Lightweight stroller with goodies?

[Alyse]

Okay, so I am going to try and talk my DH in to going to BRU with me tomorrow to look at strollers. Which he insists I don't need. I disagree. So, because he insists I don't need one it needs to be on the cheaper side (I have a bit of a collecting problem- Colby just got 4 car seats, 2 shopping cart covers, and a Graco Pack N Play Sport that I will be picking up from someone a state a way on craigslist the week after next). I have a Graco stroller that came in a travel system. The Alano travel system- pattern is Fortune. Its really not a horrible stroller- it does its job. But its BIG. And sometimes temperamental. The sun shade sometimes needs some coaxing to get to go back. And the one hand fold really is a one hand and kick. With a wiggly 7 month old I can only imagine it will get harder when he's a squirrelly one year old, a rambunctious 18 month old, and a defiant 2 year old.

What I'm looking for (and I don't mind buying stuff after market and adding) is: a light weight stroller with cup holders for me, possibly for him (but I'm not sure if kids really use this? I've never seen one use them...), I'd like a place for my phone but its not a deal breaker, a fairly smooth ride (neighborhood walks and to the mall-no off roading or jogging needed), a storage basket for my diaper bag and possibly a mall shopping bag, and a foot muff or something similar for winter.

What I was looking at was
Graco Cleo for $89 on albeebaby
Used Peg P3 for $150
Mac (not sure which one- but not a fan of the volo from target, you guys just seem to give them the thumbs up)
Silver Cross Pop

I am open to ideas. It really needs to be $150 or less. I am more comfortable around $100. This does not need to include the accesories- I can always whine- I mean buy them later. :D

And then would I just buy the foot muff/travel blanket from the company? Or is the JJ Cole Bundle Me for the toddler good? Or is there another brand I am over looking? Thank you so much for your help...

[atsuydam]

I didn't like the Graco Cleo. Compared to what I consider light weight it was heavy. Ditto on the P3.

Try ebay for a Mac but get a Quest. They recline and such. DH didn't like the Volo either when we went to look at them and gave me the okay to spend more $$ on the quest. (Which he likes so much he has been showing it off). You can also get a quest 2008 for $160 at bestbuybaby.com.

I never tried the pop and never found one in person but they looked to have the same handle height as my Eurotrend which is uncomfortably high for some people.

Another to consider is the Ingelsina Swift or Trip. They look nice, tall and light weight.

You'll have to add a cup holder to most of the strollers, esp. Mac. I never have never had one and rarely wanted one.
If you are handy, you can make a boot for almost any of those strollers fairly cheap. Maclaren sells them seperatly for a pretty penny. The bundle mes would work well too.

[kelsy]

i like Uppa baby strollers over the maclarens. they are pretty similar, but i think a smidge lower in price

very smooth ride IMO and taller handles ... i am tall and was still kicking the back of the Macs.

i think uppa makes 2 umbrella type strollers... the g-lite and the g-luxe :D