Looking for a Stroller for a My Son, He's Nearly 43 Lbs! Needed for Travel...

Hi J.,

First off, I just wanted to say to you that you shouldn't bother with the people who are telling you not to use a stroller (when that is what works for your family) or those that say you should alter your lifestyle.

Even taking a child to the zoo, which is totally for the child, can be tiring for him. Why stay at home because your child doesn't want to walk. It doesn't mean he doesn't want to explore, right?

I have to take my 6 year old along with me to places where we will be doing a lot of walking. He weighs 49lbs and is 49 inches tall. He still fits nicely in the Maclaren Volo. He can read a book, play on the iPad, etc. if it's a long trek. The stroller is very lite, has an under basket and a carrying strap. You can even purchase 'extras' like a cup holder at Toys R Us.

I have also traveled a lot via airplanes with my children. I really liked having the strollers with me in the airports (you can gate check it right at the door to the airplane). Some airports are so big and very crowded. It's easier to maneuver with a child if he's in the stroller, not to mention being able to strap a bag or two to the stroller to take the weight off of you.

Enjoy your travels!

I've found that in the EU... there are LOTS of stroller options weighted to 100lbs. Because people walk an average of 5-10 miles a day with their kids. So it's common to see 4-8yos in strollers (at least on the continent, I haven't spent a ton of time xchannel). So, personally, I'd hit the shops once I hit the UK, or pester my fam to do some shopping for me. Most of the big kid strollers are umbrella type... just sturdier and bigger... but still easy to snap shut and fold to go on the tubes, trains, or busses.

((That's how I got pram-type strollers as gifts for friends 10 years ago, before they finally made it over here. I bought where they're sold. Don't get me wrong, I wore myself out looking here first before ... Light. Bulb.))

We love our Maclaren Volo--its super cheap and good quality---goes up to 55 pounds. I think it was around 100 dollars. Good luck!

How old is your son? My son stopped using a stroller the moment he was too big for his umbrella stroller and he walks everywhere with me. When we went to the zoo in San Diego we would walk for a while then rest and keep going like that. I don't think I've seen a stroller for a child that is about 45lbs or more.

I don't think I'd bother with a stroller. I get wanting to be out & about & do lots of walking, but sometimes parents have to alter what they want to do because they now have kids. Go slower, plan less things to do, take frequent breaks, and put little guy on your shoulders if you have to. Sometimes we need to be adaptable, even if puts a damper on our plans.

I'm no help on the stroller for a larger child... but did want to chime in and say that you may be completely surprised at how well he can do walking. He's got to be at least four or five, right? At that age, kids like to do things for themselves - and even if it's a long day, you can plan lots of small stops like snacks at a cafe or sitting on a bench watching birds.

I don't think that most people in Europe push older kids in strollers anyways, so by ditching the stroller, you'll blend in a bit more with the locals.

So your son is four now, is that right?
I think a stroller would be more of a burden than a help, especially in a busy city and dealing with public transportation. I've done NYC with young ones and I can say that it was NOT stroller friendly, quite the opposite actually.
My kids were actually pulling/rolling their own little suitcases at that age :)
Is he special needs, or is there something else we should know?
Whenever my kids complained "I'm tired of walking" I just reminded them how they walked all over Disneyland for ten+ hours with NO COMPLAINTS, lol!!!
Have lots of water and snacks on hand, and reward patient behavior with frequent small treats, like a lollipop, or a piece of gum. Good luck & have fun!

We had a Maclaren but it was bigger than the Volo, can't remember the name. We lived in London and my boys are big also, I even on occasion was pushing my 50+ lb 6 yr old in the stroller when he was sick and we had no car but had to to to the Dr. So I understand the wanting a new one, plus who knows if he will be awake when your flight lands!

I would make sure and get a better umbrella stroller not a regular stroller. It will be easier to take up and down stairs, fold when in the house or hotel, etc.

I have the Maclaren Volo too, and I used it when I took my daughter to Taiwan. It is so easy to fold and take everywhere. It comes with a shoulder strap too. The weight limit is 55 lbs, but I'm sure it would be okay if your son goes past that too.

