New Gear for 2015

Those of you who follow me on Facebook, Instagram (@betterbabyyourbaby), and Twitter (@betterbabybaby) have already seen a sneak peek of some of these products that were just revealed at the 2014 ABC Kids Expo. Check out the brand-new gear below that created a buzz at the trade show and keep your eyes peeled for some awesome new products to hit the market in late 2014 or the first half of 2015

Baby Jogger City Mini Zip

Lightweight and Travel-Friendly Strollers

Baby Jogger City Mini Zip - Like its big brother, the ever popular City Mini, the Zip offers some full-size features on a lightweight stroller. The fold on the Zip is the new feature and comes in 50% smaller than a standard umbrella stroller. It weighs in at only 16 pounds and will retail for $249.99.  

Mountain Buggy Nano -  This stroller might take the cake for frequent fliers. It weighs 13 pounds and folds compactly enough to fit into most overhead carry-on compartments! It is also equipped with a car seat adapter that fits several leading brands and turns this lightweight umbrella stroller into a full travel system! This thing is a great value at only $199.99.

BabyZen YoYo - Another stroller with an amazing micro-mini fold, the YoYo is the first stroller to be fully compliant with IATA guidelines for cabin baggage dimensions. Easily slips into an overhead compartment, under a train seat, etc. 

 Double Strollers

UPPABaby Vista - Big changes are happening for the 2015 Vista! What used to be known as the Vista has been renamed the Legacy and the new Vista is joining the ranks of grow-with-your-family strollers that easily convert from a single to a double and back again, much like the Britax B-Ready or Baby Jogger City Select (review here). In 2015, the Vista will be able to accommodate two toddler seats, bassinets, or infant carriers, making it ideal for parents of twins! The Vista frame and single seat will retail for around $800, with additional seats and accessories being sold separately. This stroller also won the 2014 JPMA Stoller Award and The Bump Editor's Pick!

2015 UPPABaby Vista

Baby Jogger Vue Double - Baby Jogger got great feedback with the introduction of the Vue: an umbrella stroller with a seat that easily converts to forward-facing or rear-facing. In 2015, Baby Jogger is introducing a double version! The seats will be independent and allow a younger child to be parent-facing while big brother or sister faces forward. It should retail for $399.

UPPABaby G-Link - The G-Link is the double version of UPPABaby's already popular G-Luxe umbrella stroller. (You can find my review of the G-Luxe here.) This stroller will weigh in at only 20 pounds and feature a nearly-flat recline for the smallest babies.In my opinion, a flat recline is an AMAZING feature on a stroller!

Luxury Joggers

Orbit Baby O2 - In Summer 2015, Orbit Baby will enter the world of jogging strollers with the introduction of the O2. The frame will feature a low seating position for jogging or a higher seating position for city strolling and will accommodate your Orbit Baby seat. Like other joggers, the O2's front wheel will lock for jogging or swivel for everyday use.
Bugaboo Runner - The Runner frame will easily accept any Bugaboo seat for jogging in parent-facing or rear-facing mode. Featuring air-filled tires for a smooth ride, the Runner will have a fixed front wheel. It should arrive in stores by spring 2015 and will retail around $425 for the frame and $650 for frame and seat.

Car Seats

Britax ClickTight - The new ClickTight system makes correct installation a breeze! It's never been easier to install a car seat using a vehicle safety belt in cars without LATCH anchors or when you exceed the LATCH weight limits. ClickTight will be available in the Britax convertible models that we all know and love (Boulevard, Marathon, and Advocate) as well as the Frontier and Pinnacle Harness-2-Booster models.

Cybex Cloud Q - Most doctors advise against leaving infants in their car seats for extended periods of time due to their developing spines. The Cybex Cloud Q is the first infant carrier that will recline when clipped onto its frame, thus turning into a bassinet and letting sleeping babies lie! This car seat is going to come in gorgeous colors and should retail for $399.

Doona Infant Carrier

Doona - Wow. This thing is a game changer! This infant carrier weighs 15.5 pounds and has integrated wheels and handlebar to transform into a snap-n-go type stroller in an instant. All those times that you just need to run into a store to grab something or pick an older sibling up from school just got a little easier! This seat will retail for $350.

Phil & Teds - This duo has a new uber-lightweight infant seat hitting the market that weighs well under 10 pounds! No more fiddler crab arm from hauling a heavy car seat around!

