Strollerderby : strollers

Stroller As Gun Rack

Brett Singer — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:00:00 GMT

I'm not a hunter, so I'd never heard of a "shooting cart" before. At first glance, my reaction to this was similar to that of Internet entrepreneur Jason Calcanis, who seems amazed by its very existence. Or one of his commenters, who says, "ha, ha...you know you're a redneck when...."

Looking more closely, though, it seems that this is not an uncommon item. From another commenter: "I actually know several people that have these. They are used for 3 gun competitions because it is very hard to safely carry 3 guns around a shooting range. They are built from the ground up as a shooting cart. This is not a stroller it just looks like one." Greg at DaddyTypes also points out that this is a normal looking item – if you hunt.

Despite the fact that it's not really a stroller, I do think it would be fun if our favorite soldier mom who gave birth in her barracks used this to transport her budle of joy. I mean, come on. We all need a good chuckle these days.

Initial commie-pinko-liberal reaction aside ("OMG HOW CAN YOU PUT A BABY IN THAT THING THATS SO WRONG LOL"), I have to admit that as my younger son rapidly outgrows his stroller, I'd been wondering what to do with it. Maybe I can start hunting, or just look like I am. Rolling this down Second Avenue would definitely get me attention in Manhattan.

Source: Jason Calcanis via DaddyTypes

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They Say: Parents Who Use Forward-Facing Strollers Treat Their Kids Like “Accessories”

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The New Zealand publication Stuff has its panties all in a bunch over forward-facing strollers, seeing them as nothing more than the latest torture device for innocent youngsters everywhere.

Remember the recent study that found that babies who are walked in forward-facing strollers could be “emotionally impoverished” because they are denied facial contact with their parents, and are forced instead to familiarize themselves with, uh, the rest of the world? Well, Karl du Fresne has covered the study under the headline “Babies Paraded as Parents’ Fashion Accessories.” I’m not sure what kind of childhood this du Fresne character had, but he seems to think that parents are universally, egregiously selfish and vain, and the forward-facing stroller is just one more example of this mass parenting travesty.

Du Fresne sees it as “no surprise” that being “propelled toward a procession of bewildering, and possibly frightening, strangers” would impair children’s development. And naturally, the only possible reason he can imagine for such horrific parenting is—fashion. He feels that parents everywhere see their children as nothing more than “a fashion accessory to be shown off for maximum advantage. This is accomplished far more effectively when the unfortunate infant is facing forward.”

Take that, forward-facing stroller users! I’ll bet you force your kids to wear diapers with those cutesy animal prints on them, too, you sickos.

Photo: Little Baby Guide

They Say: Forward-Facing Strollers Are Bad for Baby

They Say: Forward-Facing Stroller's Bad for Baby

JeanneSager — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:05:00 GMT

What great timing. In the middle of an economic meltdown (yeah, we know, another mention - sorry, we had to), a study out of Dundee University in Scotland will have parents casting aside their $1,000 strollers. The new must-have? An old-fashioned pram, the better for leaning over and cooing in baby's face. The better for baby's emotional and language development down the road, they say.

I say poppycock.

The study specifically states forward-facing strollers keep kids from interacting with their caregivers, making the children less likely to talk and laugh. How'd they come up with this? They followed nearly three thousand parents and came up with an experiment for twenty. Those twenty babies were pushed in forward-facing strollers for half a mile, then turned to face their parents for another half mile. Face-to-face, the parents were more likely to talk to their kids, and the kids were more likely to talk back. What's more, the scientists say the baby was twice as likely to fall asleep facing Mom and Dad.

Maybe because they were bored?

Kids see their parents all day long. What they don't get to see out of the old pram is the world around them. They don't get to watch a dog sniffing the ground or the way a shopper swings his bag in time to his own steps in the mall. Ever notice how quiet a kid gets when they're getting into trouble? When their minds are at work, kids often shut off the volume so they can concentrate on imagining. Could explain why babies who have something better to look at than the same old Mom face they're used to seeing are staying mum. Could explain why they're staying awake too - there are too many new things to see.

