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Carseats and strollers and indecision, oh my!

Octavia

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
2,660
Now that I'm more than halfway along in my pregnancy (how did that happen?) I'm trying to figure out baby gear. I know there used to be a lot of stroller talk around these parts but I did a search and most of the threads are pretty old. So I'm being selfish and starting a new one. ;))

I think we've sort of narrowed down strollers to either the Bumbleride Indie or the Baby Jogger City Mini GT or Elite. Our neighborhood has pretty good sidewalks, but there are some cracks and uneven spots and there are lots of hills, so I want something with nice tires that's easy to manouver. I don't think we need a full-on jogging stroller, though (I do want to jog with the baby eventually, DH is against the idea, but even when I prevail I think we'll wait until the baby is closer to a year old so I'm not dealing with that stroller issue just yet). Can anyone who has experience with these chime in with pros and cons? I think I like the Indie a bit better but I'm just not convinced its worth the $200 premium over the GT ($150 over the Elite). DH also likes how easily the Baby Jogger strollers fold up, but they're all relatively close in weight and feel nice to push so it's a hard choice.

Next, I find the whole carseat thing overwhelming. I think we'll probably get an infant seat (though I dithered about skipping it and going straight to a convertible) and there are just so many out there. There was one I saw with a base that adjusts to change the angle and amount of leg room, and it has a high weight limit (like 40 or 45 pounds, maybe?) but it was REALLY heavy. Wish I could remember the brand right now. Anyway, the reviews on Amazon were also pretty lukewarm so that was a bummer because it seems like a great idea. But really, I just need something super safe that is compatible with the attachments for whichever stroller we get.

I feel like I've looked at every seat and stroller in a 25-mile radius and read a million reviews, and I still just don't know!! All this baby gear shopping is not for the faint of heart (or wallet)!
 

SB621

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
7,864
As far as strollers (and we have had MANY) I have hated them all except the BOB and forget jobbing just overall everyday use. However, I know alot of people don't want to spend that kind of money on a stroller. For me it was worth it as we did LONG walks with our dogs when we had babies. Once our 2nd came and we needed a double stroller we got the city mini and I hate it. Now we just put both kids into the single bob and they squish. :bigsmile:

As far as carseats I HIGHLY RECOMMEND starting out with a bucket seat. When they are little (first 6 months or so) they fall asleep alot in the bucket seat. It is so nice that if you go out to dinner etc with your DH the baby just sits in the bucket seat so you don't have to hold them or they can sleep without being disturbed. We had the Graco 35 (was compatable with the bob and the baby swing we got). Then once both our kids were old enough and hit the weight limit we moved them over to convertable carseats. I think it was the Graco natualis or something like that.

Anyhow for stroller can you go to BRU or a baby center to test drive some? Usually they have at least 2 dozen models out so you can see what you like.
 

amc80

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
5,765
I second the suggestion of an infant/bucket seat. It's so nice to be able to move them around without waking them up. Also, I'm not sure if you can use a stroller when they are itty bitty without one? Also, I'm not sure what you would do at the grocery store without an infant seat, unless you are planning on baby wearing. Our kiddo was too heavy for that after about 3-4 months so the infant carrier was the only option.

As for strollers, we have the Baby Trend Expedition and love it. It's a jogger but not giant like a lot of them. It came with the infant seat and a base. The infant seat is good but has a short length max, so that's something to consider if you think your baby will be on the long side. My son grew out of it at about 5 months so we had to switch to a convertible pretty early on. But the stroller is awesome. It turns on a dime and is great for jogging. The basket is really big as well sol that's nice to have. Oh, and i jogged with him while he was still in the infant seat hooked on to the stroller. A few months ago we got an umbrella stroller for those times when space will be limited. It's really nice to have the option of a smaller stroller.
 

jfo

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
685
Hi Octavia, congrats on your pregnancy! Yes, the whole carseat, stroller and all the other baby gear volume of choices can be overwhelming, but it sounds like you have narrowed yourself down to a few stroller options, so that's already a good start.

I live in a large city where I knew that I wanted to have a few choices to transport my LO because we walk a lot (average 5-6 miles each day on the weekend and shorter walks in the weekday evenings), use public transportation like trains and buses AND have to get into a car 5 days a week to take her to/from daycare.

For the longer walks, I wanted something that was decently lightweight and could fold easily, but also sturdy enough to handle the long walks over uneven sidewalks or terrain and could be pushed over ice/snow. My husband also decided that he wanted something that we could potentially use to jog with the baby (at the right age of course). I was looking at the City Mini GT, City Elite, Bumbleride Indie and the BOB Revolution SE.

