Strollometer

© 2006 9 Months Up, 9 Months Down, LLC
$46, N/A
Teaches: a utility for parents

CTR Review

This was invented by jogging enthusiast (who turned to her trusty stroller for brief respites of exercise while her child napped) because she didn't know how far or fast she went or whether her workout measured up to the machines at the gym. Simply put, the Strollometer (www.strollometer.com, $46) is a speedometer for strollers. The device functions just like bicycle speedometers, but for wheels as small as four inches in diameter. A sensor must first be mounted near one of the wheels. In order to measure each wheel rotation, a tiny adhesive-backed magnet is attached to the outside rim of the wheel. Every time the magnet passes the sensor, a wireless ping is transmitted to the stopwatch-sized LCD counter that mounts on the handle. As you might imagine, the smaller the wheels, the more careful the calibration must be, a task that is helped by a cheat sheet for the most popular strollers. Other features include a thermometer to help make sure your baby isn't too warm or cold, a clock, and the ability to save top speeds in memory. Just watch out for speeding tickets ("But officer, I was only going 4.7 MPH!"), and stay off the turnpike.