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(Review ID: 424)
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16 of
17 people found the following review helpful:
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carryingandstrolling
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(3) |
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Pros:
Not tippy. Cute. Big basket.
Cons:
Steering. Handle position, mechanical latch.
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I went in to a trendy baby store to buy a Volo. I wanted the lightest possible stroller available. Whether encountering staircases, trains, for carrying over beach sand, whatever, I wanted something light light light, easy fold and carry, just a big more of a stroller than a freebie umbrella stroller, and with with a basket. Something I could take on planes, fold tight in car, etc...My personal experience with my kids is that they never sleep while out and about, unless they are beyond exhausted, at which point they would sleep anywhere and in anything, and that they are either happy in any stroller or furious to be confined at all. So really, stroller choice is for my convenience. Therefore, recline was not an issue for me, one way or the other.The saleswoman pushed the Swift very hard and was disparaging of Volo. She pointed out benefits over the Volo: bigger wheels, so better on rough surfaces. Recline (nice to have). Bigger, easier to access basket. Nice fabric. Cheaper: $80ish. Anything Maclaren was much more. At 12lbs, Swift only 2.5lbs. heavier, for so many more features. I'd also gotten attitude at Babies R Us re: Volo ("Why would you want to spend over $100 for a basic umbrella stroller?--we don't even both stocking them except for internet returns.). So with all those good reasons, I bought the Swift.Agghhhh!!!!!Four months later, I had to explain to DH why I wanted to purchase a Volo, which looks nearly identical.I hate the Swift.When folding, it doesn't self click closed. You have to hold child under arm, bend down to fold, then manually latch the stroller, like with a cheapy umbrella. And I've usually got a bag, too, so everything swings to the ground in a thump.Because it latches, it doesn't fold up nice and tight like the Volo. It takes up more room in the trunk and when you carry it.It steers horribly. If I want to drift to the side, I have to drag the wheels, since they won't swivel. I've even picked the think up and schlepped it through a turn. That's with my 25lb. child. If my 43 lb. child wants a ride, it barely pushes or steers at all. It is impossible to steer one handed, or pushing with your body while carrying something else. I'm not kidding: it is doesn't steer much better than a shopping cart. Since other people say it steers well, I wonder if mine is defective.I don't see that given that it doesn't steer well, that the bigger wheels are any kind of advantage. They kind of bugged me in the car trunk, because they made the stroller just big enough that I got wheel muck on my other stuff. No shoulder strap.Darn hood keeps popping off! Every time I fold stroller. Every time I open hood to protect child from sun. Darn thing!I broke the first closing latch, since I closed stroller on it. Since it was within the 30 day return policy, original store swapped it out for a new Swift. Okay, I lost the 2nd latch. Inglesina customer service was non responsive. After much pursuit, they explained they were backordered and to try again. No success. Now closing it with velcro strap. Thanks Inglesina.What's with the handles? The are positioned high and nearly verticle. To push, I kind of bend forward, and push with the muscles in my legs. Uncomfortable for arms, and makes stroller seem much heavier than 12 lbs.When carrying stroller up and down stairs, or onto trains, along with child and bag, and holding hand of older child, I sure resented those extra pounds (as well as increased folding size). At 9.6lbs., and with a carry handle, that Volo sure looked good.So I went back to Right Start to buy the Volo. Saleswoman insists I don't need the Volo because I have the Swift, which is better. She sure likes the Swift! Since she only had black in stock anyway...I bought the Volo online. I love it. It is lighter. It folds compactly on my shoulder or in the car. It has a carry strap. Basket small, but okay. I've even carried it by the strap, open, with my bag in the basket, and baby tucked under arm. Love mesh seat. It acts a bit like a recline. Easy to hose off and keep sparking clean. Self latch and lock--just push together. Also, it is rated to wheel a child up to 55lbs., which is higher than the Swift. I can push older child in it if she gets tired and carry the younger in a Sutemi, so really gives me an extra pair of hands. The handles are exactly where my hands are, so very comfy. Speaking of which, it really does steer one hand, which is good because...My older child fell down on cement and got all bloody. I was able to carry her, while pushing younger child in Volo, one handed. Volo paid for itself that day. With the Swift, I would have been in quite a pickle. Speaking of pickles, we eat a lot of beach concession food (yeah, I know). With the one hand steer, I can balance tray of food on stroller handles and push along with my ribs (maybe not a pretty image, but convenient).Drawbacks include easily rusting and squeaking wheels (which shouldn't happen in the first 6 months, but it did), lack of Maclaren customer service. They won't answer phone, email, letters, anything.Delta Discovery IV tray and BabyTrend LiteSport tray fit on Volo. That's the scoop, in my humble opinion, for what it is worth.
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(Review ID: 1515)
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4 of
4 people found the following review helpful:
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Best Umbrella Stroller for under $100, September 11, 2007
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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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(10) |
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Pros:
Almost FULL recline, TALL handle bars, Lightweight
Cons:
No Peek A Boo Window, No Leg Extention
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This is our 5th stroller and is our favorite! I've been doing weeks of research to find a light weight umbrella stroller for quick errands and an upcoming trip to NYC. This stroller is amazing! It's got the tallest handle bars I could find at 43" (I am 5'8" and my husband is 6'4"- but it is still comfortable for my 5'5" mother to push too). We don't kick the wheels at all... which are rubber- pushes smooth over cracks in sidewalk, etc. The canopy is very large and is fully enclosed in the back to keep baby protected. The pocket in the back of the canopy can hold my keys, cell phone, wallet and a diaper. The recline is almost full, which is nearly impossible to find in a light weight umbrella stroller. Even though the leg rest is not extendible, it is at a 45 degree angle, so it's comfy for baby's legs. The colors are bright and vibrant (we have the red one). We found it online for less than $100 with free shipping. Also found a great deal on a rain cover and a rolling golf club bag for air travel. We were looking at one of the Macs- but opted for the Swift for the following reasons: Much farther recline, larger canopy, zip pouch for parent, taller handles and $60 less!