Researcher Dr. Suzanne Zeedyk of Dundee says the study suggests forward-facing babies are experiencing a life that's "emotionally impoverished and possibly stressful." I say she's just putting more undue stress on parents.

But who am I to say anything? It's getting too quiet in my living room - I have to go check on my emotionally impoverished daughter. I think she's up to something.

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They Say: Parents Who Use Forward-Facing Strollers Treat Their Kids Like "Accessories"

TSA To Offer "Family Lanes" at Some Airports

Kate Tuttle — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMT

In what they probably think is an attempt to help parents burdened by the double trauma of traveling with young children and flying during the holidays, the TSA is adding "family lanes" at some airports.

According to WHAM TV in Rochester, New York, the TSA hopes the action "will ease stress levels for parents traveling with children during the busiest travel period of the year." It goes on to explain that families "will be directed by screeners to the specially-marked lanes, where parents can feel free to move at their own pace."

Oh hell no. That may be fine for people who travel once a year or less, or folks whose only airport experience consists of flights to Grandmother's House or The Magic Kingdom, but for the rest of us -- people who have kids but who had a life before kids, a life that involved flying places -- such a special lane sounds like a threat, not a promise. Look, I know how to fly with my kids. I wear clogs for easy-off access before the conveyor belt. I always fold the stroller and shove it in first so it's out first; once out, I pop it open and immediately load it up with our carryons and various assorted kid crap. I march my toddler through that X-ray machine like he's in military school. On a good day, we're as fast as I ever was when I was a regular on the Boston to New York shuttle; even on a bad day, we aren't as slow as your typical Thanksgiving weekend traveler.

So as we get ready to fly home to see the family this holiday, do us no favors. I'd rather be in line with everyone else -- some slow, some fast -- than be pre-empted into the ninth circle of hell. Those families who haven't gotten the memo about shoe removal or liquids in your carryons can languish in the "special" lane, but please, let well-traveled families go through with everyone else. We have a plane to catch -- and if you look at dozens of gate-check tags looped around my son's stroller's handles, you can see we've done this before.

No Bugaboos at This Bar

Amy Kuras — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:45:00 GMT

Does "21 and over" include those who can't even wipe their own buutts?

Seems like the answer will vary according to where you live, what life phase you're in and perhaps your personal tolerance for screaming children. I've written about this before and it seems most people (me included) don’t have a problem with kids in a bar especially if its nonsmoking, relatively quiet and early in the evening.

So I found this whole little brouhaha over a bar in Brooklyn called Union Hall banning strollers pretty funny. The place had apparently become a gathering spot for the neighborhood's legion of parents with young kids, and the owners got tired of having half the place overrun by strollers.

What I didn't see and don’t understand was this – why not leave them outside (the strollers, I mean, not the kids)? I mean God forbid you keep your status symbol Bugaboo out where someone could take it, but it seems like a bike lock would work fine, and then other people aren’t tripping over your stroller.

The move horrified the hipster parents, but people in the neighborhood who have started to feel squeezed out by the gentrifying families in have supported it. Other bars have regulations that ask families with kids to buy a meal and leave after two rounds. Which is fine with me too although it smacks a little of "nanny state" — if you and your co-parent are each going to have more than two, somebody else should be maybe be watching your kids for the night. I am not especially a lightweight and I am at least sleepy and sometimes a little buzzed after two drinks – and yes my husband and I have been known to play rock-paper-scissors over who gets to have that second (or third) drink.

If the guy banned kids that would be one thing, but he only banned their conveyance. I'd be awfully irritated if I had to squeeze past someone's monstrous double stroller in ann aisle whenever I needed to pee. It comes down to being considerate of others, and filling up half the real estate in a bar with empty strollers isn't.

Photo: New York Times

Stroller Consultants?! Could We BE Any Lazier?

Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:31:00 GMT

It was just another typical weekday at 2 o'clock. I was doing my dutiful flipping through a (rather) recent issue of Cookie magazine while my kid was playing with a hammer and Matchbox cars while sitting on the small plastic potty, when the words jumped off the page and shook me out of my normal mommy moment on the bathroom floor. There it was, tucked into the corner of all the boutique advertisements and notices: an ad for stroller consultants. STROLLER CONSULTANTS. And the chipper pink tag line read, "Let us help you pick your perfect stroller!" What the hell?

Let's Go Strolling, a consultant business for the baby gear now apparently considered as vital and expensive as your family car or a small aircraft, "has helped thousands of customers find the perfect stroller and accessories to fit their lifestyle and needs" using their "knowledge and experience." I'm curious what kind of knowledge and experience is required to find the perfect stroller? I mean, other than pushing it? It isn't clear if or how much a consultation with an expert costs, and I can't help but wonder if that person's resume includes having lots of babies of their own or if it's just an ability to push "the best quality strollers" that are generally recommended in the price range of $200 and up, as well as really do a bang up job of pushing those strollers themselves?

I guess I acted as my own personal stroller consultant as I tooled around Toys R Us, test driving everything from the cheapy models to the Burberry-styled Peg-Peregos. Sure, I got advice from my mama friends about cup holders and blow-up wheels and why the $21 umbrella strollers are so much better than the seven dollar deals, but it came down to how fast and agile my husband and I could get those bad boys through the aisles of the store. Oh, and how easily it folded up. But no one else could have told me what level of handlebar felt right or upsell me on a trayless variety. But then, I wasn't about to unload a year's worth of ~~kindergarten~~ college tuition on my stroller either. When it comes down to it, are we really that lazy or revere the stroller that much that we need to turn to a professional to tell us if a bigger basket or purse hanger would benefit us if we're more if we're living in Cleveland than NYC? Seriously, isn't this something we can handle all by ourselves on the way to having a baby? And if we're investing so much money or concern that we need consultants to pick out a stroller (a STROLLER people, not a new home or private school), are we maybe obsessing about the wrong stuff?

Start the Holiday Shopping: LEGO Star Wars Walker

Karen Murphy — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 12:25:00 GMT

You know you want it.

Er, I mean, your kid wants it.

Maybe that's just in my house? Has the Star Wars LEGO goodness hit your house? Or did you never grow out of it (not that there's anything wrong with that)? But OOOOOH! A minifig-scale AT-AT walker. With motorized walking action. And look at the tiny wee Luke Skywalker hanging from it!

Me, to my 11-year-old son: Look at this thing!

Son: Is that the [unintelligible; lots of numbers/letters] or the [also unintelligible]?

Me: Uh...look! It has a tiny Luke Skywalker hanging from it!

Son: Oh, then it's the [unintelligible].

It's available by preorder for $130, which is a lot for a bunch of hunks of plastic that are just going to get stepped on, but it makes a great pairing with the [homemade, so start now] AT-AT stroller that Alisyn's husband would quit his job for.

[via Spacemonkeypants]

Evolution of the Stroller

Karen Murphy — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 13:35:00 GMT

It's clearly time we pay homage to our namesake here at Strollerderby; in other words, it's time to give the respect due to your friend and mine, the stroller. I know you are dying to know all about the history of strollers, aren't you? Just think, without strollers we'd all be carrying our babies around on our backs with a sling or something. How terribly barbaric.

But if strollers hadn't changed much since the first ones came around beginning in 1733, we'd all need goats or small ponies or at least a good-sized dog to pull them. That, actually, isn't such a bad idea, though they might be tough to fold up into the trunk or a bit awkward when getting on the subway or something. I'm sure we'd manage, though. We parents are a hardy lot.

But the folding stroller was invented in 1965 and the jogging stroller was invented in 1980 with the advent of the Baby Jogger, and the next thing you know we're all driving Maclarens and Bugaboos.

