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The Bottom Line: Do your research and try before you buy!

If you are buying your first stroller, chances are it is going to be a single stroller. There are so many out there and it can be tough to know which one to buy. The best thing to do is know what your needs are and then find the stroller that best matches them. Sounds easy, but with so many different strollers out there, which one is right for you?

Types of Strollers
One of the reasons new parents get overwhelmed is because there are so many different styles of strollers out there. Different brands, styles and price tags can make the whole process overwhelming. However most strollers can be put into one of 4 main categories.

Umbrella Strollers
At the opposite end of the stroller spectrum you will find the no frills umbrella stroller. These generally look like a sling being pushed by a couple of curving handles making them very light and portable. Features with these stroller do vary, but don’t expect much with them especially since they can be had for less than $20 - think Kia.

Mid and Lightweight Strollers
In between the previous two models you will find the Hyundais and Toyotas of the stroller world. You will generally find some of the conveniences features of the larger travel systems but these strollers tend to be lighter and fold more compactly like an umbrella stroller.

Wheels
There are 3 basic styles, hollow plastic, solid composite and air filled. Hollow plastic wheels help keep the cost down but are prone to crack and wear with lots of use. Solid wheels are fond on higher cost strollers but they should last the life of the stroller. Air filled tires provide not only a comfortable ride but are easy to push over a variety of surfaces. Just don’t pop a tire miles away from home or the nearest air pump..

You don’t only want to look at the type of tire, but the size as well. The large the tire the easier the stroller is going to be to push. A stroller with 4” wheels is easy to push when empty, but put a 35 lb toddler in there and suddenly bigger become a necessity, not a luxury. Of course the large the tires the less compact the stroller is going to fold, but this really isn’t an issue until the tires get over 6’ or 8” in diameter.

Brakes
On most strollers a brake is a simply wedge that locks the wheels to keep them from spinning. Generally you press down or toward the wheel to lock and then up or away from the wheel to unlock it. The brakes are generally easy to operate with your foot. These brakes are not meant to allow you to keep the stroller in place on a steep incline. These brakes are designed to make sure the stroller doesn’t get away from you on a flat surface. They are useful for loading and unloading a child or for emptying the stroller basket before folding it for storage.

Storage
The main storage area on most strollers is the basket under the seat. These baskets are usually made of mesh, are generally only accessible from the back of the stroller and may or may not have a solid bottom. Baskets with solid bottoms hold more weight than baskets make of just mesh. It is also possible to stretch out a mesh bag so that heavy articles end up dragging on the ground. However any lining in the bottom of the basket will probably reduce how compactly the stroller can fold.

These under seat basket are great for holding packages while shopping or a diaper bag. They are handy for storing winter coats, baby carriers or rain covers. But you will want to check the accessibility of the basket when the seat is reclined. A large basket is of no use if you can’t slip anything between the bottom of the seat and the rim of the basket.

The Seat
There is a lot to consider when looking at the seat. You will want to touch the fabric to see how soft it is. How much padding is another issue, especially if your child is going to spend a lot of time in the stroller. Check out the washing instruction of the seat fabric. Can you remove the seat cover and toss it in the washer and the dryer or will you be dragging a hose out into the driveway to spray it down or sticking the whole stroller in the shower when you child suddenly comes down with a stomach virus?

You need to look at the harness for holding the child. A 5-point harness is more escape-proof than a 3-point, but more cumbersome to use. Some strollers allow you to remove the shoulder straps and turn a 5-point harness into a 3-point lap harness. You also want to consider how easy the harness is to adjust. This is especially important in climates where your child will be wearing a shirt in a store and then need a bulky coat for going outside.

Another seat feature is the recline. You will want to check out how easy the recline mechanism operates as well as the degree of angle. While many infants and their parents like a stroller seat to recline completely flat, it is not a necessity. Newborns spend a good deal of time in car seats with 45? angles as well as bouncy seats. Most are just as comfortable in a stroller with a slight incline as they are lying perfectly flat. You also want to check the angle at the other end of the extreme. Most toddlers want to sit straight up but many stroller seats don’t come up to vertical. For older children this means they need to sit at a slight incline or sit without back support. However, this is generally seems to be more of an issue for parents than the children.

