Question Another Stroller thread! Active family with NB

TXAggieTech · Feb 15, 2010

My best friend is due in July with her first. They are very active, runners, hikers, bikers and live in Arizona.

She asked me to tell her what stroller and car seat to get. I'm thinking Chicco KeyFit for the car seat, can ya'll help me with the stroller?

I'm thinking she will need pneumatic tires but other than that I'm at a loss. She was thinking $200 but will spend more if it is a brand that holds value. She flies several times a year but mostly here or to her sisters so she wouldn't always need to take a stroller.

Drives a car, a larger hybrid, I think Toyota Camry.

Probably a large sunshade or ability to add one since they will be out in the sun often. Are some strollers cooler (temp wise) than others?

Thanks ladies!

SavsMom · Feb 15, 2010

If she drives a Camry hybrid she will need something with a decent/smaller fold due to the smaller trunk on the Camry hybrid (it is only 10 cubic ft vs 15 cubic feet in the gas Camry LE). Hopefully some of the other members can chime in with some options for her as I don't have a ton of experience with joggers.

lovinwaves · Feb 15, 2010

Well if they are budget conscious I would recommend a stroller with a higher weight limit, and higher seat backs.

Probably a Baby Jogger City Elite, or City Classic.

Have them check out the Chariot carriers as well. www.chariotcarriers.com They do a multitude of things including, strolling, jogging, biking (bike trailer), skiing, hiking, etc...

If they did a Chariot, then they could get a lighter stroller for shopping or anything indoors. A baby jogger MINI would be great.

TXAggieTech · Feb 15, 2010

Looking at the baby joggers-- Are those wheels good for running, off side walk use?

crunchierthanthou · Feb 15, 2010

TXAggieTech said:
Looking at the baby joggers-- Are those wheels good for running, off side walk use?

No the city series aren't for exercise. well, across parks and stuff, but not for terrain. They aren't for serious athletes. The 2010 models are supposed to have handbrakes now, but she'll probably still want something with at least 16" wheels for sport use.

I'd tell her to watch her local CL for a Chariot. They are on mine all the time.

lovinwaves · Feb 15, 2010

The ONLY stroller I would recommend to do it all INCLUDING true jogging would be the BOB duallie/revolution. That's because the front wheel locks forward, making it about as close to a true jogger as they can get. The stroller is extremely well made, and the front wheel can be tweeked if it started wandering to one side or the other (you wont' find that on cheaper strollers).

They have several options they can do. Another thing would be to get a used Baby jogger TRUE jogger off craigslist (they are on there all the time), and use that stroller for jogging, and keep it in their garage.

If they got the Chariot, that would serve as their neighborhood walk stroller, and JOGGER, and bike trailer.

You do NOT want to jog with the City Elite, or City Classic. They are not meant for that.

Here is what a true jogger means:

Large wheels. The larger the wheels the better.

Fixed Handlebar

Handbrake

Fixed Frontwheel (If they want a swivel that locks, then get a BOB. It will lock FORWARD, which makes it more like a true jogger.)

Suspension. If they are going to be 'off-road' a bit, then the suspension will really be important. Also keep in mind though that some people don't like that squishy, givey feel of a lose suspension. Make sure the suspension can be tight enough to fit the joggers preference.

Tires. Thinner tires are good for road, or solid paved paths. Look for a more rugged, thicker, pokier () tire for off-road.

Sorry that was all pieced together. I am in ahurry to get out the door

TXAggieTech · Feb 15, 2010

The Chariots look amazing but I'm not sure that it would go small enough to fit in her trunk.

The Bob looks prefect, but says it doesn't work with the Chicco. I have a new Companion that she could use that would work with it though. I'm sending her everything ya'll said and hopefully she will give me some feedback.

Thanks!

Rosey · Feb 15, 2010

Honestly, if I were set on a travel system I would pick a car seat around a stroller rather than a stroller around a car seat. The carriers are used for such a short time and the strollers are used for years. I would much rather be happier with my stroller. That's the only $0.02 I have on this subject since I'm not a jogger. I would just tell her to not rule out the perfect stroller based on the KF.

ljerant · Feb 15, 2010

The new Baby Jogger Summit XC would be another to look at. It is now comparable to the bib with the ability to run as well as stroll and all terrrain. I personally like the Baby Joggers better as I have big tall kids and they can ride it them comletely under the huge sun shade much longer. In fact my big 6 y/o who is almost 51" and 65# still would fit. Both brands hold their value for resale (just check out Craigslist and ebay).

lovinwaves · Feb 15, 2010

Did you happen to see the hikers attachment on the chariot website? It's so cool!

TXAggieTech said:
The Chariots look amazing but I'm not sure that it would go small enough to fit in her trunk.

