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There is no such thing as a perfect stroller. The best stroller for you and your family will change depending on where you live, how many children you have (or plan on having), and details about your personality, like whether you’re into camping or the kind of parent who travels with a baby in tow.
People who live in apartments without access to a garage or another convenient place to store their stroller will do better with one that folds up small and can stand on its own when folded. Those who run or hike on a regular basis will be best served by a jogging stroller with three big rugged tires. And those who use their stroller like a packhorse will want to pay close attention to the size and weight capacity of the storage basket. Because of the wide variety of strollers available and the increasing popularity of compact city strollers, it’s common for families to own more than one. That usually breaks down to one full-size everyday stroller and one that’s built for travel or other adventures.
To help you pick the right stroller for you and your kid(s), I talked to ten parents of children ranging from newborn to 9 years old about the ones they have used and loved for years. I also tested seven of the ten strollers below with my 1-year-old son, pushing him over curbs, up grassy and muddy hills, through playgrounds, museums, restaurants, and shops, and even carrying him and the stroller up several flights of stairs.
Update on September 24, 2024: Added details about the newest edition of the Uppababy Vista; updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for:
Type of stroller
There are six main types of strollers.
Full-size strollers: This type of stroller is what most people think of when they imagine a stroller. The best full-size strollers come equipped with a comfortable padded seat, large sun canopy, roomy storage basket, and sometimes even a reversible seat so that babies can sit either facing out or facing their parents or caregivers. They are designed to accommodate babies from a newborn in a bassinet attachment to a toddler in a reclinable seat.
Convertible strollers: Sometimes referred to as modular, these strollers go from single to double (or even triple, with the addition of a toddler ride-along board) and can be set up in a variety of ways for more than one child. Many allow you to use a combination of a car seat, a regular stroller seat, and a bassinet. They are especially popular and useful for growing families but come with added weight and bulk.
Travel strollers: Also known as lightweight, compact, or city strollers, these strollers are smaller and more minimal. This category of stroller is growing fast with brands adding features normally associated with full-size strollers, like cushy reclining seats, larger storage baskets, adjustable handlebars, car-seat compatibility, and matching bassinets or newborn attachments for parents who want the convenience of a compact stroller that is still comfortable enough to use every day. For city dwellers, this type of stroller is becoming more popular and is often used as a primary stroller from birth to 4 or 5 years of age.
Jogging strollers: These three-wheeled strollers have a special suspension system that creates a smooth ride on various terrains. They’re sturdy and safe for running with lockable front swivel wheels and hand brakes, but can be bulkier than other types of strollers. Though some parents will use them with an infant car seat while walking, they are not designed for jogging with children under 6 months of age, because the speed and jostling associated with jogging isn’t safe for babies until they have adequate neck and head strength.
Double strollers: Double strollers are designed to carry two kids who are relatively close in age either side-by-side or one in front of the other. They are handy for siblings or nanny shares, but are of course bigger than other types of strollers. There’s a fair amount of overlap between double strollers and other types of strollers. For example: double jogging strollers, lightweight double strollers, and double car-seat strollers.
Travel stroller systems: Travel systems include a stroller and a compatible infant car seat from the same brand. They are a convenient one-and-done pairing to add to a baby registry — no special car-seat adapters required. That said, it’s rare that one brand makes the very best stroller and the very best car seat for your family. So depending on your needs, the best option for you might be to mix and match.
Weight and dimensions
Because they offer more features and a smoother ride, full-size, convertible, and jogging strollers are often larger and heavier than other types of strollers. This makes them less ideal for apartment living, especially without elevator access or extra storage space. Conversely, strollers designed for travel or city living weigh less and take up less space, making them easier to carry and fit through narrow spaces. They are usually easier to fold (and some pack down to the size of a suitcase), so they’ll take up less space in your home, the trunk of a car, or the overhead bin of an airplane.
The lightest strollers on the market weigh around 13 pounds, which is approximately the weight of a medium bowling ball or a bag of cat litter. And the heaviest strollers weigh up to 28 pounds, which is about the same as a cinder block or a small air conditioner. You may also want to consider the width of your stroller, because that will affect its turning radius. Three-wheeled strollers are typically wider and can be more difficult to get through doorways or other small pathways.
