Customer Reviews

The First Years Wave Stroller, Urban Life

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

UPDATE (5/17/11):
Stroller still works great and is comfortable for our 11-month old. We did not have any other issues or problems.
***I was, however, wrong about the break (in my previous update). It works fine after all. I wasn't pressing it all the way down and that's why it wasn't bouncing back up on its own.
As for the backrest (some reviewers complained that it's not upright enough), it can be adjusted to be more upright by pulling hard on the straps and clipping the whole thing together with the provided/attached clip. I will admit, it is a pain in the behind sometimes, but (undeniably) the option is there and can be done.
Huge canopy and reversible seat are life savers. The best thing if it's sunny or windy; or if you just want to make the inside of the stroller darker and block out some of the "noise" when the baby is sleeping.
One annoying thing is the peek-a-boo window cover. It doesn't want to stay "open" and keeps covering the little window so it's hard to look in on the baby; you can peek in but then it "flops" back on. Now that my baby rides forward much more then before I may just attach a Velcro or something to give myself an option to keep it open for as long as I want to.
I also wish the seat was a little deeper.
Overall good stroller.
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Update (as of 1/2/2011): We have been using our Wave stroller for over 6 months and we absolutely love it! Our baby is super comfortable in it; maneuvering is a breeze, even with one hand (though you won't be able to push this stroller through snow or it will be a major challenge at the very least). Changing it from bassinet to toddler seat is very easy and quick (and it's so great we don't have to carry any extras to change the seat into bassinet). The quick direction change is fabulous and you really can do it in one smooth motion once you get a hang of it (the fact that you don't have to lift the whole seat out of the base to reverse it and also that once you reverse the seat the big wheels are still at the back and small - at the front is a huge plus in my opition).
However, there are two small issues that we noticed so far.
1. The break doesn't work as originally designed anymore; it "sticks" a little bit and doesn't bounce back up so we have to manually lift it up with a foot to be able to use it again next time (so much for the flip-flop friendly feature ;) - my nice leather shoes aren't too happy about this ;).
2. After about 5 months of using the stroller we started having problem with the right side of the handle. It seemed that something didn't click into place well and it wasn't stable and rigid anymore (the whole right side would bounce so it was impossible to put more pressure on it to, for example, lift the front of the stroller etc.). We have been using the reversible feature quite a bit but not abusing it so it may be a defect in just our stroller. Anyway, we were able to fix it by disassembling the black plastic cylinder where the handle is attached and lubricating the whole mechanism inside. That took care of the issue.
I still highly recommend the stroller.
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We just got our Wave stroller in Urban Life and the baby is not here yet so this review will only tell you what my first impression of the stroller is. But I figured that since this stroller is brand new on the market and there is really not much on the web about it, especially no reviews from actual users, I will just add my 3 cents ;).
First of all, it looks better than I expected and overall it makes a great impression. It is definitely an eye catcher. One of the nicest strollers I've recently seen in US (and we looked at quite few of them). It's got very clean lines and looks like a solid stroller. Definitely looks unlike any others that I have seen on the streets or in stores. The twist handle function to change it from forward facing to parent facing is amazing, very easy to do it just three quick maneuvers, and you don't even have to move from your spot. The toddler seat can be changed into basinet in under a minute. Stroller has additional padding (that can be removed) and it should be comfy enough for a baby. Fabric can be wiped so it should be easy to keep it clean (I don't think it can be washed though). With that said, the fabric is nice to the touch but I will definitely use a little blanket before I put the baby in it, at least at the beginning. Older baby should be fine. I'm listing some pros and cons below. However, my overall impression is great, we are very pleased with this stroller. It's very easy to maneuver and push; I even put my oldest in it (he weights about 40 lbs, so still under the recommended limit for this stroller of 50 lbs) and it was very easy to push it.

Stroller chassis is pretty wide, about 24 inches between large wheels.
Dimensions (measurements taken on the inside):
Seat: 19" high; 13" wide.
Bassinet: 31" long; 13" wide; 6" deep.

Cons:
* basket is nice but a bit small and may be a little hard to access, especially if you want to put in something larger
* there is no cup/bottle holder; and since there is no baby tray either it would be nice to have one (not a biggie for us though, we will just get a universal cut holder and attach it)
* basinet/toddler seat tilts/rocks a little bit when you move it with your hand, but I noticed the same thing with any other stroller on the market that allows you to change the seat position from forward facing to parent facing, even with much more expensive models
* you have to remove the seat/basinet to fold the base

Pros:
* front swivel wheels that lock very easily (all you have to do is press the lock and then turn the wheel until you hear a click; unlike some strollers where you have to position the wheel exactly before it can be locked)
* wheels are made of rubber so they won't go flat, and it's not cheap "plasticky" kind of material either
* amazing seat position change option, you only twist the handle; no more lifting the entire seat
* huge canopy, and I really mean HUGE, which can also be removed
* peek-a-boo window
* multiple reclining positions, including flat for newborns or for sleeping child
* turns from seat to basinet in under one minute and you don't have to carry any extras to do it
* adjustable handle (great for taller people)
* removable bumper bar
* five-point harness
* child limit is 50 lbs and/or 40 inches tall
* it's got a little handle to help with folding the base and it can also be used to carry the base or when putting it in the car; plus the base is free standing after folding
* car seat attachment comes with the stroller and it accepts most Graco and Chicco infant car seats. We tried it with our Graco SnugRide and it works great. Attachment snaps right into the base and the seat is secured on top of it
* looks even better live than in the pictures
* break; you press once to engage it, and then press again to disengage (some call it "flip-flop friendly" ;)
* price, with all the features that this stroller has it is really not bad.

