3 Wheel Compact Stroller Review
If you're a health-conscious person looking for a stroller for jogging or looking for an all-purpose stroller for everyday use there's a compact three-wheel stroller for you. Wendy Schmitz, Senior Review Writer and Managing Editor at Sentry, put these models to the test on roads and off-road surfaces. They also evaluated the safety of the seats for children.
Stroller Features
The top strollers come with features that make traveling with your child more comfortable. If you're shopping for a new 3-wheel or a 4-wheel stroller look for convenience features like a large storage basket and a tray for parents with cup holders, a movable canopy and more. It's important to know the features that are important to you and your family members and what you can live without.
The BOB Gear Wayfinder, our top-rated jogging stroller with a wide range of features to keep moms as well as dads happy and comfortable. The handlebar can be adjusted to three different positions to accommodate caregivers of different sizes and the wrist strap is designed to ensure that the stroller doesn't slide away when you're running. The Wayfinder also has the most extensive sunshade we've seen in our test group and has a large, clear window at the top to let children look out while they're relaxing. Jenni's 3-year-old son found the seat to have a comfortable cushion, so bumps on the road did not bother him.
This jogging stoller comes with the handbrake to help keep your grip on slippery surfaces. It can fold into a compact, slim package that will take up a small space in your car's trunk. It is also possible to convert it to an entire travel system by buying an adapter. It also works with the Uppababy Mesa V2 Bassinet.
If you're planning to tackle rough terrain, tires are a must for any stroller. While they don't provide the same level of comfort as air-filled or foam-filled tires, they're perfect for navigating potholes and bumps easily.
The jogging stroller folds in just two steps. It locks in place when folded, and it's small enough to fit in the majority of elevators. It's not as simple than our other four-wheel strollers to maneuver, and the locking mechanism can be somewhat difficult to understand. It requires pressing an icon on the front of the stroller, closing a flap on the foot area, and lifting the handle. We'd like to see a more simple system where it just clicks into the position or opens when pulled.
Stroller Weight
The overall weight of a stroller is a crucial factor to consider. A stroller that is heavier tends to be more stable than a stroller that is lighter and could provide better performance in rough terrain. Many parents prefer a stroller that is lighter, as it is more maneuverable, and more suitable for everyday use.
Another important feature of a stroller is the size of its wheels and the type. Certain strollers have bigger wheels, like jogging ones that can make the ride more comfortable for your baby. Larger wheels can add weight to the stroller and make it harder to fold, transport and store.
Some models in our selection have air-filled wheels that offer a comfortable, stable ride to your child even on rough terrain. Air-filled tires are more prone to flattening, so you have to replace them. If you are planning to travel a lot with your stroller, we recommend a model with solid tires that can withstand regular contact with different surfaces and last longer.
Strollers with swivel front wheels are great for walking up and down escalators and stairs safely. Falls on escalators or stairs are the most common injuries to strollers. They can be especially dangerous for infants. If you are unable to avoid the stairs or escalator with your stroller, we suggest using it only when the child is securely strapped in the seat and hold them close to you as you walk up or down.
Some strollers are sold as a complete travel system where the car seat and stroller are sold together as a unit. These products are often more expensive and commodious than their separate counterparts and may not perform well in the long-term. In addition many parents end up regretting buying a bundled product as it may not come with all the features they desire or could turn out to not be compatible with their vehicle or child seat. If you plan to upgrade your product in the future we recommend you buy a stroller separate from a capsule or car seat.
Stroller Folding
The best 3-wheel strollers that are compact are easy to fold and to store. Some even lock in the position automatically after you open them. This feature can be especially useful for families who frequently use public transport or drive before going on a walk.
Three-wheel strollers are designed to navigate through tight spaces such as aisles of grocery stores and other crowded areas easily. A lot of them are equipped with suspension systems to provide a smoother ride, which is particularly useful on bumpy sidewalks.
If you're seeking a jogging stroller that won't weigh you down, the Guava Roam Crossover is a great option. It's a good-looking stroller that can be used as a travel system, with the matching car seat adapters for Nuna Maxi-Cosi, and Cybex infant carseats, as well as the bassinet for the Uppababy (car seats and stroller board sold separately). The stroller comes with an easy two-step fold that can be locked once it is opened.
The Babyzen Yoyo 2 is another nice-looking 3-wheeled jogging stroller. It's a bit pricier than some of our top picks, but it's worth the cost If you're a lover of travel or reside in a city. This lightweight stroller can be folded down to a compact 20 17x7 inch size. It comes with a five-point, no-rethread, padding on the harness. It can be used as a stroller for newborns or toddlers who are young, with an infant car seat adapter.
The Babyzen is a good product with some nice features. It is spacious in its recline, and also has extra storage. However some parents are disappointed by its performance. The seat doesn't lay flat when it is reclining and there aren't cup holders or snack trays for children. The brakes are a bit difficult to engage and the handlebar's height is too high for a lot of short moms.
The Graco Fastaction stroller is designed to be as light as it is possible, but without the comfort or convenience. It has a long list of impressive features, such as a large basket and a one-handed fold. The only downside to this stroller is that the brakes are difficult to engage and they're not locked after the stroller is folded.
Stroller Safety
The safety features of a stroller must ensure that your child is safe using it. Some of the best-scoring models in our review feature 5-point harnesses that are adjustable, padded crotch straps that allow for a custom fit. Others come with a cushioned seat cushion to shield your child's head should they fall out of the seat or fall off. Some strollers have safety brakes that lock two wheels, which is especially important for jogging strollers as it stops them from slipping when they're going down escalators or stairs, where they can be especially dangerous for children.
In our tests, strollers' maneuverability was assessed in three different ways. 3 wheel pushchair evaluated it based on a product's capability to turn and bounce when bumps and dips are encountered, its ease of use with a child in it, and its ability to travel over rough terrain. We also looked at how easy it is to open and close the safety harness, fold and unfold the stroller, adjust its backrest the height of the handlebar, operate the brakes, and attach and take off car seats (if necessary).
We found that some 3-wheel strollers are easier to maneuver than 4-wheel options, but this advantage diminishes as baby gets heavier. This is why we recommend a model that has a hand brake that allows you to slow down and come to a stop without as much effort as using body power alone. Many of the top-scoring, swivel-wheel strollers do not come with this option. Only one of our best-rated fixed-wheel strollers has it.
It's important to consider how often you will require to take your stroller up a set of stairs or an escalator and whether or not it will be safe to do so with the stroller still in place. Elevators and stairs are more dangerous because they have moving mechanical parts which make it difficult to control your stroller. We recommend finding an alternative to these obstacles, such as an elevator, if you have one or have another adult to carry the stroller up and down with you. Some of the best-scoring strollers can be carried up an escalator or a set of stairs. an escalator with their safety brake engaged and locked however it's safer to be not be.