Finally know where we'll be living - help me pick a stroller!

[Blackbird711]

Time to play let's pick a stroller! I know you all love that game :cheerleader1:

I'm due the first week of May; and we've FINALLY confirmed we'll be living in San Francisco until the end of June and then moving to a suburb of Boston. I was waiting to purchase a stroller until we knew because how do you pick a stroller if you don't know how you'll really be using it?

We'll be in a great walking neighborhood - 5 minutes from center of town, lots of shops and restaurants, playgrounds and parks, train station, etc - so we'll be doing a lot of walking, especially as it will be summer when we move. The sidewalks are pretty flat and well-maintained, but I'm sure there will be bumps and cracks to navigate and then of course in the winter it's a whole different story with snow, ice, etc! We'll also be using the car frequently to grocery shop, visit friends and family, etc. We'll have a two car garage so storage of the stroller isn't a huge issue, but we have a Volvo s40 with a trunk that's average-size for a sedan but by no means big.

Right off the bat, I'm leaning towards a Vista (as I have sort of been from the start, but you know how it goes... "what if there's something better?!!" lol) but wanted to see if you folks have any other suggestions before I take the plunge. I *really* don't want to spend more than what a Vista would cost (so $700 and below) and if we're spending that much it really needs to be our one and only until he's old enough for a lightweight umbrella.

The features that are most important to me are (first two are really the most important I think):
- bassinet or lay-flat (or nearly flat) feature for when he's really little
- reversible seat
- reasonable performance in the snow and ice - we won't be doing nature treks or hikes or jogging, but I don't want to be house bound because the stroller can't cut it when the weather gets cruddy
- generous and easily accessible basket (so we can shop with it when we only need a few things)
- generous canopy
- not too heavy - the Vista at 26 pounds with bassinet is about as high as I will go
- compatible with Graco Snugrider for those time when we're very quickly in and out of the car (want to minimize car seat use out of car but also trying to be realistic...)
- easy fold that will not take up the entire trunk of my car! I scored a used bugaboo frog off craigslist for a ridiculous price but after playing with it for a little while I think the fold and folded size will drive me crazy.

OK, I think that's it... can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts! :ROTFLMAO:

[spannaz]

How about at Mutsy 4Rider? It is a little lighter than the Vista, similar price point, and has 4 air-filled pneumatic tires. It seems to fit all your criteria, and will likely handle snow/ice a little better. And the basket seems to be very accessible although a little shallow. Good luck!

ETA: Hmmm, the fold might be a bit tough since it's pretty big with the toddler seat on, but if you keep it mainly in the garage it might work.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Well, isn't the Frog about the same size as the Vista when folded? The used Frog sounds just about perfect IMO, then you can just add a cheap Triumph for when he's 3-4mo and able to sit in an umbrella for your quick trips.

[Blackbird711]

There is a difference of about 3 inches in length between the vista and frog when folded, which is the difference between being able to take up half our trunk or most of the trunk (basically we have to lay the frog widthwise instead of lengthwise, the dimensions just make it a pain). There are a lot of things I like about the frog, but honestly the fold is a real hassle. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but we will still be using the car a lot and I can image it will get real old real fast.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but we will still be using the car a lot and I can image it will get real old real fast.
That's when you decide to use the umbrella for car trips and the full-size stroller for walking from home! For the grocery, you won't likely use a stroller. I wear the baby and push a cart most of the time. When going to friends' houses, you just carry the baby into their house not getting a stroller out at all. Sounds like your "home neighborhood" is where you'll be doing most of your walking, right?

[roseyloxs]

How about at Mutsy 4Rider? It is a little lighter than the Vista, similar price point, and has 4 air-filled pneumatic tires. It seems to fit all your criteria, and will likely handle snow/ice a little better. And the basket seems to be very accessible although a little shallow. Good luck!

ETA: Hmmm, the fold might be a bit tough since it's pretty big with the toddler seat on, but if you keep it mainly in the garage it might work.

