The Valco Baby Snap is a lightweight stroller that has a lot of features of a full size stroller, but weighs ONLY 13 lbs! This is a serious competition for City Mini and B-Agile. The Snap model is perfect for on-the-go parents who live in an urban environment and like to travel a lot. It has a great maneuverability and can be pushed with one hand even fully loaded. The footprint of the stroller is quite small making it easy to navigate cramped store aisles and in-between the cars on parking lots.
The Snap rolls on three hard rubber wheels with 10″ wheels in the back and 8″ wheel in the front. These are large wheels for such a lightweight stroller. Although it is not an all-terrain, it can definitely tackle some terrain like grass, gravel, or uneven sidewalk. The large basket underneath the seat can fit a lot of groceries and there is also a small pocket for mommy items like wallet, keys and cell phone.
The Snap is full of great features like roomy seat, large canopy, flip-flop friendly brake, and an easy two-hand fold. It has one-hand infinite recline that goes to almost a flat position. The seat can hold a child from birth and up to 44 lbs. You can even convert this stroller into a travel system by using it with a car seat. It works with most popular car seats like Graco, Peg Perego, Britax Chaperone, Maxi Cosi Mico, and Chicco.
I gave this stroller 4.5 out of 5 stars. I did take some points off because of the non-adjustable handle bar, mesh window closure, no swing-away bumper, and the cheap-feel fabric. It’s also not as stable because of it’s light weight. This might be a problem especially if you like to hang stuff on the handle bar like I do. LOL . It retails for around $249 on Amazon (free shipping/free returns and no sales tax). The price vary depending on the year and the color.
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Pros
-Large canopy. The canopy is large and has a small extension/sunvisor. It does NOT go all the way to the bumper bar (that’s how large I like them to be), but it is large enough to provide a lot of shade for your child. The canopy is attached to the back of the seat and does NOT become ‘follow-the-sun’ canopy. It has a small peekaboo window that is made out of dark mesh. The only thing I don’t like is the noisy Velcro peekaboo closure. I wish it was magnetic.
-Non-adjustable handle bar. The handle bar is NOT adjustable. It is located at 41″ from the ground which is an average height.
-Roomy seat. It is 13″ wide with 19″ seat back and a measurement of 26.5″ from the bottom of the seat to the top of the canopy. It has one-hand infinite recline that goes to almost a flat position. The recline adjusts with a strap system, so you will need both hands to bring the seat back up. The seat can accommodate a child from birth and up to 45 lbs. I think with an insert that will provide baby with better head support, you can comfortably use it for a newborn.
-Bumper bar. INCLUDED! It is covered with the same fabric as the seat, so your child will not get a mouth full of foam if he decided to bite it (and we all know your baby will take bite at least one. LOL). The fabric can be unzipped for easy cleaning. It is a gate-opening bumper bar, meaning that it opens forward on one side when you pull it. Since it is NOT swing away, it does get in the way sometimes.
-Large mesh window. Once the seat is reclined, it exposes a large dark mesh window in the back. It looks the same as on City Mini and B-Agile strollers. I really like when they have a mesh in the back. It will shade your child from the sun while providing better air circulation on a hot summer day. It will also make sure your younger baby will never fall out from the back. Once the weather gets cold, you can use an attached closure to cover it up. The only thing I don’t like is that the closure attaches with a noisy Velcro that can wake up your baby. I wish it had an elastic straps like City Mini has.
-Storage pocket. There is a storage in the back of the closure for the mesh window that you see once the seat is fully reclined. You can put a bottle or small mommy essentials like keys or phone in there.
-5 point harness. It has 5 point adjustable padded harness with hard to unlock buckle. Your toddler will not be able to escape. LOL.
-Large basket. The basket is a great size which is uncommon for the lightweight strollers. You will be able to fit a large diaper bag in it. It is also very accessible.
-Wheels. It rolls on four EVA (hard rubber) wheels meaning you will never get a flat. It has 10″ wheels in the back and 8″ double wheel in the front. The front wheel is swivel, but can be locked straight for more stability. I think these wheels are pretty good size for such a lightweight stroller. This is NOT an all-terrain stroller, but it can still tackle some grass or mulch if needed.
-Parking brake. It has a single foot brake that is flip-flop friendly! Step on one side of the pedal and it will lock both rear wheels. Step on the other side, and it will unlock it. LOV IT!