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(Review ID: 719)
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13 of
13 people found the following review helpful:
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A step above an umbrella, and above the Volo, February 28, 2006
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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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(8) |
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Pros:
full recline, handles are tall, storage easy, comfy for baby
Cons:
Fold is a little "sticky"
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I needed a cheap yet functional stroller that I could use at my vacation home for daily walks and getting about with baby. I didn't want to buy a second full-featured stroller, but I didn't want some cheapy umbrella either.So I shelled out $90 to an online retailer to get a swift. I'd certainly considered the McLaren Volo (they certainly are ubiquitous), but hesitated when I saw that the Swift had a full recline. I have to admit that I'm also fairly biased towards Inglesina as a manufacturer, as my other stroller is a Zippy and I'm quite happy with it. I'd also heard vague rumblings about quality control at McLaren having suffered since they started manufacturing in China. No proof of that, of course, but I figured a brand I trusted was better, particularly if the features were there and the price was right.The Swift has lived up to its promise. The recline is easy to operate, and the stroller has more padding and better construction than a cheapie umbrella or even the Volo. Baby sits comfortably and the harness is a high quality 5-point that while looser than many strollers, worked fine for my older baby.My experience has been that the fold happens even with the canopy attached, and while the plastic clamp that holds the stroller in the folded position is admittedly a cheap solution, it is easy to operate and convenient. The canopy itself is great in that it allows a good deal of protection even when the seat is fully reclined.The handles on the Swift do not adjust, but they do stand about an inch or two taller than the Volo when placed side by side (mostly because the wheels on the Swift are about an inch wider in diameter). The Swift does not have a shoulder strap, and the weight difference between it and the Volo is negligible. The storage area is very easy to access, and easily holds a large purse or diaper bag. THe ride is smooth, and the construction decent givem the price. While it won't mimic the feel of a full-featured stroller, it is sturdy and well-built.One thing that always struck me as odd about the Volo is the mesh material used for the seat. It offers no padding (you have to add the padding) which is not really great in colder climes and leads me to wonder about the fabric stretching and losing support over prolonged use. The Swift is a lot better padded and has internal support in the back that would prevent that sort of thing.My one complaint is that the fold, similar to the Volo, has the foot release latches, and then you push the handles forward and together to complete the fold. Not nearly as elegant a solution as the Zippy, and in the case of the Swift, somewhat awkward and sticky, as if something needs oiling. A little practice and the motion becomes easier.On the whole, this is not going to be an everyday stroller for me, and if you were thinking about a stroller for the everyday rough and tumble I'd point you at the Zippy instead. But for travel, quick trips or as a second lightweight option, the Swift does just fine for the money. If you're choosing between the Volo and the Swift, it really comes down to how interested you are in having a recline feature -- for some parents it is essential, and after a long day at Disneyworld and missing his nap, your tyke may thank you for it -- which means the Swift wins handily over most other brands, including the Volo. But if that recline simply doesn't matter to you, then there's really no difference between the two.
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(Review ID: 1428)
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1 of
1 people found the following review helpful:
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a little disappointed, July 5, 2007
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Reviewer: bklyngirly from Brooklyn, NY
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bklyngirly
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(6) |
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Pros:
nice looking, lightweight, good basket, good recline
Cons:
steering--wheels and handles
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WHY OH WHY is it so hard to find a stroller? I've been telling my friends it is worse than buying a car!! I agonized getting a replacement for my beloved Combi Cosmo, which I had used since week two of my son's life until he was about 14 or 15 months old. He is a big boy and he was just looking squished and the stroller had seen better days. I put a LOT of miles on that thing all over this city (New York).
So I looked and researched and finally chose the Swift. I've had it for about two months now and I am somewhat happy with it but definitely missing my Cosmo. How do you operate a stroller with these separate handlebars? You cannot push the stroller and hold your toddler's hand if he decides he wants to walk a bit. You cannot push the stroller and pull your little shopping cart with laundry. You cannot push the stroller and answer your cell phone, have a drink of water, or scratch your head. I was really looking for a lightweight stroller with a good basket and a SINGLE bar but no such luck. Now I see why the single bar was so important to me even though at the time I couldn't identify exactly why. I don't really want to buy another stroller now but I will be keeping my eye open for the (apparently) miracle stroller I am seeking.
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(Review ID: 407)
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1 of
1 people found the following review helpful:
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My favorite stroller for Every-Day use., September 2, 2005
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Reviewer: kath0469 from Maryland
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kath0469
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(9) |
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Pros:
Lightweight, great recline, easy fold
Cons:
Harness somewhat loose
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This stroller is great. I keep it in my car and use it VERY often. It's lightweight, so easy to open, and stears very well. The wheels on the Swift are larger then those on many umbrella strollers, making it so much easier to push over bumps and sidewalk cracks. I've attached a Valco cupholder to the handle and it works great.The only negative is the harness. I find it loose even on my chubby 8 month old.
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