:yeahthat: but I think you would be happy with a vista too.

[ashleybama24]

What about a Teutonia? It also has air tires...might be better for snow. Baby on the Run is a local Boston baby store with a great stroller collection and Rick could also give some insight for what work best for the area.

[crl]

I have never had either a Frog or a Vista, but I would wonder how they would do in the snow. I think most people find air tires to be a big asset for snow.

Catherine

[mackmama]

How about the Mountain Buggy Swift? I don't believe the seat reverses, but I think the bassinet does.

[Beth24]

It sounds like the Vista is your stroller...I've used mine on snowy streets and while it had trouble handling the really rutty chopped up chunky stuff, it did fine on plowed sidewalks/streets and light snowfall and slush. You would really need an AT with 16 inch tires for truly snowy terrain.

[babybell]

I know Boston. You want air tires, trust me.

[Blackbird711]

Yeah, the air vs foam tire thing does concern me. But I should point out that we won't be in the city of Boston, we'll be in a suburb. Sidewalks tend to be much wider and better taken care of outside the city, at least that was my experience for the 10 or so years I lived in the area. I suppose I can also ask our friends who live in the area to see what their experience has been in the snow. They're mostly big BOB fans and while the BOB seems like an amazing stroller, the fact that you can't use it for an infant (without relying solely on the car seat) or reverse the seat is kind of killing it for me at this point. Maybe later on but for now it definitely wouldn't be my top choice....

I know Rick from Baby on the Run posts on these boards sometimes, but what is the best way to reach him? Email him at the store's website?

[ashleybama24]

I know Rick from Baby on the Run posts on these boards sometimes, but what is the best way to reach him? Email him at the store's website?

I went to www.babyontherun.com and clicked on the link "live chat is not available, click to email". It brought up form to fill out and Rick emailed me back immediately.

[Nancybp0274]

I would be interested in what Rick would have to say. I am in the same boat and looking for almost exactly the same thing, athough my baby is 7 months. We have been using the snap and go, which is great as far as size and convenience, but is terrible on any kind of surface that isn't completely smooth. It is time to upgrade! I have been thinking of the Vista too, but also toyed with the idea of getting a more lightweight for the car, but more than an umbrella and then an AT for at home and when we are doing more adventerous activities like the zoo, etc. It is such a hard decision. I am glad you mentioned your concerns with the frog because I almost just bought one on CL. Let me know what you decide.

[Blackbird711]

I emailed Rick at Baby On The Run this afternoon and heard back from him immediately (he's fast!). Essentially he thinks the Vista would be the right choice. He told me it would be fine to share his comments on the thread so here they are, and I hope they're helpful to others:

"As far as a stroller for what you described, I personally would not suggest anything but the Vista. Just even based on experience in the Massachusetts area, I live where there is cobblestone in the downtown, and never had an issue with the wheels, both in the summer or winter periods. UPPAbaby even redesigned the wheels for 2010 to give them less wear and tear through use. You will even see that many of the companies are leaning towards foam filled tires, including bugaboo and baby jogger. Unless you are jogging, you really would not feel any kind of difference. You will also never have to worry about an inner tube blowing. And one of the best things for you is that if there were ever an issue with the stroller (and this is just an if), you have us here to help you, as well as UPPAbaby is a Massachusetts company and resolves any issues in a expeditious manner. Other than the UPPAbaby, we are really getting into 3 wheeled strollers with air tires, but they do not have the reversing seat capabilities of the UPPA. I never try to lead a customer in any direction, but feel confident enough that you will be happy with this choice. The Vista is my number one selling stroller for a reason. We really believe in it and I have never had a parent come back saying they were unhappy."

So now I just need to convince my husband.... :love-retry:

[Beth24]

Just to confirm what Rick said about Uppababy's customer service...I was having a problem with my canopy (sunshade pull out thing was falling out when I wanted it back under the canopy) and the bumper bar was a little bit tricky to get on and off...I called Uppababy CS and the next day I had a brand new canopy and bumper bar. No questions asked. They didn't even ask me when/where I purchased the stroller. I really like the way they support their products.