I'm expecting #3 and I will admit that I am a sucker for strollers. This is the eleventh stroller I have purchased in the past 7 years. Don't judge me. Besides, there are single strollers, jogging strollers, double stroller, etc. Different strollers, different purposes and I currently only have 3 right now! Moving on...

I just received the Wave stroller by The First Years. It has so many incredible features that I'm sure many other companies will begin to take notice and try to duplicate. The reversible seat is incredible. I love that you don't have to take the baby out and flip the entire seat to have the baby facing the other direction. The entire seat swivels as it rotates on the frame (which my 3 year old really enjoyed spinning around!#. By doing it this way, the swivel wheels always stay forward facing and the larger wheels and brake are always at the back. Brilliant! I had the Peg Perego Venezia for my son and loved that the handle flipped without taking the baby out of the seat #perfect for walks when you are frequently changing directions and trying to avoid the sun#. However, with the Venezia, once you flip the handle you then have to switch the wheels the buttons on the wheels #to make the front wheels swivel and to lock the back wheels#. The Wave is the only stroller I've ever seen that has the reversible handle completely perfected!

Another plus for the Wave is how it folds. Although you have to take the seat off to fold #which isn't a big deal and actually divides the weight making it even lighter. A bonus in my opinion#, the folding mechanism couldn't be easier. I just purchased the Maxi-Cosi Foray before I bought this and folding it is ridiculous....4 tedious steps. I decided to order the Wave to compare the two strollers side by side to see which one I like and return the other. After folding this stroller #which is also much lighter!# and seeing all the features, I'm definitely returning the Maxi Cosi.

I tested the stroller with my 3 year old son #33 pounds# and my 6 year old daughter #42 pounds). The stroller still steered incredibly smooth with heavier kids. My three year old fit fine, his head was right at the top of the seat and he had to kind of duck down to close the canopy but his feet fit on the bottom of the footrest and he said he was comfy. My daughter had enough room as far as the width of the seat, but the length was not even close. Then again, as a first grader she won't be riding in a stroller. I just made her hop in to feel how it steered closer to the weight capacity.

The description of the infant carseat adapter for the Wave says it's universal on both the manufacturer

***EDIT 8/22/11***
After about six months of use I ended up selling this stroller. Here's why:

1)It does not sit at a full upright "0" degree angle (90*). As my son aged, he hated being somewhat reclined. This was a major factor in my decision.
2) Basket. Basket basket. The lack of storage was really annoying and got worse as it went on.
3) The footrest is not adjustable. This is sort of a pro/con based on the fact the seat turns into a bassinet, but his little legs stuck straight out when seated and hung over, he was uncomfortable.
4) The two part fold. This really didn't bother me that much, but I greatly prefer being able to fold the entire thing together if necessary.
5) Fabric. In Urban, the black fabric really wasn't as nice as I would have liked. It did repel stains but I wanted something that looked nicer.

All in all, I did enjoy the stroller and was quite sad to give up the spin feature. However, now that my son mostly wants to face outward at the world (1 year), it doesn't matter. I ended up choosing the Uppababy VistaUPPAbaby Vista Stroller, Cole/Slate which really has been a dream come true. It has every feature I could ever want, along with the price tag. If you're looking to save money, the Wave might be for you. But ultimately, there were some things I still really wanted out of a stroller that the Wave just didn't provide. Maybe in future models. It is still a great buy depending on what you're looking for.

***EDIT 1/11/11***

I've been using this stroller for a few months now. I still really enjoy it. The packing/unpacking of the stroller is quite a breeze now. As another reviewer stated, we've had a little bit of trouble feeling like the right side of the handlebar is just maybe half an inch or so lower than the left. Apparently there is an easy fix so I look forward to that. The stroller has held up well with almost daily use. It is easy to clean, and my six month old likes to sit in it upright as well as sleep in it bassinet mode. I still largely hate the basket. I use it to stash a water bottle and a blanket, and maybe my jacket. That's about it. I use stroller cruise hooks to attach my diaper bag. I still think this stroller was a GREAT purchase for the price. If you're debating I'd still recommend you get it. I have been so pleased with all the features I purchased it for (reversible, bassinet to toddler, etc.) and it has not disappointed. Also, I get a lot of comments of 'that is the coolest stroller I have ever seen' and people asking me where to get it. I spent time in Miami where EVERYONE and their dog has a Bugaboo. There were at least 6 Bugaboos out by the Ritz Carlton pool there, along with my stroller, and even the Bugaboo owners took note! Not that it is important, but just to give you an idea, it looks like a more expensive and unique stroller. Happy shopping!

