Help! Anyone Love Thier Stroller? How Do You Pick?

My sister just had a baby and wanted a jogger that would work with an infant car seat. There is the BOB, which is a very nice stroller, but you have to buy all the accessories separately (infant car seat, parent tray, toddler tray, and infant car seat bar). I found one that is much cheaper and my sister absolutley loves it. She's not much of a jogger, but walks and wanted something that was easy to maneuver. See the link below.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5621878

Hope this helps.

The one piece of advice I wish I had listened to was in picking a stroller. We got the Graco Quatro because we thought it would last a long time. It was a good stroller, easy to maneuver, easy to fold and set up, nice size basket, worked with the infant seat, etc... However, it was large and took up a lot of trunk space. Many of my friends told me to go with a Snap N Go--it's basically just a stroller frame and basket. The infant carrier pops right in. The stroller is small and lightweight. Once the child is done with the infant carrier, you buy an umbrella stroller which is small and doesn't take up much room at all. We got a Maclaren with extendable handles and a reclining seat. It fits so much better in my trunk. I wish I had listened to my experienced mommy friends in the beginning.
Good luck,
C.

Try the small Combi strollers (I forget the exact model name). Mine only weighs 8 lbs. and has a strap so I can throw it over my shoulder and carry it if I need to. Great for traveling and lots of in-and-out of the car. I've had mine for 4 years and 2 kids and still love it.

Only complaint I have is that it doesn't recline all the way. Some kids need to be able to do this to sleep in the stroller, so if you're looking for one that does this, try something else. (Or - perhaps they've improved the model since I bought it in 2004).

Good luck!

Hi! Congratulations on your pregnancy! I have three strollers, as well.

Its very hard to find one that fits all of your needs. I used my I'coo by Hauke (very well made German stroller also goes by the name Rock Star Baby-exact same stroller, but about $250 cheaper) for my son until he was about 5 months old. It has large pneumatic rear wheels and does well over grass, dirt, pavement, and indoors. It also comes with a car seat adaptor for the graco snugride infant seat. The chair is reversible to face baby towards you or away from you. It has a fairly low profile for the type of stroller it is, its very stable and mid-weight. The only drawback is that it doesn't have the best sun-shade. I did get tired of stuffing this stroller into the trunk of my Toyota Corolla and once my son was old enough to sit up on his own I purchased a Chicco umbrella stroller (C6 I think). I LOVE IT! It folds easily, semi-reclines, is very stable and is lightweight. I keep this one in my car all the time because its so great for in and out trips. I think it weighs 11 pounds. It has a fairly small sunshade, too. Recently I purchased a BOB Ironman because I took up running. I purchased this one with a stationary front wheel because I didn't want to take this stroller shopping, etc. I use it solely for running, hiking, long walks, etc. I love it too. I rarely use my I'coo anymore because my BOB has replaced it for outdoor activities and I use the umbrella for indoor activities. I have been able to fit all of these strollers in a fairly small trunk.

I suggest finding some friends who have strollers that you could go on a walk with and push the stroller for a significant length of time. See if you like how it handles over grass, dirt, pavement, over sidewalk curbs, jogging paths, if it fits your height, etc. I pushed a few of the top strollers (Graco, Peg Perego, Inglesina, and McClaren) and they didn't feel like they were well made. They felt rickety and made of plastic. That's only my opinion, though. The MacClaren felt nice, but it fell over backwards with my diaper bag on the handles when the baby wasn't in the stroller. When you shop for one, hang a full bag or purse on the handles and see if it is stable. There's nothing more frustrating than dealing with a fussy baby, taking him/her out of the stroller and then having the whole thing fall backwards!!!

There's also a blog called Daddy Types that has some wonderful stroller reviews from dad's in New York with information about using strollers in real-life situations, not just a showroom. I highly recommend it. My husband found this sight and we used it when doing the research to buy our first stroller. If you do a google search for stroller reviews, you'll hit many websites with great information.

Good luck with your baby and on your stroller purchase.

-H.