In the end, we went with the Bumbleride Indie. I felt it was the right balance of lightweight (~20 pounds, which was lighter than the City Elite and the BOB), right width and length (it was shorter and more narrow than both the Baby Jogger and Bob strollers), folded easily enough (City Mini GT and City Select definitely are easier though), and could be used as a jogger if we really wanted to (neither the City Mini GT or the City Elite are officially supported as jogging strollers). We aren't serious runners though--if we were, I would have just gone with the BOB and not looked at anything else because it definitely is superior as a jogging stroller. If we didn't want the possibility of a jogging stroller, I probably would have gone with the City Mini GT. Price didn't play a determining factor for us either--we were able to get the Indie last December from Amazon for $374. I did pay extra for the car seat adapter, but I think that it's just included now with the 2013 model.

I second SB621--if you have the opportunity, definitely try to test drive some strollers and see how they feel to you. I will also say that if you can, maybe wait on the stroller thing until after you have the baby and see how you feel at that point. We didn't end up getting the Indie until our daughter was 2 months old and I felt like we needed it because it was winter time and our Snap and Go type stroller wasn't going to work pushing over the snow and ice... but if it wasn't winter, I could've made the infant car seat and snap and go stroller combo work for a long time. Now that our daughter has pretty much outgrown the infant car seat, we've bought a separate umbrella type stroller for a really lightweight stroller option for use on public transporation and shorter walks.

Just like amc mentioned, the biggest plus for me for getting an infant car seat was the fact that I could carry the baby around while she was sleeping from car to indoors and back and also just snap it into the snap and go stoller frame and go for a walk while she snoozed. But I also know people who have used a convertible car seat from the start and didn't miss having an infant car seat at all! We got the Chicco Keyfit 30 Magic based on the safety ratings and ease of installation, and the Magic model had a bigger canopy than the regular Keyfit 30.

Last thing--I also have several baby carriers--a Baby K'Tan (great when LO is small), Baby Bjorn (wouldn't recommend--too hard on my shoulders/back, but was ok in a jam because it's quick to get on and off) and a Beco Gemini (love it now that LO is bigger). There's a whole baby wearing thread so I won't go into all the nitty gritty details about it here unless you're curious, but being able to wear the baby has been a lifesaver too given our living situation in a large city.

Hope that helps--and sorry for the novel!!
 

jfo

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
685
Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention--the Indie does use air-filled tires, so you do occasionally have to use a hand pump to fill it up. It wasn't a big deal to us though--we've had to may be pump it 2 times since getting it 8 months ago.
 

Kunzite

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 17, 2009
Messages
1,183
I know I'm in the minority but we could have easily skipped the infant seat. Our kids weren't car sleepers (we actively tried to avoid sleeping in the car because it's not quality sleep) and we baby wore when out and about. Of course we determined this in hindsight while lamenting the wasted $$ on infant seats! My top 3 infant seat suggestions are the Chicco Keyfit, Safety 1st On Board 35, and Graco Snugride (not the 22lb version). I would try them out in person and get a sense for how they feel when you carry them and test them in your car. They're all safe when used properly so the key is ease of use.

We have 3 Bumblerides ( :oops: ) and love them. I haven't tried the other strollers on your list so I can't compare. It sounds like you're due this winter? If that's the case the Indies usually go on sale in the early spring so you might be able to hold out for that depending on when you plan to start using the stroller (vs baby wearing, etc). I know they normally have them on CL in your area too, that's where one of ours came from.
 

Octavia

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
2,660
Thanks, everyone!

SB621, I've actually tried out a bunch of strollers, that's how I got it down to these three. For some reason, I wasn't crazy about the BOB Revolution, it just didn't feel right to me. And I want a stroller with a locking front swivel wheel. We also have a small car (Hinda Civic) and I'm not sure it would fit well in the trunk. Although really, I'm not sure if any of them will...

AMC, I don't think I've ever seen that stroller in person, I'll see if I can find one nearby to test out. My DH and I are both pretty small people so I can't see our baby being super tall, but I guess you never know. Still, height/length isn't tops on my list of factors for the carseat and stroller. And fortunately, it means we never need to put the seats in the car all the way back unless we're hauling something big around, so I hope we can stay reasonably comfortable once we install the baby's seat.

