My Personal Review of 6 Types of Strollers

As a mum of three and a closet #strolleraddict, I have found that there is no perfect stroller that fit all of our family's needs AND budget. The lightweight ones are usually not sturdy enough and the heavy-duty ones are more expensive and not easy for travelling (though I've done it a few times!).

As a result, I found myself getting different types of strollers over the years to fit our needs! Big and small, I've used most of them all 🤣

I have been asked by some readers to review my strollers but as I have so many, I really haven't had time to do a post for each one. I have used about 9 strollers during my 9 years of motherhood and at one point had FIVE strollers in my house! (Now I still have FOUR because we threw away our oldest, 6-year-old stroller) *laughs* 

Here's my personal review of SIX TYPES of STROLLERS and their pros and cons:

[1] Umbrella Strollers

Main Features:

• Handles look like the handle of an umbrella and the stroller sometimes closes like one, hence the name
• Usually folds vertically left and right to the centre
• Double strollers available; seats are usually side by side
• Some models may be able to add a carseat with purchase of additional adaptors

Common Brands: Peg Perego, McLaren

My Strollers: Ferrari & Peg Perego Plinko Mini

Left: Ferrari stroller (S$169) for my oldest girl;

Right: Peg Perego Plinko Mini (S$369) for my boy. 

We really love both of our umbrella strollers; we've used the Ferrari for 3.5 years and the Peg Perego for 6 years! We have travelled almost everywhere with them by air, road and sea and have had no problems.

PROS

• Closes vertically, hence does not take up much space in your car boot/ storeroom / etc
• Lightweight
• Easy to navigate and push
• If reclinable, can be suitable for infants 0-6 months
• Relatively inexpensive (cost about S$200-500)

CONS

• May have a smaller canopy and/or basket, depending on the model
• Cannot push with one hand
• Cannot be closed with one hand
• The seat only faces front
• Not cabin size
• May not be able to stand on its own when closed
• Require a baby insert to support infants younger than 6 months
• Usually not suitable for children heavier than 15kg

[2] Full-sized Lightweight Strollers

Main Features:

• Handle is in the shape of a semi circle and goes from one side of the stroller to the other
• Usually folds from handle to foot rest (like a caterpillar when it moves) 
• Double strollers available; seats are usually front and back
• Some models may be able to add a car seat with purchase of additional adaptors

Common Brands: Combi, Capella, Graco, Britax, Joovy

My Stroller: Bon Bijou Lucas Lightweight Stroller

Left: Easywalker MINI buggy XS (my bro-in-law's);
Right: Our Bon Bijou Lucas Lightweight stroller bought at Baby Fair for S$199. 

We like it for the huge canopy and ease of use

Among all my strollers, I probably liked our Bon Bijou the least but to be fair, we did buy the cheapest model with the least specifications (they have better models at a higher price point). This model is not a 'four-wheel drive' and comes with a 5-point harness that requires a PhD in order to buckle them. It's also very bulky when closed.

However, the stroller is very simple to close (one hand also can!) and easy to push. Perfect for my petite mum-in-law 🙂

PROS

• Lightweight
• Easy to navigate and push
• Can be pushed with one hand
• Easy to close; some models can be closed with one hand
• Some models allow for seat to face either front or back 
• If reclinable, can be suitable for infants 0-6 months
• Depending on the model, may be able to handle a child up to 20kg

CONS

• Usually has a small basket
• May not be cabin size
• Can be bulky when closed
• May require a baby insert to support infants younger than 6 months

[3] Full-sized Sturdy Strollers

Main Features:

• Handles are usually adjustable to fit your height (great for taller folks!) 
• Frame of the stroller and/or wheels are usually larger than average
• Seats are generally removable so that you can customise the type of seat based on the child's age/size (e.g. bassinet for infants) 
• Double strollers available; seats are usually front and back
• Some models may be able to add a car seat with purchase of additional adaptors

Common Brands: Stokke, Bugaboo, Baby Jogger

My Stroller: Baby Jogger City Select

My Baby Jogger City Select
(RRP S$1399 for a double) 

I've done a full review of my Baby Jogger City Select here. Of all my strollers, I love my Baby Jogger the most because of its functionality! I know it's not as light as other strollers but it has the best functions (read my review for more details)!

