it has been decided... I think

[will get back to Nantucket posts on Monday]

Been stroller shopping lately.  Thought I wanted the Maclaren Quest Sport, then thought I wanted a Bugaboo (via Craigslist, but still couldn't stomach the cost, even @ 1/2 price), then Annmarie offered me her old Maclaren, but we were too lazy to haul it home (although we were very grateful).  I pulled my neighbor's jog stroller out of her trash (thanks Kelly!), so the BOB type was ruled out.  Sort of been at a loss over what to pick. 

I really wanted a beefed-up umbrella stroller.  I'm of the muscleless type, wanted lightweight, easy to fold, big canopy (live in The Sunshine State), wanted a cup holder, an accessible basket, wanted it to be a reasonable price and I wanted it to look cool.  My husband is concerned with the mechanics, needs good wheels that turn nicely, I agree.  Too much to ask?  I just couldn't find one that fit the bill perfectly.  Until now.

Tonight I found the Joovy Kooper.  Quite a name, huh?  I read reviews.  It got good ones here, here and here.  The price is nice at $199.99. AND another GREAT review HERE.

The apple green color is a bit much for me.  Worried the black will be hot and it's not available at Babies-R-Us for some unknown reason.  Leaves me with lemontree (yellow) or red.  My gut says yellow, because really... it's not overwhelmingly yellow when the canopy is folded in.  Agree?  Will it be harder to keep clean though?

Anyone own this?  Or test-driven it?  I hate to buy it without test driving it, but it's nowhere near me... so I'm relying on the video below.

You Tube video reviews are the best things ever, this one is complete with rap music and a pit bull (!?), gotta watch to the end to see that though.  

*- guy in the video mentions "3-point harness" - he meant 5-point.

Joovy Kooper

PS- I failed to mention that I have the Graco SnugRide carseat (for when the Peanut is an infant), I plan to get theSnap & Go thing for the early stages.

Comments

[Jennifer]

I can't wait to hear the helpful hints on this. I am about 18 weeks preggers and find out what I'm having on Monday. I have been trying to figure this whole carseat stroller thing out. I had decided I wanted a jogging stroller and have been looking. I was looking at the baby trend jogger at Target that is $109.00 but am still undecided. Sorry I'm of no help to you but can't wait to hear. I was hoping you would post about this stroller thing soon.

[claire]

YELLOW!!!! it isn't mellow :)

[carole fabrics]

Having 2 children I say find a stroller and car seat that fits your life style especially the stroller that you can move from stroller to car easily. If you are busy like me my kids went everywhere and were moved from car seat to stroller a lot. It needs to be convenient and easy to operate and very well made. Enjoy your new baby.

[grace]

I have both a Green Bugaboo Chameleon and a Bob. Where I live, pretty much everyone has these for some reason. The bugaboo was a gift, and we LOVE it!!! I know it's not the smallest or the most compact stroller, but it does just fine and it glides like no other stroller. I'm hoping that one day they come out with a double stroller! My husband and I love it that much and it's been worth every penny in our eyes, since we use it every day. The joovy looks super cool and I'm loving the price! I am in a mommy group of 75 moms, and I haven't seen this one yet. Love it though!!! Looks super easy, and I'm liking the red:)

[allison]

I'm due about two weeks before you...you're due the day before my b-day:) Sept. is a great month for birthdays!

Anyway, we went with a travel system for now (Chicco Keyfit). Everyone told me that for the infant stage this was the best way to go...car seat just detaches and attaches into the stroller...can use stroller until the baby/toddler is 50 lbs.

I'm sure we will look into getting a more compact stroller when we transition him into a new car seat at about 1 yrs. old.

