Customer Reviews

Radio Flyer All-Terrain Steel and Wood Wagon

5 star:		(184)
4 star:		(41)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I've had the "pathfinder" wagon (plastic with the seats) for the past year. At first I thought it was the only way to go because of the seat belts. I thought it was great to pull and my 18 month-old loved it! Then we began putting her 12 month-old sister in the wagon with her this past summer and the wagon became difficult to pull and steer. It began tipping around corners and we stopped using it because of safty concerns.

I ended up buying the all-terrain wagon that costs only $25 more than the pathfinder wagon at Target. I can't tell you the difference! It turns so easilly and I can't imagine it tipping. I also don't have to worry about it getting stuck on bumps in the sidewalk causing my girls get a big jerk. I thought I would miss the seats and seat belts but I really don't. My girls are loving this wagon and the high sides keep them safe. Surprisingly there's also much more room to carry things (toys or bags) because with two children in the pathfinder, any potential storage space is filled with their legs. To top everything off, ... this wagon is WAY easier to pull!!! It's a smooth pull and a smooth ride for its riders. I would definitely recommend this wagon!

This wagon is awesome! The big air tires make it really easy to pull and it is a much softer ride for my 3 kids. Yes, this wagon is big enough for all 3 of them to go for a ride together. The bright,red wooden sides remove which makes it alot easier to load this wagon in the car when our family goes on "field trips". The ATW is so big and rugged I use it for my gardening and yard work too.

We gave my daughter this wagon for her first birthday. She loves it! She wants to ride every morning before work and again in the afternoons. She brings friends along (human and stuffed) and there is plenty of room for four small children. The high rails allow a good view but keep her safely inside giving Mom enough reaction time when she tries to stand in it (which she does frequently!)
The big wheels make for a smooth comfortable ride for all.
I HIGHLY recommend this affordable, safe, classic toy.

At first I was all gung-ho to get the plastic one with the little flip down seats and crummy solid tires. I'm so glad we didn't. The pneumatic tires make all the difference in the world. You can pull this thing anywhere and the ride is still super smooth. There's loads of room, it has very high side walls that are made with smooth laminated wood, room for a comfy pillow and whatever else he wants to bring along! I was also skeptical that the plastic would eventually fade and crack over time. Plus this will still be fun for my 13 month old son when he's much older (not so baby-fied looking) and then *I* can use it as a garden wagon probably until he's ready to give it to *his* kids -- yes it's THAT well made!

So far, we love our wagon! I wish it came with a seatbelt like some of the other Radio Flyer Wagons. Trying to get a 12-month old to sit still is kinda hard (he wants to hang over the rails). But I fixed that problem, someone had suggested buying a booster seat with seat belts. That idea worked. The booster seat kept sliding around so I took the "pool tubes" (the ones kids use to float in pool with), cut serveral pieces and placed a piece on each side of the booster seat. Now it doesn't move!

The assembly of the wagon was a pain. Putting it together was the easy part, it was the prep work that you need to do that took a while. For example: I called the Radio Flyer's Customer Service (they were very nice) about what type of oil to use because in the instructions it says to use oil but did not say what type of oil to use & I also asked what is the best way to take care of the wagon. They suggested to use light-weight machine oil (like sewing machine oil). You would think after paying all that money for a wagon that they could include a tiny tube of oil in the packaging. They also suggested that you use car wax to wax all the metal parts of the wagon & spray the wooden rails with poly-acrylic spray, then put the wagon together. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed that I could not take my 12-month old on a wagon ride immediately. I had to wait about 3 days (had to run to the store to buy the supplies needed, wax the wagon, spray the wooden rails & then let it dry). But after all of the little extra work, we love our wagon!

My daughter has already experienced off-roading before the age of 2. I'm not sure if it's because we live in the South, or if this wagon is just that cool. You simply have to drive over everything bumpy and rough!! It rides so smooth. The manueverablity is incredible as it turns on a dime. Highly rec'd!!!

I just read some of the other reviews, and I can't believe I didn't see anyone else post this issue. We love this wagon- we use it all the time- grocery store, to the neighbors, picnics, etc. It's a bit heavy when full, but what wood and metal wagon isn't? Our 3 year old loves riding and pulling. Our problem: the tires are constantly FLAT. We are up to 3 out of the 4 now. Those big air-filled tires make for a nice ride on varied terrain, but they either puncture very easily or they are just constantly leaking from the valves. We can pump them up and they'll be fine for a while, but we have to do that every time we want to use it. The valve setup makes inflation awkward, just to add another challenge to the whole process. New tires are $26 EACH. Big bummer. Wish the tires were a little more burley.

My wife is 100lbs, so she really needs something for hauling heavy items that doesn't make her look like a bag lady as she trucks things around in our New York City neighborhood, and with this item she does it with style.

I could have gotten her one of those carts that nearly everyone here uses for laundry and grocery shopping, but as an avid cyclist I just couldn't accept the poor quality and durability of them. I almost designed and built my own option, but the Radio Flyer ATW really fit the bill, and sold for cheaper than whatever I might have created otherwise.

Best features:
Beautifully designed and made.
Great paint job.
Easy to assemble.
Virtually maintainence free.
The big tires and solid construction allow you to haul your moderately heavy loads over rough pavement, dirt and rocks, snow and ice.

It even looks nice in our living room--where I would never keep one of those crappy folding carts.

If you never even polish it--for which I recommend Pedro's Bike Polish--it would eventually look mottled (as I've seen old ones that were left in basements or outdoors without any maintainence) but will still look great, and for years to come. The quality paint will prevent corrosion for all but the heavy-duty user (such as those using it for a garden cart for instance).

Despite having no children, we actually enjoy our Radio Flyer very much.

Fifty two years ago, my grandparents got me my first Radio Flyer and it is still used today. We just got our two-year-old son the Radio Flyer All Terrain wagon with the air tires and have ordered the handle extension and the bed pad. The "classic" just keeps getting better! It is true that "New Products Give the Dream a New Life."

It rolls like a dream on brick sidewalks or pavement. I could easily drag it along with two large 3-year-olds in it. When pulling it across the grass, the two-boy load definitely felt a lot heavier. One thing I would add if I could is a wheel lock (like baby strollers have) to make it more stable as the kids are climbing in or out, or when it is "parked" on a slope. I would also put bright red or white padding on the handle, not only for comfort reasons but to make it easier to see in the "down" position so that people are less likely to trip on it. But add the wheel lock and quick-remove sides (that you don't need to screw in) and I would definitely give it 5 stars; it's a fun toy.

The next part of this review is for the non-SUV owners out there who want an all-terrain wagon that will still fit in the car.

We decided to get a wagon we could take on day trips and longer trips because our three-year-old has almost outgrown the stroller. So it was important to get something we could use not just around the neighborhood, but that would fit in a normal-sized car. I considered this version as well as the all-wood version which also had the all-terrain tires. The reason we decided to go with the steel and wood model is because this one is two inches shorter. The all-wood model is 40" long and this one is 38" long. That 2" made the difference for me - see the photo I posted of the wagon in my car; it barely fits across the back of a Honda Fit hatchback. So the size worked out just right for us. The main drawback that I see with this model is that you can't easily remove the sides like you can with the all-wood model - they are screwed on with three screws on each long side and two on each end. Depending on the dimensions of your vehicle some people might do better with the wood model that has easily-removable sides even though it's two inches longer.

When you look at the dimensions listed on Amazon.com, bear in mind that the size listed does not include the wheels, and the wheels don't fold in.