I'm pretty sure that the next trend in strollers involves the goats, though.

The Stokke Xplory: Fancy Schmancy Strollers Coming To A Babies 'R Us Near You?

Patti — Thu, 17 May 2007 18:01:00 GMT

According to Daddytypes, they're setting up the displays for the super-high-end stroller-to-the-stars Stokke Xplory at the Babies 'R Us in Manhattan's Union Square. Remember going to BRU to check out strollers sometime around your second trimester? If you did it more than a couple of years ago, your choices were probably Graco and Evenflo, in navy or khaki, full stop. Then the Maclarens trickled in, and now BRU's movin' on up, indeed.

It's interesting in the same way that it's interesting that I bought Proenza Schouler clothes at Target, with one small exception: I didn't have to pay atelier prices for those clothes, and I got the buying experience commensurate with the cost (and I got lipgloss and toilet paper, too). If I'm going to spend Stokke money on a stroller, I'm going to need my ass kissed a lot more than they're going to kiss it at Babies 'R Freakin' Us.

I'm afraid people who don't follow the exciting world of how rich people push their babies around are going to see this at their local baby gear mart and think "THIS is high design?" I don't think it is. I think it looks like the high chairs at fast food restaurants. But that's just one mama's opinion, and I assure you, if you're pushing an Xplory, you must know more about design than I do (or, you have a deep fondness for Taco Bell).

But let me know if you hear that BRU's going to carry the Bugaboo Bee. I've decided it's not worth having another baby for, but I might be willing to get a tiny dog and push that around.

The Double Stroller Dilemma

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Wed, 16 May 2007 17:01:00 GMT

Blogger I Hate Snaps is pondering the purchase of a doubler-stroller and wondering whether to go for the tandem (front/back) or side-to-side versions. If you are pregnant and have a toddler you might also be facing this dilemma.

I was, and as a result, I obsessively researched double strollers during the last six months of my pregnancy with my second. My eldest would be just over two when the baby was born, and as a city kid, was no where near giving up the stroller.

My mission (influenced by my beloved, 9-pound, easily-foldable Maclaren Volo) was to try and find the lightest, most easily-foldable double stroller possible for the most reasonable price. That was not an easy task and, despite my letter-writing campaign, Maclaren did not release a double Volo by the time by second daughter was born.

I would have loved to just be able to sling the baby and push the toddler in the single stroller, another one of those "in a perfect world" pieces of advice, but sometimes, you just want to go on a long walk without something attached to you. It's bad enough that you have to push an SUV down the sidewalk.

Some key things to consider when purchasing a double stroller (aside from cost, how often you will fold/unfold it, and weight restrictions) are where you live and the age of the kids. If you live in a city, a double-wide doesn't always work on crowded sidewalks or in small grocery stores that barely fit shopping carts down the aisles. As city-dwellers, that's the main reason we opted for a "skinnier" tandem, even though it was heavier.

Side note: Is the Phil and Ted's a happy medium? Maybe, but I always feel bad for the kid that gets the ass-eye view of the world. Plus you have to take it apart to fold it up. No, thank you, I already have two kids to deal with.

When choosing a side-by-side stroller consider weight, namely, your kids'. The baby will be much lighter than the older kid. You might feel that difference on flimsier models. However, as the kids got older and interacted more with each other, I wanted a side-by-side so they could chit-chat with each other and pass snacks back and forth. When the "baby" was about 16-months old, we ditched the tandem for a relatively lightweight umbrella side-by-side stroller (pictured).

Your needs may change, so be open to that. And that's exactly the reason there are so many double strollers listed on Craigslist.

Baby Gear Trends for 2008

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Fri, 11 May 2007 18:07:00 GMT

The folks over at American Baby have rounded up the lastest baby gear trends for 2008 based on what manufacturers were showing at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) trade show.

