Things I wanted:
- A stroller for MOST uses (I'll probably get a $30 umbrella at some point for travel)
- Tall enough for me 5 foot 8 inches and my husband, just under 6 foot
- Ability to work from infancy to childhood
- As light as possible
- Ability to fit in my car
- All terrain wheels to make long walks more pleasant and for occasional dirt trails and grass
- Possible ability to convert into a double
Then the stroller search began ONLINE. I started watching a lot of video reviews. I found Baby Gizmo's video reviews the most helpful. I watched everything from Peg Perego to Bugaboo, UppaBaby, Baby Jogger, BOB, Phil and Teds and Chicco.
I got tempted by the Baby Jogger City Select
Then there's the City Mini, the VERY popular lightweight stroller that has a sleek three-wheel design. It weighs only 16.8 lbs and folds with one hand. Overall, I think it is a fantastic stroller. It makes great turns and can maneuver through small aisles in a store. The seat reclines and thus is suitable for an infant. It has a great canopy too. There is also a car seat adapter as well as other accessories available. The best thing about the City Mini is the $229 price tag, but in the end there were a few factors that made me desire a different stroller. First, the wheels are not all-terrain. Second, the synthetic fabric, albeit light, is very thin and seems the type that could tear if accidentally snagged on something. However, I wanted to only need ONE stroller, aside from a cheap umbrella eventually. And I really wanted something that would feel amazing to push on long walks and be able to handle uneven sidewalks with ease. The other disadvantage of the City Mini is that all the accessories are sold separately. When you start adding them up: Rain cover, car seat adapter
Choosing the Bumbleride Indie
I was initially attracted to the beautiful canvas that came in gorgeous bright colors. The canopy is HUGE. When set in a toddler position the canvas goes all the way down to the bar. The wheels are 12 inch air filled tires, coming off with the pull of a lever for a more compact fold. The handle gets high enough for both my husband and I to push with ease and not fear kicking the stroller. The brake is fabulous and breaks both back wheels at the same time. 5-point harness with pads. The stroller comes with an infant head rest. It pushes like a dream and the front wheel can either swivel 360 degrees or be locked into an inline position for light jogging. When reclined all the way for infant position, the footrest goes all the way up to create almost a little bassinet, complete with fabric that snaps to the main part of the seat. The stroller also has a nice zippered pocket behind the canopy for my cell phone and keys or other accessories.
The stroller is expensive. It retails for $469. However it COMES with a number of accessories:
1. Car seat adapter which also has a cover to become a nice padded bumper bar
2. Rain Cover
3. Cup holder
4. Infant Head Rest
4. Jogging strap
5. Air pump for the tires
I am so happy with my stroller. I feel really happy when I push it and I love that I can either use it as a travel system with my car seat if my infant is sleeping, or just place my baby directly into the stroller. I find the folding really easy and the stroller only weighs 20 lbs which is light for an all-terrain full size stroller. The canvas is removable and washable for easy Pesach cleaning!!! When one factors in all the accessories that are included I think the stroller is a good value. Bumbleride offers a 1-year warranty and I hear they have amazing customer service. I will let you know how it is holding up after a few months of use.