Umbrella stroller bags for travel and stroller canopies for shade

[KIS]

I have a couple questions:

Do those of you with umbrella strollers who fly put them in any protective bag at the gate or do you just fold them up and place one on the plane without a bag?

What's your reason? I'm trying to decide if it's necessary or worth the extra cost and ordeal of putting the stroller in and out of the bag. I wonder how likely the staff are to break the clasp on our old Sprint MacClaren which holds the frame in place once it's folded.

KIS

 

[KIS]

Oops! I forgot to add the second question --

Our stroller has about a foot long canopy -- that's it. When our daughter was a baby, we used an small baby stroller umbrella that attached for citywalks. The things a nuisance, always falling off at inopportune times, sometimes breaking, and difficult to transport separately. My husband told me when we decided to bring the stroller for our 5 y.o., "We're not bringing that sun umbrella".

I have read where many praise having a larger canopy which protects the child from the sun, especially for rest and sleep during the daytime.

How have you folks managed who have a less prominent canopy?

I saw a product today from Austrailia, a canopy which easily attaches and extends out further than our canopy -- about 2 1/2, 3 foot, the depth of the entire stroller and folds back easily. It's $40. My husband doesn't think it's worth it for a 5 y.o. He said, "We'll improvise and park her in the shade when she needs it".

What do you guys think?

KIS

 

[kkc1021]

I haven't flown with my stroller yet - but don't plan on putting it in a bag. I've read that sometimes this causes confusion for the baggage handlers. They assume that it wasn't gate checked and send it through to the baggage carousel.

As for the sunshade, I was looking at the same Australian shade but I couldn't justify the price. Someone recommended a similar $15 shade at Babies R Us. I picked it up last week and my son and I did a neighborhood test drive. It seems great so far:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t.../103-9046707-0839065?v=glance&s=baby&n=507846

It's made out of a lycra type material and can be pulled almost all the way down to the bar on the front of the stroller.

Hope that helps!
Kristen

 

[crazywig]

i have a maclaren single stroller carry bag that i use for my single macs. i would very upset if they were damaged (and the clasp would be the first thing broken i'd bet)!

the maclaren bag is made of a heavy canvas and is worth the $$. you can find it here http://www.strollers4less.com/p/productdetails.asp/p/Maclaren_Single_Bag

however, on my flight home from mco, even though the bag had a gate check tag on it, the handlers sent it to the carousel with the other baggage and i was left at the gate with no stroller. annoying! (i did not have this issue on the way down)

 

[KIS]

Wow! I hadn't even thought about the possibility of the bag ending up at the carousel. How annoying.

Is your Maclaren an umbrella stroller?

Ours is an old Sprint umbrella type. It's about 6 years old. It has oil spills all over it. If it was damaged on our way down, we'd have a problem, but not on the way up. My husband and I were thinking this would probably be the last of the big excursion our daughter takes it on, her being 5 1/2 years old.

I just thought of something---I could duct tape it shut on the way there once we're at the gate and then not worry about it at all.

KIS

 

[crazywig]

Originally posted by KIS


Is your Maclaren an umbrella stroller?

yes. i have 5 single maclarens and 1 double. all umbrella style.

how about a bungy cord to hold it together?

 

[KIS]

That's even better. Thanks.

KIS