We pulled together 14 of the year's most popular lightweight strollers and ultralightweight umbrella strollers and put them to the test. We took them on walks, brief runs, loaded them up with babies and supplies, folded and unfolded them, and tested out all the features. In the end, there were about 10 lightweight strollers that emerged on top. They were the safest, most comfortable, easiest to use, lightest, and had some pretty great features - they are the ultimate convenience strollers! Our top 5 umbrella strollers are listed below, followed by in-depth reviews of several different models.
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- Table of Contents [show/hide]
- Top 5 Lightweight Strollers Comparison Table
- 1. Best Lightweight Stroller Overall: ZOE XL1
- 2. Summer Infant 3d Lite
- 3. GB Pockit Stroller
- 4. Peg Perego Pliko Mini
- 5. Baby Trend Rocket
- 6. Joovy New Groove
- 7. Mountain Buggy Nano
- 8. Kolcraft Cloud Stroller
- 9. Biba M Single Stroller
- Things to Consider
- Easy Folding
- Safety & Reliability
- Comfort & Weight
#1. ZOE XL1 Deluxe Xtra Light
#2. Summer Infant 3dLite
#3. GB Pockit Stroller
#4. Peg Perego Pliko Mini
#5. Baby Trend Rocket
Note that we have several other stroller reviews, including best luxury strollers, best double strollers, best jogging strollers, and best overall strollers. So be sure to check those out as well. To read more about how we arrived at this list of best lightweight strollers, see the bottom of this page. Now that we've gotten all that out of the way, let's get into our hands-on reviews!
Here are the Best Lightweight Strollers of 2020!
1. ZOE XL1 Deluxe Xtra Light Stroller System.
This is the best lightweight we found, and all of our testers were thrilled with it! It's not exactly an umbrella stroller (see #2 for that), but it's super lightweight and portable. And features abound: there is a great snack holder and cup holder for baby, a detachable cup holder and storage pouch for the parents, front wheel suspension, a HUGE canopy (the biggest we tested), reclining seat, a peek-a-boo window to check on your baby (sleeping yet!?), detachable padded front belly bar, rear wheel brakes, and a decently large storage basket on the bottom. Now, we want to be clear that this stroller doesn't fold like a typical umbrella stroller, instead it folds into a much shorter bit wider rectangle about the size of a small suitcase. It's about 26" high, 15" wide, by 7" thick, which is perfect for the overhead bin on an airplane. The wheels can be popped off to make it a couple inches shorter if needed. We suggest using this stroller from about 6 months of age, up until about 45-50 pounds maximum. Somehow they got all these great features into a super solid and sturdy stroller that weighs less than 10 pounds! On our scale, it was 9.8 pounds, which is really unbelievable for this type of quality stroller. They accomplish this by using a sleek aluminum frame with plastic additions (like the cup holders and belly bar), which is all lightweight. Surprisingly comfortable, this super lightweight stroller with an awesome feature set can be purchased for around $150. In our testing, we found it to be super easy to fold and unfold, have a smooth ride that is easy to maneuver, was more stable and sturdy than most other options, and our test kiddos really seemed comfortable and happy. Cons? Well, we thought a carry strap would have been nice, but do note that they make a backpack that it slides into pretty nicely. Interested? You can check out the ZOE XL1 here, and double stroller version ZOE XL2 here.
