I've owned the Baby Trend Sit-N-Stand for almost 4 years and here are my likes and dislikes based upon my actual experience.
Likes
I have a 5 year old, 3 year old and 18 month old and have used every configuration imaginable on the Sit-N-Stand to cart the three around. Although not necessarily recommended by the manufacturer, I often carry all three on the stroller and it works beautifully - the 18 month old sits in front, the 3 year old sits on the seat and the 5 year old stands. The 3 and 5 year olds can also fit side by side on the seat. When the kids were still in infant seats, I preferred to set their car seat on the back seat rather than on the front with the car seat bar (again, not necessarily recommended by the manufacturer). I never had a problem with the car seat tipping or being unsteady as long as the strap on the rear handle bars were strapped around the base on the car seat. This made it much easier to push around because the stroller was shorter than when using the car seat bar on the front of the stroller.
The cargo basket is amazingly strong - much stronger than it looks. I can carry 50 library books in it and, on occasion, have found a child standing in it and it still does not sag. The side access to the basket is extremely convenient.
I love the very quick and easy locking feature of the front child tray. It's easy for the parent, but not the child (a good thing). Even my three year old has difficulty unlocking it when sitting in the front seat. The parent tray is also very convenient.
I also discovered that the stroller does not tip up if a child hangs on the handle bar, even if there are no other children weighing the stroller down. The stroller is very steady and has never tipped front to back or side to side.
Dislikes
The brakes are a pain to unlock. I can't do it with my foot and have scuffed several pairs of shoes attempting to do so. I usually have to do it with my hand. The kids often step on the brakes inadvertently as they get on an off. The seat pad on the rear facing seat likes to twist around as the kids slide on and off of it. I've tried my hardest to tighten the velcro straps as much as possible, but it still twists and looks sloppy. The front seat reclining mechanism reclines much too easily. One jiggle of the seat back by the child in the rear facing seat and the poor child in front is reclined without wanting to be. The straps on the rear facing seat are completely unnecessary - I've never used them since the idea is that the rear facing child should be able to get on and off spontaneously. The straps just get in the way. They either get tangled with my diaper bag that I'm trying to pull out of the cargo basket or they're dragging along the ground. The straps on the front seat do not accommodate smaller children. My 18 month old can easily wiggle free even when adjusted to the smallest setting.
When I was originally contemplating getting a sit and stand type stroller, I bought both the Baby Trend and Joovy brands, brought them home, and tried them out side-by-side. While the Joovy was a little shorter making it easier to maneuver, I ultimately liked the Baby Trend better because of the side access cargo basket, the parent tray, and the non-sliding rear facing seat. The sliding seat on the Joovy model was extremely annoying for both parent and child. Also, the handlebar on the Joovy model was too upright and needed to be slightly angled to make for easier pushing. The Baby Trend was also less expensive.
Overall, I have been very happy with the Sit-n-Stand which has held up remarkably well after much use and abuse.
(3 customers reviews)Customers Rating=3.5 / 5.0
More Detail For
Baby Trend Columbia Sit N Stand LX Stroller Green Gray- Manufacturer Suggested Age:: 2 Months and Up
- Includes: Car Seat Base
- Stroller Functions: One-Hand Fold
- Material: Steel, Plastic
- Safety and Security Features: 5-Point Harness
