3 Wheel Compact Stroller Review
There are three-wheel strollers that fit anyone, whether you're looking for a jogging stroller or an all-purpose stroller to use every day. The Managing Editor Sentry and Senior Review Writer Wendy Schmitz put these models through their paces on pavement and off-road surfaces, as well test the comfort of children in the seats.
three wheeler pushchair Push Chairs And Prams Features
The most effective strollers have features that allow you to travel with your child a lot easier. If you're looking for a new 3-wheel stroller or a 4-wheel stroller look for features that make life easier, such as a large storage basket, parent tray with cup holders, an adjustable canopy and much more. It's crucial to decide the features that are important to you and your family members and which you can do without.
BOB Gear Wayfinder is our top-rated stroller for running. It comes with a variety of practical features that keep parents content and comfortable. The handlebar can be adjusted to three different heights to accommodate caregivers. A wrist strap keeps the stroller from slipping away while you jog. The Wayfinder comes with the largest sunshade of the strollers we tested and a glass opening at the top that allows children to look out when they are resting. Jenni's 3-year-old daughter found the seat to be comfortable padded, so bumps in the road won't cause him to shake.
This jogging stoller comes with a handbrake to help you keep control on slippery surfaces. It folds down to a slim, compact package that takes up very little space in the trunk of your vehicle, and it can be converted into a travel system with certain infant car seats from brands including Nuna, Maxi-Cosi, and Cybex using the purchase of an adapter. It also works with the Uppababy Mesa V2 Bassinet.
If you're planning to tackle rough terrains, solid tires are a must for strollers of any kind. While they don't provide the same degree of comfort as foam-filled or air-filled tires, they're ideal for navigating potholes and bumps with ease.
The stroller folds down in just two steps. It locks when folded, and is compact enough to fit into most elevators. However it's not as simple to move around as our other 4-wheel strollers and the lock mechanism is a bit confusing. It requires pressing a button near the foot area on the front of the stroller, and then lifting the handle. We'd rather have a simpler system that just clicks in place or opens by pulling.
Stroller Weight
The weight of the overall stroller is a crucial factor to take into account. A heavier stroller tends to be more stable than a lighter one and may offer superior performance in rough terrain. However, a lot of parents find that a lighter stroller is more maneuverable and more suitable for everyday use.
Another important aspect of a stroller is its wheel size and the type. Some strollers have larger wheels, such as those for jogging, which makes the ride easier for your baby. The larger wheels can add weight to the stroller and make it more difficult to fold and transport, as well as store.
Certain models in our collection come with air-filled tires, which are designed to provide a comfortable and stable ride for your child, even over rough terrain. However, tires that are filled with air can quickly become flat and need to be changed out. If you are planning to travel a lot with your stroller, we recommend the use of tires that can stand up to frequent contact with different surfaces and last longer.
Strollers with swivel wheel on the front are ideal for safely navigating escalators as well as stairs. Falls on stairs or escalators are the most common accidents involving strollers, and can be especially dangerous for infants. If you are unable to avoid taking the stairs or escalator while using your stroller, we recommend using it only if the child is safely strapped into the seat. Keep them close to you while walking up or down.
Some strollers come as a travel system which includes both the car seat as well as the stroller. While these products often boast attractive price tags and offer convenience by the time spent shopping, they are generally more expensive than their stand-alone counterparts and may not function as well in the long term. Many parents are disappointed when they purchase a bundle product because it may not have all the features they desire or may not be compatible with their car or child seat. We suggest that you purchase a stroller that is purchased separately from a capsule or car seat if you want to upgrade to a more sophisticated model in the future.
Stroller Folding
The best 3 wheel compact strollers fold quickly and easily to make storage and transportation effortless. Some locks automatically lock into place when you open them. This feature is particularly useful for families who frequently take public transport or drive to go on a walk.
Three-wheel strollers are designed to maneuver around tight spaces like aisles of grocery stores and other crowded areas with ease. Many also come equipped with suspension systems that offer a more comfortable ride for your little one, which can be especially helpful on bumpy sidewalks.
The Guava Roam is a compact stroller that can be used for jogging. It's an elegant stroller that can be used as part of a travel system with car seat adapters to fit Nuna, MaxiCosi, Cybex, and Nuna infant carseats, and the Uppababy Bassinet. (Car seats and stroller boards are sold separately). The stroller folds in two steps and locks into place once opened.
The Babyzen Yoyo 2 is another nice-looking 3-wheeled jogging stroller. It's a bit more expensive than some of our top picks, however it's worth the cost for those who love to travel or live in a city. This lightweight stroller can be folded down to a tiny 20 17x7 inches size. It has five-point, non-rethread, cushioned harness. It can be used as a stroller suitable for infants and young toddlers with an infant car seat adapter.
Although the Babyzen offers some great features, like the spacious recline and the extra storage, some parents are dissatisfied with its performance. The seat doesn't lie flat when it's reclining, and there's no cups or a tray for snacks for kids. The brakes are also difficult to engage, and the handlebar height is too high for a lot of mothers who are short.
The Graco Fastaction is another stroller that's designed to be as light as it can without skimping on the comfort or convenience. It comes with a long list of features that are impressive, such as a large basket and a one-handed fold. The only issue is that the brakes may be difficult to engage and don't remain locked when the stroller is folded.
Stroller Safety
A stroller's safety features should aid in keeping your child safe during use. Some of the top-scoring strollers we've reviewed come with a five-point safety harness that has adjustable and padded crotch straps. This allows for a custom fit. Others come with a cushioned seat cushion to safeguard your child's head should they fall out of the seat or roll off. Some strollers have safety brakes that lock two wheels, which is especially important for strollers that jog as it stops them from flipping over when they're going up and down stairs or escalators, which can be particularly dangerous for children.
In our tests, we evaluated the maneuverability of strollers in three different ways: the product's ability to turn and bounce over dips and bumps, its maneuverability when loaded with children and its capability to travel over rough surfaces. We also evaluated the ease of being able to open and close the safety harness, fold and unfold the stroller, adjust the backrest and handlebar height and brakes and then attach and remove car seats (if necessary).
We have found that 3-wheel strollers are simpler to maneuver than the 4-wheel models, but this advantage diminishes as your baby grows heavier. We recommend choosing one with a hand brake. It will help you slow down or stop without putting in the same amount of effort as your body alone. However, many of the best-scoring swivel wheel strollers don't come with this feature, and only one of our top-rated fixed-wheel models does.
It is important to think about how often you'll need to use your stroller for going up and down escalators or stairs and if it's safe to do so. Stairs and escalators pose greater risk because they move mechanical components that make it difficult to control the movements of the stroller. We recommend looking for alternatives to these obstacles, like an elevator, if possible or have a person else carry the stroller up or down with you. Some of the best-scoring strollers can be pushed up the stairs or an escalator with their security brake locked and engaged however it's better to be safer than to be sorry.