2. Summer Infant 3DLite Stroller.
This is a true umbrella stroller that folds into a long narrow shape that can fit into even the smallest places (44" high, 14" wide, 12" deep). Deal with tiny European rental car trunks, small plane overhead bins, or a tiny urban apartment closet? This is probably a great option for you. Not surprising that this is one of the best selling strollers of all time, coming in at only 12 pounds and with some really great build quality, comfort, and features. Even with its light weight and low cost (usually under $100), this is not a flimsy stroller at all, and we thought that was really impressive. It turns well, has good brakes, and isn't tipsy at all. And the company Summer Infant has a very long reputation for reliability and customer service. We like the curvy lines of the frame, the handlebar shape and grips, the front wheel suspension, and the fact that it includes a carry handle (for when it's folded) which is surprisingly hard to come by! It has a good sized storage basket that is actually easy to access from the rear, a decent size canopy (but nowhere near the ZOE XL1), padded shoulder straps, and a pretty comfy seat (and deep recline). There's also a cup holder and little pouch for mom or dad. Cons? Well, we couldn't figure out how to get it to stand on its own while folded, and there are no cup or snack holders for baby. It's also quite a bit heavier than the ZOE or GB Pockit models, but the low cost might compensate for the added 3 pounds! Outside of that, for this price-point you are really getting an exceptional stroller!
3. GB Pockit Lightweight Stroller.
We are embarrassed to admit that we didn't try out this stroller until the middle of last year, though we had been eyeing it for a couple years now. It's definitely one of the more extreme options on this list. It is the most portable, compact, and lightweight (9 pounds!) convenience stroller we've reviewed. We want to be clear that this stroller is for the people who really want to minimize the weight and size of a folded stroller for the ultimate in portability and travel use. I mean, you can put it the overhead bin even on a smaller plane, so that's a really unique aspect of this stroller. You can also simply throw it into your suitcase or a duffel bag without any issues (they also make a Pockit travel bag that you can sling over your shoulder). Just how small is it when folded? Under 12" wide, 14" long, and 7" thick. That's like a stack of 5 laptops on top of one another - much smaller than any other option on this list; in fact, it's so small that it won the award for smallest folded stroller in the Guiness Book of World Records! When we first got our hands on this stroller, that's the first impression when it arrives - the box just seems too small to have a functional stroller in it. Pulling it out of the box, it's only about 9.5 pounds, making it super light and easy to maneuver. Speaking of laptops, our main development laptop is heavier than that! Once you get it out of the box, you'll need to read the owner's manual because it uses a unique folding design that will take a few minutes to get used to. Unfolded, this stroller is pretty sparse. It's narrow and simple, super easy to maneuver around tight spaces, yet somehow is able to support kids up to 55 pounds (with an additional 11 pounds of gear in the storage basket!). While it's not appropriate for newborns and does not attach to any infant car seats, once your baby is about 6 months old and has head and neck control, they can use this stroller. In terms of features, it's pretty lacking, but that's not surprising given the portability aspect - it does have a canopy but it's pretty small (but see the Pockit + for a larger canopy), it does have storage but it's small, it does recline but it's cumbersome to use and restricted in range, and it has no cup holders or small storage pockets or trays (for parents or kids). We also found the wheel locks a bit difficult to engage at times, and it's nowhere near as sturdy as the heavier options on this list - which is not surprising. But what it does have is superior portability that leaves all the other lightweight strollers in the dust, and a price (around $150) that isn't too outrageous for one of the best travel strollers out there. And that's why it's so high up on our list! Interested? Check out the Pockit Stroller or Pockit Plus Stroller.
4. Peg Perego Pliko Mini Umbrella Stroller.
Another great option, but a bit more expensive than most other best lightweight (13 pounds) strollers on this list, coming in around $250-300, and without quite as many features. The Pliko is an awesome, very well built, and very comfortable stroller that comes in a ton of great colors and patterns. Some great features include front wheels that can lock or swivel, locking rear wheel brakes, adjustable seat recline, adjustable foot rest height, adjustable handlebars for shorter or taller parents, and a very easy to use folding mechanism. Like the ZOE XL1 and BIBA M, this stroller also folds into a rectangle, but unfortunately one that is quite a bit larger, especially in terms of how thick it is when folded. It is about 11 pounds, coming in slightly heavier than the ZOE XL1. In terms of capacity, this stroller is suggested for babies about 6 months old up to about 45 pounds. The nice wide seating surface makes this possible - our 4 year old fit into it just fine, and I could see him using it after a hot day walking through an amusement park. We found the folding mechanism really easy to use with only one hand, which is great if you're holding baby with the other! It also stands upright alone really easily when folded. So overall this is a great stroller, with far fewer features than the ZOE, but with great build quality and some other good additions like adjustable handlebar height, and a super easy folding mechanism. Cons? Well, we thought it felt a bit more flimsy than the ZOE, it's several pounds heavier, and of course it doesn't include anywhere near as many features. The canopy is relatively small as well, and the storage pocket isn't as easy to access. Also, it's usually about $100 more than the ZOE, and we don't see any great reason why that's the case.