Depends on your needs. I did a huge amount of research. My top picks are:
Rock Star Stroller (this one I have)
Uppa Baby
Bob Revolution (this can have a car seat adapter and be a jogging stroller!)
Quinny

For jogging, I have a second stroller - a 16 inch wheel Baby Jogger because we do trail runs and around the neighborhood.

My Rock Star Stroller came with a car seat adapater, bassinet (which i used when my son came home for him to sleep next to our bed), Toddler Seat. It folds nicely into the trunk of our wagon.

The Baby Bargains book is great resource for checking out strollers, and their website is even better. There are message boards with a specific section on strollers, and a parents' review section on strollers (www.windsorpeak.com/reviews/items/Strollers/index.htm). If you don't get what you want as a gift, I would highly recommend ebay, craigslist and even local mom's clubs (some have members who sell things within the club and some have sales at various times of the year - both can be great bargains). These last suggestions are also good if you want a second stroller. After having 2 kids, I am all about the bargains! Sorry I don't have any specific info about the strollers you mentioned. I own a Graco Metrolite Travel system (shower gift) and an Inglesina side by side Twin Swift (new but previous year model on ebay), and I am happy with both but there are tons of newer models available since I got those so I couldn't say if I'd get something different now.
Congratulations and Good luck!

I remember how stressful it was to attempt to figure out what kind of gear we were going to need once the baby arrived! I mean, we had a general idea, but there are so many choices (and lots of different advice) that it was totally overwhelming. We finally settled on the Britax Vigour, specifically because we wanted a 'one in all' stroller (didn't want to have to buy three different strollers in the first year). And, looking back, it's probably the best baby gear purchase we've made. We've used it from day one (she's 6 1/2 months old now). It maneuvers like a dream (you can steer it with one hand), and we take it on dirt paths. I love that Sophie can face toward or away from us (in the stroller seat-- the car seat only faces towards you). And, from the reviews,I know some people were concerned about the weight and bulk (with the stroller seat attached) ...but we take it all over the place, lift it in and out of the car all the time, and it's been fine-- It takes about 30 seconds or less to attach/take off the stroller seat. Anyway. I remember we also looked at the Graco Metrolite (I think that what it's called), because Consumer Reports gave it one of the highest ratings-- But, we didn't like all the plastic (or the way it looked). Congratulations, and hope this helps.
S.

Read the reviews! Check out www.babycenter.com, www.babiesrus.com and www.amazon.com and read the reviews and comments form other moms and dads. Then shop for the best price.

HI!

I have a Peg Perego Aria. It is great, lightweight, only 11 pounds. I used it all the time for my son (now age 4) and am using it for my 9 month old daughter. I can put a "buggy board" on the back of it so my son can still ride on long walks.

What I love is Peg Perego customer service. I needed a new cup-holder part, they sent it to me free! And when my basket wore out, I bought a new one for cheap.

Good luck.

I would start out with a snap and go type stroller where you put the car seat in the frame. They are great for babies with a large basket area. Then you will have more time to check out what kind of stroller will work best for you. I got a MacLaren Volo and I love it. It is very light weight and easy to fold up and put in the car. I can also push it very easily with one hand.

I got the Peg Preggo M3 stroller/infant carrier for a baby shower gift. I absolutly love my stroller. It is very light unlike a lot of other strollers and it folds up easily and is small. The infant carrier is great also. The only thing that I don't like is that the infant seat is a little more difficult to attach to the stroller than I would like. Although my husband says it's not that hard. I would definitely go and try all the strollers out to find one that you are compatable with. Goore's is a great place to start at, they explain and show you more than you will ever need to know about strollers. They showed my husband and I everything that we should be looking for in a stroller.

