The Buga-WHAT-boo of Fisher-Price

I'm surprised it took this long for someone to knock it off honestly.

Also, that price tells you what kind of margin Bugaboo is working with. Even if you spot them an extra $100 or so to account for better materials and another $100 to account for the higher cost of European manufacturing, they are making some money.

The army green is nice. Bugaboo needs to add a chapter to their color story.

I went to Target this weekend, and didn't see it. I was busy wondering what went wrong with the Thomas O'Brien stuff. It's all on clearance.

[so the answer to "Will Target customers buy really poorly made high-end-looking furniture?" is "no." -ed.]

Thomas O'Brien might have bombed at Target (at least near Philadelphia), but he did rip off the right stuff. Poul Kjaerholm (leather/steel stool), Mathieu Mategot (interlocking tables), Christian Dell (lamps), Le Corbusier (plywood cube, like a photographer's prop). He got the inspiration right, but something else went wrong.

So maybe Fisher Price will hit it since the went right for the Frog.

Looks like Target is banking on their "global bazaar" for spring.

Saw the stroller at Target today. Not bad looking, the materials seem decent as well. But when it comes to hardware, there is no comparison with the Bugaboo - the seat does not click into the frame with a satisfying click, nor does the stroller turn on a dime. The worst part is the stroller is good for newborn until only 25 lbs! I know many 1-year olds that weigh more than that. So at $250 is it really a bargain? Debatable.

Scott, no need to account for "the higher cost of European manufacturing" when comparing the Bugaboo to other strollers. A little secret about Bugaboos is that, while they may have been designed in the Netherlands, they are manufactured and assembled in Taiwan.

Saw the Fisher Price Infant-to-Toddler Stroller in Target this weekend. I've researched practically everything on strollers. we're expecting in July so I'm gettin everthing done before time is up.

Love the Bugaboo, and the Quinny, however, it seems the Quinny is hard to get over here. Better not to worry about service and/or returns in the U.S.

The Fisher Price stroller looks and feels like quality. For a somewhat medium sized stroller, it's weight and stability feel great. Nice thing is it's not an oversized "Look out, here comes baby" Graco stroller. It's basic, clean and hip.

Most companies out there are scared of "designing for looks" as well as functionality. I'm a graphic designer and love how products look if design is considered. I like how the seat action works. The tilt lever is accessible for the parent and swivels to multi-positions without the jerkiness. The reverse seating is nice as well. Color is hip too.

A couple of draw backs: my wife mentioned it should have a child tray. I can see points to that. For a baby, a place to put a toy or cherrios would be handy. Also, I thought the stroller was a bit wide, actully, about 6-8 inches wider wheelbase that others in Target. Nice and stable though. When checking out the two clips that snap the seat in, I was hoping to see a matching car seat that would clip in place on the stroller the same way. That would be a handy feature no one out there has. All in all, for a new dad, I have done my studying and this looks to be the stroller we'd end up with. The looks, funtionality and price are right on target!

Dan Schuster

[thanks for the firsthand account, Dan. I would point out that the Bug and the Quinny both have carseat clip adapters, and since Quinny and Maxi-Cosi are the same company, that's pretty close to what you're talking about. Also, OrbitBaby has a unified design carseat/stroller seat, too; of course, they're slightly more than the Fisher-Price. -ed.]

Hey, thanks for the info...checked it out, pretty sharp-haven't seen that one before. I'll need to go back and look at the Bug and Quinney models once more as well. Thanks for your help!

Say, any idea where I could get the same design style in baby bedding as Design Public (Dwell Baby) has? My wife and I really like the hip patterns they offer but the price is a bit steep. Haven't come across any great sites yet.
-Dan

This is on sale on Target.com for $224 this week -- looks rather sweet. If our Buzz ever takes a fall, this might be a good fall-back

Updating my thoughts on the Fisher Price Stroller sold at Target. Like I mentioned before, the design and practicality is wonderful. My wife and I both like the looks and what it offers, except it needs a tray. My only concern with the stroller are the red attachment clips that allow you to disconnect the seat and turn it around to face you. The first couple times we stopped in Target to try it out, the clips seemed nice and tight and did what they were designed to do. They securely held the seat in place. Now about a month later, we went back to buy it on sale, we found the clips were rather floppy from customer use/testing. Infact, they didn't clip in as they did when it was fresh on the floor. I'm worred about the wear the clips had taken in such a short time as well as the looseness the pins that hold them in place-they had loosened as well. Maybe it was someone who didn't understand how to properly disconnect the seat? Wondering if anyone else has come across this with the same stroller at other Targets. Could just be a chance happening maybe? Please post if anyone has noticed this also.

