Stroller with Boards/Ride On Board attachment

[johbeak]

Hello all, I am pretty new to this board and would love some good advice from all you stroller aficionados!

I have a 4-going-on-5-YO, and expecting a newborn this coming July. We live in outrageously expensive Southern California but miraculously manage to keep a control of our budget by putting a lot of effort into making economical choices. For Christmas, we saved up enough to buy Disneyland passes for the three of us as our present to each other. We were there recently and realized very quickly that our son, although a fantastic walker, was not quite ready for day-long treks across two parks without a stroller. My husband ended up carrying him quite a bit as he would tire within a few hours.

Now, we still have his old Combi stroller from when he was an infant which we liked for the most part, but I realize that once the new baby comes its lifespan will be short. Although I can carry the baby in a sling and stroll the older one, that will only be for a while. This led me to think about looking for strollers with shelves for the older child to stand on. I have also seen ride-on board attachments, although I am pretty positive none will work with the Combi since one of the problems with it is that the stroller is just too short, there is only just enough walking leg room as it is for me at 5'5 and my 6'2" husband. Adding a board at the back would be impossible to use.

Anyway, my question is this: any suggestions for good nimble strollers with shelves, or preferably strollers that work very well with shelf attachments? We are on a tight budget so things like Bugaboos and Stokkes are out of the question. I do intend on looking around second hand stores, Craigs List, etc. but need to know what I'm looking for.

Two things I know so far, from searching this forum: the Sit and Stand as well as the Joovy are cumbersome to maneuver. So far I am thinking that getting a single stroller and a separate board attachment is a better solution.

Thanks in advance, and I welcome your thoughts and suggestions!

[roseyloxs]

I am a big fan of the Valco Hitchhiker. It works on most strollers. All it needs to attach is two vertical bars on the back of the stroller. I have personally fit mine on a BOB, bumbleride, baby jogger and umbrella strollers like the cybex topaz. If the stroller has a one bar handlebar then there needs to be sufficient space for the riders head. Almost any stroller with an adjustable handlebar will have this. Fixed handlebars might be a little tighter (although like I said it works on the BOB). The BJCM is a nice stroller but the head space is tight. My 3 year old was able to do it fine but others on here say it didn't work for them.

If you are willing to wear the baby until 6 months you can buy a smaller and lighter umbrella like the Cybex Oynx, Maclaren Triumph, or uppa baby g-luxe.

[RunnerDuck]

We had a Valco with a hitchiker for a while. It wasn't the most amazing thing ever but it seemed to work fairly well. I think it worked well enough so when the kid really needed a break he got one, but not so well he wasn't encourage to walk when he was fully able. :) (I had it on a Valco trimode single - I got my whole set up, stroller, toddler seat, and hitchiker on CL for $200 which I thought was pretty sweet, as I sold it for the same amount when I started to realize I needed a true double...)

eta as for caboose, sit and stand, etc - I agree. Front to back strollers are obnoxious on many levels. I'd also stick with the attachement, esp. since your older child really won't get much use out of it. We looked at the big caboose when I was preg with my girls and my son was 3 going on 4 - it was the most obnoxious thing I have ever pushed. My graco quattro duo, while great early on, also became obnoxious as the girls got bigger. Compact compact compact! (and it turned out my son has only ridden in a stroller ONCE since then anyway so we did well not to buy the big caboose! I'd seriously just as soon drive a winebego through Italy...)

[arivecchi]

The Valco Hitch Hiker works incredibly well with the Mountain Buggy Swift, which is one of the best strollers out there IMO. I used to have a Valco Trimode and that set-up was not that great. Mountain Buggy will also be coming out with the free rider which is a scooter that attaches to Mountain Buggy strollers. It looks really cool and would probably be great for a child like yours.

[crl]

I am a big fan of the Valco Hitchhiker. It works on most strollers. All it needs to attach is two vertical bars on the back of the stroller. I have personally fit mine on a BOB, bumbleride, baby jogger and umbrella strollers like the cybex topaz. If the stroller has a one bar handlebar then there needs to be sufficient space for the riders head. Almost any stroller with an adjustable handlebar will have this. Fixed handlebars might be a little tighter (although like I said it works on the BOB). The BJCM is a nice stroller but the head space is tight. My 3 year old was able to do it fine but others on here say it didn't work for them.

If you are willing to wear the baby until 6 months you can buy a smaller and lighter umbrella like the Cybex Oynx, Maclaren Triumph, or uppa baby g-luxe.

