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Maclaren's Quest Sport is the lightweight sporty solution to your stroller needs!

User Reviews about Maclaren Quest Sport Stroller - Charcoal

My husband and I recently took a $20 umbrella stroller from Target with us on a several month long trip and when we returned, purchased this stroller in charcoal/silver. On our trip, we became quite frustrated with the shortcomings of our cheap stroller and talked with several other parents who had the Maclaren Quest or other Maclaren strollers and spoke highly of these strollers. I did thoroughly read reviews before making my purchase and also considered several less expensive, but comparable brands, but ultimatley went back to the Maclaren Quest and am so glad that I did. In addition to the cheap umbrealla stroller (which looking back now, I am glad I did not spend much money on), I also have a Chicco Cortina stroller that came with the travel system. I found nothing particularly "wrong" with the Cortina, but didn't like the bulkiness and impracticallity for use while traveling.
I truly think that your satisfaction with this stroller will be guided by your expectations of it. You have to keep in mind that this stroller is built to be lightweight and fold very compactly (while at the same time not compromising seat comfort, storage, etc.), and is in a totally different class than trendy, stylish strollers such as the Quinny or Bugaboo or than traditional strollers such as those that come with travel systems. For a lightweight, compact stroller, the storage is pretty good....no cup holder, but I will just put a water bottle and my son's cup in the back or bottom storage compartments. Getting stuff into the mesh storage basket can be a bit of a tight squeeze, but that also means that stuff will not fall out easily, either. I can open and close the stroller with one hand and even holding my toddler in one arm if I don't have any help. Having one break pedal can either be viewed as a good or bad feature, but I tend to like it after having two other strollers with individual breaks. My husband is tall and I am short and we both find the stroller's handle height comfortable. My son seems very comfortable in this stroller and the buckle is very substantial and child-proof. I really like having a chest harness as it prevents my child from leaning forward to try and touch the wheels. My only concerns for the future are the wheels, which seem a bit flimsy. Knowing that the wheels were going to be flimsy and that the stroller didn't fully recline almost made me purchase the Techno XT, but I just couldn't justify the price difference (also the Techno XT is much heavier than the Quest). Maybe I could have justified the price had I never bought a travel system stroller to start with, but live and learn! Hopefully the wheels will hold up in the long run and if not, that I will be able to find replacements. I hope that my review is helpful and that you enjoy your Maclaren stroller as much as we have. -- Great lightweight stroller!!

I bought this stroller at the beginning of August 2010. I wanted a lightweight, but durable umbrella stroller with more features than a "cheap" run of the mill umbrella type stroller. I'm pleased with my purchase, I like the recline positions although if Maclaren would make it a one-handed recline mechanism that would be more functional. My baby is 7 months old and very comfortable in the stroller. I really like the one-hand release of the five point harness, much nicer than my other strollers. Maneuverability is very nice and it's easy to push one-handed.

My biggest aggravation is with the hood/canopy and folding the stroller. I bought this adorable red with white polka dot stroller and planned to keep it looking sparkling for my little girl but when you fold the stroller the canopy flops around and rubs on the wheels which leaves black marks on the edges and inside of the canopy. This is definitely not attractive on such a cute stroller and bugs me every time I see it. I haven't found a good solution to the problem yet. This never even crossed my mind buying this stroller with the red canopy but just something to consider when decided what color/style you are going to get.

Overall it's a very nice stroller and I'm pleased with my purchase. -- Good stroller with limits

We have been using this stroller for about two years now in all weather conditions and terrain. My wife and I looked at many different strollers, decided on this one, and have been very happy with it. Keep in mind this review is from daddy's perspective, who tends to be a bit of a gearhead and is usually more comfortable writing tool reviews... Here are the salient points based on living with the stroller for two years:

Pros:

* Lightweight: When my wife was still pregnant I developed the itch to shop for gear I knew we'd need for a new baby. Naturally, I began noticing other parents and what they were using. One experience made a big impression on me: witnessing a mother in a parking lot at the end of her shopping trip attempting to put the stroller into the back of her SUV. The stroller was one of those convertible models that does everything, complete with food tray cup holders, satellite dish, etc. It was massive and she really had to muscle the thing to get it into her car. So, we looked on the smaller end... Enter the Maclaren Quest Sport. It is easy to maneuver and agile, just perfect for scooting around the grocery store and less likely to nip at the heels of those in front of you.

* Portable: This comes with being light, but it also folds to a surprisingly small package. It has a handle built into the frame so you can carry it like that, or you can use the shoulder strap to sling it over your shoulder. Having learned the fine art of doing everything with one hand (the other occupied with child) I really appreciate that this stroller is so easy to manage, both on the road and when transporting. Also, it doesn't take up a lot of room in your trunk if you drive something smallish.

* Quality: One thing I noticed when looking at these is that they appeared to be designed by an engineer. Actually, that's true. Technical daddies take note: this stroller will earn you points with your engineer friends. The frame is very strong - this was our top pick in part because it has a higher weight capacity than many other strollers of the same size and larger. The wheels are very smooth and have a precise feel about them. Ergonomically, it suits my 6'2" frame very well, as I don't have to stoop to push it. The wheel locks work very well, in my opinion, though they may take some getting used to.

