Valco Runabout Deluxe Reviews and Specifications
Runabout Deluxe 2005 |  |
|---|---|
Reader reviews (13)   | |
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| Manufacturers description |
The Runabout combines a sleek design with rugged capability, ensuring the utmost in comfort and mobility, making it the ideal stroller system from newborn to toddler and beyond. The Runabout is lightweight, easy to fold, and provides an extremely smooth and comfortable ride for your child
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| Suitability | ||
| This pram is suitable | From birth | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Weight | 11.5 kg | 25.3 lbs |
| Seat | ||
| Seat capacity | 20.5 kg | 45.1 lbs |
| Can direction of seat be reversed? | No | |
| Wheels | ||
| Number of Wheels that Swivel | 1 | |
| Handle | ||
| Handle height adjustable? | Yes | |
| Handle reversible? | No | |
| Toddler seat | ||
| Toddler Seat Option? | Available | |
| Bassinet | ||
| Bassinet | Optional | |
Reader Reviews
no complaints very happy
Reviewed by: Charmaine from Melbourne, May 24, 2008General Review
I really loved my runabout and was sad to part with it when I needed a side by side twin but I went and upgraded to the runabout twin so that wasnt bad!Pros
Multiposition seat reclineEasy to fold and relatively small compared to other prams I've owned
toddler seat and bassinette option were GREAT I had it all and loved it! I think the bassinette looked great on it too :D
Easy to steer
Great for shops and overroad
Cons
Can't access basket underneath with the seat reclined for a babynothing else I can think of!!
Very Disappointing
Reviewed by: Anonymous user from Regional New South Wales, Dec 05, 2007General Review
I have been very disappointed with my Valco. I originally purchased the pram a little over 2 years ago when I was expecting my first child & as I was hoping to have my children close together I opted for a pram with a toddler seat attachment.Unfortunately from day 1 I have had nothing but problems with it. The main problem being the front wheel. After only a few months of use the front wheel kept locking so that the wheel was not able to swivel. It was returned to Valco & they replaced the locking system.
Now that I have had my second child & have started using the toddler seat attachment I am having more problems with the front wheel. Once I have the toddler seat attached I'm unable to swivel the front wheel & to turn the pram I have to push down on the handle to lift the front wheel. As the handle is adjustable most of the time it is unable to take the heavy weight of the toddler on the front & collapses.
After months of battling with the pram I spoke to the shop where I originally purchased it & they advised they were able to send the pram back to Valco to have the front wheel replaced with the new locking system at a cost of approx $200.
I then decided to write to Valco to see what they could do for me & basically because my pram is out of warranty they dont want to know!
In all I have been very unhappy with my pram as I feel the overall quality is very poor. With only minimal outside use the fabric has faded terribly & the seams have frayed & come apart. Also when your baby/child is lying down in the pram their head is always pushed to one side & is lower than their bottom which is very uncomfortable.
The pram does have a few good qualities for example it is easy to fold & is compact however the cons well outweigh the pros.
Pros
Light WeightCompact when folded
Cons
Everything!!!Don't buy this stroller
Reviewed by: Toronto Mom from Toronto, Canada, Nov 13, 2007General Review
I have been extremely disappointed with this stroller. I thought that paying over $500 would give me a quality stroller, but I wish I had done more research. Not only am I disappointed in the stroller, but Valco customer service is horrible. I would NEVER buy a Valco product again.Pros
-Easy to manoeuvre-Folds easily
Cons
-Can't accesss storage basket when seat is reclined-Sun canopy coverage is extremely poor and the separate cover you have to buy is inconvenient and looks terrible
-When baby is reclined, head is lower than rest of body
-Strap between legs does not support child so he/she slides down seat
-Baby always faces out
-When using stroller with car seat, car seat is not secure
Useless Pram
Reviewed by: Anonymous user, Sep 10, 2007General Review
Would not recommend this pram new or second hand to anyonePros
It moves in a forward direction.Cons
Doesn't fit throuh some shop doors and checkouts.Babies head sits lower than body when in recline position making blood run to babies head.
Very difficult to put anything in or take anything out of the basket underneath even whilst in an upright position.
Front wheel slips and doesn't swivel properly.
Upright position is not completely upright, by toddler gets very frustrated that she has to lean forward to see completely out.
