https://strollerwiki.com/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=StrollerwikiadminStrollerWiki - User contributions [en]2026-04-17T01:11:39ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.39.3https://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=687Main Page2023-08-21T19:48:44Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Early 20th Century: The First Folding Baby Stroller. */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Early depiction of a baby in a stroller—Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan vase, 520 BCE.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|Japanese painting from the 14th century showing a Chinese baby pulled in a stroller.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has led some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used widely. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers weren't introduced until 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were first imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Royal Baby Carriage: William Kent's Stroller For the Duke Of Devonshire, 1733 ===<br />
[[File:Duke of Devonshire stroller 1733.jpg|thumb|William Kent's stroller for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733—widely considered the first modern baby stroller.]]<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage was booming. Many of baby carriage manufacturers were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. He went on to start his own carriage company. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers from the 1800's in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Pushed Baby Strollers: Mid 1800's ===<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be ''pushed'' by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” as the name for his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinet-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
=== Early 20th Century: The First Folding Baby Stroller. ===<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|The first baby stroller that folds: Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
The numerous innovations and patents for baby strollers in the early 20th century brought about a boom in stroller makers.<br />
<br />
By the 1920’s, Britain boasted over 200 pram makers—with an estimate three million strollers in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makers continued to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876 (before the British).<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Strollers Adapt to New Lifestyles ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged in demand during that period. Immediately after the war, carriages (where babies lied flat) continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers with seats started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend. The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
The quest to make baby strollers lighter and more portable got a major boost in the 1960's.<br />
<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller—it was designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Another crucial feature: the Maclaren stroller was made of lightweight, aircraft-quality aluminum. That was a first, as most strollers sold at the time were still made of steel. <br />
<br />
Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s.]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears. The company first marketed ornate prams or carriage strollers. These featured fine Italian fabrics and detailing and sold for premium prices. <br />
<br />
Another popular European stroller maker that made a splash in the US was Sweden's Emmaljunga. This company started in 1925 and saw its heyday in North America with a line of expensive prams in the 1960's and 70's.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.]]<br />
Along with the European stroller makers, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller exporter: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translate into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984.]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off in the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
Jogging strollers reached their peak of popularity in the 1990's. Baby Jogger, however, ran into financial difficulty in the early 2000's and declared bankruptcy. Baby Jogger was bought out of bankruptcy in 2003 by Dynamic Brands, which also owned several companies that made golf bags and accessories.<br />
<br />
The company was revived and later sold to Graco's owner (Newell Brands) in 2014.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
[[File:Mountain Buggy prototype.jpg|alt=The prototype of first Mountain Buggy stroller, created by New Zealander Allan Croad.|thumb|The prototype of first Mountain Buggy stroller, created by New Zealander Allan Croad.]]<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
At the same time Mountain Buggy and Phil & Teds launched their models, another New Zealand company was readying a "sport utility stroller." The BOB Gear company launched in 1994 and found success with their stroller designed for hiking, running and off-road trails. <br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy-Designed "Art Projects" ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001.]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought about another new type of stroller in the early 2000’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
Aiding the rise of Dude strollers were daddy bloggers—parenting blogs written by fathers in the 2000's that helped popularize these strollers. <br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend: age compression—having children closer in age than in previous generations. The single-to-double stroller like the UPPAbaby Vista that could hold an infant AND toddler become popular. <br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s.]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luv Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s Craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon.]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=686Main Page2023-08-21T19:17:34Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|First depiction of a baby in a stroller—Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan vase, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|Japanese painting from the14th century showing a Chinese baby pulled in a stroller.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Royal Baby Carriage: William Kent's Stroller For the Duke Of Devonshire, 1733 ===<br />
[[File:Duke of Devonshire stroller 1733.jpg|thumb|William Kent's stroller for the Duke of Devonshire—widely considered the first modern baby stroller.]]<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers from the 1800's in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Pushed Baby Strollers: mid 1800's ===<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century: The First Folding Baby Stroller. ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|The first baby stroller that folds: Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
The numerous innovations and patents for baby strollers in the early 20th century brought out a boom in stroller makers.<br />
<br />
By the 1920’s, Britain boasted over 200 pram makers—with an estimate three million strollers in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged in demand during that period. Immediately after the war, carriages (where babies lied flat) continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, stroller with seats started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, companies that made gear for babies continued to grow. The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing. Success in one category often led companies like Graco expand into other baby products. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
The quest to make baby strollers lighter and more portable got a major boast in the 1960's.<br />
<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller—it was designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Another crucial feature: the Maclaren stroller was made of made of lightweight, aircraft-quality aluminum. That was a first, as most strollers sold at the time were still made of steel. <br />
<br />
Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears. The company first marketed ornate prams or carriage strollers. These featured fine Italian fabrics and detailing and sold for premium prices. <br />
<br />
Another popular European stroller maker that made a splash in the US was Sweden's Emmaljunga. This company started in 1925 and saw its heyday in North America with a line of expensive prams in the 1960's and 70's.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the European stroller makers, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller exporter: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
Jogging strollers reached their peak of popularity in the 1990's. Baby Jogger, however, ran into financial difficulty in the early 2000's and declared bankruptcy. Baby Jogger was bought out of bankruptcy in 2003 by Dynamic Brands, which also owned several companies that made golf bags and accessories.<br />
<br />
The company was revived and later sold to Graco's owner (Newell Brands) in 2014.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
At the same time Mountain Buggy and Phil & Teds launched their models, another New Zealand company was readying a "sport utility stroller." The BOB Gear company launched in 1994 and found success with their stroller designed for hiking, running and off-road trails. <br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy-Designed "Art Projects" ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
Aiding the rise of Dude strollers were daddy bloggers—parenting blogs written by fathers in the 2000's that helped popularize these strollers. <br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend : age compression—having children closer in age than in pervious generations. The single-to-double stroller like the UPPAbaby Vista that could hold an infant AND toddlers become popular. <br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luv Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=685Main Page2023-08-21T17:33:10Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|First depiction of a baby in a stroller—Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan vase, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|Japanese painting from the14th century showing a Chinese baby pulled in a stroller.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Royal Baby Carriage: William Kent's Stroller For the Duke Of Devonshire, 1733 ===<br />
[[File:Duke of Devonshire stroller 1733.jpg|thumb|William Kent's stroller for the Duke of Devonshire—widely considered the first modern baby stroller.]]<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers from the 1800's in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Pushed Baby Strollers: mid 1800's ===<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century: The First Folding Baby Stroller. ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|The first baby stroller that folds: Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
The numerous innovations and patents for baby strollers in the early 20th century brought out a boom in stroller makers.<br />
<br />
By the 1920’s, Britain boasted over 200 pram makers—with an estimate three million strollers in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged in demand during that period. Immediately after the war, carriages (where babies lied flat) continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, stroller with seats started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, companies that made gear for babies continued to grow. The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing. Success in one category often led companies like Graco expand into other baby products. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
The quest to make baby strollers lighter and more portable got a major boast in the 1960's.<br />
<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller—it was designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Another crucial feature: the Maclaren stroller was made of made of lightweight, aircraft-quality aluminum. That was a first, as most strollers sold at the time were still made of steel. <br />
<br />
Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears. The company first marketed ornate prams or carriage strollers. These featured fine Italian fabrics and detailing and sold for premium prices. <br />
<br />
Another popular European stroller maker that made a splash in the US was Sweden's Emmaljunga. This company started in 1925 and saw its heyday in North America with a line of expensive prams in the 1960's and 70's.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the European stroller makers, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller exporter: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
Jogging strollers reached their peak of popularity in the 1990's. Baby Jogger, however, ran into financial difficulty in the early 2000's and declared bankruptcy. Baby Jogger was bought out of bankruptcy in 2003 by Dynamic Brands, which also owned several companies that made golf bags and accessories.<br />
<br />
The company was revived and later sold to Graco's owner (Newell Brands) in 2014.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
All-terrain stroller remain an important category today with models by BOB Gear and Thule commonly seen on hiking trails.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=684Main Page2023-08-21T17:32:01Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Rise of the Imports: Japan */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|First depiction of a baby in a stroller—Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan vase, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|Japanese painting from the14th century showing a Chinese baby pulled in a stroller.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Royal Baby Carriage: William Kent's Stroller For the Duke Of Devonshire, 1733 ===<br />
[[File:Duke of Devonshire stroller 1733.jpg|thumb|William Kent's stroller for the Duke of Devonshire—widely considered the first modern baby stroller.]]<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers from the 1800's in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Pushed Baby Strollers: mid 1800's ===<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century: The First Folding Baby Stroller. ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|The first baby stroller that folds: Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
The numerous innovations and patents for baby strollers in the early 20th century brought out a boom in stroller makers.<br />
<br />
By the 1920’s, Britain boasted over 200 pram makers—with an estimate three million strollers in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged in demand during that period. Immediately after the war, carriages (where babies lied flat) continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, stroller with seats started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, companies that made gear for babies continued to grow. The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing. Success in one category often led companies like Graco expand into other baby products. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
The quest to make baby strollers lighter and more portable got a major boast in the 1960's.<br />
<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller—it was designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Another crucial feature: the Maclaren stroller was made of made of lightweight, aircraft-quality aluminum. That was a first, as most strollers sold at the time were still made of steel. <br />
<br />
Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears. The company first marketed ornate prams or carriage strollers. These featured fine Italian fabrics and detailing and sold for premium prices. <br />
<br />
Another popular European stroller maker that made a splash in the US was Sweden's Emmaljunga. This company started in 1925 and saw its heyday in North America with a line of expensive prams in the 1960's and 70's.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the European stroller makers, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller exporter: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
Jogging strollers reached their peak of popularity in the 1990's. Baby Jogger, however, ran into financial difficulty in the early 2000's and declared bankruptcy. Baby Jogger was bought out of bankruptcy in 2003 by Dynamic Brands, which also owned several companies that made golf bags and accessories.<br />
<br />
The company was revived and later sold to Graco's owner (Newell Brands) in 2014.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=683Main Page2023-08-21T17:28:31Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* A Brief History of the Baby Stroller */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|First depiction of a baby in a stroller—Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan vase, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|Japanese painting from the14th century showing a Chinese baby pulled in a stroller.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Royal Baby Carriage: William Kent's Stroller For the Duke Of Devonshire, 1733 ===<br />
[[File:Duke of Devonshire stroller 1733.jpg|thumb|William Kent's stroller for the Duke of Devonshire—widely considered the first modern baby stroller.]]<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers from the 1800's in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Pushed Baby Strollers: mid 1800's ===<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century: The First Folding Baby Stroller. ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|The first baby stroller that folds: Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
The numerous innovations and patents for baby strollers in the early 20th century brought out a boom in stroller makers.<br />
<br />
By the 1920’s, Britain boasted over 200 pram makers—with an estimate three million strollers in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged in demand during that period. Immediately after the war, carriages (where babies lied flat) continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, stroller with seats started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, companies that made gear for babies continued to grow. The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing. Success in one category often led companies like Graco expand into other baby products. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
