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Valco TriMode Runabout

Discontinued

Reviewed

July 2009

by ConsumerSearch

Pros

Easy to maneuver
Solid build
Good storage space
Comfortable ride

Cons

Weighs 25 pounds
Hard to fold
Prone to tipping
Reclines too far (head lower than body)

Our Analysis
Specs

The Valco TriMode Runabout has been discontinued. The 26-pound Valco Runabout TriMode receives generally good reviews, but we also read mixed reports. Some say this all-terrain three-wheeled stroller is hard to fold and not compact. Many parents say that it's far too wide and that it doesn't easily fit down store aisles or through doors very easily. When equipped with its optional toddler seat, some parents say it's prone to tipping, and several parents comment that when the seat is fully reclined, the baby's head is lower than his or her bottom.

The Valco TriMode Runabout is reviewed by a variety of sources, the best of which is a comparative evaluation at Choice, an Australian consumer magazine, where editors test it alongside others for maneuverability, ease of use and durability. The Valco TriMode Runabout is also reviewed at JoggingStroller.com, a retail website that invites user comments. The Valco TriMode Runabout also pops up in a useful thread by parents at StrollersAndPrams.com, in an extremely in-depth review on Epinions.com by a child car-seat expert.

Our Sources

1. Choice magazine

This Australian consumer magazine tests about a dozen all-terrain and jogging strollers. The Valco TriMode Runabout receives the lowest scores here, particularly for ease of use. Choice is one of the most comprehensive reviewers of baby strollers, subjecting each to durability tests, along with practical evaluations.

Review: Three-wheel StrollersThree-wheel Strollers, Editors of Choice magazine, February 2007

2. JoggingStroller.com

JoggingStroller.com features detailed, critical descriptions of various strollers, followed by evaluations by parents. The reviewer lauds the Valco TriMode for its storage space, rider comfort and car-seat compatibility. Parents generally agree, but some think the Valco is too wide, and say the toddler attachment doesn't work well.

Review: Valco TriMode Stroller, Contributors to JoggingStroller.com

3. StrollersandPrams.com

StrollersAndPrams.com doesn't review the Valco, but about 18 parents here register their experiences. Most say they like it, but some are concerned about its weight and bulk, and the toddler attachment (which turns it into a double stroller) is criticized.

Review: Valco Runabout TriMode, Contributors to StrollersAndPrams.com

4. Epinions.com

Epinions.com reviews are usually only a few sentences long, but in this case, an owner of the Valco Runabout TriMode has contributed a long, thorough, multi-section review. He says that the Valco is easy to steer, smooth on different terrains and folds compactly, but has minor quibbles with harness adjustments and the lack of a cup holder or snack tray.

Review: Valco Runabout TriMode, Contributors to Epinions.com

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