Customer Reviews

Kolcraft Contours Options 3 Wheeler in Ruby

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

We looked around a lot before decided on this stroller, and I'm quite satisfied with it. I'm less than satisfied with Amazon, as the price went up by $25 right when I decided to buy it, so I bought it elsewhere. Beware that Amazon's prices fluctuate every hour. The stroller still gets 5 stars, though, as the rating is for the stroller, not for Amazon. Its not a perfect stroller, but then, I doubt such a thing exists.

First, I'll address some complaints that others had.

Weight. Yes, its a heavy stroller, but all joggers are heavy strollers. I dont know why someone would buy this stroller if they wanted something lightweight. Maybe they just don't realize how heavy 27 lbs is or they didnt look at the weight at all, but if you're not used to lifting heavy things 27 lbs can be a lot. I'm guessing that people who complained about the weight also didn't look around at other strollers of the type. As far as joggers go, this is one of the lightest ones. Most that we looked at were over 30 lbs. Compared to those, this IS lightweight, so if you want a light(er) jogger that doesnt cost $500, then this is the one. Keep in mind that you're going to be lifting a 30 lb child soon (if they aren't that big already) so this is good practice. Despite the weight, my wife was still able to bump it up our steps, with our baby in it.

Tipping. We just got it today, so we haven't used it so much, but we did go around the block and then shopping with it, and we had no problem with it feeling like it was going to tip, even when I purposefully made some very tight turns. It handled like a breeze, turning on a dime as we made our way through a group of kids playing on the sidewalk. Rolls really smoothly, too. Its only a few inches wider than the Graco Snap n Go that we were using previously, so maneuvering through things wasn't a problem.

Smell. There was a smell of new plastic when we first opened it up, but it went away not long after. By the time we got back from going around the block I didnt notice it at all.

Folding. Folding and unfolding the stroller can be a little difficult, though with a little practice I'm sure it'll get easier. Folding it up isn't so bad, and you don't have to pull both tabs at the same time, so thats no big deal, but unfolding it can take a bit of doing to get everything to snap back into place fully. Note that if the seat isn't in it when you fold it up parts of it flop around a bit as theres only one latch holding everything together. With the seat in it its fine, though the seat has to be facing forward. If you plan on folding and unfolding your stroller and lifting it in and out of the trunk all the time, this may not be the stroller for you, but then for that purpose you probably dont want a jogger type stroller in the first place. We bought this for general all-purpose use, and plan to also buy a semi-cheap umbrella stroller for when we need to take the bus and fold up the stroller. Not that it would be impossible or a huge hassle to fold this one and move it around all the time, but it would definitely be easier with a smaller, lighterweight stroller. As I said before, though, if you want a jogger, this is one of the lighter ones.

Assembly. Yes, it is required, but it wasn't a big deal. Instructions were pretty clear, and everything basically just goes where it fits.

Height. For me, the height is great. (I'm 6'4".) The fact that its one of the tallest strollers was a selling point for us. I could see how someone on the shorter side could be uncomfortable pushing it, but my wife finds it perfectly fine, too, and she's 5'6". It would have been nicer if the handle bar adjusted, but for the price, I wouldn't expect it. The handlebar is about 3'5" high, btw.

Seat. This could have been bigger. Our baby is only 10 weeks old and already seems close to the top, but we're not too worried. Theres still a good bit of space for her to grow into it, and only half her growth will affect it. (Since the other half is leg growth which wont push her head up into the stroller.) It would have been better if they had made it a bit bigger, and if they are smart they will for future models, but again, for the price its great. Its great, though that it can face either way (not found in most joggers, even expensive ones) and the feature to hold a baby carrier is great, too. Only the whole seat reclines, though, not the seat back independantly. The foot rest is adjustable, though.


Other issues:

Handling. Like I said before, it handles beautifully. Feels like its floating on air its so smooth and turns so easily. The front wheel swivels nicely and locks easily for jogging. Goes over bumps and cracks in the sidewalk that would stop strollers with smaller wheels as if they weren't there. if its raining, you can easily hold an umbrella and still push the stroller with one hand.