Age range and weight capacity
Regardless of type, the best strollers are the ones that you can use from the newborn stage well into the kid years. So when making this list I prioritized strollers with a high weight capacity and car-seat or bassinet compatibility. Most strollers do not come with an included bassinet attachment, and you will often need to purchase a special adapter if you want to attach an infant car seat. For the purposes of this guide, if a stroller is able to accommodate newborn babies via bassinet or car seat, I considered its age range to start at newborn. And because strollers are rated on the older end of the spectrum by weight capacity rather than age, I noted the maximum child weight that each stroller can hold. For context, the high end of stroller weight capacity is around 50 pounds, which translates roughly to children between 8 and 10 years old.
Maneuverability and ease of fold
You may spend hundreds of hours pushing your stroller each year, more if you live in a city or have a kid who prefers stroller naps, so it better be comfortable to push. Typically full-size strollers and jogging strollers offer the smoothest ride, especially on more uneven terrain. The best strollers will also be easy to steer and turn. I took all of these factors into consideration when making this list and have noted which strollers are exceptionally smooth to push. I also considered how easy each stroller is to fold and noted whether it can be done with one hand, as well as whether it can stand on its own when folded.
Materials and design details
Details like a seat that reclines completely flat, a storage basket that can fit a week’s worth of groceries, or a really large sun canopy can make or break a stroller’s usefulness for you and your family. So when testing strollers and talking to other parents about them, I paid close attention to any feature that could make a stroller easier to use, or more comfortable for a child to ride in. Bigger air-filled tires, for example, provide a much smoother ride than small hard plastic and rubber wheels. I’ve included the most notable (or most commonly remarked upon) details for each stroller on the list.
Safety
As with car seats and baby carriers, the stroller you buy should provide a safe environment for your baby or toddler. One way of ensuring this is by checking for the Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association (JPMA) certification, which signifies that the stroller has been tested and meets current safety standards. All the strollers on this list carry the JPMA certification. You should also make sure that your stroller has a five-point harness, adequate ventilation, a canopy, easy-to-use brakes, lockable swivel wheels, and is free of any recent recalls.
Best stroller overall
Type: Full-size convertible, four wheels | Weight: 27 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 50 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Two-handed fold, stands on its own when folded | Materials and design: Foam-filled rubber tires, full-grain leather details, adjustable handlebar, extendable UPF 50+ canopy, extra-large storage basket, bassinet with breathable mattress included, rain shield and bug shield included, 9 colors
[Editor’s note: In September 2024, Uppababy released the Vista V3 stroller, an updated version of the Vista V2. The V3 has a removable seat liner that reveals breathable mesh underneath, new wheels, and a lower price of $900 — $100 less than the original $1,000 price tag on the V2, but the new model does not come with a bassinet, which is now a $200 add-on. We will be testing the V3 soon to compare it to the V2, and will update this story with our findings. In the meantime, the V2 is now marked down to $800, and if you buy it directly from Uppababy it is a final sale.]
If you have the space for it, the Uppababy Vista V2 is the closest thing you will find to a do-everything stroller and the best investment on this list. Strategist writer Lauren Ro, who has two boys aged 5 and 22 months, chose the Vista as her main stroller when she was pregnant with her first child, because of its versatility and numerous features. According to Ro, the biggest advantage of the Vista is its adaptability. It grows with your family and can accommodate up to three children with the right accessories and adapters, some but not all of which are sold separately. It is unique in that it comes with a baby bassinet and a toddler seat included, so it’s ready to use with a newborn right out of the box. Plus it works seamlessly with the Uppababy Mesa infant car seat so you don’t have to futz with adapters or worry about compatibility, and the handlebar is adjustable, so adults of all heights can comfortably push it.
“I call it my truck,” Ro says, explaining that the Vista is a true workhorse but also smooth and easy to drive. Ro loves that it has a huge underseat basket that holds up to 30 pounds, and several parents have told me it can fit multiple bags of groceries. The Vista also looks good, comes in a bunch of tasteful colors, and is incredibly durable with a great resale value.
If you are planning to have more than one child, or you’re not yet sure how many children you will have, the adaptability of this stroller is a huge part of its appeal. It essentially starts as a single stroller and can expand to hold two or three children tandem-style (not side-by-side), without any change to its width. You can combine either two bassinets, two seats, or a bassinet and a seat, and add a kickboard for older kids. I have heard from several nannies, including my own, that the Uppababy Vista is among their favorite strollers to use because of how easy it is to push even in snow or mud.
