Becsy, who has seven strollers, and who just ebay'ed her Quinny Buzz, recently left this comment elsewhere on the site. If anyone else out there is struggling--or is watching helplessly as a spouse or partner struggles--with stroller addiction, please seek professional help immediately. Or at least immediately after getting just a few more fixes via my babystyle link...
It's a good thing I'm happy with [my new Quinny Speedi SX] as I've promised this is my last pushchair til the end of August! However will I cope? lolYes, but few that have greater profit potential for me...
The sad answer to that is I'm already planning my next pushchair purchase for when the ban lifts, and while I'm likely to change my mind in the meantime, I'm heading for a Mamas and Papas Freestyler (in Baroque for those in the know lol)I probably need help but hey...there are worse things to be addicted to...
I remember back in the good old days when bored women had other ways in which to fill their days, like boozin.
Oh, don't worry. We still booze.
Why can't people with this much money just do charity work? Or just give the money away?
And what is she going to buy once the kid can walk?
Y'know, i think the whole idea is that the kid will never walk. She'll be strapped in for life!
we just got our first stroller (or "pushchair"), the Double Decker Stroller. pretty cool, though for twins, still incredibly surreal.
I guess I asked for this when I mentioned the number 7! Oh I'm not that bad really, I know far worse believe me, take a visit to ivillage.co.uk carseats and prams message board, or the American equivilent 'Stroller' board for that matter. Anyway, I've had 7 buggies so far this year, never said I'd kept em!
I currently have 3, the Speedi for walking, a Maclaren Techno Classic for going on the bus and a travel system that is now sitting in the garage until my daughter has grown out of the carseat. At which point it'll go on ebay too.
I think part of the problem lies in the fact that I don't live near any city or town with pram shops where I can try things out, and I don't drive. So I am confined to ordering over the internet, testing them out at home, and 'ebaying' them if they aren't for me. I don't loose money this way, and the parcelforce delivery guys just LOVE me!
As for having 'this much money', I don't, I simply save up, and don't tend to spend money on things for me is all. Yeah I'm sure you all now have a vision of some bag lady pushing a shiny new pram about lol....
I'm not gonna really try and defend myself though, I know it's very daft, but it's fun and I'm sure I'll wean myself off them eventually... lol
yes, you did ask for it. we're all just happy you realize you have a problem. [Kidding!]
Seriously, though, thanks for being a good sport about it.
the key point defending any wacky stroller-buying actions is her statement: "I don't drive"
a friend once told me that if you aren't going to be driving that much, and are going to be pushing that stroller around a lot more than average, then you have every right to buy the super fancy stroller. I mean, what's $700 compared to the $30K Honda Odyssey?
Oddly, the "not driving" excuse is mine too. I bought my 8th stroller 2 months ago (a Zooper Rhumba) because I have walked 6 of the other 7 into the ground, and the jogger is not really appropriate for small spaces.
I live in a hilly area of British Columbia and if I walk, we often cover 9 km per day. I need strollers than can stand up to sanded streets, snow, sand, rusting, etc. The first 6 did not fare well. Did I mention they have to carry a 46 lb child?
Becsy, I have your back.
Yes yes yes, we all love the strollers...how about some more recommendations for good ones, and how to get them without leaving the country and/or having to sell a kidney?!?
- Broke & Panicked First Time Dad
I'm five months pregnant and my husband has gotten totally obsessed with researching strollers. It has really been driving me nuts so I had to declare a moratorium on it for a while. I hope that the other baby purchases we have to make won't be this complicated. We are also buying a new car and I actually believe the cart decision is less complicated because there are only 4 makes and models we're considering. At least you can't import a car. (Well, it's much more complex.)
Hey Mark, look at stuff like the Zooper Swing/Zstreet ($79 on ebay), the Peg Peregos (not super cheap, but will last a long freakin' time) and others.
Run for the hills when you see a Safety 1st, Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Evenflo or Graco stroller. Just not bloody worth it.
Unfortunately, it's less fun to rehash what is good about strollers that have been around forever.
Re Peg Perego--how does it work in real life with that upper harness that clips into a cloth strap thingie?
