Why You Need A Lightweight Stroller In Your Life

If you’ve been hanging around my Instagram lately, you’ll have seen that we’ve been running little Zoe around in our favorite new lightweight stroller, the Maclaren Quest. And OMG, life in the fast lane of motherhood is officially changed. My mind is blown at how functional this compact buggy is and yet how many cool features it boasts (and yes, many rival the big super size strollers)! It lives up to modern parenting expectations and needs. Today, I wanted to share my thoughts on why you need a lightweight stroller in your life and how it’s made a difference in ours!

*This post is a collaboration with Maclaren. All thoughts and opinions are my own (read more here on this!).

+ Compact & Lightweight

We’ve owned a couple of strollers throughout Zoe’s first year. Unfortunately, we never found any of them particularly streamlined when it came to folding down and storing. We live in a 2nd-floor apartment (without an elevator, I might add) and don’t have much room for extra bulky items in the (very) few closets we have. The Maclaren Quest is the perfect answer to our prayers for something lightweight and compact. You can pack it down into its compact umbrella fold with just one hand and use the sturdy built-in carry handle or strap (yep, there are 2!) to carry it around if needs be. With its lightweight high-performance aluminium frame, it has a basic weight of 12.2lb (5.53kg), which is a huge difference from the heavier mega super-stollers and as your child grows, you’ll be thankful you have this amazing lightweight option to bust out. One of the best features of this stroller is the plush, padded seat for your baby. It’s super comfortable for Zoe and I feel confident she’s getting great postural and comfort support all around. Not to mention, when it’s fully reclined, it sets the tone for a soft and snuggly nap (hopefully)!

+ Quick Outing and Travel Friendly

This was a huge reason why I was craving a lightweight stroller option in my life. We get out and about a lot – the park, shopping or the beach and do a decent amount of traveling! I go over to Europe and see my parents with Zoe and we get down to see Rod’s family in Argentina every so often, too. Plus, I’m always on-the-go somewhere here in LA, so the Quest really ticks all the boxes for me in terms of being small and travel-friendly! It collapses down so easily and intuitively and takes up next to NO SPACE in the trunk of our family car (VW Jetta – just for your reference haha). Last month, Zoe and I made the trip over to Portugal to see my family and I was beyond grateful to have something I could just pop her in and out of across the airports! I even figured out how to steer it with one hand (clever me) haha… Make sure to grab a Lightweight Storage Bag because this is an absolute MUST to keep your buggy clean and free of scratches while being handled by ground staff in transit!

+ Fuctionality and Versatility

After having the Quest in my life for a solid couple of months now, I really do see that Maclaren have put tons of thought into the design of this lightweight stroller and many hours into the functionality and comfort for both parent and child. Yes, there are cool bells and whistles on this buggy, such as the fully extendable leg rest for baby, huge expandable hood canopy, 4-wheel suspension, sun visor and viewing window on the hood and the one-handed recline through 4 different seat positions (including fully horizontal). But where it really excels, is how the accessories that can be added to this stroller blend in seamlessly with the structure. One must-have for us was the removable insulated lunch bag (Universal Pannier) that attaches onto the side of the frame using velcro strips – such a simple and helpful idea which came in so handy while traveling by plane because I didn’t have to carry one more thing. The cup holder is the perfect size, the Universal Organiser is so helpful with it’s many nooks and crannies and large mesh netting pocket to keep toys etc. There are countless ways to personalize your buggy – mosquito net, sun parasol etc and the list of excellently built accessories goes on!

+ Perfect For City Living

The sporty feel of the Quest makes it a dream to run around town with. I have put this lightweight stroller through it’s paces already from roughing around with it on the move in LA to testing it out on the ultimate surface: uneven Portuguese cobble stones. Trust me, if it can handle on those and the wheels don’t drop right off, then you know you’ve got a winner. The shopping basket is a good size for your essentials (expectations check alert: it won’t fit the whole kitchen sink in there) and I can usually get in my backpack, some clothing and a little more if I’m organizing it all neatly. Also, this stroller is compatible with the Maclaren Carry Cot for newborns, so it’s a great long-term option from 0+ months right up until your little one is 55lb (25kg). Perfect for city living!

I can’t wait to hear more from you all about what strollers you love and use! Do you have different ones for different occasions? Are you in camp Umbrella Stroller, camp Mega Stroller or both? I think that there’s a time and a place for both options and as our babies grow up there are some incredible lightweight stroller options like the Maclaren Quest out there to choose from!