Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have been researching strollers for a while and had been very un-impressed with the typical, boxy standard-style strollers out there. They seemed very cookie-cutter. I had a Chicco Keyfit22 travel system and it was a great start but I wanted something a little *different*. I only seemed to find some of the things I really wanted in the European stroller market (also known as prams) or in the ultra high-end stroller market. (Quinny, Bugabee, Peg Perego, etc). I was trying to stick in the 150 range (found this particular color combo on sale for 179.99 with free shipping) and found that you couldn't get this much stroller until you hit the 300 mark. What a pleasant surprise to get this on sale! I think the color was discontinued but other than that I don't see any obvious changes for this year's model (2011).
So I get the box home and open it up. Nice! It is only in a few pieces, not oodles of tiny ones. It took about 15 minutes of assembly time. No tools, everything snaps into place. Basically put on the wheels, the canopy, the seat (which is removable anyways) and install the cup holder and you are all set... except...they ship the stroller with the tires flat, which is understandable, so be prepared to inflate them prior to your first use.
First things I notice, I *love* how high my 9 month old sits. When we are at a normal dining table he rolls right up next to us, feet just below the plane of the table. Having the higher view keeps him visually engaged so he isn't so moody. I imagine the lower seating views common on other strollers can be quite boring! I find this higher vantage point also great when we go to the zoo as the viewing areas are usually low, but still higher than a standard stroller on a lot of exhibits.
I Love Love Love that the seat can be facing us instead of outward. I can constantly monitor if he is getting too much sun, etc. When the seat is installed face forward, your recline levels are a little bit different then when the seat is installed faced toward you. Towards you the most upright setting is almost like a chair, practically 90 degrees. The recline isn't completely flat but when you rotate the seat facing the other way, it reclines completely flat. One thing I did notice is that when it is completely reclined it is like pushing around a torpedo so be prepared for that. Even when the seat is reclined it has the contours built in so the knees are always bent and the hip is always bent a little, although it is a natural contour and nothing to be worried about.
One thing that wasn't obvious in the video reviews is how wide the rear wheels are! They are a bit wider than most strollers though the overall footprint is smaller, it is more wide and less long. I did have to maneuver a little precariously through a shop and in some cases it just wouldn't fit.
The feel of the fabric is so much better than the vinyl/polyester types I have been seeing everywhere. It is really soft and feels thick and sturdy. The seat fabric is cushy and seems like it would be very comfortable. The zippers leave a little to be desired. They don't run smoothly. I'm hoping the plasticky feel of them is attributed to possible outdoor exposure and is maybe a solution to rust, I'm not sure, but they definitely require two hands to use to keep the zipper from puckering. This zipper releases an extra tier of canopy and is the same zipper type on the storage bag underneath. The rear storage is accessible via a drawstring pull and it holds a TON. My (oversize) purse, a bag of toys and his diaper bag --nice--!
The extend-able arms are a nice feature, but the jiggly aspect of where it goes up and down are a tad annoying, but not enough to affect it...more cosmetic than functional as annoyances go. They are great to keep you from kicking the bar underneath.
The brake for the rear wheels, rather than being a lever you push down or kick up (which is hard when you are wearing flip flops) is instead fashioned as a large button you just push down to click down and lock the brakes and then just push again to unclick and release the wheels. The way the stroller is designed keeps it from being as easy to fall over when you have things hanging from the handles as the center of gravity is better balanced than typical strollers.
The part I hated. First few times I pinched my fingers (painfully, the first time) when the handle released and I didn't have it facing in a much more strategic position and it collapsed onto and folded my fingers with it. It takes a few trial and error attempts to figure out the best way to have the stroller facing when you release. I may need to watch the video to learn a little better but it is definitely not self explanatory. The buttons on the side to recline the chair sometimes won't push in and you have to put tension on the chair to get them to release, which is hard when two of your hands are on the buttons already!
All that being said, I feel the pros outweigh the cons and the final positive (and one I, admittedly, enjoy) are all the compliments people pay you!
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Maxi-Cosi Foray Stroller - Choco Mint
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