If you’ve got a baby or a toddler that’s often in a stroller, I’ve got good news for you. There’s a new gizmo called the Strooter that turns your stroller into a scooter.
It looks like the back half of a scooter—a board with two rollerblade-style wheels and a simple brake, but the front just has a hook. You hook that to the rear axle of your stroller, and away you go!
According to the website, the Strooter fits many different strollers—the size of the hook will vary depending on which stroller you select—and it’s intended for large-wheel or jogging-style strollers.
The hook fit very easily on my Bumbleride stroller, and swivels left and right so you can make turns.
And it’s quite easy to use, almost like a regular scooter (but of course with a baby riding in the front). I’ve taken it out on some strolls with my kids on their scooters, and for a neighborhood picnic they wore their roller skates while I Strooter-ed along.
The one issue I found while riding was that the hook was a little bit loose, so if I made a sharp turn going too quickly, sometimes the hook would slide along the axle, making the board off-center. It didn’t usually happen except with a sharp turn. I may try to fix that with rubber bands on either side of the hook, but Mark Fields (the inventor of the Strooter) said that the issue might be resolved with a smaller hook. Since it’s a new product, they’re still trying things out to find the exact size needed for the plethora of different stroller types out there.
The brake is a pretty simple brake pad—you step down on the lever and it shoves the pad down—and isn’t intended to stop you at high speeds, but it’ll slow you down. Since the Strooter is so low to the ground, however, it’s usually just as easy to hop off and stop it with your feet.
Around my neighborhood in Portland, we’ve got some ups and downs, so I switch between using the Strooter and pushing (or pulling, if it’s a steep downhill). It’s been great for coasting on a level stretch or a slight downhill, but for steep hills I tend to step down so I can control my speed a little better. (The manual recommends that you don’t go faster than you would jog, which seems reasonable.)
One other tricky aspect of the Strooter is what to do with it when you’ve gotten to your destination or you just want to walk around a bit. Since the Strooter extends back so far, you can’t really walk behind the stroller without an awkward wide-legged stance. My Bumbleride’s underseat storage area is too short to store it, and the handlebars are thicker than the axle so I can’t hang it there. Fields told me he may consider including a Velcro tie strap to make it easier to hang the Strooter from a handlebar when it’s not in use, which seems like a good solution.
I’ve gotten a lot of comments from people as I Strooter around, too. From the front, you can’t really see my feet or the Strooter, so I’m sure it looks kind of bizarre, but once I pass by I’ve had people ask what it is and where I got it. It’s certainly a fun way to get around.
The Strooter can be ordered from the website for $109.95. While that may seem a bit steep for a stroller accessory, if you’ve also got older kids then it’s worth it to be able to zoom around with them while pushing the baby. (Be sure to check the weight limits on both the Strooter and the rear axle of your stroller, since it’s an aftermarket add-on.)
Disclosure: GeekDad received a sample Strooter for this review.
My family is now stroller-free, but I would TOTALLY have grabbed one of these. I loved taking my youngest out for afternoon stroller rides, and this would have been outstanding.
Maybe it’s time for a third! 😉
What about weight distribution? I’m kind of a heavy guy, and I find it hard to believe that a stroller made for a ten-pound baby to thirty-pound toddler would be able to handle seven to eight times that weight from me- or even half that, if you stand exactly in the middle of the strooter. Has that been addressed, or will I break the stroller’s back axle when I stand on the thing?
I think that’s something best addressed directly to Strooter. They have a weight limit on the Strooter itself (I think 185 pounds), and the manual does talk about checking the stress on the axle, too. I’ve been keeping an eye on mine and it hasn’t shown any signs of stress. I’m not an engineer, but I do know that it’s not the equivalent of putting my entire weight on the axle, since the weight is distributed between the axle and the Strooter’s wheels, and the further back you stand, the more weight is on the wheels. That said, all of the weight you’re putting on the axle is on one point rather than spread across the whole axle.
This was my concern as well. Strollers aren’t cheap. Overall though I like the idea of it. Bring some fun back into parental drudgery!
Thanks for your question. The Strooter works with several different models over a dozen different stroller manufacturers. You check compatibility when you place your order online at Strooter.com.
Some models are more heavy duty (like Phil & Ted’s and the BOB Revolution), and can accommodate a heavier rider. The strength of the rear axel may vary from lightweight tubular aluminum, to heavy gauge steel. You just need to confirm it will work for you. Please send any questions to info@ridestrooter.com.
Thanks!