DON'T BUY THIS GARBAGE
Reviewed by: Shane from Ballarat., Victoria, Mar 01, 2007General Review
Hopelessly wide. You will need to find the wheelchair access to get in and out a lot of stores.durability - These prams are quite durable EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT WHEEL pivot. Actually it's so poor we considered chucking it to the tip and buying another. The first time I returned it with a sticky front wheel pivot I was told "We have never had this happen before". They replaced the whole frame and all the wheels. The pusher had very little use, and again the front pivot would not rotate smoothly leading to it being very poor on shiny floors, with the front wheel sticking and generally horrible to wheel. We took it back to the place of purchase once again "We have never had this happen before" ... "That is what you told me last time". Once again the whole frame and all the wheels were replaced. A few short months and next to no use later once again it couldn't be wheeled on shiny floors due to the front pivot sticking... Extremelly little use once again as my wife was pregnant with our second baby. I took it back.... Very short memories the people at the local shop "We have never ......". He see me looking over his shoulder at a big stack of forks/front pivots for these prams and stops in mid setence... Just as well as I'm one to be extremelly blunt with poeple that outright lie to me. It is once again sent of for repair ... Only they had stopped making them... We spent *another* $150 upgrading to the next model (How stupid am I. ... see the next review).
collapsability - Quite large, and heavy for my wife with the wheels still attached. Very fiddly if wheels are removed.
lightweight - See comment above... Heavy with wheels attached.
storage space - Useless, very shollow, and hard to get into if you have a child in the pusher./
value for money - Very poor. Expensive with a inherant design flaw that will never all the pusher to be used for any length of time without the front wheel pivot seizing. DO NOT BUY ONE, even if it's second hand they will be selling it as they can't wheel it with the front wheel sticking.
suitable from birth - Yes.
available accessories - We had the pram attachment, very good for the short period of time it can be used (though fiddly to remove/refit).
comments - DO NOT BUY. Way to expensive given the poor quality of the pram. Uselessly big for shopping centres.
Pros
ery easy to push... Rolls along effortlessly.Cons
Hopelessly wide. You will need to find the wheelchair access to get in and out a lot of stores.Design flaw where the front wheel pivot is designed to grind itself to bits in an extremelly short period of time.
Babys head is lower than body in reclined position.
heavy and big to lift in and out of car
Great adaptability
Reviewed by: Anna from NSW, Feb 25, 2007General Review
This pram is great if you have an expanding family. If you have one child or are planning on having major gaps between children, there are better prams out there for you. The bassinette was wonderful for my first child, although I couldn't use it with the toddler seat for my second child. However a friend recommended putting the basinette mattress in the pram when it was fully reclined and it solved the problem of having the baby's head lower than its bottom. The side zips for recline are much easier to use with one hand than a mountain buggy's velcro straps. The toddler seat is fantastic for families who have larger than average children. My husband and I are both very tall and our son weighed 15 kilos at 20 months, the toddler seat takes a maximum weight of 20 kilos, which is much better than Phil & Teds, where the toddler seat only takes 15 kilos max. The toddler seat is also in a much safer position than Phil and Teds as the child can't catch its hands on the wheels. Steering with the toddler seat can be tough and a bit unstable on sloping pavements, it certainly improves your muscles! However I also have a Maclaren double stroller, as it is more compact for taking on planes, and find that difficult to steer on rough terrain. A recent accessory for the Valco toddler seat hood which protects from rain and sun and this can be fitted to the earlier models.Pros
Takes a basinetteHas a child seat which takes 20 kilos
The child seat is fully protected from the weather by a hood
Easy to fold
Good steering with one child
Good cushioning protection for a baby
Can be folded with the toddler seat and hood attached
Good range of accessories, sun cover, bottle holder etc.
Cons
When the pram is fully reclined the baby's bottom is above its head.Steering can be tricky with a toddler seat on a sloping surface.
Don't buy
Reviewed by: chrissy from Australia, Jan 04, 2007General Review
With the bassinet on it was ok but wih the seat it was a nightmare.Pros
Great over rough terrain.Cons
Big and heavy when folded, Difficult to fit in a late model Holden Commodore Boot. Front wheel jams. Does't lie flat. Doen't sit upright.Terrible Pram
Reviewed by: Kim Quodling from Queensland, Dec 01, 2006General Review
I bought this pram when we had baby no two on the way. A good sales pitch and I fell for it.Two other friends bought the same pram and also hated it. No assistance from Valco or the shops we respectively bought it from. I think I ended up with the better of the three.
Not value for money at all.
Pros
None - The one star rating is only as there was no lower alternativeCons
Unstable to push with or without toddler in seat (manufacturers have been known to tell people not to put their toddler in the seat).Toddler seat zipper comes undone so does not give support even when we had all been careful with weight limites.
Recline for baby in main stroller is horrible, Baby was lying head down when fully reclined and it is limited with zip adjustments.
It has now torn all the way alony the zip area in the main pram and this pram has DEFINATELY NOT be overused.