*If you are looking for a footmuff, go for the JJ Cole bundle me in TODDLER. PERFECT fit! I also went with the Cruise Hooks to attach on the handle. Those are the two accessories I'd say are a definite must-buy. I'm going to purchase a Meeno babies stroller liner for summer, as well, but can't comment on its fit yet. I'll update later.

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ORIGINAL REVIEW:

I just got this stroller today after lots of research on reversible-seat strollers. My initial impression is very good! Here is a breakdown of what I like and don't like:

Like:

1) Obviously the stroller looks very nice.
2) The spin handle! It is very easy and fun to do also! This is the reason I chose the stroller.
3) It was very easy to assemble. Pop on the wheels, the canopy, and the seat. It took less than five minutes.
4) It handles well due to the large rear tires that always stay in the rear.
5) For those that want, it already comes with a car seat adaptor which is nice. My baby hates his car seat, which is the reason I wanted a parent-facing stroller, thus I don't need this part.
6) You CAN adjust from bassinet mode to toddler mode and vice versa while the child is in the seat (also not recommended though). Going from bassinet to toddler is easier though, because I wanted to be able to quietly lie the baby down when he fell asleep upright. This is more difficult to do because the seat part drops quickly if you don't support it when you release the buckle.
7) Large canopy with peek a boo window (vinyl). This combined with the ability to flip the seat means baby never has to have the sun in his eyes!
8) Easy operation: Easy to undo belly bar, easy to undo/place seat, easy to flip, easy to fold.

Dislike:

1) The stroller fabric isn't quite as nice as I would hope, but I am getting a Meeno liner. For the price of the stroller though, this is minor. I was worried about the straps and the fabric looking too windbreaker-like, but it is more like a woven nylon, and softer than I expected.
2) The basket is the reason I rated this stroller only 4/5. It is difficult to tell from the pictures, but there is a hardware part of the stroller than extends directly down from the frame and into the basket a couple of inches. This makes getting anything larger than a small purse or a blanket very difficult to get in OR out. Storage is a BIG deal for parents so this is disappointing. I DID manage to hook my large Burberry diaper bag onto the handlebars (I know, it says not to). However, when it is in bassinet mode, it is awkward and the driver is right up against the bag. When the seat is upright in toddler mode, it touches the part where a child's lower leg would be. My baby is only 4 months so that is not an issue now. I suspect when the baby is older he will be outward facing anyway, and this won't be a problem, just something to be aware of.
3) The strap system for the seat recline is cumbersome. I'm sure they could have figured something else out here. Hopefully for those that buy it later they will revise that in the following models. The two straps that adjust from bassinet mode to toddler mode are a little tough to do, you really have to squat and pull them pretty hard to buckle. I guess that means they're secure...

Overall it is the best option for the price considering the bassinet to toddler and the reversible seat. The two part fold is not difficult. We also have a Chicco Cortina system and that stroller takes up more room in our BMW trunk than this does. It doesn't have a lock when folded, but it stands up so that really isn't a problem for us. The seat did come with a fairly strong fabric smell but after leaving it out in the living room for a few hours it has already started to subside. As for the velcro and the swinging bar on the underneath side of the stroller: put the seat in bassinet mode. Fasten the two 1" velcro tabs around this bar. Then take the large velcro closure that runs the width of the stroller and fasten it around the previous bar you just velcroed. This helps to keep the bassinet seat stable and the seat keep its shape when put upright.

We will probably be using this stroller when we don't need to pack around as many things or when I am alone with the baby so I can more easily see him and entertain him. We will stick to the Chicco when we need more storage space (i.e. going to Disney World, need a big shopping basket). I'm happy with the purchase. I debated on it for days and took the plunge; you should too. I contacted Amazon and as long as the product hasn't been used you can return it within 365 days. So, you can take it out, put it together, try it in your home and if you don't like it, you can return it for free, shipping included. Hope this helps!