[poohbear]

FWIW - if you are living in Boston (though it sounds like you won't be until after the baby is born), the Uppa outlet is right outside of Boston - they have refurbished Vistas for about $400 (no basinets - I believe the basinets are about $70).

Also, if you like orange, albeebaby.com still has the 2010 vista in Alex (orange) for $549.99 shipped
http://www.albeebaby.com/uppa-baby-2010-vista-stroller-alex-orange.html

My friend lives in Boston and loves her Vista. She eventually packed the Vista up and started using a BOB/BJCM combo... But for the first year though the Vista was perfect...

[MissAndi]

I had very similar requirements for a stroller (bassinet, easy to use, works with car seats for those times, good push, etc.). We're half urban/half suburban, too.

We chose the Vista, and we are SO GLAD we did.

So far, we've used the car seat attachment and the bassinet attachment. Both are super, super easy to get on and off. Our DS is 6 weeks and average weight and height. A few things we've noticed:
-the bassinet is not super big, it's also very warm. I find I have to take off DS's jackets, etc. if he's in it for very long.
-LOVE the sunshade
-the basket is FABULOUS (I'll do a quick grocery run and use it instead of a basket)
-the push is great...for navigating skinny Whole Foods aisles or cobblestone streets that are missing cobblestones (you can do this one-handed)
-we live at the bottom of a very steep, tall hill (not quite SF steep, but close). I'm totally out of shape and not prone to lifting/pushing heavy objects. I have zero issues getting the Vista and son to the top the of the hill even with stuff in the basket. I was REALLY surprised by this.
-It is kind of bulky to get in and out of the car (I have an older Acura MDX), but I think it would've fit in my previous car's trunks, albeit without lots of extra room (Corolla or Jetta). But with a little practice, it gets really quick and easy.
- I'm having trouble finding a decent cupholder that fits and doesn't have to be removed when you fold up the stroller.
-I like that my Skip Hop diaper messenger bag clips perfectly to the handles.
-It's very easy to adjust the handlebar height which is great for when DH and I are strolling together and switch off who is pushing.


I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the stroller! I couldn't believe we dropped that much on a stroller, but honestly, I feel it was worth it.

Good luck!!!

[arivecchi]

I have never had either a Frog or a Vista, but I would wonder how they would do in the snow. I think most people find air tires to be a big asset for snow.:yeahthat:

While I love the Vista, I would not want to be dealing with one in snow. I've seen Vistas get stuck in just a bit of snow here in Chicago. I live in the city and the sidewalks here are cleared pretty clearly but the same thing cannot be said of many burbs. I would think about that. Reversible strollers are great, but I'd much rather have a stroller that can actually tackle snow if I lived in a snowy locale.

Also, while Vistas are excellent strollers for babies and young toddlers, I would not want to use one past age 2.

If you really like the Vista, I would get an AT stroller as well. You will need it for snowy days and long walks.

[Blackbird711]

:yeahthat:

If you really like the Vista, I would get an AT stroller as well. You will need it for snowy days and long walks.

Most of our friends in Boston suburbs do have BOBs at this point. But they all have said that giving up the ability to have their baby facing them was tough. I wish there was a good reversible AT that had a lay flat option, and I think I've looked before but it didn't seem like there was much. I wish I could get over the baby not facing me issue, and maybe he'll arrive and I'll find out he doesn't care (and/or that it doesn't bother me as much as I think it will), but until then I'm not sure it's something I want to compromise on.

[ashleybama24]

Most of our friends in Boston suburbs do have BOBs at this point. But they all have said that giving up the ability to have their baby facing them was tough. I wish there was a good reversible AT that had a lay flat option, and I think I've looked before but it didn't seem like there was much. I wish I could get over the baby not facing me issue, and maybe he'll arrive and I'll find out he doesn't care (and/or that it doesn't bother me as much as I think it will), but until then I'm not sure it's something I want to compromise on.

