Umbrella strollers are generally suitable for babies once they can sit up unassisted, usually around 6 months. In spite of the added cost, we dont see a substantial increase in capability or value compared with our upgrade pick. The 2017 version of the Joovy Groove Ultralight had amassed only 48 Amazon reviews at the time of our research, and most of the editorial reviews we found discussed earlier versions. This stroller is very inexpensive (about $20 currently), light (8.4 pounds), and as minimal as an umbrella stroller can be, with no features at all except for an ineffective canopy. Dont use bleach or abrasive cleaners. We also limited our list to strollers that had carry straps and strollers that were under $400. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. The bigger wheels roll over obstacles more easily. While umbrella strollers have small wheels compared with most full-size strollers (from about 4 to 6 inches in diameter, as opposed to about 5 to 12 inches), the best models wheels have a larger diameter plus suspension, which together help a stroller push straight and easily and handle turns smoothly. That compact fold also allows the umbrella stroller to pass through on the belt at airport security, while larger standard strollers often require hand-checking by TSA staff, hampering a familys trip to the gate. Some people may find it worth paying extra for the Groove Ultralights two standout features: Unlike the 3D Lite, it can stand up on its own when folded, and it has a well-placed peekaboo window that lets you check in on your tiny passenger without having to stop and walk around to the front. The 3D Lites storage basket is large for that of an umbrella stroller, and it has the highest weight limit (10 pounds) among all the models we looked atonly the G-Luxe basket holds as much. We found that an excellent umbrella stroller should be: Lightweight yet sturdy: The umbrella strollers raison d'tre is to be light enough to be carried easily, and the best models have aluminum frames that keep them at around 15 pounds or less. Learn more. While most full-size strollers collapse like lawn chairs, umbrella strollers fold like camp chairs, and you can then carry them with a strap slung over your shoulder. Traveling Tikes owner Brian Pulice told us that his customers usually looked for an umbrella stroller that reclined and had a great storage basket. All umbrella strollers, because of the way their metal frames collapse and open, must be used with caution so that fingers (either yours or a childs) dont get caught in the hinges or frames. Summer Infant suggests cleaning the seat and canopy fabric with cold water and mild soap and using a damp cloth to clean the plastic and metal surfaces. We logged over 130 miles testing nine strollers and took four on five flights, and we found that the best travel stroller is the Uppababy Minu. Its canopy is generous but does not have a peekaboo window. However, the 37-pound weight limit is extremely low, even lower than that of the bare-bones Cosco stroller we tried. Summer Infant has four other models in its 3D line, including the 3D-One, which solves many of the issues the 3D Lite has: It stands on its own when folded and has a peekaboo window. In order to understand the safety issues involved when choosing and operating strollers, we consulted an online guide by the American Academy of Pediatrics and read about the latest stroller safety guidelines released by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, as well as the stroller safety standards developed by ASTM International. Its straps also adjust for kids of different sizes more easily than those on competitors, and it has one of the most compact folded footprints of all the strollers we tested. Note, though, that many nylon and polyester fabrics are effective at blocking UV rays too; just because a fabric isnt promoted for sun protection doesnt mean it isnt in fact protective. None of them tipped with my baby on board, but some did once I took her out of the seat. The Summer Infant 3D Lite is designed for use with kids 6 months and older. Unlike our pick, the Groove Ultralight can stand upright when folded, which is a huge convenience for storage and regular use. We tested strollers ranging from 8.4 to 15.7 pounds and decided not to test anything that weighed 16 pounds or more. Black is the most popular. The 3D Lite has an excellent combination of features, including a recline mechanism that smoothly slides into one of four positions when you press the two red buttons behind the seat. Easy to push and maneuver: Pulice told us that wheel size was very important for maneuverability: Smaller wheels pick up more vibration, they're more likely to get stuck in nooks and crannies. The brushed fabric on the Groove Ultralights canopy and the nicely padded seat both feel much softer than the 3D Lites, and, like the much more expensive Maclaren Quest and Uppababy G-Luxe, the Groove Ultralight has an adjustable footrest, a feature that our top pick lacks. When we headed out on our Itasca State Park camping trip, it fit nicely between the car seats in the back of a Subaru Forester packed to the gills with gear. The manuals for the Summer Infant 3D Lite and Joovy Groove Ultralight also caution you to make sure that children are at a safe distance when youre folding and unfolding. The strollers recline mechanism consists of a strap with a buckle; you squeeze the buckle to slide the seat down to any position you want, including totally flat. The Joovy manual cautions that when youre using the Groove Ultralight with babies under 3 months old, the stroller must be reclined flat, and the mesh foot pocket needs to go over the babys feet. You need to step on both to engage them and flip up each brake individually to release. The Groove Ultralight has another advantage if you tend to bring a lot of stuff: During our diaper-bag tip test, this Joovy stroller stayed stable both with and without a baby inside (our pick tipped when we tested it with no baby; only a handful of competitors stayed stable without the baby). We also wanted the handles on a good umbrella stroller to be at a comfortable height for most adults sizes, since the height settings on these models are not adjustable (unlike on most full-size strollers). The Velcro-secured back pocket can hold a phone, wallet, and keys. The Joovy Groove Ultralight reclines into multiple positions for comfortable nappingincluding full recline, which our top pick does not offer. Other reviewers, including BabyGearLab, found that this model was difficult to push and turn, and that the recline was too slight. It comes in seven colors, including the cheerily bright hibiscus pink and tangerine, as well as basic black. Now one wheel is stuck in the lock position so it won't maneuver as well on sidewalks. An update to that post says that Summer Infant quickly contacted her and arranged to send her a replacement wheel. Weve covered over 125 miles testing 13 strollers, and weve found that the Baby Jogger City Mini 2 offers the best combination of features and performance. As with other models, the 3D Lites storage basket is difficult to use when the seat is reclined. The 3D Lite is an Amazon best seller, with more than 1,700 positive reviews at this writing. Lucies List named the 3D Lite the best economy umbrella stroller, saying it gives you some excellent bang for your buck.. While full-size strollers can top 30 pounds, umbrella strollers generally weigh about half that, and many weigh even less. However, this model is considerably heavier than our main pick and slightly heavier than our upgrade pick at 16 pounds, and most of the negative Amazon reviews complain about quality and durability issues, so we excluded it from our list of finalists. We dismissed popular strollers such as the Uppababy G-Lite (which BabyGearLab called an uncomfortable, non-adjustable version of the G-Luxe), the Maclaren Volo, and the J is for Jeep Brand North Star because they did not recline at all. If I had it to do all over again, I would buy this stroller for all 3 [kids] for airplane travel and walks around town. She was especially impressed that, on a visit to see her in-laws, the 3D Lite maneuvered through the bombed out, potholed sidewalks of Bosnia with easea test she had performed with no less than 4 different strollers. Another parent writes, The Summer Infant 3Dlite Convenience Stroller saved my sanity after my discount umbrella stroller bit the dust after a few outings. And because the Summer Infant stroller was taller than that discount model, it SAVED my back [and is] much more sturdy, easy to fold up and lift., Consumer Reports (subscription required) named the 3D Lite one of its best buys in the single umbrella stroller category, noting that the model has very good maneuverability and is a good value but that its annoying to have to use two hands to recline the seat. That step narrowed our list down to seven models for testing: We also tried out the very inexpensive Cosco Umbrella Stroller with Canopy, the most popular low-priced umbrella stroller we could find. (Heavier strollers tend to be made of steel.) I can't tell you how many families I have seen limping along on three wheels because a cheap plastic bit fell off." After 66 hours of research, during which we used 48 umbrellas through rain and snow, we found the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella to be the best umbrella for most people. Doing this while balancing a baby on your hip is technically possible but difficultand its impossible to do while youre holding on to a wiggly toddlers hand. It also cautions parents to make sure that their child cannot reach the strollers wheels when riding and that the strollers brakes are easy to operate. Because many parents still want to use an umbrella stroller with a 4- or 5-year-old (especially on the fun but exhausting occasions where an umbrella stroller is most needed), this strollers use is too limited. This limitation makes the 3D Lite a little harder to unfold when youre holding a baby in one arm. The popular Babyzen Yoyo travel stroller is not a traditional umbrella stroller, but it is lightweight and designed to fold into a compact package that fits in an airplanes overhead compartment. My daughter did not get sweaty in the seat, even during our summer camping trip. This model was comfortable to carry over a shoulder, even when we held a baby in the opposite armnot a feature unique to this model, but a nice capability just the same. The fabric needs to air dry completely before you use the stroller. Otherwise it was useless and did not come forward enough to keep the sun out of my sons eyes. Dozens of parents in reviews on multiple sites say theyve had problems with the wheels: They don't roll unless you have them in the exact right position (facing forward), and even then you'll get stuck while pushing your little one, writes a parent who calls the Cosco the worst stroller ever. The Coscos three-point harness, which goes around the babys waist but doesnt have shoulder straps, allowed my daughter to bend down and reach for the wheels as I pushed her. If you live in a city and walk a lot, heres what our parenting editor suggests you buy for your first stroller. As for weight, the 13-pound Summer Infant 3D Lite was about average among the umbrella strollers we tested but more than 2 pounds lighter than the heaviest model, and we found that a 1- or 2-pound difference really did count when carrying a stroller with a strap over the shoulder. Joovy says that its strollers fabric material, frame, and wheels can all tolerate cleaning with mild soap or detergent, warm water, and a sponge or warm cloth. This model also has a more generous sun canopy and more versatile storage than our pick, and it handles just as well thanks to its similar 6-inch wheels. The new Maclaren canopies are terrific, with waterproof material and a zipper to extend them even farther. All the umbrella strollers we looked at have four sets of double wheels, and all have EVA-foam tires, of varying width and thickness. I did real-world testing with each umbrella stroller, using it to run errands in the neighborhood, walk to the library, and schlep kids to and from day camp. You should clean the wheels after every stroll in the rain or snow, the manual advises. A lot of umbrella strollers have the handles further down but these handles are higher so you don't have to bend over. After our side-by-side testing, were convinced that the Summer Infant 3D Lite is a true bargain compared with a dirt-cheap, bare-bones umbrella stroller. In 2009, Maclaren voluntarily recalled 1 million of its umbrella strollers sold in the US after a side hinge amputated 12 kids fingertips. With my 18-pound 9-month-old on board, it did not tip when I hung my 6.9-pound diaper bag from the handles. Many Target reviewers say theyve found this Cosco model uncomfortable to use and lacking in other ways as well. The Summer Infant 3D Lite offers all of the most useful features an umbrella stroller needs to make travel easier, including a quick one-handed (and one-footed) fold, a multiple-position seat recline for naps, a shoulder strap that works well even when youre also carrying a baby, relatively large wheels that can handle rough terrain, and a capacious and accessible storage basketat a price thats a fraction of what many competitors cost. The canopy is also smaller than many others in our test group, and unlike the Maclaren canopies, the 3D Lites is not waterproof. The answer is yes. Summer Infant last updated it in 2015, with an easier fold, a stronger plastic footrest, different harness covers, different carry-strap clips, and a one-piece lock to keep it folded. We found in testing that, just as Traveling Tikes owner Brian Pulice had told us, bigger wheels made a stroller easier to push and control. That said, its easy enough to remove two Velcro straps and open up a space between the seat and the back of the canopy to let air in.

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