Volo Users - What *don't* you like about it?

[thegrimdwarf]

Everyone raves about these strollers, but there's got to be something you don't care for (like the lack of child tray). What do you not care for? I'm on the fence about buying. I'd also love to hear from anyone 6" tall and over - my husband is tall, and can't really push our current stroller for too long because it's too short.

Thanks!

 

[Robmom]

I love my Volo, the only thing I don't like is that it doesn't recline. But the amount of time that my DS is in it, it really doesn't matter. He has only fallen asleep a couple of times in it, and he did fine.

 

[laurasmom]

I love my Volo also. My DD is 4 now (and a really tall 4) and still fits in it comfortable. I can steer it with one hand when I need to (when I am carrying a suitcase or something like that). My DH & I were on the fence about spending the money also - but that was over 2 years ago and we talk about how we are so glad we did all the time. I think it is worth it!!

 

[staci]

We just got ours about 3 months ago, in prep for our disney trip. I must say, I got ours on clearance at Target, so I paid less than some.... I might have a harder time swallowing the purchase of two of them if we had paid $200 bucks for them.

When the kids were younger (they are now 4.5 and 22 months) I would have missed some of the full-size stroller amenities (tray, full recline, padded, cushy, etc). But for the non-infant crowd (about 12mo on up) its great.

But part of what I LOVE about the volo is that it is missing those things the other strollers have. It is SO LIGHT and small folded up because of this. And so easy to turn. With dd, isnt not as obvious that it pushes easier. But when I put my 4 year old in one of our older strollers, it pushes hard. I can easily spin the volo in circles one handed with him riding. The idea of hauling around our old Graco Quattro anymore is awful! NTM, in the old travel stroller we had, he could no longer use the sunshade, as he was too tall. He still has many inches in the volo.

And the Mac's are just so NICE looking! Almost like an accessory, not a stroller, kwim?

But back to the original question: What dont I like?

It would be nice if it had a recline option. But if I wanted that bad enough I could have spent the $$ on a more expensive mac, which I didnt. But it would be nice.

Another negative, Mine is light grey. I do have to scrub the scuff marks off the hood when I lay it on the ground in parking lots when loading my car. I might get a different color if I had to do it again so it would camoflauge the dirt a bit more!

Re: Taller parents

The handles are SO MUCH higher than our old travel stroller (it was called a graco umbroller - they dont make them anymore). The handles are seriously inches higher. When we first got these, my ds said 'strollers are for babies". So we put the mac next to the old stroller and showed him it was for 'big boys' at disney, and he has been fighting to ride in it now every time dd does. It really is noticably taller. Go to Target or BRU and take one for a test drive.

If you are planning a trip, I cannot say enough about how valuable I can see these being with the transportation and storing in the room- especially with the new prices for rentals there

HTH!

 

[natenapril]

I am 6' and my DH is 6'4 and we had no problems with the VOLO. The only feature I wish it had was a recline. We have the gray and orange (Saffron I think?) one and the gray does get dirty easily. Otherwise we LOVE it. Wish we had one for the other 2 when they were little.

 

[tinkerjess]

i love my volo i just wish they had a color that was pink with glitter!!!

 

[bas71873]

I love my Volo as well. I bought it specifically for Disney for DD4 and the plus of it going up to 55 pounds, having a basket and having tall handles made it that much better for us (me 5'10" and DH 6'5").

I did test drive them at Target, but, I ordered mine off of ebay and only paid $69 for itk INCLUDING SHIPPING WHICH WAS FREE . It was a new, 2006 model, and it's that crazy orange color (I think it's officially salmon), BUT, my stroller stuck out in the sea of strollers at Disney so I was thankful it wasn't gray, blue or black

 

[blessedby3]

I love the Volo for an older child. I agree that if that were the only stroller I had that I would miss the recline. Thats why we got the Quest for our new infant daughter. Love it too. The handles will be perfect for your tall DH. Mine is 6'2" and he has no problem pushing. I dont miss the snack tray- my kids always just threw off whatever was in front of them anyway. I dont like that they are tippy strollers, but Ill deal with that since I get SO many other benefits. This is just a great stroller company!!

 

[thegrimdwarf]

Wow, thank you all so much for your input! Those of you who are tall or have a tall husband sealed the deal for me. I'm sold!

 

[las3888]

I was wary about buying a Mac...after all, it would be our 7th stroller ...yes, I am a stroller freak for sure. Well, DS really outgrew all of our smaller lightweight strollers (Combi and Peg Aria). So, I really felt like I had no business buying another one, but DS is 3 and I figured we will use it at least on a few more trips for sure, plus it will be nice to have around town.

I bought one off ebay, I had an ebay coupon which is pretty rare, so that's what tipped the scales for me. My volo cost about $60 total for a brand new (last year's model). We took it on our trip to WDW last week and were very satisfied. DH is 6'4" and I am very tall as well and we felt quite comfortable with it.

I really felt that the Mac was so lightweight, extremely convenient...I really found the steering so easy. I loved it for all those features!

My complaints, yes, I miss the cupholders, but I have rigged up a few after market gadgets and I am quite pleased with how it all worked out.

I don't miss the recline...DS won't nap in the stroller, so that was an easy one for me...

