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  Dec. 24, 2011 12:11 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

  So here is the scenario. I have a 4 month old child that is about to blow right past his infant carrier. Seriously, this kid doesn't know the meaning of STOP GROWING. We had a Kolcraft snap and go job that folded up super small, operated one handed, and had a good sized basket. However, once the baby carrier gets outgrown (which is probably about 4 hours from now at the rate he's chosen) we're going to need an actual stroller. Baby seat is already taken care of, the guy is going to get a Recaro, or likely a pair of them so we can have two cars ready to go with the kid at a moments notice. Ok.... enough of babble. Here is what I need-
  

  Relatively light weight. I have no problem heaving the thing about, but the wife has done some fairly serious damage to her arms/hands in the last couple years, requiring some surgeries, and she can't lift the Graco Tank-motron in and out of her current DD- a Chevy Prizm.
  

  Easy operation. See above. She's the one that's primarly using the stroller to bring him to and from the apartment. One hand fold is key.
  

  Compact. Until I get the Heep on the road, our DD/transport choices are, a 99 Chevy Prizm, a 2005 Cooper S, a 2007 ms3 (That she isn't allowed to drive because of what she's managed to do with said Cooper) and... that's it. The mx6 is questionable right now due to an electrical issue I need to sort out. The MINI is her primary. The ms3 sits in the winter, especially now that the winter tires for it are on the mx6. in other words, we don't have the MOST room for a stroller in the world. We tend to take the Prizm a lot of places because with MN winter, I take the car I'd least care about getting wrecked.... but the MINI is a preferred mode.
  

  A big basket. The wife tends to carry a small countries worth of supplies with her, to go to the store. With said arm issues, carrying a bigass bag of swag in one hand and pushing a stroller in the other is not an option. Plus then we don't end up looking like homeless people with a million bags on the handles of the stroller and get CPS all in our grill.
  

  So what say you oh esteemed Grassroots brethren? What sorta stroller's going to fit in a MINI, fold with one hand, be decently light, and have a basket for carrying items?

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  Dec. 24, 2011 1:50 p.m. novaderrik Dork

  get a cheap fold up stroller and leave most of the extra stuff at home. that's how it was done up until about 10 years ago..

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  Dec. 24, 2011 7:13 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

  novaderrik wrote:

  get a cheap fold up stroller and leave most of the extra stuff at home. that's how it was done up until about 10 years ago..

  Im with ya, but the wife does NOT see things the way I do. I was hoping someone else may have had the same issue.

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  Dec. 24, 2011 7:31 p.m. davidjs Reader

  If you're near one, Babies R Us will let you take the strollers out to the parking lot to test fit. That might be the best way to guarantee it fits. Not sure how wide the Cooper is, but your problem is probably going to be folded length. Most of the lighter ones fold into a "long" piece.

  We have this one: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3912695 , and it works, but is pretty long, so not sure it will fit width wise for you.

  (Sign up for the Toys R Us mailer, they do a good $30 off strollers every so often).

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  Dec. 24, 2011 7:44 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

  Yeah, we're all about Babies R Us. We actually did that with the carrier, and that's how we know the Snugride 30 is the only seat they carry that REALLY works loading and unloading into the MINI. We've tested most of their strollers, and we like the Citi Mini- but it has 0 basket. On the other hand, it checks all the other boxes in spades. I keep trying to convince the wife to just use less crap.... maybe I keep working on that.

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  Dec. 25, 2011 12:05 a.m. bluesideup Reader

  The Inglesina stroller we have works great if you're looking for something that is the Umbrella stroller style. It folds up easily and is hard to tip over. We bought ours off Craigslist for less than half of new. It fits behind the back row of the seats in our Mazda5 no problem. We have traveled all over Europe with ours.

  If you're looking for something for running you should go with a BOB stroller. They seem ridiculously expensive when new but you can get them with low miles used on Craigslist. It rolls really easily compared to cheaper models from Target and the like. The stroller is also really easy to fold and is really small when folded up.

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  Dec. 25, 2011 12:29 a.m. fast_eddie_72 SuperDork

  novaderrik wrote:

  get a cheap fold up stroller and leave most of the extra stuff at home. that's how it was done up until about 10 years ago..

  Yup.

  We spent loads on strollers before we figured it out. We had a cheap umbrella stroller that got used a ton more than any of the "nice" ones.

  Man. When did my kids grow up?

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  Dec. 25, 2011 6:39 a.m. nicksta43 Reader

  My wife got a massive hummer size stroller when the boy was little. I almost had to buy a truck just to haul it around.

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  Dec. 25, 2011 8:03 a.m. ZOO SuperDork

  I hate strollers. I had a "back-pack" for my children for times when I needed my hands free. As soon as they could walk, they did.

  Few things are as liberating as being stroller free . . .

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  Dec. 25, 2011 9:13 a.m. donalson SuperDork

  the one thing about umbrella strollers... they are SHORT... heck even the huge ones tend to be short... my wife is 6'2ish and i'm 6'4ish so before we bought we ended up test driving a few to find one that was a resonable height for us... umbrella strollers while super compact and easy to move are also super short... if we cut our legs off at the knees we'd be about the right height.

  recall mom and dad using a "back-pack/front-pack" with my little sister... always liked that options... except they have to be up there all the time... and if they puke it's on you etc...

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  Dec. 25, 2011 9:20 a.m. poopshovel SuperDork

  Chicco(?) keyfit 30 works well in the Fit. Compact, easy operation.

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  Dec. 25, 2011 10:33 a.m. mndsm SuperDork

  nicksta43 wrote:

  My wife got a massive hummer size stroller when the boy was little. I almost had to buy a truck just to haul it around.

  Just what i'm trying to avoid. I like little cars, and the Heep is....interesting.

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  Dec. 25, 2011 6:37 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  I never understood the need to carry a weeks worth if supplies with you when you are only going out for a couple of hours.

  when my sis had my niece.. I remember taking them to the mall in my old Hyundai tiburon. The stroller took up the entire hatch area.

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  Dec. 25, 2011 9:00 p.m. jstand New Reader

  When we downsized from the big Graco, we looked at different options and found the Kooper by Joovy to be a good compromise.

  Kooper

  We paid closer to $100 on eBay for one new and in the box than the amazon price.

  It folds up fairly small, has some storage, and the curved oval tube provide good stiffness to the chassis. Folding it up is a little Awkward at first, but not bad once you get the hang of it (release/final opening is foot operated)

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  Dec. 26, 2011 8:25 a.m. Drewsifer Dork

  Graco makes a line of lightweight strollers that are pretty awesome. The full size ones are pretty damn beefy.

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  Dec. 26, 2011 10:40 a.m. njansenv HalfDork

  We bought a City Mini because we were determined NOT to replace our E30 sedan as our daily driver. It fit in the trunk without issue, folds up with one hand (it's GREAT being able to hold baby in one arm and fold and chuck the stroller in the back with the other).

  http://www.babyjogger.com/city_mini_lp.aspx

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