The quest to make baby strollers lighter and more portable got a major boast in the 1960's.<br />
<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller—it was designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Another crucial feature: the Maclaren stroller was made of made of lightweight, aircraft-quality aluminum. That was a first, as most strollers sold at the time were still made of steel. <br />
<br />
Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears. The company first marketed ornate prams or carriage strollers. These featured fine Italian fabrics and detailing and sold for premium prices. <br />
<br />
Another popular European stroller maker that made a splash in the US was Sweden's Emmaljunga. This company started in 1925 and saw its heyday in North America with a line of expensive prams in the 1960's and 70's.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the British and Italians, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller import: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=682Main Page2023-08-21T17:13:53Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Push not pull */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|First depiction of a baby in a stroller—Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan vase, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|Japanese painting from the14th century showing a Chinese baby pulled in a stroller.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Royal Baby Carriage: William Kent's Stroller For the Duke Of Devonshire, 1733 ===<br />
[[File:Duke of Devonshire stroller 1733.jpg|thumb|William Kent's stroller for the Duke of Devonshire—widely considered the first modern baby stroller.]]<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers from the 1800's in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Pushed Baby Strollers: mid 1800's ===<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the British and Italians, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller import: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Deutsches_Kinderwagonmuseum_(stroller_museum_in_Zeitz,_Germany).jpg&diff=681File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg2023-08-21T17:10:26Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: Strollerwikiadmin uploaded a new version of File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg</p>
<hr />
<div>Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany)</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=680Main Page2023-08-21T17:07:53Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* First known baby carriage */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|First depiction of a baby in a stroller—Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan vase, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|Japanese painting from the14th century showing a Chinese baby pulled in a stroller.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
=== The First Royal Baby Carriage: William Kent's Stroller For the Duke Of Devonshire, 1733 ===<br />
[[File:Duke of Devonshire stroller 1733.jpg|thumb|William Kent's stroller for the Duke of Devonshire—widely considered the first modern baby stroller.]]<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers from the 1800's in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the British and Italians, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller import: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Duke_of_Devonshire_stroller_1733.jpg&diff=679File:Duke of Devonshire stroller 1733.jpg2023-08-21T17:07:12Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>William Kent's stroller for the Duke of Devonshire—widely considered the first modern baby stroller.</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=678Main Page2023-08-21T17:05:18Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* A Brief History of the Baby Stroller */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|First depiction of a baby in a stroller—Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan vase, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|Japanese painting from the14th century showing a Chinese baby pulled in a stroller.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
=== First known baby carriage ===<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers from the 1800's in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the British and Italians, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller import: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=677Main Page2023-08-21T16:55:02Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site! */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
==== First known baby carriage ====<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the British and Italians, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller import: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=676Main Page2023-08-21T16:53:23Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* A Brief History of the Baby Stroller */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
Architect William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier than 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to portrays Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Along that same vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century also shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, beyond this vase and painting there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in ancient historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. <br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Wheeled toys have been found in Egypt, Rome and Greece as well as India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America. This has lead some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which were imported from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
==== First known baby carriage ====<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his (the Duke's) children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest includes snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation didn't actually spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers would become standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built his first baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams, the Naether Stroller Factory.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, steel frames, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes. Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== Early 20th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”), which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ==<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ==<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear categories. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to create the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the British and Italians, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller import: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replaced the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller named the Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was intended as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category of its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers has its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy, one of the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and WONDERFOLD, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=675Main Page2023-08-21T16:31:45Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Rise of the Imports: British Invasion */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.<br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
==== First known baby carriage ====<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes (PHOTO from German Museum). Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== 19th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and with three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”) pg 23 which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
=== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ===<br />
[[File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg|alt=Taylor Tot, 1940s|thumb|Taylor Tot, 1940s]]<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
=== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ===<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
[[File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg|alt=Peg Perego pram, 1970s|thumb|Peg Perego pram, 1970s]]<br />
<br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.<br />
<br />
== Birth of Baby Gear Companies ==<br />
The post-World War II economy saw another development that impacted the stroller market: the birth of baby gear companies.<br />
<br />
Unlike companies that specialized in one product, these corporations expanded into a myriad of baby gear companies. Among the earliest was Evenflo, which started in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Specialty Company in Ravenna, Ohio making rubber baby bottle nipples. By pairing the nipples with glass bottles made by nearby glass manufacturers in Pittsburgh, the Evenflo baby bottle was born. Soon Evenflo expanded into other categories like nursery furniture and strollers.<br />
<br />
In 1955, Graco introduced the first wind-up swing—and soon expanded into other baby product like strollers by the 1970’s.<br />
<br />
Another early pioneer of modern strollers was Century, which got its start in 1961 with the launch of a baby seat/carrier called the TotToter. This eventually morphed into the first infant car seat with a stay-in-the-car base, launched in 1986.<br />
<br />
Century then paired this infant car seat with a stroller to become the first travel system in the early 1990’s. <br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: Japan ==<br />
[[File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg|alt=Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s|thumb|Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s]]<br />
Along with the British and Italians, the 1980’s saw the rise of another successful stroller import: Japan.<br />
<br />
The two biggest Japanese stroller makers, Aprica and Combi, were popular in the 1980’s for their high-end, lightweight strollers. By 1985, Aprica was selling 200,000 strollers a year in the US. These premium strollers sold for $200 in 1985 or about $545 in today’s dollars.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/12/business/now-japan-s-stroller-invasion.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Japanese strollers took the Maclaren umbrella stroller and replacing the two handles with a single handle that could collapse. Made of lightweight aluminum, these strollers weighed as little as 7.7 lbs.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, US stroller companies figured out a way to make lightweight strollers at lower price and the Japanese strollers declined in popularity in the 2000’s.<br />
<br />
== The Jogging Stroller ==<br />
Sometimes fitness crazes translated into stroller advancements. Case in point: jogging.<br />
[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<br />
Even though the jogging craze got its start in the 1960’s, it really took it off the 1970’s. Runner Phil Baechler wanted to take his baby with him on runs, so he thought of marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller with a sling-style seat. The Baby Jogger was born in 1984.<br />
<br />
== Rise of the Imports: New Zealand and the All-Terrain Stroller ==<br />
New Zealand engineer Alan Croad saw a picture of the Baby Jogger in a parenting magazine and thought about adapting it for outdoor adventures in New Zealand. He swapped the large tires with smaller wheels and (eventually) a turnable front wheel. The all-terrain, tri-wheel stroller Mountain Buggy Jungle debuted in 1992.<br />
<br />
Fellow Kiwi stroller maker Phil & Teds added to the all-terrain craze with an “in-line buggy” that could transport two kids.<br />
<br />
== The Dudes Arrive: Daddy Designers ==<br />
[[File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg|alt=Bugaboo Frog, 2001|thumb|Bugaboo Frog, 2001]]<br />
The rise of industrial designers and daddy bloggers brought another new type of stroller in the early 200’s: the Dude Stroller.<br />
<br />
Designer Max Barenburg conceived a stroller as part of a college design project that eventually became the Bugaboo. Unlike other strollers on the market at the time, the Bugaboo was aimed as a luxury purchase for urban parents, including dads frustrated with too-short stroller handles (the Bugaboo had a height-adjustable handle).<br />
<br />
The Bugaboo was a modular stroller with bassinet and stroller seat that could be interchanged on a stroller frame.<br />
<br />
About the same time in Germany, designer Martin Pos launched Cybex to “marry design and technology in one.”<br />
<br />
The success of the first Bugaboo (the Frog) brought a host of knock-offs, including UPPAbaby. Their main innovation was the addition of a second seat—making the single-to-double stroller a category upon its own.<br />
<br />
With moms waiting till later in life to have babies, the turn of the century also saw a new trend called age compression: having children closer in age than before. To address this, modular strollers like the UPPAbaby Vista entered the market. One stroller that could expand to accommodate a second baby was a hit.<br />
<br />
== Rise of Imports: China. ==<br />
[[File:Delta Luv Buggy stroller, 1980's.jpg|alt=Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s|thumb|Vintage Delta Luv Buggy, 1980s]]<br />
The rapid growth of Chinese-made baby strollers had its roots in the 1980’s. Among the first US hits was the Delta Luvy Buggy that was among the first metal strollers that could quickly fold.<br />
<br />
By the 2010’s, China became the number one source for the manufacture of baby strollers. Goodbaby (among others) dominated the manufacture of strollers and later decided to market their own strollers to consumers.<br />
<br />
Goodbaby started out as a manufacturer for other brands before purchasing the Evenflo and Cybex brands to have more control over the supply chain. <br />
<br />
== 2020’s craze: Stroller Wagon ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon|thumb|WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quado Stroller Wagon]]<br />
By the 2010’s and 2020’s, a hybrid of strollers and wagons gained popularity. First debuting with Keenz and Wonderfold, the stroller wagon could hold up to four kids but still could be pushed or pulled with a handle.<br />
<br />
Storage is a big plus with stroller wagons allowing parents to pack enough snacks and accessories to get through excursions to the zoo, the beach and more.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Bugaboo_Frog,_2001.jpg&diff=674File:Bugaboo Frog, 2001.jpg2023-08-21T16:25:57Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Bugaboo Frog, 2001</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Aprica_Concor_Mini_Easy_Fold_N_Go_Stroller,_1980s.jpg&diff=673File:Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s.jpg2023-08-21T16:17:40Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Aprica Concor Mini Easy Fold N Go Stroller, 1980s</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Taylor_Tot,_1940s.jpg&diff=672File:Taylor Tot, 1940s.jpg2023-08-21T16:06:52Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Taylor Tot, 1940s</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Peg_Perego_pram,_1970s.jpg&diff=671File:Peg Perego pram, 1970s.jpg2023-08-21T15:58:38Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Peg Perego pram, 1970s</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=670Main Page2023-08-18T20:37:33Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.<br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
==== First known baby carriage ====<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes (PHOTO from German Museum). Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== 19th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and with three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”) pg 23 which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
=== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ===<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
=== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ===<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=669Main Page2023-08-18T20:37:19Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.<br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
==== First known baby carriage ====<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes (PHOTO from German Museum). Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== 19th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and with three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”) pg 23 which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
=== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ===<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<br />
<br />
=== Rise of the Imports: British Invasion ===<br />
[[File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg|alt=Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s|thumb|Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s]]<br />
In 1965, British engineer Owen Maclaren, a former test pilot, designed the first “umbrella” stroller, made of lightweight, aircraft aluminum and designed to fold into a compact design similar to an umbrella. Maclaren imagined his new stroller would allow parents to travel the world more easily.<ref>https://shop.maclarenbaby.com/history-heritage?ctr#:~:text=In%201965%20in%20rural%20England,baby%20wheeling%20around%20a%20bulky</ref><br />
<br />
On the heels of the British invasion, the Italians came to the US as well in the 60’s—Italian stroller maker Peg Perego set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be close to their largest customer, Sears.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Maclaren_umbrella_stroller,_1960s.jpg&diff=668File:Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s.jpg2023-08-18T20:36:39Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Maclaren umbrella stroller, 1960s</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=667Main Page2023-08-18T20:34:40Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.<br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
==== First known baby carriage ====<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes (PHOTO from German Museum). Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== 19th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and with three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”) pg 23 which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
=== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ===<br />
Imagine adding 4.24 million babies to the US population every year. That actually happened between 1946 and 1964.<ref>https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom</ref> With that many babies born each year (and that’s just an average per year; some years had more), it’s no surprise that baby products from cradles to high chairs to strollers also surged during that period. Immediately after the war, baby carriages continued to be popular, but by the 1950’s to 1960’s, strollers started to make inroads with young parents.<ref>http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Pa-Re/Pram.html</ref><br />
<br />
Why? Americans moved to the suburbs, had more leisure time and had more money to spend.<br />
<br />
The suburbs had miles of paved sidewalks and streets—and the stroller boom took off.<br />
<br />
The post World War II baby boom gave rise to baby gear companies like Evenflo (which started as a bottle maker) and Graco, which launched in 1957 with a swing.<br />
<br />
Unlike the bulky prams of the 1930’s and 40’s, new strollers were smaller and more compact. A good example was the Taylor Tot, made by the Frank Taylor Company of Cincinnati, OH.<br />
<br />
This stroller featured a metal chair, frame and wheels—more like a tricycle with a push handle than a modern stroller.<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=666Main Page2023-08-18T20:30:17Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Before the modern era */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.<br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
==== First known baby carriage ====<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
==== Push not pull ====<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes (PHOTO from German Museum). Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
<br />
==== 19th Century ====<br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and with three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”) pg 23 which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
=== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ===<br />
<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=665Main Page2023-08-18T20:23:07Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* A Brief History of the Baby Stroller */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.<br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes (PHOTO from German Museum). Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and with three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”) pg 23 which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
=== Baby Boom: Post War Surge in Baby Gear ===<br />
<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=664Main Page2023-08-18T20:22:09Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Before the modern era */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.<br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
Prior to 1848, all baby carriages were pulled by pony, dog or goat. Charles Burton, an American inventor, designed the first baby stroller that could be pushed by an adult. He took his design to London in 1848, where he successfully introduced it to the British. He adopted an existing expression for “walking about” to name his stroller—perambulator, later shortening the term to pram.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
The word “perambulator” dates back to the 1560’s: <blockquote>“walk through, about, or over," 1560s, from Latin perambulatus, past participle of perambulare "to walk through, go through, ramble through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + ambulare "to walk, go about" (see amble (v.)). Related: Perambulated; perambulating.<ref>https://www.etymonline.com/word/perambulate</ref></blockquote>Changes in parenting styles (and the expansion of the middle class in England) also factored into the rise of the stroller.<br />
<br />
Instead of keeping children at home, popular English pastimes like Sunday promenades for health and social interaction promoted introducing children to the outside world sooner. The baby carriage made that interaction much easier for stylish young parents.<br />
<br />
The British became leaders in pram production in the late 1800’s. You can find numerous examples of British prams at historical museums with their very high wheels, suspensions, bassinette-style wicker baskets, leather hoods and brakes (PHOTO from German Museum). Seat belts were patented for baby carriages in 1884.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref><br />
<br />
In 1888, African American inventor William H. Richardson patented the first reversible carriage basket and in 1894 the British patented a reversible handle.<ref>https://patents.google.com/patent/US405600A/en</ref><br />
[[File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg|alt=Allwin Folding Stroller|thumb|Allwin Folding Stroller, circa 1904]]<br />
The first patent for a folding baby stroller in the US was issued in 1904. The Allwin was made by the Sidway Mercantile Company in Elkhart, IN. They were also called the “Go-cart from Elkhart.”<ref>https://mcleodhistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/2BAD2E47-9031-4E9A-9167-150378652989</ref><br />
<br />
By the 1920’s Britain boasted over 200 pram makers and with three million units in use by 1923.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/d44d4702-7cc5-39e9-910f-06d0017ec3fc?seq=1</ref> Wheels in the 20’s and 30’s got smaller and the first pushchair, ancestor of the modern stroller, first appeared. Pushchairs were not as popular as prams, however.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in the US, several famous baby carriage makes continue to prosper.<br />
<br />
F.A. Whitney Carriage Co. was founded in Leominster, MA in 1858 and patented a reversible handle in 1876.<br />
<br />
Up until 1881, the company made the baby carriage bodies out of wood. In 1881, F.A. Whitney began experimenting with wicker (made of willow). Later in 1904, the company began making paper wicker (“twisted paper pregnated with glue sizing”) pg 23 which they patented. The paper lasted longer (if taken care of) than the willow reed wicker, which dried out and cracked.<ref>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=1</ref><br />
<br />
Many of US baby carriage makers didn’t survive the Great Depression and rationing of materials during World War II. F.A. Whitney closed its doors in 1952.<br />
<br />
<references /></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Allwin_Folding_Stroller.jpg&diff=663File:Allwin Folding Stroller.jpg2023-08-18T20:15:48Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Allwin Folding Stroller</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=662Main Page2023-08-18T20:10:42Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Brief History of the Baby Stroller ==<br />
William Kent is widely considered the father of the modern baby stroller, designing a carriage for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But was this really the first baby stroller?<br />
<br />
=== Before the modern era ===<br />
[[File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg|alt=Theft of Apollo's cattle|thumb|Theft of Apollo's cattle, Etruscan, 520 BCE<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref>]]<br />
There are a few references to conveyances used to carry babies and children earlier that 1733. A 520 BCE Etruscan vase depicting Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle is said to depict Hermes as a baby in a wheeled conveyance—although this looks more like a wheeled cradle than a stroller.<ref><nowiki>https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101068130804&seq=15</nowiki> </ref><br />
<br />
Oddly, there are no references to wheeled baby carriages in Egyptian, Roman or Greek historical documents—most babies were carried during this part of history. However, wheeled toys were quite common.<br />
[[File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg|alt=14th Century Chinese Baby stroller|thumb|14th Century Chinese Baby stroller<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref>]]<br />
Along that vein, a Japanese painting from the 14<sup>th</sup> century shows a Chinese baby in a carriage with wheels pulled by a rope.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
Wheeled toys were also found in India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and even Meso-America, leading some to believe that wheeled carriages and carts were also common. However, it wasn’t until improvements in roads and pavement that chariots, wheeled carriages and large wagons were used broadly. In England, enclosed carriages for passengers were first introduced in 1555.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/technology/coach-horse-drawn-vehicle</ref><br />
<br />
That’s not to say parents didn’t adapt carts and small wagons to multiple uses including carrying children. An example are the hop wagons in Kent in the UK, which came from Europe in the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/41356294</ref><br />
<br />
A watershed moment in baby strollers came in 1733. A landscape architect working for the Duke of Devonshire, William Kent, designed the first baby stroller as a way to “amuse his children in transit.” <br />
<br />
Designed to be pulled by ponies, dogs or goats, the Duke of Devonshire’s Chatsworth Serpent Pram was named for snakes that adorned the carriage (the Duke of Devonshire’s crest has snakes). Given the extravagant cost of the carriage, this one-off creation wasn’t intended to spur an industry of baby buggies.<br />
<br />
It would take another century—and the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the middle class—before strollers became standard parenting equipment.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the 1830’s when the first craftsmen began building and selling baby carriages. The Industrial Revolution and world-wide trade made it possible to build quantities of baby carriages. Benjamin Potter Crandall and his son Jesse marketed the first baby carriages in the US in the 1830’s. Jesse later invented several improvements including a brake and parasol.<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-baby-carriages-4075936</ref><br />
<br />
At the same time, the US market for baby carriage makers was booming. Many of these companies were located in Massachusetts. In Greenfield, MA, J.P. Prentice built a baby carriage for his daughter, who was born in 1835. Greenfield later became known as a center of baby carriage manufacturing as fellow stroller makers Henry Warner, J. Morris Munson and Frank and Samuel Boylston set up shop in the area.<br />
[[File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg|alt=the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum|thumb|Selection of antique and vintage strollers in the Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).]]<br />
Meanwhile in Europe, the Germans began making carriage strollers in Zeitz, Germany in 1846 when Albert Naether founded his workshop. It later grew into one of Europe’s largest maker of baby carriages and prams.<ref>https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/deutsches-kinderwagenmuseum-german-stroller-museum</ref></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Deutsches_Kinderwagonmuseum_(stroller_museum_in_Zeitz,_Germany).jpg&diff=661File:Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany).jpg2023-08-18T20:09:59Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Deutsches Kinderwagonmuseum (stroller museum in Zeitz, Germany)</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Theft_of_Apollo%27s_cattle.jpg&diff=660File:Theft of Apollo's cattle.jpg2023-08-18T19:58:59Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Theft of Apollo's cattle</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:Duke_of_Devonshire%27s_Chatsworth_Serpent_Pram,_1733.webp&diff=659File:Duke of Devonshire's Chatsworth Serpent Pram, 1733.webp2023-08-18T19:51:42Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>Duke of Devonshire's Chatsworth Serpent Pram, 1733</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=File:14th_Century_Chinese_Baby_stroller.jpg&diff=658File:14th Century Chinese Baby stroller.jpg2023-08-18T19:46:34Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>14th Century Chinese Baby stroller</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=657Main Page2023-08-10T21:13:41Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . the name [[UPPAbaby]] comes from the founder's daughter, Makena, would say “uppa, uppa” when she wanted to be picked up.<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=656Main Page2023-08-10T21:11:51Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for "buggy"—and bugaboo was nearby?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=655Main Page2023-08-10T21:10:38Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site! */</p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for buggy—and bugaboo was near by?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=654Main Page2023-08-10T21:09:12Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
<br />
|[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|alt=The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.|thumb|The first Baby Jogger as it appeared in the mid 1980's.]]<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for buggy—and bugaboo was near by?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Gb&diff=653Gb2023-08-10T21:05:55Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>gb (Goodbaby) is the largest manufacturer of baby strollers in the world.<br />
<br />
Although the brand is relatively new to North America, the company traces its history back to 1989. Goodbaby spent decades making strollers for other gear companies: Dorel (Cosco, Safety 1st, Maxi Cosi), Evenflo and Cybex. By 1999, Goodbaby had become the largest manufacturer of strollers sold in the US.<br />
<br />
By 2009, Goodbaby became the ''world's'' largest maker of strollers with an estimated one-third market share (that is, one out of every three strollers sold worldwide was made by Goodbaby).<br />
<br />
In 2014, Goodbaby purchased [[Cybex]] and [[Evenflo]]. The company has also sold strollers under various names at different retailers, namely Urbini at Walmart in the mid 2010's (the debut was 2014).<br />
<br />
Also in 2014, Goodbaby had its first hit stroller under the gb brand—the gb Pockit, which was among the first ultra-compact travel stroller.<br />
<br />
As a public company in China, Goodbaby reports its sales. In its most recent fiscal year (2022), Goodbaby reported overall sales of $1.06 billion (USD). Among their divisions, Cybex sales were $420.4 million in 2022, while Evenflo racked up $294.9 million. gb makes up the balance, although this brand is mostly focused on China.<br />
<br />
As of this writing, Goodbaby sells strollers in the US under three brands: [[Cybex]], [[Evenflo]] and gb. This page focuses on gb.<br />
<br />
gb's stroller line (sold in the US) is fairly small, including only two model names: the Pockit and the Qbit. There are three versions of the Pockit plus the Qbit for a total of four strollers sold in the US. <br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: gb Pockit ==<br />
[[File:Gb Pockit Air All Terrain Ultra Compact Travel Stroller.jpg|alt=Gb Pockit Air All Terrain Ultra Compact Travel Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/44SJmr5 Gb Pockit Air All Terrain Ultra Compact Travel Stroller]]]<br />
gb's claim to fame (at least at the time of its debut) is the smallest-folding stroller on the market: the '''gb Pockit Air All-Terrain''' (10.4 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3Q8SLq2 see price on Amazon]). Despite its size, the Pockit still has a carry capacity of 55 lbs. Other key features include: <br />
<br />
* Breathable mesh fabric.<br />
* Four lockable, swivel front wheels.<br />
* Sun visor.<br />
* Standing fold.<br />
* Folded dimensions: 11.8 x 7.1 x 13.8". This is the size of a briefcase!<br />
* Storage basket<br />
<br />
Because the Pockit ''does not'' have a reclining seat back, this stroller is best for babies over 6 months who can hold their heads up. Another con: the stroller's features are minimal, in order to keep the size and weight low. This is a very basic stroller—very basic canopy, no cup holder, no parent tray, etc.<br />
<br />
Accessories like a [https://amzn.to/3K2HNyI carry bag] and seat liner are available at an additional charge.<br />
<br />
The '''gb Pockit+ All-City''' (13.2, [https://amzn.to/3Ol4yAC see price on Amazon]) is a slightly fancier version of the Pockit with a reclining seat, extra large sun canopy, front wheel suspension, and compatibility with car seats from Cybex. It does not have lockable swivel front wheels. The folded size of the All City is larger than the Pockit Air All-Terrain at 12.6 x 7.9 x 18.9", likely because of the added canopy.<br />
<br />
The third version of the Pockit, the '''gb Pockit+ All-Terrain''' (12.3 lbs., [https://amzn.to/44Rjj3g see price on Amazon]), has similar features to the All City but adds in the lockable swivel front wheels. The folded size of this version is in between the Pockit Air All-Terrain and the Pockit+ All City at 13.4 x 7.9 x 16.5".<br />
<br />
== Qbit Strollers ==<br />
[[File:Gb QBit+ All-City Stroller.jpg|alt=Gb QBit+ All-City Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3rDBPhb Gb QBit+ All-City Stroller]]]<br />
gb's other stroller is the Qbit+. The original Qbit was a lightweight (14 lb.) stroller with limited recline, canopy, compact fold (but not as compact as the Pockit) and narrow profile. <br />
<br />
The '''Qbit+ All-City''' (17.16 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3DpNqmF see price on Amazon]) replaced the original Qbit and with various upgrades: a deeper seat recline, all-wheel suspension, Cybex infant car seat compatibility, self-standing fold, large canopy, and bumper bar.<br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
As of this writing, there are no safety recalls for gb strollers.<br />
<br />
== Does gb Pockit recline? ==<br />
The Pockit Air All-Terrain does ''not'' have a reclining seat. However,, the Pockit+ All-City and the Pockit+ All-Terrain versions do have partial seat reclines.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=652Main Page2023-08-10T20:22:19Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
* . . . [[Thule|Thule was founded in 1942]] by Eric Thulin to make fishing gear?<br />
* . . . the [[Doona|Doona stroller]] was named after the founder's daughter, Danielle?<br />
* . . . [[Bugaboo|Bugaboo strollers]] got their name because the owner was searching the dictionary for buggy—and bugaboo was near by?<br />
