat recline and mechanical one-handed handle
+ Hood can rotate down to child tray
+ Parent tray & cup holder
+ Child tray & cup holder (removable insert)
+ Height adjustable handles
+ Stands on its own when folded
+ Good amount of padding/cushioning
+ Nice color choices, but not the best
+ Designed in Italy
+ Recommended by Baby Bargains, many users here, and at Amazon & other retailer user postings.

Cons:
- Heavier, 23 lbs
- Somewhat bulky when folded up
- Some users said has a shorter seat back
- When hood rotated down to child tray, doesn’t cover head/top of stroller
- Not compatible with Graco SnugRide (as far as I know)
- NO child footboard on back
- NO carry handle
- Made in China

Thoughts:
We really liked the Cortina. It pushes and steers very nicely and has lots of extras. If it were 5 lbs lighter and a little less bulky, we’d go with it without question. But because it is built as part of a travel system, it was designed with some more bulk I guess. We almost didn’t even look at this one because we wrote off travel systems as big hulking bloated giants. As far as travel systems go however, this seems to be the best if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution (which we weren’t). There is a definite tangible difference in quality over the other popular travel systems like the Gracos and Evenflos. This seems to have just about every feature we want, including build quality, but it is definitely heavier/bigger than the other two I am deciding between. The question is how big a deal that is since we will definitely be taking it in and out of a SUV or a car trunk many many times. Of course it will be harder on my wife than myself, but she thinks it won’t be an issue for her. She really likes it because it has everything built in (like the trays and cup holders).



INGLESINA ESPRESSO (Retail $150 approx; Online $120-140 approx)

Pros:
+ Lighter! 16.5 lbs
+ Easy to use one-handed fold/lock/open
+ Great steering and suspension
+ Good size basket and easy access
+ 45 lb weight limit
+ Hood can rotate down to child tray & fully cover
+ Height adjustable handles
+ Stands on its own when folded
+ Compatible with Graco SnugRide
+ Nice color choices
+ Good amount of padding/cushioning
+ Designed in Italy
+ Recommended by Baby Bargains, many users here, and at Amazon & other retailer user postings.


Cons:
- Seat not fully upright/vertical at highest setting
- NO adjustable leg rest = dangling legs
- Only partial seat recline – only about 130 deg (for 4-6 months or older only)
- Strings used for seat recline not as easy as one-handed handle
- NO parent tray & cup holder
- NO child tray & cup holder
- NO child footboard on back
- NO carry handle
- Made in China

Thoughts:
Most chain stores don’t carry Inglesina, but I found a mom and pop shop to test out the Espresso. I really liked the feel of it, and the steering and suspension were great. The weight is the lightest of the three, and the one hand fold is very simple. The biggest drawbacks to the Espresso are the facts that there is no adjustable foot rest, the seat back doesn’t sit fully upright OR go even close to a full recline. The recline won’t be a huge issue for my 8 month old now, but it could be for a future child if we start using it earlier (and it wasn’t the easiest to use with the strings instead of a handle). There is no way to tell if DD will mind not being able to sit completely straight/vertical, but so many users here have complained about it that I don’t know if I want to take that chance. Plus, many users complained that not having an adjustable footrest meant that the kids legs were left dangling and usually would make them too uncomfortable to fall/stay asleep. Also, the 45 lb limit isn’t horrible, but not as good as the Cortina’s 50 lb limit. The lack of cup holders and trays is important, but not a deal breaker, as I’ve learned there are several good 3rd party options that can be bought separately (and Inglesina may offer them as add-ons in the future too).




ZOOPER WALTZ (Retail $200 approx; Online $150 approx)

Pros:
+ Lighter! 17 lbs
+ Easy to use one/two-handed fold/lock/open
+ Good steering and suspension
+ Decent size basket and easy access
+ Hood can rotate down to child tray & fully cover
+ Stands on its own when folded
+ Adjustable leg rest
+ Full seat recline and mechanical one-handed handle
+ Has zippered mesh canopy section for air flow in hot weather
+ Extras include CozyToes boot, rain cover, UV/glare filter/bug net
+ Padded bumper bar
+ Compatible with Graco SnugRide
+ Nice color choices (black and grey would match our SnugRide Metropolitan for next baby)
+ Decent amount of padding/cushioning
+ Excellent Zooper customer service (based on users)
+ Recommended by Baby Bargains, many users here and at Amazon & other retailer user postings.

