Help in Choosing the
Right Wagon

It can be confusing to pick the right wagon for your needs and uses. This page is our attempt to help you sort out which wagons may be the right fit for you. You may also want to look at our Comparison Chart to quickly compare the features of the different models.

What type of surface will you be using the wagon on?
Is a smooth ride important to you?
How much weight do you want to carry in the wagon?
How many kids do you want to carry in the wagon?
Will you be using the wagon to carry a young child?
Will you be using the wagon in a wet place or to haul wet loads?
Do you think you will also want to use the wagon to haul yard waste or other large items?

1. What type of surface will you be using the wagon on?

If you will be using the wagon on a paved surface, our Classic Wagons or our Plastic Wagons will work just fine. These wagons come either with the classic steel and rubber wheels or plastic and rubber wheels that work well on paved surfaces.

But if you want to use the wagon on other surfaces like grass, gravel, dirt or sand you would want to go with an ATW Wagon that has the air inflated wheels. The air inflated wheels, due to their larger size and width, really makes it much easier to pull the wagon on these "offroad" surfaces.

2. Is a smooth ride important to you?

When I first saw the ATW Wagons, I thought that maybe wagon designers had gone a bit crazy. But the more I learn about the benefits of the ATW wheels, the more I wish I had gone for an ATW Wagon rather than the #24 Town and Country that I got (although I do really like the #24). The biggest reason for my change in heart might be that the ATW wheels provide a much smoother ride since they are air inflated (as opposed to steel wheels with rubber). My daughter does love her wagon, but I think a smoother ride would be a plus over some of the rough roads we pull her on. If a smooth ride is an important consideration for you, you should look at the ATW wagons that feature the air inflated wheels.

3. How much weight do you want to carry in the wagon?

The wagons vary on how much weight they can carry. The amount they can haul depends on the size of the axle and the size and type of wheel. In general, the ATW wagons carry more weight because the air inflated wheels can bear more weight. To give you an idea of the comparison, the classic #18 Red Wagon carries about 150 pounds, while the ATW version of this wagon, the #1800, carries 250 pounds. For most people interested in just pulling your kids around any of the wagons should work fine, but if you intend to also use the wagon for hauling yard waste or any other heavy loads, you should look at the ATW's since they can carry much heavier loads.

4. How many kids do you want to carry in the wagon?

Most of the wagons carry up to two children. The largest wagon we carry is the #29 All-Terrain Cargo Wagon - it is rated for 2 children and up to 250 lbs.

5. Will you be using the wagon to carry a young child?

If you will be using the wagon to carry a young child you will probably want a wagon with wooden side panels that screw into the wagon. There are two different ways that the wooden side panels attach to the wagons. In a couple of styles they actually are screwed in to the metal wagon, where in other styles they are called "stake sides" and slide into place onto the side of the wagon.

The wagons which attach the sides with screws are the safest with small children because the kids can't loosen or somehow remove the wooden sides. From personal experience I know that when you are pulling a wagon you can't always tell what is going on in the wagon behind you. My daughter is a toddler and she has begun to remove the side panels at times of our #24 Town and Country Wagon. While I really like this wagon, this is a problem and I do have to keep a very close watch on what she is doing to make sure she doesn't pull out the sides and then fall out.

With the wooden sides attached, you don't have to worry that your child will somehow dislodge the sides and possibly fall out. So if you are going to use the wagon with a young child, we would recommend the #22 Trav-ler wagon or the ATW version of this the #32 All-Terrain Steel and Wood Wagon.

6. Will you be using the wagon in a wet place or to haul wet loads?

If you are going to use the wagons in a wet climate or by the sea, you may want to consider a plastic wagon. This is because the steel wagon can rust in a wet climate and the wood wagons could get damaged over time as well. You can protect the steel wagons by waxing them with car wax and this will help them last over time. But if you are going to be using the wagon on the beach or to haul wet yard waste, you may want to look at one of our Plastic Wagons.

7. Do you think you will also want to use the wagon to haul yard waste or other large items?

If you think you will want to use the wagon at some time to haul yard waste or heavy objects, we would recommend an ATW Wagon with wooden stake sides. The ATW's carry the most weight due to their air inflated wheels. And the wooden stake sides are removable so you could take them off to use the wagon as a flat bed to carry larger items that wouldn't necessarily fit in the wagon otherwise.

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Simply Wagons
A Healthy Foundations Company
2525 Arapahoe Ave
Suite E4 PMB #128
Boulder, CO 80302

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Help in Choosing the Right Wagon

Help in Choosing the
Right Wagon