5. Baby Trend Rocket Lightweight Stroller.
This is a great, well-featured and reasonably priced (only about $50) umbrella stroller. Baby Trend has a good reputation for making good quality products at very reasonable prices. Nothing fancy here, but definitely great bang for the buck! This is a classic umbrella stroller that folds up to a long and narrow form, but then folds in half vertically again to make for a very compact stroller that fits nicely into an overhead bin. In our testing, we found some things that we really loved. First, this is a great stroller for tall parents. The top of the handles is over 40" above the ground, which makes it much easier for tall parents to reach the handles without hurting their backs. If you're really looking for tall strollers, this is a good option, another even taller option is the Joovy New Groove ultralight stroller, which is about another inch taller. Second, the ride was surprisingly smooth and handling was nimble, and the brakes worked pretty well, and we loved the 5-point harness which was easy to use and adjust. Third, the handles were comfortable, there is a little zippered pocket for your keys or phone, there are cup holders for parents, and it feels much more durable than some of the other inexpensive umbrella strollers we've tested. Finally, we found the fabric easy to clean yet comfortable enough for baby. It's designed to support babies who can sit upright on their own without support (it is not made for infants), all the way up to 50 pounds. We did notice, however, that the seating surface itself is a bit narrow so it's better for the tall-and-lean than the short-and-chunky kiddos. Of course, we're talking about an umbrella stroller here so it has many of the same limitations as other umbrella strollers: very limited recline functionality, small and fickle wheels, and a small canopy and storage basket. At this price, those limitations aren't surprising, but they're worth mentioning. Overall, this is a great stroller that could be a bit lighter weight (it's 13 pounds), but offers high bang-for-the-buck!
6. Joovy New Groove Ultralight Umbrella Stroller.
Joovy has been making excellent strollers for a few decades, and the Groove is one of their best overall strollers. Coming in at 14 pounds, it's a bit heavier than other strollers on this list, but it also offers a very competitive price (about $125) given the features. It's a true umbrella stroller, meaning that it has separate handlebars and folds up by collapsing the two sides inward and then folds in half. That gives it a pretty long footprint of about 44" long and 10" wide when folded. That fits easily into the trunks of compact cars, but not ideal for travel and fitting into a suitcase or other carry bag. While the stroller itself is pretty light, it supports from newborn (with its near-flat recline) up to 55 pounds (or 44" tall), which is a pretty high weight capacity. That will definitely get you all the way through the stroller years. There were some things we really liked about this stroller. First, the seat is comfortable and has a really deep recline; Joovy claims that the stroller is suitable for newborns thanks to the fold-up leg rest, mesh foot enclosure, and near-flat recline. While we agree those are nice features, we think the seat is a bit too wide and unsupportive for newborn use (we suggest 6 months and up). Second, the lightweight aluminum frame feels high quality and reminds us of the old MacLaren strollers we used about a decade ago (which we loved). Third, the canopy has good coverage and UPF 50 sun protection, and we liked the wide foot rest. For parents, there are two cup holders (one small and mesh, and a larger one on the side), a little zippered storage pocket, a peek-a-boo window, a shoulder strap to help you carry the folded stroller around, and the stroller can stand on its own when folded. That's a lot of good parent features given the price. In our testing, we thought it was highly maneuverable and easy to fold up and stash. The handlebars actually sit relatively high, which is good for taller parents since they're not adjustable. We didn't like the recline mechanism that requires you to use both hands to tighten or loosen fabric straps, and we thought it could definitely fold into a more compact package. The storage basket was a bit small relative to some competitors, and we weren't impressed with Joovy calling this "ultralight" when it's actually 14 pounds. Outside of those little gripes, it's a great lightweight stroller that we found to be high quality at a somewhat reasonable price point. There's not much to help it stand out against the Baby Trend, especially given that it's about twice the price. Interested? You can check out the Joovy New Groove here.
