The stroller that you actually use all the time is rarely the one that has the most features or the most wide open specifications. A model that is perfect for every conceivable situation usually spends most of the week sitting in the garage, too heavy to lift, too heavy to turn upside down and fold, or too slow to fold with one hand. Narrowing down where you actually use a stroller in advance helps eliminate much of that mismatch. Shopping, wandering around footpaths and parking lots require a light frame and a one-handed fold. Longer walks over grass, rough ground or uneven tracks will probably benefit from larger wheels that turn easily. Travel necessarily puts limits on weight and folded dimensions if the baby stroller needs to squeeze into the car boot, bus aisle, or overhead locker on the plane. When you’ve listed those main needs it becomes easier and more helpful to compare one model with the next.
The safety checks are the same practical advice. Ensure that the harness is a five point and is easy to tighten, that the brake is on both rear wheels and the frame remains stable with some weight in the handle. Check the published weight limit in terms of your child’s current size and their expected growth in the next six months. If the stroller gets well above your child’s present weight then consider whether the harness and seat will need to be optimally adjusted to match the child’s current size. On the NV Kids product pages you will find information on the type of harness, details on the brake and the weight limits, along with dimensions for the folded unit so these can be checked at home. Families who purchase a stroller online New Zealand often comment on how these detailed specs, together with the possibility of a home demonstration in Auckland, helped make the decision to purchase easier than if it was based on a set of photographs and brief descriptions.
Everyday routines are as important as the model you started with. It is a good idea to keep using the harness each time no matter how short the journey, as this will help the parent remember to do it when in a rush. Make sure the brake is on every time the stroller is stopped on a slope to avoid it rolling back while carrying in or out of the shopping or lifting your child up into it. When outside, tilt the canopy so that your child is not staring into the sun on a bright day, making a full day outdoors much more bearable for him or her. Use the fold until it feels completely natural, as that is exactly when you will need to do it standing by the car with the shopping in one hand and the wiggling kid in the other. None of these things requires any special equipment but they keep the safety features working optimally in everyday conditions and prevent your stroller becoming another task to tick off your list.
Storage and simple upkeep also influence the frequency with which the stroller is at hand when needed. The more compact a model is when folded and the more effectively it can be secured when folded, the more likely it is to stay in the boot rather than be hurried onto a garage shelf or attic storage. One of the prime reasons parents use the stroller much more when they keep it in their car is that it takes just a minute or two to toddle out for a quick run to the shop or park. Brushing off the frame and wheels after a trip to the beach or through soggy parkland will keep the brakes and fold working smoothly. Sand and grit can cause a brake to jam or a catch to stick on the fold if left to settle. The modern NV Kids strollers are, by design, prepared for these mundane events. They are light enough to be moved often, solid enough to handle mixed use on footpaths and gentle inclines, and simple enough to operate that even after weeks of use the brake and harness controls are still child’s play.
Parents who have been able to match the stroller to their actual routine of outings comment on their change in what they weigh as benefits before heading out. If the stroller folds quickly and isn’t too heavy, one’s mind is no longer struck with “is it worth taking the stroller?!” It becomes less work and more fun to make that short trip that one used to cancel, get to walkers a reasonable amount into the park, push them comfortably along the sidewalk, and go for park walks at a comfortable pace without constant bumping. The child is spending more time out of doors and the parent is doing less of the “come-on, walk,” method of child-rearing. These “littler benefits” of not having to fight so much with the stroller add up over a week and a month. The stroller is no longer an extra decision to be made before heading out but becomes part of the usual routine.
More comparing if you still need to do it For now a good benchmark to compare is the pocket, lightweight, and jogging models listed at NV Kids and to document the weight, folded size, harness, and brake specs of each. Then compare them to the routes that comprise the bulk of your week. If most errands and short trips can be done in a pocket or lightweight but you’d rather not be stuck with an uncomfortable, hard-to-fold model that’s heavy if you end up needing to do a longer, more scenic trip just enjoy that one when it’s really needed. If all of your trips involve rough terrain or long distances consider the jogging version your default and then add a lightweight to get around town if you’ll be doing a lot of that. Many people wind up with one of each and that way know they have what they need when they need it. The right stroller is the one that takes the friction out of the routine rather than trying to simulate covering every possibility.
