 Safety 1st RIVA 6-in-1 Flex Modular Travel System Review By Molly I am very excited that I got to try out the new Safety 1st RIVA 6-in-1 Flex Modular Travel System. One of the exciting aspects of this stroller is it is made with lightweight recycled plastic. The fabric is also both washer and dryer safe make cleaning so simple. When you get the stroller it does require some simple assembly. According to the direction you need to put wheels and basket on chassis but mine were already on which may explain why to stroller jingles a little when pushed. All together it only took me about 20 minutes to put all together. The stroller comes with a car seat which is lightweight (7.5lbs) and simple to use. Can be used with or without base until baby is 35lbs. The car seat can attach to stroller frame with adapters (included) and face parent or forward face. The stroller is lightweight at less than 20lbs. The stroller seat can be used as a bassinet or seat with the simple clipping or unclipping of a buckle which is nice. When in seat mode it has a small recline and the reclining buckle is not very easy to use. The seat can be parent facing or forward facing by simple flipping the seat around. It comes with two drink holders on handlebars and and belly bar for the seat. On smooth surfaces it pushes well. The seat is small so even though the weight limit is 50 lbs it would really only be good for the first few years with an averaged sized child. The basket is large but not huge and can be accessed from both front and back plus sides of stroller and could definitely hold a large diaper bag and more. Fold is compact and simple but not one handed and can be done with seat on forward facing. For a lightweight $300 travel system stroller for use with an infant or small toddler it seem like it could be a good choice for your car or travel stroller. For me who needs a rugged stroller that can handle all the bumpy city sidewalks and walking a lot it would not be my first choice.
 Molly, her husband, and their new baby plus a 4 and 6 year split their time between their little piece of the cape in Orleans and Cambridge. She was a kindergarten teacher before her oldest was born then became a SAHM. She loves running, books, supporting literacy, nature walks, arts, craft, knitting and sewing as well as being outside and on the beach!
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The KEENZ Stroller Wagon (7S) or There and Back Again: Is the striking 7S the next must-have... or just another ephemeral piece of baby gear? Find them at www.KEENZ.us By: Lauren
The Keenz 7S stroller wagon (“stragon?”) is not at all like the Radio Flyer that won’t fit in our car. Light and agile, it scrunches up into a surprisingly small fold and will then roll like a suitcase.  "A hundred-watt bulb in a field of twenties" There is a stationary, optional canopy zippered with mesh. Both long sides of the canopy have full curtains rolled and concealed at the edge, which can be used for shade or privacy. The material is tough backpack-type polyester. Best of all, instead of serious shoulder pain after a few hours of hauling a wagon behind, the Keenz has an adjustable height handle at each end. Push down the streets, and pull through the beach sand. Oh, the physics of it all. It’s a wagon – meant for young kids over 12 months… but in reality, used by everyone. With unofficial capacity to hold whatever one dares to pile in ( up to the 110 lb. weight limit) rather than two little seats that cannot easily be shared, there is room for creativity. Some parents use it for special needs children who don’t want the “baby stroller” stigma. Closely-monitored infants can nap and play in it like a mini Pack N Play. Parents fleeing Hurricane Irma said that their youngsters were happy to sleep in a familiar, happy spot while evacuated. Pet parents push their frosty faced canines who can no longer hike on their own. It’s a stroller – JPMA certified and thus allowed on planes and in theme parks like Disney, with two 5-point harnesses. The impressive push is said to be comparable to a City Select. At $360 MSRP (but there are plenty of sales), this luxurious ride falls short of the investment required for many double strollers and most triples. It really does have a premium feel: from the embossed handle cover to the superb handling. Ultimately, its value also lies in its versatility. Unlike the brightly-colored plastic baby gear in our attic, e.g. the jumperoo that was mission critical at 6-9 months and useless since, this stroller wagon will be seen hauling beach gear, sports gear, coolers, and lawn chairs for the forseeable future. Are you going to put beach chairs in a Double BOB five years from now? No. It will be taking up space in your garage or gone for a fraction of what you paid. Anyway, Keenz very generously sent a 7S for review, and I gleefully and resolutely drove or dragged it through everything.... in the name of science! Fully loaded (seriously at the 110lb. max weight capacity), we glided over uneven sidewalks and popped up stairs. We wove through the