Canopy
This is the hood that protects your child from everything. It keeps nosey strangers at bay, stops lights from shining down in a child’s eyes when the seat is reclined as well as providing protection from the elements. Some do a better job than others, but don’t expect full coverage unless you are using the strollers canopy in conjunction with the canopy on an infant seat. You will want to make sure that the canopy retracts easily and can be removed for cleaning.

If you are going to be spending a lot of time outside you may want to check out separate covers. Some strollers include a rain cover but you can also buy aftermarket plastic covers that fit over a variety of strollers. You can also by UV covers to provide extra protection from the sun and muffs for keeping a child warm in the winter.

Some canopies come with small windows so you can check on the child while pushing without having to pull back the entire canopy. These are nice, but if they don’t have a cover over the plastic window the sun can beat down on your child. You will also find canopies that come with an acoustic set up so you can pipe music into the stroller for your child.

Folding
How compactly does the stroller fold? How easy is it to fold and unfold? This is an operation who are going to do every time you use the stroller. You will want to make sure it is easy. Many strollers claim to have a one-hand fold and unfolding mechanism. I wouldn’t count on it, but I can’t say that I often have need to fold or unfold my stroller with one hand. You will also want to check for a locking mechanism to keep the stroller closed once it is folded. You don’t want the stroller opening on its own when you have only gotten it half way out of the trunk.

Weight
Overall weight and the number of features often go hand-in-hand. The more features you want, the less compact the stroller is like to fold and the more it is going to weigh. There are exceptions, but you will pay more money for lightweight feature loaded strollers. It is not unusual for a travel system to weigh 40 lbs - the weight of an average 5 year old. By comparison a light weight stroller may weigh 15 lbs and an umbrella stroller less than 8 lbs.

Travel Systems
Many parents immediately plan on buying a travel system for an infant. The main appeal is that you don’t have to wake a baby sleeping in a car seat to move them to the stroller or to put them back into the car. I can see why so many parents think this is a great idea. Many parents also like all of the features that come with these strollers, parent and child snack trays and large storage baskets. These strollers are usually durable because they need to accommodate the extra load of the infant seat.

Of course you pay for all of those features. And I’m not talking just money here. Most travel system are very heavy and do not fold compactly. If you have a small car these strollers can take up all of your trunk storage space. With some of the larger strollers you may find that you have to remove snack trays and canopies to be able to close your trunk. And then where do you put your groceries?

You may find out that the convenience of the travel system is short lived. You just never know how fast your baby is going to outgrow the infant seat. Some children make it close to a year. Others, like mine outgrow an infant seat in 4 or 5 months. You may or may not get a lot of use out of the infant seat. Once you child needs to be removed from the car seat and put in the stroller you may find that the 40 lb stroller is not so convenient after all.

You also cannot predict how well your child is going to tolerate being in their infant carrier. Some children want out of the confining straps of their car seat and like the chance to stretch out in the less confining stroller. This has been my experience with both my children so far. I never had an issue with either of them continuing a nap after being removed from the car seat and placed in the stroller. If your child wants to get out of the car seat you then end up having to carry them because there is no place to put the infant seat

One of the features most parents like is the large under seat storage with travel systems. If you do a lot of shopping with your child in a stroller this may still be the best style for you even after your child has outgrown the accompanying infant seat. Something to check out when considering this option is if you can access the basket with the infant seat attached or when the stroller seat is fully reclined. With most strollers you can’t get at the basket making it a less than useful feature.

If you think you want the convenience of snapping an infant seat onto a stroller but you aren’t sure you want all of the features that go with it you do have another option. You can purchase what amounts to a push cart that accepts most infant seats. These universal strollers do not have a seat, they function really only as a set of wheel for an infant car seat, although they do generally have a basket that is accessible with the seat installed.

Mid & Lightweight Strollers
A high quality mid or lightweight stroller may comes close to being the only stroller you need. You can generally find one with most, if not all of the features you need although you may have to do without some of the features you want. This is the route I chose to go and my single stroller served me well for 1 ? years, until I need a double stroller. And I am using it again now that my oldest wants to walk and I no longer need the double stroller on a regular basis.

