Handy Kolcraft Stroller

I bought this stroller last summer for my two littlest ones, then ages 8 mo and 2 1/2 years. We owned a double stroller that had the seats one behind the other, but I needed something that fit in my trunk better. I looked at several different side-by-side strollers and decided on the Kolcraft one for several reasons.

The first reason I bought this one was the price. It was much cheaper than any other stroller out there. Most of the double strollers I found, whether side by side or front-to-back, were over $100. This one was a little over $60. The fact that it looked like the easiest to fold with one hand was the second reason. It also looked like it would fold the most compactly. The one thing I did not like about the stroller before I bought it was the lack of storage that some of the other side-by-side's had.

Since I've bought the stroller, I have been very pleased with it. The stroller saves me a lot of room in my trunk. I can still fit a full month's groceries in the trunk of my car with the stroller there. I can fold it with one hand, which has proven to be very handy. The biggest advantage to this stroller has only recently proven itself. At over 8 months pregnant, I can fold this stroller and latch it with one hand. Then, unlike many other double strollers, the stroller is still upright. This means I don't have to bend my pregnant body over to try to pick it up off the ground. I can lift this stroller and put it in my trunk with one hand. The stroller is very lightweight and it isn't any strain at all to swing it into the trunk.

Last fall I had to stuff as many of our belongings as I could into the car along with my three children (all still in carseats). That was where the compactness of this stroller really shone through. My children and I were driving from Kansas to Georgia to join my husband who was in tech school there. The only things we would have while we lived in Georgia for around 5 months were what I could fit in the car. After I had the trunk full (and I mean full to the top and almost overflowing), I was still able to toss this stroller on top of everything and get the lid closed.... multiple times. It was very easy to take out and set up against the car while I dug in the trunk for something I needed and to get it back in and the trunk closed.

I have not had near the problems with the wheels on this stroller that I have had with my single umbrella strollers. The seats have two positions, upright and reclined.

The one thing I thought was a drawback at first, storage, has really proven not to be such a big deal. I have just done with this one what I did with my single umbrella stroller. I hang the diaper bag over two of the three handles. I also have netted storage bags that attach to it. Keeping some plastic bags in the netted bag insures that I can use this storage area even if it rains. Also, when in stores, I use the rectangular hand baskets they have. Just place each wire handle of the basket over one of the handles on the stroller. Sometimes I put both wire handles on one handle of the stroller, sometimes I put each wire handle over a different handle of the stroller.

The stroller is kind of difficult to push with one hand because it doesn't go straight when doing so. Of course, that's due to the fact that one kid is heavier than the other.

One of the other drawbacks about this stroller are drawbacks with lots of double strollers. It is a bit awkward at first trying to get it through doorways, but it fits, and like all things with baby you get skilled at it with time. The stroller doesn't fit through some checkouts, but then one of my single strollers doesn't fit through some of them, too. Some store's checkouts are just narrower than others.

I have really enjoyed my Kolcraft stroller and look forward to using it again with my toddler and new baby.