Thanks!
Dan

I wouldn't be too concerned about the width difference of the F-P versus the others at Target -- the cheaper US strollers are almost always _much_ smaller and narrower than higher priced models -- down to virtually doll-sized when you get around $20-30. Most of those on offer at Target are cheaper and, pardon, absolute junk.

Hard to say how the F-P will wear, but if the essential design is good, and the frame sturdy, you can go far with intelligent use of the item. Checking out the damage done in the store is a clue, but I'd go for the gut assessment. If you're going to use the hardware as it's intended, and it seems well-made and sturdy, what idiot brutes have done to it in the store may not be relevant.

If the weight limit is really 25 lbs though, that could be a killer. That would have taken my daughter through age 3, but she was a tiny thing.

It's bolted down at our local Target, but I was able to easily reach up and click the seat off to check it out and put it through the paces, even though I had to reach over my head. I sure like the look of it, and the metal used throughout the seat frame. Quite a departure for previous plastic-happy F-P offerings.

We picked up the FP stroller at Target last weekend. We were all thrilled, especially our son. He just squeals with delight when he sees it. ... until we saw the weight limits on it!

It is a very smart and simple design, I can't figure why they made it so small. The seat is also small. Otherwise they got it all right. They even improved on the folding action from the Bugaboo, in my opinion.

I have heard that they do make a bassinet, car seat, and other attachments. But no one seems to know where to get them yet.

It is a surprise that no one has come up with any competition for the bugaboo yet! And with all of the well-designed and stylish options already available in Europe. The American designers still seem all hung-up on the three-wheel jogger thing.

P.S. A note on the Quinny, the best kept secret about these is that you can get them at Wal-Mart online -- that's right WALMART! ... and for under $150! But don't look at the official Quinny site or you won't want the older model offered here in the States.

[the Hauck, i'Coo and Rock Star Baby strollers also sport Bugaboogerish designs, but they don't have the brand or the distribution of a F-P in Target. To be honest, I've made a point of visiting three different targets since this thing came out, and I've never been able to find one. Is it only in certain regions or what? -ed.]

So here's the low-down. I spoke with a representative from consumer relations at Fisher Price this morning regarding the FP stroller. She told me that it is licensed through a manufacturer called KUJI and that they list the weight limit at 40 lbs.

I sat in the thing myself this morning and (once I wedged my post-baby backside into the little seat) the rig showed no signs of stress under my weight.

That still doesn't help the fact that the seat is just so small. I asked if there were any plans to offer an alternate larger seat and, no surprise, she said that wasn't likely.

I also asked about the availability of other accessories and I was offered the direct number for KUJI at (877) 249-5918. I did a quick Google on these guys and didn't come up with a KUJI website (at least not in English). They seem to be out of Taiwan.

Hope this helps!

-- CG3

OK, maybe I'm obsessing here, but I just took a look at a photo of the Hauck I'coo stroller, and the frame looks absolutely identical to the Fisher Price Stroller. Down to the last detail.

Does any one know if The Fisher Price is adaptable to car seats?

Check out this stroller its by Fisher price but in different color than at Target looks just like bugaboo

www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com

Grow with Me Stroller
Style: 62113

Looks like the FP model is made by Dreamer Design, or at least they are listing it on their website.
http://www.dreamerdesign.net/f_price.cfm

[it is. They had it at the JPMA convention, and in different colors than olive/army green. -ed.]

Is this the same FP stroller that is selling at Wal*Mart for $196?

[yep. -ed.]

To those who are interested, I too own the FP stroller. I purchased it from Target a couple months ago, for only $62.00. :-) Very lucky I guess.

Anyways, I called FP regargding attachments and was given the number for KUJI Sport. According to the rep I spoke to, the bassinet attachment was still in testing. She informed me that they expected to release it Jan 07.

Also for those interested, Babiesrus now sells a stroller that looks closer to the Bugaboo than the FP stroller does. It even has the bar that goes across the front of the seat.

Hi, just letting you guys know that Wal-mart sells the FP Infant-to-Tot Stroller for $150...I just found out on mistake-maybe I'm late, but ebay also has it! Hopes this helps someone!

Really...I have heard this thing is not worth the money. I have another knock off (Kolcraft Contous 4-wheel option...not the light version where you plug your mp3 in, but the regular one) and I have got to tell you aside from the fact that it weighs 32lbs, it's freaking awesome. And IMHO, it's actually sturdier made than the bugaboo. I have a friend that has the chameleon and when I give her bug a slight shake it "wiggles" (same with the store model I saw at Neiman Marcus a few months ago). My Kolcraft on the other hand feels much sturdier than the bug and it comes with a completely removable snack tray, removable parent cup holder and a VERY generous basket underneath (larger than the graco quattro and metrolite stroller baskets). Best part, you can access it even if the seat is fully reclined regardless of whether the seat is facing forward or towards you. One last thing...it can hold up to 40 lbs.