I have nothing to add about boards, but I think the Onyx is suitable from birth. I have one and it has full recline and is nicely padded. I'd put a snuzzler in there, but would feel very comfortable using it with a newborn. Not sure if there are any left on Overstock, but I got mine there a couple months ago for just under $65.

Love, love, love my Swift, but it's not a cheap stroller and hard to find used as they aren't very common. But it has been worth the Vostok to me.

Catherine

A

Catherine

[Kennie]

I also think the MB free rider looks like it would be a lot of fun. I love how it detaches from the stroller so that your child can do their own thing and be independent, and then be hitched to the stroller to be pushed when they are tired.

I never would have thought to try something like the hitchiker on other strollers, learning lots of good ideas on here.

[salsah]

there are built in steps, and add on steps. i like the built in because it is always there -- it isn't one more thing that i have to think about. of course with the add on, you get a bigger step and your choice of stroller. i don't have any experience with add ons, but i know that some (or all) can be folded up when not in use (but still stay attached to the stroller). that is one thing that is would look for if i were shopping for one. another thing to consider is if the stroller can fold with it attached. finally, can the step be used with the seat fully reclined for the newborn? with the built-ins, the step can not be used if the seat reclined. (except for on the venezia -- the step can be used with the seat fully reclined in parent facing position -- the reason that i love it.)

for built-in steps, check out the p3, switch, and the zippy.

for add-ons, shop for a stroller that you love, then find a board to fit that stroller.

just an fyi, there is also a board with a seat, called Litaf.

[roseyloxs]

The Valco Hitch Hiker works incredibly well with the Mountain Buggy Swift, which is one of the best strollers out there IMO. I used to have a Valco Trimode and that set-up was not that great. Mountain Buggy will also be coming out with the free rider which is a scooter that attaches to Mountain Buggy strollers. It looks really cool and would probably be great for a child like yours.

Oh yea! I forgot about the free rider. That thing looks awesome. My son loves his scooter so it would be perfect for us. I hope MB makes a universal version.

[jacksmoma]

i personally would not do a board but instead the joovy ultralight- i would think a seat is much better for a tired tot than some board they still have to have energy to stand on. espc. at disney when you can be there ALLLL day long....just what i would do!

[sweetsoul99]

Have you considered just getting another umbrella stroller and taking 2 separate strollers when you go out for long outings? With 2 kids I rarely Do super long outings by myself. A step might be nice for occasional use, but not not for Disneyland. I use our MAC and Lascal board frequently and while its a life saver for my 3 year old and trips to the mall.

[roseyloxs]

i personally would not do a board but instead the joovy ultralight- i would think a seat is much better for a tired tot than some board they still have to have energy to stand on. espc. at disney when you can be there ALLLL day long....just what i would do!

Except we are talking about a 5 year old which is no longer a tot IMHO. I would spend money on a good single since you will get much more use out of it then a sit n stand. I would always bring a good carrier along though so if he does become truly exhausted he can use the stroller while the youngest rides on you or your husband's back. Also if you hold on to the old combi you can always just bring two singles for really long days like disney.

[jacksmoma]

Except we are talking about a 5 year old which is no longer a tot IMHO. I would spend money on a good single since you will get much more use out of it then a sit n stand. I would always bring a good carrier along though so if he does become truly exhausted he can use the stroller while the youngest rides on you or your husband's back. Also if you hold on to the old combi you can always just bring two singles for really long days like disney.

true, but a child any age, not just a very young one, is not fun to deal with! a seat is so much better than a board, espc. for a long day at disney :)

[roseyloxs]

true, but a child any age, not just a very young one, is not fun to deal with! a seat is so much better than a board, espc. for a long day at disney :)

You are the disney expert :bowdown:. I don't do many all day excursions so I will defer to the more experienced.

[johbeak]

What great suggestions, thank you all!

I think I might go with roseyloxs' suggestion--just have two strollers. I still have my old Combi and if I'm planning on getting a new stroller anyway (since that other one is too short for comfort) why spend the extra on a board? If we do decide that two is just too much trouble then we'll look at the Valco. My son IS 5 after all, he will outgrow the stroller break phase altogether, and probably soon.

I do intend to carry the baby up to 6 months as well, so that'll give me time to go hunting for a good, used stroller, hopefully one of the ones mentioned in this thread. We're sticking to looking for a good, compact, definitely umbrella type stroller. Probably end up with a Mac because I see a lot of those used around here in the OC, and it sounds like it will work well with the board if we end up getting one.