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The Best Umbrella Stroller Credit: Getty Images / olga_sweet

The Best Lightweight, Umbrella, and Travel Strollers of 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

The Best Umbrella Stroller Credit: Getty Images / olga_sweet

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Editor's Choice Product image of Joovy Kooper
Best Overall

Joovy Kooper

The Joovy is equal parts luxury and equal parts economical compact. Read More

Pros

  • Light
  • Snack tray included
  • Plenty of storage

Cons

  • No strap
Product image of Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Single

Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Single

This stroller is all-around useful, and a good fit for a family that is regularly on-the-go. Read More

Pros

  • Great recline
  • Car seat compatible

Cons

  • Doesn't include any accessories
Product image of Colugo Compact Stroller

Colugo Compact Stroller

The Colugo is a terrific compact with loads of extras: a carrying strap, travel backpack, rain cover, surprisingly ample storage basket, and one-handed fold. Read More

Pros

  • Comes with strap and bag
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Very difficult to assemble
Product image of Contours Bitsy Elite

Contours Bitsy Elite

One major draw to this stroller is that it is compatible with 35 different types of car seats—without any adapters. Read More

Pros

  • Compatible with 35 different car seats
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • No accessories
Product image of Mountain Buggy Nano

Mountain Buggy Nano

This is a straightforward stroller at an approachable price point. Read More

Pros

  • All adaptors included
  • Comes with carrying strap

Cons

  • Basic stroller

As a mother of two young boys, I appreciate the need for a good compact stroller—especially when I’m on the go. For this piece, I tested 21 lightweight models that were suitable as travel strollers, as everyday all-purpose strollers, or that could be used for trips around town (since no one is traveling that much these days). The goal was to find the best overall compact stroller: one that was lightweight, that had some storage capability, and that still had extras, like substantial canopy cover, decent storage space, and a reasonable recline. The strollers I tested ranged in price between $30 and $500, with the majority falling somewhere around the $200 mark.

The overall winner, the Joovy Kooper (available at Amazon) , is a modest stroller that falls in line with the criteria I was looking for: It’s reasonably light, packs up to nearly nothing when folded, has good storage capacity, is car seat-compatible with 35 models of car seats, comes with some functional extras, and folds with one hand. A great travel stroller, many parents will find that the Kooper is actually a perfect stand-in for an everyday stroller, too. For a more affordable option, we also liked the Graco Nimblelite. It provides more features than some of the more expensive lightweight strollers we tested, and strolls easily.

Editor's Note:
The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.
Joovy Kooper
Credit: Joovy

The Joovy Kooper took the top spot in our testing.

Best Overall
Joovy Kooper

The Joovy is equal parts luxury and economical compact. Some of the extras, like the snack tray, aren’t necessary—but you will be thankful that they are included anyway. Tiny when folded, you can store this stroller just about anywhere in your home (or car) without thinking twice. It can accommodate a car seat, has added storage in the back in the form of a zippered pouch for wallets and keys, and has a reclining seat for kids in need of a nap. It checks all of the boxes, and then some, making it a great choice for almost everyone. The Kooper falls square in the middle of the compact stroller price point, making it a good investment.

Pros

  • Light

  • Snack tray included

  • Plenty of storage

Cons

  • No strap

Product image of Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Single
Baby Jogger City Tour 2 Single

A traveler’s stroller in every sense of the word, the Baby Jogger CityTour2 can convert from newborn to infant to toddler with just a few simple steps. Many of the accessories—like the belly bar, car seat adapter, and rain shield—are extra, so you can customize this stroller to fit your own needs. Baby Jogger strollers always set themselves apart with their one-handed fold, and the CityTour2 is no exception. This stroller is all-around useful, and a good fit for a family that is regularly on-the-go.

Pros

  • Great recline

  • Car seat compatible

Cons

  • Doesn't include any accessories

Product image of Colugo Compact Stroller
Colugo Compact Stroller

This stroller probably would have edged into the top three, were it not for some issues with assembly; the stroller arrives only partially assembled, with parents left to put the upholstery on for themselves. Apart from that snafu, though, the Colugo is a terrific compact with loads of extras: a carrying strap, travel backpack, raincover, surprisingly ample storage basket, and one-handed fold. At almost $300, however, it falls into a higher price point of the strollers I tested, and I didn't necessarily feel that it was worth the extra money.

