Shop The Story
Picking a stroller for your baby is no easy task. After weeks or even months of research, you will decide on your pick, make a purchase and get strolling… only to find that you might actually (gasp!) need another stroller. Because your standard stroller will likely come tricked out with everything you need, and perhaps some things you don’t, you could find yourself longing for a more pared-down stroller that’s easy to fold and much lighter to carry. That’s where a lightweight stroller comes in. A lightweight stroller is lighter (obviously) than a standard stroller but has many of the features of an umbrella stroller, meaning it takes up less space when closed and is easier to lug around. However, many lightweight strollers offer great features not found in umbrella strollers, including storage baskets, kids’ trays and sun canopies, to name a few.
- Best Overall Lightweight Stroller: Baby Jogger City Tour
- Best Double Lightweight Stroller: Joovy Twin Groove Ultralight Stroller
- Best Lightweight Stroller For Travel: GB Pockit Stroller
- Best Cheap Lightweight Stroller: Kolcraft Cloud Plus
- Best Lightweight Stroller For Infants Or Newborns: Babyzen YoYo With Newborn Pack
- Best Lightweight Stroller For Toddlers: UPPABaby Minu
- Best Lightweight Umbrella Stroller: Maclaren Quest
- Best Lightweight Stroller Travel System: Peg Perego Booklet
- Best Lightweight Stroller With Child’s Tray: Chicco Mini Bravo Plus Lightweight Stroller
Why You Need a Lightweight Stroller
It’s great to have a backup stroller that will do the job of a traditional stroller but that’s much more convenient to use. If you travel, a lightweight stroller is good to bring along because of its easy-to-fold capabilities and lighter weight — you will have to fold it and unfold it several times when going through an airport, even if you check it. Also, once kids are older, many parents opt to use their lightweight stroller every day. After the hassle and hard work of getting the little ones dressed and buckled in, dealing with a stroller that’s too bulky or too difficult to close may just be too much.
While some moms and dads may opt for an umbrella stroller as their backup stroller, keep in mind that you may have to forgo several features that come standard on many lightweight strollers. Is your head spinning yet? Relax! We’re here to guide you through which lightweight stroller is best for your family.
How to Choose a Lightweight Stroller
When deciding on the best lightweight stroller for your needs, you’ll want to consider the following:
-
-
-
-
Weight
-
-
-
Even though all of the strollers on our list are considered lightweight, they range in weight by a few pounds, which can actually make a huge difference. Many lightweight strollers weigh under 15 lbs., but there are a few that don’t. So if you are truly looking for something that is light to carry, take a good look at the weight specs.
-
-
-
-
Cost
-
-
-
Less weight doesn’t always mean less money, so you will definitely want to decide how much you are willing to spend on a lightweight stroller, especially if this is a second or backup stroller.
-
-
-
-
Travel Capability
-
-
-
Will the stroller fold easily with just one hand? Does it stand on its own when folded? Does it have a carry strap attached? If you are using your lightweight stroller for travel, these are all important factors to consider.
-
-
-
-
Added Features
-
-
-
Cup holders, kid and parent trays, canopies and storage are all important features for any strollers. If these are must-haves for you and your family, be sure to see if the lightweight stroller you are considering comes with them.
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Overall Lightweight Stroller
Baby Jogger City Tour
Parents love this stroller for how easy it is to close. With one hand the folder closes (to a crazy small size) and locks automatically. The Baby Jogger City Tour also features a near flat recline, UV 50+ extended canopy, and a padded seat for your child. It fits in airplane overhead bins and when folded, can be carried backpack style via its carry bag. It can also be tricked out with added accessories including a belly bar and cup holders.
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 14lbs.
Can hold a child up to 45lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
Purchased this stroller for a trip to New York City and it worked perfectly! Let me start by saying it folds up small enough to easily get on and off of planes, busses, subway, and fits easily into the trunk of any uber! Folds easily and can be done with one hand...we used the stroller for about a week before going on vacation so we could get used to folding and unfolding the stroller.