Cons:
- 40 lb weight limit
- NO height adjustable handles
- NO parent tray & cup holder
- NO child tray & cup holder
- NO child footboard on back
- NO carry handle
- Made in China

Thoughts:
This is the only stroller I didn’t get to see IRL. All the information is based on users and manu/retail websites. I don’t know if I’ll be able to find one at a local store to test drive. Most users said it steered well, and most said that the fold was easy enough to use. But I don’t want to buy sight unseen and then have to worry about being disappointed. Target does carry it, so I could buy it from them, and then return it to their store if I don’t like it, as they allow that. The weight is good, has all of the important features, and comes with extras that really add to the value (like boot and rain shield). The biggest drawback to the Waltz that I see is the 40 lb limit. That might limit the amount of use we get out of it in comparison to the other models. However, we will probably need to get a 2nd stroller at some point when the next child comes around. This may be a reason to overlook the 40 lb weight issue with the Waltz. Like the Espresso, the lack of cup holders and trays is important, but not a deal breaker, as I’ve learned there are several good 3rd party options that can be bought separately (and Zooper may offer them as add-ons in the future too).



CONCLUSION?


Ahhhh, I finally have all the points laid out. Now I just have to make a decision. It seems like maybe I should rule out the Espresso since the seat back and lack of leg rest might make it uncomfortable for DD, so why put her through that? So is it down to the Cortina and Waltz? The Cortina has mostly everything but is bigger and heavier, however it does have a generous 50 lb weight limit. The Waltz seems to have everything but cup holders and trays, which I can get 3rd party, and comes with value added extras. BUT I haven’t been able to see/test drive the Waltz in real life, and it has a 40 lb weight limit.

I hope this comparison is of some help to others out there that are looking at one or more of the same strollers. It at least helped me get all my data out of my spreadsheet and into intelligent thoughts! (Yes, I created a spreadsheet for all of this! How else could I organize all this information!) ï?Å*

If you are still reading this, I thank you, and I hope you can reply with some thoughts, comments, corrections, whatever. I’d like to hear what others think about my decisions and their recommendations.

Take care

[nfowife]

I'd skip the espresso. It has no footrest and no upright recline setting. Between the waltz and the cortion it is a toss-up. The cortina has a child tray and the waltz does not. I'm partial to zoopers so I'd probably go with an 06 waltz myself, becuase I am very impressed with how well they are made, and their customer service has a great reputation. Neither of those have a footboard for an older child but with only 1 baby right now I honestly wouldn't worry about that at all, who knows what your needs will be when you decide to have #2. I love love love the P3 as well, you can get some good deals right now and IMO I have never felt it was rickety whatsoever...it is a great stroller and has a great resale value for down the road as well.

[seeks1]

I have a 2006 Waltz and love it. I have the Key Fit car seat so really looked at the Cortina. I am very happy with my Waltz. I love the extras that come with it. It is not too heavy. There is a little mesh bag that comes with it that will hold a bottle of soda or water or a can. It has also held a starbucks coffee cup for my mom. It's not as great as a tray but good. There is also a pocket on the back of the hood and I tuck my keys, wallet, and cell phone in there. I like that I can zip it and feel that stuff is not easily grabbed.

I will probably get a Carry You snack tray to add on if/when I feel like I want to feed DS in his stroller.

It is not a small stroller but it is smaller than the Cortina and small enough that I haven't felt the need to get an umbrella yet.

Right now Target has free shipping. I ordered mine from them so that if I didn't like it I could return it to a store and not ship it back. I wasn't able to see it in person either. It worked out well for me!

[lmwbasye]

Of the two, I'd go with the Waltz. You get more bang for your buck. That being said, as a mother of a 2 yeard old who has owned almost every type of stroller out there, I recently sold all but my P3. It truly is the best out there IMHO. The basket is not as difficult as you would think. You get extremely used to accessing it from the side and you can fit a TON in there...way more than you would think. It is more plush and has a longer life than the other strollers. And while I know what you say about it "feeling" rickety....it is certainly not. Everyone I've met that has owned a P3 has been able to have it stand up to wear and tear for years...like 5 or 6 plus. Also, I honestly feel you will miss that umbrella fold when your baby is older.

