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(Review ID: 1544)
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9 of
9 people found the following review helpful:
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Why the Kolcraft Contours Tandem vs Graco Quattro Duo, October 4, 2007
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Reviewer: ktneely from Livermore, CA
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ktneely
saw things this way
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Overall Grade
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(9) |
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Pros:
Many options, high quality, car seat compatible, looks cool
Cons:
Weight, folding is a process, lifting a bit awkward
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I've been trying to decide between the Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem (~$199) and the Graco Quattro Duo (~$230). I needed a double stroller to accommodate my Graco Safe Seat car seat (my son arrives in Jan.) and my daughter who will be 20 mo. when he arrives. It came down to these 2 strollers. The Kolcraft is mostly sold online, but I was lucky to find one in a local baby store in my area and did a side-by-side comparison w/the Quattro using my daughter as a demo (currently 17 mo & 28" tall). Here are my findings:C = Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem
Q = Graco Quattro DuoLENGTH
C approx 52"
Q approx 50"
Nearly equalWEIGHT
C approx 46 lbs w/seats & 40 lbs w/o
Q approx 39 lbs
Both are heavy, but equivalentSTEERING
C was slightly smoother to push over the QBASKETS
C was slightly larger & easily accessible from all sides than the QHANDLE
C Foam covered bar, not adjustable for height, 2 cup holders and storage case
Q Molded plastic handle bar, w/multiple hand positions, cup holder and storage caseCAR SEAT COMPATIBILITY
C Fits in front or rear seat, must remove stroller seat & insert car seat adapter frame and use strap from stroller frame to hold it securely in place. Overall, less disruptive to infant when transferring car seat from car to stroller.
Q Fits in rear seat only, no extra equip. needed. A bit cumbersome to install my Graco Safe Seat into stroller, I had to jiggle the seat to snap into place; more likely to disrupt infant.SEAT SIZE
My child's head hit about 3" below the top of the seats in each model. I've read reviews that stated the seats were smaller in the C, but IMO they are equal.SEAT COMFORT
C Fabric was soft yet durable. Seat cushioning looked more comfortable, had better quality construction & appeared more durable than Q.SEATS
C Each seat (back and legs) can tilt back in 3 positions; would be less jarring to a sleeping child.
Q Only back portion of seats recline; 3 positions and only the rear seat fully reclines.SEATING OPTIONS
C VERY versatile; just press buttons on the side of seat to remove seat to change positions. Children can both face forward, rear or one of each. Very cool!
Q Both seats permanently face forward.FOOT RESTS
C Built into seat frame
Q Molded plastic attached to stroller frame.
Neither are adjustable to grow w/child's height. My child's feet were 1" from touching the foot rest in the C & hung several inches above the Q. One she'd outgrow, one she might grow into someday - IMO a wash.LEG RESTS
C was easily adjustable in 3 positions - vertical as in a sitting position, horizontal w/legs straight out, or angled somewhere in-between.
Q No leg rests.CANOPY
C Solid, durable fabric offers complete eye coverage from sun (if in upright position), smooth and quiet when sliding open & closed,
Q Parent window on top and see-thru plastic windows on the side of canopy for child to see out; sun shines in side & into child's eyes; offers partial coverage (can't pull far enough forward), noisy & stiff to adjust.CANOPY HEIGHT
Equal height. The top of my child's head was of equal distance from the top of canopy in each model.EASE OF FOLDING
C Must remove rear seat (or car seat adapter) to fold. Requires 2 hands on side of stroller handle bar and 1 foot on basket to fold. Takes longer, but is easy enough to do.
Q Easy, quick & convenient one handed fold.FOLDING POSITION
C Folds upright into standing position, requires no bending.
Q Folds flat onto ground, must bend down to pick up.COMPACTNESS OF FOLD
C With 1 seat removed (3 lbs), folds a bit smaller than Q, and even more so if both seats are removed.LIFTING
Q Has more intuitive grab bars.
C More awkward to lift. Grab handle bar and somewhere else; could use toddler handles on the side frame to lift but it's still awkward.
Neither is easy due to weight, but both are doable.OVERALL APPEARANCE
C Not just my opinion, but I've read many reviews of others that LOVE the look of this stroller. It feels more open & less crowded than the Q.OVERALL
It's called Contour OPTIONS for a reason. Lots of options and higher quality features give it a leg up over its competition. It's not perfect as it's slightly heavier and involves more steps to fold, but overall I think it's a better made stroller and it's the one I'm going with!
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