Customer Reviews

Maclaren Quest Sport Stroller, Black and Scarlet

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

We have been using this stroller for about two years now in all weather conditions and terrain. My wife and I looked at many different strollers, decided on this one, and have been very happy with it. Keep in mind this review is from daddy's perspective, who tends to be a bit of a gearhead and is usually more comfortable writing tool reviews... Here are the salient points based on living with the stroller for two years:

Pros:

* Lightweight: When my wife was still pregnant I developed the itch to shop for gear I knew we'd need for a new baby. Naturally, I began noticing other parents and what they were using. One experience made a big impression on me: witnessing a mother in a parking lot at the end of her shopping trip attempting to put the stroller into the back of her SUV. The stroller was one of those convertible models that does everything, complete with food tray cup holders, satellite dish, etc. It was massive and she really had to muscle the thing to get it into her car. So, we looked on the smaller end... Enter the Maclaren Quest Sport. It is easy to maneuver and agile, just perfect for scooting around the grocery store and less likely to nip at the heels of those in front of you.

* Portable: This comes with being light, but it also folds to a surprisingly small package. It has a handle built into the frame so you can carry it like that, or you can use the shoulder strap to sling it over your shoulder. Having learned the fine art of doing everything with one hand (the other occupied with child) I really appreciate that this stroller is so easy to manage, both on the road and when transporting. Also, it doesn't take up a lot of room in your trunk if you drive something smallish.

* Quality: One thing I noticed when looking at these is that they appeared to be designed by an engineer. Actually, that's true. Technical daddies take note: this stroller will earn you points with your engineer friends. The frame is very strong - this was our top pick in part because it has a higher weight capacity than many other strollers of the same size and larger. The wheels are very smooth and have a precise feel about them. Ergonomically, it suits my 6'2" frame very well, as I don't have to stoop to push it. The wheel locks work very well, in my opinion, though they may take some getting used to.

* Adjustable: For its size, this stroller has very good adjustability in the straps, the seat, and the back that reclines.

* Versatile: There is a basket underneath and a sunshade on top. It also comes with a surprisingly effective rain shield that basically encloses the whole front and sides. Daughter and daddy have been on many fun walks in the rain with this stroller. Daddy gets soaked to the skin, but daughter comes through perfectly dry. (The grandparents just love it when I take my little girl out in the rain....)

* Comfort: Many of the strollers we looked at didn't seem to be very comfortable: Maybe they lacked padding, or there was a support bar that protruded under the seat or across the back. The Quest Sport has good padding on the back and the seat seems nicely suspended and with no hard parts poking through. Though it is on the smaller side, the stroller seems to have very good size capacity as your child grows.

Cons:

* Tippy: This stroller will tip backwards when your child exits if you have so much as a bag of groceries hanging from the handle - It's happened to me on more than one occasion. It has never, ever, tipped over with her in it, due to the design that keeps it planted with weight in the seat, but when the seat's empty, there had better not be anything hanging on the backside.

* Limited basket access: The basket on the bottom is good-sized and will accommodate a full grocery bag-sized amount of groceries; the thing is, though, that it's a little hard to get to, especially if the back is reclined and the seat is occupied, which is likely. (I don't usually take the stroller out alone)

* Limited sun shade: The sun shade works great if the sun is directly behind you. Anything forward of directly overhead and your bundle of joy will get limited sun protection at best. Yes, they do offer a little clip on umbrella as an option that you can attach on the frame, and yes, I never leave the house without hat and sunscreen. (and diapers, and wipes, and food, and washcloths, and spare clothes, and water, and......)

* Terrain-challenged: It might be a stretch to say that this stroller doesn't do grass, but not by much. The small wheels that make this so maneuverable in the store, mall, or sidewalks really bog down when the terrain gets rough. It doesn't like grass so much (unless your biceps need some work and you want to impress your neighbors), nor sand, nor dirt. For those trips to the beach or the trails I highly recommend something with large wheels, ideally 3-wheeled, a-la a B*O*B.

