Umbrella - Mom's Stroller Reviews

Joovy Groove Ultralight 2017/2018 Umbrella Stroller Review

It’s not a secret that the Joovy Groove Ultralight is one of my favorite umbrella strollers. So, I was very pleased to see a new redesigned 2017/2018 model which is even better than the previous one.

While weighing only 15 lbs it features a very roomy seat with a tall canopy that can accommodate even the tallest toddler. The high weight limit of 55 lbs should last you till college. LOL.

The deep near-flat recline together with an adjustable leg rest offers plenty of stretch room and is suitable for a newborn. Great for long naps and quick diaper changes.

BTW, not many umbrella strollers have a flat recline, so it’s a BIG plus. If you decide put a newborn directly into the seat, I do recommend using an infant insert. There is even a hidden mesh in the leg rest for a newborn as an extra safety feature which will prevent a baby from sliding out of the seat. Keep in mind, there is no travel system option.

Maclaren Techno XT 2016 Stroller Review

Maclaren Techno XT is one of the most popular umbrella strollers on the market and is my favorite! Why do parents love it so much? Well, because this is a very sturdy stroller with great maneuverability and compact fold. The hard rubber 6″ wheels and all-wheel suspension provides a comfy ride even over bumpy streets and playground mulch. The narrow frame and small foot print allows to navigate in tight spaces like small elevators, narrow store aisles, or between the closed park cars on the parking lot with ease.

The one-hand lever recline has four positions including almost a flat one suitable for a newborn. If you have a very tall child, you will love the adjustable canopy that moves up and down the frame giving your child plenty of head room. And speaking of canopies, this one is absolutely HUGE! It expends in the back to expose one more panel and has a pop-out sunvisor for extra coverage.

The seat is very roomy and can accommodate a child from birth and up to 55 lbs. Smaller babies can stretch their little legs thanks to the adjustable leg rest. While there is no travel system option, you can use it with a carrycot for a newborn that inserts into the seat (sold separately).

The basket should fit your medium size diaper bag with no problems. For extra storage Maclaren added a large pocket in the back of the seat. It’s great for small essentials like keys, wallet, or phone. Tall and very tall parents will will love adjustable handle bars (which are very rare in the umbrella strollers) that go from 42″ up to 44″ from the ground. The fold is very easy and compact. You can even fold it with one-hand if you really try. The attached carrying strap makes it convenient for transporting. It weighs 15 lbs which is an average weight for a sturdy umbrella stroller.

I gave it 5 out of 5 stars because I think it has everything you need in the umbrella stroller. The most important features for me are good maneuverability, deep recline and easy fold. Checked! Overall I think this is a very durable high quality model that will last you many years. The biggest drawback of this buggy is the high price of $370. But, I always say, you get what you paid for. You can get Techno XT 2016 in six beautiful colors and it comes with the rain cover.

Peg Perego Pliko Mini Twin 2016 Stroller Review

The Pliko Mini Twin 2016 is the new double side-by-side umbrella stroller from Peg Perego presented at the ABC Kids Expo 2015. For those of you who don’t know, Peg Perego is an Italian company that has been making strollers since 1949.

The Pliko Mini Twin model is the lightest twin stroller in the Peg Perego family. It weighs only 24 lbs and can accommodate twins or siblings close in age. This is a compact model with adjustable handle bars that is designed for running errands, going to the park and traveling. The fold is very easy and can be done with just one hand. The carry handle on the side makes it easy to transport when folded.

Both roomy seats have deep one-hand reclines that goes to almost a flat position suitable for a newborn. The seats can accommodate a child from birth and up to 45 lbs. It does NOT have a travel system option. Individually adjustable leg rests provide babies with more stretching room.

UPPAbaby G-Link 2016 Double Stroller Review

The new G-Link 2016 is the first double umbrella model from UPPAbaby. This model is very similar to popular G-Luxe 2015, but is designed as a double.

The great thing about G-Link is that it can comfortably accommodate older toddlers as well as newborns. For a toddler the seat is very roomy with a canopy height of 26″.