The only real downsides are the price and the stroller’s general heft. It is the most expensive stroller on this list. But if you are planning on having more than one child, it will last a long time, and if you aren’t, it will be easy to sell secondhand. Plus, if anything should go wrong, the brand’s customer service has numerous locations in Boston, Brooklyn, Santa Monica, and Toronto where they will do free maintenance tune-ups and also repairs. “We’ve taken it several times for tuneups and also got a replacement seat for $60,” Ro says.
Best (less-expensive) stroller overall
Type: Full-size, four wheels | Weight: 28.3 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 50 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Two-handed fold, stands on its own when folded | Materials and design: Foam-filled rubber tires, full-grain leather details, adjustable handlebar, extendable UPF 50+ canopy, seat cushion unsnaps to reveal breathable mesh, extra-large storage basket, bassinet not included, 11 colors
I have been very impressed with the Nuna Mixx Next stroller in both style and function. It is the largest and heaviest stroller I tested, but it offers a luxury experience that is pretty unparalleled. I chose the model with a matte-black frame and black faux-leather accents (called “ocean” because the seat material is actually a very dark blue-gray), and I love how it looks. It is incredibly easy to fold and smooth to push. I also like that my son sits up higher in this stroller than in more compact strollers; he likes this, too, because it puts him at eye level with adults when we are out at a café or sitting next to him on a bench. He also likes that the seat can be positioned fully upright, so he doesn’t have to lean forward like he does in the Babyzen Yoyo 2 or the Baby Jogger (more on both of those strollers below). The harness is the easiest of all the strollers I tested to adjust and snap closed thanks to the no-rethread straps and magnetic buckle, which saves time and cuts down on fussiness when we are trying to get out the door. The seat can be used both parent-facing and forward-facing; I wish I’d had this when my son was still an infant, because it is so nice to talk to him as we walk.
Like the Uppababy Vista, the Nuna Mixx Next can be used with a car seat, a child seat, or a bassinet. It doesn’t come with a bassinet — you have to buy it separately with a stand for $400. If you don’t want to buy the bassinet and stand, though, the child seat can be used as a lie-flat cot for babies: You just recline the seat to the fully flat position and flip the leg rest up to support it at the bottom. Speaking of recline, you adjust the seat back on this stroller by lifting a small tab on the back. This can be done one-handed while moving or talking on the phone or drinking coffee. (It’s basically the same way you recline the Vista’s child seat, but compared to most of the strollers I tried, it’s a game changer.)
Nuna’s strollers are known for being tall-person-friendly; the handlebars are fairly high in the starting position (41 inches) and adjust upward for even more height. I am five-feet-seven, so this isn’t the most important stroller feature for me, but my son’s nanny is at least four inches taller than me, and she loves it. (Petite parents might be happier with the comparable Uppababy Cruz.) She is also a fan of the large storage basket, seat cushion you can remove to reveal breathable mesh when it’s hot out, and all-terrain wheels that make it more convenient to spend all day outside with a toddler. I recently traveled alone with my son from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Port Jefferson, New York, via ferry across Long Island Sound. Because we were being dropped off and picked up on either side, I had to carry a car seat on the boat, along with a large backpack and a tote bag for diapers, snacks, and toys. The Mixx Next made it feel like a fun, casual outing rather than a sweaty schlep. I was able to slide the car seat into the stroller’s storage basket and still had room to put the tote bag on top. Then I could concentrate on spending time with my son and enjoying the view rather than huffing and puffing.
The Nuna Mixx Next has a more compact fold than the Uppababy Vista and can be folded with the seat facing in either direction. On my trip I was able to quickly pack it in the trunk of a Subaru and a Mini Cooper without needing to remove the wheels. I still love the Baby Jogger City Mini GT2, below, for rugged outdoorsy walks — but if I had to choose between the two, the Nuna Mixx Next, with its bigger storage basket, easier recline, and fancier details, is the one I would pick.