Five of the hottest trends include:

Square-fold strollers like the Moda Cielo and Bugaboo Bee.
Baby bling. Dude. Why won't the rhinestone binkies go away?
Cool baby seats and seat (as opposed to wearable) slings.
Organic clothing and accessories, from cribs to clothing.
Nature-inspired colors. I'm sorry, but that Britax Marathon "Mossy Oak" cover is fugly.

You buying into the latest trends or not so much?

The Red Castle Carry Cot May Just Lead to Pregnancy

Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) — Fri, 11 May 2007 13:04:00 GMT

I'm pretty sure the Red Castle Carry Cot has caused my body to spontaneously ovulate. And I'm not the only one who's thoughts fast forwarded to the as-yet-nonexistent child #2 when I saw this dreamy little baby product. My husband yelled out when he peeked over my shoulder at it on the screen, "Oh we are SO getting that for our next kid? How many pounds can it hold? Is it washable?" It doesn't take much to get we gear-geeks going, but this really did the trick.

The Red Castle Carry Cot is intended to turn two of the company's versatile strollers into a pram, sort of a cross between the classic Maclaren and the bankable Bugaboo. While this carrier is meant to transport an infant up to about six months of age safely in a stroller, I can't help but think what a great alternative it is to the bulky, awkward, just plain heavy Pack & Play, at least in the early days. If like us, your family travels a lot, any option other than hauling the Pack & Play on a plane or even out to the trunk of the car feels like packing light. And since I am a big Moses basket fan, this seems like a more washable, durable, structured version of a portable bassinet.

I'm not sure if we would spend in another six bills for the accompanying stroller. (Would it be bad to jimmy rig this thing to my Graco with some bungee cords? I kid, I kid.). I do know, though, we will invest in a Carry Cot so the baby that isn't yet has a sweet new place to sleep. And that has the parents of this figment of our imagination just a little bit excited.

Mia Moda Cielo Stroller: It's Cool But Is It a One-Hander?

Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) — Thu, 10 May 2007 20:34:00 GMT

The Mia Moda Cielo is a sweet-looking stroller. It is stream-lined and urbane and comes in four fabric pallettes that have nothing to do with jungle animals or Burberry knock-off plaid. The Cielo has an award-winning design that includes the capability to fold the stroller up compactly in five seconds, using just one hand. While lots of strollers boast one-hand foldedness, every parent who has held a screaming child, a bag of groceries and an obnoxiously large diaper bag while trying to stuff everything in the trunk of the car, knows that the practice doesn't always measure up to the theory. To counter that skepticism, Mia Moda has a nifty online demo so you can see how simply and small it folds up. In ten easy steps. Really? All that in five seconds? With the kid and the groceries and the whole package?

While the Cielo might look like -- and maybe even fold up like -- a dream, some of the features it's missing make me even more skeptical. Although it has a 15.5 pound aluminum frame, it does not have an adjustable handle (which I think is key for parents of different heights). It has a very handy removable carry bag that hangs from the back of the stroller, one that I imagine would easily bruise up a mama's shins once it is filled with all the crap you need to just to go to the park. And while it has that chic Euro-design to it, there's not a cup holder or snack tray to be found, assuring that the cover, which can't be removed for cleaning, will be covered in stains the first ride around the block.

While it is sure to be one of the prettier strollers in the neighborhood, this stroller-picky mama thinks the Cielo's more about aesthetics than actual everyday usability.

Bugaboo Bee Set For September Launch

Patti — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:33:00 GMT

If Bugaboo strollers had existed back when I was in the stroller market, I wouldn't have bought one. Not because of a desire to avoid the trend factor (I did end up with a Maclaren after all) and not because of the price (I did covet a Silver Cross pram, after all). No, the Bugaboo Frog and later, Chameleon just aren't the right strollers for my family's needs (let's just pretend that's why I skipped the pram, shall we?). I drive too much, so I needed something easy to snap shut and pop open one-handed, that I could maneuver in and out of the car with the baby on my hip. Five years later, I'm still rocking the Volo, which is just starting to look a little decrepit right around the time we're not needing it anymore.

