In Search of the Right Stroller
It is an important part of the first baby equipment and often the first big investment. It’s not without reason that most parents-to-be think of HIM when purchasing for their child – we’re talking about a stroller, of course.
Similar to buying a car, both parents want to weigh in on this one. Not only design, functionality and safety but also equipment and accessories play a significant role in choosing the right stroller. At the same time, the decision should not be rushed. In our stroller online guide, you will find a lot of helpful information to make your decision easier.
The market for strollers does not make our decision easier, because there are countless stroller models in a wide variety of designs. And you have to decide in this stroller jungle, which model meets your expectations and optimally complements your lifestyle. With our stroller online guide, we try to help you in the right place and make the decision easier.
Baby’s contact with the outside world: strollers
Discovering nature, feeling a light breeze on your skin, or listening to the birds chirping. From an early age, your little one perceives external impressions and thus gets to know his or her surroundings. The best place for your little treasure to make these experiences is in a place where he feels comfortable and secure. What could be better suited for explorations in nature than a stroller?
Fresh air and daylight are indispensable for the growing baby. With bright eyes, it perceives its surroundings and learns about the world. Therefore, a stroller with accessories is indispensable for the first equipment. Choose between different models the right vehicle for your offspring.
Stroller Decision Criteria
- Price: How much money do you want to spend on your stroller?
- How often will the stroller be used? Will the stroller be used daily or only occasionally?
- How much storage space do you have available for your stroller (e.g. in front of the apartment door, in the stairwell, in the wheel cellar or in the garage)?
- Do you live in the city or in the countryside?
- If you live in the city: Will the child be transported mainly in the car or are you more likely to use public transportation (train, subway, bus, streetcar) regularly?
- Countryside: do your walks take you along asphalt roads or rather along forest, woodland and field paths? How off-road does your stroller need to be?
- How much space do you have in the trunk to store the folded stroller?
- Will you be doing your daily shopping with the stroller and do you need enough storage space in the stroller, e.g. a basket?
- Do you want to use baby carrier/sling in addition to the stroller?
How to find the right stroller
A stroller belongs to the baby’s first equipment like crib and changing table. In general, you have the choice between a classic stroller for the first months of baby’s life and a combination stroller that converts into a practical buggy and baby carrier when needed. In addition, there are special designs such as twin strollers, in case the stork has delivered two sweet Bauxerl to you at once.
The classic stroller is the most popular choice among most young parents. The models are easy to use, practical and sometimes cheaper than combination strollers. Before buying, however, you should ask yourself a few questions to make an informed choice and look out for some important features:
- Does it have a safe parking brake?
- Is it easy to fold, for example, to store it in the trunk in a flash?
- How much does it weigh (this is good to know if you often have to carry it up stairs, for example)?
- What tires are ideal for your purposes? Typical plastic wheels are adequate on big city asphalt. If you’ll be hiking with your baby or traveling on dirt roads, you’ll want to choose larger rubber tires.
Also pay attention to what accessories are included. The supposedly more expensive stroller may turn out to be the better choice in the end because it already comes with accessories like a rain cover, bag and stroller parasol.
Buy simple stroller & accessories or combo stroller?
A combination stroller is convenient if you don’t already have a baby carrier. However, if you already have a baby carrier, the extra cost is often not worth it. Also consider if you are planning to have a second child: if so, it is better if the older child gets his or her own stroller while the younger child takes over the stroller.
Also consider other transport options for baby & child: Special back carriers are becoming increasingly popular, allowing you to take baby safely on trails or to events without the need for a cumbersome wagon. You can carry very young babies in a special sling at the breast, giving them nest warmth on the go.
Once the baby has outgrown the car seat, you need a special car seat for the car, in which the offspring sits safely strapped in the back seat.