I bought the Wave sight unseen after spending lots of time researching and traveling all over to look at strollers that have the features I wanted but for a higher price. This is my very first stroller and I am extremely happy as it fits our current needs perfectly. Absolutely love how the seat reverses! It's so easy, I still cannot believe it. Other features that are a plus for me (have been mentioned by others as well):

-- Was easy to put together, my husband was shocked when he came home to see it out of the box, all in one piece and ready to go - took me about 45 minutes
-- the big wheels are always in back due to the way the seat reverses with smaller swivel wheels in front
-- swivel wheels can be locked/unlocked easily
-- flip flop friendly brake, no make that barefoot, big toe friendly rear brake
-- very easy to maneuver even on grass, dirt/gravel paths, it's been over a month with no problems pushing or steering inside or outside
-- big convertible seat with extra padding and a full canopy comes bassinet mode ready. It compares very well to the I'coo pacific seat which also converts to avoid having a separate bassinet. My 4-month old son prefers to "sit up" so I never really tested the bassinet mode and I chose put him in the seat directly so have not used the included Graco carseat adaptor
-- feels and looks sturdy, even my husband who was skeptical at first because of the low price is impressed and wants to push it all the time.
--that said it does not feel heavy at all. It's comparable to the more expensive full size strollers I tested

There are some minuses that don't bother me much but I can see how others might reconsider because:
-- requires two part fold where you must remove the seat first. This is not at all compact and requires space in my small car but it fits. On the plus side, once I read the directions and practiced a little, the fold was not a big deal The stroller base will stand on its own when folded as well.
-- the basket - I agree with the person who said it's difficult to get to due to the stroller design. The size is ok and I can squeeze things like clothes in from different angles but is not big and roomy like my snap n go. So I won't be complaining about how hard it is to push a heavy stroller laden with my shopping, it won't fit!
-- the seat fabric is wipe clean only nylon materials which is not as nice as the machine washable fabrics used by other brands so I'm looking to get a seat liner to dress it up a bit
-- lack of accessories (no matching footmuff, cover, snack tray, or parent console (even though the manual mentions a console). I have to customize myself but it's rare to get many included accessories anyway unless you get a travel system or purchase them separately.
-- canopy is huge but if First Years could have made it so that it comes down to the bumper bar in seat mode like the Bumbleride Flyer, I would be even happier especially now that sunny weather is here
-- because my son likes to be upright, I would prefer the seat could be more upright (like the brand new Vista or the Bumbleride which if I recall goes to full 90 degrees) but I really think this will be fine
As a final wish, it would be nice if they could make a few changes and add air tires to create an affordable, not so heavy reversible jogger type/all terrain stroller, that would be really nice.

I am admittedly a strollers obsessed person. I am on my third baby now and have purchased over 6 strollers over the past 7 years.

I started researching strollers this time around because I wanted one that had the newborn bassinet feature but couldn't bring myself to pay the $800 for the Uppa Baby (which looks beautiful but my husband gave me the evil eye when I told him the price :). I was SO HAPPY when I found this stroller for 1/4 the price! I plan to return to my part time work with my baby and so wanted a comfortable, compact place for him to sleep completely flat. This stroller fits my goal exactly.

The first thing out of hubby's mouth (and mine) when we opened the box was "WOW, that looks exactly like that $800 Uppa Baby stroller you wanted!" and it does. We bought the black one and the fabric looks great.

It was very easy to put together and the turning function is incredibly smooth and easy to do (from forward facing to parent facing). I also love that you can have it sideways too, great for at a restaurant. Even my 7 year old could do it and found it fantastic.

The biggest deal for me in any stroller are the hood size and the turning. The hood is a very good size and offers more than 2/3 coverage. I always wish that any stroller will be as good as a BOB stroller's hood size, but we can't have everything :) (LOVE BOB strollers by the way)

So for my turning test (because I am still pregnant) I put my 43 lb. 5 year old in the stroller and pushed her all around the house, in circles, etc. This stroller was still VERY, VERY easy to push. I was actually shocked. it did not lean to one side or favor the front or back and it didn't have tough points while turning. Everything was smooth.
So for fun I put my 56 lb. 7 year old in it as well (I know this is above the recommended weight :) and it was still easy to push!!!!

The storage basket is on the small side (and I have owned 7 strollers). I can see putting a small diaper bag in there OR a purse and some loose diapers and a few other small things. For me this is not a huge deal as I have the Skip Hop Duo Deluxe diaper bag and it clips on to the handle bar very sleekly and offers me all the storage (I hope) I need plus I can put my water bottle, keys, etc. in one of the parent pockets in my diaper bag. I love that bag!!! I bought the "Childress Bottles and Bags stroller organizer with shopping bag hooks" thinking this would be the perfect compliment to this stroller and I don't like it one bit. The "water bottle holders" are a joke unless you drink from a kid sized water bottle and the other pockets I found awkward. Anyway, I am returning it and just plan to use the diaper bag as my "parent organizer."

I do consider it a downside that you have to remove the seat in order to fold it into your car. But I also have never seen a stroller that was a bassinet and a toddler seat in one. I give them that. They also had the grace to include the adapter for a carseat so that your infant carseat will fit right into the metal frame when the seat is removed. Almost every other company that sells high-end strollers makes you purchase that separately. My hats off to them for this. Speaking of that feature it is GREAT that this metal frame can be used with our Graco Snugride carseat! As a mother of almost 3, I know the importance of being able to do this with your stroller so you are not waking your sleeping baby. Again, I wish you were able to attach your carseat into this stroller without having to remove the seat and install the carseat adapter but it seems this is the trade off for that bassinet feature I wanted so much.

