Peg Perego Pliko Mini

"Many Mini Errands"

Errands and quick trips. Doctor's and drug stores. May not be glamorous, but it's something we all must do. And we've had our fair share of the latter this winter! Of course, babies and toddlers complicate the process. But a good stroller makes it sooo much easier, and faster.

  Ergo, the Pliko Mini was born. If last year's Si' was the equivalent in size and weight to the original Pliko, of about a dozen years ago; this year's Mini hearkens back to an even earlier era, that of the Sprint. It was one of Perego's earliest umbrella strollers. Pretty bare bones, but small and light. It was ideal for public transportation, or for carrying up and down stairs.

Since then, strollers in general have become bigger and heavier over the years. Much of this has to due with additional features--bigger canopies, bigger wheels, bigger baskets, snack trays, more seat padding, height adjustable handles, deeper reclines, legrests, etc. But some of it also has to due with moving manufacturing to China, and the more widespread use of cheaper, heavier grade alloys in the frames.

 But, Perego has been the first manufacturer to announce their departure from China back to their Italian homeland. So it makes sense for them to return to their retro, lightweight roots, too.

Which is not to say that the Mini is bare-boned, because it really isn't. Especially compared to umbrella strollers of yore. It has a nice sized basket.

Pretty good recline.

Which is done by side levers. Much easier than a drawstring.

Good sized wheels with suspension.

Beautiful, Italian tailored fabric. 

Decent sun canopy,

Peekaboo mesh window, for air circulation, or checking on baby.

Long legrest, which is great for napping, or smaller children.

Wow.

Height adjustable handles, for taller parents or caregivers.

Awesome.

5 point harness.

And that wonderful, quick fold that made the Pliko so indispensable to a generation of parents and children.

And it stands folded. Extremely convenient, and easy to store.

A right hand side carry handle makes it great for travel.

Best of all, it's the lightest stroller that Peg has offered in years.

Because let's face it, who wants to lug a heavy stroller around to the doctor's office,

or bank,

ATM,

 Chiropractor,

 or Irish dance competition.

And the seat is even big enough to hold all StrollerPrincess' trophies!

 Peg Perego Pliko Mini

Weight:                               13.5 lbs. 

 Seat to canopy:                 24"

Seat back:                          18.5"

Seat width:                        12"

Seat depth:                        10-15"

 Drop to footrest:             11"

Seat to ground:                 15.5"

Width                                 19"

Length:                              27"                                          

Height:                               39-41"

Folded:                               12"L x 12"W x 38"H

B-Scene Ice-Skating!

 What is rarer than ice-skating outdoors in 85 degrees?

 A large seat, reversible 3-wheeler! And last week-end, we had the pleasure of experiencing both.

    The B-Scene is the latest stroller offering from Britax. It has the exact same comfy seat as the B-Ready. SP 2.0 loves the napper bar, and the extended legrest.

 But it sits on a 3-wheeler chassis, in case you prefer that look. The single front wheel is also larger than the two swivel wheels on the B-Ready. And you can lock it, for going down curbs, or for going through a rough spot.

 That means you will be able to better navigate rougher terrain, snow, or, er, ice.

  The B-Scene has a huge, very easy to access basket. Plenty of room for shoes, and unneeded in the heat jackets, hats, scarves, and gloves. There are two pockets at the front of the basket, for still needed bottles of water, or hot chocolate, if we weren't all sweating to death.

I love the brakes. You just step down lightly on the green button on the right, for "go", get it? Then the button turns red, for "Stop", and the brake is engaged.

  The canopy has a sun visor in front, and the popular netting in the rear, for air flow. The flap has magnetic closures, which is another practical feature. So easy to use.

And there are bottle pockets on both sides of the canopy. The handle is height adjustable, with a variance of 13"!

 Everything about the B-Scene is easy. You can adjust the harness by unzipping the back pocket, and squeezing a round button. This allows the straps in front to slide up, or down. Ingenious! It must be patented, or everyone would be using this system. 

There are also two pockets on the seat back, by the way. Nice for a phone, glasses, wallet, or keys.

