My question is what is a reasonable stroller for a toddler? My first carriage was a Chicco Travel System which is pretty good. It just takes up a lot of room (esp. in a Honda Accord). I went out and bought a cheap stroller that is lightweight and smaller than my Chicco but it isn't very good on sidewalks. It's a Trendsport stroller.
I love the look of the jogging strollers and the big wheels but honestly I don't jog and they are probably heavy and will take up space in a trunk. I do enjoy walking and just want a lightweight stroller that can take those bumps on sidewalks in NYC or on hills. Maybe a jogging stroller would be worth the money if it was meant for two kids as I plan on having another child within two years. My first child is about 17 months. Thank you!
P.S. When I take my daughter out for a walk in the stroller I usually walk my 65-70lb dog too!
based on the life-style you've described, I would go w/ a jogging stroller. Easier to control and durable for the long run.
My kids are 10 and 12 now so this info is old, but I LOVED our Emmaljunga stroller. It is a Europena style buggie with big wheels and a square seat area and a huge canopy and even leg cover for rainy weather. We used it in downpours and child stays dry. The seat can turn around which I needed to keep child out of the sun when walking. My recommendation is: go to a good baby store and tell them how you plan to use it. My research suggested a Peg Perego with the handle that can move to either side to keep child out of the sun, but at the store I told them I live near a dirt road that I use all the time and they suggested the big wheels on the Emmaljunga. It is large so I mostly left it in the garage but did take it into Boston frequently and even trips to Holland where I am from where there are large tile side walks everywhere that American strollers cannot handle. I also had a double jogger by InStep that collapsed pretty small and the wheels had quick-disconnects so if it did not fit in the trunk (which it did in my Dodge Intrepid) one could take the wheels off to make it flatter. Those air-tires can go over anything, the bigger the wheels the smoother but jogging stroller seats are not supportive enough for infants (kids have to be able to sit). So go talk to a stroller expert at a store and explain your needs, you may have to trade off size for comfort or collapsability for ability to go over terrain. Over the year I had 5 strollers: the first travel system (heavy), the Emmaljunga (excellent), the umbrella stroller for the mall, the InStep double jogger and the Graco side-by-side . The Grace was fabulously lightweight, collapsible, large basket, locking wheels for rugged terrain, my overall favorite for average bumps, but the jogger(2) or Emmaljunga(1 kid) was best for rugged wood paths. Good luck.
I have had numerous strollers. For what you're describing, I'd recommend a Maclaren. They are extremely lightweight, umbrella-type strollers, and they come in a range of prices with quality/poshness increasing with price. It steers extremely well, easy to steer with one hand, and a very smooth ride, even on uneven surfaces. It reclines for naps, and has a reasonable basket for your stuff. The ONLY negative I found with these strollers, is that they don't come with a child tray. HOWEVER, we did find that our Trendsport tray FITS on the Maclaren. It snaps right on it just like the Trendsport, so if a child tray is a must for you, as it was for us, you might find that your tray from your Trendsport will work. I'd try the tray on a store model, just to make sure it'll work. That's what I did. The Maclaren's have a high weight limit also, so it should go the duration for you. It's what I'm using with my 45 lb, tall 4 1/2 year old, and he's very comfortable in it. And we tried them all...
