marytara's Full Review: Inglesina Trip - ARP Umbrella Stroller
Before purchasing my Inglesina Trip stroller, I'd been fairly satisfied with an inexpensive Avalon Umbrella Stroller when I needed just a lightweight single stroller to dash around with my daughter in. But there were a few things that the Avalon lacked that made me want to replace it - most of all that it only had a 3 point harness and she was climbing out of it, there was no basket underneath so that was inconvenient, and my clip to hold it closed broke/fell off so it kept opening up during loading/unloading.
... So, I set off to find a new umbrella for me and my baby girl. Since our other umbrella that I was replacing (or rather, sending to my husband's car trunk) was one that I picked up in a pinch - this time I really wanted to search around and find one that had all the features that I wanted plus looked great. I decided that I really wanted to get her a pink stroller because of the princess that she is.
My search for a pink umbrella stroller began...
I wanted pink but not hot pink, nor pale pink either. I quickly ruled out some cheapy Kolcraft and Jeep models because they looked flimsy, had only 3 point straps, and were a really unpractical pale pink. I know, I know - pink is not necessarily practical if you think about the fact that future children may not be girls, etc. I don't even know if there will be future children (I've got my boy and I've got my girl!) so this wasn't a deciding point for me.
Cheapo's out.. Next I moved to looking at a few of the Maclarens which were significantly higher priced. The Volo which was around $100, didn't come in a pink that I liked (it was a Salmon pink) and after seeing a Volo in a local baby store I decided it didn't look all that comfortable either. I almost settled on the Maclaren Triumph in pink flag but the wheel diameter is only 4.5" and I wanted a bit larger for better manueverability. Of course that brought me to the Quest Mod in Pink Fleur with 5" wheels (not much better) but the flower print fabric choice wasn't really my cuppa tea. I will also freely admit that aside from not wanting to touch the $199.99 pricetag for the Maclaren Quest, which also has 5" wheels - I didn't care for the mostly grey with a little bit of powder pink on it either. It reminded me of growing up in the 80s just a bit too much!
I briefly considered getting a Silver Cross Micro after seeing that it had everything I wanted (6" wheels, a nice pink and black look, 5 point, a basket) but decided against it after reading that they have zero customer support and having never seen one in person I didn't want to take a leap of faith and hate it after dropping around 100 dollars on it.
And then, I found Inglesina.. I ruled out the highest end model the Zippy because at over $300 it was way out of my price range and I didn't want a snack bar, nor did I need infant seat compatibility. The Peg Pliko P3 was also out for price reasons too! Then I found the Inglesina Swift and the Inglesina Trip. I ruled out the Swift which was a little bit cheaper for a few reasons but mostly because I wasn't falling in love with the way it looked (mostly black with a bright stripe of color almost a hot pink, down the center). Finally, I settled on the Inglesina Trip and bit the bullet.
About the Inglesina Trip
I purchase my Inglesina Trip Umbrella Stroller ARP online with FREE shipping since it was over $100 at one of the baby sites. The stroller retails for $179.99 but it was during a sale I spent $139.99 for it, which is a great price. Since I'd been shopping for a while, this stroller usually goes for around $150 dollars. This is a sturdy but lightweight stroller from a great company, Inglesina known for making posh, high end babygear. It comes with a one year warranty from the manufacturer.
The TRIP comes in a couple of different fabric trims, but mine is the pink one that they call Rosa Antico. Its a light pink but not pastel, and has dark grey trims against the black aluminum frame of the stroller. Its very sharp looking, and very girly looking at the same time. The pink is nice because its not so pale that it will show every wink of dirt or who knows what that a toddler will get on it! The fabric is a heavy duty canvas that is not removable for washing but can be spot cleaned with soap and water.
When my stroller arrived it required minor assembly, less than 15 minutes after briefly consulting the manual. The manual is mostly picture illustrations and includes instructions in just about every language under the sun. I remember having to put on the sunshade & cupholder and not much else from that.
I never thought I would want an umbrella stroller but I really prefer them to the ones with the single pushbar. I'm a fan of how small the umbrella strollers fold up and how lightweight they are. This one is no exception as its just 14.5 pounds and folds up compact (41"H x 10.5"L x 9.8"W ). When open, this stroller is not a monstrosity to push around, but its also not minnie mouse - at 42.9"H x 19.1"L x 30"W .
The Inglesina Trip is recommended for children from 3 months up to 45 pounds. The seat is deep so infants and younger babies can sit in it with adequate support, and at the same time it can hold a toddler or older child with no difficulties. I've been using this stroller for several months now with my 20 month old daughter - and it also fits my 5 year old. (Though my hubby would rather him not ride in the pink stroller!) The seat has an extendable leg support that you can fold down or put up into a flat position making the seat depth "just right" for whatever age and size your child is. With my daughter we usually have the leg support extended to allow her to sit back deep into the seat and her legs don't dangle. When I've put an older child into the stroller I folded the leg support down and the child's feet reached near to the foot rest.
