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(Review ID: 602)
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26 of
26 people found the following review helpful:
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Simple functionality and good design -- who needs more?, December 1, 2005
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Reviewer: Trinity31 from Fairfax County, VA
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Trinity31
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(9) |
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Pros:
Compact. Easy fold. Sturdy, stylish and reasonably priced
Cons:
Basket could be easier. Cupholder is still kind of a joke.
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I did a LOT of research before I shelled out $295 to an online retailer for an Inglesina Zippy, version 2005-1/2. I test drove a bunch of strollers, read every review I could get my hands on. I also have the benefit of my SIL's experience with her Bugaboo Frog. Our babies were born very close together and the comparison between our stroller experiences to me tells why the Zippy is so terrific.Our Zippy stroller was assembled in a few minutes upon its arrival at our door, and was ready to go when it came time to take baby home from the hospital. A few snaps and the car seat was on the stroller, safe and secure. The Frog was still unassembled in a rather intimidating heap at my brother's house on the day his child came home from the hospital. He went out and bought a car-carrier snap-on stroller because it was easier to use with the carseat than the Frog.Our Zippy folds with one hand into a compact profile that is easily loaded into cabs and hatchbacks and minivans alike and can be stored in a cloakroom or closet conveniently. My brother's Frog can't travel in anything smaller than a station wagon, takes up a lot of room even when "folded" and takes about twice as long to get set up as the Zippy. Our Zippy has durable plastic wheels and a metal frame that stands up to cobblestones, sidewalks and the occaisional off-road experience. My brother's frog has tires -- one of which went flat after about 6 months and had to be taken to a bike shop to get serviced.With cool colors like lime green and pink and blue and orange, (mine is the lime/grey model), a Zippy has all the style and personality of a Frog, without the sticker shock, and the endless justifications of the purchase price with citations to features that no one really uses (honest, how many Frogmoms really use the "beach buggy" attachment?)  The storage is a little hard to get to. The cupholder is a snap-on, one-size affair that I ended up ditching entirely. It doesn't have adjustable handles. If I were unusually tall, spent a lot of time drinking and strolling, or used my stroller as a power-shopping accessory, then I'd probably be more upset about those things.Watching my brother and the Frog, I've learned that the Frog doesn't just cost the $700+ that you see on the price tag -- you have to factor in the cost of all the other strollers you need to buy for situations where the Frog just doesn't cut it.I've been very happy with my Zippy. I'll probably buy a cheap umbrella stroller for plane travel in the future. But really, if it weren't for the aversion to bringing the Zippy on a plane (I don't want to leave this valuable piece of equipment entrusted to baggage handlers), it would be the only stroller we own. It's certainly all the stroller we need.
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(Review ID: 560)
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6 of
9 people found the following review helpful:
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Not good for tall parents! A waste of money!!, November 7, 2005
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Reviewer: irishbigsis from Dallas, TX
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irishbigsis
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(3) |
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Pros:
Easy to fold and lightweight, takes infant car seat
Cons:
I kick the tires when walking
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I am very very disappointed in my Zippy and disappointed that I spent $250 on this stroller. I bought it because I liked that it accepted an infant carrier and also was easy to fold. Therefore, I would not have to buy 2 strollers for my baby. However, I go for at least 1 walk a day in my neighborhood and I hate it because I constantly kick the tires. Consequently, I end up walking with a short stride and hunched over trying not to kick the tires. I hope this information will be helpful to someone else before they buy.
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(Review ID: 677)
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6 of
8 people found the following review helpful:
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tempted to get a second one..., January 23, 2006
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Reviewer: Anonymous
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Anonymous
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(8) |
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Pros:
fold, style, smoothest ride, bumper bar, easy in airports
Cons:
harness, service, squeaky, one-hand push, cup/snack bar
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I have a love-hate relationship with mine. I bought a 2003 floor sample for $199 at a warehouse sale, and I really wish I had spent the extra cash to get a newer version. I'm perusing this site dreaming of trading mine for a newer version -- because I really love the stroller... but:The whole frame squeacks painfully when loaded, and figuring out a repair solution has left me frustrated. Mine being a floor sample, I can't place the entire blame on Inglesina, but I sure did expect to have a place to get it looked at. The harness is about the worst I've seen -- my baby is a toddler now, and at 10 months, 30 inches and 23 lbs, the harness is still a loose contraption around her. The fact that said harness is so big meant that we never used the flat recline for her as a newborn -- we had no way of securing her, so instead, we used the car-seat -- which did work great. Inserting a bunting pad does help keep my baby in place, but it is a clear disappointment.Now for the stuff I love about it: the fold is indeed beautiful. I travel a lot (bi-coastal family), and it maneuvres the gate checkin and security screening like no other. My daughter in one arm, I can still fold it and lift it on the conveyor without assistance -- and I'm no gym buff. I do have to remove the bumper pad before gate checking, because it *will* get ripped, but other than that, it's about as easy as it gets. The cannopy is nice, but mine does not have the extra coverage all the way to the bumper. Newer models do, and I really wish mine did as well. The boot is useful, as we get high winds and rain in the