|
COPYRIGHT 2006 Australian Consumers' Association
While three-wheel strollers are all the rage, four-wheel models are far from dead. They may not be as manoeuvrable as three-wheelers, but they have other advantages. They often have a reversible handle, giving you the choice of walking with your baby facing ahead or towards you. And they're usually not quite as wide as three-wheelers, which makes them a hit easier to get through narrow doorways and down supermarket aisles. In this test, the strollers' widths ranged from 48-62 cm; in our last three-wheel stroller test (CHOICE, June 2005) they ranged from 62-74 cm.
HOW WE TESTED
We assessed their ease of use, looking at the following aspects:
* Adjusting and securing the harness.
* Reclining the seat.
* Adjusting the leg and foot rests.
* Adjusting the handle height and direction.
* Applying and releasing the brakes.
* Locking the swivel wheels.
* Accessing the bottom storage basket.
* Folding and unfolding the stroller.
* Carrying the stroller and loading/unloading it from a car boot.
* Manoeuvring around a course including doorways, stairs, corners, footpaths and rough ground.
We also tested them for safety and durability against the Australian standard.
THE VERDICT
The good news is that none of the tested models failed any durability tests. However, four out of 10 failed at least one safety test, and not all scored well for ease of use. See What about the rest, below right.
* On test: 10 four-wheel layback (fully reclinable) strollers ranging from $200 to $1299.
* None failed our durability tests, but four, including the most expensive model, failed at least one safety test.
* Also tested: a compact fold-up, three-wheel stroller designed for travelling--see page 43.
What about the rest?
Safety
* BABYLOVE, IGC and PEG PEREGO: The foot opening on the seat isn't quite big enough, posing a risk that an unsecured child could slip down and get their head trapped, rather than just slide through.
* PEG PEREGO: effective head barrier to prevent a child slipping out of the head end of the stroller when the seat is fully reclined.
* BUGABOO: Risk of the child's fingers getting caught between the handle shaft and the seat side while the handle is being reversed. Ease of use
Ease of use
* The BABYLOVE has a good range of features and good handling over rough ground, but the crotch strap isn't adjustable in length.
* The PEG PEREGO has a ledge behind the seat for another child to stand on, which could be handy when you've got an older child as well as a...
Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.
|
Bookmark this article
Print this article
Link to this article
Email this article
Digg It!
Add to del.icio.us
RSS
