Maclaren Triumph Stroller 2010 – Review

We are not first-time parents; this is baby number three for us.  In the past 6 years, I have seen and used my fair share of strollers of all different kinds.  For our previous child, we would have a stroller system and then another stroller and to top it off a third umbrella stroller.  I just could not go through that again with this baby, so we sought the help of Maclaren.  The 5-point harness, washable seat, high performance aluminium, foot-operated brake, compact umbrella fold Maclaren Triumph stroller looked to fit the bill.  This product is for use in the US/UK, for little ones approximately three months to 55 lbs.

As we have stated in other product reviews, we are going to be doing a road-test of the product; we just got back from the first vacation that we are going to be using it on.  A trip to Busch Gardens was our destination, and we made a decision to bring only the Maclaren Triumph–none of our other strollers.  A true trial by fire.

My wife was the one who actually took it out of the box and got it ready, and I heard no complaints, so I will assume that it was pretty much ready to go.  The first thing I noticed was the fact that it folded up so small.  This made it a real pleasure to pack in the car; I mean, in comparison to the other stroller that we were thinking about bringing (stroller system), this saved us a huge amount of space.  I was the one who folded it up to pack, and I can tell you, it folds up real easy.  I was also happy with the fact that they now have the no pinch covers on the hinges, very nice.

So how did it perform in the park?  Well, the nice big shade on the top came in handy, as it was over 100 and sunny when we went to the park each day.  We put her in the stroller and got her more than enough shade to be comfortable.  Here is where the test began, as driving the Triumph was a far different experience from what I was used to.  It turned well and was manueverable up and down the hills and around corners.  At the same time, it was light but sturdy:  you did not feel like your baby was going to come crashing out of it, or that you were going to break it going over a bump or train track, as the case may be.  Speaking of trains, when we decided to take the train ride around the park and even on the Skyride, we were the first ones on and off with our stroller–it was that easy to fold up.  Plus it takes up little space and is light, so tossing it in the Skybox was something I could do very easily.  We left our 4-month-old in the second position, which is leaning back a bit, and she was comfortable each day.  Oh, and when my wife wanted to carry the baby for a bit while we visited the Sesame portion of the park, no problem.  I just folded it up and slung it over my back with the included strap.  No problems there; it is light and easy to carry.

Now, if you think that maybe I was taking it easy on the Maclaren Triumph while on vacation, let me correct you.  We aslo decided to bring it to the Jamestown settlement.  The stroller went over the dirt of the Indian village and the dock where the ships were with no issues.  This is also where I was very happy to have the 5-point harness–our little girl had some race car type technology in a harness.  It was not hard to open and click, either, the way some of them can be so cumbersome.  Not the case here.  The stroller makes other strollers look like plastic toys in comparision.  Even the braking system was a pleasant surprise.  On our other strollers, you have to fit the tip of your foot under the small brake switch; with the Triumph it was much easier to apply the brake and take the brake off.

These strollers also have a bunch of extras you can purchase for them.  My two favorites for this trip were the Reversible Seat Liners and Universal Organiser.  I have a car seat that the baby will spit up a bit on, and then it takes some time to get it off to wash.  Plus you cannot use the seat until you have the liner back in.  The same with some of our other strollers.  With the Maclaren we were sent some reversible seat liners.  Why haven’t I seen these sooner?  They make cleaning up the stroller if you have an accident so much easier.  Plus, if you have two or more on vacation, you can really keep that stroller pristine until you can get to a washing machine.  To top it off, the liners allow you to customize your stroller a bit, as well. 

Reversible Seat Liners Features
Customize your buggy
One size fits all Maclaren Buggys
Reversible
Machine washable

Having the Maclaren organizer was awesome, as well; just remember if you have the baby out of the stroller and are just pushing it, you do not want to overlaod the organizer with heavy items and then take your hands off of it.  Same with trying to put your pocketbook around the handles, as many mothers tend to do.  That is what the basket underneath is for.  My wife almost learned the hard way with a soda in the organizer and her diaper bag around the handles.  When I told her the stroller was light, I was not kidding with her.  I guess she was just used to those bulky and heavy strollers that are their own counterweight.  We were able to put two bottles of water for the boys in the organizer, as it was quite hot both days and very nice to not have to fish around for them.

Universal Organizer Features
Easy to attach to buggies using its Velcro straps
Single buggy size holds all your baby essentials and two bottles

So as you can tell, we found the Triumph from Maclaren to be a top-notch product.  It made packing easier, it made having a baby at an amusement park easier, and it had a sturdy feel that was still able to make those sharp turns.  From the fashion sense, the project also just looks awesome.  The only thing that I would have liked was the ability to recline a bit more, but I believe this would not be possible without sacrificing the size and quick fold-up ability, and those features were more important to me.  Remember to stay tuned as we bring you the next look at the Maclaren Triumph as we continue to use it on the rest of our vacations.  I am sure we will need the mosquito net and raincover on our next trip.  This vacation was a nice, sunny 106-109 degrees.

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The Triumph Features as seen on the Maclaren site

Basic Weight
5.2kg/ 11.5lb
(without hood, shopping basket or raincover)

Carrying Capacity
up to 15kg/ 55lb (US)

Appropriate From
US/UK: three months
EU: six months

Recline
Multiple positions with adjusting strap

Wheel Size
12.7cm/ 5.0in

Hood
Longer for extra coverage
Round for compact fold
Argyle pattern in back
Easy- on, easy- off hood

Please note that the Maclaren Triumph was provided for review from Maclaren.

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