-Easy fold. This fold is easy, but not as easy as on City Mini or B-Agile. You will need both hands. First, push the button on the side to unlock the frame. Next, bring the handle bar forward until the stroller folds. That’s it! It has an automatic lock and can stand on its own when folded, although the handle bar will have to touch the ground. It has a pretty compact fold with the dimensions of 20.5”W x 31”L x 10.5”H. You can also remove the wheels to make it even more compact. What I do like about this fold, unlike City Mini and B-Agile the seat folds in half inwards, so it stays clean. This becomes really important for parents who travel a lot. Also, you can roll it behind you like a luggage.
-Light weight. Throwing this baby into the trunk is easy because it weighs ONLY 13 lbs! (‘baby’ is probably not the best word for this … Don’t throw your baby into the trunk, no matter how much you want to sometimes. LOL.) This stroller is great for traveling, because you can easily lift it with one hand. There is even a carrying strap attached to the bottom of the seat for your convenience.
-Small footprint. With such a roomy seat, the Snap is ONLY 20.5″ wide! For comparison City Mini is 24″ wide and B-Agile is 22.75″. Small footprint makes it so much easier to navigate narrow aisles in the store, between the cars in the parking lot, or in the doctor’s office (they have small exam rooms).
Cons
-Bumper bar. I wish the bumper bar was swing away. It does have a gate-like opening, but it still gets in the way.
-Non-adjustable handle bar. Adjustable handle bar would make a lot of parents consider Snap over City Mini and B-Agile (both have non-adjustable handle bars).
-Fabric. I wish the fabric on the seat and the canopy was a little more expensive. The fabric, especially on the canopy, has a cheap feel to it.
-Mesh window closure. I didn’t like the noisy Velcro closure for the mesh window in the back. I wish it has an elastic strap like on City Mini.
Snap vs City Mini vs B-Agile Comparison Chart
Since these stroller are so similar, I should write a separate in depth post about this, but here is a quick comparison chart for you. Here is full review of Baby Jogger City Mini and Britax B-Agile strollers.
| Features | Snap | City Mini | B-Agile |
| Weight | 13 lbs | 16.8 lbs | 16.5 lbs |
| Folded dimensions | 20.5”W x 31”L x 10.5”H | 24″W x 31″L x 10″H | 22.75″W x 29″L x 10″H |
| Fold | Two-hand | One-hand | One-hand |
| Canopy | Large | Huge | Huge |
| Handle bar | Non-adjustable | Non-adjustable | Non-adjustable |
| Bumper bar | Yes | No | No |
| Basket | Large | Medium | Medium |
| Wheels | 10″ and 8″ | 8″ | 9.5″ and 5.5″ |
| Suspension | No | Front-wheel | All-wheel |
| Stroller width | 20.5″ | 24″ | 22.75 |
| Stroller length | 32.3″ | 39.5″ | 38.35 |
| Price | $250 | $220-$250 | $185 |
Video Review
Here is a great video review from Baby Gizmo. Note: The leg drop is 9″ and not 10″ as they say in the video. Also, the width of the seat is 13″ and not 14″. The highest height from the back of the seat to canopy is 26.5″ and not 24.5″ as they say in the video.
Specs
Stroller weight: 13 lbs
Weight limit: 44 lbs
Folded dimensions: 20.5”W x 31”L x 10.5”H
Handle bar height: 41″
Seat to canopy height: 26.5″
Rear wheels: 10″
Front wheel: 8″
Overall length: 32.3″
Overall width: 20.5″
Warranty
Valco has 1-year warranty from the original date of purchase and you have to be the original owner. Here is more information on the warranty.
Available colors
For 2013 this stroller is available in two main colors: silver and black.
You can also purchase a canopy that is available in seven different colors: blueberry, cherry, coral, hot pink, lilac, silver, and spice.
Comparison Chart
If you are not sure which Valco Baby stroller is right for you, take a look at this great comparison chart.
Where to buy it
My favorite place to buy strollers and a lot of other baby items is Amazon. It usually has the lowest prices, free shipping, free returns and no sales tax. How great is that? You can get Valco Baby Snap in one of the seven beautiful colors for $249 on Amazon (free shipping/free returns and no sales tax). Not cheap!
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~Susan Brian
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