let's talk about double strollers for a second.
if
you have children that are close in age ( like i do ) , you may have
run into the same problem as i did: with the multitude of the strollers
on the market , there was NO good stroller for two little kids.
it's
no secret that we have gone through - i-don't-even-know-how-many (
THAT many) strollers trying to find the one that would perform well.
we've searched high and low, and if you can think of a brand/type of a
stroller, we most likely have had it.
some
of the problems we encountered : maneuverability ( the lack of one.
mini baby buss anyone?) , poor positioning of the child/children, no
variability in the seating positions ( most of the strollers face out. read here and here why it is important for a child to face a parent, and here
is a proof of the article in life), lack of durability, discomfort for a
child, lack of shopping basket space, discomfort for a parent ( like
bruised shins or aching back from constant bending forward ) and plain
HEAVY among many others, smaller issues.
we were absolutely delighted when Stokke announced their new connection system strollers.
we were very fortunate to experience Crusi
first hand so soon. and just like with Xplory, Stokke's creations never
disappoint. although may appear similar to some other models on the
market, there are NO comparables to Crusi in US.
Stokke Crusi Platinum Points:
*convertibility and connection
this stroller is a dream for parents of close in age children.
Crusi is equipped with a state of the art bassinet.
it is soft, comfortable, large and deep enough for the baby to sleep
safely and securely AND it has carrying handles, so you can move the
little sleeping one without disturbing. i love that.
the
xplory/crusi seat takes over when you don't want to use the bassinet (
although it can be used from birth). your shopping/storage space is
ginormous in a single mode - i mean , largest i've ever seen without
appearing to be such. Stokke strollers are very deceiving in a very good
way.
for two little ones, you have a sibling seat ( a seat that is used in Stokke Scoot), which can be easily put in and removed in seconds, allowing you to be the judge of what stroller mode you want to use.
example
- you drop off your older child at preschool, leave the seat there, and
use the stroller in a single mode. then simply click the seat in when
you pick up your little one for a comfortable ride.
it is designed to fit with both - bassinet and regular upper seat.
*maneuverability
this
stroller moves at my will with a push of one finger, literally. with
two children ( and basket) loaded. i can also easily go up/down a
step/curb without having to put all my weight and more on while trying
to lift the front wheels. this feature is made possible due to a very
unique seat positioning which allows for a proper weight distribution.
in other words, even with a 4 year old in the BOTTOM seat ( which should
translate into very heavy), the stroller rides as if you simply have
some things in your shopping basket - very easy.
^^ look at that little grumpy face. this was the first day we were using our crusi complete with a sibling seat,
and she was very disappointed that she was over the age of sitting in
it. ( she'll be 7 in a month. though petite as she is, she'd easily fit
there still ) ^^
*seat comfort
Crusi seats
are rather deep and very comfortably shaped, which not only ensures a
comfortable ride, but allows a bigger child ( like a 4 year old ) to
STILL benefit from the ability to rest when necessary with all the
luxury bells and whistles. the comfort of the Stokke Xplory seat was
something that originally was attractive to me, and all my babies proved
that point best : they fall asleep within minutes of being strapped
into the stroller. as a parent, it is so relieving to know that your
baby is happy and comfortable when you are out and about, just as much
as he or she would be in her own little bed.
*small footprint and all terrain tires
ah...
the every city dwelling parent headache: how to fit the stroller in
those narrow isles and take up LESS space in your apartment. i LOVE
Crusi for this. i never have to worry whether or not it will fit through
a non-standard narrow doorway, or will be able to turn in a tight
corner. that is a big one.
tires deserve their own paragraph.
after
having dealt with multiple AIR filled tires (the point of which i never
understood in a double stroller particularly : 1/2 a lb of weight would
not make that much of a difference. but a flat tire 40 minutes away
from home surely does) . i love that Crusi tires are solid, yet soft
enough to allow for a smooth ride. which brings me to my next point:
*suspension
i
am very impressed with Crusi's performance on different surfaces. in
the last week and a half, i took Crusi on every route i could possibly
think and tested the "smoothness" of the ride. i was pleasantly
surprised when it sailed effortlessly over some of the tighter spots
that previously required some extra care on my part. we also tested
different depth and types of the snow - like that slushy, hard wet one
(thanks , mega winter) and off road terrain - Crusi passed with flying
colors. two of my sleeping babies did not budge for one second. based on
my experience last week i think i can safely predict that it would ride
wonderfully in the sand as well.
