This post is sponsored by Dorel Juvenile Group. All thoughts, experiences, and opinions are my own.
When it comes to choosing a stroller, it's probably one of the largest purchases you'll make as a parent in the early days. You want something that can work with your newborn, but also will stand the test of time. Today E and I are teaming up to share what we were looking for in a stroller from the mom-to-be vs dad-to-be perspective while reviewing the RIVA Flex Travel System.
In this video, we both share what we were looking for in our dream stroller. Then, E actually tests out his first ever stroller while seeing how the RIVA 6-in-1 Flex Travel System stacks up to our dream stroller wish list!
What To Look For In A Stroller From A New Mom Perspective vs. New-Dad Perspective
Large under basket (Both)
Rachel (Mom-to-be): I don't ever carry a purse so having a space to put all the baby's stuff (or things that I'm going to need as a new mom) to stay hands free is really important to me.
Eric (Dad-to-be): If I'm ever out with the baby and shopping or anything, I want to have a place to store stuff so my hands aren't full while pushing the stroller.
Cup holders (Mom)
R: I never leave home without my reusable cup for water. It's not a regular water bottle with a twist cap to fully close it, instead it always has my aluminum straw popping out, so having a cup holder to keep it upright is essential for me.
E: I'm indifferent.
Easy fold (Dad)
R: I'm a slob, so realistically yes, I'd like an easy fold, but how often will I actually fold the stroller? Probably not very often. If I can't close a drawer fully, I doubt I'm going to fold a stroller often.
E: I'm all about ease, so easy folding, ideally one handed, is what I'm looking for.
Lightweight (Both)
R: I will hopefully never have to lift the stroller up any stairs or into any trucks or anything – but even so, I have the upper body strength of a kitten. Seriously, I've been walking around with 3 lb weights in my hands to prep for baby's arrival because I'm so weak! So I knew I wanted something lightweight just in case I need to lift it ever.
E: I haven't been working out so I'm definitely feeling weak too. Really though, I just want it to be easy to get in and out of cars.
Self standing (Dad)
R: I thought this would be really nice, but again, I'm a mess around the house. If I'm not folding the stroller, chances are I'm not setting it up to self stand either – just being honest with who I am as a person. Of course in a dream world where my home always looks Pinterest ready I'd always be folding and using the self stand feature, it's brilliant!
E: This kind of goes hand-in-hand with the easy fold for me. I want to keep clutter at a minimum, so being able to fold it easily and then have it self stand to keep the walkways clear in our garage or at our front door was really important for me.
Easy turns (Both)
R: I generally keep my hands pretty full since I hate having a purse… and even with a large under basket I realize this is just who I am. So being able to do a one handed turn easily is a major priority for me.
E: When we're in stores or out in public and there's a lot of people I want to be able to maneuver through with ease and not worry about bumping into anyone or anything because I'm kind of a klutz with that stuff.
Sun Canopy (Mom)
R: I grew up in FL and am a nut when it comes to sun protection! I really wanted a sun canopy to protect from the intense daily rays we have in the sunshine state.
E: This was important to me, but like the cup holders, it's more of a bonus, not a must have since it'll probably impact her daily routine more than mine.
Reverse seating (Both)
R: This feature is a non-negotiable for me with a stroller. Depending on our environment, how the sun or wind is hitting, I wanted to be able to switch the baby facing the world or us with ease.
E: I hadn't even thought about this until the wife brought it up. It definitely makes sense, I think she cares about this more, but I'd love to have it too.
Travel system (Dad)
R: I actually was more about cost savings than the “all-in-1” solution. A lot of the travel systems I found that checked off all of the above boxes were actually like $1,000+; until I found the RIVA Flex, which comes in at about a third of the price of competitors that have all these features. I thought it’d be nice to have a travel system, but had decided it’d be cheaper to get a carseat that transitioned from newborn to toddler instead of getting a travel system which comes with an infant car seat that baby’s can grow out of pretty quickly. But like I said, once we found the RIVA Flex, that all changed. It’s so affordable and it also comes with the carriage mode too that I’m so happy! I feel like we can actually get what we both want at a great price point.
Eric: I'm the one who does all the driving so I wanted it to be easy to transition the baby from the stroller to the car. For me, ultimate ease trumped everything, including price.
As you can tell from E’s face, the RIVA 6-in-1 Flex Travel System checked off all competing and shared desires! The RIVA Flex comes with what you’d expect in a travel system, but also great bonus accessories like the cup holder and sun canopy that other brands would require you to purchase separately. The RIVA Flex stroller is made in the USA from American and imported parts. Safety 1st’s RIVA Flex travel system is also sustainably designed (they use recycled Safety 1st car seats to make it!!). It's available at Target here and other major baby retailers.
What features are most important to you in a stroller?
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