Having said that, I've ever packed this double stroller in a luggage and brought it to Melbourne. We have also loaded it into the boot of our sedan car and brought it on a road trip to Malacca (see it in action here). It was so useful as it could comfortably support both my kids as well as all our barang. 

PROS

• Easy to push; height of stroller is comfortable for taller people
• Some models can be pushed with one hand
• Large canopy and/or basket
• Very sturdy and does not topple easily
• Usually allow for seat to face either front or back 
• Suitable for infants 0-6 months as a bassinet can be added or the seat can be reclined 
• Usually able to handle children heavier than 15kg

CONS

• Not lightweight
• Not cabin size
• May be difficult to manoeuvre in tight spaces
• Cannot be closed flat; can be bulky when closed
• Cannot be closed with one hand
• If seat/s can be removed, it may require some practice to open and close the stroller
• Can be expensive depending on the model

[4] Travel System Strollers

Main Features:

• Most full-sized stroller listed above can add a carseat with additional adaptors to turn it into a travel system stroller. 
• Useful for carrying baby in and out of the car without waking the baby

Common Brands: Cybex, Quinny

My Stroller: Quinny Zapp

Quinny Zapp with additional Zapp Xtra seat bought at only S$180 on Lazada

Before and after adding the carseat

All Quinny strollers are directly compatible with Maxi Cosi carseats (adaptors are included with purchase of the stroller) , hence we decided to buy one to match our existing Maxi Cosi carseat that we got from a friend. We compared the older, most basic model of the Quinny Zapp with newer models and felt that the older model fits our needs best as it was cheapest and the least bulky.

I have to say, I used to think Travel System Strollers are a waste of money because the baby can only sit in the carseat for at most till 14 months old. However, now that I have a baby who is a light-sleeper, I really appreciate the fact that I don't have to wake her when I move her from the car to the stroller or vice versa! It's really very convenient if you have a car or travel by cab/private hire cars.

PROS

• Easy to navigate and push
• Very sturdy and does not topple easily
• Suitable for infants 0-6 months
• Very convenient; able to move the baby in and out of the car without waking the baby

CONS

• May require additional adaptors to convert existing stroller to a travel system, which may cost extra 
• Older siblings will not be able to sit in stroller when the carseat is fitted on the stroller
• Not lightweight
• Not cabin size
• Cannot be closed flat; can be bulky when closed
• Cannot be closed with one hand
• If seat/s can be removed, it may require some practice to open and close the stroller
• Can be expensive depending on the model

[5] Compact Strollers

Main Features:

• Folds flat and small, sometimes even small enough to fit into your bag
• Double stroller not available

Common Brands: GoodBaby Pockit Stroller, Babyzen Yoyo

My Stroller: CocoLatte Pockit Stroller

My Cocolatte Pockit stroller
(Bought in 2016 for S$199) 

How the stroller looks like when opened

When closed, it fits nicely into my recycle bag

I've done a full review of my Pockit stroller here.

When I bought this stroller in 2016, they only had strollers that can't be reclined. In recent years, GoodBaby and Cocolatte have released newer models that not only can be reclined, but, depending on the model, may also fit a carseat if you add the necessary adaptors. However, this means that the price of the newer Pockit models is almost double of what I paid ($350+ vs $199). Nevertheless, I think it's a good investment if you commute via public transport or travel overseas a lot. It's so compact and light that you can carry it with one hand when its closed! I love to bring mine for our overseas trips! 😊

PROS

• Very lightweight
• Cabin size
• Usually small enough to fit into your backpack/ big totebag
• Does not take up space in your car boot/ storeroom/ etc
• If reclinable, can be suitable for infants 0-6 months

CONS

• Usually has a small canopy and/or basket
• For the Pockit, it cannot be closed with one hand and requires some practice to open and close the stroller
• The seat only faces front
• Handles usually cannot support weight, e.g. diaper bags
• If seat cannot be reclined, it's not suitable for infants 0-6 months
• Require a baby insert to support infants younger than 6 months
• Usually not suitable for children heavier than 15kg
• Can be expensive depending on the model

[6] Toddler-Only Strollers

Main Features:

• Basic stroller that can't be reclined and does not have a 5-point harness as it is meant for toddlers

Common Brands: Seababy, Jiji

My Strollers: Latido, Seababy

Our Latido and Seababy strollers bought in 2012-2013

I personally don't like toddler-only strollers as they are difficult to push and not very safe (usually only 3-point harness). I think we sold these two away not long after the mum-in-law got them as we found pushing my very heavy, preschool-aged, oldest girl very difficult. I'm sure they have made better strollers since then but I will still only buy full strollers.

