July 25, 2010 Sheri

Giveaways Day 25 – Baby Jogger City Select stroller

From the very first moment I saw an advertisement for it, I knew the Baby Jogger City Select stroller was going to be an inevitable success. The double stroller market has seen more fluctuation than any other category over the past few years, as the proverbial pendulum made a broad but definitive swung from side-by-side all-terrain models like the Mountain Buggy Urban Double to the in-line models offered by Phil&Teds.

Once parents got over the idea of putting one kid close to the ground, the Phil&Teds concept was pretty appealing. Sure, parents still had unfulfilled wishes. They wanted a reclining second seat with a canopy. They wanted to be able to use an infant car seat with the second seat. And hey, a reversible seat on the main stroller wouldn’t hurt either.

Enter Baby Jogger with the City Select, and the pendulum swung again — in a whole new direction. The City Select is a single hybrid stroller that pushes nicely and folds easily. It has a reversible seat and a giant storage basket. And it can be turned into a double stroller that’s not quite as long as a true tandem, but offers all the benefits of a tandem and then some.

With the optional second seat accessory, the City Select can be used in 16 different configurations, combining car seats, stroller seats and bassinets in various front- and rear- facing positions. There is no other double stroller on the market right now that is as versatile as this one.

The City Select is heavy – that’s the one downside. As a single it weighs over 28 lbs, but the stroller needs that bulk to ensure tip-resistance, even with older, heavier kids scrambling in and out of the seats. Each seat has a 45 pound weight limit, so the stroller can hold a total of 90 pounds.

Because of the wide range of configurations, it’s easy to be confused about what you do (and don’t) need to buy if you’re planning to use the City Select with two kids. Basically, you must buy the second seat, even if you just want to be able to use the bassinet or the car seat adapter in the second seat position. The brackets that come with the second seat are essential for any accessory in the second seat position, and right now Baby Jogger isn’t selling those separately.

The Baby Jogger City Select is our prize on Day 25. Enter to win. Keep in mind – this awesome prize is just the stroller itself. If you need any accessories, including the second seat, those will be sold separately. Good luck!