No matter how manly you think you are, at some point now that you are a dad you will push a stroller. And that is fine because being a dad is awesome and going for walks with your kid can be a fun way to spend an afternoon.
However as my wife and I quickly learned, not all strollers are the same or appropriate for all occasions. If you are in the market for a stroller, here is a list of things you should strongly consider before you drop $500-$2,000 on one – learn from my mistakes people.
Planning on More Than One Kid?
If you and your partner have discussed having more than one child, the next conversation should be what kind of age gap you want between them. Depending on the gap between children, you may have two kids at a stroller appropriate ages. This is what we are running into now. We have an awesome stroller but with a second one on the way we’ve realized that we should have picked up a double stroller instead of buying one that only sits one child.
There are a ton of great double strollers out there, many of which have a detachable second seat that you can store away until baby number two comes. If you and your partner are having kids close together – take my advice and save your money and buy a double stroller first.
About Face?
On the double stroller note – look at the possible configurations and see if any of them matter to you. Are both seats restricted to facing forward? Can you face one forward and the other back facing you? Can you have them face each other?
My number one rule of parenting is options. You may not think you need something until you can’t figure out any other way to make your kid stop crying or calm down. Having the option to switch the direction they are facing may be your ace in the hole in a situation – at least it is something you can try if you buy that kind of stroller.
Click and Connect Car Seat
The manufacturers of some strollers also make car seats, with some models acting as a hybrid of both.Essentially the car seat can disconnect from the car seat base installed in your vehicle and then be connected as the seat of the stroller.
This is extremely handy. If are driving to the mall or any event, you can quickly take your child out in their cart seat, pop them into the stroller and go. The other scenario would be taking them out of the car seat, removing the straps, placing them in the stroller and buckling them back in.
The other area where this helps out is when your kid falls asleep in the car and you want to bring them inside without waking them. You may be a ninja and can unbuckle them, lift them out and onto you and bring them into the house. With a click and connect car seat you can just bring the entire car seat with you into the house without waking them up.
Your Planned Activity Level
Is this stroller just for city living – sidewalks and building interiors? Or are you going to get extreme and go for runs with the stroller, perhaps even doing some urban nature trailers?
Different models of strollers will be able to handle different environments. You could buy more than one stroller but that is a lot of dough to fork over. While I aspire to be the dad the runs with his kids in the stroller, that did not happen so we opted for a regular four wheel stroller that makes grocery shopping and our regular outings convenient.
Weight
Strollers can be pretty damn heavy. Now I am sure you are thinking you can handle it but keep in mind it won’t just be you using the stroller. My wife might be by herself running errands with the kids and needs to be able to lift the stroller out of the vehicle and put it back in. Now that she is pregnant that can be quite difficult.
This also plays a factor in the maneuverability of the stroller.
On most specification areas of the stroller’s website, it will list how much the stroller weighs. Keep in mind that depending on the frame and design of the stroller, the weight can be distributed differently. The best option is to head into a store and test some strollers out.
Will it fit in the caboose ?
Quite simple – will it fit in your car’s trunk? If you are rocking an SUV most strollers won’t be a problem but if you have a small or midsize car do your due diligence. It wouldn’t be fun to buy and assemble a stroller only to try to put it in your car and find out it doesn’t fit.
Stores like Buy Buy Baby will allow you to take a floor model stroller and see how it fits in your trunk – I definitely recommend doing so.
How tall is the stroller?
There is no uniform height to strollers, nor do they all have adjustable handle bars. Even though I am all about shopping online as much as possible, for strollers I really believe you need to get your hands on one in a store.
Your height and that of your partner should play a significant role in which stroller you buy. If one of your is shorter, a stroller with a high handle bar and no adjustment feature will be like a child trying to push a grocery cart. Same deal goes for those of you that are tall with a shorter stroller – adult pushing a child’s play shopping cart around.
Find something that is comfortable and doesn’t require too much effort. Both of you will be spending a lot of hours behind this thing.
Where Are you Going to Store it?
Something that usually is thought about after the perfect stroller is bought. Where are you going to keep this thing? Every stroller has a different footprint when closed up. This is especially important if you are living in an apartment or other dwelling where space is at a premium.
Will it fit in your closet? Hallway? Side of the garage? Or maybe just keep it in the trunk of your car. Either way make sure you think about where you would ideally like to keep this and try to find one that won’t overflow into your living space or become that inconvenient thing you need to maneuver around.
Does it have a kickstand?
While you are thinking about where the stroller will live while it isn’t in use, check out how the stroller sits when it is all closed up. Some well designed strollers come with a stand that lets you stand it up right without following over.
This becomes very essentially when closing it up to load into a car trunk.
If your ideal stroller doesn’t come with a stand that might mean you need to lay it horizontal which could completely screw up your choice of storage space.
What kind of storage does it have?
We often go for walks and hit up the grocery store with nothing but the stroller. Our stroller has a big basket at the bottom under the child seat which can be perfect for stocking up on a weekend’s worth of groceries.
