Review: Baby Jogger City Select

I hope you liked my review on the JJ Cole Mode Tote Bag, this time I'm reviewing our largest baby purchase to date, our Baby Jogger City Select Stroller. This thing is a tank! And not in the bad way!

I have done a LOT of stroller-buying in my day. I've done about a hundred times more research on them and I think its fair to say I know my way around a swivel wheel. (Does that sound dirty to you?) As with some other items I have and will review, this stroller is a tad bit on the pricey side, starting around $500 for the base model and with add-ons like the second-seat kit and car-seat adapters it usually runs about $900. That's a hefty price to pay, practically a car! But, sometimes the creature comforts are what get you through. 

Here's why Baby Jogger thinks their stroller is worth $900 smackeroos:

For Parents on the Grow, The City Select offers parents the unique opportunity to customize their stroller into 16 different combinations to suit their family needs. 

• Patented Quick-Fold Technology - allows you to fold your stroller in one simple step

• Innovative multi-functional design allows you to select your seating arrangement up to 16 unique combinations

• Hand operated parking brake

• 12" forever-air rear and 8" lightweight front wheels with front wheel suspension and sealed ball bearings

• Swivel front wheels for quick and agile maneuverability can lock into place for long distance strolling

• Seat back storage compartment and large under seat basket

 Source: Baby Jogger

As a Mom of two little boys under two, there are a few things that stand out priority-wise for me in a stroller: It has to be durable. It has to be safe. It has to be adaptable to my needs. It has to be easy to maneuver. It absolutely HAS to have wheels. (I think that's a priority for everyone, right?!)

The Baby Jogger City Select is all of those things and a few more. First off, it looks really weird with just one seat in it. It's alright, but it just looks funny, I guess. BUT, you know whats amazing about this thing? The way it converts so easily to a double! And the fact that when it is a double it's not just a rumble seat thrown on the back for a kid to do nothing but inhale exhaust fumes, the second seat goes on the front. Genius!

Here are the sixteen ways Baby Jogger says you can use this stroller:

Not too shabby, eh?

I actually like to put the car seat on the front, like this:

The boys like to look at each other. The downfall is I can't recline Cash easily if he falls asleep but it's simple enough to switch them around so I don't mind.

PROS: Pretty much everything about this stroller is great. The wheels are high density foam which means they'll never rupture or go flat. The undercarriage is so big I can do a whole week worth of groceries in it. (That's a grocery bag inside!) The construction is totally solid! It folds fairly compact for a double and it is heavy enough to be durable but light-weight enough to carry the seat in one hand and the stroller frame in another without any issues. I love the adaptability and the maneuvering!

CONS: I have noticed that the left front wheel will click into swivel lock on its own if it's really cold or wet outside. I think it may be a precaution because if it's really wet you don't need the front wheels to swivel (that could actually probably be dangerous) but occasionally its annoying when I'm trying to make a sharp turn. It hasn't happened in dry conditions yet. It also tends to be harder to steer (than compared to its normal AMAZING steering with one-hand tied behind your back) when there is a heavier child on the front. (Another reason I usually put Carter on the front right now.) When it's just one kid on there it steers like a breeze! I also wish it came in a few more colour options. I LOVED the diamond colour (white-ish grey) but Hubs said "NO WAY!" to that one. He wanted basic black, but they always fade/look dirty to me, so we went with Red. I can't say I hate it, but I still wish I had my fashionista white! :P

So, Would Hubs pay for it? 

Answer: YEPPERS!

Hubs did help me buy this stroller after some major research and testing! Considering it costs as much as some used cars we really wanted to be SURE SURE SURE that's what we wanted/needed. My parents scoffed at the price and said it was ridiculous, but they don't have to cart two babies on buses and through transit systems and around malls all the time, so boo hoo. 

When people ask me "Is it worth the price?" because they're considering purchasing the same stroller, I always say "If you are going to be using it ALL THE TIME, then YES. If you need something occasionally get something cheaper, but if you want something that is higher quality and will last, this is a great option."  

I use mine ALL. THE. TIME. Like 5 days a week. I don't just use it for mall-walking and the occasional walk to the park, I'm out and about with it every day. I need something that will suit me for the next four years without fail and I'm certainly not buying another one any time soon. 

Lastly, don't just buy a stroller because its what everybody else has. You are too cool for a bugaboo, anyway. Assess what your real needs are. Do you want something lightweight? Easy to travel with? Do you need lots of storage space for shopping? Do you know your family will be growing a lot in a short amount of time? How much can you budget for? In the end you're always better off spending a bit more, as they say "you get what you pay for!"

Please note: I have not been compensated financially for this review in any way.
Some reviews may be of product that has been gifted for reviewing purposes, but I'm not so easily swayed.

 If I don't like it, I'll be honest about it! 

If you have a product you'd like to be reviewed by Crawl The Line, please email me! Thanks!