Maclaren Strollers
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Maclaren Quest or Techno XT
Feb 2005
I bought a cheap umbrella stroller that has become such a nuisance since the wheels are wobbly and it doesn't fold well. So, I feel ready for a step up and am considering either the Maclaren Quest or Techno XT. I know the basics about both of them, but do you think the XT is THAT much better than the Quest for the Bay Area? The XT is considerably more, so I wonder if it's worth the dough. Thanks for your input! -Julie
If you're tall, you need the Techno. We saved over $100 (even after shipping) by buying it new on ebay, although I'm not sure Maclaren will honor the warranty from an 'unauthorized dealer.' tall dad
I think it depends on the age of your child. I got my Quest (2003) when my son was 6 months old and it has been everything we need.
If he had been a little younger and still napping on outings, I'd have been bummed because the recline is pretty mediocre and there is no window in the hood (and unless things have changed in the last couple of years, all Maclaren hoods leave a lot to be desired).
That said, it wasn't long before I was wishing I had just gotten the Triumph. The difference between the recline on the Triumph and Quest is so minimal that Im sure the Triumph would have been more than adequate. Now that he's 2 1/2 and we only use the stroller when we travel, I think a Volo would be divine.
Bottom line, in my experience the older your child gets, the more the benefits of a lighter stroller seem to outweigh the features found on something fancier.
Hope this helps Susannah
I think it depends on the age of your child. I got my Quest (2003) when my son was 6 months old and it has been everything we need.
If he had been a little younger and still napping on outings, I'd have been bummed because the recline is pretty mediocre and there is no window in the hood (and unless things have changed in the last couple of years, all Maclaren hoods leave a lot to be desired).
That said, it wasn't long before I was wishing I had just gotten the Triumph. The difference between the recline on the Triumph and Quest is so minimal that Im sure the Triumph would have been more than adequate. Now that he's 2 1/2 and we only use the stroller when we travel, I think a Volo would be divine.
Bottom line, in my experience the older your child gets, the more the benefits of a lighter stroller seem to outweigh the features found on something fancier.
Hope this helps Susannah
I have had the Quest since my kid was 4 months old and it has held up extremely well. I see no reason to get the Techno unless you or whoever else will be pushing the stroller really need the adjustable handles OR the bigger wheels. I have used the Quest every day for the past 18 months on sidewalks, asphalt, and dirt and have nothing but love for it. It was by far the best equipment investment I made, and I have no regrets about not getting the Techno. BTW, I think the Quest is a little narrower and thus easier to move around in tight spaces. A Mom
When our baby was born we had planned to get the pricier Techno because it had bigger wheels, tilted all the way back, and looked cooler, but the day we went to buy it, they had only the Quest in stock - we'd have had to wait 3 weeks on the Techno. So we took the Quest. Now 4 years later I can highly recommend it. It is lighter and more compact than the Techno, which turned out to be a plus, and I never missed the larger wheels - the Quest is great for maneuvering. We used our Quest every day, for long walks and short, and we took it on 5 or 6 plane trips including two overseas trips. We'd just checked it at the gate. It is still in perfect road condition, though our child at 55 pounds is now too h eavy for us to push anymore so we've passed it on to someone else. You can't go wrong with a Maclaren. Ginger
Bought a Maclaren lately you really liked?
Jan 2004
Someone has offered to buy us a stroller as a baby gift. Most of my friends love their Maclarens, but their strollers are old enough that the models aren't made anymore. Has anyone bought a Maclaren umbrella stroller in the past year or two that they really like? Thanks.
I love our Volo, it is really lightweight and easy to carry over myshoulder when my daughter won't sit in it anymore. Definitely get the accessories package, which has the comfy padding, the sun and the rain guard. The only problem I have with this stroller is that it is so lightweight that it tips over if I hang anything on the handle bars and there is no child sitting in the seat to keep it from falling backwards. It has never fallen with her in it, but once she's out I can't use it to carry my shopping bags. I don't know if this problem is solved with the heavier strollers, but I do love how lightweight this is (~8 lbs). mom in Oakland
We have the Maclaren Quest, purchased a few months ago. Love it. It's in the mid-range of what they offer, at about 12 lbs. They have a couple of lighter ones. The lighter the stroller, the more features you trade off. If you haven't already, you can check out the features of each stroller at maclarenstrollers.com. The bummer about the Quest, like many strollers, is the fairly useless basket underneath the seat. But again, that's a trade-off. Tracy
I know that most people love their Maclaren strollers and that they are known to ''last forever,'' but I had a terrible experience with my Day Tripper. It broke after a year of normal use (it still looked brand new) - a metal pole piece that held the wheel to the frame broke in half! Looking back, I think that there was a flaw with it from the beginning (the wheel never rolled properly), but I thought that it was just a bad design. Maclaren had TERRIBLE customer service! I left several messages, which no one returned, and when I actually got through to someone, she blamed me for the break! She suggested that I mail it to them, at my expense, but that nothing would probably be done because I probably did something to cause the break! I was completely frustrated and disgusted with the service and the stroller and would suggest that you look at another brand. Mad at Maclaren
I really don't know about maclaren but comparable is zooper- and they have great features all similar to the macl. and we had great ezperience with their customer service. They fixed a little problem no charge-the Z street is so easy and menuversgreat too-check em out. happy in zooper land