I am getting a new stroller, EXPENSIVE, guide me please?

[arly1983]

Its that time of year again. My DH has this habit of making one completely wacky, unneeded, extra purchase every year that we have some extra cash laying around. Well, I feel the need for some retail therepy, and with his blessing, I am making that purchase this year.

I want a new stroller. I don't care what I kind and price needs to stay at or below $700. Cheaper is always better but I want something I am going to love.

This is what I am looking for:

-Nothing like the Graco Quattro. I hate every.single.thing.about.it.period.
-I love my BJCMD, however, I want something more stylish and a single.
-Smaller fold, doesn't have to tiny but not take up 60% of my cargo space (van) and NOT BULKY.
-Does not have to hae a cup holder/snack tray (I actually don't like them)
-It would be nice if it could hold J's 43 lb, 44.5 self for short rides but not a deal breaker at all.
-This will be Seth's main ride (5 months) Does not have to have carseat adaptor
-Easy fold
-Bright colors
-Good Suspension
-a basket would be nice
-Relitively light, nothing over 25-26 lbs
-not alot of flimsy plastic
-Longivity is nice but I want something I am going to love and if I absolutely love it for only 2 years, I would be thrilled.
-I would love love love if Seth could face me.

I had been looking at in order of preference:

Quinny Buzz 4 (suspension, heavy, didn't like zapp)
Uppababy Vista (price, seat doesn't go all the way upright)
Bugaboo Frog or Camaleon (price, why lovinwaves doesn't like it? when people don't like it they seem to loathe it. )

Tell me what you think!

[momof3monkeys]

actually just bought a stroller today. i didnt get this one but it was a close second, the baby jogger city mini. huuge canopy thats in three sections and i loved the fold. swivel front wheell. it says its not intended to be used as a jogger. not that i jog anyways just sayin. loved the harness too. reclined practically flat. and decent storage. buybuybaby.com has them for 229.
i know they accept competitors coupons but not sure if online.
baby catalog has it too
i went with the peg perego si corallo

[pastrygirl]

If I had that budget, I'd look at the Vista and the Bee, leaning toward the Bee. The only thing is that the seat is supposedly kind of small, so probably won't fit your older one.

I'd love to get a Bee to replace my BJCM, as much as I love my BJCM. I want a lightweight, compact stroller that can face me. (I have a heavy stroller that can face me.)

[BW1426]

Not a fan of the Bugaboo because of the fold and having to assemble it everytime. I mean, it's not a huge deal, but I prefer being able to pull it out and go.

I'd try the Bee before buying definitely. While I like the BumbleRide strollers, there were some quirks that drove me absolutely batty. I haven't pushed the Bee outside of a store though. My main experience was with the Flyer.

I know nothing about the Peg Skate stroller, could be worth looking into.

[arly1983]

The skate is heavy and extremely big/bulky while folded. I also don't like that the toddler seat is also a basinet. The fabric is bunchy.

The bee I will have to look into.

I looked at the bumbleride, what are the quirks that drive you crazy? It loloks pretty nice to me.

[BW1426]

The skate is heavy and extremely big/bulky while folded. I also don't like that the toddler seat is also a basinet. The fabric is bunchy.

The bee I will have to look into.

I looked at the bumbleride, what are the quirks that drive you crazy? It loloks pretty nice to me.

The turning wasn't as great as I had hoped and the adjustable handle bar was way too wiggly for my liking. Little things, but it absolutely drove me batty.

Funny about the skate. The fold looked so much more compact to me than the Bugaboos.

[arly1983]

The turning wasn't as great as I had hoped and the adjustable handle bar was way too wiggly for my liking. Little things, but it absolutely drove me batty.

Funny about the skate. The fold looked so much more compact to me than the Bugaboos.

It probably is but the weight (33 lbs) combined with the bulky fold combined with the name brand Peg Perego makes me leery...I had a bad experience with Peg CS and I steer clear whenever I can.

I am leaning away from the frog and the buzz 4 now. I am liking the Vista more and more. The fold is slim and free standing. You can also fold it with the seat attached FFing.