The seat sits up nice and high, for a better view of all the action. Don't try this at home! For demo purposes only.

  Another rarity on the B-Scene is that you can fold it with seat facing in either direction. And all you do is pull up the side levers, and it collapses right down. Here, from the "2011 BIG Stroller Roll-Out", is Jon McGuire demonstrating. Notice how easy the seat pops off, too.

And see how he spins it around and round. Reminds me of a figure 8, haha.

The B-Scene can't take an add-on seat like the B-Ready. But it is smaller, too. Here is a SBS comparison of the two, again, from the "2011 BIG Stroller Roll-Out!"

Since they are similar, the two models share the same accessories--bassinet, foot muff, mosquito net, cupholders, and car seat adapter. The B-Scene comes in red, or black.

Britax B-Scene

Weight:                       28 lbs. 

Seat Back:                   21.5"

Seat to canopy:           26"

Seat Width:                 12"

Seat Depth:                 10-17"

Drop to footrest:          8"

Seat to ground:           23"

Length:                       36"

Width:                         26"

Height:                       32.5"-43.5"

Folded:                       32"L x 26"W x 15"H

Tango with the Jonas Brothers

Maybe it was the total lunar eclipse. Or the Ursid Meteor Shower. The Winter Solstice. Or the alignment of everything celestial. Because, as we were reviewing the Zooper Tango, some heavenly bodies appeared. Like shooting stars. Or more accurately, Disney movie and music stars. 

Can you tell who they are?                                                                                  

 How about now?

  Yes, indeedy, it is none other than Joe and Nick Jonas! Joe is in the grey sweater and black shorts; Nick is in the green hat and yellow shoes.  

 For some perspective on where we are, in relation to where they are.

First, this glorious 2011 Zooper Tango, in Jungle Earth, with the matching boot.

Behind the Tango, my friend Shelly playing soccer. And behind her, Nick Jonas.

Tango with the new, awesome, water resistant canopy. 

Which can be operated independently.

Shelly, and Joe operating independently.

This two-seater Tango is really handsome; quite the head turner. 

And these two handsome Jonas brothers are certainly turning the heads of a lot of tweens and teens.

The seats can be reclined individually, with the use of this lever. What is unique, although it shouldn't be, is that the seats go completely flat. Perfect for a younger child.

Younger brother Nick, with our youngest soccer player Peter.

The basket on the Tango is HUGE.

So are Joe's biceps, yikes!  

The upscale but cool Tango has a storage compartment on the back.

 As does Joe's upscale but cool Mercedes.

The Jungle Earth is a natural amongst the fall leaves.  Joe is a natural amongst the other players.

The Tango is very easy to open and close. In fact, a little too easy on the 2007/2008 models. They were recalled because several models collapsed in half, when children were in it. No serious injuries were reported, but there were reports of scrapes and bruises. I asked a Zooper spokesman if this flaw had been corrected on current models. He assured me it had. This is what he had to say:

I did not, however, ask Nick and Joe to post for a picture. They were just out with the boys having fun, on a late fall afternoon. And I didn't want to spoil it.

A helicopter did, though, at least temporarily. Our peace was shattered by the loud whirring of blades.

We all looked skyward, thinking they might be Paparazzi. But after circling for a bit, they took off. Maybe chasing bad guys.

Joe was chasing his bulldog, Winston.

When folded, the Tango stands upright.

 And, based on the success of the Jonas Brothers music, movies, TV, touring, and merchandising, don't expect their demise anytime soon!

