Product Spotlight: Strollers

Avrilmai

This week's focus is on strollers. 
Share what you like, love, dislike.  

umbrella, jogging, travel system, compact, full size. 

What do you like for multiple kids. 


For past spotlights and upcoming:  Product Spotlight Spreadsheet 

winterviolethope

I recently moved to the suburbs from the city so our stroller use is limited now compared to what it used to be... We have a Bugaboo Fox that I got for my now 2 year old. I'm excited to switch out the blue for pink this go-around. We also have a board attachment that my oldest (5) used but is now probably too big so our 2 year old will use it. I'm excited because I heard bugaboo came out with an infant seat that will attach right in -- they didnt have that 2 years ago 
I do think I want a double lightweight one though that is good for longer trips to the mall, zoo, amusement park, etc. - thinking the citi mini gt double. We rented one for our boys in disney and it worked well! 
Any other suggestions welcome. 

SmashJam

We got the Contour Options Elite due to the many attachments, the ability to change the way the seats faced, and the infant bar. It also has a huge side zip undercarriage so you can get to stuff even if kids are sitting in it. The seats are easy to remove to store or to fit in the trunk of the car better, and its pretty easy to fold up/unfold. Link below.
https://www.contoursbaby.com/product/contours-options-elite-v2-double-stroller/

We liked it the few times we used it, but since we're so rural, the opportunity to use it was few and far between. We baby wear for hikes and groceries, and the kids are far enough apart and now old enough there is no way we'll use it this time around. If my oldest is walking, so is the youngest, and its been that way since he was 18 months, lol!

I am, however, in the market for a super bougie wagon. Going to the lake beach/carnivals/fruit picking/on vacation would have been so much easier if we'd had a big ass wagon with seats and space for our stuff and cup holders this last year. Anyone have one they love? I've seen a few but don't know if anyone has any experience that would be helpful. 

kiwi2628

So there are so many things to think about with a stroller: use, number of kids you have/want to have/when you plan to have them, budget, your car/trunk space etc…

There is no stroller that does it all, so give up the idea of that. The main categories of stroller are single, double, convertible, jogger, and travel, and while some can double their use, they can’t be everything, so just know depending on how often you use a stroller or your uses, you may end up with multiple strollers. And that’s ok!

Single strollers- a single stroller fits only one kid, or one kid in the stroller and one with a roller board attachment (stroller dependent). Single stroller sometimes can also be travel (think umbrella strollers, the minu, or the yoyo), or joggers (think the Bob) or are good for two kids if one needs a rollerboard (think the bugaboo fox, or the uppababy). 

Double strollers are double, or possibly for 3 with a ride-along board. They either have side by side or in a line, and preference is really up to you. There are pros and cons to both the side by side and the tandum so it just depends, again, on use. 

Convertible strollers are single strollers that, as a second kid comes along, can add a second seat to fit a second kid. These also have some cons, some of which people don’t realize until they are having that second kid, but if you can get over those cons, have some serious pros. Often can have a roller board but not always with the 2 other seats attached. 

Jogger: these are strollers, can be single or double, but they are made for running or more rough terrain. 

Travel: generally incredibly lightweight, and some can even go in the overhead compartment. Some people, especially in cities, will use these as a primary stroller due to their light weight and tiny size. 

If you plan to sue the stroller a lot, I recommend splurging on this. I went to 5 different stores to test drive strollers with both my first and second and did a billion hours of research. But I use my stroller multiple times a day on multiple mile walks, I bring (one of them) to the beach. We (used to pre Covid) travel with it. I love my stroller. But a lot of people, especially if in more rural or even some suburban people don’t use it as much. So try to be realistic.

Single stroller pros: often have ample bag space under the stroller for storage. Easy to use as some don’t even come apart. Some can fit the car seat right on there for when they are young.

My pick: Bugaboo fox. The car seat we have (Nina pops) fits right onto it so I can use the stroller from birth with that, but it also has a bassinet attachment. Lots of storage space, physically really pretty, spins on a dime so very easy to maneuver, can add a roller board for other kids, and you can make the handle longer or shorter which is great for more crowded indoor areas. 