Thanks for sharing your experience with bumbleride. Those are things that would drive me crazy too.

[crunchierthanthou]

If you're buying a Bugaboo, do it today. They are increasing the MSRP effective tomorrow (http://mbeans.com/spillingthebeans/baby/bugaboo-prices-going-up-71/).

[arly1983]

If you're buying a Bugaboo, do it today. They are increasing the MSRP effective tomorrow (http://mbeans.com/spillingthebeans/baby/bugaboo-prices-going-up-71/).

Thanks so much for posting this. :love:

[Jennifer mom to my 7]

You could also look at the maxi cosi loola, or the peg pliko switch. The loola comes in this fab choco mint color:) I know I could push my dd in the older loola I had for short trips (40 pounds, 41?inches, long torso, 3.5 now) and she fits pretty good in the loola up I have now. Both these strollers have an umbrella type fold. The switch is just like the P3 (truthfully the plastic on the pegs turns me off a bit, but everyone does love their P3s). I loved the loola though. The frames are a bit loose, but I loved it so much, it was "almost" perfect;), that I bought the loola up because I wanted the bar handle.

[capeKO71]

I like the Vista - it's great - and has a HUGE basket... but it's not small. It does have an awesome big seat which is generally good for larger kids.

I think I might entertain getting a Teutonia - you just don't see them as often and they have some really cute covers... you can really make it unique.
http://www.teutoniausa.com/

I like the bugaboo - but the biggest problem is the non-one piece fold. It's a PITA if you have to take it apart every time to fold it... great for the city, not so great for suburbs. That's why the vista wins it for me. Actually I'm not certain if the teutonia folds in once piece either.

[arly1983]

Kate, what do your boys think of the Vista's seat recline in the most upright position? Its the only thing that is holding me back from ordering that one.

[Jennifer mom to my 7]

OH, I forgot all about the teutonia! And you don't need the bassinet that comes with the vista, correct? And the seat sits pretty upright.

[TechnoGranola]

Kate, what do your boys think of the Vista's seat recline in the most upright position? Its the only thing that is holding me back from ordering that one.I'm not Kate, but I've owned a Vista. It has a slight recline, even in the most upright position. Enough, that DD was always leaning forward instead of against the seat back. She likes to either sit really upright or have quite a recline to lounge. :) If you've ever tried a Buggster, the upright position on that is much more upright than the Vista position. But, the Vista is more upright than the Quinny Buzz, especially in the RF position (the Buzz is quite reclined when RF as it has only 2 recline positions).

I sold my Vista and got a Musty 4Rider which both my mom and I like better for our purposed. The seat goes more upright, it reclines more and the seat back is independent from the seat base. It has air tires which are a softer ride than the Vista tires. It has a super cool "fun seat" with steering wheel and HUGE basket that toddlers love riding in to the park, and I ordered a flat sun canopy in black for the fun seat (looks better than my lime green seat canopy). And yes, the seat does reverse.

Drawbacks to it are that it's heavier than the Vista, but it ends up we don't take it in the vehicle often so I don't give a darn. And when I do, I just pop off the wheels so it's easy for my to lift (we have an SUV and I'm short). DH doesn't have to remove the wheels, he has no issue lifting it. The basket it comes with is quite short, BUT you can now order a HUGE basket that is removable and has a handle (so you can carry it around a store to shop if you want!) and it just clips onto the back of the seat. The basket is comparable to the one that comes on the fun seat.

Can't hurt for you to at least check it out and either exclude it, or put it on your list of possibilities. I can answer more questions about it if you need.

[arly1983]

OH, I forgot all about the teutonia! And you don't need the bassinet that comes with the vista, correct? And the seat sits pretty upright.

No, I don't need the bassinet.

Thanks, I was wondering about the seat. Its my biggest concern.

I was looking at the Teutonia...if those weights are just the chassis w/o the toddler seat then the total weight is going to be in the 30 lb range.