Jfo, thanks for the Indie review! Our lifestyle sounds pretty similar to yours so it makes me think that stroller would work pretty well for us. I didn't realize it was okay to jog with the Indie, I knew the City ones aren't approved so I just assumed it wouldn't be either. I'm not a great runner, I've been doing couch to 5k for like a year on and off (had to stop again when the pregnancy and huffing and puffing weren't compatible any longer). So maybe I wouldn't even need a separate jogger. I do plan on babywearing (assuming the baby doesn't hate it) and have a K'Tan. I'll probably get another type of wrap/sling and then, when the baby is a bit older, try out some soft structured carriers to see what works best for us. I'm not sure if DH will babywear much, at least at the beginning, though. He seems kind of hesitant about it. Anyway, maybe I'll see if we can borrow a snap and go type stroller from a friend or get one off Craigslist...I don't want to pay full price for one and then get a nicer stroller a couple months later. I'll have a look at the Magic, too, I don't think I even realized that there were different versions.

Kunzite, more Bumbleride love! I actually haven't seen that many of them on CL lately, the BOB seems to be the stroller of choice right now (seriously, the farmers' market is like 80% BOBs). I'll keep checking, though. But I'm kind of a brat and I've totally fallen in love with the 2013 "green papyrus" color. It's seriously distorting my perspective on the whole stroller thing, haha. I'm due in late December, so if I can hold off and get it when they go on sale, it would be optimal. OR I could get the umbrella version (Flyer?) in that color if we end up doing something else for our "big" stroller, since I'm sure we'll want one eventually.
 

parrot tulips

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
642
As far as carseats, ditto Kunzite. Most of my friends have the Graco Snugride and love it, and we had the Chicco Keyfit and loved it (it got better reviews from preemie parents, which applied to us, but won't apply to most people).

Strollers! We have the Bumbleride Indie, the City Micro (bare bones version of the City Mini), and an Uppababy G-Luxe.

-The City Micro folds super, super easily, and relatively compactly (I can't see any issues with it fitting into your Honda Civic, although it might not leave a ton of room for a load of groceries). And the sunshade is spectacular. Even in our bare bones version, without the all terrain benefits of the GT, it rides surprisingly smoothly over the gravel "sidewalks" in our neighborhood. However...my daughter (21 months) HATES the stroller after a few weeks of use. Screams and cries when we try to put her in it. This took me by great surprise, since it seems to be one of the most popular strollers in our area next to the BOB. At grandma's house, she prefers the old, rough riding, hand-me-down Graco Metrolite we left there, to riding in the City Micro. The only reason I can see is that the seat doesn't have as much support as the other strollers (I place a board behind the backrest, but the support is still lacking). Also, bumper bars, carseat adapters, and other accessories must be bought separately, which bumps up the cost a bit.

-We love our Bumbleride Indie (2011 version). The ride is nice and smooth, even on rougher terrain, and we love the sunshade. I think it might be okay to jog with, but not to run with, but don't quote me on that. The fold isn't as easy or compact as the City Micro, but is still very manageable for me (I'm 5'2"). Both my 6'3" husband and I are comfortable pushing the stroller (although my husband does occasionally find his feet bumping the stroller), and our daughter has seemed comfortable in it from day one. As a newborn, we'd insert the carseat into the stroller. As an infant, we'd place her inside with a Snuzzler (just seemed cozier). And now as a toddler, she still seems happy inside. I like that the foot/leg rest is adjustable, unlike the City Mini's and BOB's. We have the stroller in red, use the stroller almost daily, and it still looks quite new. The basket underneath is also a great size and easier to access than the City Micro (much easier for stuffing a large diaper bag into). As far as the air filled tires, I've had my husband fill them once since we got it in late 2011. Overall, we're very, very happy.

-The main reason I wanted an umbrella stroller...sometimes it's easier to run quick errands with it, and it fits better into the back of our SUV with our larger dog. Before I got it, I was just fine only having the Bumbleride.
 

CurlySue

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
792
We've got the City Mini GT and the Chicco Keyfit30.

We went with the GT primarily because of its ease of fold, size, and maneuverability, and I feel like it has met our expectations on those things so far (my daughter is only 3 months, so it's still early). I also opted for the GT over the regular Mini b/c I wanted to be able to use it on other surfaces without any issues. It's been great on grass/gravel/whatever. I bought a few of the attachments for easier storage of keys/phone/small snacks, and then I tend to stick blankets or burpcloths in the storage behind the seat and then larger stuff in the bottom. And as far as fitting into your car goes... I have a Volvo S40 sedan, and the GT easily fits into my trunk, but it doesn't leave me a ton of room for groceries.