Canopy. Its smaller than I would have liked, but it seems thats standard. It won't keep the sun off her face when the sun is angled towards it unless you unhook it from the back of the seat so that you can pull it further forward. I don't know why all the manufacturers so that, it seems silly to me. A little extra fabric and you'd be able to pull it further forward so that it can protect the baby regardless of the sun's angle. Still worth it for the price, though, especially as you wont find anythign different, even with more expensive strollers.

Construction. Feels sturdy and safe overall, though joints aren't all as tight as they could be, so they can move a bit. I'm not really worried about it, though. It still feels like it will hold up well and last.

Cup holders. They're nice and big, and theres two. Easily holds a bottle of soda, which the cup holder on the Graco couldn't do. Also has a tray to put keys, phone, and other stuff in. It seems older models had a cup holder and tray for the baby, too, which would have been nice, but the bar this one comes with is good too. If Kolcraft is smart, though, they'd go back to the tray.

Storage Basket. Relatively big (especially as compared to others, it seems) though not as big as it looks from behind, since the edge comes down in the front to fit the slope of the frame. Still, we were able to fit a fair bit of groceries in it.


Overall, its a great stroller and a great value. If you're looking for lightweight and portable, you might want to look elsewhere, though, unless you just have to have something with large wheels. If you don't mind the weight and size, though, get it, you won't regret it. The handling and features can't be beat, especially for the price.

My son loves this stroller. We've had him in it since day one. I like that it comes with the carseat attatchment, we have a graco safeseat, and it's so easy to just set the carrier in it when he's asleep...there is a strap you put over the carrier and you're ready to go. I love the way the seat faces both directions. This was a selling point for me. I can change the direction he's facing while he's sitting in it! It rolls very smoothly.
I found out that to fold it up the seat has to be facing out. We have a 05 Civic and this stroller takes up half of our trunk. This is a little frustrating, but it's worth it to have a roomy stroller for him, and a place for me to store my shopping bags, purse, and diaper bag. The basket on the bottom is very large...we can fit his diaper bag, my purse, a blanket, and a few shopping bags in it.
We have the stroller that has the cup holder/tray across his lap. I love this option. I put his juice in the cup holder and a few puffs on the tray and he is snacking down the mall.
The recline options are great. When he was younger I would recline the seat all the way for him to sleep and it was great...a bed on wheels. I like to keep the seat all the way up now because when it is his canopy will cover the entire area to the tray. A great option for public places during flu season.
This stroller is heavy, but it's also heavy duty. It's worth the weight.
I highly recommend this stroller...I'm a first time mom and I researched forever. Like I mentioned before, the selling point for me was that the seat faces both ways, but I have been soooooooo pleased with this stroller.
We did get an umbrella stroller to put in the other car so we wouldn't have to switch back and forth.

I chose this stroller after reading positive reviews at epinions.com and I couldn't be happer with my purchase, this stroller is high quality and worth the price... and it's taller than the average stroller. I'm 5'10 and most strollers feel a little short for me.. but this is so comfortable for me to push.

I got this stroller to use everyday, but i feel like it is better suited as an outdoor/active stroller. It is larger and heavier than I expected, and pretty goofy to fold up and down. Sometimes it just collapses on the ground when im trying to maneuver it into folding. Unfortunately I cant return it because the return policy wont take it back after its been removed form original packaging...
On the good side, it does roll and turn very smooth, and would be great for a day at the zoo, or park. The hood gives good coverage, and it feels pretty solid in build. I cant imagine trying to do a lot of short trips however, considering how hard it is to fold up. The wheel base is fairly large as well, so shopping in tight areas would be a hassle. oh, and it gasses off something nasty! It made the whole house stink.
wouldnt buy again!

I'll start off with the worst things about this seat...
It's awkward to fold down, and when folded it's very bulky and heavy and hard to pick up and put away.

That said, I love this stroller and would recommend it. We use this mainly as an "around town" stroller, and since we walk a lot, we rarely need to fold it up and put it in the car. So the negative things about it don't affect me too much.