I chose this style because I did not feel that snapping a car seat onto a stroller was an important feature. The weight, size and price of a travel system did not appeal to me. Also at the time I was in the market for my first stroller infant seats that came as part of a travel system generally only came with a 3-point harness and I wanted an infant car seat that had a safer 5-point harness.

I was able to buy a stroller that had the features I was looking for, namely a reclining seat and compact folding. I have never seen the need for a snack tray. While my stroller did come with one I almost never used it as I didn’t want my children equating food with entertainment while they were in the stroller. When they need a snack or a drink we stop and I take the children out of the stroller to eat. This is obviously a personal preference and I know many parents say that couldn’t get by without being able to provide their child an on-the-go snack. I chose a lightweight stroller with a large basket. It fits my diaper bag, and the kid’s coats in the winter along with a few packages.

Making the Decision
First, if no one has told you all ready, chances are the first stroller you purchase will not be the last. No matter how much research, comparing and test driving you do it is highly unlikely that you will find one stroller that will last throughout your child’s entire stroller riding experience, about 3 years. There are different categories of strollers because parents have different needs and it is difficult to find one stroller to fulfill ever stroller requirement. The real goal should not be to find the perfect stroller, because it doesn’t exist. Instead your goal should be to minimize the number of strollers you need to purchase.

The best place to start is by deciding on what style of stroller you want based on your needs. The critical part of that last sentence is your needs. Advice from friends and family is good but you are the one that has to use and store the stroller so you need one to suit your lifestyle. Here are some things to consider.

Where Do You Live?
The needs of a city dweller are far different from those of a suburban parent. Parents who live in the city generally need a stroller that will stand up to the elements and fold compactly for taking on public transportation and storing in the home. Strollers for these parents need to be tough because they get a lot of use.

Suburban parents tend to use strollers in the mall and for walks around the neighborhood. The stroller will probably spend 75% of its life in the trunk or cargo space of your car where it is always handy. Of course you need to make sure that you can fit everything else that you need in addition to the stroller.

How Do You Live?
This is a tough one for first time parents. No matter how much you read or what others tell you, you really can never be totally prepared for how a baby will change your life. But trying to answer this question can help you narrow down your stroller choices.

If you spend a lot of time outside a jogging stroller, made to push easily over grass, sand and other uneven pavement may be the best choice. If you are going to be at home with your baby, chances are you will be any place but home. You will need a stroller that will hold everything you need for a day out. Working parents may only use a stroller on the weekends for running quick errands so a stroller with every available option may be more than they need.

Research
Now is the time to do your research. Hopefully you now know what style of stroller you need and the features that you want. Spend some time reading about strollers to find the one that matches your needs. There are tons of different strollers out there in every category so you should be able to find one that will work for you and your budget. You will want to try and find out about durability and common problems. Other parents and are great sources of information and most will not be put off my being asked about the stroller they are pushing. And yes, reviews here at Epinions can help you identify design flaws and common complaints.

The toughest part of buying a stroller may be to find it locally. So many strollers are available on-line but they may not in your local baby store. I cannot overemphasize the importance of taking the time to test drive a stroller to make sure you are going to be comfortable pushing it, folding it and carrying it for the next 3 years. You can’t look at a stroller to determine if you are going to kick the basket with every step or that you have to walk hunched over to reach the handles. You need to actually push the stroller, even if you take it no further than the store. Fold and unfold the stroller, play with all of the features, see if you like it. Ask the store if you can try the store model in your car to see how much space is left. Use it as much as possible before making the purchase, even if you do decide to purchase on-line. One warning, store models are not necessarily a good way to judge durability. Those strollers are often put together hastily so a wiggly wheel or squeak may not be indicative of the stroller’s performance.

How Not to Buy a Stroller
Do not buy a stroller simply because the pattern matches your high chair. Do not buy a stroller because of the nice on-line picture either. Do not buy a stroller just because you have read some great reviews, even one of mine. The only way to buy a stroller it to test drive it, preferably with a child in it.

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