It should be easy for people to name several occasions where they must carry their stuff from place to place. Whether it’s trip to a grocery store or a beach picnic, transporting multiple items could be tedious and annoying. Fortunately, if you want something to help you deal with this stressful task, a folding wagon shall come in handy. When not in use, foldable wagons would fit nicely in closets/car trunks and it only takes a couple of seconds to get them ready.
However, with so many different models and manufacturers on the market, it’s difficult to choose an appropriate foldable wagon. In addition, contrasting opinions and reviews about a particular product may complicate the selection process. If you happen to feel overwhelmed by the number of choices on the market, this article got something for you. Down below are some professional tips on choosing the best folding wagon money can buy.
1/ The Purpose Of The Wagon
One of the first things you must consider before buying a new fold up wagon is what you are going to be carrying in it. To buy without proper consideration beforehand may cause you to unnecessarily waste money on a less than ideal folding wagon. If you intend to use the wagon to carry items from your vehicle to a beach campsite, find a model with wheels designed for sand. In the case you want to pull your kids around in the wagon, you should use a model that possesses seat belts and soft padding.
2/ Assess the Wagon Capacity/Mobility
We all want to have a folding wagon that is able to handle a lot of weight while remaining compact. That being said, it’s recommended for you to go after models with a maximum capacity of 150 pounds or so. These wagons should be sufficient to take care of your needs and requirements in the usual case without sacrificing mobility.
Nonetheless, if you prioritize capacity over mobility, there are many wagons with high weight capacity for you to choose from.
3/ Check Out The Steering Mechanism
It’s pointless to have a high capacity wagon if you are unable to move it as you see fit. Therefore, you should take a look at the steering mechanism and decide whether it’s a sound setup or not. For most of the time, a good steering system must allow the user to make sharp maneuvers at moment notice. It also worth the time and effort to make sure that you could push the entire wagon with relative ease. Sometimes, it’s just better to keep the wagon items in front of you rather than having to check back periodically to confirm their presence.
4/ Think About The Materials Quality
As folding wagons don’t have a solid body, the quality of their construction materials would decide their overall performance. For the fabric, a quality wagon should utilize something tough and tear resistant such as thick nylon or similar materials. In the case of the frame, metal is a good choice because it’s rugged and could handle virtually everything. If you want to keep the wagon light, it’s a very good idea to go for aluminum frame models.
5/ Take The Handle Into Account
When it comes to the wagon handle, there are a wide variety of styles and arrangements available on the market.
Some of them employ a fixed design while others are length adjustable, all you have to do is to pick the one that suits you. In any case, it’s often advised that you pay special attention to the ergonomic aspect of the wagon handle. You are going to pull the wagon around for quite some time and that is why you don’t want to use an awkward handle.
A Couple of Wagon Features That You Should Look At
Depending on your taste and style, it’s could be useful to include some additional features in your shopping criteria. Here is a list of some of the most common features you may run into while looking around the market. See if there is anything you would like to have on your own folding wagon. It’s important to remember that the features may affect the price of the wagon.
A Top Canopy
If you want to protect the wagon contents from sunlight and light rain, you should use a canopy equipped model. Wagons that have a canopy also come in handy if you intend to pull your children around during outdoor trips. Since most canopy equipped models on the market utilize a retractable design, you should be able to put away the canopy until you need it.
Some Mesh Cup Holders
For holiday trips, it’s always nice to have around a wagon that could accommodate one or two canned drinks. In most of the case, top of the line models usually provides customers with around 2 mesh cup holders or so. Needless to say, you have to exam the quality of the mesh to make sure that it could hold your drinks securely through the trip. Cheaply made meshes may rip which would let the drinks roam freely inside the wagon.
A Storage Case
With a purpose design storage case, you would have no trouble storing and transporting the wagon as you see fit. For most of the time, the storage case should be able to prevent the wagon from getting damaged between uses. Thanks to the storage case, the chance that the folding wagon may snag on the surrounding items is considerably reduced.
Foot Brake For The Wheels
In most of the case, people tend to underestimate the importance of foot brake when it comes to folding wagons. While navigating uneven surfaces or rough terrain, the foot brake feature may be the only thing that let you manage and maneuver the wagon effectively. Therefore, if you attempt to pass through challenging grounds, make sure that you use a wagon with a foot brake.