When our youngest was born (just shy of 11 years ago), strollers were, well, strollers. You maybe had two (as we did) -- one for everyday plus a jogger. This worked great, as the everyday stroller folded and fit into the back of the car.
[ It occurs to me that this is shaping up to sound like a lame standup comedy bit. Fair enough. But bear with me. ]
Without naming any (brand) names I will point at a certain brand that to me has pushed the stroller thing totally off the edge. Strollers are now HUGE, and if they do fold it takes a half hour, a set of instructions, and a nap. And did someone say cost? These things go for nearly A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Ok so here's my take. I'll grant that a good jogging stroller is a must for many families. We certainly love ours (it's the same basic Baby Jogger model that we've had for 11 years). But for everyday? Give me a good old fashioned umbrella stroller. Here's my bulleted list of "why":
>You can get a pretty spiffy one for like $40, and cheapo ones for $20. The decent ones have enough storage underneath for a trip to the park or a small grocery bag, the cheapo ones less so but you can always hang a bag off of the handles.
>They fold up soooooo much easier, and take up a lot less room to boot (now that we have 3 kids we wouldn't even be able to fit one of the mammoth ones in the back w/ all our other junk).
>Price. Kids stuff (especially stuff that gets folded and otherwise lugged around) is bound to show wear and tear pretty quickly. At between $20-$40 you don't have to sweat it nearly as much. In fact I remember more than one vacation where we didn't even pack a stroller and instead simply bought a cheap one once we arrived then left it behind.
>Manageability. Believe it or not umbrella strollers are actually easier to manage than more expensive ones. Tight corners at the grocery store, bumpy sidewalks, you name it. All easier w/ the cheaper solution.
Ok, if I sat and thought about it some more I know I could add to this list. But I'll stop here. So before you go out and spend a gajillion dollars on some bright orange tank of a thing, check the umbrella aisle. You'll thank me for it.
Agreed. We've had two umbrella strollers for our two kids. None of the Cadillacs. I'm one for convenience. The first from Toys R Us cost $15, if I remember correctly. Lasted for a couple of years. The second, from Target, cost exactly $8. Still have it in the back of the van. The other, more expensive brands are pretty much status symbols.
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