I believe I will be really, really happy with this stroller and will update when baby comes and I have had a chance to use it more. I only gave it four stars because to me, the 5th star should be reserved for products that you wouldn't want to change or improve.

As a last note my other favorite strollers are the Peg Perego Pilko P3 or a BOB for singles, and HANDS DOWN the BOB Dualle for a double.

REVIEW EDIT/ADDITION:

I delivered 4 weeks early (april 2011) and have now used the stroller for a little over 2 months on a daily basis. I wanted to update my review with my experience.

Every time I go out with my stroller, I get all sorts of people complimenting it, and many people go out of their way to ask me what it is and where I got it. The amazing thing is, this is usually just from the looks of the stroller, many don't even know what it could do!

Some things I love so far:

-The reversible seat comes in more handy than I could've imagined! I usually have my child parent facing. When my husband and I are out at a restaurant eating, we flip the handle up, and we are able to turn him 360* around. This doesn't sound like a big deal, but it actually is quite useful! There is no handle bar to get in the way of us interacting with him, and we are able to manueaver the stroller into tight spaces and just turn his seat to face us afterwards! We are also able to pick him up and put him back into the stroller without having to stand up. Again, sounds very insignificant..but once you experience it, it's extremely convenient. Also, we can have him towards me while my husband is eating, or turn him towards my husband while I'm eating.

-the telescoping handle is wonderful. my husband appreciates that he doesn't have to hunch over to push it. when i'm in heels, i can adjust the handle to be longer for me as well.

-the travel system feature is nice. I never knew how terrible it was to wake an infant while napping! Since I purchased the VIA infant seat, I just snap his carseat out of the car and move it onto the stroller base! My baby is never disturbed, so we don't suffer through the long, angry cries from the baby.

-the smooth ride is nice, too. my stroller is nice and quite and manueavers with almost no effort.

-the bassinet can be tilted at a 30* angle, which is really nice after feedings! The hospital recommends your baby be at 30* angle after eating, to avoid spit ups and the bassinet allows us to do that, it makes the stroller look weird, or broken, but our baby is able to avoid spit ups.


THINGS I DON'T LIKE:

-the crossbars that limit access to the basket! omg! a big, big deal! I struggle to squeeze my diaper bag down into the basket. Once in the basket, there's plenty of space, it's just getting the bag in and out while a baby is crying is TERRIBLE! The quick fix was investing in a net bag that hangs off the side, 2 stroller hooks, and a parent organizer tray on the handle.

-the width of the wheels make it difficult to navigate through narrow walkways and restaurants at times. not a big deal, but something you should def be aware of. there was one occasion where i wasn't able to get the wheels to clear the escalator..(my baby wasn't in the stroller at the time & you shouldn't need to be in an escalator anyways).

-storage. storing the stroller base in the SUV isn't bad. I couldn't imagine keeping this big thing in a small car! I'm sure you can, but it'd be horrible to get out of a trunk of..say..a HONDA ACCORD. in my suv i just slide it out and let it drop. in a small car's trunk, i'd probably struggle to lift it up and over the bumper. yikes.


SUMMARY: I still LOVE my stroller. The weight was initially bothering me, but after carrying my baby around all day, I must've developed some muscle because my stroller is a piece of cake to pick up these days. I have no issues with pulling off the carseat and then folding the stroller base. I was worried about this getting on my nerves on a daily basis, but it doesn't. I love this stroller for the spinning chair, because it makes eating out at restaurants more easy, it allows us to have our baby look out at the world (because he's starting to love sight-seeing) and/or look towards parents. The stroller basket and it's accessibility do bother me quite a bit, but again, a few additions fixed the problem fairly quickly. The handle carries a good amount of weight. Not sure what the max capacity is, but I throw my grocery bags onto the handle hooks with no problem. Haven't tried heavy loads of 2 liter sodas or gallons of milk or anything, though. Alot compliments every time I'm out.




ORIGINAL REVIEW POSTED 2/17/2011

First time mom, expecting a summer (May 2011) baby. Did lot of research, and really, really wanted capability of a reversible seat feature for stroller because of the summer due date.

There are pros and cons to every stroller and before buying, it's important that you determine WHICH features are your primary priorities, and what you're willing to put up with to HAVE those features and at what price as well.

Features that were at the top of my priority list in order are as follows:
1. Easy reversible seat so my baby can be turned around if the summer sun should shine down on him
2. Big sunshade, to protect him from the Southern California summer sun
3. Price for features, so the overall value
4. Weight
5. Maneuverability of stroller, I wanted a stroller with a quiet, smooth ride
6. Ability to be a travel system, allowing for an infant stroller to sit on it
7. Has to be comfortable for me (5'3" tall) and my husband (6' tall) to both push

PROS AND CONS OF MY LIST OF PRIORITIES:

1. Reversible seat
There are many strollers out there that have the reversible seat feature, the much cheaper First Years Indigo ($160), Graco Flip It Reversible, Kontours 3 wheel stroller ($150), Mia Moda ($209) are just a few with the reversing seat that are just a little bit cheaper than the Wave. However, many of these strollers require that you remove the seat completely to flip it around, meaning the child cannot be sitting in the seat. The Graco FlipIt can be reversed without lifting the seat, but the front wheels become the back? It was difficult to maneuver in this mode.