As to the Zippy, I'd be a bit wary about purchasing one sight unseen since a lot of people end up kicking the stroller when walking and it doesn't have the extendable handles that the P3 has.

Also, you can check out www.albeebaby.com...they usually have P3s (2005 is the same as 2006, just the colors are differnt) for as little as $209.

I know this may not be much help, but I just thought I'd give you my honest opinion.

[newdad06]

Margaret, seeks1, and Laura:

Thanks for your replies thus far. I do appreciate it. I think of the three strollers that I was deciding between I will probably go with the Zooper Waltz. Having said that...

P3 Talk:

With so many knowledgeable people in love with the P3, I think I'll give it another look. The original thing that turned us off from it was the bars across the back blocking access to the bag. It just seemed stupid and it seemed many of that type of stroller had the same issue. I didn't think of accessing the bag from the side. But looking at photos online, I don't see how we'd be able to fit our rectangular bag in through the side. I'm going to go back to BRU with baby and our diaper bag and test it out.

The apparent benefits to the P3 seem to be its durability, weight, and compact/easy fold. As far as the weight, it's only 1 lb lighter than the Waltz. Durability is important, as I want it to last for two kids, but I would hope that the Waltz could handle that. Zooper is a respectable company with great customer service and I haven't heard complaints about its durabilty on here. The umbrella type fold does have value though, if you stuffing the SUV or car full of groceries or for a vacation trip where you need every square inch of packing room you can get!

The other issue is price. I previously said price wouldn't be a determining factor as much as value is. If the Waltz is thought well of and will suit our needs, it would be a good $70-$100 less then a P3. We're going to need a second stroller (hopefully) in a year or two, and the idea was to get a light good quality umbrella stroller for the older child and use the one we get now for both this and the next baby. So that money could be used for the next stroller. And in terms of bang for the buck, the Waltz comes with valuable real world extras like the boot and rain shield which we think will definitely get use.

Any more replies or anyone else with opinions feel free to reply!
Thanks! :)

[JustMare]

I think your putting too much thought into the baskets. I think other features are much more important. I had a Zippy for my son that we used for 18 months (I broke the wheel base from walking, we live in NYC) I loved the stroller for him. The seat was cushioned like a throne. The basket was small, but I was still able to get a gallon of milk in there on shopping trips. No, you won't fit a diaper bag, but you can hang them off the handles (Skip Hop). The Zippy is very similar to the P3.

I'm now using a Techno and Quest for travel and both have smaller baskets. I put odds and ends in it. The handling of the strollers outweight the small storage.

Just something to think about.

Mare

[seeks1]

Your thought process on getting a Waltz rather than a P3 and saving the money for another umbrella is exactly what I was thinking. So far i haven't needed to get that extra umbrella stroller and am still very happy like I said with my Waltz. I am planning on having another child in the next year or so and will end up getting a double so I think at this point if I can make it without an umbrella I will.

I had issues with the P3 basket as well and although others say it was no problem, I am very glad i have the Waltz basked. When I go to Target, I don't get a cart or a basket and just stuff everything down in the stroller basket. I have been able to put so much more in there than I would ever get in a P3

[newdad06]

Thanks to Mare and again to seeks1 for the replies.

I think the replies illustrate that the value of the basket is definitely a personal preference. My wife is a big proponent of the big basket. When I 1st showed her the P3 a month ago in BRU, her initial reaction was "how am I supposed to put our bag in there?!" Another point to that is something that I never considered that seeks1 noted... If it's only one of us going to Target with baby, depending on what you are getting you can just use the basket of the stroller for your items, instead of having to use a shopping cart.

I know I'm probably over-analyzing the basket, but that is what I do, I over-analyze everything! :) It's funny how I'm treating this like a car purchase, but that is just what I do.

I hope to go to BRU today after work, and I'll see if we can get our bag in there or not, and how it handles with our daughter in there.