Good Luck:)

I spent alot of time looking for the perfect stroller, my baby just turned 9 months old. To be honest with you I dont even know the name of the stroller I decided on, and have honestly used it maybe 5 or 6 times. I bought a used jogging one and use that one almost everyday for exercise, The only place I have ran into a problem with needing a stroller is the shopping mall (which the jogging one is not good for), and stores like Macys and nordstroms. Otherwise stores from safeway, Bed bath and beyond, costco, Petco have shopping carts and the pull out carrier/infant seat fits right in. I have seen the "BOB" stroller out and about, seems like its pretty popular if you think you really will use one. My daughter recently became big enough for the umbrella stroller and I have to say they are soooooo convinent. Congradulations on your baby and Happy stroller hunting.

if you buy a good stroller it will last forever. we bought the combi when my daughter was born (15 yrs ago). that stroller has been everywhere. I used it a lot for a very long time. I think it is better to buy something that will hold up then something that needs replacing every year. that is the one thing I had bought that I did not regret spending the money on.

I have a Peg Perego and Love it. I have the Pliko 3 and it is a little pricey, but the weight is great. It is only 15 lbs and folds up really easy. I have the car seat that goes with it. For me it was worth the price because of the convenience of it.

I LOVE my Graco Snugride...it is a travel system with the infant car seat, and was rated no. 1 by Consumer Reports for safety. I have taken it everywhere- through airports, the car, Disney World...it was around $200. This is for my 3rd child and has stood up way better than the ones I had for the other 2. I chose the one with a black and cream geometric pattern since when I got it I did not know what I was having. It has lots of cupholders, big basket underneath, even a thermometer and clock! also has a compartment for keys, sunglasses, cellphone, whatever. It folds nicely and and easily! You can fold with one hand. I also have an umbrella stroller that I throw in the car if I don't want to take the big one. That was only $30. To me it was a lot more practical than spending upwards of a $1000 for the Bugaboos etc...
email me if you want any other info on baby items..I researched everything!

I had a Graco stroller that fit with our car seat and it worked fine but is kind of big and bulky. As my little one got older (she's now 19 months), I bought a second stroller -- a McClaren Volo. It doesn't work with a car seat, but it's wonderful!!!! I love how light it is, and it folds up easily to fairly compact. I just keep it in my car and have flown with it numerous times. It's handle designs are ergonomically correct and very comfortable to push (I'm tall so some strollers are too short). I think it cost around $100-$120.

Hope that's helpful. Good luck!

I love my Chicco stroller. It has everything my old stroller didn't: it reclines completely flat so if she falls asleep I lower her and she naps, the leg rest is adjustable, the handle you use to push is comfortable and adjustable, the front tray for the child comes off, the insert for it comes off and is washable, the visor will move down to go in front of the child to block the sun, the front wheels swivel and lock (as well as the back wheels locking) and it's just a smooth ride. The Chicco carrier car seat sits in it nicely too. When I bought it the woman at the store locked in the car seat in and could pick up the car seat and stroller by the handle of the stroller, it locks in that securely. I love this stroller. My sister-in-law bought a $400+ bugaboo and from what I've seen of it, mine is better =O). They fold to about the same size and are about the same weight, although her bugaboo is the jogging stroller style so it’s a little smaller width when it’s open. The only complaint I have about my stroller is that it's kind of hard to lock once it's folded, which I’ve mastered. What I wish I did when I was shopping (this is my second stroller and my daughter is 10 months old) was go to a smaller store where the people really know their products and take them for a spin around the store. I found the car seat I wanted and bought the stroller that matched. If you are up in the Petaluma area there’s a place called the Baby Warehouse and the people really know their products and are great at helping you find what you want. I almost forgot, it's around $150-$200.
Good luck and enjoy!

Hi D.,
Congrats on your pregnancy!

After tons of research, we decided on the Baby Jogger-City Series. It's quite expensive ($400) but I think it's the only stroller you'll ever need. We bought the infant seat attachment for it. Now our son is 8mos old and he sits in it comfortably. The stroller is smooth and easy to maneuver, light and easy to fold. It can even be used as soon as you leave the hospital to 60? lbs. That's why they say it's the stroller for birth and beyond. Good Luck! and Enjoy!

