I have a Techno. It is as heavy as my P3. I don't like it much because for being that heavy, it should have a tray and decent storage, and not be tippy.
I got it at Marshalls on a whim and regret the purchase. I'd personally buy a Triumph as a Disney stroller instead for a 4 year old. You can sling it over your shoulder on the bus.
a 4 year old may not be comfortable in a Triumph though? it has a shallow seat.. the lack of suspension also makes anything below the Ryder line up harder to push with heavier/bigger children.
The Mac XLR has the tallest and widest seat of all the macs - which is why I"d recommend it for a 4 year old.. it also has the highest weight limit (I believe)
I agree, storage is small - however, in order to make storage bigger - mac would have to change their design, and this design has been the same design for generations! the under seat baskets are new!!! years ago, you wouldn't find hoods or underseat baskets on maclarens - you would have to buy a framed rain cover if you wanted protection from the rain and a parasol for protection from the sun!
it's not tippy unless you hang bags off the handle and the child gets out of the stroller - but it's an 'umbrella' travel stroller and not deigned to have bags hanging off the handles
... so it's not tippy if you don't hang heavy bags off the handle (and only when a child gets out) that said, we hang bags off the handle all the time - but expect it to tip when dd gets out... I always make sure I'm holding onto the handles..or I remove the bags prior to her getting out.. and then place the bags in the seat.. it's not a big deal.
we've used ours for public transport all the time.. that said we did go to disney with our bugaboo that has a two part fold, and with three adults, it wasn't a problem at all -
I can't climb the bus steps with a triumph on my back, the rear wheels get caught on my heels as I climb the steps of the bus.. I have to hold it in front of me as I climb the steps... but yes, it would be much lighter.
the Mac Techno XLR pushes much better than a p3 with a heavier child... it's because of the style of frame that makes it such a great push - if they changed the frame so it didn't tip with luggage hanging off the handles, it wouldn't be the same one handed great push that is...
it's all swings and roundabouts though - we do love the basket under the P3 - but the plastic handles are awful in the heat.. my hands slip when pushing a p3 in the heat... and I hate navigating curbs with it.. as it's heavier to get up and down curbs, where as the maclaren's 'tippyness' comes into play for navigating curbs with ease.. regardless of child's weight!
I'm sure you can get add on snack trays for the many strollers as an after product- they are usually soft - but it's much nicer to find a spot to have a snack together than snaking on the run. that's what we do in Europe.. and is why we don't have many strollers with snack trays (actually, the p3 in the UK does not come with a snack tray, only a nappa bar)