[nfowife]

If you end up liking the P3, you can get a 2005 version (same as the current 2006, just colors are different) for around $200, same as the waltz pretty much. The main differences are the fold, lack of snack tray (on the waltz), and basket I suppose. Any umbrella fold stroller is going to have similar basket issues, it's just inherent to the design of the umbrella style strollers. I have never had a problem fitting my bag into the P3 (or my mac volo, for that matter) basket. I also usually hang my bag off the handles for easier access to my stuff anyhow. What I love most about Peg strollers (currently own 3, and a zooper which is my 3rd zooper) is the upright seat setting which DD loves, the snack tray, and best of all the floating harness. My DD LOVES being able to lean forward and move around, and I love that she can do it while safely strapped into the stroller. That's not an option on any other brand of strollers out there. And for resale, the P3 is hard to beat if you end up deciding you don't need it at some point.

[lmwbasye]

I have gone grocery shopping, Target shopping, all of my shopping, etc. with my P3 and never had a basket problem. I refuse to put Liam in a cart and have never run into trouble with my P3, especially since you can hang things off the handles. These are not small run-in-quick errands, either.

It's truly a perception thing. That basket is huge.

Just and FYI.

[newdad06]

Well what do you know? We went to BRU tonight to give the P3 more than the passing glance we originally gave it, and came away with a new stroller in the lead (I think). I showed my wife all the features and that was all the convincing she needed.

Granted, we STILL don't like the basket. I can see how you can fit multiple small items in there as it is a big basket, but not a good size diaper bag like we have with the restricted access to it.

I had read about the floating harness that Margaret pointed out, and hadn't really understood the concept or the value until I had a sales person explain it (its not often a sales person knows something that I don't about a product that I'm shopping for). That is a feature that seems to make a lot of sense.

If we want the rain shield Peg makes one that we could buy, and I bet we could get a 3rd party boot if we wanted, but that adds even more to the price.

I would definitely want the 2005 in Black Sable to go with our Metropolitan SnugRide for the next baby. So far the best price I've found is $235 from Albeebaby.com

As far as resale, more than likely I'll be passing this down to younger siblings once we finish family building and they start. So I doubt I'll get anything in return for any stroller we decide on.

Thanks for the comments. Feel free to continue!

[lmwbasye]

Ross,

Congratulations! You are going to love this stroller!

What bag do you have? A lot of bags will hang off the handles now and so it isn't much of an issue.

[newdad06]

The bag we got was this one:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/36131.jpg
http://www.columbia.com/Product.aspx?top=7&prod=2484&cat=710&viewAll=False

It's prob a little bigger than some, but it was about average compared to most of the bags at BRU. I liked this one cuz it was a manly bag, something I wouldn't mind carrying around.

I imagine as she gets older we won't need as many things in it as we do now. Right now its pretty much a portable toy box, but that is necessary sometimes when we're out and about to keep her happy.

Presently we easily throw this bag in and out of the basket of the Snap-n-Go. The Waltz and other non-umbrella strollers with open baskets would have been similar in that fashion.

I did try hanging it off the handles of the P3, but in order to do that I had to adjust the straps all the way to the shortest length, or else it would be touching the wheels. While that works for hanging, that is going to become annoying because then we have to change it everytime for carrying around our shoulders. We'll see. Maybe we'll just have to get a new/smaller diaper bag, or one made to hang off of the handles of an umbrella stroller.

[rl42382]

rachel l.

i own a zippy and last week i had my 2 year old sitting in it and in the baskets i had 5 half gallons of milk and 2 64 oz bottles of juice pluse on the handels 4 boxs of cereal 4 boxs of eggs and 3 more half gallons of milk. i love the zippy i am 5"1 and the hubby is 5"7 and my 5"6 friend has pushed it with her huge off the charts for hight 40 pound almost 4 year old on the toddler step and also had her sit in it. she also pushed it with the 32 lb 2 1/2 year old in the seat + shopping bags in the basket. we folded it in her dodge stratis tiny trunk with a pack n play and her cheap $40 baby trend stroller which is a bulky cortina like book fold. she loves the easy open close one hand mechanism pluse it handels snow better than my friends p3 and the weight limmit is 45 lb which is very realistic. that 5 lb in the stroller world dosent push it pluse it is still made in italy and is a breez to clean and stands on its own when not in use. i did the same as you and researched to no end and i love the zippy i have it since darling daughter was born and used it from day one i know havee addition number 2 on the way in febuary and plan to buy the zippy bassinet to use with it. i will be abble to use it for both kids nad it has stood up to alot of abuse because i don't drive and i do alot of local shopping and walking in the new york area i also find it is a great deep seat and even 3 or 4 year olds are comfy in it. the seat is deeper than the p3 one plus it comes with the rain plastic and i boough there boot for the winter which snaps on so it was worth it. i upgraded last year in feb when the 06 came out for all the new bells and whiselles that zippy offered for 06 because our 04 version didn't have a cup holder a toddler tray or a toddler stand and my mom needed a stroller when she watched our daughter ao we left the 04 by my mom who uses it in her house. up untill now the zippy is my one and only and it adapts to all situations very nicely.