Other Thoughts:

How much do the cons matter? That's really up to you. For us, it turns out that they don't matter much. It's hard to find a stroller that does everything that isn't nearly as big as a Fiat. (OK, so that's still not all that big) Most of the cons should only be seen as such in the context of what was traded in return - namely size and weight. And yet this isn't a flimsy umbrella stroller: It is sturdy and well-made with a really decent weight capacity but won't kill you every time you need to put it in or take it out of the car. For us, it's been fantastic and practical and for our daughter it's been comfortable and functional, offering an ideal balance between function and size at a price that speaks value to us.

It has also held up very well after all the miles we've put on it. I'm not sure I could say that others would exhibit the same quality over time. There was one recall on this - to add pinch protection for when you fold it up. I've never been pinched by the stroller and honestly it seems to me that one would really have to work hard at getting pinched by this thing.

So, I can't say this is the perfect stroller. But it is a stroller that I would spend my dough on if I had to do it over. If you want a high-quality, easy to maneuver, smooth, and portable stroller, this one is really worth a look.

When I was a nanny in NYC, the family's baby I took care of had a Maclaren Quest. So, of course, when I had my baby, I wanted one too. The problem is that I live in the suburbs, but they lived in the city. Its totally fine for everyday sidewalk, mall, airport (very easy to fly with), flat terrain use. However, I live in the 'burbs where I use my stroller in all the afore mentioned places, but also at a baseball game, on a jogging path, at the park, at the renessaince faire, etc, and the Maclaren just does not make a very good all-terrain stroller. Its a dream for city dwellers, but if you might encounter mud, rocks, sand, or grass-- better look for something with bigger wheels. That said, I DO love that this stroller is easy to push, folds easily, and my daughter always seems comfortable in it. The small sunshade has never been a big problem for us, although it would be nice to have some kind of snack tray for the kiddo, which Maclaren does not offer. We also have some issues with the parking brake sticking, but it works with a swift kick.

We recently bought the charcoal pink 2009 model of the Quest stroller and we love it! it folds as an umbrella stroller so we will take it on the plane with us when we go on the international flight this fall, since remember-you can not take the carseat onto the plane unless you pay for an extra seat, and if you bring any other type of stroller other then an umbrella kind-you will have to check it with your luggage and walk around the airport with no stroller, so this was huge to us since the umbrella strollers can be used up until you enter the plane and you get it right back as you are exiting the plane. We also got a foot muff which us very soft and well made, not I can be sure my baby won't get cold and we dont have to carry a blanket with us. The stroller itself is great, folds and unfolds easily, has a handle and a strap that makes it easy to carry it. The rain cover is great, covers the whole front so I know my baby won't get rained on. There is also a leg extension for smaller babies like mine-6 months old (but a chunky monkey)-who are just starting to sit and I wouldnt want her legs to be hanging down yet. The fabric is very soft, but seems like it will be very easy to clean spills and dirt from. I love the reflectors on the front and sides, they will be convenient in the evenings. The basket is large enough for my needs and there is a nice pocket on the back too, but no cup holders (which doesnt matter at all to me but matters a lot to some people like I have read on other reviews). I love this stroller, it is definitely very durable, light, and will last us a while, so the cost is well justified! (they have great resale values, too!!!)

This is a great stroller because of its light weight and easy to push construction. It's almost half the weight of more traditional strollers, including the first one we got from Babies R Us. It doesn't attach to a car seat, but once our son could sit in a stroller this was ideal and the seat attachment totally unncessary anyways. The stroller folds very compact, which is another plus. I'd recommend this stroller, despite the caveats below.

This model has gone through a recall for joint areas that could hurt a child's fingers. I don't think it's a real issue, and the problem comes with the recall kits they send you. Once installed, the stroller will not close and lock properly. Your child is a hundred times more likely to get his fingers struck by a door than this joint, but of course door manufacturers are legally protected here.

The biggest and most annoying issue is that this stroller easily tips backwards when our child gets off. It's happened literally twenty times so far. When the child is seated it's very stable, but the moment he gets off if there's any weight in the back or incline it'll tip backwards and crash onto the ground.

The stroller also doesn't have cupholders, which is an inconvenience. They sell those separately.

Lastly, some parts of the stroller are weak and may deform over time, such as the hood at the top.

