Baby strollers

When we were expecting our first child, I did quite a bit of research on which stroller to get that will fit our needs.

By right carrying your child during the first few months is better for bonding and development of the child but there are times when you need your hands and arms free to do something else. So a stroller can be a necessity at times.

I love those designer looking strollers like Stokke, Quinny etc but then I had to throw practicality out of the window. Bulky and heavy stroller may be fine with me but it may be a hassle for the missus and our parents especially when getting in and out of the car.

So I decided to list out the criteria that a stroller should have

1. Lightweight

2. Small footprint when folded

3. For infant onward

4. Reversible handle

5. Swivel rear wheels.

Being lightweight is important especially for the ladies in our lives. You can't be there for them all the time so they will thank you for getting a lightweight stroller, trust me.

Being small when folded is important too especially when you drive, unless you have a huge boot. Else the stroller is going to cause problems when you go grocery shopping.

A stroller that can be use for infants onward means that the seat can recline to at least 170 because they are not able to sit just yet.

Reversible handle is great when your child is still an infant. It also helps to continue the bond between parent and child with as much eye contact as possible. Even if your child is no longer an infant, it comes in handy when they need to take a nap while you're out with them. The ability to keep a watch on them on the move is a great plus. 

Having all wheels able to swivel and locked when needed is important when the handle is reversed. There are many strollers that have reversible handle but not many have rear wheels that can swivel. The reason why this is important is because when the handle is reversed, the front and rear wheels change roles. It is not easy to push a stroller with the front wheels not able to swivel. Think of a forklift and you'll understand why.

As far as I know, only Combi and Capella has models that meet all the above mentioned criteria.

Capella have a few models namely S-228, S-705, S-707. They are distributed by Taime. Of the 3, only S-228 can be converted to a travel system when combined with S-1100 or S-1101 infant car seat.

Combi's version is called the Miracle Turn. It is more advanced than the Capella that two wheels will swivel (or lock) automatically depending on the direction of handle without you having to do anything. Downside is, it is expensive. There are 3 versions ranging from $400+ to $700+. Combi is distributed by Tai Sing.

Due to cost and the ability to combine with an infant car seat, I decided to go with Capella S-228.

Now it is not to say that the Capella is the best choice there is. It does come with its drawbacks. The following are some of it.

1. When a stroller can be double folded, the handle will be made up of two or more parts. Overtime, the joints will wear out and the handle will not be that straight anymore.

2. When a stroller comes with handles that can be reversed, the handle is almost usually one continuous piece. So if you plan to hook your shopping bags etc, you will spend extra on hooks.

3. With all wheels drive, you will normally lock the two 'rear' wheels from swiveling for easier steering.   This is the reason why Combi's Miracle Turn is easier as it does that automatically. Allowing all wheels to swivel while pushing is very difficult as you loose control of the direction. You also need to lock the wheels so that you can double fold the stroller. So having to lock and unlock often may be a hassle.

4. You will need to reverse the stroller at times, especially in crowded places such as lifts etc. Reversing the stroller can become difficult overtime as the wheels swivel locking mechanism have more play due to wear. This causes the 'rear' wheels to swivel to the side in opposite direction. I manage to overcome this by locking only one 'rear' wheel each time. This way, when you reverse, one of the rear wheels can swivel and will not try to move in opposite direction to the lock wheels.