Best (even less-expensive) stroller overall
Type: Full-size, three wheels | Weight: 22.4 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 65 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Wide-set back wheels, one-handed fold, stands on its own when folded | Materials and design: Airless all-terrain tires, rubberized adjustable handlebar, hand-operated brake, all-wheel suspension, extra long UPF 50+ sun canopy, adjustable leg rest, rear mesh ventilation, 3 colors
The Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 is a three-wheeled stroller with excellent shock absorption that gives it one of the smoothest pushes I have encountered. I got mine when my son was 7 months old because the stroller we’d received as a registry gift — a gloriously compact but kind of hard-to-push Babyzen Yoyo 2 — was putting a lot of strain on my wrists. While looking for a smoother alternative, I watched a ton of stroller review videos and talked to all of my friends who had babies, and the City Mini GT2 kept coming up for its combination of a cushioned three-wheel push and easy one-handed fold.
I was convinced as soon as I tested it. In fact, “pushing” doesn’t feel like the right term, because of how little effort it requires to guide the Baby Jogger forward. This means I can casually stroll while steering it with one hand and drinking a coffee or sending a text message in the other and still not feel any pressure or strain on my wrist. Other perks include an adjustable handlebar for adults of different heights, a huge sun canopy that covers my son almost completely in shade, and the aforementioned one-handed fold, which is almost unbelievably effortless. You simply pull up on a soft handle in the middle of the seat and the stroller collapses under your hand. It has a roomy padded seat with a near-flat recline and lots of rear ventilation that makes it comfortable for my son to sleep in, even in hot weather. The storage basket isn’t nearly as big as the Vista’s, but I can easily fit a diaper bag, picnic blanket, toys, and a few items from the farmers’ market with room to spare.
Once mine arrived, it took me less than an hour to assemble, strap my son into it, and get out the door. The only small issue I have had is its size. Getting the Baby Jogger quickly through my front door can be tricky because its back axle makes it wider than a lot of other strollers, so I have to pay close attention to my angle or I can get stuck. And it’s too heavy and awkwardly shaped to lift up and down stairs the way I do with the Yoyo. So it’s not the stroller I would use for trips into Manhattan on the subway or to the grocery store or a museum. But when it’s folded in my apartment, it’s surprisingly unobtrusive, and because it’s great on grass and bumpy surfaces it’s a perfect park stroller.
Best lightweight stroller
Type: Lightweight, four wheels | Weight: 13.7 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 48 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Tight turning radius, one-hand fold, doesn’t stand on its own when folded | Materials and design: Plastic wheels with rubber treads, faux leather handlebar with nylon tether, shoulder carrying strap, 8 fabric colors and 2 frame colors
[Editor’s note: In August 2024, Stokke, the new owner of Babyzen, released the Yoyo 3, an updated version of the Yoyo 2 that has a bigger storage basket and a smoother push, among other updates. We will be testing the Yoyo 3 soon to compare it to the Yoyo 2, and will update this story with our findings.]
At just over 13 pounds and around 17 inches wide, the Babyzen Yoyo is one of the most popular lightweight strollers for city living. I have been using the Yoyo 2 model since my son was a newborn, first with a Nuna Pipa car seat and a set of adapters and now with the 6+ seat pack. The brand also makes a bassinet attachment (which Strategist senior editor Ailbhe Malone preferred over the stroller’s other options) and something called the newborn pack, a softer, sleeping bag-type attachment that, unlike the bassinet, can be folded right along with the stroller. I take the Yoyo on the subway at least once a week from Brooklyn to Manhattan during rush hour and have no trouble maneuvering through the winding station tunnels or even past other passengers to find a seat in crowded cars. It is easy to carry up and down subway stairs while my son is riding in it (less so as he gets bigger) and narrow enough to weave around tourists on sidewalks or through tight aisles in restaurants. I have not yet taken it on an airplane but I have many friends and colleagues, including Malone and Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang, who have flown with it, and they all found it really useful and easy to fit in the overhead compartment. Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens loves the Yoyo’s small footprint and keeps hers folded in the trunk of her car so she can pop it out for museum visits or other crowded places. (Kitchens also has an Uppababy Vista V2, which she uses as her everyday stroller.)
The main drawback of the Yoyo is that pushing it isn’t very smooth compared to a full-size stroller — when I have driven it over grass or dirt paths I felt every bump in the handlebar. But now that the wrist problems I had when I was postpartum are resolved, it doesn’t cause me any discomfort. And on flat surfaces it is very zippy and makes tight turns. I love the amount of freedom it gives me to get out of the house fast and travel throughout the city as close to the way I used to experience it as possible.
