Maclaren Quest Sport Stroller

August 19, 2011

Tenille

A stroller for every occasion? Perhaps. How many do you own? While the best stroller undoubtedly is one that can be used for everything, there’s something to be said for having a stroller to suit different activities, where finances and space allow. Most moms I know have at least two strollers, if not more, and make no apologies about it. When my first was a baby we had two; now on baby #3 we have…more than that.

We learned quickly that the bells + whistlers mac daddy stroller that was fabulous for long walks and adventures was not very useful when flying two provinces away, going to the waterpark 4 hours away, or the zoo in the city when visiting family. A lightweight stroller is the way to go for these activities but it’s important to choose wisely. I speak from experience – when we were in Calgary a few years ago, we didn’t bring our stroller because we simply had no room to pack it. I said we’d just pick up “a cheap stroller from the department store” and use that for the zoo and mall. At less than $30 bucks this was a steal of a deal right? Wrong. The zoo trip was a near disaster because the stroller was all but useless (it was too low, making us hunched over, it had no canopy/umbrella, and the wheels were horrible).

You get what you pay for.

If you’re going to purchase a lightweight stroller, go with a company you already know for their quality in other stroller models or other products for children. It stands to reason that the same innovative design and quality that goes into their other strollers is going to be found in their lightweight models as well.

Maclaren is a good example. I’m loving the Grand Tour LX by Maclaren – that stroller is what my husband and I refer to as the mac-daddy type of stroller and the images and features make me drool.

Still, for many other occasions, a lightweight stroller is more suitable and Maclaren has you covered there too.

The Maclaren Quest Sport seen here is a lightweight stroller that’s perfect for day-to-day activities yet has Maclaren’s known quality (and fabulous design) so you know you won’t be left stranded with a stroller that can’t keep up.

Thrilled with the chance to check out the Quest Sport, we had to be patient and wait until Everleigh was the appropriate age to use the stroller (3 months). The 5-point harness is fantastic, though, because at 3 months babies don’t sit up unsupported so this gives baby the ability to sit up assisted and see the world, while safely and securely strapped in. With 4 seat positions, baby can have her view of the world and then recline back for a nap when the excitement is over.

The hood on the stroller is extra-big, giving baby more protection from sun and wind and even has reflective accents for night safety (something that never occurred to me until reading about it, then realizing how important a feature like that is!)

Elijah has no qualms about pushing his sister in a pink – oh apologies, coffee and carmine rose – stroller. I love the colors, definitely girly but modern as well. The stroller rides smoothly – no not as smooth as a jogging stroller or an all-terrain stroller but again, it’s purpose is different. It’s comfortable for Everleigh – the padded seat is washable which is a huge bonus (if you’ve never seen the need for a washable stroller seat you’ve never been unfortunate to have a blow-out on the go!)

The Quest Sport folds down into a compact package, and it’s total weight is around 12 lbs (the site says that’s without the hood, shopping cart or rain cover but since we have the hood and shopping basket on the stroller it weighs a little more). Still, it’s considerably less than our much larger stroller that weighs about 26 lbs! And, it takes up very little room in the vehicle. This stroller makes a permanent home in the back of our van now because it’s easy for outings around the city (plus…it’s gorgeous and I like that…heh.) It even comes with a carry-strap attached so the folded stroller can easily be slung on your shoulder to carry if needed.

The Quest Sport can be purchased at ShopMaclarenBaby.com for $230 US, and is currently available in 4 color combinations. You can also use the Store Locator on the site to find locations near you in the US and Canada that carry Maclaren products.