I think the most common question (by far!) that I see in Facebook moms groups and on my social media newsfeed is “What baby items do I need? What do you use and love?” I, too, created a similar Facebook status four years ago when I found myself surprisingly overwhelmed by all of the choices and options. One has no idea what is necessary, how many of each item is needed, etc. It’s wild!
Breaking it down even further, the topic of which stroller(s) to buy is always a loaded question because no two people ever (!) have the same answer. There are a zillion stroller options out there that range from soup to nuts in price, function, and gadgets. Depending on who’s helping purchase the stroller(s) plus what the expectant parents’Â lifestyle is will change what kind of wheels a family will invest in. It’s understandable why this is a tough decision to make!
We have often called our garage a parking lot because of how many strollers we’ve had, so I thought I’d pipe in with what we’ve had, when we got it, and if Jamie and I would recommend it or not.
Stroller Reviews
Britax B-Agile/B-Safe 35 Travel System
Why we got it: We started with this stroller/car seat travel system. This is typically the best choice for a new mom because the car seat attaches right on top of the stroller. Once the baby is 3-4ish months old, he or she can either ride in the car seat on top of the stroller or ride in the normal stroller seat facing forward.
Our thoughts: Jamie and I both love this stroller and call it our “old faithful”. It’s so, so incredibly lightweight, folds up with one hand, and doesn’t take up much room in the trunk. I would recommend this travel system in a heartbeat. There’s a reason it’s so popular and voted #1 across the map.
{Hadley at nine months old smiling at one of my best friends Amy while walking around Scottsdale, Arizona}
BOB Revolution
Why we got it: We got this stroller when Hadley was six weeks old as our Christmas gift. I had heard nothing but great things about it, and I was looking forward to jogging with baby Hadley once she was big enough to fit in it (about 3.5 months old with the seat laid all the way back). We started using this stroller for jogging, evening walks, outdoor activities (such as a farmers market), etc. We occasionally used it inside in places like the mall, but we’d usually use the Britax for inside functions because it’s not as bulky and is easier to navigate in smaller spaces.
Our thoughts: If you’ll use a stroller outside for festivals, jogging, frequent walks, etc., a BOB is well worth your money. While it does fold up easily, it takes both hands to put it in the car and it’s pretty darn heavy (so something to keep in mind if you’re going to be up and down the stairs). We’ve put hundreds of miles worth of running on our single stroller, and it still looks and feels nearly brand new. My sister used it to take my niece on walks on the beach almost every night throughout the last year in her BOB. So smooth. If you do not want a travel system and want to go straight for the BOB, you can purchase a car seat adapter and use it right away when you have your baby. (This is what one of my best friends Meg did, and she said it worked out great.)
{In front of our Sierra Vista, Arizona home, heading out for our nightly stroll around the neighborhood | July 2014}
$25 Umbrella stroller
Why we got it: We got a cheap umbrella stroller just to have on hand in case I needed to run in and out of a store or something, and it lasted all of 10 uses (maybe less). I liked how small it folded up and fit in my car, but you get what you pay for, and the wheels were garbage and a couple of them started acting up quickly.
Our thoughts: This cheap umbrella stroller was no simpler to use than our Britax. The Britax also had storage and was way more comfortable for Hadley.
Baby Trend Sit and Stand Double Stroller
Why we got it: We foolishly didn’t bother getting a double stroller when I was pregnant with Sadie because they are so mega expensive and we weren’t sure what our needs would be. I thought “Oh, I’ll just wear Sadie as much as possible and then put Hadley in a single stroller.” DUMB. Makes me laugh now when I think about it. If you have two small kiddos, you need a double stroller. 🙂 Thankfully we were gifted a gently-used Sit and Stand stroller when Sadie was four weeks old by my parent’s sweet neighbor, and it was a true God send at the time. While we absolutely loved the many (!) options that one can do with this stroller seating-wise, it was so incredibly heavy. We nicknamed it “the bus”. It was difficult to fold up and barely (and I mean barely) fit in my large Grand Cherokee trunk. It was comfortable and roomy for the girls and we loved how any car seat could be attached to it without an extra attachment purchase, but we didn’t use this stroller very long.
Our thoughts: At the extremely affordable price of $165, this is a fantastic option if you need a double stroller and don’t want to spend mega bucks. As aforementioned, we also liked how many different ways you can use this stroller (i.e. with a car seat, with a stand option, with two normal seats, etc.) Just keep in mind that it’s heavy, doesn’t do great on grass or gravel, and requires a big trunk to fit into. We saw dozens of these strollers at Disney World, so people obviously like them!
BOB Revolution Duallie
Why we got it: A friend gave us a hand-me-down a double BOB last summer for free, and she was very upfront that I was now the fourth or fifth owner. That right there tells you how long BOBs last! I was so grateful because I could start jogging immediately with both of my girls. Just like the single BOB, the double BOB glides and is such a comfortable ride for the girls. Unfortunately, despite how well it ran, the seats were ripping beyond repair, and BOB doesn’t make replacement seats for that model anymore. We really wanted to buy another double BOB, but we didn’t want to sink that much money into a new stroller. While I enjoy running with the girls, I’ve gotten to the point where I enjoy running by myself much more once Jamie is home from work or on the weekends. Since we knew I wouldn’t use it to jog more than once a week, we decided against buying a new one.
Our thoughts: Sometimes I wish we would have just bitten the bullet and purchased one because we use our double stroller for walks all the time, and we just don’t think there’s a better stroller than a BOB for all-around use with two toddlers. This is a great double stroller and one I highly recommend if you can find one in great, used shape or if you can splurge for a new one.
Phil and Ted Vibe V3 Stroller with Doubles Kit
Why we got it: After getting rid of the Sit and Stand and having to toss the double BOB, we needed a double stroller that we could rely on and that we enjoyed using. My friend was selling this Phil and Ted, so we snagged it. I’m able to jog with it (though it’s just a tad heavier than the BOB) and the girls ride so comfortably in it. It fits great in our trunk, and we love that it’s front and back instead of side by side (it fits so much easier when using it inside).
Our thoughts: We truly love this stroller and we get compliments on it almost every time we take it anywhere. If I were to have my first baby all over again, I would highly consider this option because it runs beautifully as a single stroller and then has the option to buy the second seat later for an additional child. I can run with it if I want to go on short jogs and it works really well outside and in.
Other strollers that many people are crazy about:
- Two people close to me have this Uppababy G-LUXE stroller, and they really like it for running errands. The adjustable sunshade is impressive, and it looks mega comfortable.
- I’ve heard people argue that the Baby Jogger 2015 City Select with 2nd Seat is an incredible stroller, which has the option to be a single stroller and then add the second seat.
PS: My “tried and true” baby registry list
Let’s chat!
- Continue the convo! Which stroller(s) have you had, and what did you like and dislike about them?
