MacClaren Stroller

Maclaren makes some of the best strollers you can find on the market.  They are a British company that produces some of the most safe, durable, innovative, and stylish baby buggies and strollers in the world.  Anyone who knows anything knows that these are the best.

What makes them the best?  Several things…

Maclaren stollers combines superior comfort and performance with sporty style.  Most of the models are equipped with lockable front swivel wheels with reflective hubcaps, front and rear wheel suspension, and height adjustable, ergonomically designed satin finish handles that make it easy for you to navigate through shopping malls, parks, streets, and that annual trip to DisneyWorld or any other fun theme park.

Models like the Techno XT offers some of  the best features from Maclaren including a five-point harness and foot-operated parking brakes that provide maximum safety and security. The four position reclining seat and adjustable leg rest make riding in the Techno XT more comfortable for your child as he or she gets older and bigger

Their strollers are convenient to travel with  since it has a one-hand compact umbrella fold and a carry handle.  Many of their strollers features a canopy with storage pockets and a UV-treated viewing window and sun visor. The canopy also has reflective accents to help increase visibility and safety at night. The new design of a lot of the models like the Techno XT features elasticized pockets to hold the rain cover and mosquito net. The premium strollers they make will come complete with an accessory set that includes a head pillow and shoulder pads. This stroller is awesome and comes suitable for children from birth.

When you buy a Maclaren stroller you are buying quality.  They are not cheap by any means but my brother went to Disney World with his family and I talked him into getting one of these strollers.  He bought the most premier model on the market for several hundred bucks and loved it.  He said that overall it was expensive but made navigating the four Walt Disney World parks much more fun.

Stroller Shopping- Models Good for Newborn Babies

You are a new parent.  There are many choices to make in front of you.  One of them is purchasing a brand new stroller.  If you are having your first child then the choice will be significantly harder because you have never done this before.  The sheer volume of choices can be headache inducing.  So many options available at your fingertips!

Here is some advice any new or existing parent can use in order to find that “perfect” stroller that will fit both their needs and their newborn baby.

What Will You Use It For

Before you go shopping for strollers you need to know what you will be using it for.  Is your family physically active?  If you (husband or wife) enjoy running, jogging, or hiking then you will need a stroller (like a sports or jogging one) that has different features than a stroller just for walking around stores, shopping, or simple trips to parks.

What Do You Want To Spend (Price Range)

When it comes to these items you have three options.  There are your bargain no thrills models, standard models, and premium models that come with everything.

You need to figure out in advance what you can afford.  Like buying a car you might want a Lexus but can only afford a Honda Civic.

Keep in mind that you need to think about the long term.  Many expensive models, like Maclaren for instance, cost more than others but will last a long time.  Other brands may be cheaper but will break and will have to be replaced sooner than you expect.

Travel strollers will cost a lot more than traditional ones.  But, when you consider that you can use them as a car seat as well and can last your child from when they are a newborn to when they are a toddler they do not seem so costly.

Think about your budget now but also what will save you money in the future.

Features

You need to write down which features are important to you and which ones are not.  The following are some of the ones you should consider for you and your newborn.

  • Safety- This is a very important aspect to any parent.  Some items that make a stroller safe are five point harnesses, one touch brakes, and sun visors.
  • Compatibility with a newborn- look for features that are conducive to newborn babies. Quite frankly there are some strollers that are excellent for toddlers but are not good for newborn babies.  Items you would look for are removable bassinet, way to enclose leg holes, a seat that reclines fully flat, or a model that you can easily turn into a car seat (know as travel systems).
  • Portable- Consider how easy it is to lug this stroller around.  You will have to fold it, unfold it, fit it into your trunk, travel with it on an airplane, etc  Pick a model that makes it easy to do all of these things.
  • Seating-If this is your first child then this particular point is a mute one.  But, if not, and your other children are still real young then you need a double stroller.  Why have two kids in two different prams when there are models out there which will fit both.
  • Storage- You will need to carry essential items in your stroller.  Some of these include diaper bags, bottles, and your purse.  Make sure the model you choose has enough storage room to carry the items you will commonly pack with you.

Thinking about these considerations will put you into a better position in choosing the right Maclaren stroller, or whatever other brand you choose.

I you need further assistance here is another great stroller resource for you to look at. This website outlines the different strollers you can buy including standard, jogging, umbrella, lightweight, double, travel, and Eco-friendly strollers.

Bring Stroller or Rent at Theme Park

Every parent looks forward to this day.  I would think that less patient ones would mark this day on their calender.

Its when you darling child does not want to be carted around in a stroller.

Every parent who has kids knows the routine.  You have  it memorized after several months of repetitively doing it.

Park the car.  You or your wife proceed to the back of the vehicle and open the trunk.  Sound familiar?

Take your stroller (hopefully MaClaren) out and unfold it.  Lock all the joints into their proper place.  Get your child out of the car, who is probably screaming his butt off because the ride there was much too long due to heavy traffic.

Out he, or she, comes and into the stroller.

Push your child several hounded miles.  And then, when you go back to the car, do all these steps in reverse.

It can be even worse than this at a theme park.  The pain is finding a place to store your stroller at every ride, every attraction, every restaurant, and in addition to those annoyances it takes up space in the back with all the other junk you collect at the park. That’s not even the most annoying part because if you are flying to the park  via plane a baby stroller is one more piece of luggage to check in at the gate :(

Maybe I am being a little too dramatic but this is the reason why I, and many other families, have become a huge fan of renting a stroller when we go to major theme parks.  It just makes so much more sense and the time and effort is saves more than justifies the extra expense.  It equals more space in the car, eliminates the trouble of getting through the front gate, and you have no worries about it getting lost or damaged.

Many complain about the cost of renting one but it is really not that expensive.  Our economy is not that bad, is it, yet?

A basic umbrella stroller costs around $20 a day to rent for the basic ones and they can be as high as $50 for a  top of the line Maclaren Techno  stroller.

Its really not that much.  Think about it for a minute.  You are already spending thousands on this trip.  Money is coming out of your pockets left and right.  Just being honest here.  After you get the bill for the plane tickets, the hotel, rental car, parking fees, restaurant bills, park entrance tickets, and heavens knows what else, brace yourself, because you are going to faint!

There is no cheap trip when you have a family and kids.  You next two paychecks are going to be going to pay the thing off!  Oh, but the memories!

So my point is this:  if you are spending $1000s anyway, what is it to you in spending $20 maybe as high as $50 to rent a nice comfortable Maclaren stroller?

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