I thought almost ALL the AT companies were coming out with bassinets so your newborn can face you. I know I've seen them on a MB, Bumbleride, Baby Jogger, Phil and Ted etc. It is great to be able to face your baby especially for the first few months when you constantly want to make sure they are still breathing!

[tribe pride]

I thought almost ALL the AT companies were coming out with bassinets so your newborn can face you. I know I've seen them on a MB, Bumbleride, Baby Jogger, Phil and Ted etc. It is great to be able to face your baby especially for the first few months when you constantly want to make sure they are still breathing!

:yeahthat: Why not a MB Swift with bassinet?

[AnnieW625]

Also, while Vistas are excellent strollers for babies and young toddlers, I would not want to use one past age 2.

If you really like the Vista, I would get an AT stroller as well. You will need it for snowy days and long walks.

I disagree with both of those points. I have a Vista and I live in the burbs of Los Angeles, so not exactly the city, but had I known about this stroller when I had DD1 in 2006 it could've been my AT stroller from the get go. I don't have to deal with lots of snow, but when I have in the mountains near me it's done okay. We haven't taken our Bob in the snow, but it's the only stroller we've had that has done well on soft California sand so I am sure that it will do well on snow.

I bought my Vista when DD1 was 2/1/2 yrs. old. She absolutely loved that stroller and it was her main stroller for neighborhood walks until she was just shy of 4 yrs. old. Granted the push wasn't as nice as it was with my single air tire jogger (Dreamer Design brand), but she didn't try to get out of it like she did with the single jogger. She liked the cross bar too. I have photos to prove that she used it at over 2 also, but I can't get them to post on this site (send me a PM if you want to see).

Other fine points about the Vista is the bassinet, it was DD2's bed 24/7 for the first 2 months of her life. DD2 has had reflux since birth but for whatever reason she'd only sleep in the bassinet until she was just about 2 months old.

If you know you are going to be out and about with the baby and you are going to have grocery shop with the baby the car seat adaptor is a must and this gives you LOTS of room for groceries in the gigantic basket. I didn't use the adaptor for much else besides that (just preschool drop off and pick up when I was on maternity leave), but it was nice to have.

Potentially the only downside of the stroller might be that there is not a 100% infant recline on the toddler seat, but DD2 was in the toddler seat for mall trips by the time she was 2/1/2 months old and I thought the incline was fine.

Now with all of that said I was very happy with my Maclaren Triumph umbrella stroller, and my single Dreamer Design jogger until we were trying for #2 and coincedently DD1 didn't want to sit in her jogger at all which was part of the reason I bought the Vista. I do not think you need three strollers at all. If you are going to eventually jog or even run with your baby and you want to keep the strollers to a minimum then I would get a Bob Revolution single, and either a Maclaren Triumph, Maclaren Ryder (basically a Triumph with a full recline and a few more nicer options), or a Maclaren Techno. If you know you aren't going to run I think you'd be happy with the Vista, and one of those umbrella strollers. I pushed the Vista with a 30+ toddler until for 2+ miles a few times a week until I was 9 mos. pregnant with DD2. It's not the smoothest ride ever but it is a VERY capable, and well made stroller.

eta: forgot to ad that if you like the Bugaboo Frog I think that is a great stroller alternative to the Vista. I also have a hard believing that the Vista takes up less space than a Frog, but maybe the new Vista frame is smaller than my 2007 model.

[mackmama]

:yeahthat: Why not a MB Swift with bassinet?

I would love that!

[arivecchi]

I like the Vista a lot Annie, but honestly, it's not as practical as an AT IMHO. I much prefer ATs for older kids (they fit much better and are easier to push) and lots of snow. Air tires handle snow much better than those EVA tires. There is just no comparison.