Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight Stroller Review

The Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight is an updated version of the Zoom 360 that has been one of the best-selling joggers on the market. It might not be as fancy as some other models, but has a lot of great features and is very budget-friendly.

The swivel front wheel that can be locked straight, makes it a perfect option for jogging as well as everyday use.

The air-filled tires together with rear-wheel suspension can handle any terrain while providing a smooth ride. The maneuverability on Ultralight is one of the best!

You can easily push and steer it with one hand. The roomy seat is not very upright in the most upright position but does have a deep recline suitable from 3 months and up to 75 lbs (highest weight limit for joggers). You can also use it from birth with a travel system.

There is tons of storage including a large easy-to-access basket, two mesh pockets in the seat, a large mesh pocket in the back of the seat, and an included parent organizer. Nice! While Zoom 360 Ultralight is lighter than their previous Zoom 360 model it still weighs almost 26 lbs which is an average weight for a jogging stroller. So, I think that the ‘Ultralight’ part of the name is a little deceiving.

Although the handlebar is not adjustable it is positioned at the average height that should be OK for parents that are about 5.5″ – 6.1″ tall. If you are much taller or shorter test it first because it’s important to be comfortable especially when jogging.

OVERALL

I gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars despite some of the drawbacks because I feel that you get a lot for your money. I like the deep recline, roomy seat, high weight limit, huge canopy, plenty of storage, amazing steering, smooth ride, included parent organizer and air pump, easy fold, auto lock, standing fold, and travel system option. This could be your main stroller.

As for the cons: two-hand recline, coarse fabric, stiff brake, not removable fabric, light seat padding, no adjustable tracking, no hand brake, aluminum spokes, no shoulder pads, and a non-adjustable handlebar. This buggy retails for around $249 and comes in three colors.

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Features

CANOPY

The canopy is large with a large plastic viewing window that has velcro closure. It sits a little higher on the frame than on other joggers so it’s less effective at blocking the evening sun. I would like to see a pop-out sunvisor added and a magnetic closure instead of a noisy velcro.

Also, it would be nice if the viewing window was made out of dark mesh instead of plastic. That way it would offer sun protection while still letting the air in. Because the second panel of the canopy is so big, when you bring the canopy back the fabric can get in the way of an older child. Not a biggy.

HANDLEBAR

The handlebar is NOT adjustable but is tall at 41″ from the ground. This should be OK for parents who are 5.5″ – 6.1″ tall. Of course, you have to be comfortable with the handlebar when jogging. If you are much taller or shorter, test it first. It’s covered with soft foam which is very nice to the touch.

SEAT

As on most joggers, the seat on Zoom 320 Ultralight is very roomy so your older child will be comfy (I would say till like 6 years). The seat is 14″ wide with a 22″ seat back and a measurement of 24″ from the bottom of the seat to the top of the canopy. The highest point of the canopy is around 27″ which is tall enough for an older child.

The cool thing about the seat is that it sits a little higher on the frame than on other joggers so you can use it as a high chair. One thing that I didn’t like is that the seat and the legrest are light on the padding. I am also a not big fan of the coarse seat fabric that is a little scratchy.

The recline is very deep but is operated by a two-hand strap recline which is my least favorite. You have to adjust a strap on each side to lower it and bring it up. Too much work! Also, there is a bigger chance of waking up your child.

This recline definitely needs improvement. I don’t understand why didn’t they do just a regular one-hand strap recline instead. The seat can accommodate a child from 3 months and up to 75 lbs. You can use it from birth with a travel system.

Once the seat is reclined you will see a mesh window in the back that provides better air circulation and also prevents smaller babies from sliding out of the seat.

There are two mesh pockets in the seat for your child and one large mesh pocket in the back of the seat for parents. Very convenient.

FOOTREST

The footrest is not adjustable but is made out of dark mesh that is easy to clean and it also reduces overall weight.

HARNESS

It’s adjustable, but there is no padding. The center release buckle is easy to lock and unlock. I really like that the shoulder straps are connected to the waist straps and stay connected when you unlock the buckle. As your child gets older you can separate them and use it as a 3-point harness instead.

BASKET

The basket can fit a large diaper bag plus other children’s essentials. The accessibility is OK, but it would be even better without a crossbar in the middle.

WHEELS

It rolls on three air-filled wheels with 12″ front wheels and 16″ rear wheels. These are your standard-size wheels. The front wheel is swivel but can be locked straight. There is no remote lock for the front wheel nor adjustable tracking.

The spokes in the wheels are aluminum, which is usually found on cheaper models. I prefer dense plastic wheels like on BOB and Speed. The maneuverability is great! Easy to push and steer with one hand.

The rear-wheel suspension makes the ride much smoother.

BRAKE

There there is a one-step foot brake in the back that is not flip-flop-friendly and pretty stiff. I would like to see a hand brake instead because you can use a hand brake to slow down if you going down the hill.

FOLD/UNFOLD

You just push on a red button underneath the leg rest and pull on the strap till it folds. Easy! You will need both hands to push it together to activate the automatic lock. There is also a standing fold. The folded dimensions are 34″ x 25″ x 19″. The wheels are removable for more compact storage.

TRAVEL SYSTEM

You can turn it into a travel system with the purchase of an adapter. Works with main brands.

-Parent organizer. INCLUDED! It features two bottle/small cup holders and a zipper pocket for small stuff.

-Air pump. INCLUDED!

Cons

-Two-hand strap recline. The two-hand strap recline is the biggest pain the behind. You have to adjust each strap individually to recline and bring the seat back. Who has the time? Why not do a regular one-hand strap recline?

-Stiff brake. I wish the brakes would be friendlier.

-Light seat padding. There could definitely be more padding on the seat and the legrest. You can fix it by buying an additional seat liner. There are also no harness pads so you would need to buy them separately too.

-Scratchy fabric. Again, the fabric is just a little coarse and is not as soft as on competition. On the bright side, it cleans very well; you will need that since it’s not removable.

-Not removable fabric. It’s surprising and annoying because most joggers have removable fabric that you can toss into a washing machine. On Joovy you have to spot-clean it.

-Non-adjustable handle bar. To me, it’s pretty important to be comfortable when jogging. So, I wonder why wouldn’t they do an adjustable one. It’s not going to affect the weight that much … Perhaps it would raise the price and they wanted to keep it down. Hope to see it in the next update.

-No hand brake. This has been a trendy option lately and I would like Joovy to add it. Some joggers have both the hand brake and the foot brake. With the hand brake, you also have the ability to slow down when going down the hill.

-No adjustable tracking. Since this is a budget-friendly stroller I didn’t expect to see an adjustable tracking but it would be nice.

-Bulky. As with most joggers, the fold is bulky.

Video Review

Baby Gizmo has a great video review.

Here is a video overview from Joovy. Note: I am not sure why they think it’s so compact. LOL.

Specs

Stroller weight: 26 lbs
Weight limit: 75 lbs
Folded dimensions: 34″ x 25″ x 19″
Handlebar height: 41″
Seat to canopy height: 24″
Front wheel: 12″
Rear wheels: 16″
Overall length: 54″
Overall width: 25″

Warranty

Joovy provides a 2-year warranty from the original date of purchase and you have to be the original owner.

Available colors

Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight is available in three colors: blueberry, red, and black.

Where to buy it

You can get the Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight in one of the three beautiful colors for around $249. It comes with a parent organizer and an air pump.

Buy Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight Stroller »

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