PROS

• Very lightweight
• Does not take up space in your car boot/ storeroom/ etc
• Relatively inexpensive (usually cost less than S$200)

CONS

• Small canopy and basket
• Seat cannot recline; hence not suitable for babies younger than 6 months
• Depending on the model, may not be able to close flat
• Handles usually cannot support weight, e.g. diaper bags
• May be difficult to navigate and push
• Not suitable for children heavier than 15kg

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There are two types of strollers I've never tried:

1. Jogging (because I hate jogging) 
2. Car Seat Carrier, i.e. car seats that convert directly into a stroller, e.g. Doona (I have no need of this as I have a travel system stroller) 

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Hopefully this was helpful to you! Happy shopping for the right stroller/s for your family! 😄

CocoLatte Pockit Stroller

I've been wanting to write about our latest stroller but haven't had the time till now. It's by far the only stroller that we've ever owned that can fit into my backpack!

Yup, it's the legendary Pockit, the world's smallest folded stroller.

There are two brands (that I know of) that produces the Pockit stroller: Goodbaby and CocoLatte. I bought the latter because it 1) was cheaper (I paid only S$199), and 2) was not out of stock.

The key difference between the two is probably the material and colour of the seat (CocoLatte does not have as many colours) but it does not affect the functionality of the stroller so I'm not bothered by it.

CocoLatte Pockit Stroller
(ordered on Qoo10)

Look at how small it is!

The smallest fold as seen above requires you to fold the two back wheels in but you can also choose not to fold it in (it's a faster close).

Here's a video of how the Pockit works (by GoodBaby):

I bought it when my boy is about 1.5 years old and he rides in it till now.

My boy testing out the stroller for the first time

Yay the World's smallest folded stroller (which I bought online) is here!! Just in time for my Tokyo trip hehe! Plan to put it in my backpack when I don't need it. Let's see if it is really good for travelling.. #madpsychmum #pockitstroller #madpsychmumtravels #allreadyfortokyo #babyboyjlee

A photo posted by Madeline Heng (@madpsychmum) on Dec 4, 2015 at 1:24am PST

I brought it to Tokyo and packed it into my backpack as I had planned to bring onboard the plane. It was the first time that I was able to bring his stroller onboard the plane and use it the moment we landed.

Left: Pockit stroller kept in my backpack;
 Right: We brought both our lightweight strollers for the trip so that both kids can nap whenever they wanted.

The seat can't be reclined though so your child may have difficulty sleeping. My kids sleep anywhere as long as they are sleepy so it didn't pose a problem for us (as you can see below).

My boy sleeping soundly in the stroller while we had our dinner

I sometimes carry it around in a big recycle bag and it works too. Because it is so easy to carry around, I've taken a bus with my two kids and the stroller alone and had no problems =)

The Pockit stroller fits nicely into my recycle bag

In summary, the pros and cons of the stroller are:

PROS

• Small enough to fit into your backpack/ big totebag
• Does not take up space in your car boot/ storeroom / etc
• Lightweight
• Easy to navigate and push
• Relatively inexpensive (cost about S$200-300)

CONS

• Very small canopy and basket
• Seat cannot recline
• Require some practice to open and close the stroller
• Cannot hang heavy things on the handle
• Not suitable for babies younger than 6 months
• Not suitable for children heavier than 15kg

Overall, if you're looking for a toddler stroller that's compact and light then I highly recommend this.

If you need a stroller that can serve as your trolley or baby's bed but still lightweight then you might wanna consider my Peg Perego Pliko Mini (will write about it soon as I love it just as much! =D). If you need a heavy-duty double stroller, you can consider our Baby Jogger City Select, which is great for when both kids need to nap.