     Zooper Tango

TFK Joggster X Twist Review

Thanksgiving with a Twist!
Riddle: What does a baby tiger cub have to do with Thanksgiving? Answer, nothing. It WOULD have had something to do with Halloween, had the costume not arrived on November 2. Thanks a lot, Babies R Us!But it's still cute, and warm, and nice for a brisk fall walk. Which you may do on Thanksgiving. In which case, a nice jogger wheel will come in handy.
A true, fixed jogger wheel. Which you can get on the Joggster X Sport. But what if you are going somewhere indoors, like boxing up groceries at your local Food Bank?
No prob, use the Joggster X City. But what if you are going outdoors , like to a Skating Rink, and you have to maneuver through a crowd of little bodies? Then you should use the Joggster X Twist.But what if you don't WANT three strollers; you only want one? Haha, saving the best for last, this IS all one stroller!
One stroller with a Twist, and that is, it has three different sets of interchangeable wheels! And you don't even need tools to switch them out.
There are two long screws with a cap on the top, and a lock on the bottom. So all you do is open the lock, and unscrew.Genius! Why didn't anyone else think of this first? It has a lot of other unusual features, too. Like a bell on the handlebar, which comes in way more handy than you think. My parking meter was up at the skating rink, and because it was Veteran's Day, all the kids were out of school. And all of them, in the whole city it seemed, thought ice-skating was a good idea. I could NOT move.
80's music blaring and parents singing along, and all the "Excuse me's" I tried were for naught. Until I started ringing that bell. Ding! Ding! Ding! It was amazing, and instinctual. The sea of little skaters parted instantly. The footplate that stays vertical at the bottom of the leg rest was something else I didn't think important.Until going through that aforementioned crowd. On strollers other strollers, I would have worried about SP 2.0's little toes getting smashed. But that footrest provided ironclad protection.
Another great feature is the mosquito net. Not something, again, I thought I would use. Until nap time collided with cub scout time. Unzip the hood, and voila, SP 2.0 slept through all the food sorting, stocking, and shelving.

The reflective trim is fabulous. See how much it glows in the dark here.

Under the footrest, the basket has a center opening, so you can stuff stuff into the basket, if the seat is in full recline. But you may not even need it, because there are sooo many pockets.

A huge back pocket on the rear. A net bottle pocket on each side.

And cute little zippered pockets with the trademark kangaroo on each!

And there's disc brakes, connected to a hand brake. Now many swivel wheel strollers do you know that has THAT feature, which is amazing for the hills.

And since this is an amazingly high-end stroller, the Bugaboo of joggers, if you will, there is also, get this, a PALM REST.
Yes, a place to rest your hands, so you can steer with your palms, and not by gripping your fingers around the handlebars. How cool is that? Cool enough that I say, let us give thanks, to our Thanksgiving Joggster X.http://www.trendsforkids.com/index.php?id=26

Weight: 28 pds.

Width: 23"

Length: 38"

Height: 33" to 45"

Seat Width: 16"

Seat Depth: 9.5"-19""

Seat Back: 19"

Seat to Canopy: 25"

Drop to Footrest: 8.5"

Seat to Floor: 19"

Folded: 35" x 25" x 17" (w/out wheels)

Presto, Chango! Summer turns to Fall...

  Summertime, and the livin' is easy, fish are jumpin', and the cotton is high...

And sadly, it is drawing to a close. So to ease the pain, the Labor Day Block Party was born.

A final time to play carefree, before the rigors of school begins.

To ride...

To laugh,

to bounce,

to climb,

To stroll...

The Aprica Presto mourns the passage. 

It's the little brother to the previously released Cadence. It is smaller and lighter, but still has the much in demand high-up seat.

Weighing in at just 13. 5 pounds, it can hold 70 pounds of child! Pretty good weight to limit ratio.

The thickly padded seat cushions are removable and washable.

And have that awesome breathable fabric.

  A wonderful feature is that it slides up when folded, then stands alone.

  Just unlatch the back hook, and pull up on the handle. No more wheels dirtying the canopy!

 It has a mesh peekaboo window,

 carry strap and back vent for better air flow,

 and four wheel suspension.

The handles are foam, and are nearly 44"high! Fabulous for a tall person.

 All in a beautiful shimmery silver, on a black frame. Tough to decide between this color, the orange, and the brown. Fall colors, ya' know. But this is probably a better transitional color. 

 The party lasts well into the night. No one wants to say good by, to our glorious summer.

  So they leave it to the Square Dance caller.

 As they dance,

 And dance,

     Until they can dance no more.

