Strollers - advice needed :-)

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Hi all,

We're a young couple expecting our first baby by the end of the year. We're starting our Stroller research - which seems not that easy !

I think advice is always a good idea - so would like to ask your experience:

- any brand you can recommend?

- what are your tipps? Buy / not buy?

- Do all car seats match all cars or shall we have our car first (we need to change our current one) to be sure the car seat matches? (We were thinking to buy a whole pack so that the car seat can be clipped on the stroller - that is possible, right? )

I would be happy to read any of your tipps that might help us with our choice

Many thanks in advance.

2
Bugaboo.

3
+1 Bugaboo. Expensive but easy to use. Quality is good so no problem buying second hand. Also hold their value well when you want to get rid of it.

4
I bought a Bugaboo, and the whole shebang - very expensive too. Baby hated it, screamed his head off.. the only way he like traveling, we figured out very quickly, was to be carried in a clip-on body baby carrier. After 6 months, we couldn't sell the baby, so we sold the bugaboo.

From 6 months, I got a Schwinn jogger from the US. Really cheap, great wheels, coffee holder, big shopping bag space underneath, very light but very strong.. still have it. Brilliant! Lasted years.. went everywhere.

5
We got a 2 piece from Bébé Comfort. The Babycoque can be used as a car seat (no iso-fix needed) till 9 kilos. The second piece can be used from birth to 13 kg (?).

I got it on sales so got it at a fantastic price. My kid slept really well on the babycoque, and the thing is light enough to be able to move around in the supermarket.

It has plenty airplane experience, and has proven to be robust enough.

6
4 vs. 3 wheels:

- 4 better maneuverability

- 4 generally more stable - especially when going up/down from trams etc.

- 3 wheels - fixed - better for running/jogging/exercise

- 3 wheels rotating - watch out for those - they have good turning, but can tip easily if you lift them on the single wheel.

- 3 wheels generally longer frame than 4 - wheels

Single handle vs. 2 handle-bars - go for single handle - much harder to move a buggy with separate handlebars, e.g. when on phone or going in out doors etc.

Big wheels better than small wheels.

Buy more expensive - usually has better components and bearings

We had:

Jane

Bugaboo chameleon

TFK

and 2 cheap "umbrella" ones

Bugaboo by miles. Only downside was that it isn't that small when folded. but when up and about, v small and easy to handle, so not great for travelling/flying - we got the umbrella ones for that.

When trying one out in the shop, ask for a couple of some weight to put in the seat to see what it is really like.

Ask in the shop what matches with what in terms of car seats. Bugaboo works with Maxi-cosi. You usually only need a 3-point harness for car-seats or the isofix system which is standardised. So really it is about the match of the car seat to the buggy system you choose.

Oh. And have you thought about where your baby is going to sleep?

Hint: [Stokke Care changing table & infant Sleepi bed [Basel]](http://www.englishforum.ch/items-sale/257192-stokke-care-changing-table-infant-sleepi-bed-basel.html#post2625852)

I have the maxi-cosi-Bugaboo baby seat adapters that we don't need and will throw them in for free if you are interested in the bed...

Good luck with the baby & enjoy!

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yo yo is the best. we have babyzen. it is very compact, easy to travel with. folds in a snap. very light. I believe they are now compatible with some car seats, but you might have to look into it. I have had it since newborn and now we are 19 months. it has been an absolute winner for us.

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For us, MacLaren Techno XT was the best.

I quote below the best features:

"oversized, expandable hood with extendable sunvisor

UPF+50 and waterproof hood -this was awesome for the sunny AND rainy days

Viewing window on hood

Enhanced 5 piece aviator buckle

Removable and machine washable seats -also, a great plus

Four wheel suspension -very comfy

Easily replaceable wheels and handle grips

Wind-blocking raincover Included

Extendable legrest

Carrycot Compatible

Seats recline independently

Cushion Seat

Suitable from birt -no need to buy another, it goes up to 4 yrs old

Carrying Capacity: up to 15kg (US: 55lb/ AU: 20kg)

Sovereign lifetime warranty

Ease of Use

Lockable Front Swivel Wheels

Individual Front Wheel Suspension

Foot Operated Parking Brakes

Ergonomic Soft Foam Handles

Accessories Included

Raincover

Canopy"

We chose a separate carseat Britax.

9
Best bet is to read the reviews on line from various media outlets - then read the reviews on comparison sites (Which in the UK for instance) - but ideally you'll want to look at German/Swiss sites.

Then head off to one of the big baby shops near where you live and talk to the people there - asking which models work best for what you need it to do.

There is little point going all out with big wheels - all round suspension and centre brake if the majority of your transportation is in the city.

10
My advice: buy quality but buy it secondhand. Our double stroller is on at least its fourth set of twins and still going strong. I bought it for 70chf, have had two years' solid use out of it and could easily sell it for the same again. Buy the same stroller brand new for 1000ish and in two years you'll get half that for it, at most.

As far as brands, I'll throw in a good word for Mountain Buggy, which is what mine is. I've been very happy with it. Compact (for a side-by-side), easy to push with one hand, sturdy enough I can sit on the front of it myself if need be to feed a little one.

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OMFG - they depreciate like cars

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I don ́t put that much technical detail in the cars that I buy.

13
Congrats, actually we are also expecting ours to be born within 6 weeks.

We have just bought our stroller.

If you'd like to be different than thousands of other parents, I'd really recommend you to buy it from Joolz. We looked all over DE, CH and all possible online shops. As per our taste, it has a nicer look than bugaboo, it is lighter and practical unfortunately in the same price range.

An useful tipp would be, buy a good brand as 2nd hand. Next time we would do like this.

14
We have Babyjogger city mini GT and are very happy with it (never needed an umbrella stroller until now either). It ticks all the boxes of what we're looking for from a stroller. We also bought it second-hand.

15
Thanks for the very detailed answer! That helps a lot

Sure, we haven't bought anything yet so I would like to have the adapters if you want to get rid of them

That's my next goal on the Forum - search for a second hand one once we have decided the model. No need to buy a brand new one I think

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Other places to search: ricardo, tutti, anibis, FB groups...

Generally speaking, the less babystuff-centric the platform, the cheaper the price.

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Annouchka, you're welcome to have my schwinn jogger if you want for free. It really has to go - much loved by us all in this house, but it is literally gathering dust now. All parts/textiles can be taken off and washed. It would be a great second buggy/stroller for you from 6 months for country walks, or for visiting babies etc.

Not for new borns as it doesn't lie completely flat.

If you would like it, just let me know via PM (private message)

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what I've learned: buy one for not too much money second hand. If you don't like it, sell it and buy another one. You'll only find out what the most practical stroller is once you are using it

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We had the Bugaboo first, then the McClaren and finally the City Mini which was the best!