Joovy Kooper Review

4th of July Joovy Kooper!


For years, we have done holiday strollers. And of course, the 4th of July is easy. Only requirement is that it is red, white and blue, and really fun to push! And there you have the Joovy Kooper (with a

Joovy Kooper and Valco Buggster Comparison

The new Joovy Kooper has been compared to the Valco Buggster. It's fair; in fact, in Oz the Joovy Kooper is known as the Valco Prism! (And the Valco Buggster is now the TFK Buggster! Clear as a dark mesh canopy window? ;)

But how close are they, really? Let's take a look:

The oval shape is certainly similar. And both have extremely wide seats. Although nothing can compare to the Buggster's astonishing 18"; certainly big enough for me to ride around in! ;) They are both umbrella strollers with fairly deep reclines, and huge canopies. And both have a very modern look. But the comparison ends here.
You can start to see how different they look from the back. The Kooper has ergo, foam covered handles that turn in, while the Buggster's are straight up with hard plastic finger grips. The Kooper has two cupholders, and a zippered canopy pocket. It has a good sized basket, though not as big as the Buggster's. The Kooper has the new red brakes. Some people don't care for them aesthetically, but countries such as Australia now require them for safety. The fold on the Kooper is very straightforward, and on the Buggster it is much more fiddly. Although there are several versions of the fold on the Buggster, and some are easier than others.

The Buggster comes loaded with accessories, including a mesh seat pad, front napper bar, boot, sun cover, and rain cover. The Kooper has the aforementioned built-in canopy pockets, side net pockets in the seat, and glow in the dark shoulder harnesses and logo.
Here you can see the difference in the width. The Buggster is nearly 4" wider. But the length is where they really differ, due to the 3 wheels of the Buggster vs. the 4 wheels of the Kooper. 3 wheelers always have to be longer for stability, and in the Buggster's case, it is nearly 9" longer!

Both have a roomy 24" canopy clearance, although the Buggster's seatback is 2" taller. The Kooper folds much smaller than the Buggster, but longer. See the chart below for even more measurements.

Joovy Kooper Valco Buggster

Weight: 17. 5 pds. 18.5 pds.

Width: 21" 23 1/4"

Length: 26.5" 34"

Height: 40 1/4" 40.5"

Seat Width: 15" 18"

Seat Depth: 8" 9"

Seat Height: 18" 20"

Seat to Canopy: 24" 24"

Drop to Footrest: 11" 13"

Seat to Floor: 16" 16"

Folded: 46" x 13" x 12" 31" x 22 x 25"

2009 Stroller Previews

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Cybex is coming to America!

I was at their product launch today. And guess who their new distributor
is....drumrolll....Regal Lager! They were looking for a full line since they
parted ways with Phil and Ted's. Cybex has front carriers, and the most AMAZING
car seats! They are rated number one for safety in Europe. And of course, Cybex
has strollers...four different ones. The first one is similar to the Mac
Triumph, then they go up in features. With deeper reclines, bigger canopies,
bigger wheels, and front napper bars. The wheels have some wicked suspension.

There is a really nice, feather light (seriously, not hyperbole, the lightest I have ever picked up) carrycot that goes with the top of the line model. But unfortunately, the carrycot has to go
in the seat completely reclined. And flat reclines can't be sold in the US
unless they have those god-awful head curb things. They also have this really
cool line of cloth diapers and covers, and other baby care products. I took a
lot of pictures, and I will post them with more details in the upcoming days.
But, the car seats just blow everything else out of the water that's out there.
Except, they only have the infant seat, and a high back booster. So I'll still be
using the Maxi Cosi whe I switch over to a convertible, which will be soon. I
wish those infant seats were available right now! The booster seat has the best
side impact protection on the market. Really plush and nice. They have two layers of thick side impact support. One folds under when the child wants to nap, so it reclines the seat a bit, and pushes the "wings" out. The wings, though, are more like the thick sides of a padded armchair.

Oh, and the harnesses on the strollers are the same as the car seat! So you just push this
button to make the straps looser or tighter! Now why someone else hasn't thought
of that one sooner...I also like the fit and finish on all of the products. I
didn't notice any gloppy welds or fraying fabric or crooked seams. You can see that a lot of thought went into the design; where they place the rivets, the shape of the frame, the quality of the fabrics...I think if they catch on with the celeb crowd, they could be a big hit in that genre. Otherwise, they are similar to Macs in a lot of ways, although the canopies are fuller, and the reclines are deeper. And I do think the way the harness adjusts is really nifty! Oh, and the recline is somewhat easier than Macs, too. It has one lever in the back, and it is very smooth.. The sale dates of the products will be staggered, starting with the
strollers in August.

