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Peg Perego Skate
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Peg Perego couldn't sit back and watch Bugaboo get all the attention. So, they introduced the Skate to give Bugaboo a run for their money. The Skate took the luxury stroller to a whole new level. It has many stand-out features that make this a big competitor in the luxury stroller world.
Since there are so many features on the Skate, we sat down and read the manual cover to cover to get to know each one. Believe us, it's worth the time to get to know this stroller!
The Skate is a luxury stroller system complete with a chassis and a toddler seat/bassinet combination. The seat's features are what truly make this a great stroller. Using the same seat, the Skate switches from bassinet to toddler seat by simply adjusting three straps. We love this feature! Instead of having an entire separate bassinet that we will eventually have to store away, the Skate gives us the bassinet and seat in one.
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To turn the bassinet into the toddler seat, all you have to do is bring the 5 point harness out from under the padding, and adjust three straps. There is a strap on either side of the seat and a strap on the back of the canopy. This adjustment is so simple to do and can be done in seconds.
The seat is roomy and provides plenty of room for a child up to the weight capacity of 45 lbs but you may find your taller children may brush the canopy with their head. Like many luxury strollers, the seat is reversible so that your child can look at you or out at the world. To reverse the seat, all you have to do is push two grey buttons found where the canopy snaps in…pull the seat up…reverse it…and snap it back in. Very easy to do!
There are three recline positions with both the seat forward and rear-facing. The seat recline is simple to do with a one-handed grey lever on the back of the seat. Not only does the entire seat recline but the Skate also has an adjustable backrest. By adjusting the same strap on the back of the seat that you use to turn it from bassinet to toddler seat, the backrest will also recline. The many seat recline configurations is one of the reasons the Skate stands apart from other luxury strollers.
Another stand-out feature of the Skate is that the seat can actually move up and down the frame to three different positions. This feature not only allows baby to be closer to mom when needed but also brings the stroller to table height for an impromptu high chair when out and about.
The seat has a 5-point harness that Peg Perego calls "Freedom of Movement" harness. This type of harness doesn't secure your child to the back of the seat but allows your child more room to move around. Now, we'd like to say we like this harness, but honestly, we don't. In theory, it sounds good. But our little Houdini toddlers many times need a straight jacket in their strollers to prevent them from escaping…not more "Freedom"! We hate to admit that more than once, our little testers were able to wiggle from the harness and stand in the seat as soon as we turned our back. Now, we found out that if the bottom part of the harness is tightened enough, it's basically a secure 3-point harness and your child is less likely to escape. But we would feel much better if Peg Perego would scrap the whole idea of Freedom of Movement and put in a secure 5-point harness.
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Like many luxury strollers, there is a removable baby bumper bar but no baby tray or child cup holder. The canopy on the other hand is fabulous. It's very large, giving your baby privacy in the bassinet or more than sufficient sun protection. The canopy also has a zipper that allows mom to shorten the canopy without it looking sloppy.
A unique feature of the Skate is that not only does the handle telescope out to three positions for parents of different heights, but is also adjustable both up and down to get the most comfortable setting for each person. We love this feature!
The Skate is easy to push. It glides along with very little effort, even fully loaded to the 40 lb weight capacity. Since the stroller is quite heavy, turning the stroller with one hand with a larger child aboard does take some effort and extra wrist strength. It is possible to maneuver one-handed but you will feel the weight of it. There are two large 10 inch air filled rear tires that provide a very smooth ride over a variety of terrain and 6 ˝ front rubber swivel wheels for easy maneuverability. The wheels are removable for a more compact storage. There is also a linked rear footbrake that locks both wheels at the same time.
Folding the Skate is quick and easy to do. You simply pull up on the trigger levers located on each side of the handlebars and then push down on the foot pedal at the base of the stroller that says "FOLD" on it. It can fold with the seat in either direction and with or without the seat. You do have to have the seat in the correct reline position to fold it on the frame though. There are two manual locks on either side that you pull out to latch the stroller closed although the seat has to be down at the lowest setting. We do prefer automatic locks, but the Skate's manual locks aren't hard to do. When folded, you can pull the stroller by the handle behind you like luggage, but we recommend that you lock the front wheels to make this easier. The Skate also has a standing fold but be careful where you stand it because it rests on the handle bar and we hate to scratch the handlebar of such an expensive stroller.
Unfolding the stroller is no problem either. All you have to do is unlock the side locks, pull up on the handle bar, while stepping on the back of the frame until the stroller locks open. This can be done easily with one hand.
Instead of the traditional stroller basket, the Skate has a flat net with bungee cords to secure your baby essentials. We were skeptical at first, but after we started loading the net up, we found that it holds quite a few shopping bags, though it's not good for small, loose items. There is a matching Borsa Skate diaper bag that is sold separately that can be secured over the basket net or attached to the handlebars for additional storage.
We love that there is a great matching boot cover that is tailored to fit the Skate that provides your baby with warmth and protection from the elements and comes included with the stroller. The Skate also comes with a cup holder (love this!) and rain cover that zips to the inside of the canopy.
For parents who love to use their infant car seats, the Skate can also be used as a travel system with the included car seat adapters for the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP. (Note: The Peg car seat is the only one that works with this stroller.)
Luxury stroller systems are usually large and heavy and the Skate is no exception weighing in at a H-E-A-V-Y 34 lbs. This is not a stroller for quick trips in and out of the car. If the weight bothers you (and it probably will), removing the seat from the chassis makes the stroller more manageable when taking in and out of the trunk. The folded stroller is still large and will fit comfortably in a SUV trunk but will most definitely take up almost the entire trunk of a sedan.
While we aren't crazy about the "Freedom of Movement" harness and the heavy weight of the Skate, we do love the seat that transforms from bassinet to toddler seat effortlessly, the fabulous adjustable/telescoping handle, the telescoping seat and the amazing maneuverability.
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