Maclaren 2011 Product Previews and Reviews

A few weeks ago, NYC Bloggers were invited to attend an exclusive Blogger preview of the 2011 Maclaren line. Maclaren has always been a favorite brand of mine for quality baby gear so I totally jumped at the opportunity. The event was located at the Maclaren showroom in SoHo, NYC, and it was quite informative... and fun.

Any mom who lives in a crowded city such as New York knows first-hand the need to have a lightweight stroller that is practical and functional without compromising style. I mean, how else are you going to carry a baby, multiple bags, and a stroller up and down the stairs of the subway? Or how else are you going to fit into the aisle of the supermarket when making a quick stop before dinner?

This year, we can expect some new and cool features from Maclaren's Stroller Collection. Here's a brief rundown:

• In addition to having argyle graphics on the leg of the frame, The Volo will have two hot and bold new colors: deep water and carmine rose... love!
• The Triumph will also have a hot new color, crown blue, but will keep all the functions that make it so lovable and amazingly popular.
• The Quest will have a great new feature: an improved leg extender. Plus, there will be new colors such as deep water, carmine rose, and denim. Yep... Maclaren has jumped on the denim bandwagon! 

What's a stroller without an accessory bag, right? Once again, Maclaren's got you covered! The Maclaren accessories will include beach bags, charcoal organizers, field bags, and smart sets. Are you excited yet? I am!

Most people know about Maclaren's stroller collection, but they also carry pretty fab Nursery Collections as well. Designed by David Netto, the collections are playful, but with a modern look and classic feel with its signature finish of white lacquer and oak.

The crib is convertible and can open all around, while the dresser and changer comes as one unit. I love this because it is simply perfect if you're short on space. But what I love even more is that these are high quality items at an affordable price. Now that's my kinda nursery!

Call me biased, but no nursery is complete without a glider and ottoman. Hey, mama needs to be comfortable while feeding and bonding with her bundle of joy! That's why I was super excited to learn about Maclaren's Heart Glider and Ottoman. Man, was it comfortable. Once I sat in it, I didn't want to get out! I actually contemplated not continuing the presentation just so I could relax on the glider for a bit longer. Yea, it felt that good. Here's a picture of me during my 5 minutes in heaven. Ahhh...

But, I did continue. And I'm glad I did because I was able to learn about Maclaren's holistic personal care collection, The Beginning... This line was created to meet not only the physical needs of mothers and babies, but emotional needs as well. The ingredients in these products are natural, organic (nice!), and have 100% pure essential oils that can be safely used during pregnancy, infancy, and beyond. They amaze me every time!

Now let's talk toys. Did you know that Maclaren makes toy products as well? Sweet! The Maclaren Active Toy collection is perfect for dramatic play as it includes a kid-sized jogging stroller, a lightweight stroller, double stroller, playpen, rocker, and rocking chair. These toys are not only super cute, but they are also great for toddlers and their budding imaginations.

Aiden and I received the opportunity to review the Maclaren Junior Quest lightweight stroller and we really love it. It's a doll-sized toy, but has the features and functionality of the life-sized Maclaren strollers. Although we have not been able to test it outdoors due to the 10 feet of snow we've been having like every week here in NYC, we have played with it a lot in the house.

Aiden is a rough and rambunctious tot by nature, but I must say that the Maclaren Junior Quest is allowing him to get in touch with his, er, gentler side. Although he runs around the house with it at times, most of the time playing with our Junior Quest gives us a break from all the rough-and-tumble play because "we have to be gentle with our baby and stroller." His words, not mine.

Bottom line: it's awesome and I highly recommend it. Visit the Maclaren website to view all of the products that they offer.

Disclaimer: Event attendees received a gift from Maclaren. Also, I received a Maclaren Junior Quest to review for this post. All views expressed herein are my own.

Smooches,