D., I went with the Combi Cosmo travel system. I loved it! It had a tri-fold feature, so it took up less space in the trunk, weighed only 11 lbs, so it was a breeze to lift (even in the few months after birth, when my back and sciatic nerve were killing me!), and it has a strap to carry it when I took my daugther on the bus or plane. It was narrower, so it fits though store aisles and doorways easily, and I could steer it with one hand. The basket is a reasonable size, but not huge. I, personally, never missed a big basket. I don't believe in leaving my purse or belongings in the stroller (was robbed once), and the basket is definitely big enough for a toy or two, some snacks, or a sweatshirt on a chilly day. My Combi also didn't have a cupholder, but the newer model has a removeable one, or I just bought an add-on that slipped on the handle. One thing to really consider, though: the height. This stroller was great in my sandals or flat shoes(I'm 5'9"), but I found it was a bit short for me if I was wearing heels, and it was too short for my husband. He had to bend over a bit to push it (he's 6'1"). I read on the Combi site, though, that the newer model also has a taller handle, too. Anyway, I loved my Combi. I still have it, and I'm reluctant to get rid of it, but my very independent toddler has decided she doesn't want to be in a stroller anymore. It's small enough, though, that I still keep it in the trunk in case we need it, and we plan on taking it to NY with us this summer. Lightweight, easy to fold, easy to move and not all big and cumbersome. The stroller with the infant carseat was about $300, if I remember correctly, and we got it at BabyLand in San Jose, at the corner of Bascam and San Carlos. Good luck!

I liked my Graco MetroLite Travel System (around $200) for the first year. Is it fairly light and yet carries a car seat. Without the car seat, the seat reclines. It has an adjustable handle and the one-hand fold mechanism. It has a nice lower basket. It has a canopy, a parent tray with cup holder, and child snack tray with a cup holder -- very nice for longer outings.

I bought a Maclaren for a vacation and have since given the MetroLite System to a friend with a newborn. The Maclaren is not good for the little babies, though, but sure is nice and small when they are sitting up and out of the infant carrier car seat.

To start you should get an inexpensive snap n go stroller frame. I think Kolcraft makes one -- might be called universal carrier or something like that. You can put your infant car seat in it and then you'll be good for about 4-6 months. When the baby is little you want to avoid waking him or her as much as possible, so it's really nice to be able to take sleeping baby's car seat out of the car and place it into the stroller frame. I used one of these exclusively for both my kids until they were about 4-6 months old. I live in the city and walk a lot. The frame was fairly durable. Once you start walking around town with your babe, you'll be much more aware of other moms and kids and strollers. Ask around when you see one you think looks like it might work well for you. I definitely would not spend more than a couple hundred dollars.

Hi D.,

Congrats on your soon to be little one! They are just the best!

As for strollers, we currently have 3. If you want something that is going to be easy to get in and out of the car, the Snap-N-GO is awesome! It fits with the Graco car seats and is really convenient.
As for a great walking/running stroller, the Bob Revolution is the BEST!!! I use it every morning on my walk with my dog.
My son is 8 1/2 months and these are the two that we have used.

Now that he is getting bigger, we are looking to get maybe a Maclaren...they are the best small umbrella like stroller. They are very light weight and convenient.

I think that if you look online on craigslist, you can usually find some great deals. Good luck!

Love my combi leightweight stroller!! Infant carseat pops into stroller, great sunshade and only weighs 13 lbs. Really easy to take in and out of car. Love it love it!!

Hey D. ~ I think that your best bet would be to go down to Babies'R'us - and try stuff out. I went to the one in Sacramento, and they had a huge variety of strollers, with the infant seat. I got a Graco one, and it was amazing, and not as expensive as some others. The thing that I really liked about it was that it had a handle coming down in the middle of the main handle that I could use one hand and EASILY stear the stroller if I needed to. I could also close it down with one hand! I would go down there and try them all out - see how easy it is to get the infant seat in and out of the stroller - how easy it is to open and close, how heavy it is....and push them around - see how easy it is to maneuver. I know that some of my friends got these REALLY expensive strollers, and I liked mine so much better because I could maneuver so much better. (even with one hand)! Good luck ~ I hope that you find something that works well for you!