Yes I know, that's a lot of strollers in one house! (*laughs*). We have owned at least 5 strollers in the time that we have become parents and these are the ones that I really love =)

Happy stroller-strolling everyone! =)

Family Nature Walk at the Southern Ridges

I live only 15 minutes away from the Southern Ridges, which nicely connects Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, HortPark, Kent Ridge Park and Labrador Nature Reserve (DIY guide provided by the National Parks here), and can't believe that I have not had the chance to visit until now!

After a nice breakfast at McDonald's in the morning, we started our walk at HortPark (where we also parked our car).

HortPark

The route was wheelchair/stroller friendly so we decided to bring along our double stroller (full review of our Baby Jogger City Select here) so that I didn't have to carry my baby. Unfortunately, that also meant that my girl would clamour to sit rather than walk as she felt that it was not fair that her brother got to ride the stroller and she didn't (-_-"). And since I didn't want to walk at a speed of 1cm per minute, I relented.

The sister offered to push as she wanted to train for a marathon that she would be running.

Alexandra Arch

From HortPark we followed the signboards to Alexandra Arch, a beautiful pedestrian overhead bridge at Alexandra Road. Alexandra Arch links us directly to the Forest Walk, which consisted of elevated walkways that allowed you to see the natural greenery from a higher viewing point.

Hubby decided to ride his kick scooter instead of walking but ended up walking most of the way because of the uphill slopes

There were some painting works being done to the walkway but thankfully our City Select could still pass through the tight space

You might feel scared if you're afraid of heights
(The hubby said my girl was afraid to walk on this the last time they were here with his friends)

Chilling out in the backseat

This way to Telok Blangah Hill Park and Mt Faber Park

See the painting in progress?

Mummy and me

Left: What not to do if you encounter monkeys (which thankfully we didn't);
Right: The uphill slopes all the way up the hill

The same place where mum and I stood but taken from the top view

We reached the top and took a short breather to rest before continuing onto the Hilltop Walk that runs through Telok Blangah Hill Park.

There's a road here so beware of passing traffic
(Our City Select has no problems on the road due to its tyre-like wheels)

Walking trail through the Telok Blangah Hill Park

It's uphill again!

At the end of the trail, we arrived at one end of the Henderson Waves. Standing at 36m above Henderson Road, it is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore.

We made it!
(My girl was cranky because I forced her to walk and my boy was cranky because he was sleepy)

The bridge is so high up that you can't see the traffic below unless you look over the ledge

The distinct features of this overhead bridge is the curvy structure of "ribs" that form the waves as well as the unique boardwalk

Enjoying the view and cool breeze
(The bridge looks really thin when you're under it but it is actually pretty wide)

Cars on Henderson road look so small from up here

Baby Boy is getting real good at taking selfies!

A large area for you to lean on and enjoy the view

Yay that was fun!

The other end of the Henderson Waves, which connects to Faber Walk

From Henderson Waves, we continued on to Faber Walk, which leads us to the top of Mt Faber.

Mt Faber Loop

Replica of the famous cables cars at Jewel Box

Along the way, we were greeted by beautiful views of the sea and cable cars.

Family photo at the Bird's Eye View from Mount Faber
(Set my Olympus OMD on a ledge and started the timer)

Tired but happy that we finally completed the walk!

We were going to continue down the Marang Trail to Harbourfront but we realised that the trail was not stroller-friendly. So instead of continuing to Harbourfront, we headed back to Jewel Box instead to board a cab back to HortPark to collect our car.

The kids were so exhausted, they were unusually well-behaved that day. Looks like we need to bring them out to exercise a lot more =)

Sister and I are going to attempt walking the full trail from Marang Trail Entrance to Science Park Drive (map here) some time this year. It's only 5km so I'm sure it would be ok (as long as I don't bring the cranky kids -_-"). Looking forward! =)

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This post is part of my MadPsychMum Fun in Singapore Guide to all things exciting for kids! 

Check out other fun playgrounds and attractions in Singapore! =)

You can also follow us on Instagram or join us by using our hashtag #mpmfuninsg! 

