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When you have a baby, there's always a lot of stuff that you need to buy. Strollers are a big one - big in size and big in ticket price. You want something that is going to be easy to fold, that's maybe compatible with your car seat, and that offers storage space. But just what does the ideal stroller look like? It's going to be different for everyone, and as someone who has personally tried and tested many types of strollers, here is what I've learned and what I would choose if I had to do it all over again.
The Travel System Stroller
I didn't really think too hard about this stroller. The Britax Affinity stroller was compatible with the Britax infant car seat that we had. The stroller frame was easy to fold and fit in the trunk of our cars. When it was time to get my daughter out of the car, I just lifted the infant car seat out of its base and snapped it into the stroller frame. Super convenient.
Now, what I didn't like about this particular stroller was that its tires were air-filled. That meant that every so often, I'd have to fill them with air, much like you do with your car's tires. This is not that big of a deal, and I always used a motorized pump, but if you're trying to get out the door and forget that the tires are flat...Well, that's an issue.
This particular travel system was not sold together, but some manufacturers do sell the infant car seat and stroller together. That's a good value.
The Jogging Stroller
One of my co-workers talked me into a jogging stroller. I said, "But I don't jog..." She told me that even when walking, you'd want something with good suspension that would properly support baby's head. Here's the problem with that: I never bought the infant car seat adapter for my BOB Revolution Pro stroller, so I didn't use the jogging stroller for a whole year.
If you're big on working out and go for a lot of runs, then you probably want a jogging stroller. You can lock the front wheels so that you don't lose control of the stroller if it hits a rock or something at a fast speed.
I gotta tell you, once I started using the jogging stroller, I liked it so much better than our regular stroller. The BOB stroller had little pockets on the inside for storing a bottle or small toys. It was still easy to fold and fit in our trunks. (Keep in mind, I have a Ford Fiesta.) And there was a footrest on this particular model that just made the whole thing seem more comfortable for my kid. Plus, I felt sporty when taking the stroller on walks.
This model of jogging stroller does have air-filled tires, as do most jogging strollers because it's easier for the stroller to go over different terrains wherever you jog/run. As I said before, I hated having to fill the tires!
The Umbrella Stroller
Umbrella strollers are lightweight and relatively inexpensive. They're also very easy to fold and unfold. We received one from another family we know, and I just love it! It's become our travel stroller when flying because it's so easy to travel with. We just gate check it.
There are some cons to these light, yet simple strollers. No storage. The one we have has a mesh back pocket for carrying my cell phone, a water bottle, and some tissues when we walk to the park. But that's it. I plan on taking this stroller with us to Disney because it is travel-friendly, but I'll have to keep our things in a separate small backpack.
The Compact Stroller
Listen up. If I had to do it all over again, this is probably the stroller that I would pick. It's got the lightweight and compact feel of an umbrella stroller with all the features of a traditional stroller.
One of the best of these strollers that I've tested is the Summer Infant 3D Lite, but there really are a great variety of options in this category: Clutch Ultimate Fold N Go, Contours Bitsy Compact Fold, Lara Ultra Compact, and Roll and Go Stroller, to name a few good ones.
Basically, it's a great stroller for travel AND everyday use. It's got way more storage than an umbrella stroller, but it's easy to carry and fold. Some are even car seat compatible, meaning it could be the only stroller you need.
So, what's my verdict?
Keep:
Travel system stroller - compatibility with car seat is so convenient, stroller seat allows it to grow with your child
Compact stroller - great for travel without sacrificing storage space, nice downgrade from a traditional stroller for older kids, bonus if it's car seat-compatible
Nix:
Jogging stroller - unless you're a hardcore runner, which I'm not
Umbrella stroller - these are inexpensive, but if you pay a little more for a compact stroller, you're getting a better value
What do you guys think? What strollers did you use or are you looking to purchase? Which ones do you like and why?
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