http://cybex-online.com/site/uk/products/pushchairs/callisto.html



I can help you find the perfect stroller for YOUR needs. Don't let a salesperson sell you a stroller that won't work for you! For more info on consultations, visit strollerqueen.com There are lots more reviews here, and info on how to get the 2009 BIG Stroller Roll-Out, an online magazine of all the new stroller models. strollerqueen.com

Joovy Ergo Caboose Review

Joovy Ergo Caboose

Ergo, St. Patrick’s Day Boys
Long before Stroller Prince 2.0 made his way into this world, we felt like somebody was missing. My friend Catherine felt the same way. And so we were all overjoyed when her son made his grand entrance on March 17th. Now she was considering names. “Oh, that’s a no-brainer”, I said. “Call him Patrick.” “No”, she said. “But, he was born on St. Parick’s Day, you have to!” I implore. “No”, she says. “Well”, I grumble, “If *I* ever have a boy on St. Patrick’s Day, I shall name him Patrick. And I did, and I did, or a variation thereof, heehee.

Strollerqueen.com

I can help you find the perfect stroller for YOUR needs. Don't let a salesperson sell you a stroller that won't work for you! For more info on consultations, visit strollerqueen.com There are lots more reviews here, and info on how to get the 2009 BIG Stroller Roll-Out, an online magazine of all the new stroller models strollerqueen.com

Maxi Cosi Loola Review

The Loola on the Pier

Dave Price of the CBS Early Show wanted to see a jungle of strollers. And that's what he got. The crew came and oohed and aahed my collection. But which was the one that really caught their eye? The Maxi Cosi Loola, formerly known as the BebeConfort Loola.

For years, we in Strollerland were forced to import this French beauty from Europe. And we paid a pretty penny to ship her over. But as you can see, she's worth it. So, beautiful day on the beautiful Pacific, for my beautiful daughter's birthday...yep, choose the most beautiful stroller. And it was only a coincidence that the vibrant aqua and turquoise of the "ChocoMint" matched the sea. The handles are not height adjustable, but you can rotate them in, for a more comfy push.

The Loola is a rare beast; it's a reversible umbrella stroller. The seat is very easy to reverse. It just pops on and pops off. One nice thing is that you can fold it in one piece, with the seat in either direction. And the fold is much more compact than on most reversibles. It stands alone when folded.











The wicked shocks made the Loola's performance on the bumpy pier a lot better than the small wheels would have suggested. It's small size allowed it to zip around the crowds, without running anyone down. The full canopy made it a pretty good choice for the sun. The plush fabrics and deep recline made a very cozy bed for SP 2.0. So all things considered, the Loola is not a bad choice for a full day outing.




But since it was a birthday party, with lots of pre-teen girls, SP 2.0 spent most of it being passed around.













So the Loola pulled a double duty carrying the birthday presents. You can load an awful lot onto this stroller, with no fear of it tipping. It is very solid. Another really nice feature is that you can lock the front swivel wheels into a fixed position, without bending down. The wheel locks are little switches up by the handles!



Oh, there's SP 2.0, surveying the waves!

At the end of the day, he did take a nice long nap.
The seat pad is reversible and washable. And not that we needed it this day, but the Loola does come with a rain cover.  Maxi-Cosi Loola Stroller
Weight: 28 pounds
Seat Width: 12"
Seat Back: 20"
Seat to Canopy: 22"
Width: 24"
Length: 28"
Floor to Seat: 21"
Handle Height: 37.5"

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Joovy Zoom ATS & 360 Review

I'm often asked what, if any, strollers will work on the beach. The answer: Not many. The good news is, there are a few. And here are two of the newest contenders: the Joovy Zoom 360 and the Joovy ATS. The reason they can handle the soft sand is that they have the muscle of 16" wheels. Don't look for anything smaller. As an added bonus, the Joovy wheels have shocks, which really made the ride much softer on the bumpy pier.

Peg Perego 2009 Si' Review 2009

Easter Si’

Every time Easter rolls around, I look forward to choosing a stroller. Since I am usually travelling to visit family, it has to be a lightweight. One year there was the aqua Maclaren Daytripper. Another year it was the lavender Inglesina Espresso. But this year, instead of going with a pastel, I chose the Easter-eggish “Corallo Stripes” Peg Perego Si’.  










 

TFK Mama Board & Dreamer Design Review

Mother's Day Mama Board on Park Avenue

Ever since I first saw a picture of a Euro mama "skateboarding" with this, while pushing her baby in a pram, I have wanted one. Heck, why should kids have all the fun? So natch I was thrilled when TFK showed up at the "2009 BIG Stroller Roll-Out", and announced they were coming to America! I was practically swooning over the Mama Board they had on display. Of course, the kind and patient Ms. Katy Halmen of "Trends for Kids" (TFK) thought I was a little crazy. Nothing new, there. But ANY way, TFK has finally made it to this side of the pond, which meant the Mama Board made it to the side of my strollers, haha!

