Best strollers?

[Sir Ron]

Bethy Lou is due in July and I'm looking to buy her one of those strollers that comes with the infant carrier. Does anybody have a good recommendation? Budget wise, I'd like to keep it less than $200 I believe. Thanks!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

We've had a Bugaboo Frog since 2004 and a Quinny Zapp (with a Maxi Cosi carseat) for about the same amount of time. They're a quite a bit outside of your price range, but IMO, they're both well worth the money. Daddytypes (http://daddytypes.com/strollers.php) is a great resource for new dads.

 

[Sir Ron]

I don't mind spending more. My wife is just way too practical. lol

 

[piglet too]

Being on a tight budget myself when we had our kids, I prefered (sp) to get a Graco travel system. I like the infant car seats and found a stroller that suited my needs.

I suggest you go to a baby store (ie Babies R Us) and try out the floor model strollers. See how easy they are to fold and how heavy they are. Also check how easy (or not) it is to get the car seat in and out of the stroller.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I have 3 different strollers (yes, I know, I went a little overboard with this baby). We have a Chico full size, a Jeep jogging stroller, and a Maclaren. I have to say that my favorite is definately the Maclaren. It is light, it folds easily and folds down to a small size, it has a basket for storing things and a cupholder. It reclines but doesn't lay flat. It is a really good stroller for the money. I think it cost around 200.00 from BabiesRus.
Edited to say, sorry I didn't notice you were looking for one with an infant carrier.... We just couldn't find any of those that we liked. The stroller part of the systems always seemed cheap IMO.

 

[hentob]

Overstock.com has Silver Cross strollers at RIDICULOUS prices

My girlfriend just ordered one. Shipping below $5 to boot

It is is beautiful. You can't go wrong with a Silver Cross

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

Can you tell her you spent $200 and get a good stroller and car seat??

The problem with travel systems is you get an ok stroller and an ok car seat, neither of them are great. You can get a great stroller and a great car seat and make your own travel system pretty easily though. For about $300 you can get a Peg Perego P3 stroller and Graco infant seat and have an excellent stroller with the quality that regular travel system strollers usually don't and a highly rated infant seat.

 

[hentob]

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Silver-Cross-S4-Stroller/2747492/product.html

Here is a nice one. It is very Buga-Boo-ish

 

[Sir Ron]

Those are good points... so will most infant carriers be able to sit in a stroller someway?

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm looking to buy her one of those strollers that comes with the infant carrier. Does anybody have a good recommendation? Budget wise, I'd like to keep it less than $200 I believe.

My recommendation is don't spend your money on a POS "travel system"! They almost all come with a relatively decent carseat and a truly garbage-worthy behemoth steel stroller. The truth is that ANY reclining stroller that has a napper bar will hold an infant carseat rather securely unless you are going fast or over rough terrain, so you really don't need to buy them as a set.

I recommend buying a Peg Perego or Maclaren stroller and any infant carseat that fits your car and has a decent crash rating.

 

[Sir Ron]

Thanks again! I was starting to wonder about those travel systems while reading reviews. Now I'm convinced. I'll start looking at separate models now.

 

[pl71]

I agree with the recommendation for the Peg Perego P3 and a separate Graco infant seat...the P3 folds up small and can hold any brand infant carrier. It costs around $250, which does not include the carseat. It's what I bought for my brother and his wife.

I love Maclaren, but they don't work with infant carseats since they don't have napper bars. I used a Maclaren Techno with my second baby and just took him out of the carseat and put him the stroller and I really didn't miss the infant carseat. You can only use it those carseats for maybe 6 months anyway.

I had a Graco travel system with my first baby and hated it. It was heavy, took up my entire trunk, and it steered like a tank.

Patty

 

[Sir Ron]

One other question... Does anybody know a website where you can see the safety ratings for car seats and strollers?

Thanks!

 

[helenabear]

Can you tell her you spent $200 and get a good stroller and car seat??

The problem with travel systems is you get an ok stroller and an ok car seat, neither of them are great. You can get a great stroller and a great car seat and make your own travel system pretty easily though. For about $300 you can get a Peg Perego P3 stroller and Graco infant seat and have an excellent stroller with the quality that regular travel system strollers usually don't and a highly rated infant seat.

I totally agree with this. We did a lot of research before we decided on the car seat and stroller thing. Every single one I read either had major issues with the stroller part or lots of trouble (and missing key features) for the car seat.

We wound up getting the car seat we wanted and then got one of these
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2327597

I keep that in the back of my car at all times for when I want to keep my sleeping son in his car seat. It is very handy.

