I first spotted this stroller over the weekend at the zoo. I wanted to find out what it was, but we were with friends, and I'd promised the wife I wouldn't accost strangers in front of the company.
Fortunately, when the kid and I stopped back by this afternoon, I stared down the bib-and-mullet-wearing baby next to us just long enough to read the label: Safety 1st [!!].
The Avila is a pretty light, pretty basic travel stroller that doesn't cost much at all. But it looks great. It's got sweet, clean lines--the slight arcs make all the difference--with almost none of the clutter. Unlike comparably priced umbrella strollers, it reclines, and tall folk don't have to hunch over to drive it. It's "less is more" for a mass market.
Reading through the reviews, some people find less to be, well, less. Apparently, the seat pads are thin, some people find the handling is rough, and it only has a 3-point seatbelt. Well, guess what, you whiners, it's only $30.
Did I mention it has many cup holders?
Buy the Safety 1st Avila stroller from Target for $30.00 on sale [target.com]
No, no, I'd much rather pay $800 for a Bugaboo or whatever. Because that extra ** $770 DOLLARS ** makes it much more likely that the airline baggage handlers will treat it with the gentle concern that such a fine piece of Benelux engineering deserves....
NOT!
Seriously, JJ. I'm all about the price to value ratio, and the Avila's looking pretty good to me. I figure I'll need a stroller for 3 1/2 years. If the wheels on this one hold up for 6 months, that's 7 strollers I'll need. $210 worth of Avila is still putting me ahead of my last stroller purchase.
I saw this stroller in the Target flyer this week and thought, "That stroller has really nice lines!" Obviously, reading daddytypes has changed the way I evaluate strollers.