2006, Pt. 3 & 4

So, you ask, this is supposed to be about strollers. What are you doing with a Mini Cooper in the Review? Well, because of what's inside of it. And because it was a very cool display!

And because, if you are a cutting edge design team from Stanford, this is how you think. And, with marketing whiz wives, you also use a lot of buzz words like "Ethnographics", and "Anthropological research", to explain how you came up with what is, essentially, a $900 infant car seat/car seat carrier combo. And to make the sticker shock hurt more, that does NOT include a stroller seat. JUST the car seat, and carrier. It is very cool, and hi-tech looking. But still, I can't explain why it is nearly a grand, so I will let them: "Always keeping in mind this fundamentally user-centered design approach, they analyzed the engineering and regulatory problems involved and developed patent-pending technologies and designs that make car seats and strollers fundamentally better." OK, I guess that is why. And so, I give my "If we build it, will they buy it?" award to Orbit.

Oh, and if you WANT to buy the stroller seat, to avoid potential respiratory problems, plagiocephaly, developmental delays, etc. you won't be able to buy it--yet. It is scheduled to debut about four months AFTER the car seat and frame, which is coming out in the spring.

High in the sky of the show, colors loomed large, like kites flying over the sea, (of booths and concrete and all things baby.) It was the new to the US, designed in Holland and sold there for 13 years, and made in China, "Easy Walker."

The colors are great. And as you can see, it stands alone when folded.The US distributor claims it weighs only 15 pounds.

Which is remarkable for an A/T air wheel stroller. But I would really like the chance to weigh it myself.

And the set comes complete with a front fixed and swivel wheels, diaper bag, rain cover, sleeping bag, car seat adapter, bassinette, (like ahem, that other Dutch brand), and of course, canopy and basket. Now all this doesn't come cheap.The complete set will retail for $980!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And so, my "If we sell it for less than a grand, will they still buy it?" award goes to Easy Walker. Now Loyal Subjects, you may well be asking yourself at this point, "How can they charge so much?" Well, blame it on these guys.

At least, the rest of the manufacturers do. Every time you ask them how they can charge so much, they say, well, Bugaboo does. And they sell like gangbusters! No one thought Americans would pay so much, yet they did, and do, and will.

Well they are awfully pretty. And of course, they do offer the Gecko now, for the more budget-minded consumer:

A mere $679, vs. $879 for the Cameleon. (Of course, if you want a white leather hand-painted version by Dutch designer Bas Kosters, that'll set you back $1999.99. But that was not at the show, so it doesn't count.)

Nevertheless, it does point out the 4th, and distressing trend we saw, i.e. skyrocketing stratospheric stroller prices. Most lines have raised their prices by at least 10%. Some more. I don't know why. Blame it on Iraq. Or New Orleans. Or the weak dollar against the Euro. But this is what you will see, come first quarter '06. At least the Bug will now come with a an adult cupholder. No child tray, though. And no doubles. Now just because these guys were successful, does that mean Orbit will be? Or Easy Walker? Or the highchair-on-wheels Stokke Xplory,

which debuted at last year's show? They sell for $749. I think they are kind of cool, in a space-agey type way, but has anyone ever actually seen one on the street? I haven't. I mean, I live in LA, where there are more Frogs on every street corner than 7-11's. Which is a lot.

The big news for them for '06 is the introduction of the bassinette. No word on the price of that yet.

So now that everyone is tiptoeing towards the $1,000 mark, will anyone actually cross it? The answer is yes. Someone already has. And so, the award for the "Priciest stroller of the Show", this year, goes to....drum roll...those captains of the industry...MACLAREN! Yes, I know, they did try out a 2-grand model a few years back. But that was then, and this is now. And heck, who needs titanium, when you've got CARBON MICRO FIBER! It's the same material that is used in golf clubs and tennis rackets. It looks very "Darth Vaderish" to me.