This is a beautiful stroller. It has all the bells and whistles. Very sturdy and easy to clean. It’s easy to fold and it come with a matching storage bag. I love the swivel wheels in the front, it makes it easier to maneuver. The canopy is beautiful it actually comes down a little bit more than standard strollers to cover the baby from sun or wind or just when sleeping but it also has a peep hole on top to see your baby or check on him.
We are limited on space in our trunk, we have tested probably five strollers trying to find one that would fit plus have room for groceries and other things in the trunk. This one was a clear winner! By far it folds up the smallest of any others we try. Plus we love that it has a reclined seat, sunshade and a basket (on the small side). I can easily turn and maneuver the stroller one-handed and hold my other child's hand which was the problem we had compared to other strollers.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Double Lightweight Stroller
Joovy Twin Groove Ultralight Stroller
Despite being a double-wide stroller, the Joovy Twin Ultralight can fit through doorways and grocery aisles. It also has independently reclining seats and sun canopies, plus an adjustable leg rest so even babies can ride comfortably. Kids will love the mesh pockets on the inside of their seats, which are perfect for storing snacks and toys. Parents will love the zippered storage bags on the outside of the seats as well as the storage basket.
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 26 lbs.
Can hold two children up to 100 lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
Absolutely the number one choice when it comes to an umbrella stroller for my twin girls! It is light, easy to use and maneuver and it looks great! I have zero cons or regrets about this stroller. We use it in addition to our jogger!
My 2 kids absolutely LOVE this stroller. My 4 year old son (who is about 36 pounds) fits very comfortably in his seat while holding his sister's hand. My favorite part about this stroller is the constant interaction my kids can have with one another.
We got this stroller for our twins. I was looking for a light stroller yet one that reclines. After looking a several strollers, we are very happy we went with this stroller. The color is great. It pushes easily. It opens and folds easily. Each canopy is separate so you can close one and have the other one opened. In the back of the canopies each have a cup holder and a zip up pocket great for snacks, wipes and keys on the go.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Lightweight Stroller for Travel
GB Pockit Stroller
The GB Pockit is currently the smallest stroller on the market when folded, making it a top choice for traveling with kids. It can easily fit in overhead compartments and be carried via shoulder strap — it’s practically the same size as a purse! But don’t be fooled: The GB Pockit is super sturdy and even has a storage basket that can hold up to 11 lbs., making this one small but mighty stroller.
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 9.5 lbs.
Can hold a child up to 55 lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
I'm so excited about this stroller! I was surprised that it was a lot sturdier than I expected. It's obviously not as sturdy as a travel system stroller, but it is an umbrella stroller so you shouldn't even be comparing the two. I purchased this to have something smaller and easy to take with us to the library, children's museum, and mall.
This stroller is amazing! We have four boys - 8, 6, 4 and 2. We needed an extra single stroller to take to Disney and this was perfect. It folds up so tiny — it’s amazing really! We were able to fit it under our double stroller and just pull it out when one of the older kids needed a break! It even pushed my giant 8 year old (60 lbs) smoothly.
This was a life-saver to travel with. We took our 1.5yo daughter to Paris and needed to pack as lightly as we could (yeah, right) and we needed something we could lug around the city with us so that she didn't have to walk and we didn't have to carry her everywhere. This stroller folds down really neatly and is easy enough to carry around with you. It's not super light, but compared to the stroller you have at home, it's much lighter.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Cheap Lightweight Stroller
Kolcraft Cloud Plus
This stroller has all the features of a great stroller, and it won’t break the bank. It has a large, extended canopy with UV protection, a reclining seat with 5-point harness and a storage basket. The Kolcraft Cloud Plus also features a one-handed, self-standing fold. It has a parent tray with cup holders and a kid tray with a cup and juice box holder (so cute!).