I know where you are coming from when it comes to finding the right stroller. I got a graco snugride for my son as a shower gift with the matching carseat. It was under 200. I wanted a travel system so i could put baby in the car and take baby out without waking him. I think the snap and go is a waste. For me the travel system worked wonders with my son when he was a newborn. When they outgrow the infant carseat you are then stuck with a frame and have no other use for it at 50 bucks. My son out grew his carseat at 7 months. The travel system was great for changing my son if i was in a store or there was no bathroom near by. I could take the carseat out lay him down flat in the stroller and change him right in the storller instead of putting him on a public changer. Little hard to do when they are in a carseat(snap and go)When he was a little over a year I got a Graco metro lightweight stroller since i was in and out of the car a lot more and I also live on the water so I wanted a stroller that still had all the features of a full size stroller but was compact. I could put this stroller in our ski boat and fold the handle bar and it didn't take up anyroom in the boat. The snugride carseat fits in this stroller also. He is 2.5 and big for his age and still fits in metro very well. I got it on sale for 100. I clipped a babies r us coupon for 20 off any stroller. I also like to take a lot of walks and be outdoors so i got a Baby trend jogger for 170 bucks. Never had a problem with it. I have 3 strollers and a carset for under 500. Kids change all the time and so do your lifestyle so i have options with my stroller needs instead of being stuck with one stoller for $800. I guess if you want to take baby over sand, snow and mud these work for those needs. However you do have to buy additional accessories for the bugaboo. Just keep in mind they won't be in a stroller for very long and you have to decide if its all worth it. Once they start walkiing that is all they would rather do then be stuck in a stroller. My advice is go to a few stores and check out all the strollers yourself and make sure you can open and close them on your own and walk around the store with them. Keep in mind what you will be hauling around with you and if you can get to the storage basket easy, think about trying to get your baby in and out, etc.

Just like a car you also need to test drive a stroller. I have been very happy wtih both my graco's and Graco has been around for a very long time. Get what works for you. We all have different needs and lifestyles. Good Luck.

SAHM, 2.5yo son and baby due July

I started with a snap and go frame that any infant will fit into and when my child got bigger we got a Combi Savvy which was excellent. Lightweight, compact, easy to fold, looked great and maneuvered well in tight spaces and with one hand. I think the Combi was about $200 when we bought it in 1998 but it lasted through 2 kids and was so easy to use. The Combi does not have a huge basket to carry supplies but if you travel light it's great.

my husband did tons of research and we ended up with a bugaboo. it is a little more expensive, but if i think it's worth it. you only need the one stroller until baby's out of stroller, it's super easy to put in the car, really light, and good for walking. bugaboo has the air-filled wheels that make a BIG difference. check craig's list. we got ours from there--third owners.

I love my Peg Perego Pliko3! I bought it after my son was out of an infant seat so I can't say how it works for that but I do know that it works with a number of infant seats especially their own brand. I had the Graco travel system but I did a lot of traveling and it was just to heavy to use. The Pliko is light and not a basic umbrella stroller. The Pliko fold up fairly small but still has lots of extras. The seat is nicely padded and there is a snack tray with cup holder that I love. A lot of the super expensive strollers leave that out which I think is necessary to have. It does come off though so you don't have to use it when a toddler might want to quickly jump in and out of the stroller. I also picked the Pliko because it has a small step that an older child can ride on if there is a smaller child in the stroller. My son is 3 1/2 and I have another on the way so I can't wait to use that feature. I am in and out of the car a lot and it has been good for that. I drive a Suburban and it fits in my back but in my husband's trunk also. I use it for walks in the neighborhood and it works fine but itsn't great for bumpy road conditions. You can lock the front wheels to make uneven paths easier but I don't usually do that. I also use it at the mall all the time and it gets around easily. This stoller has been across country, up and down California, and to a ton of tourist attractions and has been great at them all. Good luck with your search and I hope this helps.