That all said, other strollers have their own problems and the bottom line is this stroller works pretty well once you get over the occasional issues.

Pros: light weight, easy to fold, easy to push and fast to turn. Great for smooth terrain such as shopping malls and nice sidewalks. Overall good quality and durable. Very comfortable for the baby.
Cons: sunshade way too small and too high...totally useless. Back pocket too small, especially because there is no snack try or cupholder. It could be better equipped and shopping basket really small and difficult to reach. Small wheels are a big limitation when used in parks, rain, mud or other less than perfect condition surfaces.

Overall very happy with the purchase, but need to have a second bigger wheels, well accessorized stroller available to use depending on the situations.

I leave my McLaren always in the car and use it to go to shopping malls, pedi appointments, etc. I then have a larger and sturdier stroller at home to use for walks and strolls in the park and in the neighborhood.

I love this stroller for my baby girl! I purchased it because my Chicco 3 in 1 stroller takes up WAY too much space in my car trunk. This Maclaren Quest Sport is much more compact and doesn't take up much space. It is also about 13 lbs which makes it easy for me to transport. It is very easy to set up and take down in just seconds. The only thing that I miss, which my bigger Chicco stroller has, is a cup holder. Other than that, it's perfect! Oh, one final note... On this charcoal stroller pictured..... I thought I was getting a neutral color with the charcoal and red (in case we have another child that is a boy). Upon arrival and opening it, I discovered that it is not red, it is a raspberry color and looks girly. It is not a neutral color and would not be a real good stroller for a boy.

We had borrowed a Maclaren stroller from our friends and fell in love with it. However, they needed it back just before we were headed to Mexico for our family vacation. We had to buy our own and found Amazon to have the best price (and selection). We ordered it on Friday and had it by Tuesday, just in time to pack it up for our trip. It was a lifesaver in Mexico - and versatile...we used it not only to tote our 8 month old around but also to rock her to sleep and feed her. Great product!

I purchased this maclaren for my daughter (born July 2009) in December of 2009. As of today, August 2011, the stroller has had MULTIPLE issues. The handle has a strange grip that has since torn away. In addition, the carrying strap that comes with this stroller had stitches come apart, and now no longer works; this was NEVER ONCE used to carry the stroller, so imagine my surprise when it was dragging behind the buggy one day. Lastly, the break is finicky and can be difficult to lock. This stroller has had very limited use since my daughter prefers to walk everywhere which is even more disappointing considering how poorly this stroller has held up. These may not seem like major issues, but my oldest had a maclaren purchased in December of 2004 and this stroller had NO problems. I once even hosed it down after a muddy walk, and it still worked like a dream afterwards. It was passed along to my sister in law, who to this, nearly 7 years later, has had no issues.

Apart from the quality issues I have mentioned, one of the most frustrating issues I faced with this stroller was the inability to access the basket under the seat. Only small items were easily obtained from this basket, anything larger would simply not fit. Compared to other strollers this stroller has a terrible center of gravity which means it tends to tip over too easily, which was a problem I experienced with my first maclalren but disregarded as I figured majority of umbrella strollers had this issue, now this is not the case. I constantly had to remind myself not to put anything with even the slightest bit of weight on the back for fear of it falling.

I have contacted maclaren about these issues with little to no help or support and am on the lookout for a better quality stroller. Current models I am now looking at are the bumbleride, guzzie+guss, zooper, aprica presto, baby jogger and joovy.

This is a very good stroller, good design, very easy to maneuver, lightweight, and easy to fold. I took one star out because I had to return it. The charcoal raspberry is actually pinkish-fuchsia and too girlish for a boy. And I couldn't buy the black-scarlet stroller from amazon. Having a snug ride 32 car seat and frame for the first six months was great but we wanted to let our baby to explore and sit down while walking with him. He is very happy in this stroller. I don't know yet about durability because it has been just two weeks but it looks solid.

this is my second mclaren, i like it beacuse its an umbrella stroller that reclines, i was looking for these two features and not so many brands have it, so the baby or toddler could sleep in it, it's light weigth, easy to fold. it's a good choice fot traveling.