While the Yoyo 2 doesn’t have as flat a recline as the Baby Jogger, my son has no trouble falling asleep and napping in it. The fold is slightly more complicated than the Baby Jogger’s, mostly because the button you push it is hidden underneath the stroller and the wheels need to be facing a certain direction for it to fold correctly. But it is doable with one hand and once I got the hang of how to do it, the process became second nature. Now I am able to fold it and sling it over one shoulder while holding a baby in the other hand. People often complain that the storage basket on the Yoyo 2 is too small, but I have actually found it sufficient for everything I need for a day out: diaper bag, lunch, blanket, toys. (The recently released Yoyo 3, which I’ll be testing next, is supposed to have a bigger storage basket, among other updates.) The sun canopy doesn’t compare to the coverage you get with the Baby Jogger or the Uppababy Vista, but it does have a peek-a-boo window and Babyzen sells a nice-looking add-on parasol to achieve near-total shade. I also think the Yoyo is one of the best-looking strollers and has some of the nicest color options of any stroller on the market.
Best (less-expensive) lightweight stroller
Type: Lightweight, four wheels | Weight: 16 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 55 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Tight turning radius, one-handed fold, stands on its own when folded | Materials and design: EVA rubber wheels, faux leather handlebar, full seat recline, shoulder carrying strap, extendable sun canopy, adjustable leg rest, 7 colors and patterns
The Colugo compact stroller is slightly heavier than the Yoyo 2 but still very easy to carry on its own or even with a baby riding in it. During a recent work shift at the Park Slope Food Coop, I noticed two different dads pushing their preschool-aged kids up and down the crowded aisles in this stroller, with little annoyance from other shoppers — a huge feat in Coop-land. One of the dads told me he’d been using the stroller for almost three years and that it had held up very well, including on multiple overseas flights. Ro owns an older version of the Colugo compact stroller and says that while it’s not nearly as smooth to push as her Uppababy Vista, it has been very convenient for quick trips into Manhattan and her husband is especially fond of how small and portable it is.
Compared to the Yoyo, the Colugo is much less expensive and has a lot of similar features. It offers a one-handed fold that is more straightforward than the Yoyo’s. Plus it can stand up on its own when folded. It is slightly bigger than the Yoyo when folded, but it still fits in most overhead compartments on planes. It has a similar-size storage basket, but one that is easier to access. Both strollers feel bumpy over bumps, but where the Yoyo has plastic wheels with a rubber tread, the Colugo’s wheels are made of puncture-proof rubber which, when I tried it, made the feel of pushing it smoother than the Yoyo. And the Colugo stroller comes with a rain cover, carry bag, and a cup holder included. The major drawback is that there isn’t a structured bassinet attachment available for this stroller. So for newborns there is only the one soft option, where the Yoyo has two.
Best city stroller
Type: Lightweight, four wheels | Weight: 13.2 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 50 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Tight turning radius, one-handed fold, stands on its own when folded | Materials and design: Plastic wheels with rubber treads, faux leather handlebar, shoulder carrying strap, extra-tall seat cushion, extra-wide UPF 50+ sun canopy, 6 colors
When you spend every weekend hanging out at playgrounds and walking around the park, you start to notice things about other people’s strollers that you wish your stroller had or could do. And lately I have been eyeing the Joolz Aer+ with such stroller envy that I asked a friend if I could test hers out. Like the Babyzen Yoyo and the Colugo, the Joolz Aer + is lightweight — the lightest on this list by about half a pound — and easy to fold up to fit in airplane overhead bins or car trunks. It’s also narrow, making it a great city stroller. But it has two major advantages over my Yoyo: The seat is more upright when it’s in the fully upright position, and the seat’s back cushion is taller — 21 inches to the Yoyo’s 17. This means that kids are more supported (no more leaning forward all day or straining to sit up straight) and can use the stroller for longer.
