As a first time mom I am big on researching every purchase (big and small) and I love shopping on Amazon because of all the customer reviews. I've always been happy with all the purchases I've made and have always agreed with the reviews on items.....until now. I was extremely disappointed with the Keekaroo Karoo stroller and feel like I owe it to fellow researchaholics to post my review.
First off, let me say that I drove my husband nuts with all the research I did on strollers but I really wanted to find the perfect stroller and get the most for my money. I started researching when I found out I was pregnant but only got serious when my daughter, at 5 months old, began to get too heavy for using her infant seat on the Graco Snugrider (A must have. Dont waste your money on a travel system!) Having used the Snugrider for a few months I was able to get a good idea of what I wanted in a stroller:
Lightweight but doesn't tip over with bags on handles, easy to fold and open one handed, a great sun canopy (I live in Houston), a decent basket, tall handles and no wheel kicking(I'm 5'10 and my husband is 6'1"), full recline, and hopefully, a cup holder. I mainly needed a stroller for running errands, going to the mall, walks around the neighborhood, and daytrips to places like the zoo.
A few that didn't quite make the cut:
-City Mini by Baby Jogger. I really loved it, but ultimately eliminated it from the running because it was a little heavy and I didn't like how the seat doesn't have a really upright position (my daughter likes to sit very upright). It was also fairly wide and I was afraid it might be hard to get in and out of narrow store aisles. For me, this would be a great additional stroller, but it just wasn't the everyday use stroller I was looking for.
-Chicco Liteway. Overall great stroller. Good canopy, good handling, pretty good handle height, decent basket. Almost purchased because I found such a great deal on it, but when I put it next to the other strollers I had considered I realized that my baby would quickly outgrow it (she's VERY tall for her age-29 inches at 5 mos). The seat back isn't very tall and the harness slots don't go up too high. If your baby is average height or short then I totally recommend this stroller for the price, but for tall parents/tall babies it's a no go.
-Maclarens (Quest and techno) I feel like I have to include Maclarens because everyone raves about them but I have never been a fan. While they are lightweight and easy to maneuver I found them to be overrated and overpriced for what you get. They have awful sun canopies, small baskets, are way too short and they tip with bags on handles. Maybe when my daughter is toddler aged and I can get away with a true "umbrella" stroller I may reconsider, but for now I just need more from a stroller.
I finally narrowed it down to two: the Peg Perego Si and the Keekaroo Karoo. I saw a Peg Perego in a store and I really liked it, but it was a little spendy. The Karoo had great reviews and was much cheaper. I was extremely hesitant to buy it sight unseen, but all the reviews were so good and one or two people even compared it directly to the Peg Perego Si, so I took a chance and ordered it. I was so excited when I received it in the mail and opened it right away. Here's my thoughts:
Pros:
-Assembly was a snap and I loved the colors (lilac mist) and the overall way it looked.
-The recline was good and the adjustable leg rest was nice. That's about it as far as positives.
Cons:
-Seemed cheaply made
-The basket was very hard to get to even with the seat all the way up.
-Ok canopy but far from great (a few reviewers said just to unsnap it from behind and pull it down further, but this only made the whole canopy flop all the way down into my daughters face) When pushed back,the canopy really interferes with the handles.
-The seat seemed pretty uncomfortable for my daughter.
-The handles seemed tall enough but something about the wheel placement made me kick them. A LOT. Very annoying.
-Very difficult to open and close. Like stamp your foot and say bad words difficult. Some reviews said that this got better after awhile but I did it multiple times and, frankly, it just wasn't worth the hassle. After trying out all kinds of other strollers that opened and closed so easy this was a deal breaker.
I really wanted to love this stroller and kept playing around with it over the next week but I decided it just wasn't worth it so back it went. Trying to get it back into the shipping box almost made me decide to keep it because it was a chore, but after 30 minutes of shoving and rearranging parts and taping up punctures in the cardboard I gladly dropped it off at the UPS store. Good riddance! I jumped back online and ordered the Peg Perego Si and I couldn't be happier with it! It's worth every penny (see my review) I'm just upset that I wasted my time with the Karoo.
Bottom line: Save yourself the trouble and don't buy a stroller that you can't actually try out first!
(11 customers reviews)Customers Rating=4.5 / 5.0
More Detail For
Keekaroo Karoo Lightweight Stroller Crimson Red- Available in lilac or red fabric
- 3-position backrest
- 2-position lower leg support
- 5-point comfort wraps harness
- Padded shoulder straps