APRICA PRESTO

 Back to school shopping is such a letdown. It means the end of summer, and it always comes too soon. How could I make it more fun? By using the "Cowmoo" Chaperone! It's the latest stroller out by Britax, designed to match their popular infant car seat. With the big basket and snack tray, I thought it would make a good mall stroller.

The seat is spacious and comfy for long outings, and the canopy is pretty good. The wheels are pretty maneuverable, which means it steers well.

Be careful with your purse, though. If you throw it in like this, the basket collapses.

I tried it many times, and it never held up.

The fold is also a little odd. There is a center strap on the seat that you pull up, ala Baby Jogger. But unlike BJ, you also have to pull the snack tray up, and fold it back, first. But I guess the most important thing was SP 2.o enjoyed himself in it, which made shopping a log more bearable for all of us.

  http://www.britaxusa.com/

Weight: 27.5 pounds

Width: 22”

Length: 29”

Height: 36”-43”

 Seat to Floor: 18” 

Seat Back: 20”

 Seat to Canopy: 25” 

Seat Width: 13”

 Depth: 17” 

Folded: 35 x 22” x 21”

The Cadence of Soccer Fever!

 Brazil vs. Ivory Coast, United States vs. Algeria, Mexico vs. Uruguay, GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL...and the blare of the vuvuzela  horns...All across the country, you can hear it, The cadence of Soccer fever! Of course the World Cup has helped soccer to gain popularity in the US. And those who aren't watching, are out playing. 

 Now I get asked a lot, what stroller (s) are suitable for soccer fields? A lot of parents are taking little ones out to watch their siblings play, and a comfy stroller is a must. Usually I recommend, and take myself, an air tire stroller. But what if you are a minimalist, and don't want a whole fleet? What if you rarely use strollers, except for week-end shopping, parks, and soccer? What if you have an older child who doesn't use a stroller on a regular basis, but can use a ride when tired?

I decided to see how the new Aprica Cadence would work on a soccer field. It wasn't totally crazy. This little buggy has a two-fingered push on smooth surfaces. And it has shocks on all four wheels. So it was reasonable to assume that it was at least doable. And it wasn't bad at all!

The only thing is, that our particular field is Astro-Turf. Weird stuff, that is. ("No coffee on the field! Sir, bring that back!" the Coach hollered as he chased down the old man. "I'm 80 years old! How'm I gonna' stay awake for 3 hours!" the old man hollered back. The wife apologized as he shuffled away, uttering expletives deleted. ) But look how it clings to the wheels, ugh. 

The Aprica Cadence is the first umbrella stroller to hit the market that says it can hold 70, yes, a whopping 70 pounds! That is the weight of my 9 year old soccer player! (Who would sooner get Astro Turf under his finger nails than to have his friends see him riding!) But once you are an adult, who cares...

 Gotta' love the fact that the Cadence can double as a game chair, even if it displaces the toddler! 

 And speaking of a game chair, check out the fold:

 It's about the size of a Pack n Play, which has a certain symbiosis, since Graco has taken over Aprica. I like the fact that it stands alone, and you can roll it behind you.

 I love the fabric of the Cadence. It reminds me of, well, a soccer jersey.  It's very breathable for hot days, or sweaty little soccer watchers, or players. And it has a "heat reflecting panel" to help keep babies cool out on the field.

  Comes with a rain cover, too, for when the weather changes. The seat sits up higher than most umbrella strollers, which means you can fit a few soccer balls in the basket.

The handles aren't adjustable, but they are pretty high, so suitable for a taller parent. But for a shorter one, like me, they were still comfortable.

I think the black frame is stunning, and the design quite striking.

One thing interesting about the design is how angled back the seat is. Makes for a roomy seat and easy pushing. But maybe not the best choice for a younger child who likes to sit up straight.

Also, there is no front napper bar, and the recline is minimal. There is an extended leg rest, though. And don't forget, it holds up to 70 pounds--and more!

