2 1/2 years ago I was “that girl” doing the pregnant waddle up and down the aisles of Babies “R” Us creating my baby registry. I remember being completely overwhelmed by all of the choices available, but there were was one main reason why I liked being able to walk right into the big box store. I liked the hands-on experience of being able to touch and maneuver various strollers, high chairs and car seats, so I could really see what features I liked and which ones didn’t seem to matter. I wish an all terrain jogging stroller like the Bumbleride Indie had been on my mind from the very beginning.
That being said I totally screwed up purchasing my initial stroller. I was really focused on not buying a ‘”snap and go stroller,” which can only be used for a few months. Though my choice was lightweight, it had horrible tires that were really difficult to push on our bumpy, uneven sidewalks. A month before my due date we wandered into Isis Parenting in Boston and got a taste of some of the cadillac stroller brands, but I thought $280 was a lot, paying up to $500 on a stroller, was at the time, completely unimaginable.
This spring Gavin turned 18 months, the weather got warmer and I realized we had this big expensive nothing taking up real estate in my car trunk. Last summer, we tried to go to a state park with a gravel path, which was a nightmare because we couldn’t push the stroller on the terrain. This summer I decided we couldn’t be limited to indoor experiences, so I started out on a hunt for a replacement, this time, I wouldn’t limit myself to the price tag. So I cancelled my gym membership and decided we’d invest in a stroller that would allow our family some affordable, outdoor entertainment.
To make a long story short, as a media representative I ended up attending a high-end baby show for new and expectant parents in Boston. My husband and I spent some time on the demo floor, with a new stroller becoming our focus and priority.
I believe that some things in life are meant to happen in a certain order. Every brand name, high-end stroller was there, along with a sales rep, for me to test out and get great “hands-on” time. The only product that left a lasting impression on me was the Bumbleride Indie. Not only did I love the product, the company sales rep was friendly, knowledgable, personable and took the time to answer all of our questions.
So we bit the bullet and a few weeks later purchased one for about $500. The Bumbleride Indie is an unbelievable all terrain jogging stroller and on pavement is effortless to push. Let’s face it, if I’m going to exercise on a walk, pushing a 30 lb. kid in a 30 lb. stroller is enough for me to talk myself out of it in the first place. Additional features this stroller has that I love include a very large spf 45 sun canopy that reflects heat and beads water like I’ve never seen, a pretty easy fold (though it does require two hands), all with the total weight of the stroller being under 20 lbs., which I can easily lift up and out of our SUV. We can fit this stroller in the trunk of our Honda Accord pretty easily, as long as there isn’t a lot of other stuff in the trunk. The tires are air filled, which I like, and it’s easy to maneuver up/down curbs. Though we haven’t needed this feature, it is infant car seat compatible, right out of the box.
The seat moves forward and backward to a full recline, but I do feel that the clip can sometimes be a real challenge to maneuver, especially with Gavin in the stroller. The basket underneath fits my purse and small diaper bag easily. The front wheel can rotate or also be in a fixed position to manage different terrain. There is also an Indie double stroller version for those of you with more than one child different ages or twins.
We take this stroller everywhere. It turns on a dime with one finger maneuvering on pavement and easily fits through the small aisles at the mall. The foam handle bar can be adjusted to several positions, making it comfortable for me to push, and I’m pretty short. Though I find it comfortable to push, I do wish the handlebar moved in smaller increments, allowing for even more versatility.
Bumbleride sells additional accessories that include a Snack Pack (tray), Carrycot, Footmuff & Liner, Non-PVC Rain Shield, Travel Case, a latch-on Maxi Cosi Car Seat Adapter, and additional cup holders.
Gavin calls our Indie his “bike” and he requests a “ride” pretty much every day. It maneuvered great on a packed gravel trails in the woods, but after taking a wrong turn we had to carry the stroller with Gavin in it up a rooted hill. Bonus to this stroller being only 20 lbs. with two people having to carry it, it was definitely manageable.
We have used it at the beach on both hard and soft sand. It was easier for me to use two hands and pull it backwards up over the dunes on the soft sand, and this was definitely a workout to say the least. It manuevered fine on the hard packed sand, it just required a little more effort to push than what is typical on the pavement.
We have brought it to an amusement park. The last thing Gavin wanted to do was get in and out of the stroller, but we found out by accident that the handle can be positioned completely in a downward position, easy enough for him to push, and let me tell you, this feature alone, which Bumbleride has told me was not really intentional, has saved our lives many times with our independent and impulsive toddler.
In a few weeks my husband and I hope to start the Couch to 5K program together, and I know that the Bumbleride Indie will be instrumental in our ability to successfully complete this program together with a toddler in tow.
I used to have the problem trying to get Gavin in the stroller, now he cries when we get back home or to the car because he does not want to get out!
So let me leave you with the lesson I learned:
If you don’t like what the big box store has to offer, search for a baby expo or high end baby store in the area you live that might carry some different, high-end brands like Bumbleride. Get in there and push those strollers around. Fold them, lift them and experience them. No-one says you have to be the one to buy it right then and there. Drop a few hints to your friends and family members arranging your shower that this is something that you’d love for people to pool some money in on to offset the cost, and don’t be cheap, it will just cost you more money in the long run.
We purchased the Bumbleride Indie in Jet ourselves. The opinions shared in this post are truly my own.
Bumbleride has offered to send a Snack Pack, Footmuff & Liner and additional cup holder for free, so stay tuned for a possible additional post in more detail on the accessories.