A Rolls Royce among strollers
Written: Nov 19 '06
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Pros: Comfortable, functional beyond functional and just plain cool.
Cons: A little pricy in the field - but it really is worth it.
The Bottom Line: This is a great stroller that will keep your kid safe and comfy and will provide a hassle free experience for the parent.
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| carnut2k4's Full Review: Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe - Moonstruck 7B01MNS Tra... |
That old adage about youth being wasted on the young seems truer than ever. Of late I’ve been thrust into the world of baby merchandise and it strikes me that the little twerp just doesn’t realize how good he’s got it. Where was all this amazing baby gear when I was in the demographic? It’s just unfair I tell ya.
So today I thought I’d share my thoughts on my son’s first set of wheels. The Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe. It’s more than just a stroller – it’s a ‘travel system’. This system is composed of three parts. The stroller, the car seat / carrier and the car seat base.
The Car Seat Base
This is the simplest component. This sturdy ABS plastic mold serves a simple function – it keeps the car seat locked in place. Set it down on the back seat and secure the locking hooks on the LATCH anchors which all cars (I think all do) offer as standard equipment. The two hooks are connected by a nylon belt which is threaded through the base and can be cinched down after it is connected. When I installed this in my wife’s SUV it bothered me that while the back (the end against the seat back) was held down real good the front was just left to bounce around. Yes, the weight of the baby and the car seat would help hold it down but it still bothered me. I found a steel loop under the backseat and ran a bungee chord through it and secured both ends to readily accessible points on the front edge of the car seat base. Now it doesn’t move at all.
The Car Seat / Carrier
This car seat is intended for use up to 30 pounds which makes it a rear facing seat. It’s a breeze to use, it simply ‘clicks’ into the base. To remove it you pull the release lever which is underneath the head of the unit. The seat itself is beyond plush with generous contoured padding built in. A convenient sunshade can be folded out of the way when not needed. Safety comes by way of a one-off 5 point harness system. There are two loops used to create 4 of the latching points instead of independent straps. Each adjustable loop is anchored over the baby’s shoulder and then next to the abdomen. After pulling an arm through each loop, you connect the loops using the plastic male & female clasps attached to the loops. Next, use the classic seatbelt style steel connectors (also attached to the loops) to lock into the corresponding adaptor attached to the end of the strap that is between the baby’s legs. That receptacle has a standard button release mechanism which is baby proof by virtue of the amount of force it takes to push the button. Since this is also a carrier a heavy duty plastic handle is attached. It can stand at a 90 degree angle or fold flush above the car seat. It can also lock into several positions in between – but you’ll never use any of them, At first we always folded the handle away while driving for safety, but then it occurred to us that it didn’t actually make it any safer to travel that way and the handle is rather useful when upright in that it can be used to hang toys from to keep the little bugger occupied while en route.
We both love the convenience of being able to strap the kid in, carry him out to the car and then from the car without having to mess with the straps. The carrier locks in to the stroller (with the kid facing you) when the seat back is folded flat (explained later) and the carrier also ‘locks in’ to any typically-shaped shopping carts and flipped upside-down restaurant issue high chairs. A lot of thought has gone into this product. The manufacturer advises that 30 pounds or 32 inches is the limit for this seat but I think they’re over-reaching a bit there. My boy is something shy of 30 inches and around 25 pounds and he’s already overflowing out of this seat. Within a couple of weeks he’ll be graduating to his next car seat.