* . . . [[Britax]] started as a maker of seat belts for motorcycles and autos in 1938?<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]]<br />
|}</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Century&diff=651Century2023-08-10T20:13:20Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:TotToter by Century.jpg|alt=TotToter by Century|thumb|Century's first product, the TotToter.]]<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>Century is one of the US's oldest baby gear brands, tracing its history back to 1961 with the launch of a baby carrier/seat called the TotToter. This was followed in 1979 by the Kanga Rock & Roo, a seat that had the ability to rock.<br />
[[File:Century 4 in 1 travel system.jpg|alt=The first travel system that combined a car seat and stroller—the Century 4-in-1 travel system debuted in 1993.|thumb|The first travel system that combined a car seat and stroller—the Century 4-in-1 travel system debuted in 1993.]]<br />
Both of these seats morphed into what we know as an infant car seat when Century introduced the first car seat with a stay-in-the-car base in 1986: the Century 590. Century's next big innovation was the invention of the modern-day travel system, when they paired an infant car seat with a stroller. <br />
<br />
This was a ground-breaking product—prior to the travel system, babies either were placed in a pram-like stroller with a bassinet or fully reclining seat . . . or carried in an infant car seat or carrier. The travel system enabled a parent to remove the car seat from a stay-in-the-car base and snap it into a stroller. <br />
<br />
The success of the travel system led Century to launch additional strollers. By the late 90's, Century's sales had topped $115 million.<br />
<br />
In 1998, Century was acquired by Graco for $77.5 million, which itself was soon acquired by Rubbermaid (today known as Newell). Graco only purchased Century's stroller and car seat business. Century's Okla Homer Smith nursery furniture business was sold to Dorel in 1998.<br />
<br />
Graco promptly mothballed the Century brand name and it soon disappeared from the market. Century's strollers were rebranded as Graco products.<br />
<br />
In 2021, Graco resurrceted the brand, relaunching it with an eco spin.<br />
<br />
"After some time away to rethink and reflect, Century relaunches, reimagined and reinvigorated," according to their website.<ref>https://www.centurybaby.com/our-story.html</ref> <br />
<br />
The new Century's focus is on sustainability—the Happy Planet collection is the first offering. The fabrics used in many Century products, including strollers, are made from recycled plastics. They also claim their packaging and production is low impact.<br />
<br />
Century has a small stroller line made up of lightweight strollers (including a tandem double) and a modular stroller. The company divides the line into Stroll On and Swap On products.<br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: Century Stroll On ==<br />
[[File:Century Stroll On 3-Wheel Lightweight Stroller.jpg|alt=Century Stroll On 3-Wheel Lightweight Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3Q26r6u Century Stroll On 3-Wheel Lightweight Stroller]]]<br />
The '''Century Stroll On 3-Wheel Lightweight Stroller''' (15 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3Q26r6u see price on Amazon]) is Century's most popular iteration of the Stroll-On group (see below for other versions). As the name implies, this stroller has one double wheel in front and two double wheels in back. The stroller is lightweight at 15 lbs. Additional features include: <br />
<br />
* Multi-position reclining seat.<br />
* Compact, self-standing fold.<br />
* Child's tray plus parent tray with cup holders.<br />
* Compatible with [https://amzn.to/43rZu1m Century Carry On 35 Lightweight Infant Car Seat] (sold separately or as a [https://amzn.to/44MhRz8 travel system]).<br />
* Adjustable canopy.<br />
* Fabrics made of recycled materials.<br />
* Large basket.<br />
* Canopy.<br />
<br />
Negatives for the Stroll On include "cheap wheels that don't work well or break" (say some parents). The seat doesn't recline flat so it isn't appropriate for infants (unless you buy the travel system version with the car seat) and the canopy could be bigger.<br />
<br />
The Stroll On is also available as a four wheel stroller (called the '''Century Stroll On 4-Wheel Lightweight Stroller''', 15 lbs. [https://amzn.to/46PS4rD see price on Amazon]) and as a tandem twin stroller (called the '''Century® Stroll On™ Duo Lightweight Double Stroller'''; 24 lbs., [https://amzn.to/44l2HRI see price on Amazon)].<br />
<br />
== Swap On Modular Stroller ==<br />
[[File:Century Swap On Modular Stroller.jpg|alt=Century Swap On Modular Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/46U6bMU Century Swap On Modular Stroller]]]<br />
Century has one other stroller offering, the '''Swap On Modular Strolle'''r (17.8 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3NZvOTw see price on Amazon]). The Swap On comes with a toddler seat that reverses, a compact self-standing fold, canopy with extendable visor, multi position seat back, parent cup holder, child's tray and large basket.<br />
<br />
The Swap On is also sold as a [https://amzn.to/46PDnoD travel system] with the Century Carry On 35 infant car seat. <br />
<br />
What makes the Swap On modular? You can remove the toddler seat and replace it with the [https://amzn.to/3DkIAax '''Swap On Bassinet''']. The bassinet can also be placed on a [https://amzn.to/3Dfpr9S '''Swap On Modular 2-in-1 Stand'''] if baby falls asleep and you don't want to wake him up. Both the bassinet and stand are separate purchases.<br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
There are no safety recalls (for the relaunched Century version) as of this writing.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=650Main Page2023-08-10T20:12:58Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div>=== <strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong> ===<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+<br />
!Did you know . . . <br />
|-<br />
|<br />
* . . . [[Baby Jogger|the first baby jogging stroller design was inspired by Double A Fuel dragsters?]] <br />
|-<br />
|• . . . <br />
|-<br />
|<br />
|}</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Peg_Perego&diff=649Peg Perego2023-08-10T19:44:36Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Flagship Model: Booklet 50 */</p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>Peg Perego, an Italian stroller brand, is one of the few stroller makers worldwide that does not produce its strollers in China.<br />
[[File:Lucio Perego in one of the first Peg Perego strollers created by Guiseppe Perego..jpg|alt=Lucio Perego in one of the first Peg Perego strollers created by Guiseppe Perego.|thumb|Lucio Perego in one of the first Peg Perego strollers created by Guiseppe Perego.]]<br />
The company was founded in 1949 by Giuseppe Pérego, who designed a baby carriage for his son. Unlike other strollers that used wicker and sheet metal, Perego used "rubberized fabric" as the seat base. The strollers proved to be popular and the Peg Perego company was launched.<br />
<br />
The company expanded into different juvenile categories in the 1970's and 1980's, including car seats, high chairs and toys (ride-on vehicles). <br />
<br />
Peg Perego was among the first European stroller brands to expand sales to the US, landing in the US in the 1960's. The company set up shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1968. <br />
<br />
Why Fort Wayne? Nick Perego, grandson of Giuseppe Pérego, explained in an interview with the Fort Wayne Business Weekly in 2019<ref>https://www.fwbusiness.com/news/latest/article_3c53d0c4-958e-5d7e-974a-c46f152a91f6.html</ref>:<br />
<br />
"Having operations in Toronto, Indiana looked like a perfect fit because of the logistical aspects of being in center of the country. Also we had a need to be close to Chicago where Sears was headquartered. Sears was pretty much the Amazon of the time.”<ref>https://www.fwbusiness.com/news/latest/article_3c53d0c4-958e-5d7e-974a-c46f152a91f6.html</ref><br />
<br />
Unlike other stroller brands that off-shore production to China, Peg Perego strollers are still made in the company's factories outside Milan, Italy (textiles for its strollers are made in a company-owned facility in Romania). The only exception to European production was a brief time during the 2000's when Perego made one model, the Aria, in China.<br />
<br />
Peg Perego's heyday sales-wise was in the 1980's and 90's, when its strollers dominated the premium stroller category. In the 2000's, increased competition in that segment from [[Bugaboo]] and [[UPPAbaby]] dimmed the company's fortunes to some degree. The company was also slow to innovate, only joining the modular (single-to-double) and ultra-compact stroller segments long after the competition came to market. <br />
<br />
In recent years, Peg Perego rolled out a sub-brand, Agio that marketed the same strollers as Perego, with somewhat different colors/fashions and an enhanced warranty. Peg Perego offers a 2-year warranty, while Agio offers a 5-year warranty. <br />
<br />
Peg Perego strollers can be divided into four categories: single-to-double strollers, full-size, compact and double strollers.<br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: Booklet 50 ==<br />
[[File:Peg Perego Booklet 50.jpg|alt=Peg Perego Booklet 50|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3WCRBEO Peg Perego Booklet 50]]]<br />
The '''[https://amzn.to/3IAjrLW Booklet 50]''' (20 lbs., see [https://amzn.to/3IAjrLW latest price on Amazon]) is a classic Perego stroller—lightweight with a compact, one-hand, self-standing fold. It works natively with the Peg Perego line of infant car seats. <br />
<br />
The Peg Perego Booklet 50 is 20 inches wide, providing mobility through narrow store aisles or crowded sidewalks. The extendable hood of the stroller is UPF 50 + and has a protective visor. The wheels have ball bearings and a suspension system, for a smoother ride over rough terrain. The basket is expandable, although it is hard to access when the seat is reclined. <br />
<br />
The plastic wheels on the Booklet 50 are somewhat unusual in this price range, as are the lack of convenience items like a cup holder or rain cover (both available as extra accessories). <br />
<br />
== Other Peg Perego models: Selfie, Ypsi/Stroller Z4, Veloce ==<br />
[[File:Peg Perego Selfie.jpg|alt=Peg Perego Selfie|thumb|[https://amzn.to/43rmH4o Peg Perego Selfie]]]<br />
The '''Peg Perego''' '''Selfie''' (19.8 lbs, see [https://amzn.to/43rmH4o latest price on Amazon]) is an ultra-compact stroller:<br />
<br />
* Lightweight and compact: The Selfie weighs just 19.8 lbs. and folds up to a compact size that can easily be stored in the trunk of a car or carried onto public transportation.<br />
* Self-folding: The Selfie folds automatically with just a push of a button, making it easy to store and transport.<br />
* One-handed operation: The Selfie can be opened, closed, and steered with just one hand.<br />
* Adjustable seat: The Selfie's seat can be reclined to multiple positions.<br />
* Large canopy.<br />
* Compatible with car seats: The Selfie can be used with select Peg Perego car seats, without the need of an adapter.<br />
[[File:Peg Perego Ypsi.jpg|alt=Peg Perego Ypsi|thumb|[https://amzn.to/45trcNz Peg Perego Ypsi]]]<br />
The '''Peg Perego Ypsi''' (22.5 lbs., also known as the Agio Z4, see [https://amzn.to/3MrEhhy latest price on Amazon]) is a full-featured, expandable stroller that features a reversible seat facing the parent or facing the world, a large canopy that provides shade from the sun, and a reclining seat that can be adjusted to multiple positions. The Ypsi also has a large basket for storing baby gear, and it folds compactly for easy transport.<br />
<br />
The Ypsi is also a single-to-double stroller—a "companion seat" can be added as an accessory. Hence, this model is much like the [[UPPAbaby|UPPAbaby Vista]]. Here are some of the key features of the Peg Perego Stroller Ypsi:<br />
<br />
* Reversible seat: The seat can be used facing the parent or facing the world.<br />
* Large canopy: The canopy provides shade from the sun and has a peek-a-boo window so you can check on your child without disturbing them.<br />
* Reclining seat: The seat can be reclined to multiple positions.<br />
* Large basket.<br />
* Compact fold: It folds compactly for easy transport, making it perfect for travel or storing in small spaces.<br />
<br />
Confusingly, Perego markets Ypsi also as the Z4 and sometimes as the Agio Z4. While these are identical models, the Ypsi comes in different colors (4 for the Z4 versus 6 for the Ypsi). The Z4 is priced somewhat higher than the Ypsi by about $50. <br />
[[File:Peg Perego Veloce.jpg|alt=Peg Perego Veloce|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3BXYLcY Peg Perego Veloce]]]<br />
The '''Peg Perego Veloce ('''23.75 lbs., see [https://amzn.to/3BSApS6 latest price on Amazon]) is also in the full-featured part of the Perego line and features a reversible seat. It has large wheels in back and smaller wheels in front, similar to [[Bugaboo]] models. <br />
<br />
The '''Peg Perego Vivace''' (20.7 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3s4Ey3N see latest price on Amazon)] is similar to the Veloce, as it also has a reversible seat. However, it is somewhat lighter in weight (by 3 lbs.) and narrower in width. It also has smaller back wheels. <br />
<br />
== Double Strollers: Pliko Mini Twin, Book for Two, Duette Piroet ==<br />
Peg Perego has long marketed strollers for multiples, with both side-by-side and tandem (front/back) models.<br />
[[File:Peg Perego Pliko Mini Twin.jpg|alt=Peg Perego Pliko Mini Twin|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3MU2nDi Peg Perego Pliko Mini Twin]]]<br />
'''Pliko Mini Twin''' (24 lbs., see [https://amzn.to/3ONhyPM latest price on Amazon]) is a lightweight, compact side-by-side double stroller. It weighs just 24 lbs. and folds compactly (38.25" x 30.25" 21"). Each side has an independent canopy with mesh at the back for ventilation. The storage basket is somewhat small and shallow, with a bar at the back that somewhat blocks access. When the seats are reclined, it is also difficult to access the basket.<br />
[[File:Peg Perego Book for Two.jpg|alt=Peg Perego Book for Two|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3BTFMR5 Peg Perego Book for Two]]]<br />
The '''Book For Two''' (30 lbs., see [https://amzn.to/3OA5qlj latest price on Amazon]) is also a side-by-side double stroller with a notable differences when compared with the Pliko Mini Twin. The Book for Two is car seat compatible (and can hold two infant seats at the same time). It also has a single handlebar in back (versus the umbrella style handles of the Pliko.)<br />
<br />
The Book for Two has seats with independent canopies and a basket that is more accessible compared to the Pliko. Other features include larger polyurethane wheels in back with smaller wheels up front. The narrow 29" width allows this stroller to fit through most doorways. On the downside, the Book For Two weighs six more lbs. than the Pliko Mini Twin.<br />
<br />
The '''Duette Pireot''' (44.7 lbs., [https://us.pegperego.com/store/pegus/en_US/stroller-for-multiples/duette-piroet/p/IP0828NA00BA53 see latest price here]) is a tandem (front/back) model with seats that can face forward or rear—the seats sit on a frame and operate independently. So the seats could face each other, or both face the parent and so on. The frame can also accommodate two infant car seats.<br />
<br />
The Duette Pireot also can fold with or without the stroller seats and has canopies above the seats. Like the Book for Two, there are larger polyurethane wheels in back with smaller wheels up front. <br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
In 2012, Peg Perego recalled 223,000 strollers due to a risk of entrapment and strangulation. "The recall involves two different older versions of the Peg Perego strollers, Venezia and Pliko-P3, manufactured between January 2004 and September 2007, in a variety of colors. They were manufactured prior to the existence of the January 2008 voluntary industry standard which addresses the height of the opening between the stroller's tray and the seat bottom. The voluntary standard requires larger stroller openings that prevent infant entrapment and strangulation hazards," said the CPSC.<ref>https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2012/Peg-Perego-Recalls-Strollers-Due-to-Risk-of-Entrapment-and-Strangulation-One-Child-Death-Reported</ref> <br />
<br />
"A 6-month-old baby boy from Tarzana, Calif. died of strangulation after his head was trapped between the seat and the tray of his Peg Perego stroller in 2004. Another baby, a 7-month-old girl from New York, N.Y., nearly strangled when her head became trapped between the seat and the tray of her stroller in 2006," said the CPSC. <br />
<br />
"Entrapment and strangulation can occur, especially to infants younger than 12 months of age, when a child is not harnessed. An infant can pass through the opening between the stroller tray and seat bottom, but his/her head and neck can become entrapped by the tray. Infants who become entrapped at the neck are at risk of strangulation." <br />
<br />
== Factory Sale ==<br />
Peg Perego holds twice-a-year factory sales at their Fort Wayne, Indiana warehouse. In previous years, the sale was in April and November.<ref>https://www.news-sentinel.com/living/2018/04/13/peg-perego-spring-sale-in-fort-wayne-brings-smiles-to-little-ones-faces/</ref><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Wonderfold&diff=648Wonderfold2023-08-10T19:41:03Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Flagship Model: Wonderfold W4 */</p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>Wonderfold started as company that made generic foldable wagons in 2006 and debuted its first ''stroller'' wagon in 2019.<br />
<br />
The company pitches itself as a the "original luxury stroller wagon brand" and divides its stroller wagons into three series: W, X and M. The W-series is the original line that can hold two or four children. The X-series has a similar capacity, but adds all-terrain wheels. The M-series are smaller stroller wagons that can only hold one child at a time.<br />
<br />
All Wonderfold stroller wagons are made in China. The company's US headquarters is in Irwindale, California.<br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: Wonderfold W4 ==<br />
In the universe of stroller wagons, some products are more stroller-like and others more wagon. Wonderfold falls into the latter category.<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3ChlRvm WONDERFOLD W4 Original Quad Stroller Wagon]]]<br />
