Some of the The biggest icons of the streets of Paris are the ladies of a certain age who drag their shopping carts along the sidewalk. In my opinion, theirs always seem to be rickety things, giant wire baskets on cheap plastic wheels, all holding a canvas-like bag in which they can put wine, cheese, leeks and baguettes. Trams are extremely practical, especially if you go on foot or even on the subway, but thanks to a touch of modernization, they can be ready to make the leap to the other side of the pond.
Photography: KELSEY MCCLELLAN
Spanish stroller manufacturer Rolser is at the forefront of that trend. The company sells a full line of strollers, including my favorite, the Wallaby Tweed 2 Wheel Folding Shopping Cart. First, and crucially, it’s attractive, swapping the rattle basket for a collapsible tubular frame with a 40-liter bag that, at about 7.5 inches deep, 13 inches wide and 26 inches high, looks a bit like a giant folding saddlebag. That durable fabric allows the bag to have sharp corners and is rubberized to keep your Cheerios from getting soaked if you get caught in the rain. Combine that with thick-tooth zippers set in sleek contrasting tape and the whole thing has a strikingly modern look. Additionally, the large 6.5-inch diameter, slightly flattened wheels help smooth out bumps in the pavement.
I love using my stroller because it allows me to make an entire purchase without having to lug heavy bags all over my neighborhood, but what I immediately noticed about my Wallaby once I started using it was the amount of praise it got every time it hit the street. with the. A kind lady at the Mexican grocery store down the block went from admiring his practicality to making sure she knew the make and model before I left the store. Two other people on that same outing went out of their way to ask about it. At the grocery store, I noticed a feature of this model where you fold it in half and then use a row of plastic hooks to attach the empty cart to your grocery cart while you shop. At the register, you want to make sure you load heavy things first to avoid crushing more delicate or delicate items, and there’s a large zipper that runs most of the outside panel, making loading and unloading a little easier. While other models have a girth with a flap on top, this one just has a rigid flap that gets a little in the way when it comes time to carry it. However, there are also some well-placed pockets, both on the top flap and inside the bag, for items such as pens, keys and produce bags. As someone who frequently walks through the grocery store with a shopping list on a clipboard, I like the large pouch on the back of the bag that fits it in nicely.
Off the sidewalk, it performs surprisingly well under load. Rolser has a recommended load limit of 55 pounds and a “maximum load” of 88 pounds. For months, I’ve pushed mine to what feels like it might be the limit, filling it with a few six-packs, a large jug of kombucha, milk, and other heavy foods to fill the bag. With its fairly large wheels and sturdy frame, it handles very well. One day, I loaded it two-thirds full with a large stack of cookbooks to donate to the Seattle Public Library, and although the tires seemed a little splashy on the way to the Columbia branch, the several-block walk It was still quite nice. easy. If you have extra bags, you can hang them over the main bag, allowing you to have a free hand to wave at your jealous neighbors.