skinny aisles in Eight Cousins book store, easily navigated the partially-obstructed walkways of Woods Hole, and managed all but the worst roots of Carvershire at King Richard's Faire. I am impressed. Playground mulch and our crushed stone driveway would stump my umbrella-style Maclaren but posed no problem for the 7S stroller wagon. At the beach, the Keenz 7S could certainly handle the three littles plus all gear safely through the parking lot. However, once securely in the sand, the twins got out and walked. There is a reason Keenz beach wheels (a separate purchase) exist: "the baby and the gear" was a more appropriate load in the soft, deep sand of Old Silver and Chappaquoit Beaches with these standard wheels. Fair enough. The twins are huge for their age (3), and it is a bit of a squeeze to ride side by side (cozy" in real estate terms). When the pinching and fighting starts… it’s close quarters in that Keenz stroller wagon, just like any other stroller. (Graham crackers, toys, and board books usually keep the peace effectively.) It’s nice to know a Baby Jogger glider board can be attached in the future.    Green is the only light color, and it is probably a safer bet to get a darker one: gray, purple, black. My beige interior is holding up surprisingly well. I dumped out the wagon and used a couple baby wipes (which rival duct tape in versatility). Still, I cringe when the kids ask for juice… although polyester more famously shows grease spots. Ideally, this stragon will be rocking a liner soon. Let me just say – it is cruel for most playgrounds to be completely without bathrooms, and many bathrooms without changing tables. I have changed a thrashing, angry, strong baby at the playground and beach in the bottom of the Keenz. No sand, no sticks, no pine needles... no prying eyes. It was everything I thought it could be. In addition, I have applied the brakes to all wheels, and the Keenz served as a toddler scaffold at the petting zoo.  Lastly, my Keenz 7S stroller wagon arrived with a malfunction by which a front wheel remained locked. It seriously impacted the handling but was easily "fixed" with tape. Keenz offered to send a new axle, two weeks later, or for me to return the 7S for a replacement. I was already in love and could not box up my new ride and say goodbye. Plus, I wanted to see what hassle a paying customer could potentially face. It was easy but still seemed noteworthy. Hopefully, the possibility of this mechanical issue has since been fixed. Positives:
Unexpected
  We boldly went where some double and all triple strollers never would have fit, on terrain where other strollers and wagons would falter, enjoyed adventures that would have been an epic fail... or a major inconvenience at the very least. The Keenz 7S is a sharp-looking and valuable asset to any family.  Lauren is a Mainer who moved to the Cape in 2003 with her husband. After starting in Research and Development for a biomedical manufacturer for five years, Lauren is living a very different adventure as a SAHM of four, including twins. It's a very busy mix of feeling grateful and overwhelmed.  Jane Muum 2016 Premium Stroller Review By Molly A few months back the Jane Muum 2016 Premium Stroller was available on Amazon for a really amazing price and since I didn’t save my Bugaboo Cameleon when I went to a double stroller I decided to give it a try. I decided to get it in teal and order a bassinet attachment to use with it. Unfortunately the car seat adapter that was suppose to come with the stroller was discontinued and I can’t find one for sale anywhere. The stroller itself weighs about 25lbs and can be fold with or without the seat attached and is definitely a bit of a beast if you are going to be doing a lot of loading and unloading from your car trunk, that being said most strollers of this type are beasts. The detachable seat can face parent or face the world and has three seating positions; almost flat to almost upright allowing it to be used from birth to 50lbs. It also has an adjustable foot rest. With an adjustable handlebar that can range from 31.5”-43” high it can be adjust for most height parent. The maneuverability of the stroller is pretty good although not as good as my Bugaboo but as the Jane was also on sale for about ¼ of the price of a Bugaboo it may not be a fair comparison. Operating the brake is fast and easy it is a flip flop friendly foot brake that just requires a tap of the foot to engage and disengage. The canopy and storage baskets are both decent sizes and the stroller includes a belly bar, seat liner, rain cover and cup holder. With high density tires you never have to worry about a flat and suspension in each wheel allows for a smoother ride. The stroller fabric is machine washable allowing for easy cleaning. Overall I am happy with the stroller for the price I paid. The bassinet which I added onto the stroller does not seems as sturdy as the Uppababy or Bugaboo bassinet and I would not use to for overnight sleeping but I should work well for on the go napping. What is your favorite stroller and why?