[arly1983]

I'm not Kate, but I've owned a Vista. It has a slight recline, even in the most upright position. Enough, that DD was always leaning forward instead of against the seat back. She likes to either sit really upright or have quite a recline to lounge. :) If you've ever tried a Buggster, the upright position on that is much more upright than the Vista position. But, the Vista is more upright than the Quinny Buzz, especially in the RF position (the Buzz is quite reclined when RF as it has only 2 recline positions).

Oh, thats not good. Even at just about 5 months old, he is likes to sit very upright. If he is not upright enough, he groans and struggles and fusses trying to sit up...

[TechnoGranola]

Oh, thats not good. Even at just about 5 months old, he is likes to sit very upright. If he is not upright enough, he groans and struggles and fusses trying to sit up...That's how my DD was (and still is at almost 3, she's either got to be STRAIGHT up or WAY back). My mom was the main user of the Vista and she actually said to me, "is there a stroller you can get that sits more upright?" because she noticed DD wasn't 100% comfortable. Really, it's my only beef with the Vista, I want them to put one more notch for a really upright position. Okay, that and I wish they had an air tire option. :)

The Bugaboo Cameleon is similar to the Vista and it has a really nice upright position. My DD loved sitting in that seat.

[arly1983]

That's how my DD was (and still is at almost 3, she's either got to be STRAIGHT up or WAY back). My mom was the main user of the Vista and she actually said to me, "is there a stroller you can get that sits more upright?" because she noticed DD wasn't 100% comfortable. Really, it's my only beef with the Vista, I want them to put one more notch for a really upright position. Okay, that and I wish they had an air tire option. :)

The Bugaboo Cameleon is similar to the Vista and it has a really nice upright position. My DD loved sitting in that seat.

Describes him to a "T".

So you like the Bugaboo? Humm, Can you tell me why and what you didn't like about it? I am finding that people either love it or loathe it.

[TechnoGranola]

Describes him to a "T".

So you like the Bugaboo? Humm, Can you tell me why and what you didn't like about it? I am finding that people either love it or loathe it.We borrowed a friend's Cameleon for a few days and then I bought the Vista over buying myself a Cameleon. At the time, the Cameleon had a knob on each side that you had to loosen and tighten to change the handlebar height. DH and I always change the handle height depending on who's pushing, so loosening/tightening 2 knobs each time was a pain. I *think* the newer Cameleon's might have made this easier? I didn't like how the bumper bar didn't have a quick release to get it out of the way. You had to use 2 hands to get it off which means you'd never take it off and have it in the way to get baby in and out. I like bars that flip out of the way easily. You also needed 2 hands to recline the Cameleon seat which I hated. But, the Cameleon has a reversible handle which I really like. You can flip it out of the way if you're feeding your little one a snack. Oh, and the Vista seat sat up higher which I liked.

So, I never ended up buying a Cameleon (just didn't feel the love) and I sold my Vista and bought the Musty 4Rider. Our other current stroller is a Valco Buggster which doesn't have a reversible seat but is an awesome toddler/pre-schooler stroller.

[SillyLily]

I have a Bugaboo Bee and I love it. It has what I would consider to be a very upright seat, it is light, it folds in one piece, the seat can face in or out (although it is not as easy to switch as the bigger Bugaboos). My 5 year old (who is about 38 inches tall) fits comfortably in it. It has a somewhat narrow but tall seat.

I have been looking at the Mutsy Slider a lot lately. It is supposed to fold smaller than most of the Mutsy strollers, it comes in awesome colors, and is built like a tank. I don't know about the weight.

[momof3monkeys]

just got the peg perego si and i love it.
great recline easily folded and carried
awesome canopy. huge in fact
decent basket
manuevers great!

[arly1983]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I actually haven't gotten anything yet. I still need something but haven't had the time to sit and think about it.

[capeKO71]

Yeah - it is slightly reclined - but my kids used to hold the bar in front. I find when seats have a bar for kids to hold, they are happier.

I think the most inclined seat is the Peg... have you tried that out?