The Wave was the easiest of them all. I wasn't able to find this stroller in any local store here in California so had to order it to try it out, but am SO glad I did. Thank you Amazon for your 365-day return policy, I had no worries! You simply twist the red-striped knob located on the center of the handle, and lift the handle upright, turn the seat, and lower the handle back in position. DONE! The rear seats stay in the rear, so you don't get that awkwardness of trying to steer a stroller backwards (like in the Graco FlipIt, where the rear wheels become the front wheels).

I anticipate I will use this feature alot, since I'm due right when summer should be starting. I don't want my poor baby having to face the sun beating down on him in 110* weather! I will love the fact that he can be flipped around and will always be in the shade, along with this stroller having a ginormous sunshade I don't anticipate the sun posing any problems at all!


2. big sunshade
This thing has one of the hugest sunshades I've seen! In upright position, it goes to about half way..which is where the baby's stomach would most likely be! That's alot of coverage! Also, if you need it to go even lower, you can since the top of the shade has elastic and is not attached to the stroller. Also, the sunshade has a peek-a-boo window so you can check up on your child. I'll be a new mom, so this feature doesn't impress me too much..but it's always nice to have extras here and there.

3. price for features
After many months of researching cheaper and higher end strollers, I found the Wave was the best value. You get the most bang for your buck. It's definitely not cheap, I got it on sale through Amazon for $230 or so and there are strollers out there as low as $150 that have some features..but with the Wave, you get a very unique, designer looking stroller, you get the reversible seat capability, the big sunshade, the ability to transform from a bassinet to a toddler seat WITHOUT buying anything extra and WITHOUT lugging around a whole separate bassinet. The bassinet and the toddler seat is ONE seat. Also, First Years INCLUDES the car seat adapter, so if you want to use the Graco SnugRide or the Chicco KeyFit30, you can. The car seat adapter even comes with it's own carrying case.

4. weight
The weight was very important for me. When I first started shopping, it was #1 on my priority list, but started to move down as I realized that the more features I want in my stroller, the more it would have to weigh..unless I wanted to fork out more money. I could definitely get a lightweight stroller with awesome features..but I'd be forking out well over $600 at least..and still have to spend more money for the extras like a bassinett for $100-200 or $25-45 for a car seat adapter. No thanks.

The Wave stroller is by no means light. It's quite a hefty weight at 24 or 25 lbs, actually, which I think is about 5-6 lbs heavier than a Graco stroller, which weighs about 20lbs. It's also quite wide in the back since the back wheels are bigger and sit wider apart than the front (maybe about 3-4 inches wider than those Graco strollers). The handle is also wide. That being said, I don't find the weight unmanageable. I'm a fairly weak girl (struggle to open some mall doors, I'm so weak), but have easily gotten this stroller into my Murano SUV and carried it around in folded mode.

5. maneuverability
I haven't had the ability to really take it out yet since I have no kids around. I've tested it around the house with 30 lb weights and it seems to move fine. I will update this later, once the kid is here. I did have a chance to try it out at the mall, when I saw a lady had one. She was kind enough to let me test it out (this is during the time I was still debating if I should order one). Here kid was about a year old and when I pushed it around the mall with one hand, it was easy enough. She raved about hers by the way, which gave me the extra push I needed to finally put in my order.

6. travel system capability
This stroller is awesome in that it comes with the car seat adapter, no extra cost required. The adapter allows the stroller to be used with the Graco SnugRide carseat and the Chicco KeyFit carseat. The adapter just snaps in, and the carseats snaps into the adapter. The instructions says to wrap the included strap around the carseat for extra protection, but I had read another reviewer's comments that stated that since the seat snaps in place, the strap is just extra precautions. I can't comment, as I decided to get the Via Infant Seat which is made for this stroller.

The Via seat snaps in easily, and looks great. I had read a few reviewers that complained about how difficult it was to remove the seat from the stroller and wanted to comment on this, as their reviews had me VERY WORRIED about ordering the Via seat. One reviewer even went so far as to say that the seat WASN'T MADE FOR THE WAVE??? Boy was I relieved when I got the Via seat in the mail today. THIS VIA IS DEFINITELY MADE FOR THE WAVE STROLLER. It snapped in with no problems. However, there was no instructions on how to REMOVE the seat from the stroller. After a few minutes of looking around and pushing and pulling on different levers, I soon discovered the red lever, in the back of the carseat near the top was the release lever. This is the same lever to lift the carseat out of the base. Other reviewers commented on how the carseat seemed like it was stuck to the stroller, or tough to remove. I didn't find that to be the case. I don't know how it can be hard, as I have very girlie, tiny hands and fingers and can still manage to pull the lever and remove the seat. I think the lever isn't EASY to release, but it by no means too difficult for someone who can grip it. My ring finger is a size 3, so that tells you how small my hands really are, the average woman's finger size is a size 7, I think? So it's strange to read that a man was struggling to remove the seat.