(Well my son has a major Star Wars fetish going on right now, and all he will ride in is "Darth Vader" strollers. So I am always on the look-out. ) "Maclaren has gone to the Dark Side", winks CEO Bahman Kia. It is called the "CF 65 06." The Vivacious Dottie Dahm explained that "CF" stands for carbon fiber, "65" is the year Mac started, (40 years ago now!) and "06" is the model year. Which makes it an anniversary stroller of sorts.The seats and canopy trim are a soft, buttery leather. And there is a matching bouncer and front carrier. It's on the same frame as the Ryder, which I DID want. But next to this, it pales in comparison. Although it IS $750 less. Wish I hadn't seen the "CF 65 06." (Which sounds kind of "C-3PO-ish." ) Ah well, a girl can dream...Maybe I'll ask that Santa, lol!

Speaking of car seat carriers, now Mac has their own, the "Easy Traveller." Which most likely tolls the death knell for the Global.Well I guess, if Graco, Kolcraft, and Baby Trend can do it...Nevertheless, I still insist a baby must have a "real" stroller from the start, and not just a frame for a car seat. But that is my opinion; I'm only the Queen.

Speaking of dead and buried, this is the reincarnation of the Mac 3. It is called the "MX 3", and will be out in the Spring.And here is the reincarnation of the Kate Spade:And there, in the background, is the adorable '06 Quest Mod. It will come in lime, blue, and red, too. With or without flowers.

Note the re-designed smooth wheels. Here is the re-designed Volo and nautical Triumph:

New Techno Classic:

The story of our next stroller begins on two continents, in 1932. In a goatshed in San Francisco, and a workshop in Barcelona, Spain. ...ah well, 70 years is a long time,so let's just cut to the chase. Those chains of events led up to this, our "Hottest New Line" of '06, the Jane'!

This is the Powertwin, an awesome, A/T tandem. Pushes and steers like a dream. Not since I chased down a BebeConfort Everest a half dozen years ago have I lusted after a stroller so badly. It is just, so cool, it makes me want to have twins! The line will be distributed by the absolutely delightful Ernest Heinzer and his family.

The weight is around 35 pounds, which places it in the Mountain Buggy/Phil and Ted's weight range. But at $550, it is $100 less.It will be available the beginning of January '06. It is wildly popular in Europe, and we are lucky to get it here.

Jane' is a Spanish company, which is known for it's ultra-safe car seats. In fact, they distributed little key chains at the Expo with mini crash-test dummies on them, heehee. Two of their booster models will also be sold here, in January. Unfortunately,

these won't be:

WHY? Because their matching infant car seats have not yet been approved for US use! AUGH!!!!!!!

Chillin' with Mr. Perego, the man himself. And...

Whose line is this anyway???Stay tuned........

I have tried to group all of the wonderous strollers we saw at the 2006 Big Stroller-Rama with some sort of logic. Part 1 was kind of sentimental faves, Part 2 revolved around new doubles, Part 3 was pricey lines, and Part 4 is, well, those who try harder. Not that all of the manufacturers don't try hard to please you. Because after all, if you don't like what they have to sell, you won't buy it. But the ones in this section have all gone just a little bit farther, as you will see, when you read on.

So without further ado, let's take a look at the latest that Peg Perego has to offer. I have to say, these guys are top-notch pros. They really love strollers, and it shows. Last year, they came out with the innovative, battery-powered Dinamico. It may not have been a stellar seller, but that didn't discourage them. They are always coming up with new ideas, and this year, duh duh duh duh duh duh DUH...It's their tandem Duette, WITH a STEERING WHEEL!Just like a car. Here is Mr. Lucio Perego himself demonstrating:Honestly, it's not a gimmick. It really, really works! So the days of saying that steering a tandem is "like steering a boat", are over, at least here at Peg.

Another new model is the "Centro." It has a single bar handle, with a rear footstep, YAY! It reminds me of one of my all time favorites, the Amico Sherpa.

The other new thing going on here at Peg is colors, lovely vibrant colors. They are all brand new, nothing carried over from '05.

