Summer Sale and Caboosin' Around!

Yes, it is time for our annual Summer Sale! Our Summer Sale is your chance to get great discounts on awesome stuff for your stroller and other baby products. The following is a list of what is on sale here at Strolling In Style! Oh, by the way, this is in store only. However, if you do place an online order, enter code SUMSALE to get 15% off your order, on accessories only! If you live in the area do come in and see exactly what's on sale!

Diaper bags- 15% off
Selected Stroller Liners- 25%-35% off
Nursing Covers- 25% off
Pure Joy Collection - 10% off
All non branded stroller accessories- 10% off
All Blankets clearance priced

Ok, on to the latest and greatest news for the store. If you do not already know, we have been strolling on for eight months! This summer has brought many blessings for us, in the names of Graco, Peg Perego, Baby Jogger and Car seats. We brought Baby Jogger in May which was absolutely wonderful, and of course we were up the air as to what new line we would choose for the store. We were going to hold off until we saw what was going on at ABC in September, but Joovy sort of just kicked our rears into gear! So that's how it happened and now Strolling In Style is the latest and greatest Joovy retailer in the US!

Joovy is of course known for their Caboose which is a sit and stand style stroller. Basically it works like this. For moms who waited around until baby #1 was able to wipe the drool off his own chin (oh, around 3 1/2 years) to have baby #2 Joovy created the perfect solution. The Caboose (we took the Ultralight version for the store which is about 21 lbs compared to 27 or so on the original) can hold an infant car seat, and also totes a bench style seat with three point harness for older bro or sis. Older bro or sis can also stand on the platform beneath the bench seat and hold on using the two hand rubbery grips located on either side of the bench seat.

Of course this is a new style stroller for Strolling In Style. Number one, we have insane amounts of double strollers but this is our only "Sit and Stand" line.

Who is the Joovy Ultralight Caboose perfect for? Well, the perfect candidate for this stroller is again as mentioned, the mom with an older child over 3 1/2. Preferably this older child is a) no longer interested in their stroller, or sitting in a stroller b) finds the idea of sitting on the bench or standing on a board "fun and exciting" c) Is willing to sit or stand without having to be conived with candy. If your older child meets these requirements, then you are set to go.

What are the pros of the Ultralight Caboose? Many. Seriously, Joovy has created the Sit and stand stroller with an incredibly surprising smooth ride. The ball bearings on the stroller are serious. It rides and glides very easily. Also, thumbs up to Joovy for creating a simply EASY stroller to stick your infant car seat on and also your three year old without having to tote around a huge double stroller. Think, snap and go with a great place for your other kid to feel comfortable! Convenient? Absolutely.

The Ultralight Caboose makes an great double stroller (if your kid happens to meet the above requirements) but it also makes a specatcular secondary stroller (think mall, quick trips) FOR EVERYDAY USE! Also, including in the amazing price (under $300) is the cool looking neoprene organizer, car seat adapter, rain cover and snack tray! And the Ultralight Caboose has a sleek modern design that actually looks really stylish.

Cons? If any, the stroller seat is not suitable for infants under six months. Therefore, when using the Caboose baby #2 must be in the car sear seat until about 6 months. Most infant car seats are still being used at 6 months so this shouldn't be a problem! Also, the seat only has two positions, so if you have a stroller napper, this might not be enough of a recline.

Seems like the pros outweight the cons? Come and see for yourself! The Joovy Ultralight Caboose is available at Strolling In Style now!

Happy Strolling!

ps...Joovy also makes a Big Caboose. Think newborn twins and a toddler!

pps...coming soon, review on Joovy Kooper, also available now at SIS!

Car seat adapters and a stroller finding saga solved...

This seems to be the season for baby showers.

I have been to two in two weeks...I actually have another one to go to on Sunday! It seems like so many moms are due between May and August! The baby shower today was for a friend of mine who has a son a little older than my own 22 mo old. She is having a little girl this time and needless to say, she got ALOT of little girl clothes!

So following up from my post a number of weeks ago, "City Mini Double vs. Valco Latitude for two" my friend finally decided on the Valco Latitude! So far, the feedback is great. Here are here comments from facebook...

"thank YOU so much for spending so many hours with my husband and I going over all the different strollers in your store. You really listened to us and helped us find the BEST ONE!"

and...

"The ValcoBaby Latitude double stroller from Strolling In Style... check it out! The stroller is small and smart and makes sense!"

So far, so good! She is happy about being able to get through aisles even in the crowded, overstuffed Marshalls near her house. Also she is not reporting any problems opening, closing or getting it in and out of her car by herself. Plus, the shopping basket is huge. She had it overstuffed when I saw her, and it was able to handle her diaper bag, plus groceries and enormous amounts of stuff...so that is the happy ending to this stroller-finding saga. In her exact words, the Valco baby Latitude for two, just might be one of the most perfect double strollers out there, despite the immense popularity of it's arch nemesis the Baby Jogger City Mini Double which is still a couple of pounds lighter! For more information and a complete detailed comparison, see the "City Mini double vs. Valco Latitude post."