I have a separate stroller for jogging (haven't been able to use it yet since it's been soooo cold) and inherited yet another jeep stroller for free. We have to clean that one up, but it will work for us when we go to WDW I think.

 

[AllyandJack]

I love my Chicco Cortina! The car seat gets top safety ratings. The strollers is awesome. I can maneuver it one-handed. It stands on its own when folded. Easy open/easy close.

Some people complain that you can't put it in a shopping carriage, but you're not supposed to do that anyway. I think it's heavy so I've never used it as a carrier. I think being heavy is a good thing in a carseat. It does snap into the stroller easily, too.

There is a great book called Baby Bargains that I think every parent/parent-to-be should have. It's amazing.

The Cortina also has an adjustable handle. I'm 5'10" and my mom is 5'1" and we both use it comfortably.

 

[Sir Ron]

off topic but CUTE BABY Helenabear!

I jusw saw a mint colored Peregro on Amazon for 211. http://www.amazon.com/Peg-Perego-Li...ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1202749004&sr=8-2
Is the one folks are recommending?

 

[mzspaz]

I had asked this same question about a year ago. Went back and forth with many different types, even heard the same thing that the travel systems were not that great.

But I ended up getting the Graco LiteRider travel system (in the Winnie the Pooh pattern of course) and we absolutely LOVE it! By we, I mean everyone that has "driven" it, including my DH, my mom and dad, and several friends/honorary aunts and uncles. I was afraid that it would not last, like several of the previous posters have mentioned. But I was wrong. This thing has held up like a tank. It has been through Black Friday shopping, a circuit of summer craft shows (so it went through gravel, dust, mud...nearly anything that you can think of that is outside during the summer and fall), as well as to a few Christmas light displays (keep in mind, I am in Pittsburgh so the winter weather is rain, snow, ice, sleet).

It is big enough to hold all of our coats and diaper bag in the basket. Has a cup holder and a tray on top for adult stuff. The car seat (Graco SnugRide) is very easy to use and easy to get in and out of the stroller. The stroller folds easily with one hand and fits easily into the trunk of my car, which is a Hyundai Elantra, so it is a small car. It turns on a dime, which really came in hand when out shopping on Black Friday as you know how those crowds can be.

I highly recommend this stroller! My girlfriend has the Chicco Cortina, I think that is the one, and honestly we could not find much of a difference between the two except some extra doo dads on hers, and to me those extra doo dads were not worth the extra expense.

Ultimately, find one that you are comfortable with. I just wanted to chime in that not all travel systems are terrible. Just make sure that you go to a big baby store and try out the floor models. You may feel silly doing it, but it is well worth it.

Oh and another suggestion....pick up the book Baby Bargains - 7th edition by Denise and Alan Fields. Trust me, it is money well spent as you will find it very helpful, especially if you are budget conscious!

 

[momof3disneyholics]

off topic but CUTE BABY Helenabear!

I jusw saw a mint colored Peregro on Amazon for 211. http://www.amazon.com/Peg-Perego-Li...ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1202749004&sr=8-2
Is the one folks are recommending?

That looks like a good one. We actually had the carrier carseat in the same pattern. Peg Perego makes really nice carseats.

 

[princess pooh]

There is a great book called Baby Bargains that I think every parent/parent-to-be should have. It's amazing.

That book is my baby shopping bible! I refer to it before buying anything. Definitely pick up a copy Sir Ron before you start shopping.

I'm happy to see a few posters reccomend buying the P3 and a Graco infant seat because that's exactly what I did.

 

[mjkacmom]

I have 3 different strollers (yes, I know, I went a little overboard with this baby). We have a Chico full size, a Jeep jogging stroller, and a Maclaren. I have to say that my favorite is definately the Maclaren. It is light, it folds easily and folds down to a small size, it has a basket for storing things and a cupholder. It reclines but doesn't lay flat. It is a really good stroller for the money. I think it cost around 200.00 from BabiesRus.
Edited to say, sorry I didn't notice you were looking for one with an infant carrier.... We just couldn't find any of those that we liked. The stroller part of the systems always seemed cheap IMO.

After 5 kids, I have discovered that there isn't a stroller that works well in all situations. I also hate travel systems, because they are bulky, and the strollers aren't as nice as many others. Get an infant seat, a snap-n-go, a nice fold up (combi, perego, maclaren) for the car, and a jogger for neighborhood walks. They're only in the infant seat for about 6 months - I wouldn't chose a stroller just because I could put the seat in it.