[newdad06]

Thanks for the reply Rachel.

I was also looking at the Zippy when I decided to entertain the P3. So now I am debating between the Zippy and P3. It seems they are virtually the same, save a few differences:

Fold:
- The P3 fold needs two hands initially to click the handle bars, then one hand to pull up the handle to close it. Not a big deal, it seemed easy enough to use in the store.
- I haven't seen the Zippy IRL, but it seems that it is a true one hand fold that is much easier than the P3.

Durability:
- Many many people boast about the P3's durability and structural soundness. However I have also read plenty of people say that at least feels, if not actually is, more rickety/plasticy/less sturdy than the Zippy.
- Many many people boast about the Zippy's durability and structural soundness just like the P3, however I haven't read any comments stating the opposite, whereas I have about the P3.

Ride/Steering:
- While the P3 does steer well, many people have said the Zippy drives better.
- The Zippy seems to have bigger and stronger wheels than the P3. Many people have said they traveled in snow/gravel better in the Zippy.

Harness:
- The P3 has the floating harness. We tested that out and think our DD will love that, as she loves to move her body around and contort herself for a better view. It seems more practical yet still safe.
- No other company offers this type of harness that I know of.

Price:
- Retail for P3 is $300
- Retail for Zippy is $340
- Obviously I'd be getting it online to get a better price.
- Since they are virtually the same, I would have to get a deal on the Zippy, because it retails for much more than the P3. I would be getting the 2005 P3 since it is the same as the 2006 to save on price. So that means I'd have to find a really cheap 2006 somewhere (not likely) or a 2005 1/2 model.

Colors:
- I like the color choices of the 2005 P3 better than the 2006, which is a good thin since I'd be getting a 2005.
- I'm not in love with the color choices in the 2005 1/2 Zippy, so I'd be compromising in that aspect. The 2006 Zippy colors are fine, but I won't be able to get them at a comparable price to the 2005 P3.

Extras:
- Both the 2005 1/2 and the 2006 Zippy come with a rain shield, so that adds value.
- Only the 2006 Zippy comes with the snack tray, so I'd have to buy that extra with the 2005 1/2.

It seems like the Zippy is better for the most part. However, I think the floating harness is the only difference listed above that has any real significance. It seems to be a good idea for the baby. The other differences that the Zippy had over the P3 were all less significant, and they were just 'slightly better' than the P3, whereas the P3 was still pretty good in those aspects.

I could probably get the Zippy 2005 1/2 around the same price as the P3 2005, but not in a color I really liked. That plus the better floating harness of the P3 keeps me leaning toward the P3. Nothing is official until I type in my credit card number though!

[nfowife]

DD preferred the peg because the zippy does not have a straight upright setting, it is a bit reclined still even when most upright. Just another thing to consider. Also the zippy doesn't have height adj. handles, but the P3 does. Overall they are very similar!

[newdad06]

OK, you got me.... I missed two things! ;)

I did know about the handles, but didn't think it would be an issue for us since we aren't tall. I read that the difference between the P3 with handles fully extended and the Zippy handles is about .5 inch, so I wasn't too concerned.

As far as the seatback position, I wasn't aware of that. I do think the more upright the better, so that is something to consider.

[newdad06]

So I finally broke down and ordered the P3 on Monday from Albeebaby.com. I got the 2005 in Black/Sable for $235 w/ free shipping. I did find 2006's for slightly less or slightly more depending on color (both at that site and elsewhere). A 2006 was intriguing only because it was newer, but since the features are the same, AND we actually desired the black/sable, the cheap price for the 2005 was the winner.