[arly1983]

I have now seen the Peg Perego skate, switch, and pliko IRL. I really didn't like the skate but surprisingly liked the pliko and switch. I wish I could find a better deal on the switch. IT was my favorite but hate to pay the that much more than the pliko.

[arly1983]

Ok any reason why I shouldn't buy this (http://www.albeebaby.com/pegpe20plp3c1.html)

[momof3monkeys]

yes love the recline its great.
about the bar,,,,they have accessories u can buy to add on to the strollers at our buy buy baby and of course the tray was out of stock.knowone was sure it would fit the peg but they said they sell out of them everytime they come in so someone or alot of someones like it lol i will wait til they come in and try it out i guess. 19.99 for tray.

[Beckers]

I never had a "good" stroller until I bought a P3 on clearance last year. I absolutely LOVE it. It pushes so easily and the big kids love to catch a ride. I don't have any experiance with other high end strollers, but I know this was in a whole other world compared to the cheap ones I always had before! ;)


I would say the only thiing I get annoyed at is that you can't UNfold it one handed....so I have to remember to get the stroller ready before I get Sam out of the car.

ETA: the canopy is kinda annoying too....I can't quite describe it, but its awkward when the seat is reclined....oh, and you can't use the big kid step when its reclined either.

[stelly]

This was my problem when looking for a stroller 2 years ago.
I was this [] close to buying a Stokke Xplory (in green!:love:) but then I had an attack of sensibility and instead bought a BJCS with bassinet, and a Silver Cross Linear Freeway. The SCLF faces both ways and was great in cold weather - cosy toes and apron to keep her warm. But it folds in two pieces and is ENORMOUS. And the steering is awful. The BJCS is great, but it doesn't really do anything for me, kwim? I was stroller obsessed for years before even conceiving.. so my real life experience is kind of disappointing.

I am still thinking of getting an Xplory if we have a second child. My H will probably be furious if I even mention it..!!

Other ideas:
Maxi Cosi Foray
Bebe Confort Streety (need to order from Europe, I think)
Chicco Trio For Me (I emailed them months ago and they said they have no plans to sell this model in the USA - why?!?)
Quinny Buzz (seat seemed narrow though)
Cossato Cabi
Bebecar IpOp

I like the Foray, but hate the idea of buying anything from BRU... oh, and I too despise Graco styling, and hated the Bugaboo on principle.

Good luck!

[wyomommyx3]

[QUOTE=Beckers;917217]I never had a "good" stroller until I bought a P3 on clearance last year. I absolutely LOVE it. It pushes so easily and the big kids love to catch a ride. I don't have any experiance with other high end strollers, but I know this was in a whole other world compared to the cheap ones I always had before! ;)


I second this... I got a P3 at the beginning of the summer, and I LOVE the thing. It's like have a double stroller without having to lug a double around, and it's like steering a caddilac compared to the other lower end strollers I've owned. I just wish I had bought it with the 1st baby, and not the 3rd. :)

[capeKO71]

Ok any reason why I shouldn't buy this (http://www.albeebaby.com/pegpe20plp3c1.html)

Absolutely! It's a fabulous deal... they have some other colors too for just a bit more - but def. The P3 is awesome... and babies love to sit up straight with that floating harness.

[arly1983]

FLOL! I still haven't bought anything. I used the money I had to pay off a bill and I think I am going to get the Pliko next month maybe.

[SDM44]

I was in a similar situation but decided on the UppaBaby Vista. Found one on the local Craigslist that was brand new (extra baby shower gift) in the unopened box. Got it for $550 and it's the 2009 model. For that price, and the Carlin Green color that we liked, it was worth it. The sellers even threw in a Chicco car seat adapter but I traded it with somebody else for a new Graco car seat adapter since we're going to be using the Teutonia T-tario 32 seat. I was really leaning towards the Bugaboo, mainly due to the seat position and how it allows the child to sit more upright. But I have some ideas in mind that'll allow me to create a more upright seating position on the Vista without compromising its structure or safety features.

The funny thing is, there is still a red Vista and a black Vista, both 2009 models and both brand new still in the box, also listed on my local Craigslist for around $575.