Double stroller: I personally picked side by side. I didn’t want the fight as the kids got older since mine are less than 3 years apart of who gets the upper vs lower seat. The downside of side by side is they can touch each other, which has occasionally led to a fight, but overall I’m happy with it. Considerations with the side by side are that many won’t fit through standard doors (there are some that will though! Valco neo twin and the bumbleride). Doubles can also be heavy. With the front and back, they can be hard to turn because they are looooong. Overall I know more people that have picked a side by side than front and back. 

My pick: valco Neo twin. It is only 26 lbs, which is SUPER light for a double. It also fits a newborn without any inserts, so you can use it from day 1. Folds easily and fits through a standard door! So since we go walking into town and the shops a lot. I can still fit through a standard ADA door. 

Convertible: I don’t personally have on of these so I can’t say much, other than the reason I don’t have one. Most convertible strollers when you add the second child- the baby goes on the bottom and the older child on top due to weight restrictions. Personally when I was shopping I almost went with the uppababy vista because I loved it and I knew I wanted two kids closer in age. However, once I learned that my second new baby would be closer to the ground where I couldn’t see them- all convertibles were out for me. Some people don’t care about that- I have a friend who has rhe mesa convertible and loves it. It just wasn’t for me. 

Jogger: the bob. That’s your only option. It’s your only option because it’s the BEST and there is nothing better. The Bob is also great for off roading (hiking trails, beach)

Travel: the minu and the yo-yo are both travel strollers. They fold up small and can fit in overhead storage* the minu doesn’t fit into all airplanes last I heard. We have the yoyo and adore it. We have also used it for rhe occasional quick trip somewhere because it’s so light. 

As you can see, I did a lot of research on strollers (and wagons). I have tried a lot, so if you have any questions, I am happy to answer!

zamoraspin

@kiwi2628 I completely agree on BOB for a jogger. The other major option is the Thule but the BOB is more versatile because it can handle really rugged terrain and is a great stroller for walking or even walking on trails in addition to jogging. My friend who has a Thule didn’t find it maneuvered easily.

I also want to underscore that there is no one right stroller for every person in every situation. Ask yourself a lot of questions before choosing a stroller, and if at all possible visit a store where you can try pushing, folding up and lifting a variety of strollers. Some of the questions to consider:
- Do you walk a lot?
- Do you walk to do errands or drive?
   If you drive everywhere you may want something light to be able to get in and out of the car easily, if you can walk to do errands you may want something that can fit some bags under the seat.
- What kind of terrain do you encounter? 
    The neighborhood where we used to live was a great place to walk but the sidewalks were rough and hilly, so I used our BOB a lot in the early days.
- Do you want to pick your car seat first or your stroller? Some strollers are only compatible with a small range of car seats while others have a wide range of adapters.

Also don’t be shy about getting a high quality stroller used. I bought our BOB for less than $200 used via FB marketplace. I think we need to replace a tube in one tire (two years into having it) but other than that it’s in good shape still and I’ll probably be able to resell it for like $100 and someone will feel they’re getting a steal. 

We started with just a BOB, then when DS2 came I decided I did want one of those little stroller caddies for shopping with him (got on marketplace) then eventually I got a lighter stroller for errand running (DS2 was into a convertible seat by like 5 months because he was a monster).

doxiemoxie212

I have 3 strollers: Uppababy Vista, Babyzen Yoyo, Bumbleride jogger. I got them when we lived in NYC and traveled a lot. 

Here in the burbs I think the Babyzen Yoyo would be completely sufficient. I honestly have no idea if we'll ever use the Vista - in NYC it was almost like our car, we'd use it to transport groceries etc, but here? It's so bulky getting it in and out of the car, I'm not sure it's really worth it. I used the Babyzen with the Nuna Pipa car seat adapters with DD3 until she was maybe like 9mo, and then I think I swapped her to the convertible car seat anyway so we just used the stroller as is. 