Have you sharp eyes spotted the new model in here? It is called the "Pliko Lite". It's the perfect solution for those who love the P3, but want something well, lighter. There is no front bar, and no rear footsteps. This one reminds me of the predecessor to the Pliko, the Sprinter. What's old becomes new again...

The rose and mint are to DIE for! Right now, I love my "Destination". But I'll be saving my pennies for that mint one, come spring! The "Anice" is very pretty, too, like a clear blue summer sky:

This orange is called "Ambra", more of a burnt orange, than the bright Hip Hop.

The new Black Sable, "Toffee":

Besides the "Dinamico", another '05 that didn't sell too well in the US was the fixed wheel AT 4. So here is it's replacement, the swivel 3-wheeler "GT 3 Gran Turismo." What sets this one apart from the now very crowded field of 3-wheelers is the built-in rear footboard for another child to ride on. WHOOPEE! HOORAY! FINALLY!

This color is "Rubina", the replacement for "Metallica." It also comes in "Toffee" and "Anice."

An old pro at 3-wheelers is Teri Durrin, of Dreamer Design.

She had a terrible misfortune over the 4th of July, when a fire destroyed her warehouse, and all of her inventory. But two weeks later, she was up and shipping again. "God made us redheads fighters", she says. Therefore, it is to her that we give the "Comeback Kid" award of the Show. Understandably, what she had to show of her new models were artist renderings.

This is the new Manhattan, in "Uptown Red."There will be a double version, too. The fabrics on the swivel wheelers will be soft and plush. On the jogger series, the fabric will be more of a rip-stop, parachute type:

Speaking of listening to customers, Matt Reichardt of Bumbleride did. And they corrected a couple of things that bothered me about their '05's. The "Queen B" now has swivel wheels, ala Bertini! And there is more room for the child in the main seat, so they are not squished behind the toddler seat:

Also, BOTH sets of wheels swivel and lock now on the reversible handle Flyer, which makes it much easier to push. They have added a cupholder, and "lightened the load". By changing the wheels, they were able to shave off four pounds.

Therefore, I give my
"Best Improved" award, to "Bumbleride."

Multiply what Bumbleride did many times over, and you get, the '06 Zoopers:

That's because, almost all of their models lost weight! Yes, CEO Phil Bronson said he put his engineers to work to shave off weight wherever possible. And they succeeded, with most models losing 4-5 pounds. For example, the '06 Tango now weighs 26 pounds, vs. 32 pounds for the '05's. Does this foreshawdow yet another trend? The Swing has been renamed the "Hula" It now has smaller wheels and different fabric, and is a lot lighter:

Same with the Boogie, Zydeco, and re-named Disco:

Therefore, I give my "Hardest Working" award to Zooper.

Some other noteworthy changes: There is a new reclining umbrella which weighs 13 pounds, called the "Twist". And the Salsa now comes with a seatpad, sun shade, and rain cover.

Of course, all this change does not come without a price. Some examples of suggested retail prices: Zydeco-$425, Tango-$325, and Hula-$289.

Now here's the answer to the Q posed at the end of Part 3, whose line is this anyway?

Do you feel a sense of Deja Vu when you're looking at these models? (This is called the "Caboose":)

There is a reason for it. Last year we met Rob Gardner, the new US distributor for Hauck's i'coo and Traxx line. When the deal went sour, Mr. Gardner decided to form his own company, "Joovy." And so, my "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade award", goes to Rob Gardner and his Joovy line. He copied some time-tested models, and dressed them up in much prettier clothes:

And added various extras, like the handlebar console and raincover on the "Zoom" jogger, or the back canopy pockets on the "Groove"

Actually, they're pretty nice. They will be out in the beginning of November. All will sell for under $200, including the "Groove 2."

They even make some cute little doll strollers and of course, matching diaper bags and car seats:

WHEW! And on that note, HRH is taking a rest!

Until next time....