Pros

  • Comes with strap and bag

  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Very difficult to assemble

Product image of Contours Bitsy Elite
Contours Bitsy Elite

One major draw to this stroller is that it is compatible with 35 different types of car seats—without any adapters. There are no real bells and whistles here. It is mostly just the stroller you’re getting: a true compact, with a one-handed fold. But this is a good value for the price point, at just under $200, and a convenient stroller that isn’t a hassle to use.

Pros

  • Compatible with 35 different car seats

  • Lightweight

Cons

  • No accessories

Product image of Mountain Buggy Nano
Mountain Buggy Nano

This 13-pound stroller comes with its own carrying strap and can be combined with a newborn bassinet or car seat. It comes with a custom satchel for traveling convenience. And adapters are all included, which is one fewer thing you will ultimately have to buy. This is a straightforward stroller at an approachable price point.

Pros

  • All adaptors included

  • Comes with carrying strap

Cons

  • Basic stroller

Product image of Babyzen Yoyo2
Babyzen Yoyo2

With sleek design, decent storage, and good safety features, the BabyZen YoYo is a good pick for parents looking for an entire safety system. It is also on the upper end of the compact budget, and weighs in at over 16 pounds, which is among the heaviest of the compact strollers. It does come with a carrying strap and bag, and arrives mostly assembled, but in this category, there are a lot of other strollers that over perform for less money.

Pros

  • Strap

  • Carrying case

  • Tiny fold

Cons

  • Heavy

  • Expensive

Product image of Jeep Destination Side x Side Double Ultralight by Delta Children
Jeep Destination Side x Side Double Ultralight by Delta Children

In the double stroller category, this side-by-side stroller was the winner, due, in no small part, to a host of fun extras and a reasonable price point. This stroller comes with a carrying strap, foot rests, reclining seats, dual swivel bars, full-coverage sun visors, five-point safety harnesses, and ample storage space for all your needs. Footrests are adjustable to help facilitate napping on the go, and good-sized tires make it easy to ride on most surfaces. But, like most side-by-side double strollers, it’s bulky, and much heavier than the other compacts I tested.

Pros

  • Comes with shoulder strap

  • Ample storage

  • Great sun protection

Cons

  • Cannot be used with infant car seat

Product image of Summer Infant 3D lite Convenience Stroller
Summer Infant 3D lite Convenience Stroller

An affordable stick-style “umbrella” stroller, the Summer 3D Lite had pretty much everything I needed in a basic stroller, and then some: It came with cup holders, an extra storage pouch in the back, and a decent recline. While this was one our favorite lightweight strollers in our initial round of testing, we found that it didn't stack up against some of the newer models. Like all stick strollers, this is a harder stroller to store, but the tradeoff is definitely the price : just $60. This 13-pound stroller is inexpensive and easy to deal with—if you have the space for it.

Pros

  • Comes with a cup holder

  • Good recline

Cons

  • Hard to store

  • Heavy

Product image of Uppababy Minu
Uppababy Minu

One major selling point of the entire UppaBaby line is storage space, and the Minu—the brand’s compact stroller—is no exception. Of the single strollers I tested, this one has the most storage space, hands down. It also has some other nice perks, like a carrying strap, full-coverage canopy, and car seat compatibility. But of all the strollers in the true compact category, the Minu was difficult to assemble, heavy, and hard to collapse, earning it a place farther down on this list. It’s also in the luxury price point. , at nearly $400.

Pros

  • Lots of storage space

Cons

  • Hard to assemble

  • Heavy

  • Bulky

What You Should Know About Lightweight Strollers

You May Still Want a Second Stroller

Umbrella models are great for travel or in a pinch, but they don't make great primary strollers for most people. The biggest reason is they typically do not accept infant car seats the way a standard stroller will, which means they aren't useful until your baby is closer to 6 or 7 months and can sit on their own safely.