At the same time, it has a very deep one-hand recline for a newborn and adjustable leg rest. In addition it comes with infant head inserts and snap-on mesh foot barriers for traveling from birth. While it does NOT have a travel system option, the seat can accommodate a child from birth and up to 50 lbs.

It also features a great canopy with a very large pop-out sunvisor, large peekaboo windows with closure, 5-point harness, lockable front wheels, large baskets, and easy compact fold. It weighs only 24.5 lbs and is only 30″ wide so you should be able fit through any doorway. The compact width is a huge plus if you live in the city where store ales are very narrow and elevators are tight. Surprisingly, the seat width didn’t suffer so both of your kids will be comfortable.

GB Pockit 2016 Stroller Review

This year, I was lucky enough to be able to go to ABC Kids Expo 1015 where I saw a lot of amazing new strollers for 2016. One of the strollers that blew me away was GB Pockit. Since this stroller is not out yet and I can’t do a full review on it, I decided to give you a small overview with much information as I could get so far.

The new GB Pockit model is the most compact stroller in the world. In fact, it has been named the ‘world’s smallest folding stroller’ by the Guinness World Records. How cool is that? Its folded dimensions are only 12″ x 14″ x 7″. Tiny!

Weighing only 9 lbs, this model is perfect for traveling and public transit. It will easily fit into overhead compartment of the train or the plane. It can be taken as a carry-on on ANY airline because its folded size is much smaller than the maximum carry-on size. I think that Mountain Buggy Nano, Babyzen Yoyo 6+, and GB Qbit have a serious competition now.

Summer Infant 3D Flip Convenience Stroller Review

The Summer Infant 3D Flip Convenience is a lightweight umbrella stroller with a reversible seat. This model is very similar to the popular Baby Jogger Vue which was the first reversible-seat umbrella stroller.

I still can’t believe Summer Infant copied Vue! I thought they would put a patent on the seat design. On the bright side, now parents can get this cool model with a reversible seat and many other great features for MUCH less!

The 3D Flip Convenience stroller retails for only $129 vs Vue that costs $200. Just like on Vue, you don’t need to take the seat out to reverse it. All you need to do is bring the seat back forward and reverse the canopy. Easy!

The seat has one-hand lever recline with 3 recline positions in both modes. The recline is pretty deep, but doesn’t have a flat position so you can’t use it for newborn. The seat can accommodate a child from 6 months and up to 50 lbs.

Top Umbrella Strollers Side-By-Side Comparison

The umbrella strollers are great for running errands, traveling, and public transit. They are known for their light weight and compact fold. While some umbrella stroller are a little heavier and can be turned into a travel system, others are lightweight and can be carried over the shoulder.

I think that umbrella models are great as a second lighter stroller. Some with more features can even be your ONLY stroller. Since the wheels on umbrella strollers are on a smaller side ranging from 5″ – 7″, it works best on flat surfaces.

Most models have useless baskets and non-adjustable handle bars. In the past, the canopies were very small, but lately companies are paying more attention to what parents want so the canopy size have increased.

I decided to put together a list of most popular umbrella strollers and give you a side-by-side comparison that should help you decide on what stroller is best for you.

Baby Jogger Vue Lite Stroller Review

The Baby Jogger Vue Lite is a lighter version of the Vue model. Its main feature is a reversible seat that you can reverse without taking it out. While being lighter and more compact than the original Vue, it’s still full of features like large canopy, tall handle bars, adjustable leg rest, deep recline and very roomy seat.

Despite the light weight of only 14 lbs, it still has a travel system ability which is amazing for such a lightweight stroller. I found it to be a very sturdy umbrella stroller and felt comfortable using it with an infant car seat. BTW, it works only with City Go which is a brand new car seat from Baby Jogger.

Since this is an umbrella stroller with small wheels, it does best on flat surfaces and is not designed for going off road. I would recommend it as a second stroller for running errands or traveling. The deep almost flat recline in both modes makes it great for long naps and quick diaper changes.