I received it Thursday, and we took it for its maiden voyage last night to the mall. We strolled, shopped and ate at the foodcourt for a total of 2 or 3 hours. We are happy to report that my wife, myself and our baby love the stroller. THE FLOATING HARNESS IS AWESOME! DD absolutely loves that, so she can move around and look around and we feel safe because she is still secure in the 5 point harness. We know if she was confined to strapped flat against the backseat the whole time she would get frustrated. She loves banging on the child tray and looking around, etc. The padding is very plush, and therefore the side padding will enable her to fall asleep comfortably leaning against the side. Then we used the easy one handed recline and she stayed out. The bag is serviceable for putting in purchases, but like I complained about before, its impossible to put our diaper bag in there. However, I did hang the bag around the handles and let it droop down the back as someone suggested. It hangs just above the wheels, and with the extendable handles, I'm able to push without kicking the bag, so it ends up working great. And since the stroller isn't tippy, it won't pull the stroller backward. Oh, and while the cuppy at least looks ridiculously small, we were surprised that a medium fountain soda cup fit it in just fine. It looked like only a bottle of water would fit.

On a side note, I haven't seen the Zippy IRL, but I found a cool animation of the true one handed fold online, and that was just disgustingly simple! The P3 is pretty easy, but it seems nothing compares to the Zippy fold (and unfold too). If you want to see it, its here: http://www.dreamtimebaby.com/ziponehanfol.html

Thanks to everyone for all their input. I (and my family) think its hilarious that I ended up with a different stroller than the three I had originally narrowed it down to and then wrote a book report on! But that's just what I do, and my wife appreciates the end result!

Take care.

[nfowife]

Congrats on your purchase! Sounds like a good one! Not sure what diaper bag you use, but there are little "loops" on the sides of the P3 handlebars. I attached small carabiner hooks to mine and hang my diaper bag from them, so it is right up by the handlebars where I want it- I can easily access my wallet, snacks, etc. that way, and stuff some shopping bags in the basket too!
And the floating harness is awesome, glad your little one liked the freedom!

[winterbaby]

I recently bought my 2006 Zippy on ebay for $229 from thestore4you. It was NIB and I LOVE it. They carry them at buy buy baby if you have one near you.

[nbs2]

As one of the rare guys that posts here (the last week was a bit hectic), it's nice to see someone else who thinks like me.

Anyway, I was curious to know what your initial impressions are on the P3. We were initially looking at the Cortina, but have decided that we will pick up a Zippy (with about 100 days until birth, we still have plenty of time). Fur us the bigger issues were the build quality and the fold. The Zippy feels a bit more sturdy than the P3 - not that the P3 is cheap, but that the Zippy is a bit more solid. Additionally the difference between the wheels is fairly noticible. As for the fold, right now we only have/need one car - a Civic. So, we need something that will fold small. The Zippy fold is just a bit smaller than the P3, but only by an inch or so. The easy one-handed fold is just a bonus.

That being said, I am intrigued by your facination with the floating harness. We haven't ruled out the P3, so your thoughts would be helpful. Is it that much nicer? How exactly does it function (what is more mobile?)? That seems to be your biggest reason for preferring the P3 over the Zippy - did you find any other (maybe minor) points that make the P3 functional that I might not find on the Zippy? Also, what kind of clearnace are we talking about between the bag and wheels? Would the .5" loss on the Zippy create issues? The bag itself looks passable, but how well does it hold up - are there strain points where it looks like it won't hold up?

[newdad06]

I'd be happy to help out a fellow Dad! haha, yeah, not to many of us on here! (BTW, how silly do you feel typing DD or DS or DW? I do, but hey, that's the netiquette here) Are you treating this purchase like a car purchase too?!

Funny you were looking at the Cortina too. If we went with a book fold, that would've been our 2nd choice, I had decided on the Zooper Waltz over the Cortina before I switched gears to umbrella fold. See my thoughts on the Waltz if you're interested.

Per my most recent post, we love the P3 so far, and are completly happy with it. It feels plenty sturdy, and drives great.

