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Friday, January 25, 2013

Review: BOB Revolution SE Duallie

Also on Amazon.com - Published November 11, 2011
I still agree with everything I wrote originally

After six months of use as a full time nanny:

Pros:
- Super easy to push, even with toddlers
- Turns on a dime
- Amazing shade
- Waterproof material
- Front lockable swivel wheel for jogging/tough terrain
- Peekaboo windows, but with loud velcro
- 5pt harness
- (just barely) fits through standard doorways

Cons:
- Heavy, heavy, HEAVY!!! Do not expect to be easily whipping this stroller around, it weighs a ton.
- The fold is huge, which is to be expected with this type of stroller, but makes it hard to fit in a standard sized car. Between the weight and size of the fold, it is hard to carry it up or down even a few stairs.
- It is a three part fold that requires two hands, esp annoying when you have a baby old enough to sit in the seat but not old enough to sit completely unassisted on the sidewalk
- The handlebar is not adjustable. I am tall, so this is particularly annoying to me. It's not too bad while you are running though.
- The basket is big, but it is hard to get anything big in it. There is a strap that goes right in between the two seats which makes fitting a medium to large diaper bag in it hard, and ridiculous to try and maneuver out while you are squatting on the ground in a foot of snow
- No adjustable footrest. The slope down is fine, but I imagine this will be uncomfortable when the littler one hits 12 months. Also it goes into a V, this is annoying for my tall 26mo old who has to keep his legs moved sideways or stick one leg over the side.
- Although I love the canopies, when only one section is open the material of the other one hangs down to block my 26mo old's view or not let him rest his head depending on which section is closed
- Tall 26 month old is already getting too tall. He has room to canopy top, but not on the seat back.
- Manual strap recline - super annoying, but versatile
- It has a shock system, but it makes the stroller incredibly bouncy, so the bumps are not hard, but they do shake your kids silly

BUY IT: if you live in a rural area and can just roll it into your garage, you want to jog with your two kids (both at LEAST 6mo old, best if 12mo and up), or you frequently encounter rough terrain with wide paths.

DO NOT BUY: if you have big children, live in an urban area, or have to carry it over more than four stairs

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Types of Strollers

Buying a stroller is a lot like buying a car. It is not one size fits all, you have to take into consideration what kind of terrain you will encounter, the amount of parking space you have, the price of the vehicle, and your personal preferences. It is not as easy as picking out the best, because what is the best for one family may not be the best for another. Most families have more than one stroller to cover different needs.

Silver Cross Coach Built Pram
Pram/Buggy/Carriage
- Only for the first few months, they are beautiful and expensive. They feature a bassinet for the baby. Some can convert to a regular stroller with a detachable toddler seat.
- Area: suburban or rural - made for use on an estate. Most terrain
- Brands: Inglesina Classica, Silver Cross
UppaBaby Vista

Luxury Stroller
- Why not have it all? Luxury systems look nice, are easy to push, made of superior materials, and often feature a bassinet as well as a seat. Many can also be used for light jogging. Many have second seats available if you plan on having more children.
- Area: urban, suburban, rural. Most terrain. May not work well in dense urban areas.
- Brands: UppaBaby Vista, Britax B-Ready, Quinny Moodd, Stokke Xplory, JJ Cole Broadway
Mountain Buggy Terrain

Activity Stroller
 - For the parents who want to include baby in their adventure. These are either all terrain, joggers, or both. Activity strollers are for the active parent: jogging strollers for runners and terrain strollers for hikers. If you are an avid runner, don’t get a terrain stroller. Terrain strollers are built for all terrain, not running. Jogging strollers have special features to keep baby safe and comfortable during runs.
- Area: suburban, rural.
- Brands: Mountain Buggy Terrain, BOB Revolution SE, BOB Ironman, Schwinn Turismo Swivel, Baby Jogger F.I.T., Joovy Zoom 360
Britax B-Agile

Standard
- The stroller that you most likely rode in. These are mid-priced strollers that are bulky, but have loads of features like huge baskets and cup holders. Great for every use. Older models often have garish (cartoonish) fabrics. They recently started to make standard strollers that are aesthetically pleasing to parents.
- Area: suburban
Brands: UppaBaby Cruz, Britax B-Agile, Baby Jogger City Mini
Mutsy EasyRider - My Review Here

Lightweight Plus
- A cross between the standard and lightweight, the lightweight plus is lighter than a traditional stroller, but still has many of the same features. They often have flat reclines and can be used from birth. These are great for traveling and great car strollers, because they are small and baby can sleep in them.
-Area: urban, suburban
-Brands: Baby Planet Endangered Species, Bumbleride Flite, Bumbleride Flyer, Mutsy EasyRider, Inglesina Trip, Cosatto Swift Lite, UppaBaby G-Luxe
UppaBaby G-Lite
Lightweight/ Umbrella
- These strollers weigh less than 15lb and are for 6m+. Parents usually buy one for trips or when they get tired of lugging a huge stroller around. These have no or little recline, and often have umbrella shaped handles.
- Area: urban, suburban
- Brands: UppaBaby G-Lite, First Years Jet, Chicco Capri
Graco SnugRider
Car Seat Frame Stroller
- For running errands, a frame stroller lets you pop baby's car seat on and off the stroller with ease. These do not have a seat, the car seat takes the place of the seat. A frame stroller should NOT be used in place of a regular stroller. It is dangerous to baby's health if they spend too much time in a car seat. Many luxury strollers offer a snap in car seat frame to be used in place of the seat. Many standard strollers let you pop the car seat on top of the seat.
- Area: urban, suburban
- Brands: Graco, Chicco, Baby Trend