The Bob looks prefect, but says it doesn't work with the Chicco. I have a new Companion that she could use that would work with it though. I'm sending her everything ya'll said and hopefully she will give me some feedback.

Thanks!

Good point. The Chariot does fold down, and the tires do pop off.

Pictures of the DOUBLE chariot. They would want the single, so it would be smaller. Feel free to show them these photos if you want:

http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=1120795&postcount=14

and..

YOu can see how flat it goes, especially if the wheels weren't on there:

ketchupqueen · Feb 15, 2010

That would totally fit in a Camry trunk with the wheels popped off. Toyotas have deceptively large trunks, especially Camrys and Corollas. I can fit our Mountain Buggy double (wheels on or off) plus an umbrella plus a diaper bag plus jumper cables and assorted other emergency crap plus all our other stuff we always keep in there, in the trunk of our Corolla.

Peony · Feb 16, 2010

The Chicco Keyfit is not on BOB's official list of car seats that fit, but it does fit. I've used one for the last 9 months with my BOB, it fits very well actually. You can use the strap that BOB provides to really secure it in as well. Back when I was researching this, I did a google search and there was at least one detailed post on a blog with pics that showed just how well it was secured.

We live in Colorado in the mountains and are a very active family. I adore my BOBs, I have a single and a duallie. I spent a fortune in strollers, and other gear to work with our active lifestyle. I like the Chariots, I borrowed one for a while and then ended up buying a Wike to use for biking. The biggest problem with the Chariot and now my bike trailer that does turn into a great stroller, is taking the wheel off to get it in the car. If you are an active family, then you are using it constantly and taking it off, putting it on, taking it off.... got old very quickly and that is the reason I went with a stroller and bike trailer. I can fold my BOB up in two seconds and we are off, I use my BOB for everything, airplane, mall use, running, it is a wonderful all around stroller.

Rosey · Feb 16, 2010

ketchupqueen said:
That would totally fit in a Camry trunk with the wheels popped off. Toyotas have deceptively large trunks, especially Camrys and Corollas. I can fit our Mountain Buggy double (wheels on or off) plus an umbrella plus a diaper bag plus jumper cables and assorted other emergency crap plus all our other stuff we always keep in there, in the trunk of our Corolla.

Her trunk issue will be if it is a hybrid. The hybrid camry's battery is in the trunk thus cutting down the space a lot. I don't think that would fit in my dad's hybrid. If it did, nothing else would.

ketchupqueen · Feb 16, 2010

Oooh, I totally missed the hybrid!

SavsMom · Feb 16, 2010

Exactly - you lose 5 cu feet of trunk space on the Hybrid Camry - from 15 on the gas to 10 on the Hybrid - in terms of trunk space its a big loss.

Rosey said:
Her trunk issue will be if it is a hybrid. The hybrid camry's battery is in the trunk thus cutting down the space a lot. I don't think that would fit in my dad's hybrid. If it did, nothing else would.

crunchierthanthou · Feb 17, 2010

it's not under $200, but rei has the Chariot Cheetah chasis for $315.

http://www.rei.com/product/799340

They'd still have to purchase at least one conversion kit, but that's not a bad price (although, admittedly, I don't know much about the differences between the cougar and cheetah).

BellesMom · Feb 20, 2010

I'm deleting my post because I missed that this thread was in reference to a single stroller and I was talking about the Baby Jogger Double in my original post. (I can't see how to delete it all together.)
Melissa

TXAggieTech · Feb 20, 2010

Thanks for more info. She is still deciding what to do. I always buy the car seats but I have a NIB companion. If she honestly doesn't car about what infant carrier and wants that one I'll give her $$ toward a stroller. That may help her make up her mind. She's just not as into the baby gear like I am so is looking for functionality only! I doubt she'll ever feel the need to shop around for random baby stuff like I do.

Gotta say, I'm so glad ya'll know your strollers so I don't have to! I've had a ton of strollers but still feel like a newbie compared to ya'll.

Thanks again, it is very helpful!

TXAggieTech · Feb 27, 2010

Right now she's thinking Bob Revolution. Do ya'll think it will fit in her trunk? Any negatives that she needs to be warned about?

Thanks again!

Patriot201 · Feb 27, 2010

If they are serious runners, I don't think the Revolution is the right stroller for them.

My sister and BIL are SERIOUS runners and they used a true jogger for running, a Chariot for biking/strolling, and a Maclaren with Buggy Board for normal strolling. Oh, they also had a Graco Snugrider stroller frame. I just don't think that a single stroller works as a "jack of all trades" for people who are truly athletic.

Question Another Stroller thread! Active family with NB

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