Spider or Zapp??

I just got a great stroller question via Twitter: what stroller to choose--the Mutsy Spider or the Quinny Zapp?

My first thought was, "I want both of them!"

And then I thought about how both share a modern, minimal design and a super compact fold, which makes them great for parents on the go either in and out of the car or the airport. Both feature swiveling front wheels for easy cornering, too. Of course there are some qualities that set them apart. Let's look them over, shall we?

The Quinny Zapp:
The Zapp has one big advantage over the Spider: it can be used from birth. It doesn't have a full recline so you can only use it from birth with a car seat and the only car seat that's compatible with the Zapp is Maxi-Cosi's Infant Car Seat. In fact, the Zapp doesn't recline at all, which surprised me. It accomodates children from birth (with the car seat) up to 50 lbs. And it only weighs about 15 lbs, which is incredibly light and makes life on the go a lot more fun! It retails for $220 on Strollers.com.

The Mutsy Spider:
I love the Spider's 3 wheeled design. Thanks to it's adjustable footrest and wide seat, toddlers have room to grow while staying comfortable. At 19.8 lbs it's also very light--though not quite as lightweight as the Zapp. Another nice feature is that the wide back wheels keep it from tipping over. Adjustable handlebars ensure both parents can push comfortably. The Spider accomodates children from 3 months up to 55 lbs. So you can't use it from birth but it does hold more weight than the Zapp. It's also much less money at just $150 on Strollers.com.

As always, finding the perfect stroller comes down to your needs (I suggest picking 3 things you refuse to compromise on) and your budget. Keep sending me your stroller questions.

Happy Shopping and Happy Strolling!

Bugaboo May Have Some Competition...

Well my stroller envy poll has come to a close and it looks like Bugaboo isn't the only stroller brand making everyone weak in the knees. Not suprisingly Bugaboo's Cameleon still came in first with 27% of the votes. The futuristic Orbit tied with Bugaboo for first place! So maybe the Orbit really is the next Bugaboo as Patty predicted.


I'm surprised the Quinny didn't get more that 17% of the votes. I work in downtown Boston and the sidewalks are usually swarming with Bugaboos but I counted at least three Quinny Buzzes just during my lunch break! These strollers are getting more popular by the day!

I can't help but agree with anyone who voted for the Silver Cross pram. I've only ever seen it in baby boutique windows--never actually in use by a real parent and a real baby. Maybe you're not actually allowed to put real babies in them except for celebrity photoshoots. I've been known to shamelessly stand on the sidewalk with my face pressed against the glass, drooling.

Stokke's Xplory came in last with only 6% of the votes! I admit, I'm surprised, though I suppose someone always has to come in last. Still, the Xplory is almost as space-agey as the Orbit and I love that it's height keeps baby close. What made you snub the Xplory? Inquiring moms (and dads for that matter) want to know!

Maxi-Cosi Car Seats: Drive into 2009

We may have a few months to go, but manufacturers are already releasing their updates for 2009! I already let you know about the new colors for the Quinny Buzz, which are now live on Strollers.com.

Now, I thought I'd let you know about the new Maxi-Cosi Mico Car Seats for 2009, which are compatible with the Quinny Buzz, as well as the Quinny Zapp.

The Mico is one of my favorite car seats. It's safe and it's really cute. Let me clue you in on some of its features. It includes a convenient stay-in-car adjustable base and a Cozi-Dozi infant insert to keep baby snuggled up and secure. It installs with a seat belt or LATCH connectors and green color indicators show when the seat is correctly attached to the base so you can be sure it's safe.

This car seat is designed for children 5 – 22 lbs. A five-point harness keeps baby secure in the seat. Shoulder straps, which are adjustable to 4 different heights, make sure baby is comfortable as he or she grows. Plus the Mico Car Seat is made with energy absorbing EPP foam and features deep wings for side-impact protection.

Choose from 5 colors: Phantom Black, Chili Pepper Red, Red Flame Reflection, Citro Rush Green, and Frisbie Blue. I'm still trying to decide what Quinny Buzz and Maxi-Cosi Mico color combination works best for 2009. I love the Citro Rush Green Mico (shown) but I can't decide if I'd pair it with the Quinny Buzz in Strawberry Red or if I should play it safe with neutral Black. What color combination would you choose?

Stroller Alert: New Quinny Buzz Colors!

Quinny has revealed the new colors for their Buzz Stroller! The new colors are nice but I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. The 2007 colors were bright and unexpected, and they featured interesting color combinations such as pink and orange. The 2008 colors are a little tamer. There's Gold, Strawberry (more red than pink), Apple (more like Sage Green in my opinion), and Black. Instead of featuring a unique color on the outside of the stroller, the 2008 models are simply dark gray (for the Gold, Apple, and Black) or black (for the Strawberry). See the new colors for yourself here.

I suppose grey and black go with everything, but, well...it makes me think of Bugaboo. And while Quinny has a unique design all its own, I also loved how brave they were with their 2007 colors. In my opinion, which I shared back in April on this blog, the design plus the colors really set them apart in the high end stroller market. Then again, maybe moms and dads don't want crazy color combinations.

The 2008 Quinny strollers will be available at Strollers.com in just a couple of weeks. I've posted a photo of the 2008 Quinny in Gold because it's my favorite of the new colors (I'm a sucker for yellow).

So tell me: What do you think about Quinny's new colors?