Need a New Stroller for Sf

Updated on May 28, 2007
C.A. asks from San Francisco, CA
19 answers

Hi,
My family is possibly moving to the Bay area from Fresno for graduate school. We need to progress from our first stroller to a more mobile stroller. We have one of the huge strollers that take up the whole trunk (that you connect the car seat to), and will need something that we can take up and down stairs, on the BART, over potholes, super maneuverable , etc. We would like it to be light, not take a ton of space, be able to move it around while carrying my son, etc... Ideally we would like a stroller that can still recline, my son is 4 1/2 months now, and will be around 6 months when we move, but likes to still sleep in the reclined position. And I would like to have a fairly decent space to put a diaper bag, so that I won't have to lug that around with a book bag, etc. Any recommendations would be really helpful!!! Thanks!!!!

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B.B.

answers from San Diego on

Maclaren......... Excellent strollers that are small,light weight and still have a basket underneath as well as reclining. They have several different models. Good Luck

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S.S.

answers from Sacramento on

when my boys grew out of the huge travel strollers, I got a MacClaren stroller.... and i LOVE LOVE LOVE it.... its small, easy to use, and has a great harness.... very easy to push around... i highly reccommend it! and they arnt toooo terribly expensive!

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A.G.

answers from San Francisco on

I raised my first baby in SF and the stroller was the piece of gear i used 100x more than any other. you're right to look into it.

though they also take up a lot of car space i cannot recommend jogging strollers enough. for walking around the hills you cannot beat them. if i had it to do over again i think i would go with the BOB revolution, which has a front wheel that cna be fixed or pivot, so you can maneuver in tight spaces little better. it fits in the back of a smallcar and it isn't hard to fold. hopefully others will ring in on their faves but that's mine personally. getting one with a hand brake is really useful for getting down the steep hills as well, especially in wet weather.

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K.V.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi-

I was just scrolling through some responses & noticed a lot of moms suggested a Combi stroller. I would strongy suggest NOT getting any Combi product. I got a Combi for our first son when he was about 5 months - he's 6.5 years old now. I was VERY unhappy w/it! Sure it was light weight & great to fly with but it was too light. My son out weighed the stroller & there were a couple of times when he was in it & it fell over when barely bumped. Also, after only a couple of months of use, the frame got bent somewhow so I went back to the store where I bought it w/my reciept & they then sent it back to Combi. Combi refused to repair it or accept responsibility for it. They do not stand behind their products which is not a good sign. I also feel you pay a lot of money for them & they're not very well made or sturdy. A lot of the reccomendations also seem to be for high end, expensive strollers. Buying the most expsenive, high end baby equipment is quite a trend these days & I feel there's a lot of pressure to have the latest & greatest, as well. I'd assume going to school & adjusting to the differerence in living expenses from Fresno to SF would also not give you the ability to spend a ton on a stroller. My suggestion is to 'test drive' a few & then go to the Babies R Us website & look them up. I found the reviews of the other parents to be really helpful. Much more so than the product descriptions from the manufacturer. If you see a mom w/a stroller you like, ask her about it. We also have a 2 year old escape artist. At X-Mas I had to buy yet another stroller cuz he was able to wiggle his way out of the 5-point harness & stand up in the stroller, smirking at me the whole time! I didn't want to spend more than about $100 & managed to find one I really like. I got one made my Chicco... it's called Ct 0.5. Ironically, I'd looked at it originally & didn't want to spend the money on it & then ended up doing so anyway plus the previous $80 on the one he wiggled free from! So, I've been VERY happy w/the Chicco. Even tho he can pull his arms out of the shoulder straps, the waist belt it tight enough that he's not going anywhere. It's an umbrella style stroller but much sturdier. It has a good, solid frame. It reclines, don't remember how far, has an OK sized basket that's easy to access. It also has a pocket that's about 6"x6" so I can put my keys, wallet, cell & a couple of toys in there & have more space still to use. I have the kinda diaper bag that I can attach to the handles & it works great on this stroller. If the bag is on there I can take my son out & the stroller won't fall over from the weight of the bag. It unfolds & folds up easily & when closed, doesn't take up much space. A must in the small SF apartments! And it will stand on its own, too, so it could fit in a closet or a corner. Good luck & welcome to the City!

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B.R.

answers from San Diego on

Well, it is not small, but it is super manuverable. We have a Jeep Liberty stroller. It looks similar to a jogging stroller, but it has a movable front wheel. We absolutely love it!! It goes everywhere with us. The seat recliens, it is super easy to steer and it has a nice large basket under it. It is a bit bulky, but all the other pros made it worth it for us.

