How to choose a children's sled with wheels?
A stroller is a completely typical accessory for a small child in any country of the world, but problems begin in the northern countries in the winter. Snow for our winter is justly considered a typical phenomenon, but in many regions it does not lie permanently. The best way out is to buy a design that is only gaining popularity so far - children's sleds with wheels.
Kinds
Globally divided children's sledges with castors of the transformer type can be divided into two categories: some of them can be considered a full-fledged stroller for babies, but with the possibility of comfortable travel along a snowy road, others are classic children's sledges, which will normally pass along a cleared road and in a supermarket .
If we talk about the first variety, then it is characterized by all those signs that are considered mandatory for a standard baby carriage. This design involves the use exclusively in the cold season, so most models are insulated from the beginning, and parents do not have to specifically think about special blankets. The wheelchair-sleigh is often equipped with large wheels for improved maneuverability, because the passenger is usually quite small and cannot overcome long distances on his own.
Many wheelchairs with wheels and runners, as well as ordinary ones, are made with a flip handle, so you can keep an eye on a too restless child or give him the opportunity to admire the opening views. In most cases, the transition from ski to wheel travel is done by foot shifting and does not require any special efforts from the mother.
Of course, an important criterion is that the back of most models can recline to a recumbent position, allowing the baby to sleep.
With sleds, the situation is somewhat different. The main type of stroke here is exactly the one that is provided for snow, so usually small 4 pull-out wheels are in a raised position. If there is a mechanical switch from one mode to another, then it is only in exceptional cases - the wheels are folded manually, since children on such vehicles roll already in adulthood in order to stand a little.
As for the upper part of the structure, it is rarely fundamentally different from ordinary sleds - most often it is a fixed backrest made of metal pipes. Thanks to this, a comparative lightness of construction is achieved, but you are too lucky to have a small child - there is neither a recumbent sleeping position, nor something like seat belts.
In a word, these are ordinary sledges, the only distinctive feature of which is the possibility to go sharply on a wheel drive, unexpectedly hitting a well-cleared area.
Design
When deciding on the choice of sleds on wheels in terms of design, you should remember the principles of choosing colors for children of different ages. If we talk about a wheelchair, additionally equipped with runners, then in this case we must not forget that at a very early age, full sleep is most important for the baby. At this stage, various toys and even patterns on familiar objects that can make a child learn to focus attention can be useful, but if all this is applied to the walls of the stroller, neither the child nor the parents can remove it, then such decoration will most likely hurt.
The child is not yet able to concentrate his attention for several minutes, but in the same way he cannot abstract from what he constantly sees in front of him. As a result, he gets tired and suffers a lot of stress, and the result is poor sleep, frequent crying, nervousness of parents and even slow development caused by a banal lack of sleep.
To prevent this from happening, the baby carriage hood is recommended to be monotonous and, preferably, not too bright, and certain pictures are permissible, but they should not be ruffled in the eyes, and it is better to do without them in the first two years of life.
As for the actual sleigh with the possibility of transition to a wheel drive, here the principles of choosing colors are completely opposite. It is problematic to fall asleep in such a construction, even if you really want to, and even for a child, going out on a sleigh is quite an interesting adventure to just sleep through. In preschool years, children develop almost the fastest, because their immense curiosity is now complemented by an enormous amount of strength to learn about the world around us.
Kids love everything bright, because such items further stimulate their interest and attract attention. Because of the relatively small surface area of such a design, you can’t put pictures on it, but a good sleigh should not be faded.
Criterias of choice
Children's transport with wheels and skids, whatever it is called, is quite diverse, and the task of the parents is not just to buy a universal solution, but to choose it so that it turns out to be the most practical and suitable for the child. Therefore, before making a purchase, you should first decide on the selection criteria.
Naturally, the first and most important indicator is the current age of the baby, and if the product is not chosen in the cool time of the year, then the age that it will reach by the next winter. The pattern looks like this: the older the child, the easier his vehicle should be. This logic is based on the fact that for children up to two years old it is worth choosing wheelchairs on the runners, since the baby is still helpless and will not leave its transport, and that, in turn, cannot be as functional as possible and yet easy.
Such a vehicle should be as warm as possible and offer the full range of facilities for child care.
When a baby grows up a little, it becomes more active and does not differ in perseverance. He loves sledding, but it is possible that for him, in a certain sense, they will become an opportunity for rest, and during breaks he would love to run. At the same time, a small passenger weighs much more than before, so parents should choose a sled on wheels of a more classic look, otherwise they simply won't pull the kid along with the transport, and all the numerous amenities will simply be unnecessary.
If a child already has at least five years old, it’s worth repelling because he must be able to independently carry his empty transport for a certain time.
The important point is the frequency of use of the composite structure. The fact is that frequent transition from runners to wheels is relevant only if the local winter is completely normal temperature fluctuation on both sides of zero degrees, or when utilities work unevenly.
If the climate of the region is different with winter thaws and snow, or the city's utility workers work well, then it is logical to stay on the wheeled vehicle or switch to a simple sled at the right time, because the combined model, as a rule, is somewhat more expensive.