So far, we really like the GT, though I can't say we've actually used it a ton. I find it much more convenient to baby wear, as a few other people have noted. I have used the stroller for long walks or times when I need to have my diaper bag with me. For shorter outings, errands, or cooler afternoons when I don't need a full diaper bag, I find it much easier just to wear her. Plus, she loves to be worn. I would imagine that once she's a little older (and heavier), wants to look out at the world more, and we can use the GT without snapping the infant seat into it, we'll use the stroller more. So my comments might be different if you ask me in several months.

The other stroller we considered was the BOB because I used to be a runner and I thought it would be good to have the option to jog with baby (which others have noted you shouldn't do with the City Minis). Since I wasn't sure whether I would actually get back into running too soon after baby, I decided to hold off and wait to see. I find the BOB harder to fold up on my own, and its larger size was a drawback for me. With that said, if I get back into running, I'll probably get a BOB.

We went with the infant seat for all the reasons other people have listed, and we went specifically with the Keyfit b/c of its great ratings and ease of installation. With that said, it is already heavy for me to carry around, and my daughter doesn't really love sleeping in her carseat unless we are actually in motion in the car. I think I would still go with the infant seat if I had to do over again, because it has made it easy for us to go out to eat and transport her to and from daycare, and when we do use the stroller I like just being able to snap the seat right in there.
 

NewEnglandLady

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
6,299
Another Bumbleride Indie lover/owner here. In fact, I think I'm going to get the double version now that I'm having another. Here are the advantages and disadvantages for me:

Advantages:
1. We are outdoorsy, so an all-terrain was a must. We haven't taken it on rough trails or anything, but it does great on non-paved surfaces and at the beach.
2. K can see out of it really easily. The BOB is a bit deeper, so it's harder for the kids to look around. K LOVES looking around, so this was a good fit for us.
3. Comes with the infant seat bar. No need for a snap and go. No need to install a car seat bar. The stroller already has one and when you're done with the infant car seat, the bar pops off and you're done.
4. It's pretty light-weight for an all-terrain stroller
5. Great sun shade
5. I like the colors

Disadvantages:
1. Even though I think it folds pretty easily, it takes up a lot of room in the trunk. We ended up getting an umbrella stroller when K was about 6 months old (Uppababy G-Luxe--love it) and we use that 80% of the time now because it barely takes up any room.
2. Every time I unfold it, I have to put down the foot rest. Maybe this is fixed in newer versions. It's minor, but just annoying.

I had a baby who didn't sleep well in the car, but I still valued the infant car seat. I just found it easier when running errands (Target, the grocery store, etc.) to keep K in the car seat. I was a big baby fan of baby wearing...and K loved it too. So if we got somewhere and she was awake, I'd wear her. If she was asleep, I'd leave her in the car seat. Or if I thought she might fall asleep before I needed to put her back in the car, I left her in the car seat (hated waking her up when transferring her from my Ergo to the car seat). We had a Chicco Keyfit and I like it. We'll be using it again for the next one.

Oh, and I never got anywhere near the weight limit with the infant car seat. Heck, at 18 months, K is 25 lbs., so the bigger consideration for me was outgrowing the car seat length-wise. She was too long for the infant car seat before she hit 8 months.
 

Kunzite

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 17, 2009
Messages
1,183
NewEnglandLady|1376488814|3502753 said:
Oh, and I never got anywhere near the weight limit with the infant car seat. Heck, at 18 months, K is 25 lbs., so the bigger consideration for me was outgrowing the car seat length-wise. She was too long for the infant car seat before she hit 8 months.

This is so true! Nearly all babies will outgrow their seat by height way before weight. Who wants to carry a 30lb kid around in a carrier anyway?!

Maybe I should clarify that the 22lb version of the Graco SnugRide isn't recommended because the lowest harness height is around 8 inches which means it's too high for a small baby, and thus would be unsafe. Here's a link to compare all seats:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0AvfUm4x64h3AdDRuWS01UTk3SWFYWU5la3BTckN1YlE
 

SB621

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
7,864
Oh myoodness the snap and go was a lifesaver!!! I can't believe I forgot to mention that. Forget a regular stroller for awhile and just use the snap and go. It is so lightweight and we used it for months before putting the kids into a real stroller.
 

amc80

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
5,765
SB621|1376512020|3503043 said:
Oh myoodness the snap and go was a lifesaver!!! I can't believe I forgot to mention that. Forget a regular stroller for awhile and just use the snap and go. It is so lightweight and we used it for months before putting the kids into a real stroller.

