Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Before I begin my rant, I want to clarify something. I have trialed at least 10 different pet strollers. I am not an expert compared to others but I certainly have a lot of experience. The best pet stroller I have found so far, in terms of handling and comfort is the Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep will be our stroller for a while longer it seems. We wanted something a bit bigger than our Jeep so that we might put a handful of small dogs(we rescue) in it at once or use it to walk medium/large dogs after surgeries. Prior to the Jeep, we owned a Pet Gear Happy Trails stroller and were happy with it. That model handled better than the roadster, but not as well as the Jeep. The AT3 also handles pretty well, but has it's limitations. I am not here to bash the Pet Gear line of strollers, I just can't seem to understand why they would have the balls to not only sell the roadster but to make the following claim: "They safely contain and protect your pet wherever you go." I really didn't expect to have any problems with this stroller based on the reviews I read, but I'm now wondering if some of these reviews are made up or paid reviews. I don't see how anyone could love this stroller. My hope is that the manufacturer will take my review into consideration when decided to improve this model as I would really love to be able to use this stroller. My first and most important criticism is that the roadster stroller tips easily. I really don't see how people are strolling large dogs in this without experiencing this problem. The 100lb weight limit is a joke as our 55lb dog barely fits in the stroller (his head has to stick out the top). Throughout our two test drive walks, I found myself struggling to keep the stroller and myself upright. When I test drove the stroller, I had a friend come along in case there were problems. I decided to trial it with various dogs to see how it performed on a half mile walk. Controlling the stroller was a nightmare unless the ground was perfectly level and the dog was perfectly centered. This model really should have four wheels or should sit lower to prevent tipping. My second criticism is that the stroller is not designed to provide a comfortable, smooth ride. The tires are foam, not inflatable and there are no shocks. I knew the ride would not be cushy so I didn't bother to take a test drive until I outfitted the stroller with something to make the ride comfortable for recovering dogs (note: even healthy dogs should be spared the vibration so please consider using my fix mentioned next). To compensate for the lack of shock absorption in the stroller, I cut up a memory foam bath mat to perfectly line the inside of the cabin. I am sure the dogs (our test drivers) had a cushy ride but the vibration that travels up the frame to the person pushing, is not pleasant compared to other strollers we've used. My third criticism is that the alignment seems off, most of the time. If the pet is just a little bit off to one side (e.g. laying on one side or sitting facing the side instead of the front), the stroller pulls hard to the side that has more weight. It's a struggle to have to continuously attempt to tweak the direction of the stroller. Unfortunately, the handlebar isn't as wide as the stroller- my 4th criticism (and I see the larger, 4-wheel model the expedition has this same flaw). In addition to the other criticisms, I have one more. This isn't a problem yet, but is concerning. We feel the axle is too thin for something that has a 100lb weight rating. One would normally have to put a foot on the axle to tip the stroller upwards to go up a curb. With only about 55lbs of dog in the stroller, it felt like the axle might bend permanently under the pressure of my foot. I had to press very carefully and try to compensate by using all of my upper body strength to get the stroller into a low "wheelie" position. Please don't think me hateful for writing down my list of complaints. I really wanted to love this stroller. It's cute and just the right size for medium dogs. I hope Pet Gear decides to re-design this model so that we can try it again and have a safe ride for our pets. Happy Strolling folks =)