We bought a baby trend snap and go, which works with the infant car seat. They're only about $50 (or you can pick them up off craigslist for about $20 or $25). its v. light, small and easy to manoevre and has a nice big basket underneath. We have a graco now he is out of his infant seat. It does mean buying 2 strollers, but you don't really need the large one for a while. The graco we got was about $150.

E.

Hi D.!
The best thing I did to decide on a stroller is to go to the store (like Baby's R Us) and push a couple around for 15-20 minutes each...not kidding. In fact, bring along something heavy to put inside (like a toddler) so you get the feel of it. This helps you decide on a stroller that fits your body.
Good Luck
K. N

Hello! I have the Britax Vigour and I love it! It has the Bugaboo look without the insane price. Besides being a good looking stroller it also rides great! You can use the Britax infant carrier with it for the first few months and you can reverse the way the seat faces as well. I'm not sure where you're located but the Goore's Outlet in Sacramento had a few in stock the last time I was there for a discounted price and you can see how it folds up and "test drive" it. I have an 8 month old who loves riding in it. The only drawback is that there isn't a cup holder for you but you can always buy one for it. . .

I absolutely love my PegPerego. I thought it was a little pricey, but has been well worth it! Its great too because my 3yr.old tides on the back pegs while my 6mo. old sits in it. So now i don't have to lugg around the double stroller for everything.

I also got the Graco Metrolite Travel System. I like it because it is lightweight (as I am small). It folds up with one hand and does everything it needs to (like recline and what not). It has a good size basket underneath as well. We got the Graco Infant Safe Seat along with it. You will get a better feel once you go to the store and try a few out. I did that, then went home and read about my favorites and then went back to get the one I liked most. Good luck shopping!

rAE3WQDede,
I recommend that you spend the $$$ and buy a good stroller. I originally went the cheaper route and bought the peg perego pliko p3 and found it very annoying to use. Grocery shopping and long walks with a coffee or water was challenging. I spend a lot of time walking and prefer a stroller that works well and makes for enjoyable walks. I bought a Bugaboo (Chameleon)2 years ago, when my daughter was 6 months old, and love it. It allows you to attach your car seat, has a bassinet and adjustable seat and the best part is that the baby faces you so you can keep an eye on them. You cannot go wrong. I've heard great things about the Orbit but have not used it. I just had my second child and bought the maclaren double stroller. So far it is ok but Bugaboo and Orbit are much easier to push and beter strollers. If you plan to have more kids, the ugaboo will last and the best part is that it is comfortable so my daughter enjoyed staying in it. Orbit is also cozy from what I've heard. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions.
P.

Pliko P3 has worked so far. Easy fold, a little big, but will go through infancy to toddlerhood w/ potential for second child too. 300 or so dollars, don't spend more than that. Try to spend less even...

Congrats!! Let's see, in the past 2 1/2 years I have bought 7 strollers!!! Good Lord, don't let my husband see this!! I received the Graco Travel system that is fabulous!! Snap the baby in and out, and it was a dream. But the stoller was HUGE!! And I had a C-section, so I wanted something smaller. So I got the Graco Snap and Go. It was fabulous!! The only problem was I had HUGE babies, and they didn't stay in the car seats very long because they got too heavy!! (this isn't common though:-) I also had another baby 15 months later, so out with the single stoller...hello, tandem!! (Absolutely love the Combi Sit and Stand, but that is later:-)

If I had to do it all over again, I would get a Graco car seat that has the base, and then just get the snap and go. It was light, minimal, had tons of room and didn't need financing:-). I also bought a $15 umbrella stroller that I have run into the ground, and is so light and small, that you can tote through the airport and fold for easy travel.

After a couple months you can really understand what your needs will be may want to splurge for a Bob or McLaren, or whatever fabulous European invention they have designed:-)

Totally second the Craig's List suggestion...there is always great stuff, and you will find that these little guys grow so fast, most things are hardly used!!