Good luck with your decision!...love your dress too...bought one similar at Gap Maternity...love maternity clothes that don't scream "maternity" if you know what I mean;)

[Paige]

Hi there! This is my first time posting and since I have a six month old, I wanted to give you my input. Get the BUGABOO!!! I too bought mine off Craigslist and I LOVE IT! It has been worth every penny especially with the carseat adapter. I think it's worth a splurge since it is your first baby, you will have years of use from it. Most of my friends have the Bugaboo and adore it too. Plus, the Bugaboo comes in pink, sooo cute. Another good one, though harder to find on craigslist, is the Uppa Baby Vista. Good luck!

[Darby]

Sister,

I love the Kooper and that video is hillarious. Thanks for sharing it with me... that's one that I certainly would have missed. The stroller looks great and I think yellow, green, or black would be just fine!! Love you and that BABY!

[Joni Webb]

Get the one that won't clash with pink if you plan on putting her (yeah!) in lots of pink. or if you think she is going to be a blue jeans kind of girl, get the red. I mean, we can't have her STROLLER clashing with her cute clothes now, can we?

oh and the easier, the lightest, the faster to get open, the better, imho, but you know it's been 18 years for me. you look too precious pregnant, btw!

[Anne W]

I hadn't heard of the Joovy Kooper, but after reading its description it looks great!! I like that it's described as a cross b/w an umbrella-type and a buggy style. I think you'll be really happy with this. My only concern would be that baby needs to be 6 months old to use it...you may want something to get around in during those early days and months. (we used a Snap & Go instead of a "travel system" at this stage, so we could have the benefit of snapping the carseat into a stroller, but without the weight or cost of a full-on travel system) good luck with the decision!

[LB]

The truth is, there is no one stroller that will be perfect. You'll probably find after you've had one stroller that you wish you had another. By the time you're done having kids you'll probably have owned about 5 different ones at various times b/c there is just not one good stroller to take you through ages/stage/number of kids; I'm sure it's intentional on the part of the stroller company! If this one fits the bill for now - I say get it. I've had about 3 different strollers in 2 kids' lifetimes and about to get another with my 3rd. The Snap n Go is the no brainer w/ the Snugride and I agree about the lightweight; travel systems are ridiculously heavy. I loved my BOB, btw and I do feel like this is one area of baby gear where more $$ does make a difference - though still couldn't pay the price of the Bugaboo, Craigslist or not.

[seleta]

Yellow. Goes great with grey, green denim or pink. Plus it's perfect for a beach baby.

My last stroller was red and the color got on my nerves after a while.

[Stacey]

Check out the Quinny brand - light, compact, and great wheels. I would almost have another child to buy one of these. I first saw one with a European couple and thought it was the coolest thing. They now sell them in the States.

[Kristen]

Hey Erika... take this for what it's worth... we splurged on the Bugaboo Cameleon and love it! we NEVER had to purchase another stroller EVER ...AND baby2 will be using it as well. The wheels are rubber & inflatable, which is REALLY important in my eyes. Those plastic wheeled strollers don't glide here in our environment, in my opinion. I LOVE how the seat is removable -- Ansley has used her seat by itself many times while at the beach, eating, just relaxing, etc...(we also used the bassinet in the beginning for random uses) I NEVER thought it was too bulky or heavy. Friends of ours purchased plastic wheeled umbrella type strollers at first and wound up purchasing additional strollers later, which adds up. If you spend the $ upfront, you won't regret it. AND you can get carseat adapters making it unnecessary to purchase a diff stroller for early days... As you can tell, we're HOOKED on our bugaboo. Lyn really wouldn't compromise on the stroller decision and I'm glad, in hindsight.
About Bobs... everyone I know with one loves it! (you can also get carseat adapters for that one)

[Courtney]

I love you, I love your trip recap and I love your bump. I also couldn't help but comment on this post considering I'm sure you never expected it :) And no, I have no advice to offer...just wanted to say Hello. Miss you and you look so great in all those photos! Chance is also BEAMING.

