Some of the The greatest icons of the streets of Paris are the ladies of a certain generation pulling their shopping carts along the sidewalk. In my opinion they are always rickety things, huge wire baskets on cheap plastic wheels, each with a tarpaulin-like bag in which to put wine, cheese, leeks and baguettes. Trolleys are extremely practical, especially if you’re traveling on foot or even on the metro, but with a touch of modernization they might also be able to make the leap across the pond.
Photo: KELSEY MCCLELLAN
The Spanish trolley manufacturer Rolser is a pioneer here. The company sells a full range of trolleys, including my favorite, the Wallaby Tweed 2-Wheel Foldable Shopping Trolley. First, and crucially, it looks good to swap the rattling basket for a collapsible tubular frame with a 40-liter bag that measures about 7.5 inches deep, 13 inches wide, and 26 inches high looks a bit like a giant. Folds flat packing bag. Thanks to the sturdy fabric, the bag has sharp corners and is rubberized to prevent your Cheerios from getting soaked if you get caught in the rain. Combine that with thick zippers embedded in chic contrast tape and the whole thing has a surprising hipness. In addition, large wheels with a diameter of 6.5 inches and some squish help smooth out unevenness on the pavement.
I love using my shopping cart because it allows me to do a full grocery run without having to lug heavy bags all over the neighborhood, but what I immediately noticed about my Wallaby when I started using it was how many compliments I received on each one Times got when I clicked on street with it. A nice lady at the Mexican grocery store down the block not only admired the practicality, but made sure she knew the make and model before I left the store. Two other people who were on the same trip went out of their way to ask about it. At the grocery store, I appreciated this model’s feature where you can fold it in half and then clip the empty cart to the cart with a series of plastic hooks while shopping. At checkout, you’ll want to make sure you load heavy items in first to avoid crushing more delicate or delicate items. There is also a large zipper that runs across most of the outer wall, making loading and unloading a little easier. While other models have a strap with a flap at the top, this model only has a stiff flap that gets in the way a bit when loading. However, there are also a few well-placed pockets, both on the top flap and inside the bag, for items such as pens, keys and fruit and vegetable bags. As someone who often walks through the supermarket with a shopping list on a clipboard, I like the large pocket on the back of the bag that fits it easily.
Off the pavement, it performs surprisingly well under load. Rolser has both a recommended load limit of 55 pounds and a “maximum load” of 88 pounds. For months I pushed mine to what felt like its limit, stuffing it with a few six-packs, a large jug of kombucha, milk, and other heavy foods to fill the bag. With its relatively large wheels and sturdy frame, it is easy to handle. One day I loaded it about two-thirds full with a thick stack of cookbooks to donate to the Seattle Public Library, and although the tires felt a little wet on the way to the Columbia branch, the walk of several blocks was still pretty easy . If you have extra totes, you can hang them over the main bag, leaving one hand free to wave at your envious neighbors.