I was pleasantly surprised by how smooth it was to push the Joolz Aer+ around the playground and even over grass, thanks to its slightly larger rear wheels. I also like that the foot brake is wide and situated in the center of the real axle, as opposed to off to one side, so you can more easily use it without looking. The storage basket has the same capacity as the Yoyo and the Colugo, but it is more open and better for carrying taller items or bags. That said, the recline on the Joolz Aer+ isn’t my favorite. Instead of just a strap that tightens or loosens, you have to unzip the whole back panel and then change the recline with an inner strap. This makes it slower to adjust and is hard to do quietly while a baby is napping.
Best (less expensive) city stroller
Type: Lightweight, four wheels | Weight: 18.1 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 50 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Tight turning radius, one-handed fold, stands on its own when folded | Materials and design: Plastic wheels with rubber treads, faux leather handlebar and belly bar, extra-tall seat cushion, full recline with optional mesh ventilation, parent cupholder and rain cover included, adjustable handlebar and leg rest, extra-wide UPF 50+ sun canopy, 3 colors
My husband and I, our son, and his nanny have been testing the Ergobaby Metro+ Deluxe stroller for the past month and a half. To do this we folded up our Babyzen Yoyo 2 and made the Metro+ Deluxe our everyday stroller to get a holistic sense of how it handles different situations throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. It doesn’t have the same sleek trendy appeal as the other compact strollers I have written about above. But that, and the lack of a snack tray, is pretty much the end of my criticism.
All four of us love this stroller way more than I expected we would. My favorite features are the extra-comfy padded seat, the included accessories (belly bar, rain cover, and cup holder), and the no-rethread harness that’s easy to buckle fast and never gets twisted. It has the only parent cup holder I have tried that actually keeps my coffee from spilling and the only rain cover that I can put on easily without waking my napping child. Instead of elastic, it has several points of Velcro and a longer back panel that keeps my stuff dry in addition to keeping him dry. My son’s favorite feature seems to be the curved belly bar that lets him put his feet up or rest his arms without ever restricting his personal space (other belly bars I have seen or tried, like the Uppababy Minu’s, sit really close to the child and look uncomfortable). My husband loves how easy it is to steer the Ergobaby Metro+ Deluxe, that the adjustable handlebar locks and feels sturdy, and that, because this stroller sits lower to the ground than our Baby Jogger, it’s easy for our son to walk next to the stroller while holding on to the frame.
Folding it is easy to do one-handed and when it’s folded it is as small as the Babyzen Yoyo with the added benefit of standing on its own. It’s smoother to push than the Yoyo and just as easy to maneuver as the Joolz Aer. It’s also it’s ever-so-slightly narrower than the Joolz Aer at 17.3 inches wide to the Aer’s 17.7 inches. I have taken it on the subway and into grocery stores, bookstores, and cafés with no trouble at all. Even though it is about four-and-half pounds heavier than the Yoyo, I am able to quickly carry it up subway stairs with my son sitting in it. All this and a near flat recline for $50 less than the Joolz Aer. Best of all, if you are really on a budget, Ergobaby makes an even cheaper, more bare bones Metro+ stroller that comes in eight colors for $100 less than the Metro+ Deluxe.
Best jogging stroller
Type: Jogging | Weight: 25.3 pounds | Age/weight range: 6 months to 49 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Exceptionally smooth push, one-handed fold, doesn’t stand on its own when folded | Materials and design: Air-filled wheels, adjustable rubber handlebar with twist brake, zip-top storage basket, rear suspension
Thule’s Urban Glide 2 is known for its extremely smooth push; true to its name, it really feels like it is gliding across the pavement. Ro says it’s the smoothest stroller she has ever pushed thanks to its big, air-filled rubber wheels. Ro and her husband are both able to run in Prospect Park while pushing the Urban Glide one-handed. It also thrives on rugged terrain, she says, and is great for taking on nature trails or to the zoo.
The standout feature is its handlebar twist break that slows the stroller down for you when you’re running down a hill, making it easier to keep the stroller in control without having to use your own body weight as a counter-balance. And compared to other jogging strollers, like the popular BOB jogging strollers, it is more lightweight, Ro says, which makes it easier for a wider range of runners — beginners included — to use.