[Kara Hebert]

Had the snap and go thing for the infant seat. Great idea. Loved it ALTHOUGH I bought the Maclaren brand snap and go and didn't like this actual model. My friends had the cheaper one and I liked it better because it had a tray and a cup holder. So get the snap and go carrier but don't get the maclaren brand of it.
Joovey Stroller - LOVE it, it was on my list and I never got around to it, get the yellow. It will be harder to keep clean but who cares. It's cuter.

[Robin Stamp]

That one is really nice! I love the design and features and the sun canopy is the best I've seen out there. Go with yellow-- you seem like a yellow person :)

I have a recommendation and I know it's pricey, but maybe you can get one on ebay or craigslist. We have the Phil & Ted's Sport stroller and I LOVE IT!!!!! I can not express to you how awesome it is, and it is an engineering marvel (so Chance would love it), easy to collapse and only weighs 23 lbs. We have 2 girls, so I have the attached jump seat, making it an inline stroller so it's easy to turn and maneuver. The seat lays down completely flat (like a hammock) for a newborn. The great thing about it is that it can be a single or a double stroller depending on what you need. I've owned about 5 strollers so far, and I wish I just paid the extra money up front and got this one to save me all the hassle over the years. Check it out:
http://philandteds.com/sport_index.htm

[Resident Mommy]

The SnapNGo will make you endlessly happy.

If ever you stop appreciating it, there will be times when you effortlessly bring it out of your car while someone else in the parking lot is fumbling with their so-called 'travel system.' The contrast will make you so glad you went this route.

I'm really digging this blog with the new mommy twist. Congrats.

[Devon]

We had the Quinny; loved it, but not cheap. Was it worth it? For us, the tall folk, it was...

I think the only tips I would mention is make sure that the basket below can actually carry some 'stuff,' and that you and your husband can easily walk behind it without hitting the brakes with your feet and/or having to stoop to reach the handlebars. Try to think if you both could have pushed that stroller for your 15-mile walk in Boston. If so, that's the one.

The Quinny didn't have a drink holder. I don't know why, but this killed me...

[Meredith]

I have no idea! I was researching car seats, strollers and high chairs the other day and it made my head spin! There are SO many choices!!! Good luck! I'm looking at the Cicco Travel System.

~Meredith

[Devon]

So sorry to post twice, but I think your $$$ thoughts are smart. We are due soon with the second and I look at our Quinny with a stink-eye...I hate that we are having to buy a new double stroller and our Maxi Cosi car seat (goes with the Quinny) isn't compatible with most major double stroller brands (of which here are much less options than single stroller brands).

[Christina]

I dont know if you're intrested in any more insight 20 comments deep but I will give my 2 cents anyway.
You really have to test drive a stroller yourself! I had lots of rec's and had picked one online that I loved and when I "drove" it, I hated it. You can't know if the handle height is good, if it turns easily, if it's easy to fold down, if you will kick the wheels when walking (PETPEEVE!AHHH!) I'm short, 5'3" so I had to shop to find one that fit me, not just my boy. I have two, a Schwinn jogger and the MacLaren Volo. They are both perfect for US- but I can't tell you they will be for you.
Get out there and start pushing them!

[Taylor Wise]

Snap and Go's are the best. I could not have survived without that thing.

[Jennie Marie]

Test drive and decide, everyone has their prefernces. We have a Bugaboo and a BOB (which was a gift). Love both, you know I've never regreted my bugaboo purchase and I will say I have had no reason to purchase another stroller. My only advise is to remember you may have two, three, four or ten children (haha) all of which may not be girls. Hopefully you will not need to buy a new stroller for each child so go with something that is gender neutral. I do like the look of the Joovy sorry I don't know anything about them.

[Christina]

Good choice on the snap & go. I wouldn't want to be w/o ours. My friend has a Joovy and likes it a lot. We have a Mountain Buggy jogger and it's been the best investment stroller-wise (lightweight, can steer with one hand, drives SO smoothly). We also have a Bumbleride. I LOVE that the handle bar flips so baby can face me or the world. He was not fond of facing out until about 5.5 months old so this stroller was a huge help, esp in the airport for travels. It doesn't drive as smoothly as the Mtn Buggy though. We also have a Volvo Maclaren but haven't been able to use it yet since he's just starting to sit up on his own. Yes, too many strollers but they don't make a perfect one for all needs.

