The Maclauren stroller: When did babies become brand conscious?
Written: Sep 23 '04 (Updated Apr 06 '07)
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Pros: Plastic "fabric" easy to keep clean, lightweight
Cons: Smells of plastic for first couple of weeks, no full recline
The Bottom Line: A good travel stroller for older babies and toddlers.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Maclaren Techno XT - Cornflower Umbrella Stroller |
We are on our third child and have had lots of opportunities to test out strollers. This Maclauren is our 7th stroller and was a gift for our new baby.
THE STROLLER'S FEATURES
The company claims this stroller can be folded one-handed. I find the stroller hard to fold and unfold although this has been true of every stroller we have owned. I definitely need two hands to close it. The closing mechanism requires you to use your foot to lift up a latch near the base of the stroller (thus also requiring you to balance on the other foot while wrestling with the stroller) which allows the stroller to collapse.
There is a handle on the side of the stroller so that, when it is folded, you can more easily tote it around. I don't carry it this way. I roll it along when folded so I don't have to carry all the weight. I find the handle awkward to use.
The seat has 4 positions but does not go fully back to flat. When the baby is out of the stroller, it take some effort to get the stroller into the most reclined position. With the weight of the baby in the stroller, it is a little easier to adjust down but still as hard to adjust from recline to sitting.
The stroller fabric is a plastic-type material that is easy to clean. It had a plastic smell for the first week we used it so consider airing it out before baby takes the first ride. I like the easy maintenance of the seat material but think cotton or polyester fabric is more comfortable for baby. We tuck a thin blanket under baby so she is not resting directly on the fabric.
The handles of this stroller are fantastic and this stroller is the most comfortable for me to push of all the strollers we have owned. The handles can also be adjusted to suit the pusher's height. The only downside is that there is no bar to hang one of those drink holders.
The 6" wheels are pretty good although they appear to be made of plastic. Our other strollers had similar wheels that got beat up over time with outdoor use. This stroller works best on flat sidewalks and in malls. It is definitely not for paths or other uneven surfaces, including snow and ice covered surfaces.
The rear foot brakes are easy to operate.
There is a 5 point harness which works better for older infants and children. See below for advice on newborns.
There is a very large hood with a sun visor and viewing window. I like the size of the hood which gives good protection from the sun and is better than other strollers.
There is a storage pocket on the back of the stroller that can hold a couple of small items and comes in handy more than I thought it would. The basket under the stroller is made of netting material. It is rather shallow and does not fit our average-size diaper bag. I bought a Skip Hop Diaper Bag that fits over the back handles of the stroller to partially solve this problem.
NOT APPROPRIATE FOR NEWBORNS
The company says this stroller is appropriate from birth. We put our 6 week old baby in it and I don't think it is safe or appropriate for infants. The first major problem is that the harness is not adjustable. When we put our newborn in the harness, the straps are over her head instead of fitting snugly on her shoulders. This seems dangerous to me - I don't like them near her neck and the straps would not protect her from falling if the stroller were to tip sideways or some other accident were to occur.
The stroller has no head support for younger babies so, until they hold their head well, you will have to provide extra support. Also, the baby faces away from you. There is a view "window" in the stroller awning, but you don't get a great view of baby. Lastly, the seat doesn't fully recline so it is not as comfortable for some infants as other carriage-type strollers. We had a peg perego stroller for our other children. I loved that stroller's infant features. You could flip the handle and walk facing baby. Baby could also fully recline.
I don't recommend this stroller for young babies at all. It is clearly best if the baby is at least 6 months old.
OUR EXPERIENCE
I remember years ago, the peg perego was the "in" stroller and we got one as a gift for our first daughter. Now, the Maclauren seems to be the "in" brand. The Peg Perego was more of a carriage and baby could lay down on a completely flat surface. The carriage bed was lined with fabric and there was a boot that fit over the bottom to keep baby snuggly. The only problem with that stroller is that it was heavy and hard to fold and unfold.
The Maclauren does not compare at all to our old Peg Perego and I find the Maclauren does not come close to the comfort of the Peg Perego for small babies. The harness position, lack of full recline and plastic fabric are more suitable to older babies and toddlers.
The Maclauren is a good travel stroller because it is lightweight. It is easy for me to get it in and out of the car. I consider it a good mall stroller or for light outdoor use. I doubt it will make it over the snow and ice in our New England winters. The shallow basket is a problem. When we carry a diaper bag, I have to keep it on my shoulder instead of in the stroller. Overall, I like the stroller for some purposes but find it is somewhat limited.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
Overall, I think the Maclauren is more hype than practical. It does fit well into a narrow band of use but is not a good overall stroller. When you add in the price of over $250, I think it is more money than it is worth and there are better strollers out there for less money. I like the MacLauren in its limited uses and am going to recommend it but only give it three stars.
NEW BABY? HERE ARE SOME BABY PRODUCTS I HAVE REVIEWED:
STROLLERS: Graco MetroLite LE Stroller; Cosco Eddie Bauer Lightweight Stroller
GEAR: Skip Hop Diaper Bag; Evenflo Snugli Baby Carrier; Infantino EuroRider Baby Carrier.
SLEEPING: Pali Sabrina Crib; Sozo USA bedding.
SOOTHING: MAM pacifiers; MAM pacifier keeper.
NURSING: Bravado Nursing Bra; Lansinoh lanolin; Lansinoh nursing pads.
FEEDING: Avent Feeding Bottles; Take & Toss Infant Spoons; Nuby Sipper Gripper Cup; Dora the Exporer Insulated Straw Cups; Playtex Sipster Spill-Proof Cup; Take & Toss Bowls.
BATHING: The First Years Bath Tub/Bath Seat Combo; California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash.
BABY BOTTOMS: Burt’s Bees Diaper Ointment; Desitin Creamy; Balmex; California Baby Diaper Rash Cream; Weleda Diaper Care; Huggies Supreme Diapers; Playskool Cottony Cloth Wipes.
POTTY TRAINING: Graco Training Rewards Soft Seat Potty and Stepstool; Elmo’s Potty Time DVD; Huggies Clean Team Flushable Wipes; Huggies Clean Team Foaming Soap.
BABY SKIN: Mustela Hydra-Stick for lips and cheeks; Burt’s Bees Apricot Baby Oil.
TOYS: Tiny Love Symphony In Motion Mobile; Soft Teething Beads; Sassy Teething Wing Butterfly; Lamaze Clutch Cube;
Lamaze Freddie the Firefly.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS: Baby’s Here Birth Announcements.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): gift
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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modernmarvel
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