Baby Trend Expedition Duo! 4X4 stroller action!
Written: Aug 24 '01
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Pros: relatively lightweight, comfortable, pushes easily over gravel, grass, etc.
Cons: hard to turn, cannot fit in trunk of car w/o dismantling, flat tires
The Bottom Line: Very good double jogging stroller for the price. Has minor problems that take some adjustment. Does NOT fit in regular car trunk!
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| k1j2g3's Full Review: Baby Trend Expedition Double Jogger Stroller |
NOTE: I am reposting this opinion. It was pointed out to me yesterday, that I had placed it in the wrong category! I apologize for the mistake, and I thank those helpful Epinions members who corrected me.
My husband and I were in desperate need of a double stroller. We had been using two single strollers for much longer than we anticipated...but we had trouble deciding upon a double-stroller.
Then along came the Expedition Duo!
The Hunt
We have big kids. One is tall and skinny, the other is tall and looks like a marshmallow. A front-to-back stroller just wouldn't work for us as neither of our kids would ever be comfortable sitting in the back.
Also, I had read here on Epinions that front-to-back strollers were unbearably heavy and difficult to maneuver. I just didn't like 'em.
I desperately wanted a "jogging" type of stroller, but all of them I had ever seen cost beau-coup dollars that we didn't have.
After looking at some of our options here on Epinions, I went searching on the internet for the higher-rated strollers that fit our under-two-hundred-dollar budget. Zipping off to the nearest Babies R Us, I eagerly looked for the 2 models that I decided upon.
Although I found these 2 strollers on the Babies R Us website, neither of them were at the store the day I went shopping. (utter disappointment!)
But, there at the end of the aisle, was the Baby Trend Expedition Duo, calling to me from its display perch. It was crisp, rugged, and only $169.99! After some cursory examination and approval from my 3-year-old, I plunked the box on my cart.
Stroller Details
The Expedition Duo is made out of royal blue outdoor-type fabric. It has two side-by-side seats that come with shoulder, waist, and crotch straps which firmly hold your squirming child in place. The seats recline very simply with a velcro strap on the back of the seat...no clicking in and out, pushing buttons, or screaming in frustration.
There are side-by-side storage bins as well underneath. Rather spacious, but more wide than deep.
It has 3 sturdy bike-like tires for wheels. Each of the two wheels in the back have easy-to-lock "brakes" that are chunky and durable. The front wheel has an "air" brake that you control with a hand lever on the push handle.
NOTE: I don't go jogging, so I have found this brake to be very useless. It also is hard to adjust properly so that it actually works. My very handy husband had to work quite a few minutes to get to work right. Not fun!
There also is a nifty feature, I think, for those that do intend to use this while jogging: a wrist strap. You can loop it around your wrist, so that the stroller won't get away from you if you lose your grasp on the handle. When not in use, you simply velcro it to the side of the push handle.
The Expedition Duo also has a very nice collapsible canopy overhead with two plastic "windows" that you can cover and velcro shut or keep open by simply rolling the window covers and buttoning them in place. The canopy also has two storage areas: one that zips closed and another that closes with a velcro strip. So handy for storing keys, small toys, and snacks!
Why I like the Expedition Duo
This is one tough stroller! Previously, I could not push our regular one-baby stroller on anything but pavement without some serious muscle. Gravel was an impossibility. The Expedition Duo can go over anything, even curbs, with no problems.
Another notable quality is the high push handle. My husband and I are both tall people (me, 5'10"; he, 6'4"). One of our single-baby strollers must have been made for midgets! Even I have to bend slightly to push that stroller. Not so with the Expedition Duo! The handle is at a decent height for both tall and short!
I like the comfort that the seats provide for my children. There is enough room for two children to sit side-by-side without rubbing elbows. There is also a very substantial foot rest on either side of the front wheel for resting feet or just for making getting in and out of the stroller easier.
The super-duper strapping is a winner! No child could climb out of these straps! The shoulder straps snap easily into the waist/crotch strap...little junior won't be able to escape without help from mom or dad!
It is a bit difficult to fold as it takes some time to get used to the buttons. But snapping it open is a total breeze! Even the weakest could do it in seconds.
The Negatives
The Expedition Duo is impossible to turn like a normal stroller. At first, I was seriously annoyed, scraping the wheels in the appropriate direction. But then I learned the secret: You must tip the stroller back on the back two wheels, then you can turn in whatever direction you please.
However, this is not very convenient and can be downright annoying at times...and for those that might be using this while jogging, it could end in disaster.
You cannot fit this stroller in your average car trunk without taking off the front wheel! Very disappointing. We didn't realize this until after we had put it together. As we only want to buy one double-stroller, this interferes on outings where we may want to bring it along. I can't take it by myself to the mall or the park, because my husband is the only one who can take the wheel off and put it back on easily.
And, when you do take off the wheel, this messes up the air brake settings you worked so hard on. Also, you must straighten the wheel so that you don't go veering off to the right or left...this takes some time to adjust, and you really don't want to have to do it more than once.
We have had problems with one of the bike-type wheels going flat. First, we unsuccessfully tried to patch the innertube. Then, we replaced the innertube, only to have the new one go flat after only a couple of weeks. I am not sure if this is just bad luck or if something more is going on.
Overall Impressions
Compared to other jogging strollers, the Expedition Duo is affordable, comfortable, and durable. It has some function problems and isn't very portable if you have a regular sedan-type car, but overall I am very satisfied with my purchase.
It is a great bargain for the quality of product. Worth a test drive.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 169.99
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
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Epinions.com ID:
k1j2g3
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Member: Kristin
Location: SW Virginia
Reviews written: 110
Trusted by: 36 members
About Me:
I'm an innkeeper, freelance writer, and novelist living in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
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