How to Buy a Baby Stroller

When it comes to buying strollers for babies, the choices available can seem overwhelming at first. Gone are your grandmother's days when a parent picked out a cheap model or inherited one from an older relative or neighbor and lived with it. Strollers nowadays are high-tech wonders and sorting through the options can be challenging.

Make your life easier by thinking about your goals for baby stroller use.

Standard strollers offer a range of new features that just about every model will have. These include detachable seats that can be used as baby car seats, ample baby travel gear storage, UV reduction canopies, umbrellas and more. Standard strollers tend to be heavier for longer wear and increased stability. They have all kinds of extras sometimes not found on other types such as larger under seat storage baskets, for example.

If you are a jogger or a lover of the wilderness, you will want to look into an all terrain or jogging stroller. You will see that right away when you start to click around although that may not clue you in to consider the importance of wheel size and type. These considerations are relevant to other types as well.

In general, the bigger the wheel the better the stroller will perform over rough terrain. Smaller wheels offer great performance on smooth surfaces. A twelve-inch wheel gives more maneuverability than, say a sixteen inch one and takes up less room during storage. Something as large as a twenty inch one provides excellent off-road performance to glide through soft dirt or sand.

Small swivel wheels make for easier turning, making them a better choice for shopping malls than a forest path. Sure, a trail may curve, but it rarely features sharp corners requiring turning in a tight space like a department store. Fixed wheels are easier to push on a straight, level surface. Many strollers offer the option to lock a swivel wheel, making it the perfect combination.

When looking at different models, make sure to consider seating options. Most models offer the option to exchange stroller seats with car seats. However, go beyond that basic issue. What sort of reclining options do you want, for example?

Some strollers allow for two positions recline - upright and flat, for sitting or sleeping. That is fine, but very limited. A three position recline is usually the minimum compromise you will want. Five position is better in part because different babies enjoy different positions, and at different times. Superior models will allow you to adjust the seat to any angle between full upright and fully flat.

Of course, even the basics should not be neglected. You will want to consider the age of your little one (newborn, infant, or toddler). Going beyond averages, you should think about your child's weight and expected growth rate. Think about the type of brakes that would be best in your particular circumstances.
Finally, do not neglect that all-important, but hard to quantify factor of convenience.
  • How easy is the model to fold and unfold - Many models offer one-hand fold with the press off a finger.
  • When it is compacted, can it be stored securely, thanks to a latch to prevent opening?
  • Can it stand upright (to keep it clean and handy) before you put it into the car?
  • How heavy or large is it open or closed?
It is true there are a great many factors to consider. Nevertheless, that research can be fun and, thanks to the superb materials and ingenious engineering of today's baby strollers, you really cannot go wrong. Just take your stroll one step at a time.