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Disclosure: A complimentary Baby Jogger City Select and additional seat were received from Baby Jogger and The Amazing Baby Company for the purposes of blog post feature. No monetary compensation was received; all opinions are my own.

The 16 Looks of a Baby Jogger City Select

I've been dreaming of having a double stroller since I was pregnant with Baby Boy. Wouldn't it be cool if I can push both my kids on a stroller so that they will stop fighting over who gets to sit where.

Next thing I knew, Baby Jogger fulfilled my dreams!  =)

Of the Baby Jogger strollers (all of which have won numerous awards), the City Select was the one that I was the most interested in. Its innovative multi-functional (I love things that can serve multiple functions) design allows you to choose up to 16 unique combinations of seating arrangement when used with an additional seat, car seat and conversion kit and/or bassinet (each sold separately).

The 16 Faces of the Baby Jogger City Select
Photo credit: Baby Jogger

The main seats are generally meant for children 6 months old and up so parents are advised to buy the bassinet for newborns. There are 3 colours available, and we were lucky to have received the Ruby =)

SINGLE
The City Select comes with the stroller frame, wheels, one seat and canopy, all packaged within a box.

What you would see after unpacking your box

It was not difficult to assemble the stroller following the instructions of the user manual, which was pretty easy to understand.

Some of the features of the City Select include:

1) 8" lightweight front wheels
Comes with front wheel suspension and sealed ball bearings. The swivel in the front wheels can lock into place if you are strolling for long distances.

Left: I love the suspension in the front wheels, which helps to cushion impact and enable a smoother ride for my girl
(who usually rides in front)
Right: Shift the grey clasp in and out to lock/unlock the front wheels

2) 12" forever-air rear wheels
Sturdy and very stable, the wheels can handle the combine weight of 2 kids, up to a maximum of 40kg (20kg each).

They look and feel just like bicycle tyres!

3) Adjustable 5-point safety harness with shoulder pads and buckle cover
The 5-point harness ensures the safety of your child while the "kid-unfriendly" buckle ensures that they stayed buckled up in the harness.

The straps of the harness are fully adjustable with 3 height options
(Baby Boy uses the lowest position while Girlee uses the highest) 

4) Multi-position seat recline
Position it horizontal so that your child can sleep or position it upright so that your child can watch the world go by. I personally love the many recline positions of this stroller, which was lacking in our current umbrella stroller. The multi-position foot well also tilts up to add extra leg support for smaller children (like Baby Boy in the picture below).

Left: A smaller child like Baby Boy can ride in a more horizontal position
 Right: An older child like my girl can ride fully upright

5) Large under seat basket
For storing baby stuff and even our shopping, without toppling the whole stroller like we do with our current umbrella stroller

6) Multi-position sun canopy
Comes with peek-a-boo window and adjustable head height.

1. Generous canopy that provides more adequate coverage than our current umbrella stroller
2. There are magnets along the edge of the flap that adheres to the edge of the canopy to prevent it from flapping around in the wind. Pretty neat!
3. The flap flips open to reveal the netted window

7) Fully adjustable handlebar
The handlebar can be extended with just a push of the button in the middle of the handle. It is also great to grip when steering the stroller and can be wiped easily.

Left: I personally love the extended handle which makes it a lot easier to push
Right: Close up of the large middle button

8) Hand operated parking brake
Unlike most strollers, the brakes are operated by hand rather than by foot, giving you more dexterity.

1. Red handle with the word "brake" so you won't miss it
2. Just pull up the handle in order to engage the brake
3. For safety, you'll need to pull the top of the handle to release the brake

DOUBLE
You can purchase an additional seat to easily turn the City Select into a double stroller! =)

The seat comes with its own full canopy as well as a pair of metal seat mounting brackets which allows you to attach the additional seat to the stroller.

1. You can adjust the seats according to your child's height;
I've adjusted the bottom seat to be shorter for my boy and the top seat to be longer for my girl (they're originally the same size)
2. The additional seat and adapters before assembly
3. I put the kid's name labels on each seat so that they (more like we) will know which seat is theirs

Left: Remove the top cover of the front wheel frame
Right: Insert the metal adapters nicely into the stroller frame

You are now able to attach the additional seat to the adapters, thereby converting your City Select into a double!