In the case of a classic-style sled, albeit with wheels, the choice seems quite simple, another thing is with the counterparts of the pram mounted on the sliding runners.It should be borne in mind that the hood must be warm - this will significantly save the cost of clothes for a child who is growing too fast, forcing him to constantly update his wardrobe.
In addition, it must be remembered that the flip handle is not only the convenience of choosing between controlling a baby and giving it a review, but also the ability to shut it off from a strong headwind, simply turning it to face you. It is desirable that the fabric was water-repellent, and the whole structure is durable and reliable. The mattress supplied in the kit is always better than what is sold separately - it usually comes out cheaper. In addition, in the kit is always achieved a higher compatibility of parts.
The size of the wheels is important in any case, because small ones are less confused when folded, but are more suitable for short walks. Large wheels, on the contrary, are characterized by high traffic, with their help it is much easier to drive vehicles.
The weight and dimensions of the product is another criterion that cannot be ignored. Classic sleds with wheels usually take up relatively little space, but it’s better that they could be folded, but the wheelchair on the runners must have such a function, otherwise it will take a lot of space in an apartment for most of the year. It is also worth taking care of the weight of the product so that it is smaller - even though our transport is universal, it is still not able to move up the stairs, which means that you will have to carry it in the entrance, and you will not be able to get into public transport. simply.
Finally - the selection criterion, which applies exclusively to the runners, regardless of whether the design has wheels. It was noted that skids of ski type are better suited for riding in the snow - they are large and wide, because they allow you to distribute the weight of transport over a large area and not fall into the loose snow. However, those sleighs that stand on tubular runners are more stable on the ice.
Care Tips
The metal essence of the sleigh of many careless parents suggests that some special care for the structure is not required, but in fact it is not. Of course, even without any care, the product can last for several years, but in fact, the durability of transport is highly dependent on the attitude to it. Although the child usually doesn’t need such an accessory for more than a few years, it’s worth protecting the product at least in order to resell in the future.
It should be noted that the main danger to runners and wheels are components that may be present in urban snow. In rural areas, everything is somewhat simpler, because snow from the sky falls relatively clean and does not particularly pollute if the village is very distant from large cities. In the metropolis, everything is different, because industrial emissions can pollute snow with various particles, and it is also sprinkled on top - it’s good if you just use sand or salt, because chemical reagents are often used for this purpose. Such impurities scratch the runners and clog the wheel mechanism, making it difficult for the wheels to rotate normally. In the worst case, such "chemistry" can provoke an acceleration of the oxidation of metal parts.
That is why experts advise not only to clean the lower part of the vehicle with a brush after each exit, but also periodically wash it.
If we are talking about classic-style sleds, then this is the end of care, however, in the case of a sidecar on the runners, it will be necessary to take care of the upper part, which also consists of matter. Even at the moment of choosing a model, one should pay attention to how simply all fabric parts are removed, what are the conditions for washing such parts. Periodic washing is obligatory for the reason that both the child and the surrounding city can become a source of contamination for the sleds.
Particular attention should be paid to the warmed parts of the stroller, because some fillers, such as sintepon, are capable of losing their airtight qualities after the classic wash. At the same time, some fabrics put forth rather strict requirements regarding water temperature and the use of aggressive detergents, while other options are less whimsical, but dry for a rather long time, forcing them to stay at home — all these points cannot be ignored.
Parent reviews
On specialized sites devoted to children's topics, you can find a lot of comments from moms who have preferred sleds with retractable wheels. It is striking that with a general positive picture, almost every comment gives certain disadvantages of the chosen model. Parents recognize that the bad concept in this case is not the whole concept of universal sleds, but only the specific moment that they let out of sight when choosing a model. This once again reminds that such an accessory appeared relatively recently and has not yet become widespread, and therefore there is no developed algorithm for choosing a good model in the head of an ordinary person - it forces you to rely only on the consciousness of choice and awareness in the main criteria.
For example, some parents choose a sled with small wheels and only then they realize that large ones would be more practical - a large diameter would even allow them to climb the steps. Others pay attention to the fact that the model was tested exclusively on skids, which occupy a large area, but the wheels are located far from the outer perimeter, because of which, at a certain position of the child, the whole structure can give a strong heel, and the mother will have to keep the baby and sleds on weight.
Cheap wheelchairs on runners are criticized for the same, for which ordinary carriages - in pursuit of a profitable offer, parents too late realize that the insulation of the structure is poor, the fabric is unreliable and difficult to care for. The very form of the body is such that the child's legs hang heavily and sometimes even interfere with normal movement.
In general, sleds with wheels enjoy a certain success and find their consumers, because in many cities of the same middle band they show their practicality. It should be clarified that they are not for nothing that they are divided into two fundamentally different categories - parents almost always use the main purpose of the product, regarding the second possibility only as a bonus.
Therefore, buying a stroller on the runners, they would be happy to use it at any time of the year, and sleds are often considered as an accessory for skiing from a slide in winter.
For information on how to choose a sledge wheelchair, see the following video.