The Stroller
This is one cool stroller. Granted, my definition of ‘cool’ is somewhat altered these days but I think even the old me would have been impressed. This bad boy rides on 6 large plastic wheels – 4 up front and 2 out back. The double front wheels spin 360 on their own axis and give the Quattro a turning radius no wider than its own dimensions. Each set of wheels boast a plastic snap down lock which you will never use. The brake that you will use is the one that locks the rear wheels. The interior hub of each wheel has a hard plastic gear on it. A rod spanning the rear axle has corresponding teeth that lock the gears when you step on the red plastic pedal to actuate it. Disengaging the braking system is accomplished by depressing the opposite side of the aforementioned pedal. The all aluminum frame is lightweight yet strong. Above the wheels, but below the seat, is a mesh sided basket offering roughly 2 cubic feet of storage. I have yet to use it. I appreciate that Graco tried to make use of otherwise dead space but it just isn’t terribly convenient. The seat area is just amazing. The seat back can stand at a harsh 90 degrees – but your kid will much prefer one of the 3 reclining positions. The seat itself is every bit as plush as the car seat. We’re talking side and lumbar support, an adjustable multi contoured pillow segment and enough stuffing to make up for the strollers complete lack of suspension. A true, NASCAR style, 5 point racing harness is fully adjustable and when your kid’s a little older you can opt to not use the shoulder straps to allow a little freedom. A pivoting / locking tray is in place to give the little guy a place to lean on while out for a walk. This tray contains three compartments. From the baby’s vantage, the left compartment is ideal for the obligatory cheerios, while the right side is a perfect sippy-cup holder. The larger center compartment doesn’t seem to have a clearly pre-defined use and its locale has consigned it to a lifetime of duty as a drool pond. A fully adjustable sun-shade with a heavily tinted front section can cover the kid entirely – or not at all. Another way-cool feature is that in addition to those 4 previously mentioned seating positions you can actually lay the seat back completely flat. A heavy duty nylon backing and walls provide a private space for your baby to sleep in. It’s even possible to take the front material (which would otherwise be the part touching the back of the baby’s calves when seated upright) and pull it up and attached it to the tray – thus creating a true four walled bassinet. Of all the features on this stroller that is the hardest one to use and we never did. With the tray in the locked down position it would be pretty hard for the kid to fall out even without that flap in place. What’s really great about this stroller is that they designed it with the parents in mind too. The cockpit is really a work of art. The part of the handle that you use to push and steer is coated in a thick, springy black foam for all-day comfort. It’s also shaped for maximum ergonomic comfort, much the same way that a 10 speed bicycle’s handlebars are shaped. Hanging from the center of the handlebar is a covered plastic compartment that is clearly designed to hold eyeglasses. We have it filled with poop-bags since we always walk the dog and the kid at the same time. The bottom of the poop bag compartment is attached to a horizontal dashboard which sits (between the handlebar and the kid’s head) in easy reach. A compartment (large enough for a set of keys or a cell phone) with a hinged plastic lid is flanked by two cup holders. The top of the compartment lid has a built in ‘Comfort Tracker)’ which is a digital thermometer as well as a clock. These folks thought of everything – except daylight savings. As I’m writing this I just realized that the digital clock did not self adjust to compensate. Are ya listening Graco? I just found room for improvement!
The Fold
The whole frame is comprised of several locking hinged sections that provide amazing structural rigidity with the added bonus of being able to fold in less than 1 second down to the size of a suitcase. It’s as simple as pressing a springed button with your thumb and rotating a handle located in the center of the handlebar by 90 degrees. It’s completely safe – you’ll never do this ‘by accident’ with the kid on board. Perform this action and lift the handle slightly and the whole stroller magically folds. It will easily fit into the trunk of just about any car when folded. When ready to use again just place it on the ground (wheels down, obviously) and pull the handle towards you. In less than a second it opens fully and is locked and ready to use. The action of folding the stroller automatically locks the rear wheels so you will have to step on the lever to unlock them upon re-opening it. This stroller weighs in at about 25 pounds so if you’re able to lift your kid you oughta be able to lift the stroller as well.
Odds & Ends
For those that need all the specifications, I lifted this section straight from the manufacturer’s site:
Stroller weight: 26.6 lbs
Car Seat weight without base: 9.8 lbs
Car Seat weight with base: 17 lbs
Stroller Height: 41"
Stroller Width of Handle: 16.9"
Stroller Length (wheels front to back): 30"
Stroller Length (wheels left to right): 24"
Car Seat Depth: 26.5"
Car Seat Width: 18.3"
Car Seat Height: 16.5"
www.gracobaby.com
This product does require some assembly. With no special tools it took me around 20 minutes to put it together. The materials used have proven to be exceptionally stain resistant – all things considered. Overall we are more than satisfied with this product. It has exceeded our expectations and forever re-enforced my notion that kids today have no idea how good they’ve got it.
Price Paid: $219 at Babies R Us
Would I recommend it: In a heartbeat
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 219
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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Muscle Shoals has got The Swampers
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