If we were still in NYC, I regret not going Bugaboo Donkey - way better for city life, IMO, than the Vista. 

loveanddatadriven

My husband is tall and really swings his legs when he walks. When we tested strollers at Buy Buy Baby, his shins would literally slam into the bottom of nearly every make and model. Only 2 or 3 strollers were even possible for him. We chose Bob since we liked being able to go on rough terrain as well. We bought an adapter to easily click in our Britax car seat. I can’t remember the other models that worked for H. If you are tall, make sure to test your stroller at full stride!

doula-mama

I think @kiwi2628 did the BEST overview... the only thing that I'll say is most convertible ones have baby nearer the ground, but not all. 

We started with a Britax travel system for the first kid, and it was fine, but I didn't love it. When we had a second soon after, only 18 months apart, we looked into double vs. convertible. Like kiwi said, we didn't love the baby on the bottom style, but also couldn't really agree on side by side or front to back double. Then we found the Maxi Cosi Lila.

This was THE stroller for us. It's a convertible, but it comes with a counterbalance that attaches in the basket area, so baby goes on the top/back, and the second seat gets added to the front/bottom. One thing that I really liked about it is that the main seat can be used bassinet style or seat style, so we didn't have to buy yet another seat attachment (and then store it once she outgrew it). The main seat can go forward facing or parent facing, which was really important for us when she was little. We also got the Maxi Cosi Mico Max car seat, so it clipped on easily. 

Another thing to keep in mind - travel system stroller, double strollers and convertible strollers all tend to be fairly big. If you have a tiny trunk, you may want to do research on size when they fold up. 

And my last point - if it's likely that more than one person will be pushing the stroller with any regularity, try to find one with adjustable handle height. Our Britax didn't, and tbh, the height wasn't right for either of us. The Maxi Cosi adjusts, which means either of us can push it and be comfortable. 

aloha_mama

I’m not really a stroller person, I mostly prefer baby wearing because I have a small car and hate wrestling equipment in and out of it. But we have a BOB and I freakin’ love it. My husband is a marathoner and we have taken DD6 along on many races in the BOB. It’s super easy to manage and steer with one hand, moves smoothly, handles all different kinds of terrain, and folds up easily to fit into our trunk. We got the bar to hold a Britax infant car seat on it and it was pretty inexpensive. It’s also very narrow and easily fits through doorways. We still use it for zoo trips and occasional long walks. 

shlecks

I just want to say thank you for this thread.  I will 100% be referencing it while I research.

Ivorytower2

For those who have the Bugaboo Fox, which car seat did you end up going with? I had a chameleon for my first two but only used the bassinet like twice because it was easier to move a sleeping baby in carseat and snap on to the stroller. I had to buy an adapter but it was no big deal. I am looking at the Lynx since I know I won’t use bassinet, but now unsure of which carseat!

miss_lynn9

A lot of you have made very good points and reviews!! 

I knew we would be baby wearing for hikes and I wish only be doing suburban walks with the stroller. I was not willing to buy a stroller new and I had a couple on my list. Ultimately, I ended up with the Baby Jogger City mini select. It was the only one on my list that the bucket seat attachment hadn't changed year to year. The other stroller had a different one depending on how old the Stoller was. So I would have had to find out the year and hope they still made the attachment I needed. I like it and definitely recommend it for a basic Stoller. It has a good size basket at the bottom for putting your diaper bag in, which was also a must on my list. 

winterviolethope

@Ivorytower2
we used a chicco fit 2 and used the chicco caddy when he fell asleep in the car seat (which was wonderful). I also had the adaptor for the fox but never ended up using it. We used the bassinet for stroller walks and if we were out and about with the car, we kept him in the carseat and used the caddy. 

But-- now-- I'm kind of interested in the Turtle Air by Nuna-- it snaps right into the bugaboo without an adaptor needed! 

