When I was pregnant, I was naive enough to think that one stroller would do me from cradle to solo walking. Silly me! The Parasite is nearly three and we're about to retire her collection of strollers as we make her walk on her own to hither and yon. This is the my review of the fourth and final (?) stroller in our collection.
4. The Schwinn Free Runner Grade: C
Eventually it became apparent that I was never, ever going to "find" the time to exercise, I was going to have to make it. Enter the jogging stroller. Since I still had two strollers in use (it's a sickness, I know) I was looking for something pretty inexpensive to keep The Husband from losing his mind. Though if he'd really given me a hard time, I could always use electronic gadgets as ammo against his complaints. But I digress...
The Schwinn Free Runner was another Craigslist find. Or maybe it was Kijiji? Whatever. Jogging strollers are notoriously hard to maneuver, and this one is no exception. The alignment is off so it constantly pulls to the left, to turn corners I need to "pop a wheelie" and I dispensed with the 5-point clips almost immediately. Total PITA to get a wriggly toddler clipped into it. There's really nothing I love about the Free Runner, but it does have a surprising amount of storage space. Which is rendered useless by the fact that it's impossible to handle because it's not like I'd take it shopping.
I purchased it used for something like $60 so I live with the inadequacies, but it retails for nearly $200 here in the Great White North. Had I purchased this new, I would have been one Grumpy Gus. I wouldn't feel bad about passing mine down to someone else when I'm done with it, but I won't sell it and I certainly wouldn't recommend it for purchase to anyone.
And that concludes the series of reviews of the strollers I used in my pushing a kid around career. Though we are trying for a second child, so I might not be done just yet...The rest of the stroller reviews are here:
I'coo Targo
Chicco CT 0.6
Bugaboo Frog
This is not a sponsored post, no compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are my own.
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Monday, 9 January 2012
A Tale of Many Strollers - Part Three
When I was pregnant, I was naive enough to think that one stroller would do me from cradle to solo walking. Silly me! The Parasite is nearly three and we're about to retire her collection of strollers as we make her walk on her own to hither and yon. The following is a review of the third stroller we used in our "pushing a kid around" career with the final chapter to follow soon.
3. The Bugaboo Frog Grade: B
Yup, the yuppie status symbol that is... the Bugaboo. But that's OK, as it turns out I *AM* a yuppie. I have learned to live with it, and you should too. After our I'Coo crashed and burned, I needed a new workhorse stroller because we run a lot of our errands on foot. Purchased brand new these strollers are pretty pricey, but if I knew then what I know now, I would have just bought a used Bugaboo at the outset. The woman I bought it from used it for five years and two children, I have been using it for over a year, and other than a little sun fading it's still in great shape.
The common complaints about the Bugaboo are that the basket is too small (it's true) and that it's a pain to get in and out of the car. I can't speak to that one because I kept a travel stroller in the car, the everyday stroller stayed assembled at our entranceway at all times. It is light enough to take up and down stairs with a toddler in it, it handles really well, and the wriststrap/handbrake means you can walk at a pretty good clip without worrying about disaster.
Overall, I found the Bugaboo Frog to be a total workhorse. The Frog has been discontinued and I've read that the Chameleon, its replacement, has some notable improvements including more storage space and an easier folding mechanism. If the hefty pricetag doesn't make you run away screaming, I RECOMMEND the Bugaboo line. There's always a bunch for sale on Craigslist.
Stay tuned for my review of the next and final stroller in our considerable collection. Until then, happy strolling!
This is not a sponsored post, no compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are my own.
3. The Bugaboo Frog Grade: B
Yup, the yuppie status symbol that is... the Bugaboo. But that's OK, as it turns out I *AM* a yuppie. I have learned to live with it, and you should too. After our I'Coo crashed and burned, I needed a new workhorse stroller because we run a lot of our errands on foot. Purchased brand new these strollers are pretty pricey, but if I knew then what I know now, I would have just bought a used Bugaboo at the outset. The woman I bought it from used it for five years and two children, I have been using it for over a year, and other than a little sun fading it's still in great shape.
The common complaints about the Bugaboo are that the basket is too small (it's true) and that it's a pain to get in and out of the car. I can't speak to that one because I kept a travel stroller in the car, the everyday stroller stayed assembled at our entranceway at all times. It is light enough to take up and down stairs with a toddler in it, it handles really well, and the wriststrap/handbrake means you can walk at a pretty good clip without worrying about disaster.
Overall, I found the Bugaboo Frog to be a total workhorse. The Frog has been discontinued and I've read that the Chameleon, its replacement, has some notable improvements including more storage space and an easier folding mechanism. If the hefty pricetag doesn't make you run away screaming, I RECOMMEND the Bugaboo line. There's always a bunch for sale on Craigslist.
Stay tuned for my review of the next and final stroller in our considerable collection. Until then, happy strolling!
This is not a sponsored post, no compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are my own.
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
A Tale of Many Strollers - Part Two
When I was pregnant, I was naive enough to think that one stroller would do me from cradle to solo walking. Silly me! The Parasite is nearly three and we're about to retire her collection of strollers as we make her walk on her own to hither and yon. The following is a review of the second stroller we used in our "pushing a kid around" career, with reviews of the rest to follow soon.
