The Voice of Mom

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I did scads of research in finding the absolute safest car seat around.  And then once I found and purchased it, I bought the stroller that went with it as part of the travel system.  Big mistake!  Know why?  Because I barely gave the stroller’s specs a second glance because I was concentrating so much on the car seat.  I hated that stroller from the very first time I used it.  So when the folks at Simmons offered to send me their Onyx Stroller to review, I practically drooled all over my keyboard.  But would it be better than the one I so hated?

The GOOD:  I love the fun color of this one; it’s so cheery and upbeat.  It is very lightweight and folds up really easily.  The fabric wipes clean in a snap and the stroller seat can be adjusted for the child to face either away from you or towards you.  It’s designed for newborns through 40 lbs, so this one can hold you for the long haul.  The handles are adjustable, so whether you’re five feet tall or six feet tall, you can choose from two options to get the right height.  The wheels turn really easily, which is not something that can be said for other strollers.  The seat is easily adjustable so your child can go from sitting up to completely reclined in just a few seconds.  It was very easy to assemble, and was done in 15 minutes.

The BAD: There are no cup holders.  No, that’s not the end of the world, but sometimes on a long walk, you want a place to stick your bottle of water.  There is also no snack tray for the child, and as your child gets a bit older and is sitting up, it’s nice to have a little spot for them there.  It seriously took way too long to figure out how to open it when I went shopping with a friend.  We were in the store lobby, both of us on the floor, pressing every inch of that stroller to try to get it to open.  Twenty minutes and two telephone calls later, we succeeded, but really, it shouldn’t be that hard.  The canopy should have the option to come down a little further, because on a sunny day, believe me, it’s not shielding the baby enough from the sun.  It would be helpful if the space underneath the stroller was a little bigger and accessible from the rear.

MONEY MATTERS: The strollers retail for between $149.99 and $179.99 and can be found at Target, Babies ‘R Us and even Amazon (my favorite spot for one-stop shopping).  For some reason, some colors are $149.99 and some are $179.99.  That’s crazy, if you ask me.

The MOM VERDICT

Cate says: Aside from the little things noted above, I still love this stroller.  While it may seem like a lightweight contender as compared to its counterparts, it competes with the best of them.  I’ve used it on grassy hills, gravelly pavement and the flattest of land, most without issue.  It’s easy to use and I love the foot cover feature to keep my daughter’s little legs warm and covered when there’s a bit of a chill or wind in the air.  When Madeline saw my husband unpack the stroller from the box and start putting it together, it was all she could do to contain herself.  And honestly?  Every time I see the stroller, I smile.  The color instantly makes you happy.