7. Mountain Buggy Nano Stroller.
This is a very minimalistic stroller that is great for traveling. Heading to Europe for an adventure with a baby or toddler? This might be a great solution for you. It folds into a carry-on size for airplane travel, and is super compact even when opened. Not for big chunky monkey babies or toddlers, the seat is rather narrow and we think it reasonably tops out around 40 pounds. The stroller itself weighs 13 pounds, which was heavier than we were expecting, especially given the minimalistic design and features. But we found it really clever in its design, well built and reliable, and narrow enough to fit through little European doorways. Folding was easy enough, but we found that it really required 2 hands. It folds up nice and small (12" by 22" by 20") and fits into its own (included!) pouch, and has a built-in carrying handle. Even with its minimalist design, it has some good features for travel: adjustable footrest, rear wheel suspension, and a canopy with a nice extension to block sun or rain. Overall, if you're planning on doing some serious traveling with baby, this is the way to go. Cons? Well, it doesn't have anywhere near the features as the top lightweight strollers on this list, and there are some minor annoyances. Like when it's folded up the canopy interferes with your hands gripping the handlebar, there's no cup holder, and the storage basket is small. Not to mention it's pretty pricey!
8. Kolcraft Cloud Lightweight Stroller.
Looking to get your hands on a capable and reliable lightweight convenience stroller that won't break the bank? Maybe the Baby Trend Rocket is a perfect fit, or maybe you're looking for something a little different? Enter the Kolcraft Cloud Plus! This stroller comes in at only 11.8 pounds, can support children up to 40 pounds or 40" tall, and packs some great features. While this stroller cannot be used with newborns, once your child is able to sit unassisted and has full controll of their head and neck, this stroller is a great fit. Out of the box, we were impressed with how small this stroller is when folded - it was about 12" thick, 18" wide, and 34" long. Yes, it's not quite as much of a compact stroller when folded as many other options on this list (like the ZOE XL1 or Mountain Buggy), but that's a pretty decent size that you'll be able to fit into the back of a Jeep Wrangler or Smart Car if you needed to. Unfolding it was a breeze - you simply grab it by the handle while squeezing the red lever. Theoretically, it could be done one-handed but you'd probably have to be over 6 feet tall and have shoulders and biceps like Hulk Hogan (or the Arnold) so you can shake it open. So assume you'll need to use two hands for this. Once unfolded, there were some things we really liked about it: first, the canopy was impressively large at this price point, providing some great protection from the elements. Second, there are two cup holders and a tray for parents, and a detachable tray and cup holder (and a nifty area that serves as a juice box holder) for your kiddo. Third, it was super easy to maneuver around tight spaces, with its narrow frame and versatile wheels (there is a front suspension, but we don't think it does much). The recline settings were pretty decent - there is no "lie flat" option, but you can get reasonably close for a nap. Cons? A few: the back rest isn't very comfortable, we found the locking mechanism a little finicky when folded, the cup holders were way too shallow for most bottles and drinks (my Grande Starbucks coffee tipped over within a minute), it does not fit any infant car seats, and the storage bin could be a little larger and more accessible. Outside of that, this is definitely a good addition to this list, especially considering that it can be had for only about $65.
