The Best Umbrella Strollers are Lightweight and Built For Summer Vacations

Time and time again, parents in our What to Expect community recommend the Summer Infant 3Dlite as the best umbrella stroller on the market. One reason for its popularity is certainly the price — at $100, it’s one of the most affordable small strollers on the market — but it also doesn’t skimp on features or quality.

Many umbrella strollers don’t have under-carriage storage, but the Summer Infant 3Dlite’s basket is surprisingly large, roomy enough to fit a change of clothes, snacks and baby’s favorite lovey. It weighs a mere 13 pounds, so it's easy to take with you on the go, and the seat weight limit is 50 pounds (although the storage basket can only hold 10). With a height of 43 inches, this is also one of the taller umbrella strollers on the market and a great choice for taller caregivers.

Though many umbrella strollers don’t recline at all, the Summer Infant 3Dlite has four different reclining positions. (Just remember that strollers shouldn’t be used for routine sleep, so always keep a close eye on your baby while she snoozes.)

Despite its affordable price point and compact size, you’ll still get many of the features you’d expect in a full-size model: There’s a cup holder, anti-shock front wheels and a frame that feels solid and sturdy on different types of terrain.

It’s worth noting that the brakes are separate — there are two on the front wheels and two on the back, which can be a little less efficient than a brake that locks both back wheels with the same motion. But parents say the brakes are easy to operate, which is the most important safety consideration, and the fact that all four wheels can lock is a bonus.

If you're planning on purchasing an umbrella stroller as a backup or travel-only option, you probably won't want to spend tons of money. But for city parents or families who are often on the go, the Babyzen Yoyo+ is worth the money.

The Yoyo+ ideal for travel: You can fold and unfold its extremely compact design with just one hand, and it fits in the overhead luggage bin on a plane. And unlike a lot of umbrella strollers,  it can be configured for newborns if you purchase the separate bassinet attachment. It’s also compatible with a number of infant car seats if you purchase the adapters, which means you could potentially use this stroller from day one. Its upper weight limit is 40 pounds, which isn’t the highest on this list, but most kids can use it until age 3 or 4.

I used the Yoyo+ as my primary stroller with my first baby and it’s held up extremely well over the past four-plus years. I lived in Brooklyn, New York when I bought it, and its lightweight (13 pounds), compact fold and narrow build really appealed to me. And while this stroller doesn’t have the sturdy-feeling of a full-size stroller — the wheels aren’t great on cobblestone streets, for example — it made up for it in nimbleness. 

We invested in the newborn bassinet and car seat adapters, which I used with my Nuna Pipa car seat. As a result, we were able to use the Yoyo+ when my son was a newborn until, well, now — my 4-year-old still likes riding in it occasionally, and we use it with my younger son as a travel stroller and for running errands.

Aside from cost, this is the Yoyo+’s biggest con: All parts, from the frame to the fabric seat to the bassinet are sold separately, and the retailer does not make it easy to figure out which are essential. Here’s what you’ll need to buy to use this stroller in different configurations:

• YoYo² Bundle ($450): Includes the stroller frame and color pack, which includes the seat cushion and matching canopy
• Newborn Pack ($180): This includes the newborn bassinet and attaches to the stroller frame
• Car Seat Adapters($55): You can use these to connect your Cybex Aton Q or Aton 2, Nuna Pipa or Pipa Lite, Clek Liing or Maxi Cosi Mico Max Plus infant car seat to the Yoyo+.
• Yoyo Connect Frame ($379): This lets you turn your existing Yoyo+ into a double stroller.

Some additional accessories you may want to consider include: Travel backpack ($75), parasol ($50), rain cover ($30), riderboard ($125), stroller leg rest ($40), footmuff($125), handlebar ($50), cupholder ($30)

With their lighter frame and streamlined design, not many umbrella strollers can be used as a travel system, which means clipping a compatible infant car seat onto the stroller frame. But the Uppababy Minu V2 can be used with Uppababy Mesa, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna and Cybex infant car seats, so long as you purchase the adapters.

Uppababy is known for high-quality strollers, and this one is no exception. The shock-absorbing wheels are especially solid, and the Minu V2 can handle rougher terrain better than many other umbrella strollers.

At nearly 17 pounds, the Uppababy Minu V2 isn’t the lightest umbrella stroller on this list, nor is it the most compact when folded. But many What to Expect parents love that it’s an easy-fold umbrella stroller that is lighter and more travel-friendly while still retaining many of the full-size features like a UPF 50+ canopy, roomy under-carriage basket, multiple seat positions and stylish leather handlebar. 

