Stairs and Strollers, Strollers and Stairs

Updated on August 30, 2010
D.B. asks from Clifton Park, NY
11 answers

I wonder if anyone can recommend the BEST stroller for rolling up and down many, many stairs? Basically I would love a furniture dolly that holds my baby (ha, ha)!
I currently have a Peg Perego Stroller, which I like a lot. It is lightweight and has been great for my newborn. However, it is getting harder to carry it up and down all the many stairs in my walk-up as well as the stairs at the subway stations (especially as she grows). I cannot roll it up and down the stairs because the breaks for the wheels are located on the back of the rear wheels, so I am constantly clicking on and off the breaks and basically I end up dragging it up the stairs rather than rolling it... if that makes any sense. I have a Baby Bjorn and use this most often right now, but I would like the option to switch around.
I've been looking online at the "luxury" strollers and wonder if these are more durable for rolling up and down stairs?? -i.e. Stokke, Uppa, Mutsy, Bugaboo, Micralite, Bumbleride...??? Does anyone have an opinion to offer on any of these brands as to how well these maneuver on stairs? Thanks for your help. These are REALLY expensive, so I want to make sure they are worth the price if I go that route.

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K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I have the Bob Revolution with 16" tires, and wheel it once or twice a day both up and down one flight of stairs. My two year old loves this, she says, "bump! bump!" on each step... We are sadly selling it tonight (less than two hours on Craigslist) and just purchased the Britax B-Ready because #2 is due in November, and my main concern is whether I'll be able to get it up and down very easily! Good luck- I highly recommend the Bob all around. My daughter loved it.

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A.R.

answers from New York on

hey why dont you try a sling or baby carrier? this helped avoid this issue until my son learned to walk, really until after that abotu18 months - 2 years old when i stopped carrying him on my back. infants can be carried on the front with ease and carriers can be very cheap. google the babywearer.com or .org or .net. I have the same issue now if my son falls asleep in his stroller after a long day..... we live only o the 2nd floor of a little walk-up, often i just take him out, carry him up the stairs to the bed, then go back for the stroller when i put him down in the bed.if you live in a brownstone or something where you cant leave it outside, you could carry the stroller. if you ever take the train this is what youre going to have to do anyway, and its fine! Enjoy it while she ways almost nothing :) and good luck!

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S.W.

answers from New York on

I have a Britax Vigour and I love the large pneumatic wheels on the back for going up and down stairs. There are a lot of features I like about this stroller. I have an 18mo, and can still do stairs easily.
I feel your pain about the subway stairs, though. It makes me so mad that they make mass transportation so inaccessible for thee handicapped and mothers with strollers!
I would definitely recommend carrying your baby in the Bjorn (or my favorite- an Ergo) for as long as you can. It will serve you FAR better in the city than a stroller.

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C.Z.

answers from New York on

Hi! I have the Maclaren Triumph and love it. It folds and opens very easily and is very light. It has a strap and is so easy to carry up stairs. We just took it to Greece with us and it went through ABUSE and survived perfectly!

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K.H.

answers from New York on

Hi D. B, I feel your frustration. I know it's hard and a pain to constantly carry your baby girl up and down stairs while in the stroller. I'm a mom of a 1 year old boy and as they get older and gain weight, believe me.. it gets even tougher. But you can do it! However, I am not so sure about those other brand names you've mentioned as a solution to better manuevering on stairs. I could be wrong. I'll be frank with you, unless they make any stroller that have wheels turn into flying machines, I don't think any stroller (no matter how expensive...or cheap) can manuever totally well on steps. I don't want to sound mean, please forgive me if I do. If stairs really bother you that much you may want to get off at train stops as close to your destination as possible that have elevators and walk the extra block or so. Or, try not to pack so much at the bottom of the stroller in order to keep it lighter weight as possible. Good luck in your search!

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C.K.

answers from Dallas on

I have an Ergo carrier & the Stokke. Both are amazing. I lived in the city for a few months while my daughter was newborn...she's almost 7 months old now and loved both of these. The Stokke has wheels that fold when you need to go down stairs. It can be a struggle while you learn how to use it because it's not your typical stroller but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The Ergo is the best carrier on the market (in my humble opinion), I never have backaches with it (I don't have a good back from years of being a cocktail waitress in high heels!) and my shoulders don't feel tense after wearing it.

Good luck, the world of strollers is a vast one : )

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M.P.

answers from New York on

hi, i know how you feel. i have an urban advantage stroller by go go babyz. it is heavy but sturdy. nice big wheels great for rolling up and down stairs, cracks on the streests and grass and dirt (like the park). i love it.

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A.R.

answers from New York on

Hi, we have a Maclaren Qwest and a Bugaboo Cameleon. The Maclaren is lightweight, much better for stairs. The Bugaboo is pretty bulky and heavy, I would definitely not recommend it for your purposes.

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J.C.

answers from New York on

I live in a walk-up and my first stroller broke from bouncing it up and down the stairs. We finally gave in and purchased a Bugaboo Frog because of the shocks that it has. It has been wonderful! I can pull it upstairs with one arm with my 15 month inside and it goes downstairs just as easily. It's not good for the bus however because it doesn't fold up in one piece. You have to remove the sitting area and then fold the frame. I have used it on the subway though and have had no problems whatsoever. I also use an Ergo carrier, but since I am out of the aptartment for long stretches of time this isn't always too convenient. I use a Maclaren Quest for the subway a lot of time because of how lightweight it is, but I usually use the Bugaboo. I saw someone mention how bulky they thought their Bugaboo is, but I have found it to be much easier to go up and down the stairs with the Bugaboo rather than a Maclaren, which will eventually give out due to pressure put on it. Good luck and remember pull with your legs not your back. :)

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G.A.

answers from New York on

a Maclaren or Combi is the way to go. The Combi is the lightest but smaller than the Maclaren, I used to work in a store that sold them and am sure about this. Good luck in your choice.

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M.W.

answers from New York on

get an Ergo baby carrier and something like a micralite. Try these at a store first but u can bring a lite easy to fold stroller up & down stairs while u carry your baby in the ergo. Try to find light foldable stroller with a recline. The ergo is awesome. I'm still using it with my 18 month old front & back carry. Throw that bjorn away!

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