Narrator: When you have a baby, you’re sure to have your hands full.Thank goodness for the stroller.But with so many options out there, how do you know which one to choose?To help you through the maze, we’ve organized all those strollers into six basic categories.Before we jump in, one important note: Young babies who can't yet hold their head up steadily should ride in a stroller with a seat that reclines to a flat or nearly flat position, or in an infant car seat that fits on the stroller. If young babies are placed upright in a stroller, their head can fall forward and restrict their breathing.Also, check any stroller you're considering to see what age, weight, and height it's meant for.Standard strollers work for kids of all ages, from infants on up. These strollers run the gamut in terms of style, design, and features, but most have a comfortable padded seat that reclines, a canopy to shield your baby from light and the elements, and a storage area below the seat.In some models, the seat position is reversible so your child can face you.
Many standard strollers accept infant car seats, allowing your baby to go straight from one moving vehicle to the next without skipping a beat – or waking up… at least most of the time.Standard strollers vary quite a bit in size and weight. Whichever one you choose, it'll make a great all-purpose stroller that can last your family for years.A travel system is a two-in-one package that includes a stroller and an infant car seat.Since the pieces come as a set, you can be sure that the car seat will fit nicely into the stroller – and that they'll look good together.You can use the stroller without the car seat once your baby is old enough to sit upright with good head control, or sooner if the stroller seat reclines far enough.A stroller frame isn't a fully functioning stroller by itself – it's a lightweight frame with wheels that's designed to carry an infant car seat.When the car seat is attached, voilà! This is a good pick for parents who want a lightweight stroller that works with their chosen car seat.
Remove the car seat and the frame folds up fairly small.Once your baby's too big for the car seat, you won't have any more use for the frame – unless it came with a stroller seat attachment you can snap on instead.An umbrella stroller is a popular choice for getting around town easily, family travel, and a backup stroller.These strollers tend not to have much padding or be very adjustable, but they're lightweight, compact when folded, and often cheaper than other strollers.Some fancier models offer extra comfort and features for a higher price.Umbrella strollers typically recline only partially, and on some models they don’t recline at all – so these strollers aren't for newborns. But they're fine for older babies and toddlers.A jogging stroller is an excellent choice for parents who want to jog, power walk, or go off-road with their baby.These strollers are large, lightweight for their size, and stable, and usually have three sturdy tires and a suspension system for a smooth ride.
Some have an emergency brake to help you stop quickly if you need to, or a wrist strap to keep the stroller close.Jogging strollers are best for kids who can sit up and hold their head steady. Some models recline and some accept an infant car seat. Ask your child's doctor when it's safe to start using a jogger.When you need to wheel around two little ones, you have one big choice to make: tandem or side-by-side.Tandem strollers are easier to fit through doorways, but they're long from front to back and in some cases the backseat lacks legroom. Some tandem models can be configured in several ways, for different ages and seating preferences. For example: an infant and an older baby, a baby and a bigger kid, and even an option to stand.Side-by-side double strollers make for a wide load that doesn't always fit through doorways, so check the measurements of the model you're considering. These strollers can work for a range of ages, and some accept infant car seats. They can be easier to steer than tandems, plus both riders get the same amount of space – and the same view.
Got more than two riders? There are strollers that seat three, four, and even more!We hope this overview helps with your hunt for a stroller. One last tip: Make sure the model you choose fits in your trunk! and ask them to forward it to the marketing department as per this message.The job of an umbrella stroller is to be lightweight and fold compactly. Double umbrella strollers are no different, except even the lightest ones are still quite heavy compared to their single counterparts. With a couple of exceptions, double umbrella strollers also lack the bells and whistles of full-size strollers, such as accessories, large canopies, large storage baskets, and all-terrain wheels, but they are awesome for travel – both car and airplane – and you never have to worry about whether it will fit in your trunk! Kolcraft is a brand that’s been in the juvenile product space for a long time. One of the few budget double umbrellas that’s worth a darn, the Kolcraft Cloud is a simple, bare bones double umbrella stroller that’s VERY good at doing what umbrella strollers are supposed to do: transporting your children over smooth surfaces, then folding COMPACTLY and easily with no fuss.
Mind you: this is an economy stroller. For the money, people generally like it. If you are used to pushing a luxury umbrella stroller, like the UPPABaby G-Link, you will think it’s a POS. Thus, this is our favorite in the POS category. Bottom line: This is not your everyday double, but it’s super easy to get in and out of the car. Great for travel, fits well into any trunk, and easy to gate-check on a plane trip. The new Echo Twin is super popular in Europe – and accidentally made its way to the US, due to extraordinary demand (specifically from Target stores). It fills an important niche for those looking for an affordable, yet STURDY, well-made double umbrella stroller that still folds compactly and fits into (nearly) any truck, as any good umbrella should. Yes, the Chicco Echo Twin is heavy for a double umbrella stroller, but slim and ergonomically easy to carry. But did I mention it was heavy? The weight limit is 40 lbs per seat and at 31” wide, it fits through any standard door frame.
Bottom line: This could be a day to day stroller for those tight on space and short on cash. DON’T BUY if you are petite and can’t heave 36 lbs into your trunk. For big, strong, tall men… sure. If you’re looking for a day to day stroller, spend the money on a Maclaren or UPPABaby, even if you have to buy used. Now we’re into quality territory, here, with Maclaren. We used a Maclaren Twin Triumph for our nanny-share stroller when Lucie was a baby. It was ideal for us because we had a small, walk-up apartment in San Francisco with no outdoor storage (and little space inside as well!). We needed a high-quality, day-to-day double stroller for our nanny that could be folded compactly and taken up the stairs at the end of the day. The Twin Triumph was perfect. And now, the 2016 model is even better. That said, there aren’t many bad things to say about this tried and true friend. Many people I know keep it in their trunk for outings, knowing it won’t eat up all of the trunk space.
Bottom line: A great day-to-day stroller for city dwellers and for those who have to carry a stroller up the stairs and/or are space constrained. Great for car use and airline travel. With good steering, an easy fold, amazing canopies, and reclining seats, the Twin Triumph is our top pick in the twin umbrella category. Value-wise, I would pick this over the G-Link, but the G-Link over the Techno (keep reading…).Very narrow but will take 2 infant car seats! Check out our quick review of this stroller here. Maclaren also makes the Twin Techno, which has many of the features of a full-sized stroller, yet delivered in an umbrella package. This 29lb (true weight) stroller is a super heavy-duty version of the aforementioned Triumph with bells and whistles galore, though the Techno did not get the big update the Triumph got in 2016 with the oversized canopies and all. The Maclaren Twin Techno is great for parents looking for a full-featured umbrella stroller that still folds compactly, though is quite heavy.
You can get the matching footmuffs, which are great for colder climates. Ain’t nuthin but a G-thang, baby. If you love the G-LUXE, you’ll love the new double umbrella G-LINK, though there are some complaints we will discuss… At 24 lbs, it’s one of the easiest double strollers to schlep up and down the stairs [like. we. do.]. The width is a narrow 30″, so it’s sure to fit through any doorway. The weight limit is 50 lbs per seat, which is very generous, and each seat operates and reclines independently. However, I would say if your kids are older/heavier, it may not be the easiest stroller to push due to the fact that there are 4 wheels, not 6. The canopies on UPPABabys are awesome, as you know, and these are no different. However, now the canopies on the Maclaren Twin Triumph are equally as awesome, so… there’s that. There’s a peekaboo window and a pocket behind each seat for your essentials. There’s even a cup holder that stays on relatively well (depending on who you ask).
The stroller stands by itself after being folded — for all of those times you are squeezed into those tiny, urban cafes and restaurants that we love so much. Furthermore, the compact umbrella fold will allow it to fit into the smallest of trunks. Like all umbrellas, it’s perfect for airline travel. Even though my oldest is five, there is nothing worse than landing late after a cross-country flight and forcing your already-asleep child to march a mile down to baggage claim, then stand there for an eternity waiting for luggage, etc. Bring a double umbrella and let them sleep! It has a single, linked parking brake, which is flip-flop friendly, though there are a multitude of complaints about the brake jamming. Hopefully they will fix this issue with the next release. Check out the video that we shot at the 2015 ABC Baby Show: Bottom line: The weight is great and the features are there, but all in all, I don’t think the quality is on par with other UPPABaby strollers.
The 4 wheels make it lightweight, yes, but perhaps harder to maneuver. Thus, this stroller is ideal for parents whose top concern is weight and perhaps whose babies are lighter/younger. It’s also great for newborns. Front to back strollers with a compact umbrella fold ~ The Kinderwagon Hop is a nifty tandem double stroller that folds like an umbrella – what!? The Hop holds two children, ideally those who are close in age. It will take one car seat (Combi Shuttle or Graco SR Classic Connect, not compatible with Graco SR Click Connect), so it can’t be used for infant twins, but is GREAT for Irish twins! The Hop has stadium seating for two children less than 50 lbs (each), although the seats are shallower than you might expect, so many have found it too small for their 4-year-old or larger 3-year-old. Both seats have padded, 5-point harnesses. The front seat has a bumper bar, an adjustable leg rest, and reclines ever so slightly; the rear seat sits up higher and reclines nearly flat to accommodate a 3+ month-old infant.
* The napping child needs to sit in the back. The Hop comes with a rain cover and a cup holder. The canopy is average (maybe a little larger than most) for an umbrella stroller and has two peekaboo windows to see what’s going on below decks. It has tall handlebars, although long striders may find themselves kicking the back of the stroller. As with most umbrellas, the underbelly storage is a small/medium-sized basket that can only be accessed from the side. And as with all umbrellas, you won’t be able to fit a large diaper bag back there. The Hop has 6” wheels and (wait for it…) front AND rear wheel suspension. Yeah, you heard me. While it’s not going to get you over rough terrain (it IS an umbrella, after all), it will do better than others of its ilk. The brake only requires one step and the folding mechanism is flip-flop friendly. The Hop’s folded size is only slightly larger than a single umbrella. And that, my friends? There’s no carry strap, but you can easily pull the stroller by using the belly bar.
The most frequent complaint is the seats are not deep enough so unstrapped children can slide down. So, if your children have large tushies, look elsewhere. Thus, despite the 50 lb (ea) weight limit, this stroller is really better for younger children under 4 or for kids who are small for their age. Bottom line: At 21.5 lbs light and with a folded size just slightly bigger than a large single umbrella, this stroller is SPECIAL. Perfect for air travel. Perfect for Europe and tight, city living. Perfect for your car. Perfect for two under 2. Not great for older, larger kids. Price: $199 ($156 on sale) Summer Infant brought another tandem umbrella stroller to the game. The 3Dtwo “Double Convenience Stroller” has a narrow profile and is extremely light weight, though the build quality is not great. Read our full review here. Bottom Line: For $200 ($156 on sale), this stroller is perfect for narrow aisles and quick errands. Truth be told, this stroller is exactly as advertised: a convenience stroller.