2012 City Mini GT Stroller Review w/ FAQIn mid-March 2012 Baby Jogger finally release their new City Mini stroller. The GT stroller is almost a carbon copy of the regular 2012 City Mini stroller which was released a month prior but it has a few key features which are significant upgrades.
If you are like my wife and I then you know the City Mini is awesome for ease of use. The one-handed quick-fold design is so handy and the size of the stroller when folded is perfect for small car trunks and hall closets. Not everybody has a big SUV and two car garage. The GT stroller is however slightly bigger than the regular stroller and most notably it is an all-terrain stroller which is exactly the kind of upgrade my wife and I were looking for. The price is steeper but we're happy with the new features and will be swapping our 2011 Mini out for the new GT model. |
Differences Between The 2012 City Mini & The 2011 City Mini Stroller
Before diving all the way into a review of the GT it's first worth looking at the differences between the 2011 Mini and the 2012 Mini. The upgrades to the 2012 Mini are all incorporated into the GT version.
The 2011 stroller, though well designed and award winning, had significant flaws in the under seat storage basket - it was really difficult to get things into and out of and if your diaper bag was big at all you might not be able to get it in at all. For my wife and I this bugged us to no end.
The 2012 City Mini however had a redesigned u-shaped bar in the back of the stroller which drifted lower opening up a much larger space to get things into and out of the basket. This alone is worth the price of admission. The 2012 models also we designed ot be slightly larger than the 2011 models giving more room to tall toddlers. The GT model simply took this a step further.
The 2011 stroller, though well designed and award winning, had significant flaws in the under seat storage basket - it was really difficult to get things into and out of and if your diaper bag was big at all you might not be able to get it in at all. For my wife and I this bugged us to no end.
The 2012 City Mini however had a redesigned u-shaped bar in the back of the stroller which drifted lower opening up a much larger space to get things into and out of the basket. This alone is worth the price of admission. The 2012 models also we designed ot be slightly larger than the 2011 models giving more room to tall toddlers. The GT model simply took this a step further.
The 2012 City Mini GT Compared To The City Mini Single
What sets the GT apart from the single is that it is even bigger giving even more room to larger kids. The seat back is a full three inches higher than the 2012 CM and their is more leg room and shoulder room to boot.
The handlebars extend for us taller dads (and moms) and the parking brake is right there on the handlebar instead of down near your feet. For us I find that I rarely use the foot brake on our 2011 Mini because it's a hassle to use. I have to totally take my eye off of my surrounding and my baby to engage the brake. The hand brake should be much more useful.
If you want more info on the differences between these two strollers read this review of the City Mini GT. It goes way more in depth and answered a lot of questions for me.
The handlebars extend for us taller dads (and moms) and the parking brake is right there on the handlebar instead of down near your feet. For us I find that I rarely use the foot brake on our 2011 Mini because it's a hassle to use. I have to totally take my eye off of my surrounding and my baby to engage the brake. The hand brake should be much more useful.
If you want more info on the differences between these two strollers read this review of the City Mini GT. It goes way more in depth and answered a lot of questions for me.
Is The City Mini GT And All-Terrain Stroller?
Yes it is! :)
It's not a full fledged jogging stroller or worthy of tough hiking trails but you can easily get it off the pavement and enjoy a light hike down a hard pack gravel or dirt trail. For my wife and I this is about the best upgrade of them all. I love going on off-road walks and this lets me do that without giving anything up that I like about the Mini.
Baby Jogger does make you pay for the new features however. The 2012 GT stroller costs about $349 out the door baring nay discounts, sales, or rebates a merchant may offer but I think it's worth it.
Certainly it's not worth it to everyone though. The 2012City Mini is a whole hundred dollars cheaper and with the exception of going off road is about as similar as it gets. If money is tight definitely go for the CM and not the GT or even consider moving down to a different price point with some cheaper but extremely well built lightweight umbrella strollers.
It's not a full fledged jogging stroller or worthy of tough hiking trails but you can easily get it off the pavement and enjoy a light hike down a hard pack gravel or dirt trail. For my wife and I this is about the best upgrade of them all. I love going on off-road walks and this lets me do that without giving anything up that I like about the Mini.
Baby Jogger does make you pay for the new features however. The 2012 GT stroller costs about $349 out the door baring nay discounts, sales, or rebates a merchant may offer but I think it's worth it.
Certainly it's not worth it to everyone though. The 2012City Mini is a whole hundred dollars cheaper and with the exception of going off road is about as similar as it gets. If money is tight definitely go for the CM and not the GT or even consider moving down to a different price point with some cheaper but extremely well built lightweight umbrella strollers.