Wonderful Overall Stroller
September 13, 2019
My husband and I had been debating buying a jogging stroller since our daughter was born 17 months ago. We had already purchased a high-end traditional stroller so I was unsure if it would be worth the money and the space it would take up to store it. Furthermore, I don't like running while my husband does so I wanted something that I could use as well. Thank you to the weeSpring Parent Panel for giving us the opportunity to test such a wonderful stroller. I am going to break my review up into the different areas that were most important to me when considering a stroller.
Assembly:
My first impression when I opened the box was how easy this stroller was to put together. A lot of kid's toys and accessories have instructions that are difficult to follow, but the stroller took me about five minutes to assemble once I got everything out of the box. The only difficult part was putting the front wheel on which my husband had to do.
Accessories:
I loved that this stroller came with so many different accessories (with our other stroller the extras are add ons that must be purchased separately). This stroller includes a child's tray and a parent tray. My 17 month old is able to put her sippy cup in and out on her own. Both trays hold the cups firmly including large insulated tumblers in the parent's tray which is a huge advantage for us. I also loved the phone clip on the parent tray. It was not big enough for my phone to fit up and down while in its case, but it did fit sideways and held my phone in place even over bumpy terrain. There is also a fairly large compartment inside the tray that holds keys or other accessories which I love. The storage compartment below the seat is comparable to my other stroller which easily holds a diaper bag and multiple other items.
Ease of Use:
Initially I did not like the mechanism that changes the seat recline position, but once I set it to the position my daughter liked it worked fine. This stroller seat does not sit completely upright, but she seems to enjoy it as is. The buckle can be a little difficult to get used to, but works similar to the other Graco products that I have and is secure once buckled. One small complaint is that the pads on the straps very easily come off to the point that we just removed them. If she sees us getting it out, she runs over to it and starts asking to be put in it. She also loves the footrest where she can prop her feet up and this was a necessity for us because otherwise she hates being in the stroller. My husband has put over 20 miles on this stroller since we got it a few weeks ago. Our daughter loves it and doesn't complain to get out even over multiple miles and hills. We live in East Tennessee and have some significant hills and bumpy roads in our area. One potential negative is that the handlebar is not adjustable. It works fine for my husband and me since we are 5'7" and 5'3" respectively, but this could be a challenge for taller people. The first few times of using it, the locking mechanism was difficult to use on the front wheel, but it became much easier over time as it got broken in. I do think a handbrake would be useful while jogging, however, this stroller works well enough without one. It is much more comfortable for my daughter over our hilly and bumpy roads in our neighborhood and local trails than our traditional stroller. For safety features, there is a good tether and reflectors on the wheels. While jogging, my husband says that the stroller is very smooth and easy to push. The bike tires make uneven ground and bumps very easy to navigate. It is very easy to steer even with one hand while jogging once you get used to it. It also has a good turning radius.
Configurations:
We only used this stroller in one configuration because our daughter only likes to be facing out and she is too large for an infant seat. However, I do like that this gives you all the options that a traditional convertible stroller does, and I think this could easily be used as your only stroller. The stroller is easy to fold and unfold with the small exception that the locking mechanism sometimes comes undone when my husband is picking it up and carrying it in certain positions. For the price, I think all that the options that this stroller gives you are amazing and certainly worth it.
Overall Opinion:
For the price point, the amenities are fabulous. While it was hard to decide, my favorite feature is the parent tray with the sturdy large cupholders (and there are two which allows my husband and I both to use it at the same time) and the compartment and phone holder. There are strollers at much higher prices that don't include these features and I think it is a huge advantage for this stroller. My only complaints are just small preferences and certainly don't change my overall opinion on the stroller. It is easy to use, includes many features and options, and makes an incredible option for a mesh between a traditional and jogging stroller. I would highly recommend this stroller to friends and family.
This product review was collected by the manufacturer.