Recs for 20 month old w/ suburban use

[theweebee]

What do people reccommend as a stroller for me? I was planning on being cheap and just using my Metrolite forever, and not buying another stroller (even though the thing is ginormous, a pain to fit in our trunk, and was starting to not wear well. Then Continental Airlines mangled my stroller last week (gate checked). They haven't gotten back to me about what they're going to do about it, but I think I'm just going to go ahead and get a new stroller. DD is 20 months old and we only use the stroller at the mall, zoo, and around the neighborhood. I like to feed her off the snack tray, and like having cup holders for me too. She's rather petite, so an adjustable foot rest would be nice for her. I live in Upstate New York and would prefer something that will somewhat plow through the snow in the parking lot of the mall (but I know I can't be too picky either, so this is lower on my wish list).

I went to BRU today and looked at Maclaren Triumph and Quest, and Combi (not sure which model). The P3 looked too big to me, and DD was fussy, so I didn't bother to check it out. I have to say I was rather disappointed with the Maclarens that they don't have a brake on the back wheels, but they definitely had a much smoother ride than the Combi. What would everyone suggest? Thanks.

[Ryemom]

I had planned on replacing my Maclaren. I've had those for my first 2. Where are the brakes then? They were there when I bought one in 2003....

[theweebee]

No brake on the rear wheels, only on the front--which I don't get at all. I assume I was looking at 2008 models, but don't know for sure.

[MontrealMum]

I have a 2007 Mac Quest. There are brakes on the back wheels. Not that they're all that effective in a strong wind or on a hill (I live in a hilly city), but they are there. I don't know if that's changed in a year or not.

ETA: I thought the idea of front brakes was so strange, I looked at the Maclaren website. Here is the link to the Quest Sport http://www.maclarenbaby.com/us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=101&Itemid=493

A brake on the back left wheel (you can't see the right in the pic, but I'd assume it's symmetrical!) is quite visible in the pic for both Quest Sport and Mod, and the Triumph. It's the 3-4 inch long black plastic thing that sticks up above the wheels. It does say that there is a new "easy-to-use central foot brake" but it's obvious that that central brake is controlling the back wheels from the picture. There are no brakes to be seen on the front wheels in any of the pictures. Are you sure the salesperson was demonstrating the brakes? The front swivel wheels can lock as well; maybe that's what you're confusing it with.

[bubbaray]

No brake on the rear wheels, only on the front--which I don't get at all. I assume I was looking at 2008 models, but don't know for sure.


Those likely weren't the brakes, they were, as Molly pointed out, probably the adjusters that switch the front wheels from swivel to non-swivel.

[theweebee]

The kid helping me at BRU and I looked for brakes on just one of the Maclaren models, I don't remember which one. We could not find any brakes on the rear wheels, and the instruction manual showed only brakes on the front, not the rear.

[Joolsplus2]

Hmmm...yeah, that picture on the mac website is clearly showing the side-to-side flip tabs for brakes on the back wheels and the little up and down tabs for front wheel swivel locking... sounds like a bit of a mystery that it wasn't so obvious on the BRU floor models... :?