Whew, that's a TON of stuff to keep your eyes peeled for over the next year! There are also plenty of miscellaneous items hitting markets as well: EZPZFun No Mess Happy Mats (integrated silicone plates and mats with some serious suction), Silikids silicone toppers that can turn any cup into a sippy cup, and beautiful new play mat prints from Skip Hop that give playrooms a chic makeover!

Stay Tuned!

Bumbleride Indie Review

Ok, so let's start with the fact that Bumbleride is an American company started by real-life parents who wanted to find solutions to their stroller woes. Love that. I firmly believe that every dollar we as consumers spend is a vote in favor of businesses, people, and philosophies that we want to see succeed.

I actually purchased this stroller from a friend who was expecting twins. I was in a place where getting to the gym with (a very mobile!) Niamh was just not a feasible option any longer and I needed a jogging stroller. Of course, I initially thought I'd go with a BOB Revolution because I had seen them everywhere and it just seemed like a natural solution. However, when an opportunity came up to try the Bumbleride, I jumped on it.

The most noticeable thing about this stroller is the weight: 20 lbs. is amazingly light! With a fairly compact fold and a manual lock, this thing is an absolute breeze to throw in any car. It also features an almost flat recline. Niamh has napped in this stroller many times and I've even utilized the deep recline to change diapers in a pinch!

The maneuverability is a dream as well. Given that everything is bigger in Texas, I typically don't run into many scenarios where my stroller size is really put to the test. We traveled to Chicago to visit family last fall and the Bumbleride worked well is every scenario: train/subway rides, elevators, restaurants, shopping, etc. The air-filled tires were a breeze hopping over curbs and sidewalks.

I have also been pleasantly surprised with several of the other features: large canopy with peek-a-boo window, large cargo basket, easy folding mechanism that folds the seat on itself to keep clean, zip-off canopy hood for increased air flow, adjustable footrest, and adjustable handlebar to accommodate parents of different heights. The Snack Pack accessory is a nice option for older kids who want to eat on-the-go, but a traditional tray might be more functional. Niamh had a tendency to pull on the velcro tabs that keep it stationary and flip it upside down. It also has to be removed to fold the stroller, which isn't a deal breaker, but still kinda annoying.

The only thing I haven't been thrilled with about this stroller is the ride when jogging. Let's be honest, I'm not training for a marathon or breaking any land speed records, but this stroller had an intermittent vibration in the frame that drove me up the wall. The front wheel locks for jogging, but I found that it had a tendency to track to the left. That, in conjunction with the "death wobble" was enough for me to call Bumbleride customer service. My experience was pleasant and they gave me instructions on how to run a couple tests to check for a bent frame. Since I was pregnant with baby #2 at this point and rarely jogging anyway, I did not disassemble the stroller to run the tests. I noticed that a simple Google search revealed quite a few people posting about this vibration when running, although many people raved about Bumbleride's customer service and willingness to replace frames or even entire strollers to keep their customers happy. Based on my initial experience with the company, I can absolutely see them working hard to rectify any problem with their products, which is very reassuring when you're investing in a high-end luxury stroller.

I just sold this stroller last week and was very sad to see it go. The quality of the stroller, especially the fabric and finish, were far superior to the BOB that I tested. I'm not sure yet if I'll end up with a double jogger down the road, but the Indie Twin is already on my short-list, despite the "wobble" issue I had with my single. 

Chicco Liteway Plus Review

Check out the Chicco Liteway Plus - a lightweight umbrella stroller with a seat that flips forward, allowing a Chicco Keyfit car seat to clip right in!

We've got our first trip with Niamh coming up at the beginning of May and we'll be flying with a baby for the very first time! With a seven month old, I knew that we would need both a car seat and a stroller during our trip, but I was reluctant to have the airline throwing around my (rather pricey!) Baby Jogger City Select in the cargo area. I initially searched for a light umbrella stroller that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg and settled on buying a used UPPAbaby G-Luxe (review to come) on Craig's List. As luck would have it, I learned about this little gem from Chicco a couple months after buying the UPPAbaby.

After dreading the thought of managing a stroller, a car seat, a carry-on, and a seven month old in an airport, I decided to give in and buy the Liteway Plus. After all, I could always resell the UPPAbaby on Craig's List. I managed to find the deal of the century at Babies R Us and bought the floor model for $69.90!