The 23-pound Bugaboo Bee6 is a good choice for parents who want the convenience of an umbrella stroller without having to give up the added features of a full-size stroller. For one, the Bee6 lets baby ride facing away from or towards you, a rare feature to find in an umbrella stroller. With a reclining seat and adjustable-height handlebar with faux leather grips, this ride is as comfy for your baby as it is for you.

What to Expect parents appreciate the roomy underseat storage and the fact that it folds down easily. The weight limit is 50 pounds facing out, and 33 pounds facing the parent.

As with the Yoyo+ and Minu V2, the Bee6 is one of the few umbrella strollers that work with many different brands of car seats (the adapter is sold separately) as well as the Bugaboo bassinet (also sold separately), so you don’t have to wait until the 6-month mark to start using it.

Bugaboo strollers are expensive, but many parents say that they last forever and are highly durable, so you can pass them down to siblings.

Just how small is this umbrella stroller? Weighing 10 pounds, it was named the “most compact stroller” in 2014 by the Guiness Book of World Records. When folded, the GB Pockit All-Terrain is about the size of a bread box, and can fit in a large tote within the overhead bin of an airplane, making this the stroller of choice for many globetrotters.

The GB Pockit has an aluminum frame and weighs just over 10 pounds. With front swivel all-terrain wheels, it’s easy to maneuver, even one-handed down a crowded city street — plus, there’s under-seat storage for all your purchases. And despite its compact size, it also manages to have the highest weight limit on this list, 55 pounds, so you'll be able to use it for several years.

Although What to Expect parents love how compact and lightweight the GB Pockit is, they do say that if you’re used to a sturdy full-size stroller, it will feel flimsy. The canopy, which is very small and offers almost no shade, is an unpopular feature, and the under-carriage basket is tiny even compared to many other umbrella strollers on this list.

Just because you’re pushing two doesn’t mean you can’t get a lightweight stroller. The Zoe double umbrella stroller weighs 19 pounds and has a 29-inch width, so it’s relatively easy to squeeze through most doorways. Note that the combined weight limit is 90 pounds, so you should be able to use it for a while. 

Also good: The seats recline to 165 degrees and the stroller comes with a bag, so you can leave your purse at home. Your purchase even includes a number of accessories that are sold separately with other umbrella strollers, such as a parent cup holder, two child cup holders, snack cup and a double belly bar.

Not sure if this is the best twin umbrella stroller for you? Zoe offers a 365-day return policy. And if you think you might have more children in the future, you’ll also appreciate that the Twin+ can be converted to a triple or even a quad with the addition of extra seats.

This affordable umbrella stroller is beloved by families for its simple closing mechanism and compact size — just 18 inches wide when folded, and it stands on its own. The lightweight frame weighs just under 12 pounds, so it's easy to lug up a flight of stairs if you have to.

With bouncy front suspension and swivel wheels, it’s easy to maneuver, even one-handed down a crowded city street — plus, there’s under-seat storage for all your purchases, and the basket is deeper than many others on the market. Disney fans will be pleased to learn it also meets the park's stroller size requirements. 

Overall, this is more of a basic stroller. Parents say the wheels aren’t the greatest, especially on bumpy terrain. But kids and parents appreciate the little extras, like the extendable sun canopy and three cupholders (two for the adults, and one for the kiddo on the removable snack tray) and peekaboo mesh window on the canopy.

The Ergobaby Metro+ is a popular pick among parents in the What to Expect community. In fact, many reviewers say they originally bought this stroller intending for it to be an occasional travel model but now use it as their primary stroller.

At $299, this is one of the more affordable strollers on this list, but its features rival those of the pricier brands: There’s multi-position recline, a spacious under-carriage basket, a UPF 50+ sun canopy and a compact fold (it fits in most airplane overhead storage bins). Taller caregivers will especially appreciate that the Ergobaby Metro+ is one of the few umbrella strollers on the market with telescoping handlebars, a nice feature that helps prevent stress on your back.

There are travel options for newborns, too. You can fully recline it in newborn “nest” mode, and it’s compatible with select Cybex, Nuna and Maxi Cosi infant car seats with adapters (sold separately).You can also purchase a number of optional accessories to give your baby a more comfortable ride, including a belly bar and footmuff.