* Adjustable: For its size, this stroller has very good adjustability in the straps, the seat, and the back that reclines.

* Versatile: There is a basket underneath and a sunshade on top. It also comes with a surprisingly effective rain shield that basically encloses the whole front and sides. Daughter and daddy have been on many fun walks in the rain with this stroller. Daddy gets soaked to the skin, but daughter comes through perfectly dry. (The grandparents just love it when I take my little girl out in the rain....)

* Comfort: Many of the strollers we looked at didn't seem to be very comfortable: Maybe they lacked padding, or there was a support bar that protruded under the seat or across the back. The Quest Sport has good padding on the back and the seat seems nicely suspended and with no hard parts poking through. Though it is on the smaller side, the stroller seems to have very good size capacity as your child grows.

Cons:

* Tippy: This stroller will tip backwards when your child exits if you have so much as a bag of groceries hanging from the handle - It's happened to me on more than one occasion. It has never, ever, tipped over with her in it, due to the design that keeps it planted with weight in the seat, but when the seat's empty, there had better not be anything hanging on the backside.

* Limited basket access: The basket on the bottom is good-sized and will accommodate a full grocery bag-sized amount of groceries; the thing is, though, that it's a little hard to get to, especially if the back is reclined and the seat is occupied, which is likely. (I don't usually take the stroller out alone)

* Limited sun shade: The sun shade works great if the sun is directly behind you. Anything forward of directly overhead and your bundle of joy will get limited sun protection at best. Yes, they do offer a little clip on umbrella as an option that you can attach on the frame, and yes, I never leave the house without hat and sunscreen. (and diapers, and wipes, and food, and washcloths, and spare clothes, and water, and......)

* Terrain-challenged: It might be a stretch to say that this stroller doesn't do grass, but not by much. The small wheels that make this so maneuverable in the store, mall, or sidewalks really bog down when the terrain gets rough. It doesn't like grass so much (unless your biceps need some work and you want to impress your neighbors), nor sand, nor dirt. For those trips to the beach or the trails I highly recommend something with large wheels, ideally 3-wheeled, a-la a B*O*B.

Other Thoughts:

How much do the cons matter? That's really up to you. For us, it turns out that they don't matter much. It's hard to find a stroller that does everything that isn't nearly as big as a Fiat. (OK, so that's still not all that big) Most of the cons should only be seen as such in the context of what was traded in return - namely size and weight. And yet this isn't a flimsy umbrella stroller: It is sturdy and well-made with a really decent weight capacity but won't kill you every time you need to put it in or take it out of the car. For us, it's been fantastic and practical and for our daughter it's been comfortable and functional, offering an ideal balance between function and size at a price that speaks value to us.

It has also held up very well after all the miles we've put on it. I'm not sure I could say that others would exhibit the same quality over time. There was one recall on this - to add pinch protection for when you fold it up. I've never been pinched by the stroller and honestly it seems to me that one would really have to work hard at getting pinched by this thing.

So, I can't say this is the perfect stroller. But it is a stroller that I would spend my dough on if I had to do it over. If you want a high-quality, easy to maneuver, smooth, and portable stroller, this one is really worth a look.

-- Just About Perfect (Daddy's Perspective)

This is a very good stroller, good design, very easy to maneuver, lightweight, and easy to fold. I took one star out because I had to return it. The charcoal raspberry is actually pinkish-fuchsia and too girlish for a boy. And I couldn't buy the black-scarlet stroller from amazon. Having a snug ride 32 car seat and frame for the first six months was great but we wanted to let our baby to explore and sit down while walking with him. He is very happy in this stroller. I don't know yet about durability because it has been just two weeks but it looks solid. -- Perfect Stroller

I drive a 2005 Toyota Corolla and I wanted something that would fit in my trunk with room to spare for groceries, etc. This is perfect. I also got a Baby Trend jogging stroller to keep in my garage for everyday walks in the neighborhood, and I like that I don't have to constantly lug one stroller in and out of my car. The Maclaren stays in my trunk at all times.

My daughter is now 10 months old and we've been using the Maclaren since around 5-6 months. I think it says that you can use it from 3+ months, and I bought it before she was born, but I discovered that a stroller frame that fit my carseat was the best way to go for the first few months. I bought a used one, and it really is easier for those early days when your baby falls asleep all the time. That's something I never thought about when I was pregnant.

Now we use the Maclaren several times a week for trips to mall, other stores, the library, the zoo, meeting friends at a park, etc. The basket is a decent size but it is really hard to get a diaper bag in and out. I know people have complained that the stroller tips when there's a diaper bag on the back, but I recently got a Skip Hop Duo diaper bag that has the special straps to go on the back of the stroller. If I slide the bag as far down as it will go, the stroller does not tip when I take my child out, even if the bag is pretty full.

PROS:
Very easy to maneuver
Takes up VERY little space (very important for me!)
Appears to be comfortable
Is easy to set up/take down once you get the hang of it

CONS:
The sunshade is practically worthless.
The basket isn't great, but I just hang my diaper bag on the back so this doesn't matter

I would definitely recommend it! -- Great for small car owners!