 Stroller Cleanup Time By Molly As you may or may not know I am a total stroller junky. I have been known to buy a stroller on a really good sale use it for a while then sell it or find a great deal on a used stroller and clean it up then use it for a while and sell it to move on to the next stroller. The one exception to this are my single and double BOB Revolutions which I love and will have until the day no more stroller are required for my kids or probably any other family members kids who knows. When you are a stroller junky like me you need to know how to clean your strollers to make them look great again. Now that the warm sunny weather has finally arrived it is a great time to clean your stroller and do some basic maintenance. The way I like to clean my strollers is first vacuum out any crumbs or chunks of stuff then on a nice sunny warm day take them outside and hose them down until they are soaked with water. Once soaked I take a sponge and a toothbrush or larger soft brush plus a bucket of warm soapy water (I use unscented dish soap other people love Dawn) and starting at the top of the stroller and scrubbing it down. The tooth brush works great on the straps and in crevices. After I have scrubbed down the whole stroller I rinse all the soap off and dry the metal parts down with a towel and let it dry in the sun. I know some people also use Oxiclean spray and spray down the stroller and let it sit in the sun before washing it to help with staining and mildew. Also some seat fabric that is removable like Uppababy and Baby Jogger you can wash in the washing machine just make sure to put it back on the frame to dry. Once your stroller is nice and clean you should look it over for any maintenance it might need. If it has removable wheels take them off and wipe down the axles and clean out grit that might be in the axle shaft. You can lubricate the shaft with white grease or BuggyLOVE WheelLOVE and also you can put WD40 on brakes or squeaky shocks just make sure not to get it on the fabric as it stains. Here are some online resources: Cleaning a BOB UPPAbaby tips Cleaning a Baby Jogger Cleaning a Bugaboo Do you have any great trick for cleaning your stroller?  Molly, her husband, and their 4 and 6 year split their time between their little piece of the cape in Orleans and Cambridge. She was a kindergarten teacher before her oldest was born then became a SAHM. She loves running, books, supporting literacy, nature walks, arts, craft, knitting and sewing as well as being outside and on the beach!
 Baby Jogger City Tour Stroller Review By Molly My family and I will be travelling to Miami at the end of this month to visit family and although my kids are older now I will do way too much fast walking to expect them to keep up all the time so we need to bring a stroller(s). At first I was going to bring my old double BOB (which I still can’t life without) and check it. Well when I began reading about travelling with bigger strollers and not being able to gate check them plus the amount of strollers that get damaged or destroyed I was shocked. So I decided to look into small lightweight stroller for travel and I came across the Baby Jogger City Tour stroller which is small enough you can carry it on! This got me very excited so I began to research the Baby Jogger City Tour stroller and if the kids would fit in them but I couldn't really find much on using the stroller with bigger kids. In the meantime I add one to my Amazon cart to watch the price. Brand new Baby Jogger City Tour stroller are $199 and on Amazon they are $159. Let's start with the basic stats of the Baby Jogger City Tour stroller it weighs 14lbs and the child weight limit is 45lbs. The seat is about 8” deep, 12” across and 17” high with an additional 7” between seat back and canopy (24” in total height). The canopy has a large peekaboo window and 50 SPF of protection. The seat back can recline almost flat making suitable starting at three or four months (depending of head control). Since this is a compact stroller the underseat basket is small but can fit a small diaper bag there is also a zip compartment to store the travel bag (included with stroller with a handle and backpack straps making for easy transportation of the stroller).  At 6.5y my daughter is almost 43’ and about 43 lbs and my son 4.5y is about 41” and about 40 lbs. So on the larger side for stroller use but they both fit in the stroller (see pictures) and seem excited to take it on our trip. I did try attaching my Lascal BuggyBoard Maxi Ride-On Stroller Board which worked as long as the attachment pieces could still be pushed to the side when folding the stroller. That being said I could not really push the combined over 80lbs of kids easily using the ride on board and will not be taking it travelling with us. See picture for Lascal BuggyBoard Maxi Ride-On Stroller Board attachment. I am not sure how solid this installation would work over time (the Lascal site doesn’t have info for the City Tour whether compatible or not). Do you own a great compact travel stroller or a City Tour? What do you love about it?  Molly Hubner
Usborne Books & More Independent Educational Consultant I am always looking for people to join my Usborne team, host parties (Facebook or home), or just share these wonderful books! For more information visit my website or contact me atmollyhubner@gmail.com. Plus follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/mollyhubnersusbornebooks/ |
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