Double Back-Facing position
This is by far our favourite position as it allows us to see what our kids are up to.
Girl is usually the one at the bottom as she is old enough to get in and out on her own

1. Face-to-Face position
2. Back-to-Back position
3. Double Front-Facing position

You can try out different combinations of seating arrangements depending on the temperament of your kids. For example, kids that fight a lot get to travel back to back while kids that get along (at least most of the time) can face each other.

BASSINET
It is recommended that newborns (0-6 months) travel in a bassinet, which you'll have to purchase separately. You will have to assemble the bassinet by using the metal frame from one of your seats (if you have more than one).

Seat frame from one of the seats (left), everything you'd need to assemble the bassinet (right)

1. Align the bassinet canvas to the seat frame
2. Attach the plush fabric to the frame using secure metal buttons
3. Ensure that the top of the bassinet matches the top of the frame (i.e. line up the words "top")
4. The bassinet comes with handles so that you are able to carry your baby in it
(my baby has outgrown this unfortunately so I'm using my girl's doll to demonstrate this)

Attach the bassinet to the stroller like you would the seat and viola.

It's a carriage for your infant! Pretty eh =)

There are 4 different combinations of seating arrangements that you can try with an additional seat, which is best for parents with an older and a younger child (not so good for parents with twins who are the same age and require the same seat type).

1. Face-to-Face position
2. Double Back-Facing position (with Bassinet on top)
3. Back-to-Back position
4. Double Back-Facing position (with Bassinet at the bottom)
in case your child likes to kick and disturb the baby

TRANSPORTATION
The big stroller frame looks really difficult to keep but it's actually really easy. Baby Jogger's patented Quick-Fold Technology allows you to fold your stroller in just one simple step by lifting the "fold" handles.

Just lift this catch labelled "fold" and the whole stroller folds up (it's not rocket science) =)

Folds flat, with a secure fold latch to keep the stroller folded for transportation or storage

Having used an umbrella stroller for the past 4 years, the hubby was very apprehensive of the bulkiness of our City Select. As it is a heavy duty stroller that is built to take the weight of two children of up to 20kg per seat (a lot more than umbrella strollers), the weight of the stroller is also double that of umbrella strollers (weight as a single is 12kg while as a double it's 15kg).

The hubby was not sure if a bigger stroller like this would be easy to maneuver or if it could fit into our car. It took some rearranging but we managed to fit it nicely into our car with space at the side for other things.

A tip from me: Stack the seats up and place the frame in first before putting the seats on top of the frame.
It's more compact this way =)

Admittedly, our City Select does take up more space in the boot than our current umbrella stroller. However, with some creativity, we managed to make it work. Plus over time with some practice, I found opening and closing the stroller as well as loading and unloading the car quite a breeze =)

Kids riding in the stroller in the Back-Facing and Front-Facing positions

For its size, the City Select is surprisingly easy to maneuver. Keeping in mind that I'm pushing a load of almost 30kg each time, I found pushing the stroller relatively painless and definitely good for long haul travelling.

The most important thing is that my children really enjoy riding in this stroller! They don't have to fight over one seat and they can choose to face forward or backward. My girl especially likes the seat back storage compartment (of the seat in front of her since she rides in the back most of the time) where she likes to store her books and water bottle.

"See ma, I can put my bottle here!"

Other than the bulkiness and the fact that sometimes my girl's shoes might dirty the under-seat basket when she is seated facing the back, I'm enjoying the ease and multiple functions of our City Select.

The stroller is just nice for me (but not my petite mum-in-law *laughs*)

You can buy stroller accessories to complement your Baby Jogger strollers; for us, we'll most likely buy a travel bag to store the stroller when bringing it overseas with us on our trips.

Baby Jogger City Select is available at various Mothercare and Mothers Work outlets in Singapore. Do visit their website and Facebook page for more information.


Disclosure: A complimentary Baby Jogger City Select and additional seat (bassinet was on loan) were received from Baby Jogger and The Amazing Baby Company for the purposes of this review. No monetary compensation was received; all opinions are my own.