Posted by
axptguy38
18 yrs ago
It depends on so many things. What are you going to be using the stroller for? How long and how often? What kind of terrain?
- Full size strollers like Bugaboo (non Bee), the Orbit, Phil & Ted models.... You get everything like bassinet and nice big wheels. You also get a heavier stroller which won't fold into a very small pile. Great if you are out and about a lot. Baby can sleep in it just as if it is a real bed. Most of these also allow mounting of a car seat in the chassis.
- Umbrella strollers like most MacLarens. Light weight, easy to fold and carry. However they are not appropriate for young children to be in for longer periods (no lie flat), and they are not as nice to push for long walks. They also can't handle anything but smooth surfaces.
- In between strollers. There are plenty, such as Quinny and various Peg Perego models.
It's all about compromise. No stroller has everything.
"Is it possible to have something until the child is 2 or 3 instead of going through changes? "
Most strollers will get you to 4. Full size is better in this case. For example the Bugaboos start with bassinet, then transform into chair (at around 6 months).
"By the way, what do you all do with the pushchairs after they are over and done with? Seem such a waste if they just need to get chucked."
Some, like our MacLaren, will have to be thrown. It's just not sturdy enough for a third user (after our two). Some, like the Bugaboo, can be sold or given away.
If you are considering more than one child, have a good look at the strollers from Phil & Ted (Sport, Vibe, etc...). They can handle one child lying flat, one child sitting, one sitting and one lying down, two sitting.
My suggestion is to go to a store like Bumps to Babes and get a demo of some options.
You may well find it easier to get 2 strollers. One full size for walks and so you get a bassinet, and one umbrella for shorter outings and as the kids gets older. We have three, one Bugaboo Cameleon, one MacLaren Techno XT, and one Phil & Ted's Sport. All three get regular use (we have two kids). In the US, it was mostly the bug. Here it's mostly the Mac.
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wow....some detailed analysis here by axptguy38, obviously its right and i totally go with the idea of having 2 prams acording to one's need, but i wont keep the same pram for 3-4 yrs, i dont like this idea. Although almost all brands now offer prams suitable from birth to 4yrs but wont you and your child get bored of it???? I have a 2yr old and already am on my 4th pram, the 1st i bought an Urban Detour 3-wheeler, but didnt find much comfortable on everyday use, so changed to a rather compact style from Mclaren for traveling, then bought another when came back to hk coz it was used alot already....! My son (like me) likes these changes alot and is mostly willing to sit instead of wandering around when we most need him.
As for my previous prams....well i 've sold them here on Expat for some reasonable amount.... getting some cash back never hurts!!!
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"some detailed analysis here by axptguy38,"
My geekness is not limited to computers. ;)
"Although almost all brands now offer prams suitable from birth to 4yrs but wont you and your child get bored of it??"
Not really no. The thing with "full size" is that they give adequate support for a proper bassinet or equivalent, but still have no problem with a four year old in a seat.
But hey, everyone is different. I must say that my #1, almost 3, doesn't sit in the stroller a whole lot anymore.
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Not really possible to have one from birth all the way up (unless you are one of those parents that just has their helper transport the child everywhere and then you probably don't care) as you will soon tire of the extra weight of a newborn stroller and want to swap to something light like the Maclaren Volo (very light, easily folded).
You could get a stroller that fits a car seat and then can be used without, but a not-too-heavy one (like the Quinny Zapp, but not, because I have one and despise it - unstable and difficult to fold). Then change to a light umbrella stroller.
I like Bugaboos a lot - I hover outside shopping malls and laugh at people trying to get them through the doors without help, they provide me with hours of entertainment. Bad stroller for HK.
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"I like Bugaboos a lot - I hover outside shopping malls and laugh at people trying to get them through the doors without help, they provide me with hours of entertainment. Bad stroller for HK."
Agreed. Not ideal for HK in general. However it works just fine in certain areas. One must have another stroller as well.
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And a car. And strong arms. And a fat wallet. (Although, having said that, I was offered one as a gift and declined.)
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There are always Bugaboo bashers. ;) That's fine. We love ours but you everyone's needs are different.
Car? Well it depends where and how you live. We typically walked out of the house directly with it. No need for a car then.
Fat wallet, sure. But to be fair for us it has been well worth the money. We used it 2-3 hours almost every day in rain, shine and snow for 2 years until we moved to HK. Since then we have used it 1 hour a day for another 6 months. The biggest issue we had in all that time was a flat tire and Bugaboo promptly sent us an entirely new wheel. I easily fixed the puncture anyway so now we have a spare.
The stroller doesn't look new anymore but it could probably do another 4-5 years of hard work. As I said well worth the money.
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"it appears push chairs are like cars with all those fancy gadgets and terrain specifics. "
You better believe it! So much fun. ;)
We can talk all we want but nothing beats going to a store and fiddling with the kit. Fold them up, take them apart, mount the rain cover, lift them, try to do it all with one hand and a foot while holding something heavy in the other hand.
