This Is Why You Don’t Need A New Stroller
When my husband and I made a baby registry for our first child way back in 2011, I did a ton of research on what was the best stroller out there for our needs. Something durable, lightweight, easy to use, and well-built. The Baby Jogger City Mini was one that kept on coming up in my research: Consumer Reports, baby gear ratings book, good friend from college, work colleague whom I’d never met in person and lived 3,000 miles away, etc.
The price tag seemed pretty steep to me at the time (around $300). Lucky for me the Bugaboo brand wasn’t nearly as well-known then as it is now so I didn’t know that it was even possible to blow $1000 on a stroller! But when our City Mini arrived courtesy of generous friends and we pulled it out of the box, I was in love.
This stroller has been my ride-or-die partner, literally, for 6 years now.
I’ve lugged it all over the country (though always in a stroller bag on airplanes) and it’s held up to the challenge of being used and abused by a child well above the weight and height limits.
When our second child was born, we decided to keep it instead of buying a new stroller since it was still in perfect working condition.
Visually though, it’s not so perfect.
The once crisp green cover has faded in the California sun. Dark scuff marks abound and there is some fraying around the corners. The wheels are worn down. And we actually had to replace the foam handle cover a couple years ago when it began to peel off, so that part actually looks the newest of all.
When I use it to bring my toddler to big brother’s school pick up, I wonder if the other parents are judging me for having what looks like a second hand item. After all, this is a school where the “current” faces of some of these mothers cost more than my college tuition. I’ll admit I’ve doubted my commitment to #ReduceReuseRecycle under the pressure to fit in there.
But then I had an epiphany, at Disneyland of all places, about why I most definitely didn’t need or want a new stroller.
Stroller thieves.
While I actually believe that the majority of people who claim to have had their stroller stolen at Disneyland have actually just had it relocated by a Cast Member (they need to do this to keep pathways clear and to keep stroller parking areas easily accessible), I do know that a few truly awful individuals out there do steal strollers. This woman in Florida stole an $1800 Bugaboo stroller and used her own daughter as an accomplice!
So it brings me great peace of mind to know that the chances are very slim that anyone will want our 2011 stroller in very used condition. I have zero concern leaving that thing parked outside it’s a small world (though of course, we make sure to remove any valuables).
I also don’t have to worry about parking it outside the carousel at South Coast Plaza, or in a restaurant entry way, or anywhere else we’re asked to leave it unattended.
When we visited Disney World in Florida earlier this year, we opted to leave our stroller at home and rent a double stroller from Magic Strollers instead. (This is not a sponsored post by the way). I was a bit nervous about this actually, because I thought a thief might want to target a rental stroller since they are so ubiquitous and would be easy to slip out with.
So imagine my delight when we received the stroller from our hotel bell hop desk and discovered it was a perfectly functional but slightly beat up Baby Jogger City Mini! Immediately I knew that no one was going to steal this thing, and that there’d be no second thoughts about leaving it parked outside the attractions (again, being sure to take all our valuables with us). I also suspect the reason why Magic Strollers chooses to rent Baby Joggers is for the same reasons why I chose to buy one 6 years ago: durability, convenience, lightweight frame.
Despite its width, this double stroller cornered like a pro.
I know the pressure to have the newest and bestest thing out there can be intense, especially when it’s something for your brand new baby.
But strollers are a sizeable item that are generally not recyclable. (That said, according to this blogger’s post, you may be able to recycle the metal frame at a local scrap yard, provided you strip all the other plastic/rubber/fabric pieces off beforehand.) You can also buy replacement parts for pretty much everything except the frame and there are many small businesses out there that offer deep-cleaning services to help your stroller look and smell as new as possible.
So, if the idea of saving $1000 on a new stroller doesn’t convince you, consider the freedom of being able to leave your ole faithful anywhere without fear of theft. That, in itself, is worth a hundred Alexander Hamiltons to me.
