When you're in the market for a baby stroller you inevitably find yourself staring at them on the street, craning your neck to find the brand and, often, asking the driver what they think. New York Magazine sent mom, Faye Penn, and her son Ezra onto the streets of New York to test drive nine "hot" strollers and she reports back with her findings.
Faye tested all the biggies: Quinny Buzz, Stokke Exploratory, Peg-Pérego Skate, Orbit, Micralite Toro, Bugaboo Cameleon, Bugaboo Bee and, thankfully, two in the "under $500" category: the Macclaren Techno XT and the Dreamer Design/Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler.
She describes both how the strollers performed on the streets and on public transportation and evaluates how easy or difficult they were to assemble and fold. It's a great primer and comparison infused with humor and notes from the ground:
On bus ride, hit a passenger in the head with seat and had to ask another rider to fish MetroCard out of pocket. On subway, actually accepted an assist from a pregnant woman.
Not good with one-handed swiveling or cobblestones, and its ubiquity raises fears that one might wheel away with the wrong kid.
Frame so narrow it gave our snowsuited 5-month-old zombie arms.
Check out the full review here and, if you're in New York, see their short piece on finding a second-hand stroller.
(Photos by Michael Schmelling for New York Magazine.)
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
When Hannah was about 10 months old (Jan 2007) we visited New York (we're from Melbourne, Australia) with our bulky Beema Q pram (which we didn't see in US/Canada) during the dead of WINTER.
Having to rely on public transportation, we found New York to be EXTREMELY unchild-friendly... many cabs wouldn't take us around because of the no-child-seat situation, some smaller cabs couldn't fit the pram in and the subway systems were dirty and without handicap/pram access.
Now that Hannah can walk on her own and is a little more independent, we're hoping to go back to New York... in the autumn. Soooo many things we missed out on seeing in the midst of snow blizzards, windsleets and general ice on the ground which made pram travelling VERY precarious!!!
view drey's profile
I wish she had tried some double strollers.
view AliMC's profile
We have the Britax Verve priced at about $200 and used it for a week in NYC last spring, all over Guatemala last summer, and a few other in the states trips this past year. It folds up quick, doesn't take up much space, is insanely light weight, manuvers one handed well, and has no problems pounding the streets.
We haven't come across another one in all of our travels this past year. We really love it and I can't believe that it hasn't caught on yet as a cheaper alternative to the bugaboo or quinny.
view Nicole83's profile
BABYJOGGER CITY ELITE!!!
$400, pneumatic tires an the easiest fold I've ever had! I have to mention I have three kids..
view laSweeTee's profile