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WWcC
18 yrs ago
We've just been through this exercise and I tend to agree with axptguy 38 about going to the store and fiddling with the kit. We started off looking at one design and went through the idea of getting McLaren as lots of people seem to have them but found they are very light and not really suitable for new born. Its really a personal choice and we ended up with a Graco design. I suggest you go to all the shops (not just B2B) but Causeway Bay there are lots of baby shops selling strollers and also Ocean Terminal another place to look. Take a day out as if you were buying a car - its fun and you'll learn so much and then go home and think about it. We ended up with far different choice to what we just saw immediately and glad I check it all out. However, someone I dont think it will last up to 3/4 years as they suggest as baby gets bigger, heavier and circumstances change. Therefore don't splash out loads of dosh on it either as its not worth it.
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"Therefore don't splash out loads of dosh on it either as its not worth it."
I think this depends on how you are going to use it. Our stroller was used as much as both our cars put together during the first 2 years. 2½ hours a day at least. If you break the cost out over that, an expensive stroller like the Bugaboo Cameleon with all the accessories (and they are many) is totally worth it.
However, if you are only going to use it for short periods, get something else. Having said that I do feel sorry when I see a 2 month old sleeping in a Mac at Pacific Coffee. Get the poor kid a proper bassinet!
As for 3-4 years, that also depends. If you don't walk a lot (as in take car/taxi/bus to the shops and back) you will use it a much shorter time. As soon as baby starts walking reliable you can often leave the stroller at home. But I still take my daughter to pre-school in the stroller (she is almost 3). Not that she can't do the walk. It just takes much less time in the stroller. We are using the Mac for this though.
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axptguy is right, there's tons of strollers out there just like cars. You just have to go and spend some time to research and try out each type. As for only having one stroller to do everything for that many years, I disagree. You'll need at least two.
Newborns up to pre toddler age requires fully reclining seats to properly sleep in. And you can bet they'll sleep in it, specially the first few months! Then they grow bigger (and longer) and need to sit properly with support for their back as well as their feet. We chose very lightweight ones since HK is so crowded with many areas not accessible by strollers or wheelchairs (and they say HK is a world-class city, I don't think so!). Many times you're having to carry the baby, stroller, diaper bag, plus anything else you need up/down staircases just to get around (MTR for instance)! You don't want to be dragging a 30 lb. stroller up/down a staircase with the baby and stuff would you?
We got a Combi (12 lbs) and a Mac Volo later on (11.5 lbs), both are extremely lightweight and perfect for HK streets and malls.
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AKKY
18 yrs ago
i'm too looking for a light stroller and i have 4 condition
1) light weight (since i need to carry alot when i go out with bub alone)
2) compact when folded not bulky (i need to get on coach bus)
3) head rest is around 45 degree tilted so bub dont have his head fall down while sleeping
4) and if possible under $500hk
any suggestions?? i dont have alot of time to shop so i need help from other mothers who have these same concerns. my bub is 2 now and he always sleeps when we go out (even after naps at home!!)
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AKKY
under $500????
you looking for a new or used stroller in that budget?
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"i'm too looking for a light stroller and i have 4 condition
1) light weight (since i need to carry alot when i go out with bub alone)
2) compact when folded not bulky (i need to get on coach bus)
3) head rest is around 45 degree tilted so bub dont have his head fall down while sleeping
4) and if possible under $500hk"
Quinny would probably comply with all the requirements. Also some of the reclining Macs like Techno XT.
I think you're talking a few thousand Honkies at least.
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-sa
18 yrs ago
Perhaps a silly question- why is the Bug not suitable for HK?
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"Perhaps a silly question- why is the Bug not suitable for HK?"
It's big and heavy. You'll have a hard time on some sidewalks. For example close to our place there is a spot where a railing and the wall make the sidewalk too narrow for it (a Mac will fit) so I have to use the street. Many places do not have elevators or ramps so you have to carry it up stairs.
I love the bug and its size and weight is justified by the features, but in a city like HK it can be a hassle.
Of course it depends where you live. If you are, say, at Parkview and use the Bug for actual walks as opposed to "running around town" it is perfect. You have the long walk through the country park for example. In this case you should get two strollers.
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suvi
16 yrs ago
I've used small foldup Chicco stroller in HK without problems but I'm planning to use Phil and Ted's Vibe that is inline stroller for two this time around. I like these a lot as they fold even with the sibling seat attached and they are pretty stable even with only three wheels.
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I've had 4 prams and I now have just 3.
I have a Chicco 3in1 system (bassinet, car seat carrier, stroller). Please do yourself a favour and don't buy one like this. It's ugly and bulky and does 3 things badly.
I have a Mountain Buggy - possibly not ideal for HK but is a magnificent pram. We used to live in Sai Kung and I used it a lot for walking and I am using it a lot here in Singapore to go stomping down the park and beach.
I had a MacClaren Volo - good but I sold it. It is only really useful for an older child as it does not recline.
I recently bought a MacClaren Quest but have not used it yet as my baby is not keen on it. It only reclines a little and he cannot sit up properly in it. When he's a bit older this will be really useful as it is really light and easy to chuck in the boot.
If at all possible I would look out for a decent pram in good condition that is for sale second hand.
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