My kids are tiny, so I don't know how hard it would be to maneuver the Volo with a 45 lb kid. I think any stroller that's not a jogging stroller would be pretty hard to push with a bigger kid, so this might be your best bet for travel. Try it out at Babies R Us and see what you think. Good luck!

We went to Taiwan when my son just turned 3. He was about 30 lbs? Even there I thought the stroller (MacLaren Volo) would be another thing to deal with so I didn't bring it. He walked everywhere. When he got tired we would carry him and I also had an Ergo baby carrier in my backpack in case we were far from transportation and he had to be carried. We didn't use it much.

Our BOB goes up to 70 lbs, but light and travel-friendly it ain't. That said, it is an amazing stroller.

I second Riley's suggestion of buying it there. Do your research online on local store sites before arriving that way you won't be overwhelmed upon arrival. M

Good luck and happy travels!

I know that most jogging strollers go up to 50 lbs and are much easier to maneuver with that weight due to the three air filled wheels. However, they can be cumbersome as they are a bit on the heavy side. Babies r us may sell some less expensive versions, like Jeep, that you can go and check out how easy they are to fold and pop in a trunk.

I found a few that go up to 55 lbs: http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

Good luck with your search!

You definitely should check out the Maclaren strollers. We have the Triumph and have had it for almost 5 years. It can still hold our son at 58 lbs if needed. You pay more but they are very well constructed and should work well for you. I haven't gotten rid of it because there are times when we use it even though our kids are 4 and 6. If we were going somewhere with a lot of walking then it's a must have. It folds up small (not as small as a regular umbrella stroller) and you can carry it over your shoulder when not in use. =)

How old is he? I don't think you'll find a travel size stroller that holds that much weight. At some point kids have to learn to walk along with the grown ups and adults have to adjust their schedules/plans/expectations for kids that get tired but are too big to be carted around like babies. My son is 5 yrs old and weighs 36 lbs, so I am assuming your son is at least as old as mine, if not older. I'd adjust my travel each day to alternate between walking and breaks (riding the bus, sitting for meals, relaxing in a park, etc).

you could go with a sit and stand since EACH seat can handle 40 lbs and he then has an option to sit or stand. Plus where ever he is not, you can dump all your bags and packages, etc.
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...
If you do get a single stroller there is something almost all moms of 2 in the Netherlands have attached behind the stroller called something like a Buggy Board. It is like a skate board that the kid can stand on if he is tired of sitting, or a second child can stand while a baby sits.
http://www.wayfair.com/Litaf-E-Z-Step-Universal-Stroller-...
But I also agree with another poster who said to get one in your destination city and leave it with the family. They may even be able to just borrow one from someone as my mom did when I visited her in the Netherlands. Alternately, we rented a bicycle with a kid seat on the back and did a lot of bicycling, not walking. A much faster way to get around, and a lot of European cities and whole countries are made for bicycling. The recent rental of my bicycle required a 50 Euro deposit that you lose if the bike is stolen, it was 10 Euro per day or60 Euro per week, it came with a big chain to lock it to something as well as a lock on the back wheel, and the luggage carrier had those elastic straps for keeping a bag on it. There are also ones you can rent with a front baby seat on the steering wheel or a larger toddler seat and foot supports on the back. For bike rental check at train stations.

another vote for not taking one. my son is very tall and large for his age (99th percentile for height and weight), and we didn't use one for long. by age 3 he was pretty much done with strollers. he's a great walker. as long as they have plenty of sleep, and snacks (which as moms we all know, are necessary whether you're on vacation or not) you'd be surprised how long they can go - longer than us! it would really be more hassle than it's worth, imo. i agree with the mom that mentioned, once we have kids we consider them in our planning. (which should happen with or without the stroller, anyway) it might be time to ditch the stroller mom! if he's 4 or 5 years old, and 43 lbs, sounds like it's time to me.

I don't know of any small strollers that hold that weight but I have a BOB and it can hold up to 75 lbs. It is not too heavy to carry and the wheels come off easily for traveling (or to fit in a car) (I had a travel bag for flying). I don't know about fitting it into a car in England since they are much smaller.

We rarely use ours anymore but it can still hold my daughter (now 6) and it was worth every penny.