The flagship '''Wonderfold W4''' (33 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3ChlRvm see price on Amazon]) can hold up to 4 kids and features one canopy over the entire wagon (other stroller wagons have individual canopies). The canopy is removable.<br />
<br />
The bench seats can be removed so it can be used as a plain wagon as kids grow older. A front door zipper-access lets kids climb in and out and there are storage pockets.<br />
<br />
The stroller's plastic wheels are designed for smooth surfaces—Wondfold's X-series (see below) has more all-terrain wheels.<br />
<br />
As for cons, the Wonderfold W4 weighs 33 lbs. empty—when you add kids and associated cargo, it can be a challenge to push. Also: the wagon can only be pushed from behind—there is no handle up front to pull it.<br />
<br />
Wonderfold makes several versions of the W4 wagon: the original or base model plus Elite and Luxe versions. Here are the differences:<br />
<br />
The original model has 10” EVA tires, while the Elite and Luxe models have 12” EVA tires. The larger tires on the Elite and Luxe models provide better traction and make it easier to push the wagon over rough terrain.<br />
<br />
The original model has a small storage basket under the seats, while the Elite and Luxe models have a larger storage basket under the seats and a storage compartment in the back of the wagon. <br />
<br />
Confusingly, Wonderfold also makes the W-series in smaller versions that hold fewer kids. The '''W2 Luxe wagon''' ([https://amzn.to/3P0a3VN see price on Amazon]) holds 2 children, although the even smaller W1 is still rated for up to two kids.<br />
<br />
The W-series of Wonderfold stroller wagons includes these models: W4 original (featured above), W4 Elite, W4 Luxe, W2 Elite, W2 Luxe and W1 Original.<br />
<br />
== X-series stroller wagons ==<br />
The Wonderfold X-series has larger 11" rear wheels that are designed for more off-road adventures. The X-series also has a pull handle in addition the handle at back for pushing the wagon.<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD X4 Push & Pull Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD X4 Push & Pull Quad Stroller Wagon|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3WY8dqK WONDERFOLD X4 Push & Pull Quad Stroller Wagon]]]<br />
The '''Wonderfold X4 Push + Pull Quad''' (41 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3qlDY0r see price on Amazon]) wagon can hold four children, while the smaller X2 and X2M are designed for two children, with the only difference being a magnetic harness on the X2M model.<br />
<br />
== M-series stroller wagon ==<br />
The '''M1 single stroller wagon''' ([https://amzn.to/3qqpY5z see price on Amazon]) is Wonderfold's smallest stroller wagon designed to hold one child. It has a single canopy, faux leather handlebar, and zippered side mesh pockets. There is also a foot brake.<br />
<br />
Some folks are using the M1 as a pet stroller, as the model has a hideaway pet ramp with anti-slip surface.<br />
<br />
== Special editions ==<br />
[[File:WONDERFOLD Volkswagen Quad Stroller Wagon.jpg|alt=WONDERFOLD Volkswagen Quad Stroller Wagon|thumb|[https://amzn.to/45TixUI WONDERFOLD Volkswagen Quad Stroller Wagon]]]<br />
Wonderfold makes special editions of its stroller wagons with various themes. The '''VW4 Volkswagen''' ([https://amzn.to/45TixUI see price on Amazon]) stroller wagon "was inspired by the vintage VW bus" with a retro color palette and even "functioning headlights."<br />
<br />
A '''W1 tokidoki stroller wagon''' ([https://amzn.to/43OtViS see price on Amazon]) debuted in 2023 with a design by the Japanese-inspired lifestyle brand tokidoki, including a print canopy and side panels.<br />
<br />
== Do Wonderfold seats recline? ==<br />
Only certain models of Wonderfold wagons have reclining seats. For example, the W4 Luxe and Elite have reclining seats, while the W4 does not. The X-series wagons' seats do not recline, while the M-Series (as of this writing, just the M1 model) do recline.<br />
<br />
== Does Disney allow Wonderfold wagons? ==<br />
No, Disney does not allow stroller wagons.<ref>https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/parks/strollers/</ref><br />
<br />
== Is a Wonderfold wagon good for the beach? ==<br />
The basic W4 stroller wagon has small, plastic wheels that are most likely not good for the beach, depending on how compact the sand is. Other Wonderfold models like the X-series or the W4 Luxe have larger rear wheels and are a better fit for the beach.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Baby_Jogger&diff=647Baby Jogger2023-08-10T19:34:33Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Flagship model: Baby Jogger City Tour 2 */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.'' </blockquote>Baby Jogger started as a maker of jogging strollers and expanded into compact-folding strollers (the City series) aimed at urban and suburban parents. <br />
<br />
Baby Jogger was founded in 1984 by Phil Baechler (pictured) who invented a stroller to enable him to pursue his passion (running) by marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller frame. He recounted the company's founding in an interview with the Seattle Times in 1994<ref>https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19940228&slug=1897662</ref>:<blockquote>(Baechler) said he derived the stroller's slant from Double A Fuel dragsters. The Baby Jogger allowed Baechler to quit his copy-editing job at the Yakima Herald Republic seven years ago. He started the company in a rented garage.<br />
<br />
"I had no intention of going into business," he said. "I was just trying to figure out how to get my daily run in."</blockquote>By 1993, Baby Jogger was selling 29,000 strollers per year, mostly to bicycle shops and specialty baby stores. The stroller's high price ($545 for the entry-level model in today's dollars) limited their appeal, although the company racked up $6 million in estimated sales by its 10-year anniversary.<br />
<br />
The company ran into financial difficulties in the early 2000's amid the economic recession and declared bankruptcy in 2002. Baby Jogger was bought out of bankruptcy in 2003 by Dynamic Brands, which also owned several companies that made golf bags and accessories.<br />
<br />
Dynamic Brands reinvigorated the Baby Jogger brand by adapting the quick fold of its golf bag products to a baby stroller and launched a series of compact strollers aimed at urban parents. In 2014, Dynamic Brands sold Baby Jogger to Newell Brands (owner of Graco baby gear) for $210 million.<br />
<br />
In the 2010's, Baby Jogger had a run of best-selling strollers, thanks to the boom in sales of three-wheel strollers that quickly fold. Ironically, the company found the most success with small wheel, compact models that strayed from its roots as a stroller for runners. Even though the name Baby Jogger lives on, most strollers offered by the company today are not designed for jogging.<br />
<br />
Baby Jogger current divides its line between the City Series (compact-folding strollers) and Summit (jogging strollers). All Baby Jogger strollers are made in China.<br />
<br />
== Flagship model: Baby Jogger City Tour 2 ==<br />
[[File:Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Ultra-Compact.jpg|alt=Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Ultra-Compact|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3JdsF14 Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Ultra-Compact]]]<br />
The '''Baby Jogger City Tour 2''' (14 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3PaRSgh see price on Amazon]) is a compact, lightweight stroller that has a one-step, one-hand fold. It can pair with a Baby Jogger infant car seat (sold separately) to make a travel system. When folded it is 23" by 19.4". Other key features include:<br />
<br />
* Rear-wheel suspension: The City Tour 2 has rear-wheel suspension, which helps to smooth out bumps in the road for a more comfortable ride.<br />
* Multiple recline positions: The City Tour 2 has multiple recline positions to better accommodate a napping child.<br />
* UV 50+ canopy with ventilation window for air flow.<br />
* Included carry bag.<br />
<br />
As for cons, this stroller lacks a cup holder or parent storage console—this is sold as a separate accessory. That is unusual for a stroller in this price range. <br />
<br />
The storage basket is small and somewhat difficult to access when the seat is fully reclined. The handlebar is also not adjustable, so parents who are short or tall may find it uncomfortable to push. <br />
<br />
Finally, because of the way City Tour folds, it is not as compact when folded compared to competitors in the ultra-compact category—and will most likely not fit in the overhead compartment of an airplane. For comparison, the [[BABYZEN|BABYZEN YOYO+]] is 20.5" x 17.3" when folded—about 2" to 3" more compact that the Baby Jogger City Tour 2. It is also more expensive than the City Tour 2, however.<br />
<br />
In the past year, Baby Jogger rolled out a special edition of this stroller, called the '''Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Coastal,''' [https://amzn.to/3OPANHd see price on Amazon]). This model features fabrics made from recyclable materials and includes a weather shield, carry bag and belly bar. <br />
<br />
== Other City-Series Strollers: City Mini GT2, City Select, City Sights ==<br />
[[File:Baby Jogger City Mini GT2.jpg|alt=Baby Jogger City Mini GT2|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3JdbmNH Baby Jogger City Mini GT2]]]<br />
The '''Baby Jogger City Mini GT2''' (22.4 lbs., [https://amzn.to/42Jpq8h see price on Amazon]) is a tri-wheel stroller that is pitched for more all-terrain outings, thanks to larger rubber tires. Unlike the City Tour, it does have a height-adjustable handlebar. It also features a UV 50+ canopy with mesh ventilation window and an almost-flat reclining seat. There is also a '''[https://amzn.to/3N7A1Ef double version]''' of this stroller that has two seats side-by-side. <br />
<br />
The City Mini GT2 also works with Baby Jogger infant seats, yet lacks a cup holder or parent console (sold as accessories). <br />
<br />
This stroller has the one-hand, quick-fold that is seen across the Baby Jogger line.<br />
<br />
The '''Baby Jogger City Select 2''' (28.1 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3N4LnsP see price on Amazon]) is a single-to-double stroller that can morph into 16 different configurations. With a telescoping handle and foam tires, the City Select is among the most expensive strollers in the Baby Jogger line. Like most single-to-double modular strollers, the City Select has a raft of accessories including a second seat, car seat adapters, footmuff and rain shield.<br />
<br />
For a while, Baby Jogger also sold a "lux" version of the City Select, which adds five more configurations, including a jump seat that can be used up to 45 lbs. The seat on the LUX version folds in a more compact manner—making the stroller 30% smaller when folded. At 28.4 lbs., the LUX is roughly the same weight as the original model. It also added rear-wheel suspension. As of this writing, it appears the Baby Jogger City Select LUX is discontinued but still for sale online.<br />
<br />
A special "eco collection" version of the City Select features "soft, breathable TENCEL™ fabric that helps with thermal regulation and is sustainably sourced."<br />
[[File:Baby Jogger City Sights Stroller.jpg|alt=Baby Jogger City Sights Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3X8S8hN Baby Jogger City Sights Stroller]]]<br />
The '''Baby Jogger City Sights''' (26 lbs., [https://amzn.to/43AWu3N see price on Amazon]) is a newer arrival to the Baby Jogger line and is basically a City Select that can NOT add a second seat. Hence, it is still a modular stroller where the seat can face forward or back . . . and can accomodate an infant car seat. <br />
<br />
In a sense, the Baby Jogger City Sights is to the City Select much as the UPPAbaby Cruz is to the Vista—the Sights is less expensive and has less functionality. Once folded, the City Sights is about 20% more compact than the City Select. The one-hand fold on the City Sights is simpler than the two-hand fold on the City Select<br />
<br />
One unique feature to the City Sights: it has a bassinet accessory that is not available on other Baby Jogger models. While the City Sights is designed for one child, a stand-on board accessory is available that enables an older child to stand in back.<br />
<br />
The infant car seat compatibility varies between the City Sights and the City Select—while both have adapter for Britax, Chicco and Graco, the City Select also works with the Peg Perego and UPPAbaby infant seats. The City Sights does not.<br />
<br />
== Summit X3 Jogging Stroller ==<br />
The '''Baby Jogger Summit X3''' (28.4 lbs., [https://amzn.to/42CO6iQ see price on Amazon]) is the only remaining Baby Jogger model that is aimed at runners. The air-filled tires and front wheel that can be locked mean the Summit can be used on gravel or running paths. <br />
<br />
The stroller also features a hand brake, sunshade with UV 50+ canopy and peek-a-boo window plus a near-flat reclining seat. The Summit X3 also has a one-hand fold, although it has a large footprint when folded (34.65" x 25.79" x 15.35").<br />
<br />
The Summit X3 is compatible with infant car seats.<br />
[[File:Baby Jogger Summit x Robin Arzon Jogging Stroller.jpg|alt=Baby Jogger Summit x Robin Arzon Jogging Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/45Wic3X Baby Jogger Summit x Robin Arzon Jogging Stroller]]]<br />
From time to time, Baby Jogger offers special editions of this stroller—the most current version is the '''Baby Jogger Summit X Robin Arzon''' ([https://amzn.to/42CO6iQ see price on Amazon]), designed with the ultramarathon runner.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Arzon</ref><br />
<br />
A double version of the Summit X3 is being released in the summer of 2023.<br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
In 2013, Baby Jogger recalled 23,700 car seat adapters that were sold as accessories to their strollers. "The car seat adaptor support bars can fail, posing a fall hazard to children." The CPSC reported "Baby Jogger has received 47 reports of the car seat adaptor supports bars failing and car seats falling to the floor. Reports include two injured infants with bruises to the head and toes."<ref>https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2013/Baby-Jogger-Recalls-Car-Seat-Adaptors-for-Strollers</ref><br />
<br />
In 2012, Baby Jogger recalled 8400 Baby Jogger City Versa strollers for a "stroller frame (that) can fail to lock in place and collapse while in use, posing a fall hazard to children in the stroller." The CPSC reported "Baby Jogger has received six reports of incidents with the stroller's frame failing to lock. No injuries have been reported.<ref>https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2013/City-Versa-Strollers-Recalled-by-Baby-Jogger-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/</ref><br />
<br />
In 2011, Baby Jogger recalled 1545 jump seats sold as accessories due to a fall hazard: "if the jump seat does not properly lock into place, the seat could disengage from the stroller and allow the child to fall out." Four reports of children falling out of the jump seat resulted in injuries that included scrapes and one broken nose.<ref>https://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/Newellsync/DTC/BabyJogger/pdf/pdfRg5Kyc5zk_1471959140.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
In 2009, Baby Jogger recalled 41,000 City Mini strollers for defective buckles that "could break or unlatch," creating a fall hazard. No injuries were reported.<ref>https://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/Newellsync/DTC/BabyJogger/pdf/pdfG5Rndx1tQu_1471959223.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
== Can a Baby Jogger be used from birth? What age can baby sit in a Baby Jogger? ==<br />
The answer: it depends. Many Baby Jogger strollers can be used with an infant car seat (adapters and seats are sold separately). These car seats are designed for use from birth. <br />
<br />
However, most Baby Jogger models do not have stroller seats that are designed for infants. Here is what the official statement from Baby Jogger on using the upright seat on a Baby Jogger model:<blockquote>HOW OLD SHOULD MY BABY BE BEFORE THEY ARE ABLE TO SIT IN THE UPRIGHT SEAT OF A BABY JOGGER?<br />
<br />
Our strollers and joggers can be used for children in an upright position from approximately six months to five-years-old. We do not recommend placing your baby in the upright seat of the stroller or jogger until they are able to sit and hold their head up without assistance.<ref>https://help.babyjogger.com/s/article/HOW-OLD-SHOULD-MY-BABY-BE-BEFORE-THEY-ARE-ABLE-TO-SIT-IN-THE-UPRIGHT-SEAT-OF-A-BABY-JOGGER</ref></blockquote>FYI: Only one model of Baby Jogger (the City Sights) has a bassinet accessory which is designed to be used from birth.<br />
<br />
== Is a Baby Jogger City Mini for jogging? ==<br />
No, despite the name, the Baby Jogger City Mini is not for jogging or running. In fact, nearly all stroller models sold by Baby Jogger are not designed for jogging. The only exception is the Summit X3.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Baby_Jogger&diff=646Baby Jogger2023-08-10T19:33:54Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: /* Flagship model: Baby Jogger City Tour 2 */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:1980s-baby-jogger-running-stroller.jpg|thumb|The original Baby Jogger debuted in 1984]]<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.'' </blockquote>Baby Jogger started as a maker of jogging strollers and expanded into compact-folding strollers (the City series) aimed at urban and suburban parents. <br />
<br />
Baby Jogger was founded in 1984 by Phil Baechler (pictured) who invented a stroller to enable him to pursue his passion (running) by marrying air-filled bicycle tires with a stroller frame. He recounted the company's founding in an interview with the Seattle Times in 1994<ref>https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19940228&slug=1897662</ref>:<blockquote>(Baechler) said he derived the stroller's slant from Double A Fuel dragsters. The Baby Jogger allowed Baechler to quit his copy-editing job at the Yakima Herald Republic seven years ago. He started the company in a rented garage.<br />
<br />
"I had no intention of going into business," he said. "I was just trying to figure out how to get my daily run in."</blockquote>By 1993, Baby Jogger was selling 29,000 strollers per year, mostly to bicycle shops and specialty baby stores. The stroller's high price ($545 for the entry-level model in today's dollars) limited their appeal, although the company racked up $6 million in estimated sales by its 10-year anniversary.<br />
<br />
The company ran into financial difficulties in the early 2000's amid the economic recession and declared bankruptcy in 2002. Baby Jogger was bought out of bankruptcy in 2003 by Dynamic Brands, which also owned several companies that made golf bags and accessories.<br />
<br />
Dynamic Brands reinvigorated the Baby Jogger brand by adapting the quick fold of its golf bag products to a baby stroller and launched a series of compact strollers aimed at urban parents. In 2014, Dynamic Brands sold Baby Jogger to Newell Brands (owner of Graco baby gear) for $210 million.<br />
<br />
In the 2010's, Baby Jogger had a run of best-selling strollers, thanks to the boom in sales of three-wheel strollers that quickly fold. Ironically, the company found the most success with small wheel, compact models that strayed from its roots as a stroller for runners. Even though the name Baby Jogger lives on, most strollers offered by the company today are not designed for jogging.<br />
<br />
Baby Jogger current divides its line between the City Series (compact-folding strollers) and Summit (jogging strollers). All Baby Jogger strollers are made in China.<br />
<br />
== Flagship model: Baby Jogger City Tour 2 ==<br />
[[File:Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Ultra-Compact.jpg|alt=Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Ultra-Compact|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3JdsF14 Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Ultra-Compact]]]<br />
The '''Baby Jogger City Tour 2''' (14 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3PaRSgh see price on Amazon]) is a compact, lightweight stroller that has a one-step, one-hand fold. It can pair with a Baby Jogger infant car seat (sold separately) to make a travel system. When folded it is 23" by 19.4". Other key features include:<br />
<br />
* Rear-wheel suspension: The City Tour 2 has rear-wheel suspension, which helps to smooth out bumps in the road for a more comfortable ride.<br />
* Multiple recline positions: The City Tour 2 has multiple recline positions to better accommodate a napping child.<br />
* UV 50+ canopy with ventilation window for air flow.<br />
* Included carry bag.<br />
<br />
As for cons, this stroller lacks a cup holder or parent storage console—this is sold as a separate accessory. That is unusual for a stroller in this price range. <br />
<br />
The storage basket is small and somewhat difficult to access when the seat is fully reclined. The handlebar is also not adjustable, so parents who are short or tall may find it uncomfortable to push. <br />
<br />
Finally, because of the way City Tour folds, it is not as compact when folded compared to competitors in the ultra-compact category—and will most likely not fit in the overhead compartment of an airplane. For comparison, the [[BABYZEN|BABYZEN YOYO+]] is 20.5" x 17.3" when folded—about 2" to 3" more compact that the Baby Jogger City Tour 2. It is also more expensive than the City Tour 2, however.<br />
<br />
In the past year, Baby Jogger rolled out a special edition of this stroller, called the '''Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Coastal,''' [https://amzn.to/3OPANHd see price on Amazon]). This model features fabrics made from recycleable materials and includes a weather shield, carry bag and belly bar. <br />
<br />
== Other City-Series Strollers: City Mini GT2, City Select, City Sights ==<br />
[[File:Baby Jogger City Mini GT2.jpg|alt=Baby Jogger City Mini GT2|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3JdbmNH Baby Jogger City Mini GT2]]]<br />
The '''Baby Jogger City Mini GT2''' (22.4 lbs., [https://amzn.to/42Jpq8h see price on Amazon]) is a tri-wheel stroller that is pitched for more all-terrain outings, thanks to larger rubber tires. Unlike the City Tour, it does have a height-adjustable handlebar. It also features a UV 50+ canopy with mesh ventilation window and an almost-flat reclining seat. There is also a '''[https://amzn.to/3N7A1Ef double version]''' of this stroller that has two seats side-by-side. <br />
<br />
The City Mini GT2 also works with Baby Jogger infant seats, yet lacks a cup holder or parent console (sold as accessories). <br />
<br />
This stroller has the one-hand, quick-fold that is seen across the Baby Jogger line.<br />
<br />
The '''Baby Jogger City Select 2''' (28.1 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3N4LnsP see price on Amazon]) is a single-to-double stroller that can morph into 16 different configurations. With a telescoping handle and foam tires, the City Select is among the most expensive strollers in the Baby Jogger line. Like most single-to-double modular strollers, the City Select has a raft of accessories including a second seat, car seat adapters, footmuff and rain shield.<br />
<br />
For a while, Baby Jogger also sold a "lux" version of the City Select, which adds five more configurations, including a jump seat that can be used up to 45 lbs. The seat on the LUX version folds in a more compact manner—making the stroller 30% smaller when folded. At 28.4 lbs., the LUX is roughly the same weight as the original model. It also added rear-wheel suspension. As of this writing, it appears the Baby Jogger City Select LUX is discontinued but still for sale online.<br />
<br />
A special "eco collection" version of the City Select features "soft, breathable TENCEL™ fabric that helps with thermal regulation and is sustainably sourced."<br />
[[File:Baby Jogger City Sights Stroller.jpg|alt=Baby Jogger City Sights Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3X8S8hN Baby Jogger City Sights Stroller]]]<br />
The '''Baby Jogger City Sights''' (26 lbs., [https://amzn.to/43AWu3N see price on Amazon]) is a newer arrival to the Baby Jogger line and is basically a City Select that can NOT add a second seat. Hence, it is still a modular stroller where the seat can face forward or back . . . and can accomodate an infant car seat. <br />
<br />
In a sense, the Baby Jogger City Sights is to the City Select much as the UPPAbaby Cruz is to the Vista—the Sights is less expensive and has less functionality. Once folded, the City Sights is about 20% more compact than the City Select. The one-hand fold on the City Sights is simpler than the two-hand fold on the City Select<br />
<br />
One unique feature to the City Sights: it has a bassinet accessory that is not available on other Baby Jogger models. While the City Sights is designed for one child, a stand-on board accessory is available that enables an older child to stand in back.<br />
<br />
The infant car seat compatibility varies between the City Sights and the City Select—while both have adapter for Britax, Chicco and Graco, the City Select also works with the Peg Perego and UPPAbaby infant seats. The City Sights does not.<br />
<br />
== Summit X3 Jogging Stroller ==<br />
The '''Baby Jogger Summit X3''' (28.4 lbs., [https://amzn.to/42CO6iQ see price on Amazon]) is the only remaining Baby Jogger model that is aimed at runners. The air-filled tires and front wheel that can be locked mean the Summit can be used on gravel or running paths. <br />
<br />
The stroller also features a hand brake, sunshade with UV 50+ canopy and peek-a-boo window plus a near-flat reclining seat. The Summit X3 also has a one-hand fold, although it has a large footprint when folded (34.65" x 25.79" x 15.35").<br />
<br />
The Summit X3 is compatible with infant car seats.<br />
[[File:Baby Jogger Summit x Robin Arzon Jogging Stroller.jpg|alt=Baby Jogger Summit x Robin Arzon Jogging Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/45Wic3X Baby Jogger Summit x Robin Arzon Jogging Stroller]]]<br />
From time to time, Baby Jogger offers special editions of this stroller—the most current version is the '''Baby Jogger Summit X Robin Arzon''' ([https://amzn.to/42CO6iQ see price on Amazon]), designed with the ultramarathon runner.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Arzon</ref><br />
<br />
A double version of the Summit X3 is being released in the summer of 2023.<br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
In 2013, Baby Jogger recalled 23,700 car seat adapters that were sold as accessories to their strollers. "The car seat adaptor support bars can fail, posing a fall hazard to children." The CPSC reported "Baby Jogger has received 47 reports of the car seat adaptor supports bars failing and car seats falling to the floor. Reports include two injured infants with bruises to the head and toes."<ref>https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2013/Baby-Jogger-Recalls-Car-Seat-Adaptors-for-Strollers</ref><br />
<br />
In 2012, Baby Jogger recalled 8400 Baby Jogger City Versa strollers for a "stroller frame (that) can fail to lock in place and collapse while in use, posing a fall hazard to children in the stroller." The CPSC reported "Baby Jogger has received six reports of incidents with the stroller's frame failing to lock. No injuries have been reported.<ref>https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2013/City-Versa-Strollers-Recalled-by-Baby-Jogger-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/</ref><br />
<br />
In 2011, Baby Jogger recalled 1545 jump seats sold as accessories due to a fall hazard: "if the jump seat does not properly lock into place, the seat could disengage from the stroller and allow the child to fall out." Four reports of children falling out of the jump seat resulted in injuries that included scrapes and one broken nose.<ref>https://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/Newellsync/DTC/BabyJogger/pdf/pdfRg5Kyc5zk_1471959140.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
In 2009, Baby Jogger recalled 41,000 City Mini strollers for defective buckles that "could break or unlatch," creating a fall hazard. No injuries were reported.<ref>https://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/Newellsync/DTC/BabyJogger/pdf/pdfG5Rndx1tQu_1471959223.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
== Can a Baby Jogger be used from birth? What age can baby sit in a Baby Jogger? ==<br />
The answer: it depends. Many Baby Jogger strollers can be used with an infant car seat (adapters and seats are sold separately). These car seats are designed for use from birth. <br />
<br />
However, most Baby Jogger models do not have stroller seats that are designed for infants. Here is what the official statement from Baby Jogger on using the upright seat on a Baby Jogger model:<blockquote>HOW OLD SHOULD MY BABY BE BEFORE THEY ARE ABLE TO SIT IN THE UPRIGHT SEAT OF A BABY JOGGER?<br />
<br />
Our strollers and joggers can be used for children in an upright position from approximately six months to five-years-old. We do not recommend placing your baby in the upright seat of the stroller or jogger until they are able to sit and hold their head up without assistance.<ref>https://help.babyjogger.com/s/article/HOW-OLD-SHOULD-MY-BABY-BE-BEFORE-THEY-ARE-ABLE-TO-SIT-IN-THE-UPRIGHT-SEAT-OF-A-BABY-JOGGER</ref></blockquote>FYI: Only one model of Baby Jogger (the City Sights) has a bassinet accessory which is designed to be used from birth.<br />
<br />
== Is a Baby Jogger City Mini for jogging? ==<br />
No, despite the name, the Baby Jogger City Mini is not for jogging or running. In fact, nearly all stroller models sold by Baby Jogger are not designed for jogging. The only exception is the Summit X3.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=645Main Page2023-08-09T17:26:20Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><strong>Welcome to StrollerWiki—the Wikipedia site for baby strollers. Pardon our dust . . . we are working on building this site!</strong><br />
<br />
This site provides detailed info on major baby stroller makers (more to come):<br />
<br />
* [[BABYZEN]]<br />
* [[BOB]]<br />
* [[Baby Jogger]]<br />
* [[Baby Trend]]<br />
* [[Bombi]]<br />
* [[Britax]]<br />
* [[Bugaboo]]<br />
* [[Century]]<br />
* [[Chicco]]<br />
* [[Cosco]]<br />
* [[Cybex]]<br />
* [[Delta Children]]<br />
* [[Diono]]<br />
* [[Doona]]<br />
* [[Evenflo]]<br />
* [[Gb]]<br />
* [[Graco]]<br />
* [[Joolz]]<br />
* [[Joovy]]<br />
* [[Keenz]]<br />
* [[Kolcraft]]<br />
* [[Larktale]]<br />
* [[Maxi Cosi]]<br />
* [[Mockingbird]]<br />
* [[Mompush]]<br />
* [[Mountain Buggy]]<br />
* [[Nuna]]<br />
* [[Peg Perego]]<br />
* [[Phil & Teds]]<br />
* [[Safety1st]]<br />
* [[Summer Infant]]<br />
* [[Thule]]<br />
* [[UPPAbaby]]<br />
* [[Veer]]<br />
* [[Wonderfold]]</div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Safety1st&diff=644Safety1st2023-08-09T17:24:52Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>Safety 1st is a maker of affordably-priced umbrella strollers (often sold under the Disney Baby branding), as well as a series of travel systems that pair strollers with infant car seats.<br />
[[File:Baby on Board sign by Safety 1st.png|alt=Safety 1st sold millions of these signs to parents in 1980's, who put them in the back of their vehicle's to alert drivers.|thumb|Safety 1st sold millions of these signs to parents in 1980's, who put them in the back of their vehicle's to alert drivers.]]<br />
Safety 1st was founded in 1984 with the launch of a single product: a "baby on board" sign. Founder Michael Lerner was inspired to sell the signs, which hung in the back of a vehicle, after hearing about the concept from a couple who saw them in Europe.<blockquote>The 30-year-old was running an executive search firm with his father when he encountered a couple who had recently returned from Europe with an unusual idea. The two had noticed drivers in Germany who had hung safety signs from their car windows in hopes of encouraging others to be cautious behind the wheel. The couple had sought to market similar signs in the United States but had so far been unsuccessful. <br />
<br />
Lerner purchased the rights to the concept and, with $30,000 of his own money, began to produce and package bright yellow "Baby on Board" signs. Lerner had not anticipated that he would spark a national phenomenon and was astounded by his success. He sold 10,000 of the signs in September 1984 and by the end of the following year was selling half a million of them each month.<ref>https://www.company-histories.com/Safety-1st-Inc-Company-History.html</ref></blockquote>Even though Lerner didn't have kids himself, he told the Wall Street Journal he was inspired to sell the signs after driving his nephew (then an infant) on the streets of Boston.<blockquote>Michael Lerner's journey to entrepreneurial stardom began with a white-knuckled ride down Storrow Drive in Boston.<br />
<br />
Mr. Lerner had agreed to drive his 18-month-old nephew home after a Sunday gathering at his parents' house in 1984. Childless himself, he soon realized he had failed to account for the hell-bent traffic on Storrow, a notoriously busy expressway along the Charles River. "People were tailgating me and cutting me off," he says. "For the first time, I felt like a parent feels when they have a kid in the car."<br />
<br />
Soon after that nerve-wracking trip, a friend called with a tip for Mr. Lerner, who was looking to move out of the executive-search business and into consumer products. Two sisters wanted to sell a safety sign for car windows; they had seen it in Europe but didn't know how to market it.<br />
<br />
It was kismet. Mr. Lerner struck a licensing deal for what would become the Baby on Board sign. "I believe things happen for a reason," says Mr. Lerner.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703916004576271282489578512?_ga=1.191866858.1980390334.1400674804</ref></blockquote>After the Baby On Board sign fad faded, Lerner spied another opportunity: child-safety products. <blockquote>At the time, gadgets like outlet covers and drawer locks were consigned to odd corners of hardware stores and other hard-to-find spots. Starting in 1987, Mr. Lerner began transforming the sales niche with more colorful packaging, new designs and lower prices. "We had a really good, innovative team," Mr. Lerner says. "We were very nimble." <br />
<br />
Safety 1st also capitalized on the rise of the big-box stores, developing strong bonds with companies such as Toys 'R' Us, Wal-Mart and Kmart. Between 1989 and 1996, sales grew to $105.8 million from $7.7 million, according to regulatory filings. By 1999, with sales at $158 million, the company began fielding buyout offers—and ultimately agreed to be acquired by Canadian company Dorel Industries Inc. in June 2000.</blockquote>Safety 1st first entered the stroller category by licensing its name to other juvenile product makers such as Delta. Once acquired by Dorel, Safety 1st rolled out a line of its own strollers and car seats. (Dorel has been in the car seat and stroller business since the 1970's). Dorel makes strollers under the Safety 1st brand name, as well as Cosco and Maxi Cosi.<br />
<br />
All Safety 1st strollers are made in China, although the company did introduce one model in 2018 that was assembled (with imported parts) in Dorel's Columbus, Indiana factory.<ref>https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2018/04/25/walmart-and-safety-1st-unveil-made-in-america-stroller-produced-from-recycled-car-seats</ref> That model is now discontinued.<br />
<br />
Safety 1st strollers are sold widely in stores like Walmart and Target as well as online. They divide their line up into single strollers, travel systems, stroller wagons and basic umbrella strollers.<br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: Safety 1st Smooth Ride Travel System with OnBoard 35 LT Infant Car Seat ==<br />
[[File:Safety 1st Smooth Ride Travel System.jpg|alt=Safety 1st Smooth Ride Travel System|thumb|[https://amzn.to/44vGwIG Safety 1st Smooth Ride Travel System]]]<br />
Many Safety 1st strollers are sold as part of travel systems that are paired with an infant car seat. The most popular version of Safety 1st's travel systems in the '''Safety 1st Smooth Ride''' (25.5 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3DlmpRo see price on Amazon]). The stroller comes with an OnBoard 35 LT infant car seat that clicks into the stroller frame. Additional features of this stroller include: <br />
<br />
* Canopy with flip out visor and peekaboo window.<br />
* Flip flop friendly brake.<br />
* Storage basket.<br />
* Lift up, one-hand fold to stand.<br />
* Both a child tray and parent tray.<br />
* 50 lb. weight limit for stroller.<br />
* Car seat and base included in the box.<br />
* Easy assembly.<br />
<br />
A few negatives about the Smooth Ride stroller include its partial recline, a history of missing parts in the box and a small storage basket.<br />
<br />
Is the OnBoard 35 LT infant car seat a good seat? You can see a review of this seat [https://www.babybargains.com/infant-car-seat-review-safety-1st-onboard-35-air/ here].<br />
<br />
== Safety 1st Step Lite Compact Stroller ==<br />