You can get around this by getting one of the few umbrella models that do accept infant car seats (and buying a compatible one), or picking up something like the Baby Trend Snap N Go which is a "caddy" that basically turns a compatible infant car seat into a stroller. Once your baby grows out of the infant car seat and can sit up safely, just use the lightweight model as normal.

Umbrella Models Often Lack Storage

Though our top pick offers a decent amount of storage, umbrella models often have little or no storage at all. We note this for all models where it's relevant in this guide, but if you get one without enough storage you're going to have to game plan what you do and don't bring with you.

Umbrella Strollers Fold Up More Compactly

Our top pick for this guide is not exactly an umbrella model, because it collapses into a square, rather than long and skinny (like an umbrella). In reality, there's very little difference between the two. The Joovy Kooper is just as light as most umbrella models, it has more storage, it's more maneuverable, it's much easier to fold, and it travels exceptionally well.

There Are Different Types of Strollers

Here's a basic primer on the differences between types of strollers:

  • Standard stroller: This covers most strollers, and our top picks are found in our guide to the Best Strollers overall. They are average in size, typically weigh 20 lbs or more, and hold one child from about 6 months until he or she is about 50 lbs.
  • Double stroller: Double strollers, like the name suggests, hold two kids at once. Some models convert from a single to a double with the addition of a second seat and an adapter. Some doubles have seats side-by-side, while others have seats that are aligned vertically, all of which we tested to find the Best Double Strollers. Side-by-side models are less maneuverable in tight spaces but it's easier to get kids in and out, and you have more storage space typically.
  • Jogging stroller: These models typically have large wheels, often filled with air (like bike tires) and locking front wheels. They're designed for safely running with a child (or two children) in a seat. Locking the front wheel is essential because it helps prevent tip-overs if the front wheel were to hit a snag while you're running at full speed. Though Baby Jogger makes a jogging stroller (the Summit X3), it's worth noting most Baby Jogger strollers are not designed for jogging.
  • Lightweight/Umbrella stroller: Though new designs mean that many standard strollers are only barely heavier than these models, umbrella strollers typically weigh 15 pounds or less and fold up compactly into a long, narrow shape (like an umbrella). These models are great for travel, or if you have an older child who doesn't need a stroller all the time. All the models in this guide are umbrella/lightweight strollers.

How We Tested

Hi, I’m Hannah Selinger. I’m a freelance writer and I live in East Hampton with my family—which includes two children under 4. My reviews include my own life with two young children, and are informed by my own experiences with single and double strollers. I can’t tell you whether or not there is a perfect stroller on the market (and a lot of friends have asked me this question, as I have embarked on this quest for perfection), but I can tell you that the best baby item I can recommend to a first-time parent is definitely a cordless vacuum cleaner.

I have owned five or six strollers since having children, from joggers to ultra compacts to stick strollers to side-by-side doubles to convertible singles with rumble seats. I know the mistakes I’ve made and the things I would do differently, all of which is now in my bank of information, which I can draw from anytime a parent asks me what they should do. The first thing I did in this testing procedure was make a list of the strollers I was interested in sampling, based on my own experience with strollers, as well as the strollers we initially tested in our previous round of testing in 2018. Then, I had strollers sent, en masse, to my house.

And I mean truly mean en masse. At one point, 21 strollers languished in the basement—and those were just the ones sent by distributors. Never mind the ones I already owned. I opened each box, assembled the strollers, strapped each kid in, rode them around the living room, took pictures, took them on rides around the neighborhood, and then entered data into the testing scoresheet. Finally, I took them down to my basement, while my husband seethed and asked me when—if ever—I would be done with Project Strollergate. (For the last part of the procedural test I attempted to put them on a high basement shelf.) My final assessment was based on assembly, weight, size, how easily the stroller folded, maneuverability, and a few other statistical factors.

Meet the tester

Hannah Selinger

Hannah Selinger

Contributor

@druishamericanprincess

Hannah Selinger writes about parenting, politics, food, wine, travel, real estate, and more. A graduate of Columbia University, Emerson College’s Master of Fine Arts program, and the French Culinary Institute, Hannah now lives in East Hampton, New York with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and two tortoises. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Cut, Slate, Eater, CNN Travel, Wine Enthusiast, and more.

See all of Hannah Selinger's reviews

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