Versatile, Rugged, Simple, Safe -- A Great Combination
Written: May 23 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
|
|
|
Pros: versatile, rugged, simple, safe
Cons: costs a bit more (but worth it!)
|
|
|
| jamesmcook's Full Review: Evenflo Discovery Travel System |
Summary
The Evenflo Discover Travel System is versatile, rugged, simple and safe. That's an unbeatable combination. Money well spent.
Relevant Background
My wife gave birth to our son 8 months ago. We received the stroller set as a gift from my brother.
Versatile
This stroller set can be used in many situations for diverse purposes. When our son, Noah, was very tiny, we ended up using the full infant car seat most. The car seat was the only one we used for Noah until he reached the maximum of 20 pounds. The car seat snaps out of its base quite easily -- the car seat was also his carrier and play seat. As Noah began to lift his head and enjoy looking around, we found it quite easy to take the car seat and snap it into the stroller and tool him around town. We live in the too-sunny desert and appreciated the rollover sun-shades with a see-through top. Later on, Noah could sit with help and we would put him in the "big kid" seat. When he inevitably fell asleep, we'd just lower the back down and let him snooze. Eventually, we found that even when we didn't want to stroll per se, we could bring the stroller along to gettogethers and Noah would have a comfortable, familiar and safe place to sleep. Of course, as we did these things, we enjoyed the big storage spaces for diaper bags, drinks, blankets and so on.
Carseat. Carrier. Play Seat. Sleeper. Stroller. This model fulfills each of these functions well. And -- BONUS -- the transitions from one function to another could be done quickly and smoothly, so Noah didn't get disturbed and we didn't have to take care of fusses.
Rugged
This is one tough stroller set. All the parts are thick, with lots of padding. The connecting parts are sturdy. After 8 months of extensive use, we have yet to see a single crack. None of the wheels wobble. None of the fabric has frayed. Even in the desert sun, nothing's faded or weakened.
Of course, Noah's had his share of...incidents...while in the car seat or stroller. Fortunately, every surface he comes in contact with is removable and machine washable. The fabrics have come out of the washer unscathed and ready for more use and abuse.
Rugged sometimes means rough. Not in this case. Noah is comfy in the soft padded seats, and he enjoys a smooth ride even on some bumpy surfaces.
Simple
The stroller set has everything you need, but nothing you don't. No special doodad toys hanging from the top, no onboard motor. A general tendency among things like strollers, lawn mowers and refrigerators is that the more special accessories you have, the more maintenance is required. In my opinion, we've had little trouble with this model precisely because Evenflo keeps it simple.
Safe
Every surface that Noah could possibly come in contact with has a rounded surface, and most areas he can touch are covered with soft fabric. Although he's tried in recent months, he hasn't been able to pull anything off to put in his mouth. The "big kid" seat has a crotch strap that keeps our little one from sliding out, and the infant car seat meets all safety requirements -- Noah wasn't going anywhere.
In Sum
The Evenflo Discovery Travel System continues to fulfill a number of important functions for our baby. It will continue to be useful as Noah moves on into toddlerhood, and it shows no signs of breaking down. Sure, the set costs more than some others, but it does so much so well that in the long run you'll certainly get your money's worth.
My brother, who gave us the system, is now expecting his own child. Guess what we're getting him?
p.s. I selected the 0-12 months range below, but I foresee using it well beyond Noah's first year.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 150-200
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 months
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
jamesmcook
|
|
Member: James Cook
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Reviews written: 167
Trusted by: 40 members
About Me:
I am a father, writer and gregarious gadabout.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.