Strollers for Tall Parents

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Handle Extension for Stroller

May 2003

I am not sure who stroller companies are making their strollers for but it is not for anyone over 5'7''. I have a commuter stroller which I use to get on public transportation everyday because I can't get my Perego in and out of the bus with my son in it by myself. I say this only because getting a new stroller isn't really an option as most of the ''lite'' strollers are all to low. The bar is straight across but is so low I have to hunch over to push it and my feet are always hitting the back end. Has anyone come up with a clever way to make an extension or does something like that exist and if so where can I get one?? Appreciate the advice thanks. tired of hunching

we have the same problem: I'm 5'9'' and my husband is 6'0'' We shopped at Rockridge Kids and asked about extensions but the stroller expert there said that they continually test these extensions when they come on the market, but none of them work well (this was 6 months ago). That said, we bought the McLaren Daytripper and it works just fine. McLaren makes their strollers a little longer. Neither of us have a problem with our feet hitting the stroller (all of the other strollers we've had were a problem) tall mom

Rightstart has these at their website (www.rightstart.com) and at their stores. I think also SafetyMatters (http://www.safetymatters.com/bigimage.cfm?sku=515 ) has them too.

I found stroller extentions for my umbrella stroller in the One Step Ahead catalog. I don't know if they have extentions for the other type of handle but you can start there. Try onestepahead.com rhea

2001

My stroller is not very comfortable to push because the handle doesn't reach far up enough and I have to sort of hunch over. It was a gift and I can't really afford to buy another one. Has anyone heard of a handle extension -- and do you know where I can buy one? Colleen

YOu can order these things from ONe Step Ahead's catalog, or (a better option) you can call up Rockridge Kids or Baby World on College, and ask them if they have the extensions. We have some for our stroller, and they make a lot of difference. It does matter how your stroller handles are configured, by the way, as to the kind of extension you should get. Wendy

For stroller handle extensions try One Step Ahead Catalogue. You can find their products on-line as well. Rachelle

I am a 6'1 mom who could never understand why they can't make height-adjustable strollers! What a ridiculous thing! Anyway, I found extensions for both an umbrella and regular (for lack of a better word) stroller from the catalog ONe Step Ahead (I'm 99% sure; if not there, then the Right Start). Both have web sites too.Hilary

You can find an extension handle for an umbrella stroller at The Right Start for about $16 (www.the rightstart.com) and for a standard stroller at One Step Ahead for about $23 (www.onestepahead.com). I'm 5'10 and my husband is 6'5 so I've done a lot of reasearch to find things like this! MW

I was just at Lullaby Lane in San Bruno and they sell extension handles for umbrella-stroller-type handles (that is, two separate handles instead of a bar that goes across). You can either go there or call them and they will ship them to you. Christina

I am 6'2 and love my stroller! It was the only one I could find w/ height adjustments. I only use it at the tallest setting though (except when I put it in a friend's small car -- the adj handles came in handy to make it fit). It would be a great stroller if your partner is taller/shorter than you. It is a KidCo brand, umbrella-style and it's pretty light and maneuverable. The main drawback is the small storage basket underneath, but no one seems satisfied w/ their baskets. I know the person who started this line of inquiry was looking for handle extenders, but anyone in the market for a stroller might want to know about this one. (I bought mine at Baby World where the staff was most helpful). Sharon

Getting a backache from pushing stroller!

July 2001

I am six-feet tall, and my husband is 6'5. We have a Peg Perrgo Pliko stroller, but it is much too short. I'm getting a back ache from pushing it around every day, and my husband avoids it completely. We have tried the extender handles and they help, but with the Pliko, I must take them off each time the stroller goes back in the trunk, which is time-consuming and generally frustrating. Can anyone recommend a really good stroller for very tall parents? Carolyn

The only thing harder than finding a stroller for a tall parent is finding one that works for a very tall and a very short couple (Dad is 6'5, Mom is 5'3)! I also have arm/hand problems, and need a handle that provides proper positioning in a variety of grips.

But there is hope in the Maclaren line - we found the Techno especially good for our needs. It's a bit high-tech looking, but the benefit of that is it has great reflector tape all around it - it is very visible at night. MacLaren makes the tallest handles. They are worth the investment. We have had the Techno for about a year, and are very happy with it. The handles are very comfy, and my husband can push it without kicking it and without back strain. Maneuverability is great. And with my arm problems, hub does a lot of the pushing.

A year ago, the Techno was very hard to find. You can probably find it online and save the tax/shipping charges. We found ours in the discount room of Lullaby Lane in San Bruno. It later developed a small aesthetic problem with the hood fabric - it bubbled on the inside, so you saw it when the hood was folded back, probably caused by being cooked in the car. But even though it was from the cheapy store, Lullaby Lane replaced it with absolutely no guilt or hassle.

Other minor problem - since the last time we gate checked it at the Airport, it has had a squeak and seems a bit less responsive. We'll see how they do on 'tune-ups' for bent frames. In all, we've been very happy with the service and salesfolks' knowledge at Lullaby. Ann

As a tall mom myself (6'1), besides the extenders, the only thing I have found is a jog stroller. They tend to make them in different sizes because they figure men will use them (as if they don't use the others?!) and of course, only men are tall. Anyway, my 6'5 sister gave me hers which was xtra tall and its great. Hilary

I am 6'2 tall, my husband is a bit shorter. When I shopped for a stroller, I had only one criteria: height!! I am very pleased with the stroller I bought. It is a Kid Co. brand that I bought on Piedmont Ave. It is an umbrella-type with adjustable handles. I always use it in the longest length, so I don't know how comfortable it would be for your husband who is taller than me. It seems perfect for my height.

When we traveled, we were able to easily shorten the handles on it each time we put it in a friend's car trunk. It fits in my Subaru w/out adjusting if I put it in on an angle. It adjusts so the baby can lay almost flat (flat enough for my boy, and we used it from 2 1/2 months on). It is also a pretty well-balanced stroller - I use a backpack diaper bag that I put on the stroller, and it only tips over when the baby is out of it when I add an additional bag. The only drawback is no peek-through window on the canopy, and I chose the cheaper model without the front bar, so there is no place to attach toys. I wish you luck, and share your frustrations with being a tall mama in baby world! Sharon

I'm 5'10 and my husband is 6'3, and we splurged on McClaren strollers for both of our kids for this very reason. The handles on McClarens are much higher than on most other brands, hence no hunching over. McClarens tend to be expensive (around $300 the last time I checked) but they're really sturdy, and very light, portable, and easily collapsible strollers. We've had our current model for more than 4 years, and it still looks and works great despite daily use (and abuse) from two kids -- plus steep curbs, buckled sidewalks, and potholed streets in three separate cities. Leah

I am 6 feet tall and my husband is 6 foot 2. We have the McLaren Mistral and it is working well for us. It's not cheap (around $250?), but it is a well-built indispensable piece of equipment! Janine

I am 6'-1 and have the only stroller I've ever seen with telescoping arms. I bought it at toys-r-us three years ago and only in the last year have I been seeing them on the streets. It is an in-step and all the one's I've seen are dark green. Good luck, Daniel

I am 5'10. I bought the Aprica Prima stroller specifically to accomodate my height. That was about 6 years ago, however, I'm pretty sure they still make a similar model but it is called a different name. The handle adjusts up and down to accomodate 2 different heights. The seat reclines all the way back and the handle flips around so the stroller can be forward facing out or back facing you. It is also very light weight, like 11 pounds. Although they are very expensive ($300+), they are guarenteed for life and will send need replacement parts for no charge. Mine has been though 2 kids and has suffered little more then some fading of the fabric. Allison