TOP 10 best ultra-compact strollers and buggies to travel with in the summer of 2020
Summer and summer vacations are here, making me react to the numerous questions I got about which travel stroller to get, which is the best... and there are so many of them! I'd say tens to hundreds - not available everywhere, for everyone... It is hard to orientate in such a wide choice of similarly-looking buggies. But it is often so - a lot of possibilities is a luxury that can get us confused. So here it is, the top ultra-compacts of summer 2020 😊 Enjoy your holidays! And stay safe, healthy, and comfortable.
1 A comfy ride on larger wheels: The Cybex Eezy S+2
Weight: 7.6 kg ~ 16.75 lbs
Price: around 300€ / £300 (~$400)
Weight limit: 17/22 kg
The The Cybex Eezy S+2 stroller, new for 2020, I decided to mention first - because it's just so comfortable! The first generation was good already, and to add to a general pimp-up, they added beautifully-looking melange colorways, more space for the child... and the comfort of the ride with those larger wheels with suspension is absolutely unique for the category of ultra-compact travel strollers. A large canopy (no peek-a-boo window, however), a full travel system option (great for on-the-go parents with a small baby), and the suspension system that's really there - and, here you go, one incredibly good holiday stroller.
Just one thing to complain about. Some airlines may not take it on board - the wheels make it slightly larger when folded, compared to its competition. But no worries, really - they will take it from you when boarding the plane and return it when getting out.
2 Luxury and high-quality: The Joolz Aer
Weight: 6.1 kg ~ 13.44 lbs
Price: around 400€ / £390 / $399 (plus the leg rest, the bumper bar... etc.)
Weight capacity: 18 kg ~ 40 lbs
If you don't need a full lay-flat (meaning your toddler doesn't really sleep in your stroller anyway), and your budget is not constricted, the Joolz Aer is a very promising choice of a high-quality ride as well as materials and fabrics used. Apart from the higher price, the restricted backrest recline, the not-so-long canopy that could use a sun visor, and the accessories that you need to purchase separately are the biggest downsides. And yes, you have to pay even for the leg rest and a bumper bar extra. The only included accessory is the protective travel bag. Not really caring about the price, it's a superb-quality stroller to have with you on your trips. And it will fit into the overhead compartment.
3 A fashionista with many extra features: The Elodie Details Mondo
Weight: 6.85 kg ~ 15.1 lbs
Price: around 400€ / £370 (~$450)
Weight limit: 22 kg
The Elodie Mondo is an ultra-compact that, simply said, looks gorgeous. It looks SOOO good - but of course, you'll pay extra for that. Not only for that, though - the extra-large canopy is a feature to pay more for, too, and that closable backpack you can fit into the basket, and the possibility to match so many accessories (like a child's cap!) to your buggy... and the metallic frames in certain colors... and, and... 😀 The first batch was taken back for some reason, but the Mondo is back, and it looks great! And it's compact enough to fit the carry-on luggage requirements as well. Add a full recline, a one-hand fold, and a super-stylish pocket in the rear part of the canopy to it - and you have a holiday stroller that no fashionista mum can not notice. A fashion must-have for this summer for sure 😉
4 Price-performance ratio: The CBX Etu Plus
Weight: 7.6 kg ~ 16.75 lbs
Price: around 170€ / £150-190 (~$185)
Weight limit: 17 kg ~ 37.5 lbs
We're moving to the category of 'budget' strollers. For me, from those affordable ones, is the CBX Etu Plus (and it's a simpler version, the Etu with smaller wheels), a very pleasant option for those needing something cheaper. Apart from the clean design, I appreciate the Etu Plus' tall backrest, larger wheels (similar to those of the Eezy S+2 mentioned earlier), the larger canopy, and the compatibility with a car seat. Most airlines should be ok with taking it on board as a carry-on, and the basket is also acceptable. A disadvantage could be the angles sitting position - but this is a thing with pretty much any ultra-compact travel buggy.
5 Comfort for the baby comes first: The Ergobaby Metro
Weight: 6.3 kg ~ 13.9 lbs
Price: around 300€ / £160-300 (~$300)
Weight limit: 18 kg ~ 40 lbs
The Ergobaby Metro stroller has its place here because of the soft, padded, and highly comfortable seat that's suitable (and convenient) even for small babies. To that, it combines an easy push on those wider wheels, a tall-ish handlebar, and a large, even though a little weird-looking canopy made out of a thinner form of neoprene fabric. Overall, it's a comfy ride for the traveling-loving moms needing something small but functional, good for subways, for example (thus the name 😉 ). It will be ok as on-board luggage with most airlines as well, and even a newborn kit to use from birth in the parent-facing position is available, too.
6 A handsome, worldwide favorite with the most compact carrycot: The GB Qbit+ All-City
Weight: 7.5 kg ~ 16.5 lbs
Price: around 250€ / £210-270 (~$280)
Weight limit: 17 kg ~ 37.5 lbs
I LOVE the GB Qbit+ All-City's specific design, the sleek&agile single wheels, the accessible basket, and, of course, those unique colors and styles. And I am not alone, it seems - because the Qbit line from the GB brand is popular with the travel-enthusiastic mommies worldwide. To this airplane-suitable travel buggy, you can even attach a car seat with adapters and also the smallest-folding full-featured carrycot, the Cot To Go. All in all, a very practical stroller system usable right from birth. And it's not even expensive.
