What do the French do better than anyone else? (If you're about to answer, "Run away," click. right. here.)
No, the answer is, they design and market strollers to dads better. Or at least they try to. Check out bebeconfort's launch site for La Kart: the paternal instinct. Taking a page from the car marketer's handbook, they pitch La Kart to dads (shouldn't it be Le Kart, then? Just asking.) like a new car, highlighting tech features like one-handed driving, limited slip brakes, and the Modulo Drive front wheel steering system.
The campaign's slogan: Fini la voiture pČpĖre, voici la voiture des nouveaux pĖres (rough translation: This is not your grandpa's Oldsmobile). [OK, A stroller for men, like a car. I get it.]
The main bebeconfort site even has a "For Men" section. Um, with intro text that looks like it's been run through Babelfish a few too many times:
Finished the subway, the job, the sleepy, poo, nanny and burp in one-sided, the fathers put of themselves the hard in the dough and it is not to displease the moms.Uh-huh. I bet it really sounded convincing in French.And question material, your end cabbage knows that he can count on you!
Two Left Feet (UK) has the Kart for £309.99 [update: not anymore they don't.]
I can't tell 100%, but this looks very like a Zooper Kroozer. A picture is here, but I couldn't find any that show the different configurations, and the Zooper site doesn't have 'em anymore since it's updated all the models.
--FrumDad
PS: I know nothing about the quality or lack thereof of the site, but having sourced the image from kidslandusa.com I feel obligated to provide the proper link.
It took me several looks, but I think they're different. If they're the same, the French version has a new lockable front steering and a brake on the handle which the Zooper doesn't have.
Thanks for the tip, though; I think the Zooper looks much better (and it's cheaper, and it's actually available in the US). It's got a following in NYC, too.
The Zooper's are pretty great, I gotta say. I find the no-swivel front wheel (or wheels in the 4WD case) annoying, but wife G likes it. It's configurable from infancy through, like, 400 pounds (exaggeration), it's well put together and it seems sturdy enough to actually last as long as it's supposed to last.
We have cratered sidewalks where we live, so the air-filled tires and front suspension is great. It balances well (when the baby faces front) so the steering thing works out.
As I type, I realize two things: 1) I sound like a shill. So let me point out that my only connection to the Zooper people is that we own one of their strollers. 2)This may not be exactly the right forum for stroller comparison, so I'll stop now.
Point is, I like mine.
--FrumDad
(Orthodox Jewish Father)
(trying to wangle Google)
Was just in France for 2 weeks. It appears that Maclaren is the pram of choice over there. I'd day nearly 50% or more...