The reason I'm stressing grip strength and hand/finger size is because you're not pulling or pushing on the seat itself to get this seat out of the stroller. You are only gripping onto the red lever and squeezing it up to release. Once you hear the click, just lift! Other reviews commenting about how this carseat is impossible to remove from the stroller, or NOT MADE for the stroller base freaked me out alot, but rest assured it is not difficult to remove.


7. comfortable for the short and the tall
It has a telescoping handle, so both me (5'3") and my husband (nearly 6') can push it around comfortably. The handle also has a foam wrap around it, similiar to those noodles used at the pool. Someone's review commented it could carry a load of 50lbs, I have not tried this, but did put a substantial amount of weight on it, and it doesn't look like it wants to topple over or anything.


Other comments:


The bassinet to toddler seat feature is cool. It's easy to do. There's button together (snap on) type straps under the toddler seat that you release to change it into a bassinet. When you want it to be a toddler seat again, just snap the straps back together. There's 3 straps to snap.

Putting the seat on the stroller base is easy to snap on..only, since it's reversible, I haven't quite mastered remembering when to put the seat in forward or rear-facing. I just have to pay more attention to the slot opening. There's a diagram on the side of the opening that indicates which way the seat should go in, though.

The stroller is sturdy but if you grab the seat, it does have a slight move to it..almost a bounce..but not big. When pushing the stroller around it doesn't bounce up and down or anything, but like the video review posted by babygizmo, it does have some give..but I think the video exaggerates the bounce.

The basket does have some drawbacks. It's not small, but its not huge either. The main concern is accessing the basket. It is located below the crossbars, which produces some challenges. It's difficult to get a large size bag between the crossbars..but once squeezed in, it fits in the basket. The basket is much more accessible from the front, since the crossbars have a larger opening from the front. I think I will be purchasing a storage net to hang off the handl or some diaper bag hooks later if necessary.

Oh, and regarding other reviewer's comments about a "random bar on the underside of the stroller base", this bar is not random. It is extra reinforcement for withstanding the weight of the toddler seat or the via infant car seat if needed. Each of these seats have a bar of their own under them, that hangs right above the "random bar on the underside of the stroller base" when they are snapped in place. If the weight is heavy enough, the random bar is there to provide extra weight support.

THE FOLD: It is a "2 step fold", technically. I actually like the fold. I quote 2 step because step one is removing the seat off the stroller the base, step 2 is grabbing the handle located right in the dead center of the base and lifting. It's pretty easy. Think of it like lifting a suitcase off the floor, that's exactly how it folds. I've tried many "1 step" folds on different strollers at the local retailer, but found some to be quite horrible. I remember a few where I had to lean forward to get it to fold, or had to lay it down on the side to get it to fold. Those actually seem more of a pain to me. I like the Wave since it has that handle, which allows you to carry it

THE FABRIC: It is not like cotton fabric..but something between windbreaker material and cotton? lol. That's the best I could describe it, very similar to mesh. It looks easy to clean, looks like you could just wipe it down. I might be a little worried about the baby sweating in it..we'll see since most of your Graco strollers don't use cotton fabric either, it might not be an issue. Looks like ample cushioning. The seat has a liner, much like a bassinet liner, that can be removed. Bumper bar snaps on and off with the push of a release button. around like a suitcase.

THE WHEELS: The back wheels measure a whopping 12.5" diameter! That's hefty. The front wheels are an average size, like a typical Graco stroller at about 5" in diameter. However, the width of the back wheels are 4" wider apart than a typical Graco stroller. A typical Graco stroller's wheels measure about 18.5"-20" apart (typically more of them are 20" apart), but on the wave, the wheel are 24" wide. If you plan to go in tight spaces, you should consider this. The front wheels also seem like they are on springs. When I push down on them, the want to pop and spring right back up. The back wheels do not do this. The material on the wheels are a sort of foamy rubber. Not hard plastic.



SUMMARY
All in all, I am extremely happy with this stroller so far. I am happy with the carseat, too, but haven't yet attempted to install it in my car. I would not hesitate to buy it again at all. The weight is kind of suckie, but so many positives outweigh a few minor glitches of negative for me.

I will post pictures or a video soon...

This is my first review. But since there aren't very many, I wanted to be helpful for other parents looking at this stroller.

First the good:
It is very pretty. Very very pretty.
The cushion is removable and washable.
You can switch it from parent facing to outward facing so easily that I was surprised at how easily.
You can change it to a bassinet while the baby is still in it. If they fall asleep, you can just lay it back. No waking!
Everything about it is designed to be easy from what I can tell.
The handle is height adjustable.

