Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel Travel System Review

One of the most important pieces of baby gear you’ll ever own, is the stroller. Without it, you’ll be lugging around everything you need with no hope of getting anything at all done when you’re out and about! These days, it is super convenient to buy a “travel system” that includes both the stroller and car seat with base. This a cost effective way to get everything needed for safe travels with baby, all in one purchase. We were recently fortunate enough to receive an Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker Travel System for review. It is perfect timing since we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our granddaughter in November! This beautiful system includes a sturdy 3-Wheel Stroller and a top rated car seat with base.

It’s been over 10 years since we’ve needed to use a stroller, so looking at the large box was a bit daunting. Luckily, the stroller is extremely simple and quick to assemble. I barely had to read the instructions! Basically, you snap the front wheels and back axles into place, they just make a slight click sound and you’re good to go.

Add the parent tray to the stroller handles, above the canopy, and the front child tray by sliding each into their slots — and you are done! It took me all of 5 minutes to take the system out of the box and assemble it. 

I love how deep the cup holder is in the child’s tray. It seems like it will be big enough to accommodate a variety of cups and bottles without having them fall out all the time. The tray itself is nice and deep as well. Even the parent tray has a decent depth for the the cup holders. The covered center compartment is a nice touch and a great place to store an iPod or smartphone to keep it dry and away from curious little fingers. 

For safety, there are three locks, one on each back wheel and a swivel lock on the front center wheel. They work well at keeping the stroller in place and are very easy to engage or lift with a quick flick of the foot.

The way that this Eddie Bauer Stroller reclines is new to me. On the back of the seat, there is a clip that you squeeze together and pull on to lower the seat. You can put it into any position you like from sitting up to a nice laid back recline, perfect for a nap. I think this is a a really neat feature and a lot less fiddly than the old way of searching for that button or lever to recline the seat.

Something really cool about the handle is that it is adjustable! Just press the buttons on the sides and the handlebar will move up and down so you can find the most comfortable fit for you, I like this feature a lot! I was also truly surprised by how easy it is to fold up the stroller. The button on the handle slides to the left and then you just swing the handle down and in in one sweeping motion. The side hook catches the tab and it’s folded just like that, very easy. 

Here is my one and only gripe with this stroller — there is no way to easily grab the stroller and lift it up with one hand once it’s folded. You can easily move it around with both hands by rolling it or lifting it but it’s next to impossible to do so with one hand, at least for me!

The stroller does fold up into a fairly narrow size. To get it to fit into a smaller space, you can easily pop off the child tray to slide it into your space.

This 3-Wheel travel System also comes with the matching Eddie Bauer Car Seat and Base. I have to say that car seats have come a long way in the 11 years since we’ve needed one! I really love that there is a base that can stay in the car so we don’t have to struggle with getting it positioned correctly every single time we need to go somewhere! The built in level indicator ensures that the base is properly seated so that baby will be safe and snug.

I am impressed with the quality of both the stroller and the car seat. the material covering the gear is durable and feels like it will be quite comfortable. The car seat is not as heavy as I thought it would be and seems like it will be easy to carry around. My one disappointment with the car seat is that the top of the canopy is a bit deformed from the way it was packaged. I think I may be able to work it back into shape but even if we can’t, it still looks fine and does its job.

The car seat snaps easily into place on the stroller, once it’s removed from the base. I also like that the car seat sits up high enough on the stoller for mom or dad to easily take care of baby’s needs without having to stoop over or peek around the front. 

All in all, I think that this is an amazing travel system! Since the stroller has only the one swivel wheel up front, it is very easy to turn. With one hand I can smoothly maneuver the bumpy driveway or grassy backyard with no problem.

We are going to get a lot of use out of this system with our new granddaughter, especially next spring! I would be happy to recommend the Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel Travel System as a perfect baby shower gift, or as purchase for your own baby.

Where to buy and specifications!

The Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel Travel System currently retails for $249.99 and is available exclusively at Target.

Choose your own path with the Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel Travel System. The 3-wheel design provides superior maneuverability around tight corners that will get you and your little adventurer around easily. This travel system also features our Top Rated infant car seat with Side Impact Protection and an extended use range of 4-35 pounds for a safer and more comfortable ride, whether in your car or attached to the stroller for a walk in the great outdoors.

Stroller:

• 3-wheel design for superior maneuverability
• Adjustable handle
• Parent Assist tray with two cup holders and covered storage
• Child tray with cup holder
• Multi-position seat recline
• Large storage basket
• 2-section adjustable canopy
• 5-point harness
• One hand fold and stand
• Accommodates child up to 50 pounds

Infant Car Seat:

• Rear-facing: 4-35 pounds and up to 32″
• Side Impact Protection
• Removable infant head support
• Adjustable, stay-in-car base
• QuickClick™ attaches car seat to stroller with one click: no extra parts required 
• Easy-to-read level indicator during installation
• LATCH equipped
• Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards

Win an Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker!

Thanks to Eddie Bauer, one very lucky reader will win an Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel Travel System. WooHoo! The  winner will be able to choose between the three available color options: Grey, Red, or Blue.

Entry is super easy using the Rafflecopter form below. Just complete the first mandatory entry to open up a bunch of optional extra entries! Giveaway is open to U.S. ages 18+ only and will end on October 28th, 2012 at 12:01am est. Please read the official rules at the bottom of the Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway