Has it's positive points, but it's BIG & HEAVY!
Written: Jul 08 '05
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Pros: Big enough to hold two/three small children, or haul garden supplies, camping gear.
Cons: BIG, HEAVY, Large turning radius. Difficulty loading into a vehicle...did I mention it's HEAVY?!!
The Bottom Line: Consider the size and weight of this wagon. If you're OK with that - you'll love it.
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| ch59's Full Review: Radio Flyer All-Terrain Cargo Wagon #29 |
At first, there was some confusion between THIS wagon, the radio flyer All Terrain Wagon #29 and the similar #32 All Terrain Wagon.
Basically, the #29 is wood-based and is larger/heavier/more expensive than the #32 which has a steel base.
When I made my #29 purchase, I was taken aback at how big it really was. I've always thought 'bigger is better', but wasn't prepared for the weight. Since I was the one that was going to be lugging it around - not my husband, I should have put more thought into the size. It's 46 lbs EMPTY!
The first time I took it to the county fair, I cursed it's weight when I had to load it into the back of my SUV. I had to carefully prop two wheels onto my bumper, then shove the wagon into my vehicle. I was sweating when I was done. Once at the fair, I realized the wagon had a very large turning radius. I had a LOT of difficulty manuvering through large crowds. On the plus side, it could cut a path through the crowd like the parting of the red sea!
While the wagon does travel well over rough terrain, it is difficult to pull over sand - especially when loaded. It does make for fewer trips, but you WILL get a workout. Best to leave that for Dad!
It's also not a 'toy' for small children/toddlers. But of COURSE it's the little ones that can't resist TRYING to pull it around. Because of it's weight and wide turning radius, your little one will take out flower beds, shrubs, patio furniture, shins and anything within it's path. Not to mention the non-stop cries for help when it get's hung-up on stuff.
Ok, so it sounds like I totally hate this wagon right? Not so. Because of it's large size, I can put a lot of stuff in it. As long as I'm not on sand, I can pull it myself. I use it to pull my son and all his stuff through the neighborhood - or I can use it around the garden during planting/cleaning time. I like the removable side rails which allows my son to climb right in. (Conversely, curious ones can remove them on their own, but you can opt to screw them down.)
I keep the tires inflated somewhat on the bigger side to make for easier pulling. It has been a lifesaver for the beach (but remember, it's hard to pull in sand!) and turned 10 trips back and forth to less than half of that. OK, OK -I admit i'm really trying to justify this purchase. Truthfully, a smaller, lighter wagon would have better suited MY needs. There..I said it.
So unless you plan on lugging a lot of little kids-or you buy so much stuff at flea markets that you NEED a wagon of this caliber - AND you are willing to load/unload into your SUV (I seriously doubt it'll fit into a car/smaller SUV), I would suggest a smaller, lighter wagon made of plastic. Otherwise it's such a hassle to load/unload, it'll spend a lot of time in the garage! Oh, I should add because it's wood, you shouldn't leave it sitting outside. Sun, moisture, rain will do a number on wood over time.
I'd also suggest the wagon pad accessory if you plan on hauling children. The cooler accessory for the back of the wagon is great storage for drinks/food or other things and frees up space in the wagon. You can purchase an umbrella or canopy to shade your little one. Yeah, you guessed it: I bought the whole shebang!
At the time, I made my wagon/canopy purchase at RedWagons.com - I saved a lot of money with free shipping/no tax and a coupon. They have lots of options. I did a lot of research on price, and they were the best: $149 for the wagon, $49 for the shade canopy. Also do a search for "redwagon coupons" and you can usually get percent-off coupons or free shipping coupons for other stuff.
I got an excellent price on the wagon bed/side pads at Fridrichs.com: $39.99 for the pads, $10.49 for the cooler. Be sure if you do order accessories, that you make note the model number it is made for. Some of the radio flyer accessories ONLY fit one wagon or the other.
All of these prices/policies may change over time, so please do some research on your own. This will at least give you a starting point and may save you a lot of time.
I eventually plan on purchasing one of radio flyers basic plastic models for my son to play with, and to be able to 'toss'it into my vehicle when we go to the park.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 149.00
Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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Epinions.com ID:
ch59
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Member: Shauna
Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 8 members
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