*shopping/storage basket
another big and important one. the pictures look deceiving, but in reality, Crusi
allows for a very good storage space underneath the sibling seat. i fit
all my daily needs easily ( and there are more then just a few) and i
still have good space enough for some grocery ( or other ) shopping. the
bottom of a sibling seat folds up and allows easier access to a larger
space ( which i love) , and then, of course, do not forget the Stokke changing bag
that can attach right to the stroller, which adds a lot more extra
storage ( we didn't have the need to use it yet. that may change when we
have a newborn. you know , all the 15 changes of clothes and 20 diapers
you'll need for an hour of outing )
*comfort of BOTH children.
i am very impressed as to how well thought out the design of this ( or any stokke product) stroller is.
i
mentioned the comfort of the seats, but there are a couple of more
points that i want to touch on in regards to Stokke stroller designs.
as
i mentioned above, Stokke strollers are deceiving in a good way. since
the announcement of the new designs, the opinions split with some people
taking a rather negative approach to Crusi's double
seat
option. i am 100% convinced that those people have neither seen the
stroller close in person, nor have tested it with children in it, and
most likely are confusing this model with a twin stroller, which this
model is not designed to be.
*size of the seat .
the
top bottom seat - being a seat from a FULL size stroller - is very
spacious and deep. one does not see much of it because of the position
it takes while being covered by very large - yet not appearing so -
storage basket. unlike other sibling seats, this is a FULL size seat
designed to accommodate a typical ( and in my opinion, rather large -
since mine is 4 and still has space to grow in the seat) size child.
*visibility
i
have experienced several sibling seat option strollers, and i can tell
with 200% assurance that Stokke's creation is revolutionary to that
market. pictures do NOT show well, but i was pleasantly surprised to see
how MUCH space between the seats there was comparing to any other
double stroller. as a parent, minutes after putting the Crusi together, i
stuck my own head in the place where my child would be and was again
impressed with the wide range of visibility. one may assume from the
pictures that the child is simply staring into the front seat, but
believe me, it is FAR from the truth.
We
have later found out that Stokke design team has addressed that concern
in particular by designing not only the stroller base, but re-designing
the seats to ensure bottom child's comfort from all angles.
*another point i want to touch on is safety of the bottom seat child.
first - position.
due to its design, Stokke strollers are HIGHER then any other stroller
on the market, which, proportionally places the bottom seat higher then
other similar models do. that takes care of the concern of the child
being very close to the ground. in reality, the bottom seat's height
position is not much different from the one of the typical umbrella
stroller. don't trust the optical deception from just looking at a
picture, "higher is better" Stokke's motto STILL applies.
second - safety.
while i had many safety concerns while using similar models ( a toddler
sticking fingers into the wheel was one of them), Stokke has taken care
of everything possible and impossible one can think about. there is not
a single crook, hole or anything else where a curious finger can go.
the higher position of the seat ( as mentioned above) ensures that the
child cannot reach for immediate wheels, and just in case he/she decides
to lean over, there are wheel guards that protect just those little
fingers. all i can say is - well done, Stokke. but i am not surprised.
*most important point
Stokke is the only company on the market that researches into baby and child spine development. how important it is, you can read here.
but what i HAVE experienced first hand is the results that Stokke
delivered. as a constant-on-the-go parent , my children spend a lot of
the time in the stroller getting to and from destinations. in my "before
stokke" times i was very concerned as to the position by little baby
was in. in a typical stroller on the market the child would slouch or be
in other less desirable position that, over time, has it's rather
serious consequences, some of which we have experienced first hand.
Stokke
strollers - as well as other products - are thought out to prevent any
disturbance and ensure continuous proper development. after switching to
Xplory, we noticed - although looking very similar to other strollers
in design - how very differently it positioned our child. the proper
support for the feet along with support for the spine and hips allowed
the child to sit effortlessly and comfortably in a natural body
position. i strongly believe that a long term comfort of the stroller
defines a child like or dislike for one. my belief is based on my
experience.
* the ultimate connection system
last
that i want to talk about - but surely not least - is the fact that all 3
models are connected between each other. i did not realize until i
looked at it in person, that not only the upper seat is designed for
Xplory AND Crusi use, but the bottom sibling seat is designed for Crusi
AND Scoot use.
no
matter the perfection of the stroller, one will need more then one
stroller , be it ease of travel or simply desire to size up or down in a
stroller as the family grows and/or child delevops.
i
love the fact and have great respect for Stokke designers for creating
an interchangeable system. all my accessories from Xplory work
beautifully with Crusi (or Scoot) and many have build-in places for them
already, making the switch even easier. Ultimately, you can start with
Xplory or Crusi, based on your personal preference, and Stokke takes
care of ALL your growing family transportation needs from start to
finish.
^^ stroller is c/o Stokke Crusi used with a sibling (Scoot) seat option, Xplory winter kit and footmuff, Stokke knitted blanket and a cup holder. coat is Hatch. ^^
Stokke
stroller family has created the ideal , in my opinion, situation, which
allows you to transition from one stroller to another with minimal
expense without sacrificing the most important - comfort and development
of your child.
I will repeat myself again, but well done, Stokke. and a big THANK YOU.
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