Well. It happened. The newest Carseatblog baby is here, and she’s actually the reason for this review! I will be honest though and say I started on this and took pictures months ago when she was still in Hotel Utero but life with busy older boys got in my way because by the time I sat down to write this, I’d pass out in pregnancy exhaustion. Enough of the excuses though, she’s a few months old and napping so here we go!
Both my older boys play baseball and with that comes lots and lots of stuff. We were hauling everything to a game one evening and I was thinking how the heck I was going to push a stroller and carry coolers and snacks and folding chairs at the same time. The boys can’t help because they’ve already got their bags and sports junk. Sure, I could babywear, and I do, but I need a place to set her down to chill when I’m helping in the field (let’s not have an episode of Foul Ball Meets Baby) and a stroller is best for that. Enter the Keenz Stroller Wagon. I read about it and it seemed perfect because we were already planning on getting a utility wagon from Costco or some other place and this was basically combining our stroller with the utility wagon. So is that a stragon? Or a wagoller?
I quickly found out that it wasn’t as easy as I thought to score one. Apparently, everyone else thinks they’re awesome too. I was excited to find out what the hype was all about, so after a promo code search and my husband thinking I was insane, a green Keenz was on its way to our house!
It arrived quickly and was super easy to set up. I was impressed by the way it went together and how it looked, but the true test would be the push when weighted down! It came with the wagon/stroller itself, canopy and a storage bag for the canopy since you can’t fold it with the canopy on (we will get to that later), a cupholder, a cooler, and a cover for the whole thing to keep it clean when it’s folded and stored.
The canopy is super easy to put on. You just open it and click the arms into the holes on the wagon itself, then put the fabric over the canopy frame. It’s tall enough to accommodate bigger kids and has these nifty drop-down shades to completely enclose the seating area if you wish, or just on one side to block the sun. They roll up and out of the way when not in use. It also unzips around the top and leaves just a mesh covering for ventilation. One thing I noticed though is that it does bunch up a bit for me around the poles. It stays on and doesn’t affect functionality but still irritated me nonetheless. You can purchase a rain cover separately for rainy outdoor days as well as mosquito netting and a wind cover.
The canopy folded in its bag.
The frame is super lightweight and made of aluminum, so the total weight of the stroller wagon is 32lbs. Not featherweight but pretty dang good for something so beastly. The fold isn’t horrible but you’re not going to be doing it one handed. However, this is not a stroller so I don’t expect it to fold as one. For what it is, I find the fold totally reasonable and takes me just a minute or two to load it up. Will it fit in your car? Maybe. Let’s get to the dimensions. When opened and the canopy on, it’s about 25.6in long, 19.2 in wide, and 43.3in tall. Folded it maintains it’s width and goes to 13in in length and 23.2in tall. It fits fine in my van and stores easily under my sewing table at home.
Now, the important part. The push! I was very impressed. The best thing about this and what sets it apart from regular wagons is that it can be pushed or pulled. There is an adjustable handle on either side so you can choose what end to push/pull from (I found that pushing it on the end with the bigger wheels was easier when weighted down). I had both my 5-year-old and 8-year-old sitting in it together (it has a weight limit of 110lbs) and was able to easily push it up and down my street as well as turn around. They didn’t have a lot of room but obviously, my 8-year-old wouldn’t be riding in it for the most part. My 5-year-old had plenty of room to stretch out when he was riding by himself. For those baseball days, the baby will have tons of room to lay, roll around, play with toys, etc all while being protected by the canopy.
My 8 year old fits great although it’s not really meant for him!
All in all, I’m happy with it and think it’s going to be a great addition to our family with 3 kids. To summarize, here’s the nitty gritty:
Pros:
- The sheer usefulness for a busy, active family. Having one thing to carry all our junk and be a place to stash the baby is better than strollers and bags and having our hands full.
- The canopy. Yes, you could go out and buy a Radio Flyer wagon for cheaper but this canopy simply can’t be beaten. Blocking the elements, providing a quiet shaded place for naps, blocking wind…it’s just an addition I think is worth it.
- 5-pt harnesses on both ends to prevent head dives onto the pavement if the child stands up.
- The push. No, it’s not going to glide with one finger like your stroller. But it’s not a stroller. It’s a stragon. Or a wagoller. It’s big and loaded down with all your junk. For what it is, it’s a great push and a heck of a lot easier than a utility wagon when pulling.
- Storage! I can’t even go in depth of all the various pockets and zippered areas but let’s just say if you basically bring your entire house with you when you go out, it’s gonna find a place on this thing.
- Accessories. It comes with a nifty insulated cooler (that attaches on the back so it doesn’t take up internal space) and you can purchase various weather covers, hooks, cupholders, or even a cover in another color.
The cooler fits inside this storage basket and can be removed if you want to use the basket for something else. The basket itself folds down when not in use.
Cons:
- The cost. It ain’t cheap. It retails for $389.99.
- It doesn’t push well in sand, so I don’t recommend it for the beach. However, according to Keenz, beach/utility wheels will be available for purchase.
- It’s a beast. It doesn’t leave room for much else in your trunk and may not even fit in your trunk if you have a very small one.
- The cover for storage isn’t user-friendly. Maybe it’s just me, but I couldn’t get the thing on correctly. I always had it upside down or just wrong in general and ended up just storing it in the house without the protective cover.
- You have to disassemble the canopy to fold.
Summary:
This isn’t something you’re going to want to take in and out of your car for quick errands. However, with that said, I used it at Costco and it was amazing. The baby could lay in her boppy on one end and I could put my items in the other end and keep the shades down to protect her from all the winter junk/people’s hacking. I definitely can’t fit Costco stuff in my stroller basket!
Overall the Keenz Stroller Wagon is pretty nifty! While it definitely is a niche item, I think it’s very useful for the niche it fills. Would I recommend it as a stroller replacement? No. As a utility wagon replacement? Nope (I mean, it would work fine as one but I’m not spending that much on a utility wagon). But as a place to store your kids AND your junk together? Totally. So stragon on! Or wagoller on. Whatever.
The Keenz is available at Amazon and from www.keenz.us. It comes in black, gray, green, or purple.
No monetary compensation was provided from Keenz and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Like its predecessor, the Radian RXT, the Diono 3RXT fills a niche for parents and caregivers looking for a narrow carseat that will grow with their child. The Radian line of seats has always been known for being 3-across friendly. Families with mid-sized vehicles and 3 kids are often well-served by Radians; I had one in my Civic for years when I had to fit a toddler and two teenagers in the back regularly. The current Radian series, the 3R, 3RX, 3RXT, and 3RXT JMC (Just My Color, a customizable fashion scheme) all share the Radian platform but extra features distinguish them from each other. We have a previous review of the recently discontinued RXT and the basic features and functions are very similar. This review will cover the basics and point out the updates to the new Diono 3RXT.