[[File:Safety 1st Step Lite Compact Stroller.jpg|alt=Safety 1st Step Lite Compact Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/46O3Zq9 Safety 1st Step Lite Compact Stroller]]]<br />
For parents who do not want a travel system, Safety 1st offers full-featured, single strollers like the '''Safety 1st Step Lite Compact Stroller''' (16 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3q24hJc see price on Amazon]). The frame is lightweight with a parent cup holder attachment. <br />
<br />
For storage, the Step Lite offers a large basket underneath and a covered pocket on the seat back for smaller items. The seat can be partially reclined with one hand. The Step Lite folds like an umbrella.<br />
<br />
== Safety 1st Summit Wagon Stroller ==<br />
[[File:Safety 1st Summit Wagon Stroller.jpg|alt=Safety 1st Summit Wagon Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3Q2sYQD Safety 1st Summit Wagon Stroller]]]<br />
Safety 1st recently joined stroller wagon craze with the '''Summit Wagon Stroller''' (32 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3XTO3yx see price on Amazon]). The Summit is intended for only 2 kids and comes with 2 independent canopies that close to completely cover the wagon. It includes two memory foam padded seats, a three-position telescoping reversible handle for pushing or pulling, a foot well, and a child tray.<br />
<br />
The Summit Wagon can morph into a travel system with included car seat adapters for Cosco or Safety 1st infant car seats (sold separately). For storage, a detachable storage bag is included and can be attached to either end of the wagon plus a parent pocket on the handlebar detaches to become a wristlet. The fold is more compact that most other stroller wagons and can stand on its own after folding. <br />
<br />
There is no parent cup on the Summit and it's rather heavy which affects maneuverability. Assembly can also be a challenge. Like all stroller wagons, the Summit cannot be used in Disney theme parks.<br />
<br />
== Umbrella Strollers ==<br />
Safety 1st sells several umbrella-type strollers as well as the traditional strollers mentioned above. These are sold at Walmart, Target and other mass merchants as extremely basic strollers at entry-price points.<br />
<br />
== Safety Alerts ==<br />
In 2016, Safety 1st and the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 20,000 Step and Go strollers because "the stroller tray folding mechanism can partially disengage on one side when used with an infant car seat attached to the stroller, posing a fall hazard."<ref>https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Dorel-Juvenile-Recalls-Safety-1st-Strollers</ref><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Phil_%26_Teds&diff=643Phil & Teds2023-08-09T17:24:41Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>Phil & Teds is a stroller company based in New Zealand that debuted in the early 1990's with an all-terrain stroller called the Explorer.<br />
<br />
Phil & Teds referrs to its strollers as "inline buggies"—these strollers have the ability to add a second seat under the main seat (or inline). The company explained the concept on their web site:<blockquote>We drew inspiration by the good ole kiddies trikes, where one kid always playfully stood in the back. We saw potential to bring this way of kids play to life, and make this a real handy solution for parents as they go about their adventures with kids in tow!</blockquote>In the late 1990's, Phil & Teds expanded into the US and European baby gear markets with a variety of inline strollers in different sizes. The company also added an infant car seat, high chair, carrier and other baby gear.<br />
<br />
In 2009, Phil & Teds purchased fellow New Zealand stroller company [[Mountain Buggy]] and still operates that as a stand-alone brand today.<br />
<br />
Phil & Teds was named for famous kiwi birds at the Auckland Zoo (Philomena and Teddy); kiwis are flightless birds that are endemic to New Zealand. <br />
<br />
All Phil & Teds strollers are made in China.<br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: Phil & Teds Voyager Buggy with Doubles Kit ==<br />
[[File:Phil & Ted's Voyager Buggy with Doubles Kit.jpg|alt=Phil & Ted's Voyager Buggy with Doubles Kit|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3DGht9X Phil & Ted's Voyager Buggy with Doubles Kit]]]<br />
'''Phil & Ted's Voyager Buggy with Doubles Kit''' (33 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3YhY8Wc see price on Amazon]), is a four-wheel stroller that converts from a single to a double with the included doubles kit. The seat is lay flat for newborns or a separate bassinet accessory is available that snaps into the frame. Other features include: <br />
<br />
* Wide, reversible seat with 5 recline positions (including lay flat).<br />
* Seat can be moved to several different positions on the frame from low to the ground to higher up.<br />
* Four wheel suspension with no-flat wheels.<br />
* Foot brake.<br />
* Adjustable handlebar.<br />
* Reversible fabric seat insert.<br />
* Canopy with pop out visor and peekaboo window.<br />
* Large storage basket.<br />
* Bumper bar and adjustable foot rest.<br />
* Standing fold. <br />
* Doubles kit: includes a second seat, wedgie cushion for newborn, canopy.<br />
* Can accept an infant car with universal car seat adapter for an additional charge.<br />
<br />
On the down side, the Voyager doesn't come with a parent cup holder, and the second seat (in back) has to be unloaded first for safety reasons (it could tip over otherwise). Also if you sit a toddler in back, access the storage basket is blocked.<br />
<br />
== Other Phil & Ted's Strollers ==<br />
'''Phil & Ted's Sport''' is a single. tri-wheel stroller with a lockable swivel front wheel, air-filled tires, lie-flat seat, and can be expanded to a double with a doubles kit (extra charge unless you purchase the [https://amzn.to/3YmmJsW Sport with Doubles Kit]). This model also features a standing fold, adjustable handlebar, bumper bar, storage basket and additional storage pockets in the seat back. It does not have a reversible seat and the second seat can only be positioned in the back lower part of the stroller. <br />
<br />
The '''Sport Verso''' is a modular stroller along the lines of the Voyager but with three wheels and a second seat attachment like the Sport.<br />
<br />
Phil & Ted's last stroller option is the '''Go Stroller'''. This four wheel umbrella stroller is a bit of a departure from the Voyager and the Sport. At only 12 lbs., the Go has seat with multi-level recline (although not lay-flat), the option of using it with an infant car seat (extra cost for adapter), compact one-hand fold, no-flat tires, all-wheel suspension, removable bumper bar and canopy with peekaboo window. <br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
As of this writing, Phil & Ted's has not had any safety recalls on their strollers.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Mountain_Buggy&diff=642Mountain Buggy2023-08-09T17:24:25Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>The rugged trails of New Zealand inspired the founding of Mountain Buggy strollers in 1992, part of a wave of "all-terrain" strollers with air-filled wheels that were born in the 90's. <br />
<br />
Founder Allan Croad started Mountain Buggy in Whangaparaoa, New Zealand when he saw a picture of a [[Baby Jogger]] stroller and thought it should be adapted to New Zealand.<blockquote>In 1992 Alan Croad was thinking about a child's buggy or pushchair that could go wherever he wanted, when he saw a picture of a buggy in an American magazine. It was a three wheeled buggy that American joggers used to push their children in while they ran.<br />
<br />
He recognised it as something close to what he wanted and headed off to the garage to knock together a rough version of what he had seen. He made his first buggy out of a child's car seat and an old golf trundler that had been bought for $5 at a school fair. It worked well enough to encourage him to design a more elaborate version and he had soon begun work on his first proper mountainbuggy. <br />
<br />
Mr Croad worked on modifying the American design he had seen to better suit New Zealand conditions; the first thing he did was to install smaller wheels. He says he was pretty sure that if he could make a working model then people would buy it, and besides he still wanted one for himself.<ref>https://www.roadshow.org/content/resources/NZscientists/alanCroad.php</ref></blockquote><br />
[[File:Mountain Buggy prototype.jpg|alt=The prototype of first Mountain Buggy stroller, created by New Zealander Allan Croad.|thumb|The prototype of first Mountain Buggy stroller, created by New Zealander Allan Croad.]]<br />
The result was the Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle. Designed for hiking, Mountain Buggy's Urban Jungle tri-wheel design with 12" tires was among the brand's biggest hits.<br />
<br />
With increasing sales, Croad sold the company in 2004 to Tritec, a New Zealand manufacturer that also made theater and auditorium seating.<br />
<br />
The Mountain Buggy's reputation for ruggedness was underscored in 2005, when surveillance cameras caught the stroller (and its baby passenger) surviving a building collapse in Manhattan. The New York Times recounted the story:<blockquote>It is impossible to say with certainty that the Mountain Buggy Urban Double Stroller—which costs roughly half the monthly rent of a small Brooklyn apartment—actually saved Abigail Lurensky, 7 months old, as a Manhattan building collapsed around her on Thursday.<br />
<br />
But it didn't hurt.<br />
<br />
As word spread yesterday of the stroller's role in protecting Abigail, the building collapse added even more cachet to the carriage, the $600-plus Hummer of the Sidewalk S.U.V. set. With their maneuverability and inflatable tires providing a smooth ride over potholes, cobblestones and sandy sidewalks, the Urban Double strollers are popular with the affluent, especially those with beach houses.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/16/nyregion/a-600-baby-stroller-comes-out-of-the-rubble-and-into-the-spotlight.html</ref></blockquote>In 2009, Mountain Buggy was acquired by fellow kiwi baby gear brand phil & teds. Prior to the sale, Mountain Buggy had filed for bankruptcy amid slumping sales and ballooning debt:<blockquote>Mountain Buggy's parent, Tritec Manufacturing, "had some significant debts" and suffered from the economic slowdown (in 2008-2009), seeing its sales fall by a third in the past year. In recent years, Mountain Buggy increased prices—that made their flagship Urban stroller nearly $600. That left them vulnerable as demand for high-end strollers has fallen sharply in recent months.<br />
<br />
While most strollers are made in China, Mountain Buggy kept production in their native New Zealand. Those higher costs were probably a factor in the bankruptcy. <br />
<br />
Mountain Buggy racked up about $11 million (U.S.) in debt over the last few years, modernizing their plant, buying out their European distributor and investing in new marketing/packaging. When sales collapsed last year (an estimated 33% drop in sales) amid a souring economy, the debt service became overwhelming.<br />
<br />
Mountain Buggy said they needed to raise prices when the American dollar slumped in recent years, making their New Zealand production more expensive to sell here. But jacking prices was a risky move—when the economy soured, sales tanked.<ref>https://www.babybargains.com/mountain-buggy-declares-bankruptcy-looks-for-buyer/</ref></blockquote>Mountain Buggy's new owner, phil & teds, kept the company as an independent division, but moved the production to China (where all phil & teds strollers are also made).<br />
<br />
In recent years, Mountain Buggy expanded more into travel strollers, with the Nano stroller as the current flagship.<br />
<br />
== Flagship Stroller: nano ==<br />
[[File:Mountain Buggy Nano V3 Stroller.jpg|alt=Mountain Buggy Nano V3 Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3OiPEcQ Mountain Buggy Nano V3 Stroller]]]<br />
'''Mountain Buggy's nano stroller''' (13.23 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3K2EXK7 see price on Amazon]) strays a bit from the company's roots and moves from all-terrain strollers to lightweight travel strollers. The nano has a locking, compact fold plus a carry handle and shoulder strap to help you haul it through the airport. Additional features include: <br />
<br />
* Full recline to flat allows use by newborns.<br />
* Parent facing cocoon option for newborns.<br />
* Universal car seat strap and bungees for infant car seats.<br />
* Cover pouch included.<br />
* Adjustable leg rest.<br />
* Locking front swivel wheels.<br />
* Storage basket.<br />
<br />
What about cons to using the nano? These include the carry bag, which doesn't cover the wheels, lack of a bumper bar or child's tray, no parent cup holders and a complicated, two-step fold.<br />
<br />
Mountain Buggy makes a twin side-by-side version of the '''nano called the nano duo''' (20 lbs., [https://amzn.to/43tVa1K see price on Amazon]). The Duo comes with independent canopies and individual adjustable foot rests.<br />
<br />
== Other Mountain Buggy Single Strollers ==<br />
Mountain Buggy offers two additional single stroller platforms, the cosmopolitan and the terrain.<br />
[[File:Mountain Buggy Cosmopolitan Stroller with Rain Cover.jpg|alt=Mountain Buggy Cosmopolitan Stroller with Rain Cover|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3Qiufmu Mountain Buggy Cosmopolitan Stroller with Rain Cover]]]<br />
The '''Mountain Buggy cosmopolitan''' (30 lbs., [https://amzn.to/47egUSs see price on Amazon]) is a modular stroller with a reversible seat that converts to a lay flat bassinet. (The stroller can also be used with an infant car seat with the additional purchase of their universal car seat adapter.) <br />
<br />
Features of the cosmopolitan include air filled rear tires and no flat, lockable front tires with all wheel suspension, one hand standing fold, hand brake system, adjustable handlebar, bumper bar, adjustable leg rest, gear tray and storage basket, and reversible seat liner. Some versions include the rain cover as well. <br />
<br />
The '''Mountain Buggy terrain''' (30 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3OB5dh7 see price on Amazon]) is Mountain Buggy's version of a three-wheel jogging stroller. Unique to this jogging stroller is a three position swivel front wheel. You can lock the front wheel in a forward position, a backward position or leave it free to swivel at will. A front wheel tracking device keeps the stroller in position. <br />
<br />
The terrain also allows for newborn use as the seat adjusts to lay flat. The wheels are air filled with 16" versions in the back and 12" in the front. Also included is rear wheel suspension, foot and hand brakes, one hand standing fold, adjustable handlebar and foot rest, storage basket and gear tray, reversible liner, two bottle holders and a bumper bar.<br />
<br />
Like the cosmopolitan, the terrain can be converted to a travel system with the Mountain Buggy universal adapter. A carrycot/bassinet is also available at an additional cost. The terrain also comes in a second version called the '''terrain active stroller'''.<br />
<br />
== Double Stroller: Duet ==<br />
[[File:Mountain Buggy Duet.jpg|alt=Mountain Buggy Duet|thumb|[https://amzn.to/4798Su3 Mountain Buggy Duet]]]<br />
Mountain Buggy offers another side-by-side stroller along with the nano duo called the '''Mountain Buggy duet''' (32 lbs., [https://amzn.to/452QHF3 see price on Amazon]). Based on Mountain Buggy's old Urban Jungle platform, the duet offers seats with full recline for infants, independent canopies, 10" air filled tires and lockable front wheels, one hand standing fold, hand and foot brakes, adjustable handlebar, bumper bar, pull out sun visors, reversible seat insert, water bottle holder, and storage basket. <br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
As of this writing, there are no safety recalls for Mountain Buggy strollers.<br />
<br />
== Is Mountain Buggy a jogging stroller? ==<br />
The Mountain Buggy terrain is a jogging stroller with a swivel, lockable front wheel. While the terrain can be used from birth (as the seat lays flat for newborns), it is recommended that only infants with good head control (around 6 months of age) should be in a jogging stroller with an adult who is running.<br />
<br />
== Is Mountain Buggy suitable from birth? ==<br />
Yes. All the strollers in the line can be used from birth—all of them have lay flat seats.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Maxi_Cosi&diff=641Maxi Cosi2023-08-09T17:24:07Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>Maxi Cosi is the maker of high-end strollers and infant car seats, based in the Netherlands. <br />
<br />
Maxi Cosi was founded in 1968 by Dutch entrepreneur Sjef van der Linden, who owned a baby store in Helmond, Netherlands. The company was originally called Maxi Miliaan Import and their first baby product was a high chair that debuted in 1978.<br />
<br />
Van der Linden was inspired to launch an infant car seat after seeing the Evenflo 202 infant seat, which was commonly referred to as the Dyn-O-Mite, as an homage to comedian Jimmie Walker's catchphrase. The Evenflo Dyn-O-Mite was among the first infant car seats on the market in the US, but there was nothing comparable in Europe at the time.<br />
[[File:The first Maxi Cosi infant seat debuted in 1984..jpg|alt=The first Maxi Cosi infant car seat debuted in 1984.|thumb|The first Maxi Cosi infant car seat debuted in 1984.]]<br />
Van der Linden's infant car seat debuted in 1984; he called it the Maxi Cosi. One unique feature was the ability to use the seat rear-facing, which, while common today, was unique in the 80's. The success of this seat led him to rename the company Maxi Cosi, which expanded into selling strollers as well. <br />
<br />
In 1994, Maxi Cosi was acquired by Dorel, which went on an acquisition spree in the 1980's and 90's. Dorel also purchased [[Cosco]] and [[Safety1st|Safety 1st]] during this time period, folding them along with Maxi Cosi into the Dorel Juvenile Division. Maxi Cosi debuted in the US in 2007. <br />
<br />
Today Maxi Cosi sells a variety of single strollers as well as travel systems that pair a stroller with an infant car seat. All Maxi Cosi strollers are made in China.<br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: Maxi-Cosi Zelia² 5-in-1 Modular Travel System ==<br />
[[File:Maxi-Cosi Zelia² Luxe 5-in-1 Modular Travel System.jpg|alt=Maxi-Cosi Zelia² Luxe 5-in-1 Modular Travel System|thumb|[https://amzn.to/43Pf6MH Maxi-Cosi Zelia² Luxe 5-in-1 Modular Travel System]]]<br />
The '''Maxi-Cosi Zelia² 5-in-1 Modular Travel System''' (50 lbs., [https://amzn.to/44PrP3m see price on Amazon]) is Maxi Cosi's version of the [[UPPAbaby]] [https://amzn.to/3s292mE Cruz], a modular system that allows for an infant car seat. Key features for the Zelia include:<br />
