Pushy pushy
: Single Strollers
A guide to tuning out the hype and choosing the right set of wheels for your strolling style
- Best All Around
- Maclaren Techno Classic, $289
At first glance, there is nothing outstanding about the Techno Classic. The stroller's features are fairly simple (gadget-obsessives, stay away), but it's solid. It has a comfortable reclining seat, front and rear suspension for a smooth ride, and front swivel wheels that keep it agile.
Features
- The 17-pound frame folds smoothly and has a handle.
- The seat liner is removable and machine-washable.
- The seat has four reclining positions, including horizontal for infants.
Best For
- Traveling light
- Walk-up apartments
- Giving your baby a cozy ride (the fleece liner is particularly snuggly)
Downside
- The storage basket is small and hard to reach.
- It's not very nimble in the snow.
- It has no parent-facing position.
Price Includes: Canopy, rain cover, and foot warmer
To Buy: maclarenbaby.com
- Best Suburban Ride
- Orbit Infant System, $899
Rare is the day in the 'burbs when you aren't loading your baby and gear in and out of the car. The designers of Orbit, two sets of parents from the Bay Area, created an infant seat that fits into both an aluminum stroller frame and a car seat base. The seat snaps in at any angle and rotates into position (no more awkward back twisting).
Features
- The 13-pound frame collapses with a twist of a bar.
- The car-seat base is simple to install. (It takes just one buckle and about a dozen turns of a knob to tighten.)
- The baby can face in any direction in the stroller.
Best For
- Making the transition from car seat to stroller without waking your baby
- Keeping the baby close to you, above
the exhaust
Downside
- The price is already high, and upgrading to a toddler seat costs extra.
- The sleek look may be too cold for
traditionalists.
Price Includes: Infant seat, car seat base, and canopy
To Buy: mbeans.com or letsgostrolling.com
- Best City Stroll
- Bugaboo Cameleon, $879
Yes, the Cameleon weighs 20-plus pounds and is tricky to fold, but if you're a city dweller (who doesn't live in a walk-up), you won't mind. Like its predecessor, the Frog, the new Bugaboo is ideal for an urban environment, maneuvering deftly through crowds (you can steer it with one hand), and practically gliding over cracked sidewalks.
Features
- Folding takes practice, but with the wheels removed, the stroller lays flat.
- The seat can face the parent or the sidewalk.
- Large wheels move to the front for rough terrain or snow, and there's a two-wheel position for the beach
Best For
- Clocking a lot of miles on city streets (or country roads)
- Customizing your look (four base colors can be mixed and matched; eight fleece options)
Downside
- It doesn't stash away easily.
- It has no cup holder.
- The nearly $900 price is awfully steep.
Price Includes: Bassinet, toddler seat, canopy, mosquito net, foot warmer, and rain cover
To Buy: bugaboo.com or babystyle.com
Photography by Graeme Boyle and Laura Gardner
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