When I was pregnant with my second child I decided to buy the Phil and Ted. I wish I had bought it when I had my first baby. I personally feel like it is worth the price. It has jogging wheels, but it is also compact enough to take through stores. It fits just fine in my trunk, with room to spare (I have an Accord). You can put an infant seat in it. I didn't even buy the infant attachment, it was a snug enough fit without it. Then, you can use it as a double stroller if you decide to have a second child. The only down side is that there is not a lot of storage on the stroller. If this stroller interests you at all I would go to Letsgostrolling.com. They have a "store" in Oakland where you can set up an appointment to test out strollers.

I feel for you - great question to ask BEFORE baby gets here!! The important thing is to determine what type of lifestyle you're planning to lead with an infant & then a toddler. There are plenty of "travel systems" that are one & the same that will allow you to keep the same stroller throughout a child's toddler life. BUT, if you plan on jogging, if you plan on traveling a lot, if you're budget is super-tight or if you have no $$ limit, then you'll have to think a little further.

I invested in a Chicco Cortina travel system. I loved how comfortable my little guy could be in that stroller, but I HATED how large & heavy the thing was. We have a car big enough for it, I'm 5'8, so it was no problem for me to pick it up or anything. But after a few mths, just became a pain rather than an asset. I didn't jog, but we did travel by plane at least once a mth the first year of baby's life. THIS would have made life much easier for me:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=232759...

It's just a stroller FRAME, so it fits any infant car seat & it's small & lightweight once collapsed. Baby is typically sitting up by 7 to 8 mths & can then fit into a toddler-type stroller much easier. You won't be lugging that car seat out of the car - you can just pull baby out & go.

We invested in a Maclaren Quest for baby's 2nd year & boy did traveling become a breeze after that!! Downsides are no cupholders, smaller basket, etc. but again, it's all in what you anticipate you'll need for YOU.

It really is a trial & error process, no matter how much research you do. I don't know anyone personally who has ONE stroller - seriously.

Good luck!!

If I ha

We had a Graco Metrolite when our son was born (fit the infant car seat) but honestly used it maybe a dozen times. Not that it's not a good stroller -- it is. We just used carriers/wraps more. When our son was seven months old we traveled to see family, and my mother bought us a $10 Target super cheap thing for our visit. It's been just fine ever since (he's 17 months). It might not do the trick for you (no storage, fairly short handles), but it's worth keeping in mind that umbrella-style strollers are handy as they get older. I can't say we shouldn't have gotten the Graco (the umbrella obviously is no good for an infant), but you can still get an inexpensive (splurge! pay $30!) umbrella one down the road without worrying too much about that budget now.

I am a zooper fan!!!
I got one with the oldest DD (so almost 4 years old) and it has stood up to some serious beatings!!!

I played with the vigour and was considering getting it until I got pregnant again and got the phil n teds for a double instead.

Britax is a great brand

We have the Bugaboo Frog - LOVE IT! Yes, it cost a fortune but we have used the heck out of it, traveled with it, run it over lava fields in Hawaii and over sand dunes on the coast, and even over the snow. I walk about 30 miles a week for exercise, much of that pushing my daughter in the stroller. And it still performs as well now as it did when we bought it 3 years ago.

They recently came out with the Bugaboo Bee which looks incredible (and is around $500, which I know is a lot, but it's not as much as the Frog). The Bee looks like it collapses very easily - one thing I'll say about the Frog is that although it's easy to take apart, if you have a small sedan, you'd have to take the seat part off to get it in the trunk. (We have an Expedition, so it just goes in there in one piece with no issues.)

We had the Graco travel system for our older daughter and I hated it. It was big, clunky, and heavy, and fell apart with amazing speed. (I had to buy a new stroller after only a year.) Also it was too wide to fit easily through an aisle at Baby Gap. I know that sounds crazy, but try it!