Also, since our last post, we have recieved our shipment of Peg Perego car seats. Because of this, I have proceeded to take every Peg Perego car seat adapter in this store out of it's respective package to try it out on every Peg adaptable stroller. Here is what I have found. You might have also seen my updates on twitter (StrollingOn) about my car seat adapter research...

• Car seats change the way a stroller feels and pushes, often making a lighter stroller heavier and more cumbersome to push.



• Because of their high profile, car seats add a certain level of blindspot to the front end of a stroller. Depending on how high up the Chassis is, the car seat can sit quite high on some strollers (to me, they always make the stroller seem taller.)



• Car seat adapters that connect directly to the chassis such as the Bugaboo and UPPAbaby are extremely convenient and make the stroller easier to push overall.



• Car seat adapters that connect on top of the seat do have the advantage of allowing user to shield sun from baby with stroller canopy.

So, what are the advantages of using a car seat adapter for your infant car seat carrier?

Never having to wake up a sleeping baby for one! There are so many positives of being able to take your infant car seat carrier out of the car and place it directly into the stroller...so many ins and outs from the car in those first few weeks! The short time that the car seat changes your strollers overall persona is worth this convenience. Soon enough, baby will outgrow the carrier and you will have no choice but to wake them. In my opinion, parents should enjoy the car seat adapter stage while they can!

Happy Strolling!

Latitude Versus Mini?

Taking a hard look at the Valco Latitude last weekend with a dear, dear friend of mine who has just given birth to her second child (we both have two year olds) and she is looking for a double stroller that she can handle herself. She is on the petite side and can't see lifting the beautiful Bumbleride Indie Twin all terrain in and out of her car fives a day. I can't blame her, but in my case I would probably do it anyways just to have it! That's just me being stroller obsessed....

Said friend has a husband who is an engineer and after basically taking the Phil and Teds Sport and putting it back together in the store, has decided that it's not as perfect as his wife (my friend) described it to be and wanted to look at more options. As she had her heart completely set on the Sport, finding another option wasn't easy.

Of course, the City Mini double was an option, but the long footrest and fabric covering threw her off. Of course, the weight and fold are excellent, the seats are comfy and the sun coverage is super. Function wise, the City Mini covers every base, but as far as style, there was a bit to be desired in her book. (She has to be seen around town with the thing, doesn't she? This is Boca...By the way, engineer husband loved the City Mini. So did her three week old who snoozed away in the seat!)

I had pointed out the Latitude twin to her in the store a few times, but it wasn' t until she really pushed it that she decided it could be for her. Why is that? When you stand behind this double you seriously do not feel that you are pushing a double stroller so for someone petite like her, that is score one. Two, it is managable for one person, without feeling like you are driving a truck. Score three, it turns easily, folds easily (well, sort of, once you get the hang of it although it can take more than a few tries to learn) and is not extremely heavy (30lbs, not bad!)

I was more than happy to foster this newfound relationship between her and the Valco Latitude for Two. My only complaint about it is the car seat adapter. The adapter is a bit senseless, since you have to take the stroller canopy off to use the adapter. The adapter comes with another "temporary" canopy that can be used for the other seat, but my complaint is that it takes away from the style of the stroller! Moms want the stroller to look as beautiful with or without the car seat on it. Of course, this is all only temporary because the car seat stage is so short and the original canopy does make it back on eventually. However, a mom coming out of the six week or so fog between giving birth to her second child and actually making it out to the mall, wants to feel like a million bucks pushing her new double stroller. The adapter with temporary canopy is just not stylish, it's just not!

I wish Valco (hint, hint) found a way to make the adapter more simple, either with some sort of clip on the side of the chrome frame, or by making it compatible with the front bar (which comes with the stroller already) allowing the canopy to stay put.

However, lets say you have twins (excellent stroller for twins) or you are not using the car seat adapter, which, back to my dear friend, she was not since her car seat isn't even compatible, the Valco Latitude is an excellent double and a stylish alternative to the City Mini. The frame is chromed out, the seats have nice blue/green or clay colored accents. It comes with a few accessories which the mini does not, and has a larger basket and double adjustable footrests. It has a height adjustable telescopic handle as well. There are so many wonderful things about the Valco Latitude Twin that I suppose we can overlook it's flaws.

By the way, my friend still hasn't decided on her stroller! Let you know if it's the Latitude, Mini or even the P&T Sport (perhaps she'll convince her husband!)

Happy Strolling!

By the way, the Valco Latitude for Two above is shown in Clay!