Pompeii had no time to "Blink"

 Britax Blink Review

I've always been fascinated by the story of Pompeii. The leisurely class, relaxing at their Romanesque stolen from Greek style marble villas, outside gazing at their fountains and gardens, or indoors at their magnificent murals and frescoes...when suddenly, a wave of molten lava roars down from Mt. Vesuvius, encasing men, women, children, dogs, art, and everyday household objects, under layers and layers of ash and pumice...It is not the gory details that interest me, it is the details of their lives and how they lived, forever frozen for 1700 years in bedrock tombs.


So I was very excited when I heard about the "Pompeii" exhibit opening at the museum. And naturally, seeing as how I am Strollerqueen, I started thinking about what stroller to take! I think the Britax Blink was a good choice. Small enough to zip around the statuary, yet stable enough to carry enough bags of stuff for all day. You can see it loaded up here, in front of the statue that greets you at the entrance. Which alas, was the last photo I was allowed to take

inside. Which was fine. There was still more "art" to see outdoors. The kids had fun in this "Tupperware display." And notice how well it matches the "Double Dots" pattern. How could I have known? Heehee.


The Blink reclines with a back drawstring, which is what we are seeing on most strollers these days. It goes down about half-way, similar to the Maclaren Quest. It is sufficient for an older baby to nap.

It has some nice features, like bigger than average wheels, a sun visor in the canopy, and a back carry strap. The basket and fold are pretty Mac-like. In fact the whole stroller is pretty Mac-like, though it's weight is more Techno than Quest.

The legrest is pretty long, which is a feature we really like at this age. Oh, and one other cool thing--it comes with it's own travel bag. Great for keeping it clean in an airplane or train cargo hold, or even just in the car, or for storage.


http://www.britaxusa.com/

Joovy Kooper Review

4th of July Joovy Kooper!


For years, we have done holiday strollers. And of course, the 4th of July is easy. Only requirement is that it is red, white and blue, and really fun to push! And there you have the Joovy Kooper (with a Bugaboo Bee footmuff!) The Kooper has a good sized basket to store all of your fireworks, (haha just seeing if you are paying attention), and these wonderful cupholders that really work! Love the rear canopy pocket, too!

Inside of the stroller, there are two net pockets on the seat. This is a very unique feature. You can put a bottle here, a little snack, or your baby's favorite toy. And when he gets older, he can put them in himself. The harness is very easy to do, and the reflective shoulder pads keep the straps from digging into your baby's neck. Aside from all these well thougt out details, this is stroller is as easy to push as it looks. The ergo foam handles fit your hands perfectly. And I was surprised at how effortless it was to push on grass.

We went up the hill, and down the hill, using only one hand.


The Joovy is very easy to fold. The fold is small, but long.

 
I have many more images, and measurements, in the post below. But for now, I would say to get out and celebrate, and have a bang-up Joovy 4th of July! www.joovy.com

Joovy Kooper and Valco Buggster Comparison

The oval shape is certainly similar. And both have extremely wide seats. Although nothing can compare to the Buggster's astonishing 18"; certainly big enough for me to ride around in! ;) They are both umbrella strollers with fairly deep reclines, and huge canopies. And both have a very modern look. But the comparison ends here.
You can start to see how different they look from the back. The Kooper has ergo, foam covered handles that turn in, while the Buggster's are straight up with hard plastic finger grips. The Kooper has two cupholders, and a zippered canopy pocket. It has a good sized basket, though not as big as the Buggster's. The Kooper has the new red brakes. Some people don't care for them aesthetically, but countries such as Australia now require them for safety. The fold on the Kooper is very straightforward, and on the Buggster it is much more fiddly. Although there are several versions of the fold on the Buggster, and some are easier than others.

The Buggster comes loaded with accessories, including a mesh seat pad, front napper bar, boot, sun cover, and rain cover. The Kooper has the aforementioned built-in canopy pockets, side net pockets in the seat, and glow in the dark shoulder harnesses and logo.
Here you can see the difference in the width. The Buggster is nearly 4" wider. But the length is where they really differ, due to the 3 wheels of the Buggster vs. the 4 wheels of the Kooper. 3 wheelers always have to be longer for stability, and in the Buggster's case, it is nearly 9" longer!

