Choosing the proper stroller for your family can be an overwhelming task at times. When you walk into a store and see numerous brands of strollers all lined up–how are you supposed to know which stroller is right for your lifestyle? Your lifestyle is actually the key to finding the right stroller. Figuring out how the stroller will best fit into your life is the key. Any time we start showing strollers to parents or grandparents at our store, the first question is: “What do you do on a daily basis?”

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The purpose of a stroller is to keep you mobile and your little one comfortable and secure as you stay on the go. So, the first place to start is determining what you want the stroller to do. Are you a jogger, or do you like to walk outside a lot? Or, are you more of a shopper hitting the malls? Each one of these questions helps determine which stroller will work best for you.

If you are a jogger, then a high-performance jogging stroller is the right stroller for you. Jogging strollers tend to be a heavier aluminum frame, to allow for continual use on the road. They typically have rubber wheels, to allow for a smoother ride while jogging on pavement. They tend to have a front stationary wheel that makes jogging easier, because it stays on the path you set it on. Jogging strollers typically have hand brakes.

If you are not a jogger, but you like to walk outside, then a rubber-wheel stroller with a front-swivel wheel is probably a great choice for you. It is my personal favorite, simply because the front swivel wheel makes it so easy to maneuver, and the rubber wheels are ideal for walking in the neighborhood or traveling to festivals. Most of these strollers close easily and compact, but have a sturdy frame that can handle years of use.

For our shoppers, we generally suggest a stroller that closes extremely easy and is light and compact. This makes getting in and out of the car with your stroller both easy and convenient. The wheels are typically plastic, but this is OK, because they are not seeing much use on the concrete pavement. The rubber wheels are sacrificed to make the stroller lighter and more compact, and honestly, these wheels are just fine for hopping in and out of shops.

Twins make finding the right stroller interesting, because you will need a double stroller to accommodate two children. Twin strollers need to be able to handle two car seats, which tends to make this type of stroller a little more cumbersome. There are only a handful of companies that make a durable yet convenient twin stroller.

When looking for a twin stroller, the most important thing to remember is the car seat is the most important part of what you are buying. You car seat is your child’s safety. Next, obviously, the car seat needs to be able to snap in to the stroller, which is what will keep you mobile. Start with choosing a company that has a high-rated, well-made car seat, and then, ask to look at their twin strollers. Twin strollers can be just a frame that holds the two car seats and is simple and extremely compact, but they can also be a stroller that holds car seats at the infant stage, but will also accommodate toddler seats. The ideal stroller take you through all of your children’s stages.

A double stroller is a different style of stroller that can easily handle two children at varying ages. Some can even handle one car seat. With growing families, this has quickly become one of the fastest growing strollers around. There are many companies to choose from with this style. Again, this style stroller goes back to the original questions listed above to help you determine the wheels, size and performance that you require. Most of these companies have found ways to make this type of stroller fold up easily and compactly, yet can still be useful for many years.

Questions/Checklist you might want to consider when choosing a stroller:

1. Does the seat recline?
2. How does the stroller close?
3. What type of wheels are on the stroller?
4. If using a car seat with the stroller making it a travel system, is the car seat safe?
5. Does the stroller turn easily?
6. Is the stroller easy to clean?
7. Does it come with a cup holder?
8. Does it have a decent sized basket under the stroller to help hold purses, diaper bags and blankets?
9. Does it have a breaking mechanism that I can lock to keep the stroller from moving?
10. Does it have a good 5 point harness on it that helps keep my child safe and secure?
11. Does the handle height accommodate both me and my partner?
12. Is it a friendly stroller for Grandparents as well?
13. Will it fit in to my car?