The fold is definitely easy, though the Zippy is even easier. I did notice one thing about the P3 fold, and that is if you have the handles extended, it is harder to start the close process. That is because the 1st step is pulling a lever on each handle to click it into fold ready mode (then you just pull up the handle in the middle and your done). If you have smaller hands/shorter fingers, it is hard to reach the lever when the handle bars are extended. So I need to collapse the handle bars, then pull the lever to snap it into close ready mode. I'm probably making a bigger deal out of this than necessary, but I just wanted to disclose that. If you can see one in person, you'll see what I mean, but it really isn't a big deal. I think the difference in folded size very minimal.

You are correct, the floating harness was a major factor, and I didn't even know what we (well she) was missing until we saw the P3 in person. That is because no other stroller seems to have this, and I am at a total loss as to why. If I were a baby/toddler, I'd demand this! :) Imagine yourself stapped into any typical stroller. They all (should) have 5-point harnesses. The shoulder straps are attached or threaded through the seat back. When you are sitting in there, naturally the shoulder straps would be tightened for a snug and safe fit. That means you are pinned to the back of the seat, like in a car seat. You're not able to move forward or turn your upper body from side to side. You can only face forward and live with no mobility in the stroller whatsoever.

With the floating harness of the P3, the shoulder straps are not attached to the back of the seat. That enables the baby to lean forward and turn the upper body from side to side, while still safely harnessed in the shoulder straps. When I saw this, my skeptical question was, "then what is the POINT of the shoulder straps?!" While they let her move her upper body about, it still restricts her to the seat, just not the seat back. She won't be able to stand up, or squirm/roll/fall out of the stroller.

So you can imagine how much happier your baby will be in this stroller. After we marveled at this seemingly non-genieous idea, we still weren't decided, because the Zippy does have the better fold, and bigger wheels. But we realized that while those are minor differences in convenience for us (that the P3 still has, just not as good as the Zippy), the floating harness of the P3 is something that would be greatly appreciated by our baby (though she'll only be able to thank us with smiles!). Knowing that our little loves to be as mobile as she can be with her new found abilities, we knew she would like this vs being strapped flat against the seat back.

The 5-pt harness has a clip and the seat back has a little loop that you can connect the clip to, to make it easier to place the baby in the stroller and get into the harness. Once in, the clip just slips out of the loop, and baby starts banging on the kiddie tray all happy!

As far as the bag issue, that is my biggest complaint about the P3 or any umbrella stroller in this class. The Zippy bag is virtually the same. The only access is from the side, and its really only good for throwing in shopping bags from stores. What we did is take our diaper bag and hang it from the handle bars. Then adjust the strap so that it hangs just above the wheels. I think that might have confused you when I said that earlier (especially with your clearance question, as that was in regards to our diaper bag). Look back through this thread to see a pic of our diaper bag to get an idea (its a medium to big bag). Other companies make various bags meant specifically for hanging from stroller handle bars, so that might be the way to go. As far as the sturdyness of the P3 bag, I didn't really examine it too much. It looks like every other umbrella stroller bag. I doubt its much different than the Zippy in terms of sturdiness, and I haven't tested it out with more than bags from clothes stores.

So for the most part, I think the P3 and Zippy are extremely similar. I would like the slightly bigger wheels, and the true one-handed fold of the Zippy. The P3 wheels so far have been fine, but it's only been in malls so far (too dark and cold after work for walks outside now! We'll try this weekend). The fold is more than adequate, and superior to just about everything on the market but the Zippy. People have said the Zippy may be sturdier, but I've found the P3 plenty sturdy, but the bigger testament is the droves of users on this forum that have sworn by the P3's durability and longevity. That really impressed me (not that the Zippy isn't equal, but the number of posters on the P3 is crazy). So, the last difference is that super-duper floating harness that seems to get no respect! It really is great, I suggest looking at it (again) at BRU or someplace out. It is harder to gauge the effectiveness without a baby with you (since you said you're not due for 3+ months) but try to to envision it I guess. We didn't fully see it until we actually put her in it the 2nd time we looked at it.

One last thing, the P3 is generally less expensive, and usually there are better deals to be had on both the 2006 and 2005 models which are the same except for color choices. You should probably wait anyway since prices should only fall further for 05/06 models, or, the 07 models will be out soon and they may have some newer/cooler features. Who knows, maybe the 07 Zippy will have a floating harness! haha.

Good luck with the baby (and stroller purchase).