I feel icky saying it out loud, but one visit to my house will confirm this embarrassing fact before you even ring my doorbell. Yes, we have six strollers. So, I figure the least I can do to cleanse my karma is to review them for you and save you from following down my path:
The bare bones snap-n-go — Whitney loaned me her Graco model and it was stolen from my front yard! Since I maintain owning a stroller that turns your carseat into a travel solutione is a must, we replaced the stolen wheels with a different brand, Snap N Go Car Seat Carrier, and it’s just great. Lightweight, collapsible, and a smooth ride to boot. My only minor complaint is that the Graco carseat does not snap into place, you have to remember to strap it down. So, I still consider this one a loaner and when her baby is born she gets it back.  [Our cost = ~$60]
The off-road jogger — My husband actually runs Holden around in this stroller and I consider it a lifesaver. We got the BOB Sport Utility Stroller as a Christmas present the year Holden was born and it has been well worth the $0 we paid. [Our cost = $0]. If you have grandparents offering to treat you to something expensive, consider this stroller. Be warned, when grandparents learn a stroller can cost $300, they are often surprised. Make sure they know a Stokke costs $1100 when you ask for a $300 stroller.
Holden’s daily ride — we first got the Chicco Lightweight Stroller when Holden was ready to graduate to an umbrella stroller because it was reasonably priced and had a sunshade. It hasn’t held up very well in my opinion but it’s not terrible either. [Our cost = ~$60]
The double — we borrowed the Chicco Twin Stroller from Whitney one day when we had the option of a nanny-share. That was a year ago. By the time we “return” it, she will get any double stroller of her choosing (within reason) because it has not held up well. And we only use it four days a week for the nanny to provide rides to and from the park… it’s not even getting tossed into a trunk or crammed through doorways. This is a reasonably priced double stroller, perfect for a pair of toddlers. [Our cost (when we replace it) = ~$130]
The convertible double — what do you buy when your boys are 21 months apart? Why, a stroller that allows a carseat, a couple regular seats, a seated bench for the toddler, and a ridealong board (pictured above)… All this and a “parent tray” are promised with the Baby Trend Sit N Stand which is a very affordable double for a baby and a toddler. We were truly blessed to get this as a gift from our parents. And also lucky that (since they live far away) they don’t see the state of our porch on a regular basis. [Our cost = $0]
The double jogger— I found this Twinner Double Jogger for $100 on our local parent buy/sell message board and jumped on it immediately. If Alec can run one kid around while I sleep in, I can’t wait for the day he takes both of them out. I have to wait another five months for that day, but at least we have the wheels for it. We also think this will be a nice smooth around-town ride for the boys. That model has long since been discontinued, but you can look for other double jogging strollers here. [Our cost = ~$100]
All that being said, I have major double stroller lust for these fancier options:
- the Phil & Teds E3 Buggy (with toddler converter kit)
- the Valco with toddler seat and rider board
- the Veer wagon, which supports tons of high-tech add-ons, including a converter for a baby carseat as well!
Veer Cruiser Wagon shown with car seat adapter and other accessories
Obviously, we can’t justify any new stroller purchases at this point, but I’m still accepting donations ;-).
PS.. my newborn is strapped to me in his Baby Bjorn right now for good measure… so don’t get me started on his other conveyance devices right now!
