let's talk about double strollers for a second.
if you have children that are close in age ( like i do ) , you may have run into the same problem as i did: with the multitude of the strollers on the market , there was NO good stroller for two little kids.
it's no secret that we have gone through - i-don't-even-know-how-many ( THAT many) strollers trying to find the one that would perform well. we've searched high and low, and if you can think of a brand/type of a stroller, we most likely have had it.
some of the problems we encountered : maneuverability ( the lack of one. mini baby buss anyone?) , poor positioning of the child/children, no variability in the seating positions ( most of the strollers face out.
read here and
here why it is important for a child to face a parent, and
here is a proof of the article in life), lack of durability, discomfort for a child, lack of shopping basket space, discomfort for a parent ( like bruised shins or aching back from constant bending forward ) and plain HEAVY among many others, smaller issues.
we were absolutely delighted when Stokke announced their new connection system strollers.
we were very fortunate to experience
Crusi first hand so soon. and just like with Xplory, Stokke's creations never disappoint. although may appear similar to some other models on the market, there are NO comparables to Crusi in US.
Stokke Crusi Platinum Points:
*convertibility and connection
this stroller is a dream for parents of close in age children.
Crusi is equipped with a state of the art
bassinet. it is soft, comfortable, large and deep enough for the baby to sleep safely and securely AND it has carrying handles, so you can move the little sleeping one without disturbing. i love that.
the xplory/crusi seat takes over when you don't want to use the bassinet ( although it can be used from birth). your shopping/storage space is ginormous in a single mode - i mean , largest i've ever seen without appearing to be such. Stokke strollers are very deceiving in a very good way.
for two little ones, you have a sibling seat ( a seat that is used in
Stokke Scoot), which can be easily put in and removed in seconds, allowing you to be the judge of what stroller mode you want to use.
example - you drop off your older child at preschool, leave the seat there, and use the stroller in a single mode. then simply click the seat in when you pick up your little one for a comfortable ride.
it is designed to fit with both - bassinet and regular upper seat.
*maneuverability
this stroller moves at my will with a push of one finger, literally. with two children ( and basket) loaded. i can also easily go up/down a step/curb without having to put all my weight and more on while trying to lift the front wheels. this feature is made possible due to a very unique seat positioning which allows for a proper weight distribution. in other words, even with a 4 year old in the BOTTOM seat ( which should translate into very heavy), the stroller rides as if you simply have some things in your shopping basket - very easy.
^^ look at that little grumpy face. this was the first day we were using our crusi complete with a sibling seat, and she was very disappointed that she was over the age of sitting in it. ( she'll be 7 in a month. though petite as she is, she'd easily fit there still ) ^^
*seat comfort
Crusi seats are rather deep and very comfortably shaped, which not only ensures a comfortable ride, but allows a bigger child ( like a 4 year old ) to STILL benefit from the ability to rest when necessary with all the luxury bells and whistles. the comfort of the Stokke Xplory seat was something that originally was attractive to me, and all my babies proved that point best : they fall asleep within minutes of being strapped into the stroller. as a parent, it is so relieving to know that your baby is happy and comfortable when you are out and about, just as much as he or she would be in her own little bed.
*small footprint and all terrain tires
ah... the every city dwelling parent headache: how to fit the stroller in those narrow isles and take up LESS space in your apartment. i LOVE Crusi for this. i never have to worry whether or not it will fit through a non-standard narrow doorway, or will be able to turn in a tight corner. that is a big one.
tires deserve their own paragraph.
after having dealt with multiple AIR filled tires (the point of which i never understood in a double stroller particularly : 1/2 a lb of weight would not make that much of a difference. but a flat tire 40 minutes away from home surely does) . i love that Crusi tires are solid, yet soft enough to allow for a smooth ride. which brings me to my next point:
*suspension
i am very impressed with Crusi's performance on different surfaces. in the last week and a half, i took Crusi on every route i could possibly think and tested the "smoothness" of the ride. i was pleasantly surprised when it sailed effortlessly over some of the tighter spots that previously required some extra care on my part. we also tested different depth and types of the snow - like that slushy, hard wet one (thanks , mega winter) and off road terrain - Crusi passed with flying colors. two of my sleeping babies did not budge for one second. based on my experience last week i think i can safely predict that it would ride wonderfully in the sand as well.