Only for the baby trendy fashion fanatics!
Reviewed by: Carey Donoghoe from Melbourne, Victoria, Jun 14, 2006General Review
We bought our Valco 2005 Deluxe second hand (for $370) with the Bassinet attatchment when our baby was 2 months old & I am so glad I did not buy this whole unit NEW at $600+. I wonderded why the bassinet had a velcro strap to put around your baby ...I soon found out the first time I took our baby for a walk in the bassinet....the ride was so bumpy for bubs that she slid down the bassinet. I thought the tyres were pumped up too high so I let some air out mainly out of the front tyre & then could not steer this pusher (bubs had a better ride & was by now strapped in & didn't slide down). The sling seat attatchment I found when I started using when bubs was 4 months old (as she didn't fit in the bassinet anymore) was a pain for such a youg baby, the zip up & down for back rest adjustment, the fact that when fully reclined (both zips zipped down) my baby's bum was higher than her head & she was obviously very uncomfortable. As I was so unhappy with my Valco I purchased a secondhand Emmaljunga for $70 with a Bassinet attatchment that my baby was in until she was 7 months old but that is another story & a very postive one at that! Now my baby is 10 months old & still riding in the Emmaljunga for now.... I am hoping that I may be able to use this Valco for my baby when she is a bit older?????Pros
For the adult pushing it...easy to steer, great for walking or jogging, excellent on hard sand & gravel surfaces but very bumpy.Yes, you will get heaps of comments on how trendy your pusher looks....
Cons
Will not fit through a supermarket checkout (you have to use the wheelchair exit).Will not fit through general shops in a shopping center.
Baby's bum is higher than head when back rest is fully reclined.
You must have a hand on this pusher at all times or it will roll away.
Zips are a pain to zip up & down when baby is in the pusher.
Baby's head seems to lay on one side.
The shopping basket fits zip (not much at all)!
You can't access the shopping basket easily when the pusher seat is even slightly reclined.
The zip pockets for your wallet & things: don't ever accidently leave zipper open when seat is reclined in any position as everything falls out.
Is not very compact when folded to fit in your car boot.
Feels very unstable when your baby bag is hanging on the handle & the seat is slightly reclined (you have to put your baby bag on the handle as it is not easily reached in the shopping basket nor would it fit!).
The adjustable handle (for pushing persons height) will loosen with wear & is not able to be tightened because of factory rivits.
Overall just not a very practical pusher for everyday use or for comfort for your baby.
Not happy with this pram
Reviewed by: Lia from Sydney, Apr 23, 2006General Review
We purchased this pram for our first baby, prior to her birth. We probably didn't do as much research as we should have, but we did try out quite a few different prams in store. We particularly wanted a 3-wheeler, and I also wanted an option where I could see the baby when she was first born, by having her facing me, rather than away from me.We chose the Valco Runabout Deluxe because it came with a bassinette option, and at the time we bought it (July 05) it was one of the few which offered this feature.
The bassinette is great, and we used it both on and off the pram. We would just take the bassinette off the pram and keep bub in it, to go to friends homes etc.
However, when we moved her from the bassinette to the sling pram, I became very unhappy with it.
Firstly, she can't lay down flat in the pram - her bum & legs are higher than her head when it's fully reclined, and she looks very uncomfortable.
It is also extremely hard to adjust the seating positions, as you need to support the back of the pram with one hand, while you do up the zipper on one side, then swap to do up the other side. It's a very time consuming and awkward process.
The pram is extremely wide, and whilst this offers great stability, it's hard to get into many shops, and supermarket checkouts are a nightmare. We have found out recently that it has an extra wide chassis to support a toddler seat, however we have no plans of more children and would never need this feature, but it was not explained to us when we purchased so we're stuck with a feature we'll never benefit from.
The lower storage basket is difficult to access unless the seat is fully upright. If bub is laying right back, forget about the lower basket totally, and even in the semi-reclined position it is only suitable for small items.
There are a couple of pockets on the back of the pram which are good for wallet, keys & phone if you're just going for a quick walk, which is a good feature.
Whilst I believe the manufacturer does not recommend hanging anything from the handle of the pram, I put my nappy bag over the handle as it is the most practicle place to store it. However, when I converted from bassinette to sling pram, I found that it became very unstable, and you have to be very careful that the pram doesn't tip backwards due to the weight of the bag (I've tried to make it lighter but am yet to succeed!).
It does fold quite compactly compared to many other models, however it is a bit on the heavy side, and also has a few bits & pieces that stick out of the frame when it's collapsed. So when you pick it up to put into the car, it's easy to scrape your arms, and get bruises, from the clips that hold the frame sturdy when it's unfolded.
