Strollers

Comment:

We really enjoy our Stokke and it was not our first pick when it came to strollers!<br />Our little one HATED being in the stroller/car seat and after struggling for months with not being able to push him around, he got too heavy to always be carried and we really had to find another stroller than our Chicco Cortina which was gathering dust. We took our baby to a superstore and had our 5 month old sit in every stroller. The Stokke was the ONLY ONE in which he did not cry, so we had to buy it. I think there is something about sitting up high and close to the parents that our baby liked, especially since he could face us. We never got to use the bassinet, but it does look lovely and comfy.<br />We got both the summer and winter kits and they are beautiful, as well as useful. At 6 months, we had him snugly wrapped up in the winter kit and that was the first time he fell sleep in a stroller...EVER! The footmuff is well designed; I just wish it were easier to wash because bubble solution leaves awful, ugly stains on it. When baby got older, we were able to turn him to outward-facing. He enjoyed being up high and looking around, so he hasn't put up as much of a fight with the Stokke. However, we have also since been able to get him to ride in the Cortina without a fight, so it might just be that he's grown up. Another great thing about this design is that we have been able to use it as a high chair in restaurants where there isn't one available. The Stokke does maneuver really well, especially on crowded city sidewalks, albeit you're still taking up a lot of room because you have a stroller! I have often steered it one-handed, despite its rather hefty weight.<br />The Xplory is, admittedly, a hassle to fold up, and it takes up a lot of room in our small apartment because we don't take it apart to fold up every time. There also isn't a lot of storage, but we make the most of the storage sack at the base as well as the hanging diaper bag. We got a rider board just for helping tote home big purchases like boxes of diapers or large packs of paper towels. We do use a mommy hook to hand bags off the handle, but that only works if the baby is in the stroller, counterbalancing the weight. The controls are not intuitive, but they are rather easy, once you use each feature a couple times.<br />My biggest complaint is that the wheels are hard, so it makes for a very bumpy ride on city streets. It is also a noisy stroller, rattling over every side walk seam, crack and curb. I can't imagine that I would want to place a newborn in the bassinet on my Xplory; it just would not be a smooth or soothing ride! My thrill-seeking son doesn't mind getting thrown around in his stroller at all, thank goodness, so he doesn't mind all the jostling. The safety bar could be better designed: once you take it off, there is no good place to store it while you put baby in/take baby out of stroller. It is always falling off whatever we put it on, along with whichever chew toy we've attached to it. Yuck! As our LO has grown, we've had to extend the footrest and now I am finding that the storage sack at the base gets in the way of the footrest. We cannot fill our storage sack if we have our footrest extended and the seat upright. That is another design flaw that can probably be easily tweaked. Our stroller unit also tilts quite a bit to one side, which I should probably call Stokke about having adjusted. Stokke customer service has been sublime the two times I have called and very smoothly helped us with a diaper bag issue.<br />So, while many complain that the Xplory is pricey, it was certainly worthwhile for us (since baby was refusing to use other stroller anyway!). It is a stylish ride, especially when you deck out this thing with the winter or summer kits. I pretty much have every accessory for it except the attachable blanket and sheepskin liner (didn't need them given the winter kit and footmuff), and I do use them all!<br />Overall, this stroller saved us, so it was worth every penny. As long as it holds up, we'll continue to be happy customers. I'm not even sure I want to segue to an umbrella stroller, but it'll be inevitable since we'd like to get around the city via public transportation once LO is older and the Xplory just isn't great for that.

How long have you owned it:

Bottom Line

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

Comment:

We love this stroller. It steers beautifully, we love the way it looks, it adjusts to your every whim. It feels light and agile when you push it, but is heavy to actually lift; not a good bet for anyone living in a fourth floor walk-up. That said, the two wheel configuration is good for stairs. I do struggle with the transformation from four wheels to two, but my husband is now an expert, it just takes practice.<br /><br />The bassinet is roomy and wonderful. Our son sleeps in it when we're away from home. The sheets are great (expensive though, like all Stokke products). The rain cover goes on easily, has kept the baby dry in a torrential downpour, has a flap secured by velcro you can open if it gets stuffy inside for the baby. <br /><br />We like the adjustable height, and keep ours high because we take the baby to a park with a lot of rambunctious dogs and it's nice to keep a newborn up above dog level. This is also where the sturdiness of the Stokke shines-- it took a direct hit from a golden retriever the other day and the baby didn't even wake up. <br /><br />The attention to detail is the best part of this stroller. The bassinet has concealed handles that allow it to function as a carrier; the rain cover has an elastic band to hold open the flap, right where you want it to be; the wind cover can be secured to the hood with little toggles; there's a clip that keeps the bassinet flat. <br /><br />We haven't used the seat yet with the stroller, so can't comment on it. The main downside of this stroller is that it is so expensive-- we could never have afforded it, it was a gift from my in-laws. They got it 25% off because it was in a discontinued color.

How long have you owned it:

Bottom Line

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

Comment:

Great stroller. After trying few strollers at the local baby store, we came to realize that it worth the money. We are very happy with it...

How long have you owned it:

Bottom Line

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.