Baby is not too rambunctious now at 13 months, but she may try to break out in the future. Will the harness hold?
Also, comparing Pegs to Combi--the Savvy EX folds umbrella style, whereas the Aria folds flat and bulky (strollers same price)...
For a few dollars more ($90 actually) is the Pliko P3 any good, given that baby safety and ease of use are top priorities (as well as sun shade and snack tray of course)?
Stokke Xplory is only for very young children, it didn't grow very well as they aged. However, it was nice for the first few months. I always felt like I was pushing a shopping cart however.
Jogging stroller...HANDS DOWN, CHARIOT COUGAR or blahblahX (really expensive one). They are just the all time best out there. Maclaren Mac3 sucked the big beanbag but made up for it with the ABFAB VOLO. Thanks to Greg for posting about it, I just sit on benches around town and twirl my youngest around and around in that thing, and he doesn't get sweaty butt....very nice.
I tried my sisters Bubaboo for a few months...she didn't need it as her daughter went from it to rollerblades, it was just OK. And the Quinny kinda sucked too.
OH, and this post made me realize, I am NOT the only one. Thank you for helping me realize I am not alone in my stroller addiction. 11 more steps and I'll move into pushable tricycles (already have my italtrike version from Sparkability)
U.
has anyone tried the stroller from phil & teds?
we have the combi--couldnt bring ourselves to buy a hideous graco. the car seat is a little hard to get in and out of the car, but fabric is great-less sweaty, and ultra savvy is a perfectly good stroller.
Re Combi: How do you like the handle? Not height, but surface. Smooth plastic seems hard and uncomfortable. How is it on long strolls? We thought about wrapping with neoprene or bike handle tape...
Ironically enough, my lovely lady just sent me a link to the combi a couple days ago. Glad to hear a positive review, since it did visually appeal more than alot of the others I've seen. Most of them seem to be seriously mommy-centric, and I'm not down with either plaid or ruffles. My dream would be the Micralite, those look so smooth, but alas, I don't think the budget can support 500 bucks in stroller.
the handle isnt bad, its thick which helps, but tape is a good idea.
i havent taken it on a super long walk, but i did do a hike up the fire road here in griffith park, about 45 minutes and it was fine. a more sturdy jogging stroller would be better but my kid cant hold her head up yet.
for the price i thought combi was the best... we got the carseat & stroller for something like $350 off the internet. the graco was too big & sweaty, its like a ford or something, per perego was too pricy, evenflo was worse than graco & hard to carry. and it looks soooo much better. i know, its lame but it makes a difference to me (and maybe my kid will appreciate good design one day???)
any advice on jogging/more rugged strollers?
The Chariot is an awesome stroller for jogging, offroading, etc.
But hey, if you can't shell out the $600 (what they cost here) an Instep 5k or 10k jogger is surprisingly good for the price. The Schwinns are the exact same with different fabric.
It pains me to admit it, but for a fake jogger, the Jeep 3-wheeler is pretty darn smooth too. No good for jogging, but good for light off-roading.
I was not impressed with the Combi, but the only one sold here is the Soho Sport which sucks donkeybutter, IMO. My little monster was still within the weight limits when we tried it, but he was far too tall at 40" and could put his feet on the ground flat-footed while sitting.
But the Pegs... oh, the P3 is worth it. It pushes so smoothly, even over grass. No snack tray, but that is beside the point. Get some snack traps (ugh, can;t find the link... google it) and let your kid use those. For ease of use, it is great.
thx, i am just looking up stuff on joggingstroller.com--good site.
the kelty seems to get good reviews.... i guess i need something for hiking more than jogging.
If you're hiking, then by all means look at the Chariots. They have a hiking harness that is apparently really nice for long hikes.
Why not take a look at the Bertini Shuttle.
www.bertini.com can be had $250-$350...
We don't have the hiking harness for the chariot, but we have the biking/nordicski/jogging kits and all three have served. Its been through 3 kids at this point and its still awesome.
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For jogging, I love the BOB Revolution, my son is very large and fits well in it. I am looking for a lighter stroller that will hold a child who weighs 45 lbs. I don't want to haul my BOB on the plane. Any suggestions?