While I love my Baby Jogger, I'm realizing that I could have made it all along with just this one stroller. I already owned the Keyfit 30 and it's actually quite easy to convert the stroller from umbrella stroller to car seat caddy. Why buy a Snap N Go or Keyfit Caddy PLUS an umbrella stroller when you can kill two birds with one stone for under $200?

The biggest selling feature on this stroller is the convenience. It will be a breeze to push Niamh in her car seat through the airport while I manage our carry-ons/diaper bag. Once we reach our destination, we can drop the car seat in our hotel room and have a fully reclining umbrella stroller for our outings.

So far, my list of cons is pretty short and easy to forget with such a convenient stroller. I'm not wild about the quality of the fabric or how well the stroller handles - it's not as nice as my UPPAbaby G-Luxe, but it doesn't feel particularly cheap. It's also about 19 lbs. whereas my G-Luxe is an amazingly light 11 lbs. However, the Liteway Plus locks closed and has a carrying handle, so it's easy to get in and out of a trunk. The extra weight comes from the solid seat back that serves as the locking mechanism when the car seat is attached. Again, these complaints absolutely disappear when you take into consideration the double-duty nature of this stroller. I even prefer the Chicco's basket and the recline mechanism to the UPPAbaby's due to ease of use.

If you're thinking about the Chicco Liteway Plus and want to snag a deal, keep your eyes peeled for a 20% off sale. The stroller is listed for $179.99 just about everywhere, but you can frequently find it on sale. Babies R Us offers 15-20% one item promotions occasionally and Buy Buy Baby sends out 20% coupons like it's going out of style. Target also offers 20% Chicco products from time to time.

Baby Jogger City Select Review

The Baby Jogger City Select was our first stroller purchase when our little one, Niamh, arrived. After countless hours of reading product descriptions and reviews, I decided the City Select was the best fit for our family and here's why:

• The City Select is a single stroller that has the ability to convert into a double stroller as our family grows. The stroller itself sells for $499.99 with a second seat, sold separately, at $169.95 or bassinet, also sold separately, at $89.95. Don't make the mistake of shelling out serious dough for a nice single stroller that renders itself useless once baby #2 comes along!
• With the second seat attached, the stroller still handles like a single and easily passes through doors, down aisles, etc. Have you ever seen someone try to maneuver a side-by-side double BOB through a mall or grocery store??
• Countless combinations that could accommodate newborn twins, an infant and toddler, two toddlers, etc.
• Large undercarriage storage that is easy to access. Many of the single-to-double strollers compromise storage when converted because the storage space becomes leg space for one child. Additionally, the placement of a second seat on other models (notably the Britax B-Ready) builds off the back of the stroller and could easily get in the way with a taller parent. The City Select even has an extendable handle to offer a few more inches of leg room.
• Huge sun canopy with a covered peek-a-boo window
• Easy hand brake

That said, the City Select does have a few drawbacks:

• It is large and quite heavy. I drive a VW Jetta Sportwagon and the stroller, when folded, takes up the majority of my trunk space. Makes for a tight squeeze when loading groceries or other gear.
• It does not have a compatible parent cup holder. Laugh if you will, but this was a HUGE con for me. Baby Jogger sells a universal cup holder, but it's not actually compatible with the City Select - so much for universal, right? Trick of the trade: The Bugaboo parent cup holder works like a charm! It comes with several attachment clamps and one just happens to be the perfect shape and size for the frame of the City Select. It also allows you to place the cup holder on the outside of the frame or the inside to keep your profile a little sleeker. You can even fold and store the stroller with it attached.
• Now that Niamh is old enough to sit in the toddler seat, I realize that it doesn't seem to have a particular cushy place for her to rest her head. So far, this hasn't seemed to be an issue and she appears comfy, for the most part.
• All the accessories are sold individually. However, I'm the type of person that hates clutter and unnecessary gear, so I'm willing to spend the extra few dollars on the accessories I really want and not have to worry about storing things I won't really use. 
• Don't let the "Jogger" in the name fool you - the City Select is NOT a jogging stroller. I love this model for shopping and errands, but it starts to get bumpy on uneven surfaces. Walks around the neighborhood are fine, but if you're hoping to pick up some speed, your little one might bounce right on out when you hit your first pothole!

That's my take on the Baby Jogger City Select - so far, we've been very happy with it and I'm looking forward to years of use! Check out just a few of the combinations it has to offer: