Question for the cycling families with kids

Are Burley trailers really THAT much easier to trail? I've got an old, icky InStep trailer (icky is our fault - it hung in the garage for 9 years) that really makes a huge difference when attached. We've got some great bike trails around here, and I've been taking the kids out. I've found some Burleys on craigslist (duh, look in Bicycles, not Baby & Kids), for $150/$200, and I know they retail for $400 and up. I could easily get a new trailer for that $, but not Burley or Chariot.

So, in your experience, does is make a difference?

[Vanquisher]

I had a Burley (ebay purchase) when Lexi was a baby. It was nice, but I have no frame of reference for comparison.


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[Cumberland]

I have had a burley and now have a chariot. I love the chariot, but mostly bc it is roomy and multifunctional. I bike them to preschool, the grocery, etc so I cant comment on off roading. DH was towing the girls in the burley, and went onto a sidewalk at an angle ( going fairly fast)- the trailer flipped and dragged them a few feet, DH almost went over the handlebars trying to stop. They had bruises and scrapes and were pretty traumatized. It was definitely a low point in our parenting history-we were on campus in a really busy area and about 200 people gathered around us after it happened. Ugh, horrible. I cant say if it was user error or the burley ( probably user error).

[BonBon]

Cumberland, wow. That's pretty scary! BTW, I've missed seeing you here.

That's terrifying. Not really the kind of experience I was hoping for. Yikes.