I have been busy testing out and reviewing strollers these past few months. Although many strollers are coming out with fancy bells and whistles – there are certain essential features we require before selecting “the one for us”. What stroller will accompany us on our extended international trip this week?
What stroller can I rely on to withstand abuse from the airline baggage handlers and the undercarriages of planes on international flights? What stroller will protect my son from the wind, rain, or snow in Belgium, and the cold, wintry Christmas markets of Germany, and Austria? That same stroller must protect him from the sun of Morocco and the Canary Islands and the wind on the decks of the cruise ship at sea. And of course, all those places will challenge the stroller’s durability with cobblestones, stairs, and the old streets of Europe.
With a tall 41 lb. 4 year old (and a 9 month old nephew who is often with us), we were highly selective on what features the stroller offered. We also have a lot of international experience with our son – and this trip we will visit another 8 countries. What have I learned? The stroller is like an assistant to the family when traveling. It needs to be reliable, comfortable and meet our needs.
Here are some reasons we chose the Maclaren Techno XLR as the travel stroller for our trip.
-One hand fold. Because we hop on and off public transportation ALL the time in Europe, the stroller has to fold fast and with one hand. (Because what parent ever has 2 hands free?) It was essential that the stroller locked automatically when folded also for this reason. I especially appreciate this on the jet way when passengers are waiting behind me.
-Good size canopy. Not just for looks, the canopy needs to protect my son from wind, sun, and rain. The Maclaren XLR has a large canopy and an easy to install quality rain cover that easily covers my 4 year old’s long legs and feet. The front of the canopy offers an extra panel for additional sun protection.
-UV protective window in the canopy. Required so I don’t have to walk all the way around when peeking in on my son. Many times when he was younger, a window allowed me to look at him without him seeing me. This was great when he was falling asleep and interaction would have caused him to wake up.
-Wide seat and comfortable sitting area. So my son won’t mind the miles we explore when he is jet-lagged. The Maclaren Techno XLR seat is wide with a soft, plush lining. No complaints from my little guy!
-A FULL Recline. A full recline allows a child to be able to lie completely flat and sleep. (I unzipped the muff to show how well supported my nephew is when sleeping.)
I inserted an inflatable pillow from my PlaneComfort and my 4 year old son was really comfortable. I also used this pillow to “extend” the seat when he was sitting up and wanted to rest his head against something (he is taller than the seatback).
-One stroller that works from birth to kindergarten. Strollers are an investment. Multiple kids or not, strollers will be used for growing kids. A stroller that lasts through the years is a wise investment. My son is 41 lbs. (many strollers are rated only to 40lbs.) The Maclaren XLR is rated to 65lbs.! Yes, that is one of the highest weights I have seen for an “umbrella type travel stroller”.
-Extendable canopy. I really like that when my son is sleeping or wanting privacy (sometimes kids are slow to fully wake up or just overtired and need to be protected from the interaction of strangers and overstimulating environments of the airport, shopping centers, piazzas, etc.) The Maclaren Techno XLR gives him his own space, since the canopy unzips and extends forward almost to the child’s legs! I think this will also be great for protection from the cold and wind at the European Christmas markets.
Extendable handles. My husband will not purchase a stroller unless the handles adjust for taller people. It gets old having to be hunched over for miles pushing someone around. The Techno XLR has two settings – and is pretty tall to start with. Great for my husband and me!
Our stroller needs to be easily lifted on and off public transportation, packed in car, transported from jetway down stairs to belly of plane, and up those numerous flights of stairs in small European hotels (while carrying a sleeping child!) or just throughout the old cities where stairs are a reality (Italy, Malta, etc.)
The best part and one of the most important things about a good travel stroller? It’s lightweight! This stroller weighs in at 16 lbs. (actually 19 lbs. with all the bells and whistles on it).
Additional features/options I like about the Maclaren Techno XLR?
It comes with a thick, durable luggage tag (a nice looking red tag with a logo of a plane, boat, car, and child on it)! Smart to label your wise investment with your contact information if the stroller is lost in transit. Baggage claim tags are helpful – but not always guaranteed to stay on. Add your cell phone number to the stroller so you can easily be reached by baggage claim offices.
One central brake. No need to set both brakes separately. This saves time and is also wonderful when on the jet way to lean the stroller quickly up against the wall.
Literally, I opened the box, pulled the stroller out and it was ready to go! NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED!!! It’s also very easy to figure out how to open and close the stroller.
Extendable leg rests. I really appreciated this when my son was 18 months old and we traveled through Italy. His little legs were completely supported when I used the extendable leg rests on our Maclaren Quest. The Techno XLR has the same extendable leg rests. I tried these with my 8 month old nephew and he really was well supported during his nap. Will it apply to the 4 year old? I think so, since it offers greater support farther down his legs even when he sits.
Easy to use, quality made harness and buckle. The big button does require both sides of it to be pushed to open. This is definitely important to prevent sneaky toddlers from unbuckling and running! The harnesses are well made, and include soft shoulder pad covers to protect the child’s neck and even would be nice to sleep against.
My recommendation for accessories for this stroller?
Not wanting to travel with a blanket that can easily drop to the airport, train station, or rain soaked ground, the Maclaren foot muff was easily added to the stroller. It even matches the stroller. I used this for my nephew by attaching the foot muff to the top button on the side panel of the stroller.
Since my son is taller, I just attached the muff onto the lower button.
The muff unzips up the side of the muff for easy in and easy out. Nice to catch toys inside also!
Add the Maclaren Organizer onto the back. This organizer holds all belongings, beverages, keys, phone, Kleenex, snacks, etc. The basket on the bottom is a good size – and you can access it from the side when the seat is reclined.
Protect this valuable investment from the disgusting under carriage of the plane. I will try out the Maclaren wheeled stroller bag on these international flights.
It is important to have a reliable, quality made stroller when traveling. Regardless of brand name – the stroller needs to work for you and your family. The stroller becomes “part of the family” and holds your child and belongings when you can’t! Choose wisely.
With a stroller like the Maclaren Techno XLR, your “assistant” will last you from the moment your baby is born until leaving for elementary school!
Congratulations Maclaren! 
Your strollers have proven to be top-notch quality, reliable, and fun to transport our most valuable “cargo”! For this reason, the Maclaren Techno XLR is JetWithKids Approved! as a valuable resource for traveling families!
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