The new fancypants luxury strollers that have come out recently have me thinking, whoa. How did I survive my own baby’s years with a regular old, not expensive, stroller?
I mean, these new luxury strollers push themselves (literally). They monitor themselves for theft. They practically make your coffee for you. They’re ridiculous…ly amazing.
Of course I present this to you new parents with the caveat that I am now the proud parent of well-adjusted tweens now, who have shown no long-lasting damage caused by infant stroller envy. So it’s not like you need these.
But if you can afford them? Well, I still have a three-year-old daughter and can almost justify investing in one of these sweet rides for her. They’re just that cool.
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The new vegan, limited-edition atelier stroller from Bugaboo
Inspired by a trip to a French fashion industry fabric show, the new limited-edition atelier strollers from Bugaboo are a must-have for any new parents.
Oh wait, no they’re not.
They’re more like a massive splurge for parents with loads of dispensable income.
It’s not like infants will appreciate the hand-stitched faux leather details and striking black quilted seat liner while chomping down on their Cheerios, but certainly the other moms will ohh and ahh.
I joke, but truly, Bugaboo strollers are the nicest I’ve ever owned. They fold down beautifully and fairly compactly with no trouble; the air tires and independent suspension makes the ride incredibly smooth for your baby even over cobblestones and curbs (seriously, it’s way beyond what you get from a budget stroller); and the fabrics are soft and durable — even if they’re stained with apple juice.
Related: The limited-edition Bugaboo Niark1 stroller: parenting gear with serious street cred
Plus if veganisim is a part of your life ethic, it’s fantastic to have a luxury stroller option that suits your standards. Although, I’d venture to say that most strollers out there are vegan because they’re made with canvas and fabrics, not leather.
But if having the queen of all strollers is on your wish list, then go ahead and splurge on this one. It will certainly catch the eye of any passerby with a great eye for design.
The Veer Cruiser
My 3 year old is so over being strapped in a stroller all the time, my 7 year old still gets tired easily, and we have a wagon-load of stuff we carry with us everywhere we go. So the new Veer Cruiser wagon-stroller hybrid is designed for growing families like my own.
They sent CMP one to try out for review, and I have a pretty good sense of who it might be fore — and who it’s not for.
At its core, it’s a totally modern, durable update to the classic red wagon — and it even collapses completely flat, so I can easily fit it in the back of my car. Well, should I own one.
However it is definitely a bit heavier than a classic stroller. So, time to work on those bicep curls and tone with your private pilates instructor before grabbing one.
I could strap in my toddler and head to the grocery to load up for the week with this. Or let our little two eat lunch off the snack tray while we’re on a trail — which those big, sturdy wheels can handle like a boss. Or hey, forget the kids altogether, and use your Veer Cruiser to lug gear down to the beach or on a campout — though I might be a little nervous about such a spendy piece of baby gear out in the elements of the woods.
Related: 3 new luxury double strollers that every trust fund baby will adore.
Personally, I think could be fantastic for families with kids past the toddler stage. That said, you can add an optional nap system that allows babies to sleep safely in the wagon, and there are toddler seats that give it more of a traditional stroller feel.
You can even use the car seat adaptor to click your car bassinet straight in…and still have room for all your baby gear. All of which is available on top of the $600 base price, by the way. And considering the price of some of these other luxury strollers, that actually isn’t too bad.
The SmartBe self-propelled stroller
I thought that last year’s smart 4Moms Origami stroller which charges your cell phone by generating power from the wheels turning was huge. But watching the video for the seriously innovative SmartBe stroller makes me feel like I’m glimpsing into the future.
This thing is outrageous.
For starters, it’s self-propelled. Meaning, if you can bear to let go of your baby, you can run or walk behind the stroller and it senses your speed and keeps the stroller moving in front of you at your pace. But that is just for starters.
The SmartBe stroller has a power folding feature (which we saw on the Origami), but this thing also has a climatized carry cot for baby to rest at a perfect temperature. Plus there’s a bottle warmer, and even a microphone and webcams included complete with an anti-theft sensor.
So you can leave your kid on the sidewalk, and keep an eye on him while you’re in the cafe? Uh, no. More like, you can leave the stroller parked at the front of the restaurant and be confident that it will still be there when you finish brunch.
I’m not sure new moms need all of these features in the SmartBe, but still, it’s quite the innovation in luxury stroller tech.
Their successful Indiegogo campaign allowed patrons to pay $250 to lock in a price of $3199 for the stroller — and no that’s not a typo.
$3199. And that’s a discount!
Who knows what those of us who missed the boat would have to pay when it’s released next June.
This SmartBe one, it looks like a robot, and this price! Crazy. I prefer classic strollers, not futuristic ones.