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G.A.

answers from San Francisco on

We recently went on vacation to Europe and needed a stroller that was compact, lightweight, easy to get around, but still had the reclining position option. I finally decided on the new Combi stroller, you can buy it at Babys r Us. The only thing is that the basket isn't very big (thus keeping the stoller lightweight and compact). It was easy to fold and get around and very easy to manuver. Hope this helps.

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C.N.

answers from San Luis Obispo on

Dear C.,

Maybe you could find a family to trade strollers with - theirs is too small for their needs and yours is too large. C. N.

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K.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I just got a jogging stroller and it is the best! I went frim the big stroller to this three wheeled jogging stroller and it is light, smaller when folded up and it is easier to handle! Good luck searching.

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J.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

Ok, I'm going to try and help you as much as I can. my friend has a stoller that is called a Combi stroller. They are small and fold up in like 3 different ways and they recline as well. they just like a smaller version of your big stroller but better. Not exactly sure where to find it though. hope it helps.
Jen

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R.S.

answers from San Francisco on

i have a mclaren double stroller. i have twins. i bought this stroller because it has a light titanium frame, it's very sturdy, but light and maunverable. it also has nice ergonomic handles.

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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

Hi C.,
My second stroller after the monster stroller was a Combi. I hated it too. It bent and we walked sideways with it. Also, the wheels would not turn to the forward position so we would walk in the mall with the will skidding sideways across the tile floors, making a mess and a racket.

My replacement stroller was the MacClarren. I still use it now and love it for the most part. The only complaint I have is that it has two handles and not the bar that goes across the top. It makes it difficult to hang extra things on as you accumulate them in the mall, such as clothes on hangers. Other than that I do love it and the baby seems to enjoy it too.

You mentioned you want it to recline, well the MacClarren doesn't reline to a complete laying down posiont. I has two adjustments and folds up quite nicely.

Check at Costco, they had them for a lot cheaper than Babies r us. If they are not in store, check online.

Best of luck.
C.

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M.G.

answers from Modesto on

Here is a stroller that I found that would work great for living in San Francisco:
Baby Planet Solo Sport Baby Stroller:
The Solo Sport lightweight stroller offers the ultimate in comfort and style, perfectly balanced within a "lightweight aluminum", "ultra compact" frame.

Also, to give you some good advice about the bag, purchase a nice backpack! Not one of the school backpacks, but a hiking one that you can find at one of those camping stores, sports stores, or outdoors stores. Don't get the one for backpacking, just a heavy duty backpack. I have been using my hiking backpack for 7 years that my husband and I bought for our diaper bag because I ride the bus and walk everywhere when he is at work. Not only that, we love going to San Francisco and we ride the BART and the public transportation when we are in San Francisco, and I have discovered it is so much easier with a backpack because I can use both hands and I also feel better balanced. Another bonus about a backpack is that they have the slots to place your water bottles on the sides so they are easy to get to.
Hope this helps!

M. *~

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R.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have the Quattro Tour Deluxe stroller. I don't live in San Franscico, so can't tell you how good it is for there, but I use it at least 4 times a day (I walk almost every I need to go) and I love it. It's a full size stroller so doesn't fold up real small or anything, but it folds the most compact that I've seen for it's size. It has a very nice size basket on the bottom, snack/drink trays for mom and child, shade cover moves all the way forward so you can adjust for sun direction, very durable frame and wheels, easy to fold down, has several seat positions and one is fully reclined, and the handle is at a nice height so no stooping. If you end up buying a stroller online, make sure you go to a store and really look at it and test it first. It makes a huge difference, no matter how good a description or review it has online, because you really need to see how it works for you. Online is a great tool to see the different options and features first though so you can narrow down what to look at. Here is the site for this stroller and it does have a great interactive demo so be sure to look at that. http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber...
I love this stroller, I've had several and this is the best one I've had, works great for us and I recommend it. Just make sure whatever you get works best for you =). HTHs

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S.L.

answers from San Francisco on

COMBI SAVVY SOHO
At only 11 pounds, the Combi Savvy Soho is one of the lightest strollers on the market today. The seat reclines partially for in-stroller naps, and the guard bar is removable, which is convenient when baby grows to toddlerhood. The Combi Savvy Soho stroller has a large storage basket, sunshade and machine-washable seat cushion. The carry strap and ultra-compact fold make this a great baby stroller for travel. The five-point harness adds safety. Some models come with a matching bag, too

Britax Preview Lightweight Stroller
The Preview is Britax's entry into the travel system market, but unlike some bulkier travel system strollers, the Preview has a sleek profile and weighs only 17 pounds. As a travel system, this stroller connects with the Britax Companion infant car seat, but it is sold separately and can easily be used as a stand-alone stroller. The aluminum frame, all-wheel suspension and removable diaper bag are the standout features of the Britax Preview stroller.