city. The ride is super-smooth, and handles steep hills and sandy parks and grassy slopes with pretty good aplomb. Pushing it one-hand is tricky, as is pushing it while holding a cup of coffee.The storage basket seems adequate. It became a lot roomier when I figured out how easy it is to unsnap the rear tab to allow for wide access. It then becomes deceptively large, enough to carry 2 bags of groceries as well as a a flat of cat food and some park toys. I did have the universal carseat carrier, but on our hills, I was much better off using the stroller and its big wheels. The carrier gathered dust in the garage. I guess it depends on what one does...Overall, I've had a pretty good time with it, despite its short comings, which were all fixed in newer models. I do love my Cookie pattern, though. The kid loves it as well, and she'd rather use it than sit in a boring high chair in a coffee shop or restaurant. Toys are easy to attach, a regular rain shield fits well and it's been following us wherever we went. Short of being able to attach it as a bike trailer, it does everything else! We even went rollerblading while pushing it, and it did beautifully. Oh, its footprint is so small and the handling is so nimble that we've had no problem taking it along when going out, and it unobtrusively occupied exactly one spot at the table, or folded neatly out of the way.One more thought -- While I started by complaining about some obvious shortcomings, I have to say that we got way more use out of it than the $199 we spent. I really regret not having sprung for the newest model -- I'm impressed at the range of improvements they've made. It's a solid investment and spared us the headacke of having 4 different strollers for different occasions. If we ever get a new one, chances are, it will be a non-squeaky version of the same. The esspresso may still be worth a look, since it's every bit as plush, has a full bar for one-handed steering and a snack bar, but I decided on the Zippy because of the full recline. Looking back, that ended up beeing the one feature I was not able to use when my baby was small. But then, who wants to trade the smooth one-hand fold?
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(Review ID: 1023)
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6 of
6 people found the following review helpful:
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One-hand release makes it worthwhile, August 31, 2006
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Reviewer: Anonymous
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Anonymous
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(8) |
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Pros:
One-hand release, stands when folded, recline
Cons:
feels rickety after use, two handles vs one, large
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We decided on this stroller over the peg perego and if we had to do it again we would probably choose the same way and go for the zippy for the same reasons we chose it in the first place. That is mainly the one hand release, which is truly easy, and great for the airport security line, etc. The other reason we chose it was because it seemed more consistently user-friendly when experimenting with it than the other, and it seemed sturdy, relatively lightweight with good shade coverage. And it accepted the graco snug ride infant carrier (note: baby can be completely covered with the combination of the stroller and the seat; once they are out of the infant carrier, then the coverage isn't so great.) We had reservations about it because of the two-handles versus the one. I thought I could deal (and I have) but it is my biggest gripe. I am a smaller person and it is absolutely impossible for me to steer this one-handed -- so no talking on the phone or carrying a drink or any bags. As it is, I have found it somewhat difficult to maneuver through small spaces -- I am CONSTANTLY bumping the wheels into something.My husband is closer to 6' and he doesn't really like pushing the stroller because he has to bend a bit and extend his body away from the stroller so that he doesn't kick it. The wheel width seems about where his stride is, so it can get pretty annoying. Downhill pushing really brings out the awkwardness of this whole thing for him.The basket, too, is really small. I basically just keep the rain cover in there and a blanket. I envy other moms who have whole diaper bags and what looks like dinner service for twelve in their baskets! However, it is easy enough to loop the bag across the handles -- there are little stops there so that the bag doesn't slide down and drag on the floor, which has been a bonus.And, after using it for a few months, once on sand, the stroller just started feeling kind of rickety and squeaking something awful. It also takes up a surprising amount of trunk space -- it didn't seem that big to us at first, but we have a Subaru Outback, and if the stroller is in the trunk, it takes up about half the space.And, yet, I don't know that we would choose differently next time. The one hand release was really essential for me, and I like the way it looks, and it seems pretty comfy for our wee one. We wanted to just have one stroller, but now we are looking to get something a little more compact for city living. 
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(Review ID: 511)
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2 of
4 people found the following review helpful:
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Bought it for *THE FOLD*, October 3, 2005
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Reviewer: symesa from Seattle, WA
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symesa
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(8) |
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Pros:
Fantastic fold! Lightweight, maneuverable, snazzy looking
Cons:
Kick the wheels, non-adjustable handles
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We got our 2004 Zippy at BRU for $279.I *so* wanted the Zippy to be everything I wanted it to be...but it actually bugs me. I hate to say it...I researched for so long, I test drove it...but alas it isn't the best thing in the world! I can't stand that my feet kick the wheels all.the.time!! I'm only 5'8" and it drives me bonkers! When we test drove it I didn't notice, but I'm sure it is the difference between big steps in real life and just putzing in the store. The handles aren't long enough either. They are almost fine...but I could use maybe one more inch...so I really wish it had adjustable handles. Finally, I wish it had the floating 5-point harness the P3 has.... I've resorted to just using the lap belt (no shoulder harness) on DD so she can sit up.All that said... I LOVE the fold. And to this day, I don't know that I would get a different stroller because the fold on the Zippy is the BEST THING EVER!!!! So easy, so fast, so compact!
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