The Inglesina Trip has a huge canopy that blocks out the sun and can be folded back, or extended way out over the baby. When open, you need to manually lock both sides open by simply pressing down on each side. The canopy can be removed and also repositioned lower or higher so depending on how tall of a child you have in the stroller you can move it. Its also waterproof, which is a must for those times that you get caught in the rain or going in between stores and the car. This model also includes a free plastic rainshield that fits the stroller like a glove and fastens on with snaps. We've used the rainshield when we got caught in a downpour at great adventure, and it kept my daughter dry while she was fast asleep in the stroller. Other parents with kids getting drenched were quite envious that day! When not in use, we store the rainshield in the basket underneath. The basket under the stroller is adequate in size, made of mesh, and its also removable. There's also a small zipper pocket on the back of canopy that you can store things in, and a peek-a-boo window on the top of the canopy if you want to check on your child from up above. I also want to mention that the stroller has reflective edging on the fabric so if you are out walking and it gets dark, the stroller will be a bit more visible than some.
I use my Inglesina Trip on just about a daily basis and keep it in the back of my minivan. I've used it indoors at malls, in stores, to take my daughter in between the car and whatever place we are going, for walks outdoors and often to a local farm/petting zoo where there is a rocky/gravel path. This stroller is really nice to push, maneuvers well. I love that I can steer this stroller with one hand, and hold my son's hand with my other free hand. Or, I have him help push. This stroller is so lightweight that a 5 year old has no problem pushing it around, with an over 20 pound passenger riding in it! Its really a dream to push, and can fit thru small spaces and tight corners in stores with no problem! The tall handles are padded and comfy. I am short at 5'1" and my husband is 6'2" and we both have no problems pushing this. The handles don't extend, but this has not been a problem for my tall husband. One thing that attracted me to the Inglesina trip is that it has 6.5" wheels which means added maneuverability without compromising durability. Compared to other lightweight umbrella strollers these are bigger (the Maclaren's I looked at were mostly 4.5" or 5" wheels). The wheels on the Inglesina Trip have individual suspension on them making for a smooth ride. The front wheels can be locked or allowed to swivel, and the back wheels brake individually for when you want to park the stroller.
I absolutely needed a stroller with a 5 point harness because my daughter is a climber outer and she was standing up in her other strollers which only had 3 point harnesses. The 5 point harness on this stroller can be adjusted to fit a wide range of sizes and is made of a sturdy black nylon. Each side buckles independently into a plastic buckle on the crotch strap. I do think that the harness could have different height adjustment on it and maybe be made to go a bit smaller. It took my daughter a few months but she has learned how to get out of the harness, and I think this could be avoided if I could get it a little bit more snug.
The Inglesina Trip has a plastic cupholder that snaps onto the back of the frame. For the life of me, however, we can't keep the cupholder fastened on so its not of much use to me. Plus, I'm not sure who designed the cupholder and for what kind of cup they want you to put in it because my daughters sippy cups are mostly too round or wide to fit in it anyway! Oh well.. this is not a deal breaker for me, at least.
The learning curve to open and close the Inglesina Trip is fairly short. There is a clip on one side that holds the stroller locked shut and to open it you need to release this clip and then fold the stroller open. To lock the stroller open, simply step down on this little block knob on the back of the folding mechanism til it "clicks" into place. To close the stroller simply stick your foot under this knob and lift it upwards to release the lock and then step down on a little pedal that is off to the right side. One day I had a little trouble with it and my husband put some WD40 on it and its not been any trouble since then. The stroller then will fold shut and you can lift it up with the handy carry handle on the side of it and load it into your car, or wherever you are storing it. The handle is very convenient for carrying the stroller in the folded up position from Point A to Point B with just one hand.
Overall
I love my Inglesina Trip stroller and am proud to push it around with my little princess in it. She enjoys riding in it and is very comfy in it for long periods of time as well as quick errands. This stroller screams out quality and has shown no signs of wear. I'm pleased with the pink fabric choice that is very girly but also practical in that its a darker rose color so it doesn't show any dirt! I love that its so lightweight and folds up small, yet it has features like a basket underneath and a safe 5 point harness (even if my daughter can escape it!). This stroller is great for sunny days, rainy days and even as it gets dark out. If you are looking for a quality umbrella stroller, check out the Inglesina Trip!!!
www.inglesina.com
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 139
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
We are out of stock in this fabric.Product Features: • Adjustable 5-point safety harness • Standard stroller with three step fold • Umbrella fold...More at Albee Baby
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