Urban Stroller Shopping
Last weekend my husband and I finally got to get out of our apartment after being cooped up post-Hurricane-Sandy and test drove some strollers. We’d done our fair share of online research (or if we’re being accurate, my husband looked at every detail and I looked at all the color options) so we’d already narrowed it down to two front runners: the Uppababy Vista and the Baby Jogger City Select.
Living in New York and having to walk and take public transit everywhere, the stroller is a top priority. Some things we considered before going to test drive:
- The City Select is about $200 cheaper, but doesn’t come with the bassinet. City’s car seat attachments cost a bit more than the Vista’s.
- Vista only has one way to position a second child, where the City Select boasts 16 different positions.
- Vista weighs slightly less, but they’re basically equal here.
Both fold fairly easily (but I’m going to give the win in this category to the City Select) and have big enough wheels to navigate the bumps and curves of the sidewalk. I preferred the under-seat basket on the City Select, but really that category is another close call.
I left the store leaning towards the City Select, and then of course passed the Bugaboo display on the way out. The Bugaboo has been my dream stroller for years, but the combination of price and having to remove the seat to fold the stroller are big deterrents.
We’re still just as decided today as we were last week. The frivolous side of me wants to spring for the Bugaboo and the practical side of me thinks we should probably go with the City Select.
It will be a relief to finally decide which stroller is “the one.” Then all we have to decide on is car seats, cribs and gliders. Oh, and a birth plan.
Which stroller did you choose? What made it “the one”?
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The Nest Blog
i choose the vista or the city because i felt it was too heavy!
get the bugaboo cam2 its on sale now so closer in your price range. I love my donkey! totally worth the money!! or find it on craigslist tons are selling it there
We had a Bugaboo that lasted through two kids (after we replaced some of the parts). I loved it. But honestly, I think the CityMinis are awesome and I wish I looked more closely at them — very compact, very sturdy, and the fact that you can adjust the straps for height FROM THE FRONT is one of those things you don’t pay attention to when shopping, but makes your life 10x easier. I also suggest a secondary Maclaren stroller. We used the Bug when going in the neighborhood for shopping, errands, etc because it was a workhorse. Maclarens are amazingly easy to fold and so lightweight – GREAT for subways and day trips. We had the Quest and the Triumph. Loved both!
We got the City Select and I really like it! We needed a double stroller and for me it was the best choice for price and versatility. The only two things I find a little annoying are: 1) the back wheels are set out wider than the front, which sometimes is a problem when navigating tight turns, and 2) the carseat adapters need to be taken off before folding the stroller up and storing. (No way around that one, though, and I think it will be easier when the babies are big enough to use the actual stroller seats. Hopefully.)
Where are THE ultimate places in NYC to do stroller shopping?!