*shopping/storage basket
another big and important one. the pictures look deceiving, but in reality,
Crusi allows for a very good storage space underneath the sibling seat. i fit all my daily needs easily ( and there are more then just a few) and i still have good space enough for some grocery ( or other ) shopping. the bottom of a sibling seat folds up and allows easier access to a larger space ( which i love) , and then, of course, do not forget the
Stokke changing bag that can attach right to the stroller, which adds a lot more extra storage ( we didn't have the need to use it yet. that may change when we have a newborn. you know , all the 15 changes of clothes and 20 diapers you'll need for an hour of outing )
*comfort for BOTH children.
i am very impressed as to how well thought out the design of this ( or any stokke product) stroller is.
i mentioned the comfort of the seats, but there are a couple of more points that i want to touch on in regards to Stokke stroller designs.
as i mentioned above, Stokke strollers are deceiving in a good way. since the announcement of the new designs, the opinions split with some people taking a rather negative approach to Crusi's double
seat option. i am 100% convinced that those people have neither seen the stroller close in person, nor have tested it with children in it, and most likely are confusing this model with a twin stroller, which this model is not designed to be.
*size of the seat .
the top bottom seat - being a seat from a FULL size stroller - is very spacious and deep. one does not see much of it because of the position it takes while being covered by very large - yet not appearing so - storage basket. unlike other sibling seats, this is a FULL size seat designed to accommodate a typical ( and in my opinion, rather large - since mine is 4 and still has space to grow in the seat) size child.
*visibility
i have experienced several sibling seat option strollers, and i can tell with 200% assurance that Stokke's creation is revolutionary to that market. pictures do NOT show well, but i was pleasantly surprised to see how MUCH space between the seats there was comparing to any other double stroller. as a parent, minutes after putting the Crusi together, i stuck my own head in the place where my child would be and was again impressed with the wide range of visibility. one may assume from the pictures that the child is simply staring into the front seat, but believe me, it is FAR from the truth.
We have later found out that Stokke design team has addressed that concern in particular by designing not only the stroller base, but re-designing the seats to ensure bottom child's comfort from all angles.
*another point i want to touch on is safety of the bottom seat child.
first - position. due to its design, Stokke strollers are HIGHER then any other stroller on the market, which, proportionally places the bottom seat higher then other similar models do. that takes care of the concern of the child being very close to the ground. in reality, the bottom seat's height position is not much different from the one of the typical umbrella stroller. don't trust the optical deception from just looking at a picture,
"higher is better" Stokke's motto STILL applies.
second - safety. while i had many safety concerns while using similar models ( a toddler sticking fingers into the wheel was one of them), Stokke has taken care of everything possible and impossible one can think about. there is not a single crook, hole or anything else where a curious finger can go. the higher position of the seat ( as mentioned above) ensures that the child cannot reach for immediate wheels, and just in case he/she decides to lean over, there are wheel guards that protect just those little fingers. all i can say is - well done, Stokke. but i am not surprised.
*most important point
Stokke is the only company on the market that researches into baby and child spine development. how important it is, you can
read here. but what i HAVE experienced first hand is the results that Stokke delivered. as a constant-on-the-go parent , my children spend a lot of the time in the stroller getting to and from destinations. in my "before stokke" times i was very concerned as to the position by little baby was in. in a typical stroller on the market the child would slouch or be in other less desirable position that, over time, has it's rather serious consequences, some of which we have experienced first hand.
Stokke strollers - as well as other products - are thought out to prevent any disturbance and ensure continuous proper development. after switching to Xplory, we noticed - although looking very similar to other strollers in design - how very differently it positioned our child. the proper support for the feet along with support for the spine and hips allowed the child to sit effortlessly and comfortably in a natural body position. i strongly believe that a long term comfort of the stroller defines a child like or dislike for one. my belief is based on my experience.
* the ultimate connection system
last
that i want to talk about - but surely not least - is the fact that all 3
models are connected between each other. i did not realize until i
looked at it in person, that not only the upper seat is designed for
Xplory AND
Crusi use, but the bottom sibling seat is designed for
Crusi
AND
Scoot use.
no
matter the perfection of the stroller, one will need more then one
stroller , be it ease of travel or simply desire to size up or down in a
stroller as the family grows and/or child delevops.
i love the fact and have great respect for Stokke designers for creating an interchangeable system. all my accessories from Xplory work beautifully with Crusi (or Scoot) and many have build-in places for them already, making the switch even easier. Ultimately, you can start with Xplory or Crusi, based on your personal preference, and Stokke takes care of ALL your growing family transportation needs from start to finish.
Stokke stroller family has created the ideal , in my opinion, situation, which allows you to transition from one stroller to another with minimal expense without sacrificing the most important - comfort and development of your child.
I will repeat myself again, but well done, Stokke. and a big THANK YOU.