It is a very smooth ride. It handles very well and is pretty easy to steer with one hand if you need to. The handle handle is a nice height, not too short. My husband is 6'1" and the handle height is fine for him, he doesn't have to slouch. The seat seems comfortable for baby, my son has been on many many looong walks and never complains.

I really like the option to put the foot rest area up and flush with the seat, it seems more comfortable for baby for now.

Once you've done it a few times, turning the seat around to be rear or forward facing is very easy and it's a really nice option to have. The basket is a nice size, we've put a pic nic lunch under there and walked to the park. The canopy is very full, and detaches from the back of the seat so if you need to you can make it go all the way down, but we've rarely needed to detach it....it covers plenty as is.

The harness is safe and easy to adjust.

One issue I read about prior to buying this was that it doesn't accomodate large babies, and this is kind of true. My son is currently about 26lbs and he's nearly 12 months, and his head is nearly to the top of the seat. However, I will add that my 44lb 5 year old has occasionally gotten into the seat and while it's a little snug on the sides, and obviously his head is too tall for it, he does fit pretty comfortably and he too will sit for a good ride in it. (And, it holds him and still handles just fine)If you had a SUUUUUPER chubby toddler, it might be a little squishy for them, but the size of the seat seems to be ok for us.

We've been using this for almost a year now and haven't had any problems or issues. I might not like it if I was in and out of the car with it all the time, then again maybe I'd just be really buff. :)

After dealing with cheap strollers the last several years, this one is a welcome change!! You don't kick the bottom as you walk and you aren't hunched over! It easily switches from forward facing to rear facing (which is very nice when you are walking into the wind.) It seems to be very sturdy so far. This was worth every penny - I would buy one again in a heartbeat!!

After having the typical four wheel Graco strollers with our other children I knew I wanted a three-wheeler with large tires this time. I read quite a few reviews, but was sold on the "shocks" and the reversable seat. I cannot believe how easy it is to reverse the seat and change it over to the car seat adapter. Very smooth handling, nice and tall stroller, and a lot of storage room. I cannot say enough about this stroller! Get one.

I cannot recommend this stroller highly enough! We were looking for a jogging type stroller with big wheels. Something that would be good in the winter for outdoor use. I can honestly say that this is the only stroller we'll need! It fits great in our SUV (taking up a little less room than our Graco did)and manuvers great in malls and other stores. I have found that it folds up very easily and isn't any heavier than a Graco. All the other jogging strollers we looked at were much heavier.I love that my son can face me, but when he'd rather face out, I can easily turn him around.It handles great with one hand (if you're used to talking on your cell phone while out for a walk like I am) and is very smooth!I looked and looked, and this stroller is THE BEST in it's class! Look no further!!!

I spent weeks researching strollers, i'm never one to just buy online, i like testing products at the store before making a big purchase. But reading the reviews on this i took a chance and i'm very glad i did! I love being able to have my baby (3 months) face me while we are out and about and her older cousin can use it facing outwards. switching back and forth is so easy. My last stroller was a 3-wheel Jeep stroller and compared to that, this stroller is so light and when folded down it fits in the trunk of the car so much better. We have a '05 Scion XB (very very little trunk space) and it fits nicely back there with some room to spare! The ride is smooth and adjusting the seating position is so easy, all you do is pull a bar to recline or sit up.The only downside i have faced is the cup holder pops off sometimes when you fold it, but that is such a small problem it's not a concern.
I'm 4'11" and it's the perfect size for me, very lightweight when lifting it up into the car.
I would strongly recommend this stroller for anyone out there shopping around and at the price you can't really beat that!

I've had this stroller for a few days. I really like the design and the reversible feature. However, the seat is short and narrow. My son at only 3 months old, 14.5 lb and 25" already reaches the top of the seat. I'm afraid he will not fit in it in a snowsuit this winter. The seat does not fully recline and not good for newborns. Folding is a hassle. Also, the first day we went for a walk, a little rock stuck in a front wheel and made a crack/dent in it. I don't think this will impact the ride, but I am upset about it. I'll see how this stroller works for us.