Best convertible off-road stroller
Type: Convertible, four wheels | Weight: 29.5 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 50 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Exceptionally smooth push, one-handed fold, stands on its own when folded | Materials and design: Airless all-terrain tires, adjustable handlebar, fully flat recline, adjustable leg rest, extendable UPF 50+ sun canopy, 8 seat colors sold separately, front suspension and tunable rear shocks
The Veer Switch & Roll modular stroller marries the versatility of a full-size convertible stroller like the Uppababy Vista with the functionality of an all-terrain wagon. I recently tested Veer’s Switch & Roll and Switch & Jog stroller configurations, which are both part of the brand’s modular Switchback system, on the street in midtown Manhattan. It’s not the most challenging terrain that either of these strollers can handle, but I was still able to get a sense of how they do with curbs, tight turns, and crowded sidewalks. My main takeaway is that they both felt smooth and bouncy in a good way, like they would be fun to push on a trail or to take camping. I prefer the Switch & Roll, as its four-wheeled base is a tiny bit narrower than the base on the three-wheeled Switch &Jog. The stroller seat, which Veer calls the Switchback and which works with either frame, has built-in shock absorbers to give babies the smoothest ride possible, even over crags and potholes. And it has the easiest and quietest recline of any stroller I have tried. It has four recline positions including totally flat and fully upright, and switching the seat from facing backward to forward is easy to do.
The most unique feature of the Switchback system is that the same seat can be used on the brand’s standard stroller or jogging stroller frames, as well as on the popular Cruiser wagon, the Veer bike seat frame, camp chair base, and as a booster seat on almost any restaurant chair with a back. As with the Uppababy Vista, the standard Switch & Roll stroller frame can be configured to carry multiple children at a time with two seats, two bassinets, two car seats, or a combination. All of the brand’s add-on accessories (snack tray, parent organizer, cup holders) are compatible across the entire collection of strollers and wagons.
Best car seat and stroller travel system
Type: Travel system | Weight: Combined weight of 21.6 pounds | Age/weight range: Newborn to 50 pounds | Maneuverability and folding: Tight turning radius, one-handed fold, stands on its own when folded | Materials and design: Foam-filled rubber tires, faux leather handlebar and belly bar, extendable UPF 50+ sun canopy, adjustable leg rest
Kitchens also recommends this stroller-and-car-seat travel system, which she has used on six flights with her now-1.5-year-old-daughter. The Urbn car seat can be used starting from birth with the included infant insert, and has a height limit of 29 inches; it has lasted Kitchens’s daughter, who is tall for her age, well over a year. When she is not traveling, Kitchens uses an Uppababy Mesa car seat with a base.
At first, Kitchens would check the whole system when flying, but now she just checks the car seat and keeps the stroller with her, as you can still use the stroller without the seat. “I love how quickly it all connects,” Kitchens says, explaining that if her daughter falls asleep in the car on the way to the airport, she can easily and securely plop it onto the stroller before walking into the airport. And the car seat works without a base, attaching directly to any car’s LATCH anchor system. This means it works whether you’re getting picked up by relatives or calling an Uber. “I’ve loved not worrying about needing a car seat through the rental car company,” Kitchens says.
This is the third stroller that Kitchens owns, in addition to the Uppababy Vista and the Babyzen Yoyo. The stroller component of the Nuna system is not quite as compact as a Yoyo, but it is easier to fold and has the added benefit of standing on its own when it’s folded, which the Yoyo can’t do. Kitchens says it rolls smoothly, though it doesn’t have “truck tires” like the Vista, and has been great on neighborhood walks her family has done while traveling. Its wheels are cushier compared to the wheels on the Yoyo and the rear set is bigger which gives it a smoother ride. And while the handlebar isn’t adjustable, Kitchens, who is 5 feet 11 inches tall, says it’s at a good height for tall people. Though it comes as a bundle with the infant car seat, you can continue to use the stroller with older children up to 50 pounds.
Our Experts:
• Jacob Cohen, elementary school teacher and parent
• Jenny Donahue, physical therapist and parent
• Allegra Farina, parent
• Simone Kitchens, Strategist senior editor and parent
• Ailbhe Malone, Strategist senior editor and parent
• Vanessa Levans, nanny
• Katy Olson, writer and parent
• Lauren Ro, Strategist writer and parent
• Alexis Swerdloff, New York deputy editor and parent
• Danielle Swift, project manager and parent
• Jen Trolio, Strategist senior editor and parent
• Winnie Yang, Strategist senior editor and parent
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