I do find it tips a lot with any weight on it. I downsized to a medium sized diaper bag and I find that it fits fairly nicely in the stroller basket underneath, so that pretty much eliminates tipping.

I also find it a little odd that DS can hop out when he wants to (just not used to that). It's kind of a plus and a minus. It makes disembarking easy, but it takes some getting used to. Of course you can use the straps that come with the stroller if you want. However, I found them EXTREMELY difficult to open. I actually had to get pliers to open mine. It didn't matter to me because I don't intend to use them. I thought maybe I had a bum stroller (or at least bum buckles on the strap) but I looked at the display one at BRU and it seemed to be about the same. Just an FYI...

Good luck...if you can find a good deal, you probably won't stress as much about your purchase...try to find good BRU coupons or shop ebay...

 

[roxannex]

Only that it doesn't recline. My husband is 6'1 and doesn't seem to have any trouble pushing it.

 

[abcboys]

I've had our volo for a little over a month. I thought it was just *okay* at first and wasn't sure was the fuss was all about. However I got my old stroller back out the other day and put my son in it and I couldn't believe how hard it was to push compared to the volo!! I really love it now. The main thing I don't like about it is there is no parent cup holder. We go for walks often and that is the main thing I wish there was. Also the other thing is it is not an all-terrian stroller like a jogging stroller with big wheels would be so its a little rough on rough terrain but on smooth services you really can push with one finger. I also got mine brand new on ebay for $70.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Of course you can use the straps that come with the stroller if you want. However, I found them EXTREMELY difficult to open.

I had that problem too! I called and spoke to MacLaren about it and they said they had never heard that complaint. They wanted me to send it to a dealer in NY to get it fixed but my DH filed the plastic down a bit and waxed them and it works now. I don't plan on using the straps at all but I didn't want the stroller to have no resale value.

Wow, thank you all so much for your input! Those of you who are tall or have a tall husband sealed the deal for me. I'm sold!

I would reccomend you buy a 2007 model as they come with the raincover.

 

[abcboys]

The buckles ARE very hard to do!! I found a thread on here about it and they mentioned trying to blow the hairdryer on it till it hot then work it buckling and unbuckling them to loosen them. I did this several times and it really works. They are MUCH easier now!!

 

[las3888]

I had that problem too! I called and spoke to MacLaren about it and they said they had never heard that complaint. They wanted me to send it to a dealer in NY to get it fixed but my DH filed the plastic down a bit and waxed them and it works now. I don't plan on using the straps at all but I didn't want the stroller to have no resale value.


I would reccomend you buy a 2007 model as they come with the raincover.

Thanks for that tip about filing down that buckle. I am glad to hear I am not the only one who has complained about these buckles, especially after I have been hearing for years on the disboards about how people just LOVE their Mac's, and never had I heard that complaint! Weird. I will have to have DH look at filing ours down too. It would be nice to have them in working order, as you mention for resale.

Also, that's interesting that '07 comes with a raincover. I noticed that mine did ('07) and we actually almost used it last week but lucked out with the weather after all. I think it's a great thing to have. I checked them out at BRU before we bought and it said on the display tag that raincover was an optional accessory. Do '08's not have them? Just curious.

 

[James Goddard]

I love mine. To me the fact that it is taller than a regular umbrella stroller and it's only 8 lbs (as opposed to 12 for the other models) makes it unbeatable.

None of the regular complaints, i.e. tippy, no cup holder, etc, make any sense to me. These are the kind of things you have to give up if you want something light to carry around.

If I had to find something to pick at I guess it would be that it's a little bigger than the $10 umbrella strollers when folded.

 

[ChrisAlli]

I've been considering a Volvo as well. here's the site I've been looking at. some do not come with a rain cover though

http://www.babye-store.com/maclaren2.html

 

[lovesdumbo]

Thanks for that tip about filing down that buckle. I am glad to hear I am not the only one who has complained about these buckles, especially after I have been hearing for years on the disboards about how people just LOVE their Mac's, and never had I heard that complaint! Weird. I will have to have DH look at filing ours down too. It would be nice to have them in working order, as you mention for resale.

Also, that's interesting that '07 comes with a raincover. I noticed that mine did ('07) and we actually almost used it last week but lucked out with the weather after all. I think it's a great thing to have. I checked them out at BRU before we bought and it said on the display tag that raincover was an optional accessory. Do '08's not have them? Just curious.

I was surprised when the MacLaren rep (in the UK) said she had never heard of that problem. I did get in in the winter and when I first tried them it took me several tries to get them undone. I called MacLaren the next day at work and they wanted me to send the stroller away to get fixed but I didn't have the serial # with me. So when I got home I tried them again and they were easier after the stroller was warmer but my DH still filed them just a tad and waxed them. The blow dryer method abcboys mentioned sounds like it would work too.

It is my understanding that ONLY the 2007 has the rain cover. The 2006 & 2008 include the raincover as part of an accessory pack.

I've been considering a Volvo as well. here's the site I've been looking at. some do not come with a rain cover though

http://www.babye-store.com/maclaren2.html

I bought mine from there. I was a bit concerned because I had never heard of them but I had quick delivery from them. I wonder if that carbon one is eally a 2006 or if they have the description wrong.