I have this attached to the Dreamer Design Park Avenue. The axle must be thinner than the one on the TFK Joggster, because I couldn't get the strap quite tight enough. So it did slide around some, but it is not supposed to. It is very, very easy to attach, though.

The Park Avenue, by the way, is an affordable option for those looking for a reversible stroller. And it is rare to find a reversible 3-wheeler. It's too bad Dreamer went out of business. But you can still find the Park Avenues floating around. The stroller itself weighs 23 pounds. The seat back is 20". It has a front bar, height adjustable handle, and an easy trigger fold.

The Park Avenue has a one hand recline on the canopy, a pocket with small compartments on the back, a net pouch, and a decent sized basket.

But I think, all things considered, that it would be best to attach the Mama Board to a fixed wheel jogger with a hand brake. The Park Avenue has a swivel front wheel. And that, combined with a high center of gravity, made it somewhat of a tipping hazard.Especially since both the StrollerPrince and Princess were fighting over the ride. They did keep the wrist strap on at all times, but that doesn't help the stability.

One really nice thing about the Mama Board is how large it is, and it's high weight limit. As you can see, the StrollerPrince and StrollerPrincess can both fit nicely on it.

Even sitting down!

The quality is terrific, like a high-end skateboard.

As with any riding board attachment, though, keep in mind that the smaller wheels are not going to be able to handle rough terrain. Nevertheless, what a fun way get some fresh air and exercise, for both you and your little ones.

Trends For Kids

Happy Mother's Day to all of Strollerland!

Baby Jogger City Mini Review 3 wheel compared to Quinny Zapp

Baby Jogger Mini Check Mate

.I was thinking, because of the success of the Valco Latitude on my last trip to court, I would take it's Doppleganger to court this next time. And the success of the new Baby Jogger City Mini has been nothing short of amazing.  http://babyjogger.com/cityminimain.htm  People love the Mini's light weight, huge canopy, and amazingly easy fold. The wheels are by no means all-terrain, but they do perform better outdoors than your average umbrella stroller. I like it's versatility. Because of the deep recline, you can put a very young baby in it. And since the seat is quite large, it can hold a pre-schooler. I have tried it out with both sizes. And you can still push it one-handed with a heavier child.As you can see, the under basket is pretty small. But there is another large net pocket on the back. To recline it, you just squeeze that clip that's holding the strap, and slide the seat down.Now a very cool feature is that when it is in full recline, you can unroll the back fabric, to reveal "voila"! the large net back vent. Great feature for air circulation on a hot day. You can see from both the back and the front how deep the recline goes. Now here is why I am going to court again. I was taking the original Stroller Prince to his first day of Chess. He was so excited! It was early in the morning and the street was deserted. I saw my neighbor walking from the front of the school. He told me to drive around to the back, because it would be closer to the class. Big mistake.  I drove up to the stop sign. On one side, there is an apartment building. On the other, the street was closed due to construction, and there was a big sign that said "Closed to through traffic." I glanced over at all the pavers and bull-dozers. And the next thing I know, a motorcycle cop sprang from behind the apartment building. I was happy I hadn't done anything wrong. Or had I? He was red lighting me! I pull over, and he asks for my license. "I'm sorry. " I tell him. "I was rushing to get my daughter to school, and to take my son to his chess class. I had their backpacks and I was carrying the baby and I had no hands left for my purse. It has my license and insurance card in it. I'll just run home and get it." "Step out of the car please", he says sternly. "The law says every time you go out on the highway, you have to have your license." "But", I say, "I'm not on the highway. I am just on a little old neighborhood street. I'm two blocks away from home!" Now he starts running a background check on me. "Mom, I'm gonna' be late! I'm gonna' be embarrassed!" SP yells. "Could I please just bring him to class?" I ask. "You could follow me." "You're not going anywhere, but he can go", motorcycle cop says. "You mean let him walk four blocks by himself? Do you think that's safe? " "I don't care" motorcycle cop says. OK, now I am getting mad. My son is crying, my baby is crying, and I am being held against my will. "Well, you SHOULD care!" I tell him. You took an oath to 'protect and serve.' You are neither protecting me, nor serving me. No wonder there are so many burglaries in my neighborhood. You are too busy hiding behind buildings and trapping school parents, because that is easy! Easy and lucrative. We don't shoot you, and we pay our fines." Now he is getting mad, too. "You know I could arrest you", he says. "What for, for telling the truth"? I say. "You have an illegal sticker on your car. Take it off", he says. Now, the sticker he is pointing to is mandatory for my area. It allows you to park on the street.  I try and explain that. "Nope, never seen it. Take it off", he says. "You REALLY aren't from around these parts, are you son?" I said. "AGH"! He waves his hand at me, jumps on his bike and takes off. But not before issuing me a bunch of tickets, including failure to come to a complete stop, no proof of license, no insurance, etc. As he leaves, he drives down the street that says "No vehicles allowed."  I drop my son off at his class, go home and grab my purse, and come back. There he is, hiding behind the apartment building, waiting to trap another suburban mom." "Hi there", I said. He jumped. "Here's my license and registration and proof of insurance", I say, handing it to him. "I don't want that. It's too late" he says. "You know", I say. "This is all so uneccessary. There is no through traffic here! If I really didn't stop long enough, as you say, you could have issued me a warning.  You could have shown a little compassion fo a mom juggling three kids, trying to get them all fed and dressed and off to school on time. We are all just human, doing the best we can. I'm sure that you didn't mean to go down that street that is closed to through vehicles." 'WHAT?!!!" He says. "Are you accusing ME of breaking the law?" "I didn't say that", I said. "I'm just saying we all make mistakes." "AHHH", he says, waving his hand at me again, and driving off. So once again,  I have to post another thousand dollar bail.