<br />
* Includes a Maxi-Cosi Mico Luxe infant car seat and click-in car seat adapters.<br />
* When used with the infant car seat, the child is parent facing.<br />
* Reversible, lay flat toddler seat also makes into a bassinet ("carriage mode").<br />
* Vegan leather accents on swing out bumper bar and handle.<br />
* Adjustable handle height.<br />
* Storage basket.<br />
* Cup holder.<br />
* Pop-out visor on canopy.<br />
* All-wheel suspension.<br />
* Self standing fold.<br />
* Machine washable seat insert.<br />
One downside to the Zelia is its weight: it's about 5 lbs. heavier than the UPPAbaby Cruz. The fold on the Zelia is a two-hand fold and the wheels aren't as robust as the UPPAbaby Cruz. The Cruz also has a height-adjustable canopy (helpful for taller/older kids), which is missing on the Zelia.<br />
<br />
== Other Maxi-Cosi Strollers ==<br />
[[File:Maxi-Cosi Mara XT Ultra Compact Stroller.jpg|alt=Maxi-Cosi Mara XT Ultra Compact Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3Kn7Q3V Maxi-Cosi Mara XT Ultra Compact Stroller]]]<br />
Maxi Cosi has three other stroller options, the Tayla, Mara XT and the Gia XP. The '''Maxi Cosi Mara XT Ultra Compact''' stroller (19.36 lbs., [https://amzn.to/45dss6s see price on Amazon]), has a one-hand fold, reversible seat, extra large cup holder, two zippered pockets and large basket for storage, partial seat recline, extended canopy, adjustable leg rest, padding on the handle grips, all-wheel suspension and can take a Coral XP infant seat or a Mico. With the partial seat recline, this stroller is designed for older babies who can sit up on their own (that is, not newborns). <br />
<br />
The '''Maxi Cosi Tayla Modular Lightweight stroller''' (31.8 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3Qkram0 see price on Amazon]) offers a 4-position recline, reversible seat, all-wheel suspension, adjustable handlebar, cup holder, removable bumper bar, fully extendable 360° privacy canopy, reversible seat cushion, and one hand fold. Like the Mara, the Tayla is also compatible with Mico and Coral infant car seats.<br />
<br />
The '''Tayla Max''' (31.8 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3YlbIZ0 see price on Amazon]) is a more luxurious version of the Tayla that adds a QuikCarriage feature (a seat makes into a lay-flat bassinet).<br />
<br />
Finally, Maxi Cosi makes an infant car seat stroller frame called the '''Maxi-Taxi XT Ultra Compact Car Seat Caddy'''. The Maxi-Taxi is solely for use with an infant car seat, either the Mico or the Coral—the infant seat plugs into the car seat adapters that come with the frame. The frame has a one-hand fold and comes with a small storage basket and parent cup holder.<br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
As of this writing, Maxi-Cosi does not have any safety recalls on its strollers.<br />
<br />
== Does Maxi-Cosi have a twin stroller? ==<br />
As of this writing, Maxi-Cosi does not offer a double stroller model.<br />
<br />
== Does Maxi-Cosi strollers fit other makes of infant car seats? ==<br />
No.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Joovy&diff=640Joovy2023-08-09T17:23:37Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>Joovy is a baby gear company that was founded in 2007 by juvenile industry veteran Rob Gardner. After stints at Baby Trend and Munchkin, Gardner launched Joovy, whose name is a play on the industry term for baby gear (juvenile or JV). <br />
<br />
Joovy launched its first stroller in 2008, the Caboose double stroller, which had a unique "sit and stand" configuration for a second child. In addition to strollers, Joovy sells high chairs, baby bottles, playards and toys.<br />
<br />
Joovy is headquartered in Dallas, Texas with a warehouse in Irvine, California. All the company's strollers are made in China.<br />
<br />
Although Joovy's stroller line is large (about 20 different models), the company is probably best known for its jogging stroller, the Zoom 360, and double strollers like the KooperX2. Joovy is a mid-price brand that is sold widely online and in stores.<br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: Joovy Zoom360 ==<br />
[[File:Joovy Zoom360 Ultralight Jogging Stroller.jpg|alt=Joovy Zoom360 Ultralight Jogging Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3JYyUWR Joovy Zoom360 Ultralight Jogging Stroller]]]<br />
The '''Joovy Zoom360 Ultralight Jogging Stroller''' (26.25 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3ruDW79 see price on Amazon]) is a jogging stroller with front lockable swivel wheel, no rear axle (so you can run without kicking the back), full canopy, car seat adaptor (seats click in) and parent organizer. Key features include:<br />
<br />
* Suspension to absorb bumps.<br />
* Included air pump to refill the air-filled tires.<br />
* One-hand fold.<br />
* One-touch parking brake.<br />
<br />
The Zoom360 is priced between the low end offerings of Baby Trend and the more pricey all-terrain strollers from BOB.<br />
<br />
Joovy sells a double version of the Zoom360, called the '''ZoomX2''' (30lbs., [https://amzn.to/3PVIspf see price on Amazon]).<br />
<br />
Confusingly, Joovy also sells an upgraded version of this stroller as the '''Joovy Zoom Lightweight Jogging Stroller''' (27.3lbs., [https://amzn.to/3DeqsPE see price on Amazon]) with much the same features but fancier soft goods.<br />
<br />
== Other Joovy single strollers: Qool. Single, Qool Premium, Kooper Lightweight, Kooper RS ==<br />
[[File:Joovy Qool Stroller.jpg|alt=Joovy Qool Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3XU6eUD Joovy Qool Stroller]]]<br />
The '''Joovy Qool''' (30.8 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3pQz4bZ see price on Amazon]) is a single-to-double modular stroller that is among the brand's most expensive offerings. It features a seat that can face forward or back and includes luxury touches like a height adjustable leather handlebar, as well as an extra-large canopy with UPF 50 sun protection. Accessories include a bassinet and second seat, as well as car seat adapters (available at an additional charge).<br />
<br />
A slightly less expensive version of the Qool, dubbed the '''[https://joovy.com/qool/ Qool Premium]''' (30.6 lbs.) omits a couple features from the original Qool (the handlebar is faux leather and there is no parent console/cup holder). Otherwise, it has the same single-to-double functionality as the Qool, with multiple configurations.<br />
<br />
On the entry-price side, Joovy's '''Kooper''' (16 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3NPHFUq see price on Amazon]) and '''Kooper RS''' (19 lbs., [https://amzn.to/44nLHKJ see price on Amazon]) are lightweight strollers with a tray that folds with the stroller. An universal car seat adapter is available as an accessory for an additional charge. The Kooper RS is an upgraded version of the Kooper with an added leather handlebar and upgraded soft goods and canopy.<br />
<br />
== Joovy Double Strollers: Caboose, ScooterX2, KooperX2, ZoomX2, CocoonX2 ==<br />
[[File:Joovy Caboose Too Sit and Stand Double Stroller.jpg|alt=Joovy Caboose Too Sit and Stand Double Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/43jIhr2 Joovy Caboose Too Sit and Stand Double Stroller]]]<br />
The Joovy Caboose is the brand's most popular double stroller—and it was the Caboose that helped launch the company back in the 2000's. This tandem stroller's unique "Sit and Stand" configuration has a stroller seat up front and a platform for an older child to sit (or stand) in back). <br />
<br />
Joovy sells several different version of the Caboose, with varied features at different price points. An example at the entry-level is the '''Joovy Caboose Too Sit and Stand''' (27.5 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3Oeqyg8 see price on Amazon]), which includes an universal car seat adapter and has a total 90 lb. weight capacity. This version of the Caboose includes a rear seat, while other variations of the Caboose omit that feature.<br />
<br />
Most of Joovy's other double strollers are side-by-side versions of Joovy's single strollers (such as the KooperX2, ZoomX2, etc). However, the brand does have one unique double offering: the '''Scooter X2''' (32 lbs., [https://amzn.to/44oiQG6 see price on Amazon]), a side-by-side double with one large canopy over both seats. <br />
<br />
Also unique: the '''CocoonX2''' (36.8 lbs., [https://amzn.to/43nP82O see price on Amazon]) is a bike trailer/stroller hybrid.<br />
<br />
== Joovy Triple Stroller: Joovy Big Caboose ==<br />
[[File:Joovy Big Caboose Triple Stroller.jpg|alt=Joovy Big Caboose Triple Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3JYxhs6 Joovy Big Caboose Triple Stroller]]]<br />
Joovy is one of the few stroller makers that offers a triple stroller—yes, a stroller that can hold three children. The '''Joovy Big Caboose''' (40 lbs. [https://amzn.to/3DaZEiX see price on Amazon]) has two stroller seats and a platform in back for an older sibling to stand or sit.<br />
<br />
== Stroller frame: Joovy Twin Roo ==<br />
The '''Joovy Twin Roo''' (30.3 lbs. [https://amzn.to/44okOq0 see price on Amazon]) is a stroller frame that hold two infant car seats in a variety of configurations. (The car seats are not included). Different versions of the Twin Roo come bundled with car seat adapters for various brands like Graco.<br />
<br />
== Is Joovy non-toxic? ==<br />
According to Joovy's web site, "our safety standards extend to the materials used. We NEVER use phthalates, lead, BPA or flame retardants in our products."<br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
In 2021, Joovy recalled 9,200 Zoom 360 strollers for a fall hazard. "The stroller’s front wheel bearing can fail or detach, posing a fall and injury hazard," said the CPSC. "There have been 25 incidents of restricted front wheel movement reported, including 12 incidents where the wheel fork bearing wore through the housing and detached, with one fall resulting in bruises when the user fell onto the stroller."<ref>https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Joovy-Recalls-Zoom-360-Ultralight-Jogging-Strollers-Due-to-Fall-Hazard-Recall-Alert</ref><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Gb&diff=639Gb2023-08-09T17:23:19Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>gb (Goodbaby) is the largest manufacturer of baby strollers in the world.<br />
<br />
Although the brand is relatively new to North America, the company traces its history back to 1989. They spent decades making strollers for other gear companies: Dorel (Cosco, Safety 1st, Maxi Cosi), Evenflo and Cybex. By 1999, Goodbaby had become the largest manufacturer of strollers sold in the US.<br />
<br />
By 2009, Goodbaby became the ''world's'' largest maker of strollers with an estimated one-third market share (that is, one out of every three strollers sold worldwide was made by Goodbaby).<br />
<br />
In 2014, Goodbaby purchased [[Cybex]] and [[Evenflo]]. The company has also sold strollers under various names at different retailers, namely Urbini at Walmart in the mid 2010's (the debut was 2014).<br />
<br />
Also in 2014, Goodbaby had its first hit stroller under the gb brand—the gb Pockit, which was among the first ultra-compact travel stroller.<br />
<br />
As a public company in China, Goodbaby reports its sales. In its most recent fiscal year (2022), Goodbaby reported overall sales of $1.06 billion (USD). Among their divisions, Cybex sales were $420.4 million in 2022, while Evenflo racked up $294.9 million. gb makes up the balance, although this brand is mostly focused on China.<br />
<br />
As of this writing, Goodbaby sells strollers in the US under three brands: [[Cybex]], [[Evenflo]] and gb. This page focuses on gb.<br />
<br />
gb's stroller line (sold in the US) is fairly small, including only two model names: the Pockit and the Qbit. There are three versions of the Pockit plus the Qbit for a total of four strollers sold in the US. <br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: gb Pockit ==<br />
[[File:Gb Pockit Air All Terrain Ultra Compact Travel Stroller.jpg|alt=Gb Pockit Air All Terrain Ultra Compact Travel Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/44SJmr5 Gb Pockit Air All Terrain Ultra Compact Travel Stroller]]]<br />
gb's claim to fame (at least at the time of its debut) is the smallest-folding stroller on the market: the '''gb Pockit Air All-Terrain''' (10.4 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3Q8SLq2 see price on Amazon]). Despite its size, the Pockit still has a carry capacity of 55 lbs. Other key features include: <br />
<br />
* Breathable mesh fabric.<br />
* Four lockable, swivel front wheels.<br />
* Sun visor.<br />
* Standing fold.<br />
* Folded dimensions: 11.8 x 7.1 x 13.8". This is the size of a briefcase!<br />
* Storage basket<br />
<br />
Because the Pockit ''does not'' have a reclining seat back, this stroller is best for babies over 6 months who can hold their heads up. Another con: the stroller's features are minimal, in order to keep the size and weight low. This is a very basic stroller—very basic canopy, no cup holder, no parent tray, etc.<br />
<br />
Accessories like a [https://amzn.to/3K2HNyI carry bag] and seat liner are available at an additional charge.<br />
<br />
The '''gb Pockit+ All-City''' (13.2, [https://amzn.to/3Ol4yAC see price on Amazon]) is a slightly fancier version of the Pockit with a reclining seat, extra large sun canopy, front wheel suspension, and compatibility with car seats from Cybex. It does not have lockable swivel front wheels. The folded size of the All City is larger than the Pockit Air All-Terrain at 12.6 x 7.9 x 18.9", likely because of the added canopy.<br />
<br />
The third version of the Pockit, the '''gb Pockit+ All-Terrain''' (12.3 lbs., [https://amzn.to/44Rjj3g see price on Amazon]), has similar features to the All City but adds in the lockable swivel front wheels. The folded size of this version is in between the Pockit Air All-Terrain and the Pockit+ All City at 13.4 x 7.9 x 16.5".<br />
<br />
== Qbit Strollers ==<br />
[[File:Gb QBit+ All-City Stroller.jpg|alt=Gb QBit+ All-City Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/3rDBPhb Gb QBit+ All-City Stroller]]]<br />
gb's other stroller is the Qbit+. The original Qbit was a lightweight (14 lb.) stroller with limited recline, canopy, compact fold (but not as compact as the Pockit) and narrow profile. <br />
<br />
The '''Qbit+ All-City''' (17.16 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3DpNqmF see price on Amazon]) replaced the original Qbit and with various upgrades: a deeper seat recline, all-wheel suspension, Cybex infant car seat compatibility, self-standing fold, large canopy, and bumper bar.<br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
As of this writing, there are no safety recalls for gb strollers.<br />
<br />
== Does gb Pockit recline? ==<br />
The Pockit Air All-Terrain does ''not'' have a reclining seat. However,, the Pockit+ All-City and the Pockit+ All-Terrain versions do have partial seat reclines.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadminhttps://strollerwiki.com/index.php?title=Diono&diff=638Diono2023-08-09T17:22:59Z<p>Strollerwikiadmin: </p>
<hr />
<div><blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote>Diono (pronounced DEE-oh-no) is a seller of strollers and car seats, based in Seattle, Washington.<br />
<br />
The company was founded in 2000 (under the name Sunshine Kids) to sell a car seat belt tightener (the "Mighty-Tite") but soon expanded into various accessories for both car seats and strollers. In 2005, Sunshine Kids added car seats, starting with the first folding booster car seat (the Radian).<br />
<br />
After a legal dispute with a non-profit charity organization of the same name, Sunshine Kids changed its name to Diono in 2011. In the mid 2010's, Diono expanded into strollers with several modular-type options.<br />
<br />
As of this writing, Diono has paired back the stroller line to two current models: Excurze and Flexa (although older discontinued models like the Quantum are still sold online).<br />
<br />
== Flagship Model: Diono Excurze ==<br />
[[File:Diono Excurze Stroller.jpg|alt=Diono Excurze Stroller|thumb|[https://amzn.to/44Rxohw Diono Excurze Stroller]]]<br />
Diono's top selling stroller is the '''Diono Excurze''' (21 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3YiDLIh see price on Amazon]), a modular "city stroller" with reversible seat and all-weather boot. Additional features include: <br />
<br />
* Multi-position seat recline with lay flat option for newborns.<br />
* Reversible seat.<br />
* One handed steering and adjustable handlebar.<br />
* Weather resistant material.<br />
* Boot converts to carrycot apron.<br />
* Can be used with carrycot (additional cost) and some infant seats (Nuna, Maxi-Cosi, Cybex—adapters included).<br />
* Includes a rain cover.<br />
* Detachable bumper bar.<br />
* Narrow profile for tight city environments.<br />
* Canopy with three height adjustments.<br />
* Puncture proof wheels with 4-wheel suspension. Front wheels swivel and lock.<br />
* Folds to standing position.<br />
<br />
What's not to like about the Excurze? The fold requires two hands rather than the easier one-hand folds of other strollers. The bumper bar does not open when the seat is inward facing so it's harder to get your child in and out, the crotch pad falls off easily and it is rather large even when folded.<br />
<br />
This model is also available as the '''Excurze Luxe''' (21 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3YhmRd2 see price on Amazon]) with fancier fabrics (including a mirrored geometric pattern) and leatherette detailing.<br />
<br />
== Other Diono Strollers ==<br />
[[File:Diono Flexa Umbrella Stroller.jpg|alt=Diono Flexa Umbrella Stroller|thumb|https://amzn.to/3DGcHct]]<br />
As noted above, Diono has paired down its line to only two platforms. The '''Diono Flexa''' (17 lbs., [https://amzn.to/3OPS7Nv see price on Amazon]) is their second offering. Billed as an umbrella stroller with a slim, free standing fold, the Flexa offers a unique option to tuck in the wheels for an even smaller footprint. Also included are a rain cover, infant car seat adapters (for Nuna, Cybex and Maxi-Cosi), a lay-flat seat making it suitable for newborns and a large canopy with pop out visor. Unlike the Excurze, the Flexa has a one-hand fold. <br />
<br />
The Flexa is also available in a '''[https://amzn.to/3qeT8VK Luxe]''' version like the Excurze. This means it has nicer fabrics and detailing. <br />
<br />
== Safety Recalls ==<br />
As of this writing, Diono has no recalls on their strollers.<blockquote>''StrollerWiki is reader-supported. Things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. StrollerWiki.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.''</blockquote></div>Strollerwikiadmin