Zooper Waltz
Weighing in at 16 pounds, the Zooper Waltz lightweight stroller has a removable front armrest for ease in getting baby in an out, a sun shade for baby and is compatible with some infant car seats. The Waltz folds compactly for storage and has a four-position reclining seat, so it can be used for smaller infants. Parents rave about the smooth steering and one-hand fold mechanism. This stroller also comes with a rain shield and a winter boot to keep baby's toes warm.

Chicco Caddy
The Chicco Caddy is a sturdier version of a basic umbrella stroller. At 11 pounds, the Chicco Caddy is lightweight, but has features normally found on standard strollers. The seat has two recline positions and a five-point harness for baby safety. A sun shade, storage basket, carry strap and stroller storage bag all come with the stroller. The strong anodized aluminum frame sets this stroller apart from other flimsy umbrella stroller models.

Inglesina Swift
Ergonomic handles make this lightweight stroller easy on a parent's hands, while the four-position reclining seat adds comfort for baby. The Inglesina Swift has a foot pedal mechanism for folding and features a sunshade, storage basket and five-point harness. Reflective piping is a nice safety feature for families who walk or travel a lot at night. The Swift stroller weighs 11 pounds and holds babies up to 35 pounds

These are my top choices for my children and our new adopted baby girl, 8 in all. I have personally experienced the transportation dilemas of traveling around the bay with infants and children and know exactly what your are concidering in the way of multi tasking stroller but light enough to fold and hop onto a quick moving BART, bus or trolly, or cab. Best of luck to you on your endeavers.
S.
Let me know if this was helpful, I personally would go with the Inglesina Swift model. I love the foot pedal that folds the stroller, the reflective features for night walking and light enough to carry baby and stroller. I also like the easy streering as well as ergo handgrips.

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J.G.

answers from San Francisco on

I have to tell you about the Combi® Cosmo EX Stroller- I got it from babies r us. My daughter is 6 months old and for my babies shower i recieved the escalade of strollers however it wouldn't fit in my VW beetle so i had to go out and get a new stroller. The Combi cosmo EX stroller is awesome. its light weight folds up really small weighs about 6 pounds it comes with a strap so you can actually carry like a back pack. It does recline too. I tried to attach a picture but it didnt come through so go to the babies r us web site... they come in orange and blue. I hope this helps

Combi® Cosmo EX Stroller- Tangerine
by: Combi International
Extremely lightweight and loaded with features, the Cosmo EX Stroller in tangerine from Combi® folds compactly and features a deep recline for infants. Air mesh fabric, a large canopy with viewing window, a carrying strap for...(read more)

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C.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

check out the JEEP strollers ther are very sturdy and have what you are looking for. Search the web and type in jeep strollers i found the cheapest one on walmart.com , they fairly inexpensive.. but make sure of which ever one u get that the handels will adjust. so your not bending over hurting your back.

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M.E.

answers from San Francisco on

I lived in SF and I used a Snap and Go, which is just the frame that the infant car seat "snaps" into. Very light, etc. Then I had a Combi Savvy which I got at City Kids on 3rd Ave and Clement St. in the Richmond District (of SF). The Combi is very light, folds easily. I often carried the entire stroller with sleeping child up two flights of stairs to our apt. The Combi doesn't fully recline so it's not appropriate until your child can sit upright. The Snap and Go runs about $40-50 and the Combi was about $125 (8 years ago). The Combi does not have a big storage area. I usually wore a backpack with the diaper stuff. Along with the stroller and Baby Bjorn, I used a backpack carrier alot. The other baby store near SF is Lullaby Lane in Burlingame. I left SF 6 years ago but at that time there were very few baby stores.

I wanted to add a comment about the Combi strollers. I think there are different levels of Combi strollers - The one I purchased was easily $200 and lasted through both children with heavy use. I later got a used cheaper Combi that didn't seem quite as nice. The mechanisms didn't work as easily, etc. So there is a different between a $60 Combi and a $200 Combi.

Good-luck!

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S.L.

answers from San Francisco on

Maclaren - if you're willing to spend the money for a durable, lightweight, maneuverable, good-sized basket, comfortable and fully-reclineable seat, this is the stroller for your little angel.

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M.B.

answers from Honolulu on

Combie is really good...its lite and not that expensive!

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