Some strollers are best for newborns, some better for toddlers, some easy to fold up, some good for running with and some maybe nice and versatile. There is no perfect answer.
Here are a few that you have all told me about. I am only interested in strollers that are good for traveling with. The things I look for are ease of use (both getting around and folding up), compactness and versatility.
Please tell me your favourite and I will add to the list. I am not going to rate them but maybe when you go to buy one we can arm you with a handfull of suggestions from seasoned travellers.
Rock 'n roll...
This is the stroller we bought. I have already talked about it in a previous blog but basically we find it easy to use, it was great from the minute she was born, it can face us or later we will face her out to the world, it is lightweight, pretty and when you get to know it, it is easy to fold up and put in the car, on a plane etc. My friend Helen said she decided not to use this one because the ladies in the store couldn't work it. I had the same thing when I went but a quick look at the video on the Bugaboo site fixed that. But I should point out that one of my favourite things in the world is putting together Ikea furniture so I could be unnaturally (and nerdily) predisposed to this kind of thing.
This is the stroller my friend Lara suggested and is featured on the Equipment page. I haven't seen it in person but the video looks pretty good!
Here is a comment from my friend Helen (her and husband Clark are other traveling gypsy types like us). I love how they finally came to their decision - very proactive!:
In my research (and believe me there were far, far too many hours spent in front of my mac and far too many trips to baby stores across Europe) it became quickly apparent that there was no 'ideal' pram for our specific travel needs. Or at least what I perceive our needs to be - as we're still 7 weeks away... yikes.
I was seeking the ultimate: super compact, really light, fully reclinable/reversable seat, easy fold, car seat adaptable, well hooded, fabulous stroller!Let me tell you it doesn't exist...
The closest is the Quinny Zapp but it doesn't recline! Actually that's not true they have recently released a seat section that will recline, which we were super excited about, only to discover that the recline section is non-collapsable; which completely negates the Quinny being the world's most compact stroller. Oh well.
We then moved on to the Bugaboo Bee. Yes it is extremely cute and has the most divine ride and turning circle but we had a nightmare reversing the seat and collapsing it and after two assistants in 2 different shops told us “Oh this one must be broken..." as they struggled with it AND finding broken Bugaboos on the shop floor (from some more forceful customers) we decided we'd probably break it within the week.
Well my partner Clarke was MCing the circus stage at a gig at the Bristol Harbour Festival while I (mostly) checked out the serious "pram porn" in the crowd. Their were hundreds of strollers and prams it was unbelievable! By this time I'd moved on to interviewing parents about their pram/strollers- "Hi, I'm sorry I know this is a bit weird but, are you happy with your pram?" - and cataloguing favourites on my iPhone. Yep, I told you I had it bad.
I thought this was embarrassing Clarke but it actually inspired him to run a spontaneous stroller competition on stage!!!He invited three people and their respective wheels up on stage then tested the prams for off road (drive over his body), for comfort (he rode in them) and then, the ultimate, collapse your pram as quickly as possible and hold it over your head.
Wow.
As two struggled one lady’s pram collapsed with a single one handed lift.Under 3 secs! There was a collective gasp from 50% of the crowd as all the pram pushers wondered what the hell is that thing???She won the competition and we finally found our stroller.
We’ve ordered it in the states as it’s way cheaper. Along with the car seat adapter and travel bag. Next year it will come to Europe and New York with us so I’ll let you know how it travels.
And then there is of course the ol' staple MacLaren which I have never heard a bad word about and I see plenty of them in the playgrounds around the world so they have to be doing something right!
So there you go. A little bit of food for thought on the stroller question. I am, as always very interested in hearing your views and opinions so keep the comments coming!
x Ali
No comments:
Post a Comment