Active Lifestyle People - Strollers

I'm guessing the "light weight" stroller you mean is like an umbrella stroller? When my girls got old enough, we used that stroller often. It was a lifesaver whenever we flew anywhere because it is so much easier to push through the airport, go through security and then check it at the gate. Also, they're usually less than $20 so cheap enough to replace if something happens to it. Once they're big enough to sit in both (the big one without the carseat and the umbrella stroller), I used either one depending on what/where I was doing or going.

I also have a jogging stroller but not a fancy BOB stroller. Those are really cool but I couldn't justify the expense. I found a jogging one at a consignment sale for $40 and have used it for a couple years. (although, I admit not too often ) I would also check Craigslist to find a used one. My jogging stroller is not light enough to fit the bill for #2 and #3. I'm lucky that mine folds down without having to take any wheels off but it's bulky and sort of heavy.

no two ways about it, get a Peg Perego "Plinko" stroller.

The airlines classify it as an umbrella stroller so will let you bring it aboard (it's a big umbrella stroller but hey, they say it;s ok) It has a step on the back for when junior gets older and baby #2 comes into the picture. It does have the "travel system" but you'll really only use that for the first 8 months or so anyway, this stroller will last you 5 years (it did for us) We' only just recently stopped using it as our 5 year old doesn't want to use the step anymore, he's a big boy!

http://www.pegperego.com/page.php?sid=d8d2610cfccadb013c57a1dc6caf0...

for daily use, do not get a "system"...

Buy a "skeleton", this is a stroller frame that you drop the child-seat carrier into.
Nothing beats the convenience or space issues.
The photo is an example, I am not endorsing any brands.



Then, if I did it again, I would consider a jogging stroller/bike trailer combo at 6-8 months.
I do not know much about these, but I have both a jogging stroller and a bike trailer.
It is a space nightmare.
I cannot go to a park and bring both... I have two kids (3 years and 8 months).
In my Honda Odyssey, I cannot have both a jogging stroller + something else.

The jogging stroller is handy even when I do not run, but will be in questionable terrain.

For the two kids, I have a front/back tandem.
I see too many people struggle with the width of side-by-sides.



FYI, people go crazy over expensive things.
Look at safety ratings... not price or gadgets that you probably will not use.
I was rear-ended at a good speed on the 5 in SoCal.
My son was the only one with no residual problems in his middle-of-the-line Graco.
He was old enough to express if he was in pain, and he only showed a little fear being put in a seat (replaced it, like I should) for about a week or so.

For my youngest, we inherited a very expensive name-brand from a rich cousin.
I hate it.

Luckily, it has not been crash-tested like the first.

you will get 10,000 different opinions.

If you have #1, no reason to take it back unless you want to get a stroller that serves the purpose of 1 and 2, otherwise a cheap umbrella stroller will work for travel later on.

As for 3, if you are planning on jogging then I would definitely reccomend the Bob.  Our kids are 4 & 3 and we have had ours for 3 years (the dualle or double) model, which if your planning on having 2 close together (ours are 16 months), think about the double up front to save the money from having to purchase another sooner.  To us, the Bob has been worth every penny and more.

On to your last question, the Bob is not lightweight enough to use as a "travel" (airplane) stroller, although they do sell a travel case for the single Bob.  It can travel in your car reletively easily because of the way it folds up and we have traveled with it many times in our car.

Hope this helps...just another opinion.

Congratulations on your impending arrival!

The reality is that you're probably going to buy more than one stroller over the course of your child's preschool years, as you realize exactly what features you need and want (and those can change as the child grows or you add more children to your family.)  You don't have to buy more than one before the baby comes; wait to buy the others until you find you need or want a different type.  If you are considering the BOB brand, their accessories are versatile enough that it may be the only one you need.

For me, the main consideration with any type of stroller is the size of the wheels.  If you're only using the stroller on perfectly smooth areas (asphalt parking lots, mall floors, city concrete sidewalks that are smooth) then the type with the small wheels are OK.  But if you're planning to go out on uneven sidewalks (which are the only kind we have around here), you absolutely need a stroller with the larger, jogging wheels (even if you don't plan to jog with it).  Otherwise, every 2-3 feet you're either jerking to a stop as you get caught on a bump, or you're popping the wheels up to clear a bump - makes for very slow and frustrating walks.  I think that some of the travel systems come with the larger wheels - I noticed that BOB now offers an accessory that allows you to click your car seat into the BOB stroller.  

The only type of stroller I ever used was a jogger-type stroller.  I got a BOB when my second daughter was born, because I wanted a stroller for two kids that was not double-wide.  I was also good for a newborn because I could lay the front seat completely flat for the baby.  (Not all jogging strollers allow you to do this, so be sure to look specifically for that feature if you want it.)  I see that you can now get an accessory to clip a car seat onto the stroller, too.  The BOB was great for two children, so if you plan to have a second child in a few years, you could add the second seat on at that time. For one child, I actually preferred the features and feel of my cheaper one-child jogger (InSTEP Safari), and switched back to it when my older daughter stopped riding.   So if you don't have two kids, you don't necessarily need to spend the money on the BOB brand.  However, the BOB brand was very well made and durable, and I see that BOB now offers a lot more accessories than they did a few years ago, which makes it quite versatile and it may be the only stroller you will need.  

The strollers with the big wheels do take up more space when folded, and if you want to fit it into a trunk, you should consider the folded size.  The BOB folded into a long, narrow rectangle.  The InSTEP folded into a shorter, wider rectangle. The InSTEP was also considerably less deep when folded because the front wheel could fold flat.  Once I figured out how to best position each one, I had no trouble storing either first in my trunk and then in the back of my small SUV.  But if you have a small trunk, you should make sure the stroller will fit without the need to remove any wheels.  

Whatever stroller you get, consider getting both a rain and a sun shade.  The BOB brands were particularly good quality.  I didn't walk a lot in the rain, but the heavy plastic cover was also useful in for winter walks.  Bundled up with the plastic cover down, my daughter would stay warm and toasty on the coldest days - I'd touch her cheeks and nose and they were warm and comfortable.  (If it was extremely cold, I'd heat a rice pack in the microwave and tuck it next to her.)  The sun/bug mesh shade was great for keeping the sun out of my daughter's eyes - the canopy is often not sufficient.  I'd leave both covers on the stroller all the time, folded back out of the way until they were needed.  

I also had no problems taking the jogger stroller along when we went on airplane trips.  I simply gate-checked it, so I could roll it right up to the plane door and leave it just outside the plane as we boarded and it was waiting there when we got off the plane.  I tried using one of the cheap umbrella strollers for one plane trip, but found it harder to push and less comfortable for my daughter, so I don't think it's necessary.  We did, however, have to make sure that we rented a large SUV at our destination to make sure the stroller and the luggage would all fit into the car.

Edited by Tri365 2009-08-11 6:46 PM