Combi Cosmo EX vs. Britax Esprit

[KTMB]

Does anyone have any experience with either of these strollers? I'd like to get 2 lightweight strollers for Disney instead of using our DuoGlider. We looked at the Combi Cosmo EX at our 'local' BRU (2 hours away) last night, and liked it for our DD (2.5 years) and DS (3.5 months), but it seems pretty narrow. Is this a stroller that we're going to outgrow soon.

The Britax Esprit seems to have great features too. Does anyone have this stroller? Any opinions?

I'd like to order one of these today, as Babycenter's sale ends today.

 

[brandylouwho]

I have the Britax Esprit and really like it. My DD 2 1/2 seems to love it too.

Pros:
The seat area seems larger than some of the other strollers we test drove (like the jeep umbrellas). The seat also has a leg rest to pull up (for the sleeping child). It is super easy to push/glides well.



Cons:
My husband, who is 5'9" is having problems kicking the stroller when he pushes it.( He doesn't have problems reaching the handles--so it isn't that the stroller is for short people). DH apparently has a long stride for a not-so-tall guy. The string to lay the seat back down/pull it up is a little akward...not a big problem, but not the best design. I am having trouble finding a cheap case for it (for the airplane). The cheap ones ($25 range) I have found are all too short.

Ooops, the cons look longer than the pros...but we really like this stroller--honest!!!

 

[amarberry]

I have a Combi and love it. I think that it a great value considering all the features that it has. It's very lightweight and easy to carry on your shoulder. My only issue with it is that it is getting difficult to push now that my DD is older (she's a little over 2 and weighs about 32 pounds), so if you are worrying about outgrowing the stroller it might be an issue.

 

[KTMB]

Thanks! I think I'm going to order the Britax Esprit. I have a few more questions about it. Do you think it would work for a 4 month old? I see that it doesn't have the bar in the front. I know that really doesn't provide any type of support though. I really like the carrying strap on the Combi and how small it folds. Does the Esprit fold to a fairly small size?

Have you found a rain cover for it?

Thanks!

 

[brandylouwho]

The esprit folds to a decent/small size. It doesn't have a shoulder strap to carry it, but does have a handle on one side. As far as a 4 month old fitting into it...maybe, I think it depends how small the baby is. It is hard for me to remember how teeny 4 months olds are.

When DD was 4 months old I used a regular cheapie umbrella (free from Toys R Us) and it worked great. The seat was sort of like a sling around her. The Britax has something (card board or plastic) in the back which keeps it straighter across the back...so less of a sling type hold, but it does have the shoulder, lap and between-the-legs straps to hold a child in secure.

Sorry I can't be more helpful, if only I knew a 4 month old nearby that I could put in there for second and give it a try!

Oh, I haven't even looked for a rain cover. I'll use a poncho if I need to,, but I don't plan on roaming around too much if it is pouring out and DD doesn't mind getting wet in the rain (yet she hates showers--go figure).

 

[PA Princess]

You can't imagine how excited I am to answer your questions! Odd I know, but it is nice to finally be on the other side of the stroller hunt and actually able to help someone else! After looking and looking for just the right stroller for our trip in 3 weeks for dd 19 months, we purchased the Esprit.

We have always owned Combi's (we have 3 older children as well and have had 3 Combi's) and we really liked them. However, our biggest complaint is that kids outgrow them early (and none of our kids have been large...usually below 50% in height and weight). The footrest is always so high that by 3 none of our kids could be comfy in the strollers.

Just a few weeks ago we purchased the Britax Esprit, and we have been quite happy with it. DD 1 loves to ride in it and her big sis (dd 6 who is 44 inches tall and 42 pounds) can also fit comfortably in this stroller...so it will last us for a long while.

As for a 4 month old...I would think if you were comfortable with a 4 month old in a regular umbrella, that this stroller would be okay also. As brandylouwho stated, there is a board that is in the seat area of the stroller. However, there is a small zipper behind the seat that allows you access to remove this board if you so desire. Dh and I were kinda wondering what this was for, but perhaps this is the reason?

We are also planning to use a poncho if needed for rain...last trip we lugged a rain cover around and never used it, so skipping that this trip. Plus, the stroller is made of a great material that appears it will not soak up the rain and should dry very quickly.

Hope you find a stroller that fits your needs! I bought my stroller at Albee baby for $65 (including shipping).

 

[KTMB]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I just purchased 2 Britax Esprit strollers on Albee baby for 59.99 each (the blue color, red was a bit more), and also the stroller connectors. I hope they work on these strollers.

I'm glad to hear about the 6 year old who can fit comfortably in the stroller. I also liked the Combi, but figured my 2.5 year old DD would outgrow it very soon. I'm sure we'll love the Esprit. I'll let everyone know how it seems w/my 4 month old. I hope we have a little bit of time to try it out locally before we take it to WDW.

 

[wrldpossibility]

I see you've made your selection! I thought I'd still post in case anyone else could use a review. You chose between the same two strollers we did! We selected the Combi Cosmo, and have been very happy with it. I think the Britax "drove" better, but the Combi had too many cool features to resist.

Pros of the Combi:

Great fold system (easiest to fold I've tried, and folds so small!)

Stands alone when folded (this has come in handy in SO many airports)

Carry strap

Bar in front with cupholder (plus the bar is great to add a fan, etc)

Comfier padding than the Britax or Mac (DS takes better naps in his Combi than in his bed!)

SO lightweight

Cons:

Harder to push since it's narrow (but it does fit in narrow isles)

Basket is harder to access than the Britax or Mac we tried (we solved this by buying a Mac handle mesh bag with cup holders, so we now have 3 cup holders on our Combi, plus an extra mesh bag)

The fact that it is outgrown sooner doesn't bother me, since I don't use strollers past age 3. Plus my kids are on the small side. Our Combi has been great for travel. The Britax was a close second for me though, and I'm sure it will work great for you. Post how you like it!