Good luck with your choice. I'd say yellow or black. Our Mtn buggy is black and we haven't had issues with it being too hot this summer.

[Heather]

Get the black! I hate dirty strollers and colors show dirt! I promise it won't be hot or any hotter then the others.

Look into the Phil and Ted if you are even thinking about having another baby in the next 2-3 years.

[Lee-Anne]

Erika - we have the Chicco Umbrella stroller in black and LOVE it.it does not get too hot and the umbrella is nice (though not quite as big as the joovy). It also looks nice and it's hard to tire of black, so classy.
I also looked on ebay and there is a european line [Pram Stroller] that is on there often (usually last year's model) at a good price....well made, etc.
You'll make a great decision....and, ultimately, you may wish down the road you chose a different one, cause they grow and change and your needs change....

[elizabeth]

After 4 kids I am ashamed to say I probably owned over 10 different strollers..from the ridiculously impractical but beautiful Emmaljunga Pram to a $30 umbrella strollers. Here are the 4 that Im glad I had. The Combi Savvy was the best stroller I had. Its a super lightweight stroller perfect for travel but has all the bells and whistles, think of it as the Honda of strollers. We had a Jogging stroller that had a life of over 10 years. If you have more than one the best double is the Maclaren Twin Carbon. I would also invest in or borrow a snap in frame for your infant car seat. You will use this all the time until they are out of the infant car seat, its not pretty but super functional. Good luck.

[Anna]

I think these are pretty nifty. . . The 2nd one faces front and rear. {Love that you're doing all this research, by the way!}

XOXO

http://www.bumbleride.com/collection2009/indie-colors.php

http://www.miamodainc.com/strollers/atmosferra.asp

[Laura Casey Interiors]

E- I love this one and as long as it reclines a bit and is light enough for you to throw in the back of your car it will be great! I vote yellow too. They get hot! xo

[Mrs. Blandings]

I really loved Britax carseats when I was in the business, but I have been out of it for a while. The thing about strollers, well, the thing about strollers is they absolutely save your life, but... at least buy one you can return if you can't test drive it. You need to be able to maneuver it with one hand and, ideally, lift it from the back of the car and un-collapse it and lock it in place with one hand (and a foot - I know this does not make sense now, but it will.)

[Renee]

I have a friend who bought SEVEN different strollers trying to avoid spending the money for a Bugaboo. Who needs that hassle? When you have a baby no less! I had the Bugaboo Frog for my first-born and LOVED it. It was incredibly versatile and lightweight. I was hopeful they would come out with a double for twins, but not such luck (I hate Maclaren).

Some things are worth the money. Bugaboo!
xoxo

[Ashley]

i just wanted to say that i love you, and i love that little baby in your tummy! she'll love whatever ride has her mama behind it pushing her around...oh my stars! what a lucky little girl!!! love you and i hope today has been a good day for you! LOVED "seeing" you yesterday!!! you made my day with your cute belly and cute belly dance! :)

[molly]

The stroller decision was the biggest deal to me. I so wanted the bugaboo just b/c of how cool I would look pushing it:) I decided, though, for my lifestyle, it was a waste of money. If I lived in NYC or Mtn. Brook, or somewhere I'd walk a lot to shop or to get my morning coffee or something, I would have gotten it. but 9 times out of 10 if I'm using a stroller it's b/c I'm walking (exercise walking) or running. So I went with the BOB and LOVE it. I got a Chicco umbrella stroller for $60 to stash in the back of my car. That's what I use the other 1 time of 10, at the mall or when I'm lugging a bunch of stuff into church or something and don't have the free arm to carry her. I don't like that particular stroller, but like the idea of having just a jogger and a cheap umbrella stroller. I love the bugaboo, but it just wouldn't hack it for my 3+ mile runs and walks - I needed the real deal. I also have a hand-me-down snap n go which I used w/ my Graco Safeseat - loved it. Asking for the double BOB for Christmas as baby bro or sis will be here in February. Might also splurge on a good double umbrella if #1 still isn't walking when #2 arrives. Praying hard and working hard in therapy for her to be on the move by then! Good luck. The stroller thing is a big decision and it really does differ for people depending on your lifestyle.