Both have a roomy 24" canopy clearance, although the Buggster's seatback is 2" taller. The Kooper folds much smaller than the Buggster, but longer. See the chart below for even more measurements.

Joovy Zoom ATS & 360 Review

I'm often asked what, if any, strollers will work on the beach. The answer: Not many. The good news is, there are a few. And here are two of the newest contenders: the Joovy Zoom 360 and the Joovy ATS. The reason they can handle the soft sand is that they have the muscle of 16" wheels.
 

Don't look for anything smaller. As an added bonus, the Joovy wheels have shocks, which really made the ride much softer on the bumpy pier                                           x.

One of the unusual features of the Zooms is the long drop from the seat to the footrest. It's an astonishing 13"! If you take a look at some of my other reviews, you'll see the average is around 8" or 9". So this is a good choice for a leggy child.

Another wonderful feature is the canopy. It is quite generous, but when you pull down the front visor, there is even another 10" of coverage! Great feature to have in a beach stroller.

There is a pretty deep recline, which is done by a single back strap. And instead of a fabric back, there is mesh. This allows for air to circulate around your baby, and prevents overheating.

The Zooms come with a neoprene cupholder/parent pack, wrist tether, tire pump, and raincover. Excellent value!

There are two net pockets inside the seat, then a large net pocket behind the seat, and a generous sized basket. Plenty of room for sand toys, snacks, and sunscreen!

The toughest decision is..which Zoom to choose? I was surprised by how well the 360 performed, despite the smaller 12" front swivel wheel. Nevertheless, you do have to turn it around and drag it backwards to get from the shore to the sea. Whereas the 16" front fixed wheel on the ATS makes it possible to push it forward. This also has a handbrake, so is clearly the best choice if you want to run with it.The fold on the Zoom is really easy, which is such a blessing at the end of a long beach day. After loading the kids, the towels, the bags and the seashells, the last thing you want to do is fiddle with a finicky fold. All you have to do is follow the tag that says "Fold." Lift the edge of the seat, push back the red lever, and grab the handle. The Zoom will collapse in half. You can quickly pop off the wheels if you need to. But you can see how both the ATS and the 360 fit in the back of an SUV.


Joovy Zoom ATS & 360

Weight: 27 pounds

Drop to Footrest: 13"
Seat Width: 14"
Seat Back: 18"
Seat to Canopy: 20"
Width: 25"
Length: 44"
Floor to Seat: 23"
Handle Height: 41" on Zoom, 42" on ATS

EasyWalker QTRO review

Look at this QTRO. It's magnificent. It's the color of the sea.

From the back, you might think it is it's older sister, the Sky (reviewed previously here on strollerqueen.com ). It has the same nice pockets on the back of the canopy, big basket, and 12" rear air tires with suspension. But this is where the changes begin. Starting with the two zippers on the sides of the basket, for much better access.

Now check it out from the front. It's got this great sun visor, and pivoting napper bar,

Really long leg rest, that adjusts to several positions,

And, TA DA! Two small front air tires, instead of one large one. I measure them as 8.5 inches.

That means it has a shorter wheel base. And it looks so stinkin' cute!

For average outdoor use, the smaller tires are fine. Because they are air, they are still quite rugged. And all four wheels have suspension.

The QTRO performed really well on the SQ Obstacle Course. Glided over bumps and cracks and grass and gravel, with two-fingered steering.


The seat is still very roomy, like the Sky. Although it tapers down, so it is narrower at the bottom. There is also an extra harness position on the QTRO. And the handle adjusts from low to average to high.

Really, I think the napper bar and legrest are the favorite features of SP 2.0. It is rare to find a stroller like this with a legrest that can adjust to several different positions. It must be comfortable for him, because every time he rides in it, he falls asleep.

The recline is done by zippers. And what is nice is that you can really adjust it to several levels. From bolt upright, to partial, to flat recline. The QTRO still comes in all the fabulous colors of the SKY, and has loads of brilliant accessories you can purchase separately. Pretty much anything for strollers you can think of, actually.

http://www.easywalker.nl/usa/qtro.html