Tuesday, November 7, 2006

stroller madness

Just when I think we have things resolved, my indecisiveness goes and rears its (I refuse to call it ugly) head! If you've been following my stroller ramblings, you know that we originally bought the Inglesina Zippy, thinking we'd use it for our main stroller, indoors and outdoors. Since then, we've bought an all-terrain BOB Revolution, with air-filled tires and a fixable front wheel that can be used for jogging. We love it. We figured we'd use it as our main outdoor stroller and the Zippy as our main indoor/mall/car stroller. But now I'm second-guessing the Zippy. I'm wondering if we should try to sell it on Craig's List (realizing we'd take a bit of a loss) and buy a less-expensive-but-feature-friendly Zooper Waltz instead. (Carrie, if you're reading, I know you looked at these two models — what were your deciding factors?)

Here are the issues on my mind ...

  • I'm kicking the Zippy's tires, and so is Steve. We're 5'4" and 6', respectively, so it's not just a height issue. For me, it's a stride issue — I take long steps when I walk. I thought it was just a power-walking thing, but I notice it in stores now, too. (It's because of the double wheels in the back — most stroller have only single wheels, so there's more room between them.) When we were stroller shopping, this wasn't something we anticipated. We didn't kick the tires on the store model, but we also didn't test our strides with it. I didn't kick the Waltz' tires in the store, but it does have a low axel bar that I kicked when I tested my stride. Maybe it depends on how straight I keep my arms. (On the other hand, maybe I wouldn't kick the Zippy if I walked with one foot in front of the other ...)

  • Both are compatible with the Graco Snugride carseat, which is important at this stage.

  • The Waltz' basket is accessible from the back and seems bigger, while the Zippy's is small and hard to get even my small diaper bag into. This has been a big source of irritation for me.

  • The Waltz feels a little lighter, which is nice. It also feels a little less sturdy than the Zippy, though.

  • They're both easy to fold. I do love how compact the Zippy is when folded. I don't know if the Waltz' book fold has any advantages over the Zippy's more square fold. I do wonder if the Waltz' red side-hold tab stay in place over the long haul when the stroller is closed. I've heard some issues of it popping out of place, which wouldn't be good, since this is the stroller we'd travel with on airplanes.

  • I like the netting on the Waltz hood - easier to see baby than the plastic "window" on the Zippy.

  • The Zippy definitely has better seat padding for the baby — but I like the fold-up edge of the seat (boot?) on the Waltz.

  • Obviously, the Waltz is much less expensive, which is definitely a consideration. I don't want to feel like we could have gotten a "better" stroller for almost $200 less. I've heard Zooper is raising the price for the 2007 models, though, so I want to make a decision while there are still 2006 ones available.

  • I realize most of you don't have experience with strollers. I'm mainly posting this here to get it out of my head ... and if any of you do have any words of wisdom, please don't hesitate to leave a comment!

    7 comments:

    EDH said...

    I like your new blog template! :)

    I obviously don't have firsthand knowledge or experience with either of the strollers you mentioned, but I did want to say that we have been secretly (ssshh!) reading the stuff on www.babybargains.com and http://windsorpeak.com/reviews/items/. As you know, Seth is 6'4" and I am 5'6", so I anticipate a stride issue with whatever stroller we end up with, too! You could also check out the chart at http://www.windsorpeak.com/babybargains/strollerchart.pdf that tells which stroller models have adjustable height handles (the Zippy does not).

    Ack! Sounds like a tough decision. Good luck! :)

    EDH said...

    Sorry, that last link got cut off. It's http://www.windsorpeak.com/
    babybargains/strollerchart.pdf. (I see now that the Waltz is not on there... oops!)

    Emilie said...

    Liz - I actually posted something similar to this on the Baby Bargains chat boards - a wealth of info about all things baby! I'll see if I get any replies. :)

    Emilie said...

    Oh, and thanks for the link to the chart. The Waltz doesn't have extendable handles either, but they're comparable to the Zippy - maybe a little farther out. Both strollers have decent height on the handlebars.

    EDH said...

    Yeah, I figured you were taking full advantage of the excellent advice at Baby Bargains!

    I'm sure you've done this already too (especially since I think this is where you got the Zippy, right?), but two of my best friends used to work at Baby Grand and the owners are incredibly knowledgeable. Maybe you could go in there and explain your dilemma? They're so nice - they're always willing to spend time with people. I loved visiting my friends there! :)

    Soupy said...

    We chose the Waltz because 1) Chris doesn't like umbrella handles 2) the basket underneath has great storage compared to MOST of the lighterweight strollers we looked at (and believe me, we looked at LOTS -4 straight weeks!), and 3) it was easy to turn, car seat compatible, very lightweight (I could push w/one hand), and the wheels are easy. Its very easy to fold, etc,, as is the Zippy - but less $$$. It is interesting that the $$$ the ZIppy is that the storage isn't bigger. Although,I think that is an umbrella stroller issue (that bar across the storage access?).
    Yes - the 2007 go up by $100 for no new changes - we found our red one on AMazon.com. I looked high and low.
    I'm not even sure we'll LOVE our Waltz (LOL) as we havne't used it yet! LOL again. I'm sure I'll have my complaints, though - just wait til May! LOL

    keep me posted on your decision! I so can't wait til next summer to stroll along with you (get it, stroller? Stroll........GEEK )

    Soupy said...

    OH and EM - can you email me?
    CarrieCampbell@gmail.com

    Where did you get your changing table? I think we're gonna have to bite the bullet and get one (space issues) and we're also going to do cloth diapers so I want access to my "stuff" LOL
    THANKS