Moving to north Jersey area--what stroller do I need?!

[jenny]

I'm moving to Edgewater, NJ, and our condo is on the main road--close to every imaginable shop possible.

I have a mac quest for my 18-month-old---but do I need better wheels if I plan to walk with DD to all the stores? I'll mostly be on cement, so I know the mac can handle it. But I know when there's a bit of snow on the ground, the mac can't handle it. I'll probably take her for walks along the river too.

So I was thinking of maybe the Quinny Buzz--what do you think of that? Is it too wide? What about the Vista? Is it easy to maneuver in stores? Are the tires nice for city-walking?

Or do you think she's at an age where I don't need a stroller anymore?

[jenfromnj]

I'm moving to Edgewater, NJ, and our condo is on the main road--close to every imaginable shop possible.

I have a mac quest for my 18-month-old---but do I need better wheels if I plan to walk with DD to all the stores? I'll mostly be on cement, so I know the mac can handle it. But I know when there's a bit of snow on the ground, the mac can't handle it. I'll probably take her for walks on the river too.

So I was thinking of maybe the Quinny Buzz--what do you think of that? Is it too wide? What about the Vista? Is it easy to maneuver in stores? Are the tires nice for city-walking?

Or do you think she's at an age where I don't need a stroller anymore?

Welcome to North Jersey! We live in the 'burbs now, but lived in Hoboken for several years--living in that area is great, there's so much to do!

Are you going to be in the flat part of Edgewater (south) or the hilly part (north), or kind of venturing all over? If you're going to be in the flat part, you could probably be OK with the Mac at least to start--the roads/sidewalks are in fairly decent shape generally and shouldn't be a huge problem to maneuver over. But the Vista might be a good option if you plan to be all over the place. I know a few people who have Vistas (I have a Targo, which I like but don't love), 2 of whom live in Hoboken, and they love it. It's a very smooth ride and seems really comfy for their kids to ride in. Bugaboos are also insanely popular in the Hoboken/JC area, if you'd be inclined to go that way. The Mac will also come in really handy though if you're going to take mass transit with your DD at all and/or plan on venturing into Manhattan, since it's lighter and folds so compactly. The other thing with the Mac is if you plan to walk to do all your shopping (groceries, etc)--the Vista, Bug or similar would allow you to stow a lot more than the Mac.

I know I've taken our Macs (Quest and Volo) to Hoboken and Weehawken numerous times and been happy, but admittedly we haven't walked through the snow with it. I've also brought by MBUS for walks through Sinatra park in more muddy conditions--I love that stroller and it's great for bumps, potholes, etc, but not the smallest or lightest stroller for the smaller shops in the area.

As for your DD's age, I know it depends on the child, but I don't think 18 months is too old for a stroller, especially in a more urban environment with hills/traffic/mass transit. You could probably get at least another year out of a stroller, more depending on your DD and what your plans are.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the area!

[jenny]

Thanks this is helpful. I do like the vista, but I'm afraid it might be too wide to navigate the aisles in the stores, like Whole foods and TJs and the Japanese supermarket.

Our condo is right next to the river, so I guess we'll be living in the flat part of the city? I hope I don't ever have to go up those hills with a stroller...that would be killer.