Stroller help please

[ginny4]

our beloved century stroller i had for 10 YEARS BROKE at the mall. AHHHH.

i'd just say forget buying a newER stroller since i have some umbrellas ones whenever it is necessary. you know james (2.5yo) is getting to be older & not want a stroller......but

we are takign a trip to boston in April & being the city & all day affairs i imagine that james is gonna be pooped out & using a stroller might be a necessity. so.....

i used our umbrella stroller & OMG i HATE THAT THING. it sucks. the worst part....it is soooooo short that it hurt my back going up the street! i have to either hunch over OR i have to push with my finger tips. LOL not comfortable AT ALL BTW. james looks SMOOSHED in that thing too. doesn't look very comfy.

so my concern is i don't wanna spend much. in fact i'm totally open to used strollers. but i have no idea what to look for. i want one that also folds up nicely & not terribly heavy for me or DH to get it down those aweful steep stairwells to the subway station & such. of course i need it to be tall for my comfort. does a stroller like this exist. LOL

should i even bother getting a stroller? i'm concerned about his weight too. he is a solid 35lb child. so those 40lb limit ones scare me. especially since victoria (4.5YO) might need ride time too. she weighs 45lbs

what to do what to do. should i just suck it up & just use the umbrella stroller OR go ahead & buy a newER one. just thought. i should ask my in town friends if they have any stroller i can borrow.

[Maedze]

You want something with some oompf. Boston sidewalks and streets are sketchy any time of the year, but in April, they'll have the added bonus of frost heaves. LOL.

Get something with rubber tires. Unless you hate yourself.

[CTPDMom]

If you can make your budget $70 I'd get a Volo. It's got all the positives of an umbrella stroller (easy fold up, easy storage, lightweight) with none of the negatives (it's got nice high handles, even my over 6' DH likes to push it). Plus it's got a 55lb weight limit so it's nice and roomy for preschoolers +.

Ebay is generally the best place to buy a brand new in box one for that price.

Craig's list is another place to find a gently used one for less. (There was just one on my CL for $30, the exact same red and gray one I have. And judging by the pic it was in great condition.)

(ETA: The absolute cheapest would be if you had a friend who owned one who would lend it to you!)

Good luck! And have fun in Boston...that's MY hometown so it's near and dear to my heart!

[ctbcleveland]

If you really only need it for your trip to Beantown - think about renting one!

You might spend a similar amout that you would for a used one, but you could get a better stroller for the trip.

http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/baby-equipment-rentals-massachusetts.htm

[ginny4]

well i do walk everyday to the school bus stop to get my dd & we take a stroller with us. james walks/rides about 50% of the time. so it would get more use than the trip but i can deal w/the crappy one we have if we weren't taking the trip. KWIM?
thanks tho

[atsuydam]

I'd get a new stroller. Using the short umbrella stroller on vacation would be horrible. I would hate to have a sore back the whole time!
I second the Volo. It even has a nice shoulder strap for carrying in the subway. We would have gotten one but DH insisted it needed to recline so we got a quest. In addition, Maclarens hold their value pretty well, or so my CL has proved, so you can get some of your money back when you are done.

[veggiegirl228]

If you go ebay avoid Maxoty. I ordered my mac from http://stores.ebay.com/Baby-Products-Store as others have told me they were better, HTH

[ginny4]

i guess Maxoty is a bad ebayer? of course he/she is the cheapest.

i went to BRU today to checkout a number of strollers. i do like the maclaren. but how is it with bumpy roads. does it get stuck? hard to tell from the smooth store floor how it does in REAL LIFE city sidewalks.

[ginny4]

was there a time that maclaren volo was only rated to 40lbs. on one ebay auction it said to only 40lb? i thought thye were to 50 or 55lbs? if there was a switch over when was it. i found on eon my CL for $30 (hoping its available) but now wondering if its a 40lb limit one. its a navy color with 2 white strips off to one side. heres a pic of it. is a 40lb or 50lb one? if anyone knows
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a35/lundtv/maclaren.jpg

[atsuydam]

Maxoty is another name for babydealz.com and they are NOT an authorized Maclaren dealer, from what I understand. Items arrive with out the serial numbers and Maclaren doesn't stand behind them.

Another problem on Ebay is some of the sellers are selling the lower weighted European ones that only go to 33 lbs. Check the sellers comments before you bid.


I ordered from bestbuybaby.com as they had the Quest for the same price and they are authorized. I didn't want to gamble. They have Volos for $99 that aren't pink (the biggest problem I had on eaby) and Quests for $160.

ETA: Just took mine for a trial run and it rolls great on the sidewalks of an older neighborhood. No problems with bumps and twigs or anything.

[MoreLatte]

[QUOTE=ginny4;749253]was there a time that maclaren volo was only rated to 40lbs. on one ebay auction it said to only 40lb? i thought thye were to 50 or 55lbs? if there was a switch over when was it. i found on eon my CL for $30 (hoping its available) but now wondering if its a 40lb limit one. its a navy color with 2 white strips off to one side. heres a pic of it. is a 40lb or 50lb one? if anyone knows

I'm pretty sure that is a Triumph, they hold up to 55lbs per Maclaren's website. Thats a great price! I think it will be perfect for what you need it for. It is lightweight, folds up in seconds and has a carrying strap so you can just pop it on your shoulder. I'd definitely check into that one.

The Volo is another great option and you can find one on babye-store.com for about $65. They also hold up to 55# and fit bigger kids well, the seat is roomier. It also has the handy carrying strap.

[ginny4]

update!!!
i checked into the one CL & other choices too & nothing worked out. either unavailable, too far away or too much money.
one of my friends gave me a stroller but i tried it up my street. & YUCK didn't like it at all. plus it was much heavier & bulkier than the maclaren
so without my DH consent cause he doesn't want me to buy a new one.....i bought a new one from ebay for $70 (i stay away from that Maxoty). DH might be pissed but i figured it was cheaper than a brick & mortor store & i can resell it after i'm done with it. which would prolly be next year sometime. i HOPE i like it. i got the flame orange since thta is DS fav color & it comes with powder pink too that i don't need so i'll probably sell the extra seat cover
sorry for the long update
thanks to everyone for your help

[MoreLatte]

Did you get a Volo? I hope you love it, I love mine. It has nice tall handles and pushes wonderfully. And like you said, Maclarens have great resale value:thumbsup:

[ginny4]

the volo. that was pricey enough. i can't wait to get it & try it out going up the street