[Lucy]

We have a bugaboo bee. It worked great when my daughter was younger, but it didn't grow very well with her. She is 2 now but we haven't used it since she was 15-18 months.

I originally looked into the bugaboo cameleon and finally decided that it wasn't worth it for me. I think it is a great stroller for someone who lives in the city and doesn't have to take it apart all the time to put it in the car. My back was worn out enough with just loading the carseat, so I'm glad I didn't get it.

My mom and mother-in-law have Maclarens. They are great and light weight. We borrow them when we travel. One of my friends just got the bumbleride, and she loves it. I've also heard good thinks about the uppa baby strollers.

Also, I would be careful about the color you pick. You want to REALLY like it because you will see it a lot.

[erin from austin]

hi there! i was just at the babies r us in austin, and i noticed the joovy kooper for the first time. i thought it looked like a great stroller.

[Holly]

i know nothing about this stroller but i am interested in all of the comments for sure..i had maclaren with drew and it was ok but for that price it did not even have a cup holder!

but did you know that maclaren makes a kate spade design one?? (I think it is maclaren??) gap has some cool strollers not sure the brand.

i have the chicco infant seat and the snap and go for now..LOVE the snap and go!

[Caroline S]

We just bought the Joovy Caboose Ultralight which is the sit and stand version for 2 kids. The newest one isn't here yet but we've been test driving it and it rides really nicely and is very light. I have heard all good things about Joovy in general. Hope you like it. We like ours!

[Pink Wallpaper]

hey erika! we have the bugaboo and i love/ hate it...i love it when i am exercising..she spins like a champ but i have to say i hate it when i am shopping- its heavy and big so in a store w/ small aisle, it's hard to navigate! i use an umbrella now when i go shopping. good luck w/ your selection! i got my neighbors to get a BOB and i love it b/c you can run w/ it...the bug is super hard to run with...

[Sara jane]

that dog is precious! maybe it's the one riding in the stroller?

i think the green is super cute! but you can tell i'm nowhere near having babies because i almost choked on the $200 price tag! i guess i was thinking strollers ran like $50-$80. i also had no idea there were so many kinds of strollers out there! how could you ever decide?!

[Lindsay]

almost got this one. Can't really remember why we didn't to be honest. I think it was because it wouldn't clip onto our graco carseat. We have the snug ride (love it) and got the snap ad go (also love it) Just got the Maclaren Volo at 7.5 months but still use the snap and go a lot! And have a jeep jogger.

[Heather]

I have a Phil and Teds in apple green and it is horrendous to keep clean - especially once the kids hit the nibbles stage. I've bought new skins in grey for mine. Phil and Teds also have a car seat attachment system too. Its great for 2 kids close together - mine are 18 months apart.

If you are planning on doing any non pavement walking, you may also want a stroller with bigger wheels.

[Heather]

Oh and the PnT is narrow so fits through most checkouts.

[Whitney]

Okay, some more advice...
I have the Bugaboo and LOVE it!!! I cannot imagine my life without it. I do live in a city though and do tons of walking. If you plan to walk a lot I highly recommend it. What I hate about the Bugaboo is the size when folded and the fact that it is a pain to get in and out of the car- and I have an SUV with plenty of space. Therefore, I also own a Maclaren that I keep in my car and use for travel. I also love this stroller as it is so light and compact and folds up so easily.