Then the bad:
It is not a lightweight stroller. It is a standard stroller. Which means that it is bulkier to fold up, and it is a bit on the heavy side.
There is no cup holder. I really want cup holders.
The basket will hold a diaper bag and no more. It's not small, but it's not big either.

My son is 9 months old, 29 inches, and 21 lbs. He has plenty of room to grow in the stroller. My daughter is 4 years old, 31 lbs, and 36 inches (or so) and she can sit in it, and weight wise is totally fine. It's still easy to push. BUT she doesn't have much head space. That said she is 4 and doesn't ride in strollers.

I wish that I had found this stroller 9 months ago when he was a newborn!

One of my concerns about this stroller was the fact that it doesn't sit completely upright. And I was worried about him hating not sitting straight up. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he can sit upright if he wants, and the relaxed angle of the upright seat was perfect for him. He is really happy in there.

We received this stroller for our son who is now a month old. I did a lot of research and shopping for strollers and this one has the best combination of features that I wanted. The handle allows you to easily reverse seat directions, the toddler seat can recline to any position, the seat converts easily from a toddler seat to a bassinet (this is brilliant!) and it comes with a universal carseat attachment. It really has all the wonderful qualities of a higher end stroller like the Bugaboo but for about a 1/3 of the price and with fewer accessories. It rides very smoothly and turns on a dime with one hand. The sun shade is wonderful because it is so big! My son loves this stroller and usually falls asleep within minutes of being put in it. The only cons would be that the basket is kind of small and hard to access when using the bassinet. You do have to remove the seat to fold and it isn't the most compact stroller in the world. Also, there is not cupholder - but fortunately there are lots of universal cupholders on amazon!
Definitely reccomend this stroller!

I purchased this for my daughter living in NYC. She wanted something higher off the ground than the usual stroller. This is perfect. She loves that the baby is facing her, although it rotates to face front, or the side, which is especially convenient when sitting in a restaurant. It's a wonderful buggy, carriage for small infants, as well as, a stroller as the child gets older.
I wish this were available when my daughter was an infant. I had to purchase a carriage, and a stroller.
Anyone purchasing this item will NOT be disappointed.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!

I did an obsessive amount of research on strollers, and the Wave was the one we finally bought. Our baby is due in a couple months, so this is based on observations just out of the box. A lot of other reviewers have covered the key points, so I'll just add my two cents of what ended up important to us in the end:
- the seat is higher off the ground than average - 23" high. I LOVE this - baby has a better view, is closer to you and not so close to the dust in the street. In bassinet mode you don't have to bend over so far to reach your baby.
- the single unit that converts from bassinet to seat is much more convenient than a separate bassinet that you have to end up storing somewhere. It was important that our infant be able to lie flat, for health and safety reasons (versus a snap n go style, since extended time in a car seat is not good for infants), and we don't have a lot of storage space in our house.
- the price is awesome (and Amazon had the best price, with the best return policy, thank you Amazon!). The other strollers I liked were the Uppababy Vista and the Bugaboo, way more expensive, and these have the separate bassinet issue.
- love the super easy swivel feature, which others have said plenty about, so 'nuff said there.
- the handle bar height adjusts easily

Things I wish were different:
- the fabric is not machine washable. It's also very synthetic - out of the box it smelled very strongly and my hands smelled after putting it together; after an overnight in a room with the windows open it's much better but right up close it still smells. This is a concern to me but I'll try wiping it down, and then to protect it, since I can't wash it fully, I plan to use some kind of washable liner (like a wool puddle pad) that hopefully will also block any remaining chemical smell. With 2 more months to air out, I'm hoping that will be fine.
- this thing is BIG. I'm apprehensive about trying to wheel this thing inside restaurants or stores. It maneuvers great but the sheer width worries me. The width in the back (wheel to wheel) is big (about 24" I think?), and the bassinet is LONG (about 34"). Outside for walks, which is our main intended use, I think it will be fine, but for errands I"m not sure. However, the similar strollers out there are not significantly narrower in the back wheels (only a few inches - I've measured). So though it's bulkier than I'd like, that's not a deal breaker. (I have not tried putting it in my trunk yet, though)
- the seat/bassinet moves when you push on it, making it seem not very sturdy. Others have commented on this as not being a problem, and I found that another similarly designed stroller wobbles like this, too. My husband is concerned about this, but so far no reviewers that have been using it cite it as a problem, and the First Years seem to have a good reputation for safety (like their convertible car seat).
- the padding doesn't seem like it's super comfy. But others have indicated it is for their child, so I'm hoping for the best.

Other notes: When I emailed customer service to ask about the height of the seat off the ground, I got a reply by the next day. I think another reviewer had a problem with cust svc - it could be they are quicker to respond when it's a potential sale versus a problem, but my experience was positive.

So, without having used it with a baby yet, I'm pretty convinced it's a keeper. I'll update my review if that opinion changes...