Combi ST Stroller

[dlstc]

The Maclaren Volo seems to be a popular choice on the boards, but I've seen a great deal for a Combi ST. $52, including shipping. For another $10, I can get a rain shield. It is 11 lbs, deep recline, large canopy, smallish basket, safety bar with 3 point harness, folds easily, unfolds even easier and has a carrying strap.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Diana

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

Last year I sold my savvy soho I really couldn't use it for either one of my dd's they are were 3 and 6. I upgraded to a mac and have no trouble with either one of them and have no worries about either of them ever growing out of this stroller size wise only age wise. I opted away from the volo I wanted a techno so I bought last years model and was lucky enough to find someone close on craigslist who was selling one so I got it for 150 which is what some of them are selling for on ebay but I didn't have to pay shipping. I check craigslist often and see the volos listed for about 70 dollars. You may want to check it out if you haven't already.

 

[dlstc]

I can't afford a Techno. They cost around $250 - $300. I may be able to find last year's model for closer to $200. I don't want to buy used because I'd still have to pay at least $150 on eBay. The Maclaren are just too expensive.

The Combi's weight limit is 44 lbs. My six year old doesn't even weigh that, so I think I'll get a lot of life out of the Combi. I'l be using it for my 15 month old who weighs about 25 lbs.

Craigslist might as well not exist here. We only have 1 million people in the entire state, and only about 80,000 where I live. I checked and it just isn't an option. Also, the percentage of people around here in an income bracket that could afford a Maclaren is probably close to half of one percent.

Did you have good experiences with the Combi while your children could use it?

Thanks,
Diana

 

[peemagg]

I LOVE my Combi's! I have 3 of them. They are the City Savvy type models with cup holders for the children and a pocket with cup holders on the back for Mom and Dad. My Nieces and Nephew litterly fight over who is going to ride if I only take out one of the strollers. We will be using them in Disney in January. I bought all 3 of them off of E-bay and they were all under $100 with shipping.

The one you are looking at is nice, but I would try and upgrade to the City series if you can.

Oh and when you use the stroller and it seems like it is shaky and flimsy, it is not. That is a steering mechanism to help with turning, especially one handed. Try one and you will see what I mean.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

As the pp said you should try to find one that you can test out I know babiesrus usually has them if you have one near you. Also it is shakey but I didn't find that it helped the stroller turn and neither one of my girls weigh 40 pounds. I will say that I do like the combi and would love to get another one but I just don't like it for older kids.

 

[justwinnie]

I have a Combi Savvy Soho, which I had bought specifically for a solo trip to Disney with my then 2.5 y-o daughter. It was great for that purpose-- light, easy to fold, carry strap.

I found that she outgrew the stroller by height rather than weight-- rather quickly too. She often drags her feet on the wheels-- resting them on the foot rest just isn't so comfortable for her since she has to bend her knees quite a bit. My daughter isn't very tall either-- 25th percentile.

We still use it from time to time-- we keep it in one of the cars b/c it's so small.

Word of warning re:the basket-- everything must be emptied from it in order to fold. It kind of flips inside-out when the stroller is folded, so even a little blanket will fall out.

 

[clori]

I have an old combi savvy z which is a great compact stroller. It weighs in at a mere 7lbs 7oz and pushes easily with one hand and turns easily etc. I really wish this stroller was still made. My 7 year old can still fit in it by width on the rare occasion she sits in it for a second (never pushed in it though). My 3.5 year old still easily rides in it on the days I simply run late and don't leave enough time for her to walk 1/2 mile to pick dd7 up from school. She is 10% for height.

If I were to get a new stroller now I would probably go with the combi urban stroller. It weighs 10lbs and holds up to 55 pounds. It also includes a rain shield. I think it runs around $100 but chitchatbaby currently has them for $75 with free shipping. I want to get one but dh thinks once the wheel he damaged on our combi savvy z finally goes (he damaged it with heavy grocery bags) that dd can just walk all the time. If I were having more kids I would get it but this is my last kid who doesn't ride that often. Maybe when we have a disney trip planned I can talk him into it.

 

[blessedby3]

I had a Combi years ago and it was a piece of junk. Maybe they have gotten better, but the Mac is by far a whole different machine- much better. The Combi I had was very hard to push with my DD 2 1/2-3 in it. The frame was a cheap plastic and the handles were very short for my DH. No one wanted to push DD in the Combi when we had it. Whoever got stuck pushing her was complaining the whole time that the darn thing wouldnt push right!!! The frame on the Mac is like steel- very sturdy and the handles are extrememly tall. My DD9 still fits in the Volo and it you cant even tell she is in it. We are saving it for our newest addition and have bought a Mac Quest to use for her now as it reclines.

 

[PA Princess]

We have 4 children and have owned many strollers...the majority of those have been Combi's. The first stroller we ever bought for our first baby was a Combi (12 years ago - hard to believe), and that thing was awesome! We have also owned several Combi light weight travel/umbrella strollers we have been happy with those with young toddlers. In generally I really like the Combi products, but just to repeat a few words of warning similar to what others have mentioned...

- We are not tall people and we are comfy pushing the combi's, but I know taller people whoe have had issues with the combi's

-We currently own a Mac for our youngest (almost 3), because all of the newer combi's seem to have an issue with kids outgrowing by height. As someone else said, the foot rest bar for the rider is just not at a good place proportionally on the newer models.

-The Combo advatage is that we never ever had a tipping issue with the Combi.

-The Mac's really do have superior steering and better seating for older toddlers and kids.
Good luck with your decision...stroller shopping can sure be stressful.

 

[bumbershoot]

I got the Combi Cosmo ST back around 7 months ago, and although I liked it in the house, shortly after the return period ended, we took it outside (moved to an area with sidewalks) and HATED it. We went to the downtown farmer's market 3 blocks away. By the time we were at the very first intersection I knew I would return it.

It's insanely flimsy, and tried to fold up when I "popped" it to get it up the curb. I now wonder if I had it fully locked open, but the stroller I have now, there's no question; the fact that there was a question with the Combi is not good IMO.

I am only 5'3", but I was kicking the back of the wheels. I had to lean my body and walk funny to keep from kicking the tires. Another "not good" situation.

The only good thing about it was the carrying strap. I miss that! Though I never actually *used* it, so that might have disappointed me, too!

We consigned it so someone else could try it out, and after much looking around, randomly came across a BabyTrend at Toy r Us for a similar price as the Combi (nicely under $50 on sale), and it's REALLY good. We took it all over Disneyland, from our two hotels over the course of our stay and back, and it was really good. Not flimsy, easily went up curbs, and was much less fully of rattles, vs how the Combi was.


Never tried a MacLaren, though.

 

[amarberry]

I found that she outgrew the stroller by height rather than weight-- rather quickly too. She often drags her feet on the wheels-- resting them on the foot rest just isn't so comfortable for her since she has to bend her knees quite a bit.

I loved my Combi when DD was younger, but we had to stop using it about a year ago for the same reason. My DD was only 2.5 and not very tall (50th percentile).

 

[Embel]

We brought our Baby Trend to DW in August & it was great. It's a very lightweight stroller with a large and accessible storage area underneath.

Recently I bought a combi because I needed a 5 point harness to hold my 11 mos old escape artist. I can't wait to go back to the Baby Trend. The Combi has no tray for him, no tray & cup holder for me, a small storage basket and is hard to push on sidewalks. It sticks at the slightest bump in terrain.

HTH

 

[fakereadhed]

I love Combi! If you have a smaller child or a young one they are great. Or if you don't mind having to upgrade to a another stroller later. I have a savvy soho.