[Gillian]

This stroller looks great. Love the design etc. Even showed the video to my husband. I too am having a baby this year and was looking at strollers today and found the babyjogger city mini. I am not a huge fan of 3 wheeled strollers, but this is by far the lightest and easiest to fold stroller I have come across. Here is the link: http://www.babyjogger.com/city_mini_lp.aspx.
We had our hearts set on the orbitbaby because we thought it was easy to use and nice looking, but have changed our minds after playing with the city mini today. It does have a cup holder, but you have to buy it as an accessory. It's worth looking at. I am 5'2 and not very strong, so am definitely looking for something light weight as well.

[Grace]

What a fun post! I too am in stroller-picking hell. :) As we live in Dublin, have no car, and have to deal with horribly paved streets and sidewalks, as well as public transport, we're going with the Bugaboo (and crying every time we think of the pricetag).

The Joovy Kooper looks very cool though - I love it. And yellow? Yes please! It's exciting to see the adventures of a fellow Mom-to-be. I'm 5 months so just a bit behind you.

To the poster who mentioned a double (twin) Bugaboo - I saw one 2 days ago and almost fell over. She must have gotten it in Holland or something - maybe it'll make its way Stateside soon!

[Erika]

The Snap and Go works really well...the frame is very lightweight and the cargo room is quite generous!

[Amy]

Hi Erika. Congratulations. I got the Peg Perego Pliko 3 for my baby who is now 2. I loved it at first but now that she is bigger it is a bear to turn. I got the aqua color and it is DIRTY. Sending it through the security xray machines at the airport really did it in.

You have to decide what your tolerance level will be for dirt is because it WILL get dirty. I actually like the yellow, but here is a thought...Florida is so sunny and the yellow will reflect that light and potentially make it very bright on babies eyes. Even with the shade in place that sun is going to bounce off the fabric...that could be very uncomfortable for her. I would go with red or black.

But also, since you are going to get a snap in go first, you really won't need another stroller for 6-12 months. I suggest waiting to see what other new stroller come out or until you can test drive one in person.

Good Luck. You guys are going to LOVE being parents. After the first day you won't know how you ever lived without her.

[M]

Hi, I love reading your blog, I got connected to it from some other blogs that I read. Wanted to give some input on the stroller issue. I have a Bugaboo Bee, which looks very similar to this stroller, however, I feel it does some things A LOT better that warrants the higher price. First, it is usable from birth to approximately 3 years. It reclines fully to be used as a pram when they are an infant. The babynest is a plus too. Second, you can switch the seat to forward facing or rear facing. Third, it folds much, much easier. Some of the things that are the same: the look is similar, the weight (I would guess....Bee is 15lbs or so), the Bee has a cupholder, it has a large cover to hide from the sun, it has a nice storage underneath, it has a Graco attachment so you can put your infant carseat right on it, etc. I love the Bee because it has all the benefits of a standard stroller (and more!) and it has the weight and ease of use of an umbrella stroller. I have traveled with it extensively and it gets a lot of use in and out of our car. I highly recommend! The Bee is much less expensive than the traditional Bugaboo strollers (think I paid $529 for it) but I will say it is worth all of that and then some. Hope this helps.

[Bette]

Wow....I'm so glad my I had my kids when a light weight, no name umbrella stroller, with canopy....(I'm also from the sunshine state)was about $20 bucks, and lasted through 3 kids! (Yes I'm WAY older than you) I cant imagine what college will cost for your little one.....I'll be done with THAT soon, and makes me thrilled to be of the age that I am! Thank you.....

[Ali]

I've seen that stroller around and it definitely *looks* cool, though I've never actually pushed it myself so I can't vouch for its usability. Another one in the same vein is the Baby Jogger City Mini -- have you looked at that one?

I would never in a million years get a Bugaboo, because for all that money it'll only last you one child. If you want a pricier stroller with the big all-terrain tires, go with a Phil & Ted's, which you can convert into a double stroller when the next baby arrives.

Oh, and you will LOVE the Snap-and-Go for those first few months!

Good luck!