Ivorytower2

@winterviolethope I saw that too! I couldn’t tell whether the new model (turtle air) snapped right in or if it was only old turtle model. If it does snap right in that might be the way to go, although that seat is like $450 compared to the Chico and adapter which probably come to under $300 combined. Tough decisions! Any reason you specifically chose Fox over Lynx beyond the bassinet feature?

winterviolethope

@Ivorytower2 the lynx wasn’t an option 2.5 years ago when I was shopping - that’s all
I don’t know much about it 

robbenson

@loveanddatadriven yes to height being a big thing! I'm 5'4" and hubby is 6'2" so his legs were an issue and where the handle is. We have the Chico because we can adjust the handle height easily. I didn't want to feel like a child pushing a stroller with the handle being at my chin lol

loveanddatadriven

Has anyone tried the Doona? We flew a lot with DD2 when she was an infant before the apocalypse of 2020, and I would have LOVED to have the Doona for flying and traveling. No overhead compartment storage, no travel system stroller in trunk, just pull the car seat out and flip the wheels out. I don’t imagine it’s a great stroller, but probably great for in and out errands when baby is asleep in the car seat. I think I would also consider it if I’m not able to carry the car seat easily for short distances if labor/delivery recovery is longer than normal.

doxiemoxie212

@loveanddatadriven my friend used 2 with her twins in NYC. She loved it. The downside is it's very heavy, and it's not ideal for very tall people, but it is very nice to not have to lug a stroller out of the trunk when traveling. 

covegirl100

@doxiemoxie212 I am considering the uppa baby Vista V2 as it could eventually hold two kids and has larger wheels for the trails around us. I imagine I will use it more walking from home to parks, the store etc but will also take it in the car occasionally. Was the fact it was difficult to put in your car the main reason you don't use it? 

Anyone else have any feedback on this stroller?!  Initially thought I'd get a jogger but i don't run and we hope to have two kids (around 2 years apart). I'm so overwhelmed!! Lol 

doxiemoxie212

@covegirl100 it's really bulky, so yes, getting it in and out of the car is a hassle, but it's also just not that necessary. Like, I cannot imagine ever using it if I had to deal with taking the rumble seat on and off every time to fold it. Also you have to put the younger kid in the rumble seat further from you which is a huge PITA from what I understand from the other moms in my bmb with 2 kids. 

And I definitely wouldn't use it on any trails that aren't paved. It's definitely a stroller for the city - the bigger wheels are actually meant for snow on city sidewalks (uppababy is boston based, I believe), but it was a struuuuuggle even with that. It's a great stroller if you live in a city apt, and you're walking it directly out of your apt, and you're using it as a shopping cart, and you're having to navigate narrow walking paths. But even then I regretted not going Bugaboo because they're way easier for city streets.

If you want to go on trails, you need a jogging stroller. Many have attachments for infant carseats so you can use them early on (but not for jogging while they're still really little), and they can fold up to fit in cars. 

kiwi2628

@covegirl100 for trails you will 100% need a jogging stroller and even then most strollers only do moderately well with unpaved trails. We do lots of hiking and has to mostly baby wear for it

covegirl100

@doxiemoxie212 & @kiwi2628 Thank you for this feedback!!! I'm going to look more into jogging strollers  

queenklau

Question about double strollers:

my oldest two are 3.5 years apart so I never had a need for a double stroller. With these baby they will be just under 2 years apart, so I am thinking we will definitely need something. I currently have the Chicco caddy for the first few months and an unmbrella stroller that I love.

Are double strollers really needed? If so, any suggestions on one that isn’t huge, I am thinking just for the park/paved/indoor. Nothing fancy, because we may not use it a ton, and will need to take it in and out of the car a lot.

Ivorytower2

@queenklau I would for sure recommend it for trips, all-day outings, fairs, theme parks, etc..  My first two are 2.5 years apart and we used the double constantly for several years. I really liked ours because the two seats reclined independently so when the small one needed to take naps she could lay down and big one could sit up and vice versa. 

bluecampanula

@covegirl100 I wish there was a reviewing category for “I don’t run but don’t have perfectly paved paths.” I spent some time reading reviews on this site this weekend and they didn’t always answer this specific question of mine! Suspension is also very important for rougher paths, along with the type of wheels. Here’s their review for the Vista 2, sounds like it can handle at least some off roading if needed. And they were pretty harsh on some joggers - but I’m not sure if that’s because they had the expectation of running with those. https://www.babygearlab.com/reviews/getting-around/full-size-stroller/uppababy-vista-v2

But there’s also a big variety of unpaved paths. There’s tightly packed gravel, or smooth dirt and then there’s more hiking type dirt paths with rocks and roots sticking out. And then there’s my tiny rural neighborhood with its crappy chip seal job so that only jogging strollers work on that pavement now. 

