The World Famous "Strollerqueen Obstacle Course" now has a page of it's own!!!!!!!!

Whenever we acquire a new stroller, and we are up to 209 at this point, we take it for a "test spin" on the SQ OC. What we do is to try and mimic real-lfe situations that Stroller-Drivers find themselves in. So we traverse big cracked sidewalks, dirt paths, grass, gravel, wood chips, puddles, curbs, etc. Then we take it into a crowded school, noting how many children we can avoid crashing into. We try several one-handed maneuvers, including going through doorways,  to see if our wrists feel like snapping off. We also pretend as if we are holding a Latte' in one-hand, (but it is usually a diet soda), to see how much, if at all, it spills.Finally, we pay special attention to how much the Strollerprince is bumping around through all this, and whether he is enjoying the ride. In the past, we have had several umbrella strollers compete against each other, several toddler seat add-ons, etc. So without further ado...

HIT THE BEACH! With a 20" fixed wheel jogger, or course! Here are 3 of the most popular ones:They are: the Dreamer Design Rebound w/20" rear wheels and 16" front, the Kool Stride Senior w/ 20" rear and 16" front, and the Baby Jogger Performance Series w/ 20" wheels. I live at the beach, and the end of the boardwalk is littered with small wheeled Pegs and Gracos. Plastic swivels just can't cut it on soft sand. You need the big guns. The important thing to think about when choosing a jogger for the beach is an aluminum frame, to prevent rust, and sealed wheel bearings, to keep out the sand. Generally, big-wheeled joggers have large seats, and can effortlessly carry older, heavier children. They all fold very differently, though. And you'll probably have to pop off the rear tires for a better fit in the car.TheKool Stride has the largest seat, but the smallest fold, since it "accordions" into itself. It also has cambered wheels for better traction.  Baby Jogger has  20" wheels all around, a one piece frame, and folds long and flat.  The Dreamer is the biggest and heaviest of the three. It does have the very cool option of adding small front swivel wheels. There is nothing quite so lovely as strolling along the edge of the tide with your child. So take the plunge! They are only little once...

This is the i'coo Pico 4.  I chose these colors because I thought it completed the "cool" look. Seemed to match the hi-tech, shiny frame. The details are AMAZING, starting with the obvious shiny mudguards. It was an interesting design choice, because one usually associates the little fenders with prams. And this is clearly not a pram. In fact it is a great choice for someone who doesn't like the "jogger" look of 3-wheelers, nor the traditional look of a carriage, yet still needs something that can handle typical outdoor situations pretty well.

And this little Pico is the stroller that could! It did really well on all the situations I described above. But not because of the tires. They are not the air tires of joggers, nor the Evo ones of prams. They are some kind of rubber. But, it is the suspension that allows it to BOUNCE up and down stairs, up and across embankments, and over rocks and gravel. And the way you adjust the suspension is really interesting. You pull the handle all the way up, for optimum bounce. It is still at a comfortable height, though, so don't worry if you're short. In the pictures, the stoller looks kind of small, but it is deceptive. My 46", 45 pound 6 year old was very comfortable in it, as was my 38 pound 3 year old. 

There are pockets everywhere, and don't we all LOVE the extra storage! Pockets on the inside of the seat, on the back of the seat, and on the back of the canopy. The basket is a really good size too.

But if you want more storage, get the amazing matching diaper backpack. A work of art in it's own accord! Loads of pockets and velcro and zippers and netting, just like on the stroller.

The Pico has an easy one-hand fold. It has a soft foam grip, with the fold button in the center. It is fairly compact, when compared to prams. But it is close to the weight of a pram, 29 pounds. Certainly heavier than your typical mid-weight umbrella strollers.

I'coo is a division of Hauck, the big German company. This is the same line that features the remote-controller "peak" trimmed in woodgrain and leather. It's a hip, fresh alternative to some of the older styles out there that have been around forever.

Valco Runabout Tri-Mode  This is the latest incarnation of the Runabout. It's called the "Tri-Mode", because the wheel can be locked into three different positions now--fixed, swivel, and 45 degrees. This kind of "tilt" mode provides better stability when you're using the toddler seat. The front footplate has changed,

the canopy is now rounded, and the recline has changed to a backstrap instead of a zipper. The rear hood flap opens for better air circulation, and the back pocket zips off to become a diaper bag! And they still managed to shave off two pounds! Cool.

 A Tale of Two Combis (or, it's all in the wheels) 

Have you ever seen those crash tests, in which the cars slam into the barriers and the dummies break into bits? "This one gets an unacceptable rating", says the unsmiling Irish man. The company asks for a re-test, after making "slight modifications". Now in the second go-round, the dummy stays intact, with just his head jerking around, (if it is a he, hard to tell.) "Now with just these slight changes, we give this car an excellent rating", says the Irish man glowingly. 

So in the re-test, with the new and improved Combi, I hit the bumps gingerly at first. No whiplash. In fact, the thinner and bigger wheels sailed over the cracks. (OK, it's no Mountain Buggy. But then, it is not trying to be.) I began hitting them harder, and they still sailed sailed right over. Until I came to the biggest and gnarliest uprooted slab of concrete, and we came to a dead halt. But to be fair, my Macs can't tackle that one either.  .