Stokke® Scoot™: The urban compact stroller

I’m an urban girl at heart and have never met any big city I didn’t feel at home in. My stroller, however, prefers wide open spaces where turning radiuses are as far as the eye can see. On the days that my suburban stroller makes it to the big city, I feel like I am constantly apologizing for taking up the whole sidewalk, for knocking things off shelves, and for occasionally running over a toe or two.

Since strollers are still very much a necessity once we hit the city and are ready to explore, going without is just not an option. But, even though we needed something compact, it needed to be something as adventure-ready as we are and hopefully with a few premium features. Umbrella strollers need not apply.

I finally found the perfect candidate, and am now fully in love with the Stokke® Scoot™, hailed as the urban compact stroller. Besides simply being compact, it is by far the most maneuverable stroller we have ever pushed. It has an incredibly small turning radius and it takes almost no effort at all to steer – even one handed with a child inside. Add in the suspension to give you a smooth, easy ride and it really is a dream to push.

Yes, that's all the same stroller pictured above in 4 different positions. As you can see, it features an active and rest recline both forward facing and parent-facing. And, it looks absolutely nothing like an umbrella stroller with a minimal frame and lack of features. As many of you already know, I pushed an umbrella stroller for exactly two days in the past 3 years because I simply cannot stand them. Sidewalks trip them up, they require two hands to push, and they have zero storage, comfort features, or agility to handle real city life. Thanks, but no thanks. 

And, then I met the Stokke® Scoot™ and fell in love with the perfect stroller for our active lifestyle. I love how versatile it is, the kids love how comfortable it is, and it's a great for all of our adventures.

 

Now, sure, cobblestone streets, crowded sidewalks, and small shops definitely weren’t made for strollers. But the Stokke® Scoot™ was made for them and handles them beautifully without missing a beat. In fact, my 5 year old daughter can maneuver it with ease, and absolutely loves doing so.

It even passes the public transit test with high marks for convenience because it can be folded and carried with one-hand. This makes it every New Yorker’s dream as anyone who has ever navigated a subway and public transportation system with a big and bulky stroller while also wrangling a small child will understand.

But, my favorite feature of the stroller doesn’t have to do with maneuverability at all; it has to do with the way I bond with my children. If I can’t babywear then I want the next best thing, and that, without a doubt, is the Stokke® Scoot™. 

Instead of placing the seat of the stroller near the wheels, the Scoot™ has a higher profile, which means your child rides up closer to you and makes it easier to explore together. You can face baby towards you for early bonding, and then face them outward as your child grows and becomes more independent without having to invest in a whole new stroller. 

I had originally thought my son might be too old for parent-facing strollers, but it turns out, he adores riding backwards. Maybe it's the novelty of it, or maybe it's that it offers a good diversion when he gets restless, but whatever the reason, he begs to face me while strolling. Of course, this makes me enormously happy as the higher seat means he's closer to me and I can hear his quiet voice so much better, which makes for some really fun experiences when we can just stroll and talk without any distractions.

This higher chair also has a really cool bonus because the seat is the perfect height so that when facing forward it can double as a high chair and can be pushed right up to the table for ease of conversation. Since many urban dining spots don't have high chairs at the ready or places to park strollers, this is the perfect solution for our all-day adventures.

And, just like all Stokke® products, the Scoot™ is designed for comfort. They know that no one is having fun if baby isn’t content, so they have developed numerous ways to make the Scoot™ as luxurious as possible, including a nice, padded seat, two different recline positions {active and rest}, and an adjustable foot bar that adapts as your child grows and doesn’t leave dangling legs.

And, speaking of keeping babies happy, my son hates the rain and can’t stand it when the sun is "staring at him”, so the Stokke® Scoot™’s huge canopy with removable visor is made just for him. If he ever decides to like nature, the visor can be folded back or removed, but we leave it extended most of the time because the kids love it. The large canopy is also water repellant and perfect for Seattle’s drizzle, but also comes with a rain cover for deluges.

And, if you have a hard time finding a stroller that fits you, you will absolutely love the Stokke® Scoot™. Hubby and I are both tall with long strides, so we appreciate that there is no brake bar or frame between the wheels to kick or trip over and we adore that the handle adjusts to a comfortable height for pushing. Alternatively, if you’re short you will also love the Stokke® Scoot™ with the handle in its lowest setting.

My only real gripe about the Stokke® Scoot™ is that I wish it had hit the market 5 years ago. It would have been an amazing compact stroller on our Europe trips over cobblestones and by rail and also for all of our US travels with little ones. Thank goodness we still have a few good years with it where we can put some serious miles on it and enjoy it in Seattle and our upcoming trips because the kiddos adore it.

We love it so much that I’m now eyeing all the amazing Stokke® accessories like the diaper bag with integrated clips and hoping that a ride-on sibling board like the one available for the Xplory® is coming out soon, as I plan to purchase that as soon as its available.

If you have an adventure-ready family like I do and you get some serious use out of your stroller to justify the higher price tag, I would absolutely recommend the Stokke® Scoot™. Not only does it have more premium features than traditional compact strollers, it’s also more comfortable, makes for better bonding with your little one, and can grow with your child from birth until they are able to handle adventures on their own two feet.

I get more questions about strollers than any other product on the market, which is understandable considering how many options there are to fit each individual need. But, even with all of the options available, the Stokke® Scoot™ is now my #1 compact stroller suggestion for those who need an urban workhorse that can grow with their child and has all the premium features for baby and parent.

Here's just some of my favorite features:
•    2 positions facing parents for bonding, interaction and security
•    2 facing forward to explore when child is ready
•    Lockable swiveling wheels make it easy to maneuver in tight spaces 
•    Quick release back wheels and front wheels for more compact folding 
•    Easy to fold and easy to carry away one-handed
•    Single brake solution for both wheels without stride restricting crossbar between the wheels
•    Higher seat position to stimulate bonding and can be used as a high chair in restaurants
•    Soft padded seat with no sharp edges or corners that might strain the body
•    Adjustable footrest means no dangling feet
•    Height adjustable handle

Want to find out more about this amazing stroller? Check out stokke.com. Ready to buy? Visit shop.stokke.com.

Looking to connect with Stokke®? Find them on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!

Want to win the Stokke® Scoot™ in your choice of color? Enter here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Stokke for sending a Scoot stroller for review as well as offering one to our fabulous readers. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.