To me, after having bought a number of strollers throughout my Mommy career, I'd spend the money on the Bugaboo again in a heartbeat. Good luck in your stroller search!

i didn't find a/thing that could do it all for me and i eventually bought 3 strollers - a jogger, umbrella and a stroller for when the baby was young and needed more support. if you are tall, just make sure that the stroller handle is high enuf so that you aren't bending down. you'll want a stroller that folds down flat so that the baby can sleep. also, a jogger doesn't offer enuf support for a small infant so you'll want a stroller that rolls easily if you'll be using it for walks. also, you'll want a stroller with a canopy to protect the baby from the sun. you'll also want a stroller that's lightweight for putting into the trunk of the car. you may also want a good underneath basket. buy your carseat at the same time to maker sure that it all matches and fits together. all jogging strollers are beasts and i just used them for walks near my house and took my regular stroller w/me to the mall, park and on planes. when the kid gets older then it's all about the umbrella stroller. i liked that my stroller had a place for a waterbottle for me and a little tray for cheerios for my kid. good luck and i truly wouldn't spend a lot of money. just go to goore's on marconi and they'll be glad to help you out. b/c believe me, if you have another kid, you'll need a double stroller or a stroller w/a step. it never ends!

I have bought at least 7 strollers! A $400 Combi, two Gracos, two Maclarens, a jogger, and a double Phil & Ted's. Four for my first baby (who is now 6 years old.) And three for my second who is now 2 years old. (Of course, I didn't save any of the first set ;-) I did better the second time around. And I would say my favorite is the Maclaren Techno. It is not made for an infant car seat, but with creativity you can jam one in there (not suggesting that.) There is NO perfect stroller. I'm glad there was no Bugaboo, etc., when I was shopping or I would have blown the cash. Not worth it unless status is important to you. The are like the luxury cars or the walking mom. You will probably buy more than one. At least two--a travel system and then a light weight umbrella stroller. Maybe three if you get a jogger too, for off road. The time the baby is in the infant car seat and light enough to transfer from car to stroller is so short, don't spend much money on that. Gracos are good (and they have a fancy signature style that looks like a Coach bag.) they have good baskets and cup holders. Cup holders are more important than you think! Then get something like the Maclaren Techno for when they can sit up a little. At this point shade cover is important and ease of use. If you have a second soon, I love my Phil& Ted's for heavy duty. Good luck!

I have the Graco travel system. I think it cost about $200 but came with the infant seat and everything. It is very durable- I even took a stroller exercise class with it and it was great. It does well on any terrain and my daughter is very comfortable in it. I just recently bought a good umbrella stroller, because I wanted something small and lightweight for travel. I did a lot a research and ended up buying the Mclaren stroller (suppose to be the best). I think it was around $180 with a Babies R US coupon. I love this Stroller also and it was worth the money.

HI D.!

Yep! You're trying to find the impossible. There will have to be some give-and -take with your requests. If you are DEFINITELY doing alot of in and out of the car, I would get a car/stroller in one. Especially if you get tendonitis like I did, then it's easier to get your baby in and out of the house.

Otherwise, I LOVE my double jogging stroller, and the kids have fit in it for YEARS! We have used it for everything.

Congrat's on your new baby :o)

Hello!
I have a 14 month old and LOVE our Chicco Travel System (3 of my girlfriends got it after I did and they also love it). We used the infant carrier until he was 20 lbs and loved it. It's very easy to snap into the car base and stroller. The stroller folds up nice and easy. I'm a small girl (5 feet) and had no problem lifting it in and out of our truck.
I did a lot of research on strollers and infant/car seats. The Chicco got very high ratings with Consumer Reports. One of the highest for safety. My son loves sitting up like a big boy in the stroller and holds the tray in front (which is nice to use for snacks and his sippy cup). Good luck in your search.

I have the Maclaren Quest umbrella stroller and I LOVE it! Its so lightweight and easy to fold and get into the trunk. (I have small trunk but it fits great!) It also reclines which is great!
The only thing is that this stroller is for babies that can pretty much sit up on their own. I just moved my son into it this week.
Before this, I used a travel system which was bulky and huge. I still have the big stroller but only use it for short walks to the park b/c the huge basket holds everything (blankets, snacks for 2 kids, toys etc...)
Good Luck!