2. Chicco Ct 0.6 Umbrella Stroller Grade: A
For our first family vacation, we wanted a stroller that was easily transported. Umbrella strollers are cheap and very portable, but they're also kind of a pain for anyone over 5' tall to walk with as you constant find yourself kicking the wheels. After doing some homework, we settled on the Chicco Ct 0.6. As umbrella strollers, the nearly $100 we spent on it was steep, but it was totally worth it. It's nice and tall so the wheel-kicking is all but eliminated and The Husband, who is nearly a foot taller than me, doesn't have to Quasimodo himself to push it.
It folds up in a snap, the adjustable canopy could be moved quickly to shield super fair baby skin from the harsh sun, and it really is as light as they say. We have taken it on several trips and when we're not gallivanting to far away lands it is stored in the trunk of the car so we have it on hand for places that are more of a walk than we anticipated. This means grocery bags and other heavy items are chucked on top of it all the time, and there has been no damage to the body of the stroller in spite of the beating. It even has a storage basket under the seat, allowing us to carry everything you need for a day trip with a growing child in the stroller.
We're urban and needed the storage capacity of a bigger stroller for grocery shopping so this couldn't be our one and only, but I am far more impressed by the durability and longevity of our little Chicco than I was with our vastly more expensive I'coo. I highly RECOMMEND the Chicco Ct 0.6.
Stay tuned for my review of the next stroller in our considerable collection. Until then, happy strolling!
This is not a sponsored post, no compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are my own.
2. Chicco Ct 0.6 Umbrella Stroller Grade: A
For our first family vacation, we wanted a stroller that was easily transported. Umbrella strollers are cheap and very portable, but they're also kind of a pain for anyone over 5' tall to walk with as you constant find yourself kicking the wheels. After doing some homework, we settled on the Chicco Ct 0.6. As umbrella strollers, the nearly $100 we spent on it was steep, but it was totally worth it. It's nice and tall so the wheel-kicking is all but eliminated and The Husband, who is nearly a foot taller than me, doesn't have to Quasimodo himself to push it.
We're urban and needed the storage capacity of a bigger stroller for grocery shopping so this couldn't be our one and only, but I am far more impressed by the durability and longevity of our little Chicco than I was with our vastly more expensive I'coo. I highly RECOMMEND the Chicco Ct 0.6.
Stay tuned for my review of the next stroller in our considerable collection. Until then, happy strolling!
This is not a sponsored post, no compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are my own.
Monday, 2 January 2012
A Tale of Many Strollers - Part One
When I was pregnant, I was naive enough to think that one stroller would do me from cradle to solo walking. Silly me! The Parasite is nearly three and we're about to retire her collection of strollers as we make her walk on her own to hither and yon. The following is a review of the first stroller we used in our "pushing a kid around" career, with a reviews of the rest to follow in the coming days.
1. The I'coo Targo Grade: F
I fell in lust with this stroller while my belly was big with child. A German engineered ride for my unborn one? He-She deserved no less! I thought the I'coo would take my baby AND a sibling all the way to walking. For what we paid for it, we should have had a stroller that would last through the ages. I should have read the reviews. The hood really was too short to protect a baby from the sun and converting it from the infant bassinet to the stroller was an utter pain. But those were small issues I could live with for a stroller that was super smooth and easy to manoeuvre in crowded store aisles.
The REAL problem came in December 2010 when The Husband was bringing her back in from a walk. On the way up the stairs, the two plastic pieces that held the frame to the wheels broke and the stroller collapsed with my baby in it. Luckily she was unhurt!
Pro Tip: Never buy a stroller with plastic pieces holding the frame together.
I contacted Customer Service and was told it's a one year warranty, my only option was to buy a new frame. That replacement frames are even available for sale should tell you all you need to know...
Even before it broke I didn't LOVE this stroller. Were it just the little details like the cover or the conversion from bassinet to upright, I wouldn't have a huge problem. But because of the obvious safety issues with materials used to build the frame and the lack of customer service support when the chips were down, this I'coo Targo gets a big old DO NOT BUY from me.
Stay tuned for reviews of the other strollers that form our considerable collection. Until then, happy strolling!
This is not a sponsored post, no compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are my own.
1. The I'coo Targo Grade: F
I fell in lust with this stroller while my belly was big with child. A German engineered ride for my unborn one? He-She deserved no less! I thought the I'coo would take my baby AND a sibling all the way to walking. For what we paid for it, we should have had a stroller that would last through the ages. I should have read the reviews. The hood really was too short to protect a baby from the sun and converting it from the infant bassinet to the stroller was an utter pain. But those were small issues I could live with for a stroller that was super smooth and easy to manoeuvre in crowded store aisles.
Pro Tip: Never buy a stroller with plastic pieces holding the frame together.
I contacted Customer Service and was told it's a one year warranty, my only option was to buy a new frame. That replacement frames are even available for sale should tell you all you need to know...
Even before it broke I didn't LOVE this stroller. Were it just the little details like the cover or the conversion from bassinet to upright, I wouldn't have a huge problem. But because of the obvious safety issues with materials used to build the frame and the lack of customer service support when the chips were down, this I'coo Targo gets a big old DO NOT BUY from me.
Stay tuned for reviews of the other strollers that form our considerable collection. Until then, happy strolling!
This is not a sponsored post, no compensation has been received. All opinions expressed are my own.
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