Our search for the perfect stroller...

I wrote this post in 2015 and thought, at that point, that I had finally found the perfect stroller.  That was... until I discovered the REAL perfect stroller last week!  I. Am. In. LOVE.

Here is what our stroller journey has looked like...

I have a slight stroller obsession. Since Isabella was born in the summer of 2009 we have officially owned 15 strollers!  It is something that drives my husband crazy, yet he's the reason it's so difficult to find something we love.  At 6 foot tall, pushing strollers is awkward for Dave.  He ends up hunched over or kicking the back with each stride.  It is uncomfortable for him, and he sincerely dislikes the task.

Our first stroller was a Graco Travel System, and was a baby shower gift.  It was perfect for our infant and toddler needs with both Bella and Abbi.  However, as the girls got bigger we wanted something that folded more compactly.  When we sold our car seat and bases, the stroller went with them.

When we downgraded from the travel system, we purchased the Cosco Delux Comfort Ride Stroller.  After reading the reviews we thought it would be a great fit for our needs.  However, we were completely disappointed because the handles were so short and even I was unable to walk in full stride.

After that, we decided to try just the basic Cosco Umbrella Stroller.  While they certainly fold up compactly, the wheels locked up and we couldn't push it smoothly.  

We were convinced that we had just bought a faulty umbrella stroller, and so my father-in-law got us a Disney one...complete with Belle, Isabella's favorite princesses.  However, we still had the same problem with the wheels locking up.  

At this point, it seemed more important to go with a double stroller.  On Craigslist I found an Evenflo Front to Back Double Stroller.  I did not like how long it was or how big the turning radius seemed to be.  

The next double stroller, which was still an Evenflo Front to Back Double Stroller, I found on the side of the road for free.  While I still didn't like pushing it, at least it was free!

After not having much luck with double strollers, I decided to try out the umbrella stroller idea again.  This time I knew I wanted it to have a canopy, cup holder and lower basket like the Cosco Delux Comfort Ride Stroller.  After reading many reviews, I decided to try the Jeep Wrangler All-Weather Umbrella stroller.  I loved it so much that we bought two and then invested in a set of Munchkin Stroller Links (which did not work as well as I would have liked) to convert it into a double stroller when I wanted/needed it.  Dave, however, still had difficulty pushing them because of his long stride.

  

At a garage sale last year, I thought I had finally hit the jackpot!  A Baby Trend Sit N Stand at a price I could agree with.  This was the best experience I've had with a double stroller.  I liked how it was not as long as the front-to-back double strollers and it was easier to push than connecting two umbrella strollers with links.  However, it was so unbelievably difficult to move around the 70+ pounds of my combined older children that I almost never used it.  

As of December of 2014 we no longer owned any strollers.  I either sold or donated all the ones I just listed and began to search for THE PERFECT stroller for our two growing daughters.  However, that plan changed a bit when we got a phone call for a 10 day old baby boy.  Suddenly, we needed an infant stroller again ASAP.  Thankfully, friends of ours let us borrow their car seat and allowed us to take their Snap N Go.  This worked great for Aidan at the time, but could never work for Isabella or Abigail.

 And so, the search continued.  I have some serious criteria for the ideal stroller.  It need to fold compactly like an umbrella stroller, be capable of holding at least 45 pounds, have a canopy, have a lower basket, have a cup holder/upper storage basket, and be at least 38 inches tall...which would be enough for Dave to comfortably push.  I researched; Joovy, UPPababy, Baby Cargo, Mountain Buggy, BumbleRide, Britax, Phil&Teds, Baby Jogger, Peg Perego, and Inglesina.  While many of these met the criteria, they were too expensive.  Finally, FINALLY, I came across The First Years Jet Light Weight Stroller.  It was great!!  Child approved, husband approved, and perfect for our 2015 Disney World vacation.  We bought two - they were awesome for pushing through the airport and for getting on/off Disney shuttles.

As an added bonus, I came across a Baby Trend Jogger for $20.00 on Craigslist, which I just had to get!  It was easy to push, had amazing storage and could support the weight of any of our three kiddos - but it was also way too bulky to get in and out of our car.

While I was happy with our First Years and Baby Trend strollers - I still wanted to find something that had the best parts of an umbrella stroller and the best parts of an all terrain stroller... and, by goodness, I've found it!  The Summer 3Dlite Convenience Stroller.  One incredible stroller that supports 50lbs, has extra tall handles, is fully collapsible and compact, includes a cup holder, has an adjustable and removable canopy with sun shade, comes with a carry strap, offers multi position recline, includes an extra large storage basket, and has a rear storage pocket.  This stroller has it all!

We are only going to be needing strollers in our home for another few years - and, I'm pretty sure we found the one to carry us through to that end!