Try to think up when and where you will be using the stroller and what kind of utility you want to get out of it. Some strollers are sleek and aerodynamic but lack any convenient storage space. Great for runs but not running errands.
How about the bonus features?
On the same note about thinking of how else you may use the stroller, here are some other basic utility questions.
Does it come with drink holders for mom or dad? This is great on those early morning walks – no need to push with one hand and hold your starbucks coffee in the other. Any compartments on the handle for storing car keys or hand sanitizer?
Is there a snack tray or cup holder for your little one? This will help keep them occupied for longer periods of time. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a long walk only to have an inconsolable toddler, who wants to be carried back home….while you also need to keep pushing the stroller.
Can you Close it One Handed?
This is a must to practice in the store before you purchase a stroller. Are you able to close and collapse the stroller with only one hand? It may not seem like a big feature and theoretically there are lots of ways to not need this but it will happen and you will wish your stroller was easier to close.
One of our strollers was a breeze, I could hold my daughter in with left arm while using my right hand to apply a bit of force to close the stroller into its resting position. Not all strollers are capable of this and some can be downright difficult, even with both hands.
Can you clean it easily?
Depending on the material the stroller is made of, it can be a breeze or a pain in the ass to clean. Plastic is very cleanable, different types of fabric – your experience may vary. No matter how hard you try, something will get on your stroller. While it will usually just be spit, food milk or slush or could also be puke or poop.
Get something that is easily wipeable using the handy stash of wipes you will be carrying around. Then get home and clean the fabric properly. Hopefully you chose well and it comes out. No one wants to be the parent with the yellow stained stroller at the park.
Does it have a Bassinet Option?
Using our click and connect system, at a certain point our daughter HATED going for walks. That was until we started using the optional bassinet attachment that came with our stroller that gave her a new seat, which allowed us to change the angle of recline making her much more comfortable.
Having the bassinet or a seat that allows you to lay them down flat is helpful when they inevitably fall asleep on a walk. It will also keep them asleep, less sunlight in their eyes or old ladies trying to pinch their cheeks.
What kind of peek-a-boo window does it have?
Possibly a minor detail but if you are stuck between two strollers go with the one that has a magnetic peek-a-boo window. This is the small window on the top of the stroller’s canopy that allows you to pull it back and glimpse in at your front facing child.
If they are asleep, the velcro window can make a sharp noise that will wake them up. The magnetic windows let you be stealthy like a ninja.
Wheels – Plastic or Air filled
Again, this one is largely dictated by your planned utility of the stroller or the possible locals you might be visiting. In general the plastic wheels are less maneuverable but almost impenetrable to tears or damage. Air filled tires offer much more maneuverability but like other tires they can pop or spring a leak.
Still, don’t let the possibility of a leak deter you. Like any seasoned urban bike rider does, you could just pack a wheel repair kit to hold you over until you get home.
3 or 4
While speaking about wheels, the number of them should coincide with your planned usage of the stroller. Regular city, neighborhood or mall walking should be served just fine by the strollers with four wheels.
If you are planning on doing any outdoor paths or needing more maneuverability or speed, a three wheel stroller is probably the best choice.
What Colour is it?
This is many from a maintenance point of view and how often you want to clean or stroller. That is if you even care about having a clean stroller, if not skip this one.
Black and grey coloured strollers hide a lot of dirt and grime that can accumulate. You will be able to get away much longer without needed to visibly clean your strollers.
Vibrant colours like bright red show the wear and tear much sooner. Couple that with weather and the mess kids make and your may be cleaning this thing every weekend or succumbing to letting it be a mess.
Check out the Warranty Information
Take a look at what kind of warranty you will be getting with your stroller and how long the warranty is. The more comprehensive the warranty the better.
Based on some of the previous points, see if some of the features like the wheels are covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.
How is it reselling?
Type in your stroller model number or name into Craigslist, Facebook Buy/Sell or here in Canada Kijiji. See how much your stroller can be resold for if you choose to go that route.
Being able to make something on your stroller is nice if you aren’t planning on passing it down to a family or friend.
Accessories
We do love accessorizing right guys? There are plenty of third party accessories you can get for your stroller, look beyond just what the manufacturer offers. Pay attention to the small print on the packaging to see what kind of stroller models the third party accessories support.
Not all strollers models will be supported. In general it is in the best interest of the third party manufacturers to make accessories that are either a) universal to several models or b) work with the most popular models.
On a side note I really recommend getting a Mommy hook for your stroller. While the name leaves a bit to be desired, having a giant carabiner attached to the stroller is great for extra groceries if your storage options are lacking or just throwing a backpack onto it.
Strollers can be an expensive purchase. You really should give a lot of thought to how you will be using one before you drop your hard earned cash on one. Your stroller will get a lot of use so try to pick one you won’t hate after the 48th time of pushing it around the block.