I’d baby wear for our hiking trails, but our double jogger works great for the unpaved trails we use for our weekly homeschool nature walks - and the way those walks work I think I want the option of strolling this baby so I just got a second hand single Bob. Bobs seem to be long lasting in quality and depending on where you live you may have some good options for buying second hand - lightly used but for much cheaper. Which might make the idea of having both single and double stroller less annoying? Depending on your family, there may also be a time when you want to go back to a single after using a double. 

bluecampanula

@queenklau I felt like our double was worth it when our first two kids were exactly 2 years apart, but the times I mainly use a stroller are the sort of times where I’m out with it for hours at a time, like the fair, or zoo, we also took it sightseeing around Norway (including a public bus ride and an easy mountain hike). So I was ok with something that was big (it still fit through ADA doorways).

shorter outings I might not have needed it - grocery stores I used a cart. If a park outing was mainly walking from the parking lot to the playground - then the 2 year old could probably walk. 

queenklau

@bluecampanula and @Ivorytower2, could you share which double stroller you guys had?

doxiemoxie212

If anyone is looking to actually see stroller comparisons, I find the mbeans youtube channel really helpful. They're a store in Boston, I think, but you obviously don't have to buy from them. But they compare all the major strollers side by side and do measurements, etc. For instance, I was really surprised to find out that some of the side by side double strollers actually aren't wider than the in-a-row (I don't know what other term to use lol) double strollers. It's like sometimes things are an optical illusion.

https://www.youtube.com/c/MbeansVideos/videos

doxiemoxie212

Oh, also, another option for trails potentially if you truly will just be walking and not running might be the Veer wagon. It can be a double plus a ton of other things (like a bassinet or just a wagon, etc).

Ivorytower2

We have the Valco Neo Twin which I think is now called the Valco Snap Duo. 

The canopies and independent recline are awesome features. The storage compartment below is large but not tall so can be a little annoying. 

bluecampanula

@queenklau my double jogger is by schwinn - they don’t make them anymore which I think is super sad! They were like the cheaper version of BOB, but it has still held up 6 years and going well. When I researched 6 years ago, the Schwinn and BOB were my only options in that class that had adjustable handlebars. (I’m 5’5”, DH is 6’4”)

I imagine most strollers are designed to fit through doors? At the time I just looked up with the ADA doors were (elevators follow this too) and compared with the stroller measurements. It just seems to be an assumption that side by sides won’t. I think there are probably trade offs for the two styles on maneuverability and I haven’t compared. There are probably more compact strollers out there though, so it really comes down to what your needs are. 

 I could fit my schwinn in our Camry trunks (smallish cars but I think fairly generous trunks). But nothing else really with it. And it hasn’t been a problem with our van either. It took me awhile to get the hang of folding it up. But again, I was never taking it for the kind of errands where you hop in and out of the car for multiple stops. 

aloha_mama

@covegirl100 I have a BOB that still works great six years later! I’m not a jogger, but DH is, and I still really love it. It maneuvers really easily with one hand, folds up nicely for the car, and had a cheap attachment bar for a car seat until baby is old enough to sit in the stroller without it. I’m also very short and the handlebar adjusts nicely up and down to accommodate for my lower grip. 

inkdbug

With my first kid and passed onto 2nd kid, I simply had a Graco travel system, then with my 3rd kid I have babytrend that I'm passing onto this baby.

I got a jogger style the 2nd time because we hated how the Graco felt (it was a 4 wheeled kind) with its wheels getting stuck whenever it turned a certain way- cheap enough, huh?

I got both of my travel systems as gifts from friend/family and they both were under $200 total each. I use the stroller a lot until they want to walk themselves.

covegirl100

@bluecampanula Thanks! Yeah I'm leaving towards getting the uppa baby Vista and a second hand bob. Most of "trails" ill be doing are horr compacted flat dirt or gravel but most will be paved. 

@aloha_mama I'm thinking ill get a second hand bob!