So it stands to reason that as with all cool baby gear, Bugaboo has waited until my final child has nearly outgrown the use of a stroller before introducing their take on lightweight, foldable portability. The Bugaboo Bee is a crazy looking little exoskeleton of a stroller that builds on the distinctive profile of its predecessors, but also looks totally fresh to my eyes, which have seen a million umbrella strollers that all look alike. And also if you say "Bugaboo Bee" really fast, it's kinda funny. Try it.

I think I might need to have another baby. The Bee is due in stores in September, which means if I start now...

(via Daddytypes)

Kate Spade Wants Your Baby's Business

Patti — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:29:00 GMT

Once upon a time, there was a plain nylon Kate Spade diaper bag that came in tote or messenger style in two or three different colors. It hung quietly from your shoulder and when your baby grew up, you could throw books in it and carry it on airplanes. Then diaper bags became this attention-grabbing phenomenon with crazy Asian-inspired silk prints and bubble-gum pink vinyl-covered backpacks that said "LOOK AT ME! I HAVE A BABY! AND ALSO MONEY!".

But Kate Spade would still like some of your money, parents, and she doesn't want to wait until you go back to work and need some demure little kitten-heeled pumps for the office. She wants it now, and she will trade you for silver cups, "day-of-the-week" diaper covers, and something called a brag book, which appears to be a photo album. A photo album? I just upload pictures to my iPod.

Her Maclaren-built stroller is actually pretty cute, although it's navy blue, and if I wanted a navy blue stroller I'd buy a freaking Graco, am I right? The bouncy chair, also built by Maclaren...I don't even know where to start with a $119 bouncy chair. If I ever walk into someone's house and see one, I'm afraid I might stroke out. And those diaper bags are still soldiering on, the peacoats of the diaper bag world. I still kind of want one.

The luxury niche of the children's market is probably a good bet, and since Kate had a kid of her own recently, I'm sure she has her finger right on the pulse, but my kids aren't her demographic. On the other hand, I can never have too many expensive vinyl beach bags, and Lord knows I'd end up lugging diapers and snacks around in it. I think I'd get the orange trim, to match the crushed Goldfish at the bottom.

Pimp My Stroller: Maclaren's Limited Edition Leather and Gold Atrocity

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:11:00 GMT

When I say "pimp my stroller," I mean that this is a stroller fit for an actual pimp.

Maclaren's latest stroller offering is so not the shiznit. Or, if you have a stable of crack hos working a corner to keep you in malt liquor, it very well might be. Sprung from the pages of King* magazine in between ads for spinning chrome rims and grillz, it's the new Maclaren GB Type Au.

The seat is made of black leather and the carbon fiber frame has been painted with only the finest 9k gold. For those that appreciate the best in conspicuous consumption, the Maclaren crest is embroidered on the back of the seat rest.

Only 20 of these babies have been manufactured, and they sell for a whopping $3800. Hey, Beyoncé and Jay-Z: you better get cracking in the baby-making department. This stroller has your names written all over it. Not literally, but I'm sure they'd do a Rocawear version.

*My favorite magazine ever.

Have Stroller/Will Travel With Hip New City Tours

Karen Murphy — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 19:02:00 GMT

You don't have to own a stylish and trendy Bugaboo stroller to tour cities around the world with your kid in the new stroller-friendly Daytrips offered by Bugaboo.com. Although you might want one. After all, who can resist the Footmuff accessory (which doubles as an aid to keep your child from slouching), and the general hipness of the Bugaboo?

And what better stroller to be pushing down the steets of Milan, Paris, Prague, Sydney, and Copenhagen? Closer to home, explore your own home towns of New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco with a handy .PDF download that gives illustrated maps of each of 22 cities (with more to come) around the globe and highlights various child-friendly destinations within each city along with instructions on what to see and do at each stop.

Sounds perfect! My only question - do Bugaboo's Daytrips offer suggestions as to how to push the stroller while holding a triple venti latte?