Funny, I hated the snap n go. It felt so flimsy and cheap. I think we used it maybe 3 times.
 

lliang_chi

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Messages
3,740
I liked the snap n go because it was cheap ($50) for the stroller frame and I was able to use it until we found a good deal on a real stroller. We had a Bob and CityMini, both bought used off Craigslist.
 

mia1181

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Messages
1,789
My post is going to be just like NEL's!

We have the Indie and love love love it! I do wish it was a bit smaller but it's not huge either. I think it is very light for it's size too. I am annoyed with the footrest thing when unfolding it too. It's super easy, just annoying to have that extra step. Other things I dislike about it:

-It definitely is a little heavier to push than the bob because the wheels are smaller, but I use it to jog with no problems.
-I think the cup holder is annoying because it hangs off the side, but it's easy to pop off in a tight spot. Actually, a little too easy because sometimes it pops off when I am folding/unfolding the stroller. Or you can buy a parents' attachment for the handlebar, I think... It is nice that it is hard plastic and almost any drink will pop right in and out of it and stays secure even over bumps.
- The little mesh peekaboo window is completely useless. You can't see the baby unless you stop the stroller and put your face right up to the window which defeats the whole purpose.
-I would love to be able to face her toward me sometimes but no jogger can do that. Actually, when the car seat is attached to the stroller she faces in so there is that.
-I don't love the way that the carseat attaches to the stroller but it looks like the new model has a better adapter that is specific to the Maxi Cosi carseat. My model (2012) was compatible with a bunch of other car seats too, but at least this one seems to attach more securely.


Okay things I love:
-In my opinion it is better looking than any other 3 wheeled stroller on the market.
-It's less common than the BOB but I am starting to see it more and more.
-It's really easy to fold and unfold.
-The sun shade is HUGE and completely shields my baby from the sun as long as the seat has at least a slight incline. Love the shade!
- I like that when my baby was a newborn you could snap up the footrest and snap up the fabric on the sides and it looks like a cute buggy.
-It's smaller than the BOB and is easy to get through doorways
-Air tires are a must for me and it feels so smooth and light to push!
-Pushing with one hand is easy
-I like the adjustable handlebar even though I really only use it to make the stroller take up less space (like when we are on a small restaurant patio)
- I like that the recline isnt set to specific settings, it's a strap which is kind of annoying but it gives you more flexibility to what angle to have the baby sit.
-My favorite thing is the car seat adapter that allowed us to only have one stroller. The bumbleride is obviously not as small as the snap and go but I know if I had a snap and go, I would end up keeping both strollers in the car at all times "just in case." I think the adapter was $20 too, so cheaper than a snap and go.


Speaking of car seat. I would recommend the infant car seat if you think you would want to keep the baby sleeping while you are out and about. You definitely don't need it, but I like it. I prefer not to use ours and I try to keep my baby home for naps as much as possible but having the car seat available when she does happen to fall asleep has been a lifesaver. For instance, when I think nap time is at 1 and my baby decides to fall asleep at 12:30 on the way home from somewhere. If you wake them, it's over. There is no 1pm nap and that 15 minutes in the car is all the sleep they will get until bedtime or the next nap. I love being able to just bring her car seat in her room so she can finish her nap. Disclaimer: You're not supposed to let small babies sleep in their car seat for extended periods of time because it can cut off their airway. I only let her sleep in her car seat for short times when I am awake to watch her.

I also use the infant car seat when I am in a hurry and don't want to deal with buckling and unbuckling. I can run errands really quickly by popping her in and out of the stroller without having to take her out of the car seat. Lastly, she is not quite sitting up yet so I use the infant car seat when I grocery shop. Never put the car seat on the kiddie seat part of the cart. I put her car seat in the shopping cart where the groceries go. It sucks because it takes up a lot of space, but it's safer and convenient. Ideally I use the baby carrier for shopping but she's not always in the right mood to be in the carrier. We also use the car seat for restaurants since she can't use high chairs yet.

Also when people say they wouldn't want to carry around a big baby in an infant car seat, I say then don't! You can still use it as long as the baby hasn't outgrown the height/weight requirements, just leave it in the car.
 

babystrollerr

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 21, 2017
Messages
1
I bought the guco Baby Stroller blindly for my 3 yr old, but is too upright so my Little ones head flips forward when asleep. To stop that I had to angle the seat forwards (not ideal as there is a gap between backrest and seat)
So I went to Mamas and papas and trialled a variety. The slope of the backrest rules out several a makes. Best fitting was Cybex solution Q2
I have to say I am really impressed by it.Looks great too & unique so everyone keeps asking if its Masersti specific.
 
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