My awesome Contours Lite stroller...

*** UPDATE on April 10, 2008: I have now had the stroller for about six months. I was using it today, and I realized I should update this post because I really do love it even more than I did in the beginning. It still steers one handed like a dream, is so conveniently light at 12.5 pounds?, and I have stuffed tons of stuff in that huge basket. I've even become proud of the bright green! =) I had a chance to trade with another gal for the red one, and I turned it down. Will wonders never cease. Anyway, after plenty of use, this is still a fantastic lightweight stroller. ****

Ok, I posted awhile back about hunting for the perfect stroller for everyday use. It's been a long, frustrating hunt, but I think I've found it! I was browsing through a website, and I ran across this... the Contours Lite Stroller Plus. I was captivated, and I wanted to get my hands on it. But my darling husband was sceptical, so, on a whim, I emailed Kolcraft, shamelessly begged for it in exchange for a blog review, and shock of all shocks, they actually sent me one! I know that plenty of mommy bloggers write product reviews, so that's where I got the idea to ask. I never thought that would work, since I'd never tried it before, but who knew? Anyway, it's as great as I thought it would be when I first saw it online. This is my HONEST review, and that's all I promised them.

Here's my beef with most lightweight strollers... Brands like Macracken and Chacco sell high quality umbrella strollers, but they have these tiny baskets that you have to work around metal bars to put anything into. And they have no cup holder, and I HAVE to have a place to put my Dr. Pepper. Also, they have no handlebar. I am a big fan of a handlebar instead of handles. I need an easy rest for my tired hands when I'm distracted. So, my criteria for a lightweight stroller is something that weighs about 15 pounds, has a large, easily accessible basket for all of my junk, has a handlebar, and has a cup holder. This thing has all of that, AND it's really cute... I couldn't really ask for anything more. Oh yeah, and I'm not willing to pay big bucks for all this either, and they only ask about $70 for this stroller. That's way better than the price they want for those other Italian lightweight strollers with some of these characteristics.

This stroller really does maneuver like a dream, people. I'm really pleased so far. It has these cool, small, swivel wheels up front, and they are great! It is sooo easy to get around in narrow aisles in small stores. And the basket holds a ton. I got a full size shoe box and a 11 x 13 picture frame in there when I was shopping the other day, no problem. You can also access the basket from the front or the back, which is a nice plus. For those of you who are into your IPods (Sarah), it comes with an IPod dock with a speaker, and you can just put your little dock in the pocket on the hood, and you and Baby can rock out. I am not so into IPods, so I just use the pocket for my keys. =) Oh, and I can't forget the cool factor. This stroller is stylish. I've had it for a few weeks, and I've already gotten a couple of "Cool stroller"s from random strangers in stores. Call me shallow, but I think that's fun.

Cons: The child tray is hard to get open and shut. It opens with a tiny button on the underside, and it's hard to push, and it's hard to pull open. This doesn't frustrate me at the moment, since I don't have to open it to get Seth in and out, but it may in time.

- I have trouble getting the seat to sit up really straight. It does adjust, but it adjusts with a slide in the back, like a belt slide. I would much prefer if it had a pull slide instead, and I'd also like it if it sat more upright, but Seth doesn't seem to care.

- You may not enjoy looking like you're pushing around a large piece of Jolly Rancher candy. Perhaps you don't want to arrange a playdate by someone saying, "We'll just meet at the food court. Look for Ellen's stroller." In that case, buy it in the luscious red color. I would've, but they sent me bright green, and hey, free is free. I've gotten used to being so, ahem, noticeable, but it took a couple of weeks. David thinks the color is great, but he also had a hot pink windbreaker in 1990, so his opinion is suspect.

So if you're interested, a bloggy friend who got one told me they have it in stock at some Sears stores. I have seen it at my local Sears. I know you can also buy it online at Walmart, and they'll ship it to your local store for free. I hope this is helpful to some of you who are looking for a good, everyday stroller. As for me, knock on wood, I think my work is done!