From travel systems to umbrellas to joggers, the variety of options, sizes and accessories can easily make anyone wonder what makes one better than the others.
However, once you've made the leap, selected one and are (hopefully) happily using and enjoying it, the inevitable usually happens: Baby #2. Right back to where you started, now you're in the world of tandems and "in-line" models versus side-by-sides and trying to figure out just how much your toddler needs to ride or how far those little legs can walk.
Fortunately there are companies that combine innovation, quality and versatility and are dedicated to providing unique, high quality products that can be used from infancy long through childhood. One stroller that adapts to the number of children, their ages and their individual needs? It's all right here in the Joovy Caboose VaryLight Stand-On Tandem Stroller!
A U.S.-based company that manufactures premium family gear products, Joovy's goal is to design and offer items that are extremely useful, practical, good-looking and fun. All of their innovative products have top-of-the-line features and use vibrant, high quality fabrics and materials — aspects that parents everywhere can definitely appreciate.
And, considering that the Caboose VaryLight not only incorporates all that is amazing about Joovy products, but that it also can hold one or two children, one or two car seats and even change size depending on your personal needs, I just couldn't wait to see it in person.
Right out of the box, I found that the Caboose VaryLight and Caboose VaryLight Parent Organizer & Cup Holders required minimal assembly before they were constructed and ready to go.
Simply pop the wheels into place, attach the large canopy and, in around 10 minutes, we were ready to roll.
Taking the concept of the classic Joovy Caboose Stroller, which provides a seat in the front for a younger child (or place for a car seat) and a back portion that allows the older child to either sit or stand, the Caboose VaryLight is one step even further in variability.
The telescopic frame actually expands the stroller from a single (43½" long) to a full-size double (49¾" long) in seconds. That's right, the stroller can physically change sizes from more compact to more roomy!
And, let me tell you, the first time I realized that it took three steps and less than a minute to transform the Caboose VaryLight from a single to a double, my mind was blown.
There has never been a tandem stroller that expands and contracts the way the Caboose VaryLight does and I have been enamored with the way that it adapts to meet individual family needs right from the beginning!
In the compact, smaller position, the Caboose VaryLight can easily take on the roll of a single stroller using the provided, comfortable seat, or it can securely hold a newborn in an infant car seat (using the Caboose VaryLight Car Seat Adapters). At the same time, an older child still has room to stand on the rear platform or sit on the second seat.
But then, voilà! By extending the stroller, there is more room for the older child to sit on the rear seat, even if the front seat is fully reclined. Or, instead of one infant car seat, why not use a second adapter and twins are able to ride in style?
Essentially, this stroller that has so many riding configurations that you're getting the versatility of 10 all in one!
Love!!
But Joovy didn't stop at making the Caboose VaryLight convenient and comfortable in terms of size and variability. They stocked it full of comfort, safety, storage, durability and more that all come together to result in an exceptional stroller and ride!
I absolutely love the way that the huge storage compartment easily goes from being a full-length basket...
...to a more condensed, folded down version. In less than five seconds it is out of the way of the child who may want to sit or stand on the platform!
At the same time, the 5-point harness in the front and 3-point harness in the rear keeps both children fully buckled and safe, while the oversized canopy includes an extra sun visor extension for even more protection from the rays.
The front seat reclines to three positions quickly and easily by using the handle right on the back...
...and, for added convenience, Joovy not only included a swing-away tray that opens and closes easily, but it can also be moved and attached to either the front or the back seat!
While riders have a perfect place to store drinks and snacks, the addition of the Caboose VaryLight Parent Organizer proved to be fantastic for stashing my own water bottle, keys, phone and more...
...and the two cup holders that come with it are incredibly useful!
Not only can the cup holders be used in place of the swing-away tray on the front or back, but they can be used together at one seat or with one at each. No chance that the child in the back can complain that they don't have anywhere to place their drink when these can be popped on and off and moved so quickly and easily!
When it comes to storage or folding the Caboose VaryLight Stand-On Tandem Stroller for transport, Joovy made that just as simple and convenient.
Simply grasp the one-hand fold lever right on the handlebar, squeeze, and the entire thing folds down easily, no matter if it is in the single or the double, extended position. For such a large stroller, it really doesn't take up all that much space and can be stored horizontally or vertically (as it stands on its own)!
Even though we don't use a stroller around here nearly as much as we used to, the user-friendly, adaptability of the Caboose VaryLight still came very much in handy on our recent trip to Disneyland. Although I had pondered not bringing a stroller at all — or at least not one with a place for Big Sister E, as she is 7 — I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to try this one out!
Having a place for both kids to sit down when their legs couldn't take the miles upon miles of walking was invaluable and Little Sister B was able to close her eyes and easily take little naps during the day or at night after watching a show.
Not to mention that the large storage basket underneath was the perfect place to store our snacks, extra sweatshirts and more and that the whole thing was just so easy to maneuver with only one hand. The wheels on the Caboose VaryLight provide such smooth handling that we were able to go over pavement, over sand, on rocks, across grass and more and it conquered them all!
I would definitely not hesitate to bring the Caboose VaryLight on a future theme park vacation and would highly recommend it to others! It does weigh in at 33.95 lbs, so it is a bit heavy for any lifting, but the convenience that it provided in the airports (it was gate checked four times and came through without any damage) as well as throughout the trip was a complete lifesaver!
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| L-R: Joovy Caboose VaryLight, Joovy Scooter X2 and Joovy Qool! |
Designed to carry a child in the front from 6 months (or birth with the car seat adapter) to 55 lbs and 40" in height and a child in the rear from 2½ years to 55 lbs and 44" height, the Caboose VaryLight is my new must-have stroller in terms of versatility and growth. You can literally use this stroller for years and years from the time your first child is a newborn through multiple siblings!
Retailing for $499.99 (the Parent Organizer & Cup Holders retail for $49.99, the Car Seat Adapters for $49.99 and a great Rain Cover for $79.99), the Joovy Caboose VaryLight Stand-On Tandem Stroller takes travel to an entirely new level. I wish I would have had this from the time I was pregnant with Big Sister E, as it would have saved me so many unnecessary (and not as high quality) strollers!
Find out much more about the Caboose VaryLight and all of Joovy's high quality products by visiting them at Joovy.com and connecting with them on Facebook and Twitter.
Other than the Caboose VaryLight Stroller that I received from Joovy in order to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion about this product.
6 comments:
Wow, I've never seen a stroller that is so versatile, there are so many configurations. I remember the stroller we had when I was younger, it was one of those scissor folding strollers. Thank you for sharing this review.
These strollers are on my need list. I feel the same. What a sweet picture of a sleeping child. Thanks for your review.
i love the different formations that the stroller can take and all the room it has to carry stuff. this is a must have.
These are great strollers! I love all of the places to carry more items.
Ah, rabbits. Wish there'd been a stroller like this 40 years ago when I could have used it. Looks great.
slehan at juno dot com
This looks so nice. It is so versatile and looks easy to use. I'm in the grandma phase of my life and usually have more than one that need pushing and they all stay with me daily. Maybe I should look in to one of these.
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