7 The flashy, self-folding new player: The Chicco Goody
Weight: 7.5 kg ~ 15.2 lbs
Price: around 250€ / £190-259 (~$430)
Weight limit: 22 kg ~ 48.5 lbs
The Chicco Goody made quite a few waves in the mothers' circle. It is most probably because it combines a relatively alright price with those stylish, see-through wheels, and, of course, because of its 'magic' fold that is happening without any real effort on your part. I must say, I consider the Chicco brand mostly for a lower, budger way of choosing a stroller (system), and here, I mind a bit that sort backrest... but overall, it feels like the Goody is relatively well-made and 'good-enough', mainly for those moms with their hands full which will benefit from the self-folding feature the most. The good-looking design, the higher weight capacity, and the carry-on folded size are a bonus to that.
8 A reliable performance: The Easywalker Buggy XS
Weight: 6 kg ~ 13.22 lbs
Price: around 220-250€ / £240 (~$280)
Weight limit: 20 kg ~ 44 lbs
The Dutch Easywalker brand makes all their strollers streamlined and good-looking, a little design-specific, but spacious for the child and practical to use. The Easywalker XS Buggy is no exception to that - a lightweight, spacious-enough travel stroller offering a comfy push, a full recline, and a higher-positioned forward-facing seat. It's really a well-made buggy, to be honest. And available in not only the basic line but also the special fashion editions, such as Disney's Mickey Mouse collection or the Mini edition inspired by the Mini Coopper car (this may make your man happy 😉 ). The Buggy XS is, therefore, pleasant to the mother's fashion-conscious eye as well as to that playful spirit of the little one using it.
I feel that in this part, one honorable mention has its place as well - the Baby Jogger City Tour 2. The Baby Jogger brand is a high-quality and practicality-focused brand, and the 'reliable performance' category deserves at least a mention of a travel buggy from this good American brand.
9 Small, nice, pretty - and not many moms own it: The ABC Design Ping
Weight: 7 kg ~ 15.4 lbs
Price: around 280€ / £280 (~$340)
Weight limit: 15 kg ~ 33 lbs
Like the others, but different; beautiful; quite basic but truly elaborate... it's quite hard to define the [abc-design-ping|ABC Design Ping]]. I can say with certainty, though, that it features a nice weight, a good folded size (fitting most airlines' overhead compartments), a super-duper canopy (even when in the fully reclined position), and it's quite versatile to use. The higher-positioned handlebar (dads will be happy about this), the eco-leather detailing with special stitching, and the quality materials are a few other advantages of this holiday model. AND! It is available in the patterned or pastel-colored fashion editions as well as in the luxury Diamond edition with metallic (e.g., gold) chassis. The Europe-regulated weight capacity statement may seem low, but I'm pretty sure it will hold more than that 😉
10 THE ORIGINAL - a classic that will last (and you'll even sell it after using): The Babyzen Yoyo 2
Weight: 6,2kg ~ 13.7 lbs
Price: around 420€ / £340-380 / $500-600 (without accessories)
Weight limit: 22 kg ~ 48.5 lbs
There's no way of not mentioning a model that started the whole boom of ultra compacts and vacation buggies - the Babyzen Yoyo. It's a fact that they will really take it on-board with any given airline (and they'll know it from far away, even). Also, it's really really sturdy for the type, mainly in terms of the folding (which is, unfortunately, still needing both of your hands). It, however, won't fall apart easily - and even those small wheels can take some 'beating'. The short canopy, the short backrest, the two-hand fold, and the sold-separately leg rest are clear downsides - but you'll get an ultra-compact stroller that boasts longevity of use that proved itself over time, which you know won't just fall to pieces somewhere on your holiday trip.
Oh, I forgot to mention - the Babyzen Yoyo (2) is also one of the most expensive representatives of its category. You will be paying for its features, but also for the brand, the style... and the price grows with every accessory you'll get with it. And with most probability, you'll want some of them - like the rearward-facing newborn kit with full recline, that's expensive by itself (more pricey than some strollers mentioned here, even)... or the sibling board that I don't recommend - you don't want to weaken your chassis, and a skate for a sibling does damage to even bigger strollers than this... A 'complete' stroller set with the newborn kit and car seat + adapters (yes, even that is possible with the Yoyo) will cost you as much as a full-size stroller system (!). But you will sell it rather easily even after you used it as much as you could 😉
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I hope this article was at least of some help to you. There are many, many good travel buggies out there, even such I didn't mention. It's not possible to mention all of them in one article - nobody would ever finish it 😀 So if you didn't bump into what you were looking for, don't get all worried and confused. Ask mom and friends around you, ask the sellers in the shop, and don't hesitate to ask me in Strollberry's Ask our Expert section. We'll certainly find something for you 😉 There's so much on the market.
See you in the next Strollberry article,
Eli