Baby Jogger Mini Stats:

Weight: 16.5  pounds

Folded: 24" x 29" x 8"

Width: 24"

Length: 34"

Handle height: 41"

Seat Width: 13.5"

Seat Depth: 9"

Seat to Canopy: 23.5"

Seat back: 21.5"

Drop to Footrest: 9"

Comparison of  Mini to Zapp 

Since both of these strollers are very hot right now in the lightweight category, I wanted to do a "mini" comparison. The measurements on these two are remarkably similar, as you can see from the stats. The biggest difference is in the length. As you can see, the Zapp has a much shorter wheel base. The handle height is shorter, too. The Zapp is a pound heavier, and has no recline. Whereas you saw how far back you could recline the Mini's seat.The Zapp's seat back and seat to canopy is about a half inch taller. Both have very wide seats, but the Zapp's is an inch bigger at it's widest part, then tapers down by the hips. It has an inch shorter drop to footrest.Both of these are on the wide side, at 24". especially for a lightweight. However, a 3-wheeler must have a wider rear stance than a 4-wheeler, for stability. OK, neither are technically 3-wheelers, but that is kind of their design. You can see how the Zapp can fold in smaller, with it's tripod legs that tuck in underneath the seat. Both have superb maneuverability.
 

Quinny Zapp Review

Zapp the Red White and Blue

It's Election Day! And of course, that requires a stroller that is patriotic. Not a problem! Take the new, cobalt blue Quinny Zapp. Add in an American flag, a red parasol, red Skip Hop, white and red Skip Hop wipes case (Swipe), white onesie on baby, and you're good to vote!

http://www.quinny.com/quinny/productdetail.aspx?id=29

It was a terrific choice.  The husband called in advance to find out where our polling place was. Turns out, it was just down the block, and around the corner. So we didn't need to walk far. A big A/T wasn't necessary. But perhaps a one-handed push would be important. There is no umbrella stroller that is easier to push one-handed than the Zapp, period. And it's small footprint and great style makes it a really fun stroller to use.It has no recline, so it is best suited to a child six months and older. And it will suit a much older child. Look at all the growing room that SP 2.0 has! The seat back is one of the tallest I have measured. But it folds really tiny. In fact, the Zapp bills itself as "The world's smallest folding stroller." This,  and the raincover and travel bag that comes with it, makes it ideal for travel. Many have reported stashing it in the airplane's overhead bin. They say the travel bag looks like any other carry-on.All the children were excited to go to the polling place. I say all, because in addition to my three, I generally have four or five others hanging about. But of course, this election generated a huge amount of interest. The whole brood  even voted in their schools. After they decorated their bikes and scooters, they started discussing who the winner would be. And who they voted for. Discussing, then arguing. I guess politics isn't even a safe topic among the 10 and under set! They got another interesting lesson when we got to the voting booths.  Despite the fact that they told the husband my name was on the list, it wasn't. Which meant I couldn't vote. The lady in charge said she would  let me vote provisionally, if I could show her a valid ID. I couldn't. Yes, believe it or not, I don't always leave the house with the thought in mind that I will have to prove I am who I am. This has gotten me in trouble more than once, as you will see in the upcoming chapter in "Adventures in Strollerland!" Anyway, it was good to have the Zapp to zip home to get the proof  I exist.

Quinny Zapp Stats:

Weight: 17.5  pounds
Folded: 15" x 27" x 13"
Width: 24"
Length: 22"
Handle height: 39.5"
Seat Width: 14.5" Seat Depth: 8" Seat to Canopy: 24"
Seat back: 22"
Drop to Footrest: 8"