My baby is 8 months old, and for the first 3 months we used the bassinette. The sling has been used for only 5 months, and I already have a hole in the fabric where it has frayed for reasons unknown. Also, the grip part of one of the zippers has broken which makes it very hard to adjust the seat recline. I am sending it back for repair this week, but I am also going to look at purchasing a different pram as I'm just not happy with this model.
Pros
- Very easy to steer- Stable
- Bassinette attachment is great
- Comfortable ride for bub
- Easy access storage pockets on back of pram
- Reasonably compact when folded, and wheels come off easily if you need to remove them for storage.
Cons
- Too wide- Zipper adjustment is very difficult
- Can easily tip backwards
- Awkward to pick up and put into the car when folded - have got many scrapes & bruises from it
- Fabric is not very durable
- Be careful of what model you purchase, as the different colours often have different features & accessories with them, which we were not aware of when we purchased.
- Storage basket is difficult to access and not very big
- Doesn't fully recline so bub doesn't lay flat - instead feet are up in the air
design probs..
Reviewed by: Kate Scott from Canterbury, Nov 16, 2005General Review
WE bought our Black Magic delux 9 months ago after much deliberation. Unfortunately I'm about to return it as we have had a lot of problems which just couldn't be fixed satisfactorily. We liked the very easy, compact fold and removable wheels (very funky), but the mechanism for fixing the wheel just didn't work, despite being changed repeatedly. Either it wouldn't stay locked, or (when it was eventually successfully replaced) it didn't swivel freely or when it did lock it didn't run straight.Pros
folding mechanism.Wheel release/very compact storage.
Support: Valco NZ did all they could to help but were thwarted by faulty parts.
Cons
faulty parts on front wheel (still not resolved by Valco AU)fabric on pram isn't very durable.
Hood was not good for off road- too high and tended to get caught in things.
Padding - baby was either forced off to one side or had her head pushed forward. Got better as she got bigger.
Fantastic Pram that grows with the Family
Reviewed by: Jodie from Melbourne, Nov 13, 2005General Review
I have owned a lot of prams and I would have to say this has been the most economical. I first owned a 2003 model with my son when he was little as we changed cars and my bertini steerable was too big. I found it a whole lot easier to use and steer than the bertini. Then when I was expecting my second we bought a double mountain buggy and spent an absolute fortune. So I sold my valco It was fantastic for the frist 8 months and then it was tiring with it being so wide and my son constantly wanting to get out and walk while I pushed a huge pram around. So I eventually sold the mountain buggy and re-bought the Valco Runabout 2005 in copper!! I also bought the toddler seat and Hitch Hiker board.This pram is easy to steer and lovely to use. But with the toddler seat on and my 2year old that weighs 16kilo's it is far from easy to steer. But I expected that. It is fantastic to be able to have him walk and then if he is tired I can put the seat up and he will sit in that. Although my daughter now being 12 months old isn't impressed with this because she can't see as well!! Or he can stand on the buggy board on the back. Which I might add can only be used when there isn't a nappy bag on the back and the baby isn't lying down!!
I love the adjustable handle which is great for me who's short and hubby who's tall. I love the small fold and the fact it still folds with the toddler seat on. I think the basket underneath should be made more accessable. Hopeless when bubs is alseep. I also don't like the zips in the side for seat posiitoning. It is very fidely and you wake the sleeping baby if you try to move it. It makes it very awkard.
This pram is the best run for your money if you are starting with your first. It can have the bassinett on first, then into a single pram, then with toddler seat for the second and the Hitch Hiker board for later!!
I have also owned the mountain buggy and I would have to say that handles a lot better and is lighter but it just doesn't adapt. Unless you are planning your kids a few years apart (and accidents happen!!) it is a lot of money to spend to have to re-buy later.
Pros
*handling is easy*adjustable handle
*adaptability for growing family
*folds twice for small size
*takes toddler seat and buggy board
*removable wheels
*take bassinet or cocoon
*large hood
comes with suncover and acess. (don't have to buy them separately)
Cons
*the zips in the side for positioning of the seat*steering once toddler seat is on
*access of the basket underneath
its a good stroller BUT....
Reviewed by: racheal from strathalbyn SA, Nov 11, 2005General Review
i brought my valco 6mths ago and we use it a few times a week. if i had my chance again i wouldnt buy it.Pros
its pros height adjustable handles and bassinet attachmenteasy fold.
Cons
stupid zipper for back rest adjustments, it doesnt lie flat babys bum is higher than its head. no leg supportit feels unstable, when baby is lying down.