Maclaren Volo Stroller Review

We’ve had our Maclaren Volo stroller in our family for about 3 years now.  It is easily one of the best baby investments we’ve made.  At the time, we were taking a family trip to do major sight-seeing around Washington D.C. and New York City with my then 11 month old son.  (I know, sounds crazy, but that’s an entirely different story!) We knew we would be holding him a lot, but we also knew we would be spending hours walking around to see the sites.  We couldn’t imagine taking our big strollers (jogger or otherwise) on the planes, trains and subways, but we also could not fathom not having a stroller the whole time.  I did some research online and found that the Maclaren offered the lightest umbrella stroller (8.6 pounds) out there!  We decided to order it and took off on our adventure!  Well, not only did it suit our needs then, we are still using it today on a regular basis with both our kids (my son, now almost 4 years old still fits in it) and our 1 year old daughter.  It is so lightweight I can easily carry it and manage the kiddos at the same time, and it collapses very easily (you can collapse it with just one hand!) and has a great shoulder strap to throw it over your shoulder for easy transport.  For being a smaller stroller, it has a fairly big storage area underneath.  I’ve also noticed that the handles are a bit ‘taller’ then other strollers, so for the taller parent out there, you might find it comfortable.  There is a generous sun canopy over the stroller which is great to shield their little bodies from the sun (and rain, it’s water resistant), and the 5-point harness straps provide snug security and are easily adjustable.  The wheels swivel nicely and lock if need be.  Actually, for little, plastic wheels, the ride is pretty smooth. Overall, I think this is a great umbrella stroller for quick trips around town when you just don’t want the hassle of your bigger, heavier stroller. It is also a great solution for traveling when you just know you need a stroller, but again, don’t want the hassle of your usual go-to.  It’s zippy, stylish and so light…not the norm for so many baby products out there, right?

Now that you have read part of my Maclaren Volo Review and learned that the Volo has many great features, there are some drawbacks I should mention.  It is truly the minimalist stroller. With that said, it does not recline. So if you tend to use your stroller for a comfy nap space for baby, this is not the stroller for you.  It has just one position and that is pretty much sitting almost straight up.  My son slept in it a bit with his head kind of tilting to the side, but I can’t imagine a very long nap that way.  It is also missing the essential cup holder! Lastly, there was a recall on these strollers in November of 2009, but the new strollers on the market from Maclaren since then do not have this issue.  (The issue was a hinge that had reportedly injured children’s fingers in a few cases).  Maclaren was very responsive to this issue in 2009 and when we heard about it, we hopped online, requested the fix-it piece, received it almost instantaneously, and installed it without issue.  I was grateful that it was that simple. Again, this stroller is not (and does not claim to be) a full-featured stroller with bells and whistles.  Think simple.

Here’s the cool stuff about Maclaren.  Not only is the Volo phthalate free and lead free (yay!), it is good for kids up to 50 pounds, so you can use it for a very long time.  And, check out this stuff from their website about some of their ‘environmental initiatives’:

Maclaren are dedicated to safeguarding the environment.
We’re working to reduce our carbon footprint, while developing the highest quality, environmentally friendly products. As a result of this effort, we’re happy to announce several initiatives. We invite you to check this page for updates.

1- Organic ingredients/materials
Maclaren’s acclaimed beginning range of organic, holistic care for expectant Mums and Babies, featuring 100% pure essential oils, is carefully created to meet the emotional and physical needs of mothers and babies

2- Maclaren Buggys are lead-free and phthalate-free
phthalates are suspected allergens & carcinogens. We are proud to be leading the way in providing products free of these toxins.

3- Maclaren Recycling Centres are available for used Maclaren Buggys at our Super Service Centres.
Consumers can bring or send their used Maclaren Buggys for recycling to one of these Repair Centres: (List of Centers include a location  in New York)

4- Maclaren is committed to recycling and to minimising packaging
Maclaren packaging is comprised of a minimum of 60% recycled materials; Maclaren’s acclaimed beginning line of organic, holistic care for expectant Mums and Babies is packaged in 100% recycled kraft. We’re also working to reduce chemical based colour pigments in printing.

5-Organic Toy Range
In addition to the beginning line of organic personal care products for mums and babies, Maclaren has introduced a collection of organic plush baby toys. Each toy comes with its own character card to promote baby talk and interaction.

Maclaren is truly an ecologically-minded company and one you can feel good about buying from if you are seeking that green lifestyle!

• Eco-Awareness:
  
• Luxurious:
  
• High-Design:
  
• Good Value for your Money:
  
• Good Gift:
  
• Appropriate for Ages:
  6-12 months