BJCM or Quinny Zapp

[funda62]

So I decided to up my price limit and look at the Baby Jogger City Mini versus the Quinny Zapp. Has anyone had experience with these two head to head? The areas that we walk here in Korea are rough cobblestones so I just don't think a smaller umbrella stroller is going to do it even though we don't go more than twice a month and have just a year left. I'm sick of the Graco whatever I have now and want something that DD can get herself into and out of relatively easily when we go to Disney. I'm worried about four things.

1) Height. DD is 4 years old and still less than 36" tall. I know she would be fine in the Quinny but have never seen the BJCM in person or tried it.
2) Folding. I've heard the Quinny is difficult to fold while the BJCM look pretty easy. However the Quinny takes up a lot less space when folded. Can the BJCM fit in a normal hotel closet when folded?
3) Maneuverability. The Quinny is a dream to steer, it practically floats. How is the BJCM? I won't be able to try it before I buy so I need some honest opinions. Also we'll be visiting Colonial Williamsburg a lot next year which has a lot of gravel and unpaved roads.
4) Romance. I have been in love with the Quinny for a long time. Will I always be sad I didn't get to have one if I get the BJCM? Does the recline alone make it worth it?

[codex57]

The BJCM folds pretty small. I don't see a problem with height either, as DS is about 34 or 35" tall.

Quinny steers ok. I don't remember anything special about it, or that the BJCM is markedly worse. Both steered pretty good. Neither matched Bugaboo IMO.

Romance is the only significant hurdle. The Zapp looks a lot cooler than the BJCM. However, looks take a backseat to functionality pretty quickly (our Bugaboo Cameleon is our "sexiest" stroller, but it's now the least used cuz it's the least functional). Particularly on vacation. The recline, the extended hood, quick fold, etc. There's a reason the BJCM is universally recommended while you don't see too much for the Zapp.

[jacksmoma]

the zapp pushes very odd/feels very heavy- don't even look into it imo! i had a mini and my 2 year old son who is 37" tall too (wow, yours must be a tiny one!) fit ok in the mini, he did not have lots of growing space to be honest but did not bother me as that stroller is like air to push and folds in a sec and is super easy for a toddler to climb into on their own.

[PGTB]

Quinny Zapp is supposed to fold to the dimensions that would allow you to take it on board of the airplane as a carry-on luggage. So, it's actually supposed to occupy less space than BJCM when folded. With that said, I don't think Quinny is as easy and fast to fold as BJCM. BJCM has a reclining seat while Qunny Zapp does not. Don't know if this is important for you, seems like your child is already old enough to not necessarily needing to recline, but it's your preference really.

I personally haven't tried folding the Zapp at the store, but you can watch demonstration videos online on youtube. Any stroller you would be interested most likely has some sort of a demo or a user video or a seller video showing how to fold it and what features it has. I saw BabyGizmo videos on both Quinny Zapp and the BJCM, I like her video reviews as they give you some idea about the stroller features and often she puts the folded strollers into her minivan trunk, so you can kind of see the comparable size when folded. Watch both Baby Gizmo videos for BJCM and Quinny Zapp side by size and watch her fold them and put them into the trunk to see the comparable size. The best of course, is to go to the store, but videos should give you some idea if seeing both strollers IRL is not an option.

HTH

[funda62]

Thank you all very much. I'll go look at the videos. I'm sure my memory of the Zapp is not completely truthful as the reality. Pregnancy hormones (five years ago!) can do that to a person. lol I wish I could test them in store.

[Momof3Labs]

The Zapp is a BEAR to fold and unfold! I actually liked how it pushed but absolutely hated the fold (if I recall, the unfold was worse than the fold). It also had a high center of gravity, which meant that DS1 was able to push his foot against a wall and send the stroller tipping backwards.

[PRmommy]

I borrowed a friends Zapp awhile back ago to compare to a Mini and wasn't sold on it.

The fold, lack of a reclining seat, tiny basket, and non-existant canopy were big negatives for me. Also not a fan of having independent handblebars. The push was nice, but not enough to win me over. The major pro to the Zapp is that it looked cool.

To me, the Zapp is almost more comparable to the BJ Micro then it is to the Mini.

[strollerqueen]

LOL, and I love the Zapp! It is one of the best pushing strollers EVER. I just ordered the Henrik Vibscov one from one of those members only sale boutiques. It is SOOO cute! (But of course, the BJ Mini fold is second to none. Great canopy, too.) I am going to be the odd man out here and say to get the stroller you love, or you will always regret it. I would also add, however, that if you are always going over cobblestones, something like a Mountain Buggy Swift would be a better choice.

[hillview]

I LOVE my zapp. We got one in Germany about 4 years ago and LOVE it -- it is used almost every day. We don't fold it every 10 minutes (I agree it is a 2 hand fold) but it pushes THE BEST. My kids never complained about the lack of recline. It goes to disney, zoo, mall, walk on bricks. LOVE LOVE it.

We've had a Quinny Buzz, Zooper Waltz (2), P&T Sport, and Mac Quest.
/hillary