9. BIBA M Single Stroller.
BiBA only recently began making their strollers available in the USA, and we are really excited about the potential for these high quality and stylish strollers to make a splash on the baby market! We're excited about their simple urban styling, high quality fabrics and parts, easy adjustments and folding, comfortable seating surface, versatility, and reasonable pricing (this one is around $199). In our hands-on testing we found the stroller to have some great features. Let's start with the canopy. Of course, you can have the canopy all the way up and out of the way. You can also put it down for a regular-size canopy. You can also extend the back of it a bit by unzipping to reveal a see-through mesh screen that you can use to peek down at your child (and them up at you!). Finally, there is an extra-large extension on the front that you can fold down for extra coverage and privacy. This feature makes for one of the largest canopies on this list, second only to the ZOE XL1. We also liked the almost-flat recline, which brings the seat down to about 150-degrees recline, nearly flat, or one of a couple other less reclined positions. There was also a large storage compartment at the bottom, though access to it was a bit difficult when the seat was reclined. Speaking of recline settings, the thigh support can also be set downward, flat, or at a little incline for toddlers who want to do criss-cross applesauce, or to keep things from rolling out of the seat. There is also a footrest for bigger toddlers and kiddos, a cupholder for mom or dad, wheel-brakes, a lightweight (about 11 pounds) aluminum frame, and smooth foam rubber wheels. We found it very easy to maneuver through tight spaces, and it folded up into a reasonably small package measuring about 28" wide, 20" long, and 11" high. Some additional things we liked were the chest pad on the 5-point harness, which helps with the flopping-forward factor, and the fact that you can buy some inexpensive accessories for it. For instance, a foot and leg cover for the colder months, for about $25, a mosquito net cover, and more. Finally, this is one of the few strollers that uses the front handle-bar for kids, which kids like to use when they're sitting up and looking around. It can make pulling kids in and out more difficult of course, but if you don't like it you can just pop it off very easily. Supports from 6 months and older, and up to 33 pounds. So this is a great addition to our best lightweight stroller list, and we're happy to put it through some longer term testing to see how the quality holds up over time. No real major cons here, though it would be nice to have a cupholder for the kid, and to fold down into a smaller footprint like the ZOE does. Overall, this is a great option, so be sure to check it out!
Now that you've read our reviews, let's talk about what we were looking for in the perfect lightweight stroller:
Easy Folding. All of the best umbrella strollers are lightweight, and this is a really critical characteristic. You're buying a lightweight travel stroller for a reason. You want it to be quickly and effortlessly fold up and fit into the half-full trunk of a compact car, fit into the overhead bin on a plane, fit neatly into an apartment closet (or restaurant coat area!), or to strap onto a suitcase during travel. Folding with only one hand is even better. You also want it to unfold with ease and not too much hassle, preferably also with just one hand. These were really important features for us. There are basically two folding modes for the strollers we review here. First, the traditional umbrella stroller folds by squeezing the two handles together and then folding in half lengthwise. Second, other lightweight strollers fold by collapsing lengthwise, usually using three folding points. Either way, you're going to be able to fit these into the overhead bin of a normal size airplane (though usually you can just gate-check a stroller), into the back of vehicles with smaller trunk areas like a Jeep Wrangler, and into the corner of a restaurant without taking up too much space.
Safe and Reliable. The best umbrella strollers will fold easily, but won't fold up with your baby inside, or have several exposed hinges that could pinch their little fingers. The stroller needs to have a 5-point harness, not tip over easily, have good locking wheel brakes, and have a sturdy build quality that will last for years. There are many lightweight strollers on the market that are flimsy, tipsy, and won't last you more than a year. Those don't show up on our list; also not on this list are double strollers since they tend to be much heavier and we review them elsewhere.
Comfy and Lightweight. There's a trade-off between a super comfortable stroller and a super lightweight stroller: rarely will you find a stroller that meets both of those needs, especially not an umbrella stroller. To keep an umbrella stroller super lightweight (under 10 pounds), you often compromise a bit on seat, head, and side cushioning. The best lightweight strollers strike a good balance between weight, build quality, and comfort. When we tested out the Baby Jogger City Tour LUX as a potential candidate for this list, we totally loved it; it was easy to use, comfortable, versatile, and highly maneuverable. But it weighed 19 pounds, so we decided to leave it off this list - but if you're willing to consider a stroller that is a bit heavier, definitely check out the Baby Jogger City Tour.
For more information about how to pick a stroller, check out our full stroller buying guide.
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