Several The biggest symbol of the streets of Paris is the women pulling grocery carts down the sidewalks. In my mind, theirs has always been something unstable: a cheap plastic wheeled bag holding a tarpaulin-like bag that can contain wine, cheese, green onions, and baguette. It appears to be a giant wire basket. Trolleys are very practical, especially if you're walking or riding the subway, but thanks to a little modernization, you might be ready to hop across the pond.
Photo: Kelsey McClellan
Spanish trolley manufacturer Lorcer is leading the way. The company sells a full range of trolleys, including my favorite, the Wallaby Tweed 2-wheeled folding shopping trolley. Firstly, and a bit decisively, it looks nice and instead of a rattling basket it has a foldable cylindrical frame with a 40 liter bag. The bag measures approximately 7.5 inches deep, 13 inches wide, and 26 inches tall, making it look a bit like a giant. Folded flat panniers. The durable fabric means the bag has sharp edges and a rubberized finish to keep your Cheerios dry in the rain. Pair that with a thick-toothed zipper surrounded by contrasting tape, and the whole thing has a surprisingly hip vibe. Plus, the large 6.5-inch diameter wheels and slightly squashed profile help smooth out pavement imperfections.
I love using the trolley. Because you can go shopping without having to drag heavy luggage around the neighborhood. But one thing I quickly noticed about wallabies when I started using them was how much I got compliments every time I bumped into a wallaby. The same street. The kind lady at my local Mexican grocery store started checking the make and model before I left the store, instead of praising its practicality. Two of my other girlfriends who were on the same outing went out of their way to ask about it. At the grocery store, I've come to appreciate this model's ability to fold in half and use a row of plastic hooks to secure an empty cart to the grocery cart while shopping. At the cash register, I like to put the heavier items in first to avoid crushing more delicate or sensitive items, but most of the outside panels have large zippers, so loading and unloading items is a bit difficult. It gets easier. Other models have a cinch with a flap on the top, but this one just has a hard flap that gets in the way a bit when loading. However, there are some well-placed pockets on both the top flap and inside the bag for items like pens, keys, and produce bags. As someone who often walks around the supermarket with my grocery list on a clipboard, I love how the large pouch at the back of the bag fits perfectly.
Off the trail it performs surprisingly well under load. The Rolser has both a recommended load limit of 55 pounds and a “maximum load” of 88 pounds. For months, I've been pushing my life toward what seemed like limits, packing bags full of six-packs, large jugs of kombucha, milk, and other heavy groceries. Handling is no problem thanks to the fairly large wheels and sturdy frame. One day, I was about two-thirds of the way into my car with a thick stack of cookbooks to donate to the Seattle Public Library, and on the way to the Columbia branch, I felt a little bump in the tire. , the walk over several blocks was still beautiful. easy. If you have an extra tote bag, hang it over your main bag to free up your hand to wave to your jealous neighbor.