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 12 lbs.
Can hold a child up to 50 lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
I was looking for a small lightweight stroller that was basically an umbrella stroller but not as small. this thing is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! my 2.5 y/o LOVES it! he doesn't fight me to sit in it like he did his umbrella stroller and he loves having a tray for his rocks.
This stroller is amazing! I recommend it to all my friends. It has replaced both my expensive full size stroller and the umbrella stroller. Pros: super lightweight! Easy fold, stands upright when folded, large shade, deep recline (my toddler easily took a full nap laying back in the shade) & excellent price, I would've paid more it's so great.
Let me just say that this stroller has been my saving grace with my very rambunctious toddler son. I purchased this stroller when he turned 2 and now he is still riding comfortably at 3 years old and 40 inches tall. We go on long walks frequently, charity walks for miles with the stroller. It is very light weight and not bulky at all best of all.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Lightweight Stroller for Infants or Newborns
Babyzen YoYo with Newborn Pack
The Babyzen YoYo is known for being lightweight, but now it’s truly revolutionizing what it means to be a lightweight stroller. It recently released its Newborn Pack to fit with its YoYo+ strollers. It allows parents to push newborn babies with the flat-nest attachment. Babies ride facing their parents in a cozy bassinet with canopy and foot cover. Parents can still fold the stroller to the compact size it is known for. The seat fabric also comes off and is fully washable.
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 14.5 lbs
Can hold a child up to 35 lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
This is easily the best compact umbrella stroller. It easily fits in the foot area behind the seats, the trunk of the car with plenty of room to spare, and even an airline overhead compartment. It's shockingly light and wheels around easily with one hand.
Great stroller! It's is ideal for traveling, its super light weight. The basket is big enough to fit a small changing bag and other loose items. My little one seems always very comfortable and sleeps well in it. Also not only is it small enough to fit in the overhead compartment in airplanes, but it folds so small that it doesn't take up the whole trunk in your car and fits in any closet.
This is a wonderful alternative to a full size stroller. We use it as a second stroller. We have used it on many plane flights and it’s small enough to fit as a carry on. It was expensive, but a great travel stroller of one for grandparents who can't lift a 25 pound stroller.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Lightweight Stroller for Toddlers
UPPABaby Minu
The UPPABaby Minu offers an easy one-handed fold from the handlebar, meaning you can hold baby in one hand while folding the stroller in the other. It features an extendable sun shade and a great, roomy seat for your child. It also has a large storage basket that can easily fit a diaper bag and other essentials. The real leather-accented handlebar is stylish and chic and offers a great grip while pushing your child.
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 15 lbs.
Can hold a child up to 50 lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
Amazing stroller. I’ve always preferred my big strollers but this little thing is AWESOME! The push is incredible, it takes bumps so well and I could actually see myself using this for travel. I never wanted tiny strollers because they always lack so many features and when you’re traveling, you want something you and your child can be comfortable with.
I love this stroller. We have a vista that we also love but as our baby was heading to a year we wanted something more light weight but the features of a full size stroller. This checked all the boxes. It’s held up for several ocean crossings, handles smaller European sidewalks and terrain like a champ.
Absolutely the greatest lightweight stroller. It folds easily-just one button. It folds into a square shape that hardly takes up space in ur trunk. Backrest sits up, lays down or any position in between that your child finds comfortable.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Lightweight Umbrella Stroller
Maclaren Quest
Maclaren is one of the best when it comes to lightweight strollers, and the Maclaren Quest is no exception. It is a full-featured stroller that is very lightweight. It reclines to a flat position and has a 5-point safety harness. It also has an extendable leg rest and full-size storage basket. It’s incredibly lightweight, which means pushing your kid around Disney or through city streets should be no hassle at all.
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 12 lbs.
Can hold a child up to 55 lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
We bought this stroller so that we could have a convenient, lightweight stroller that folds up easily when we travel....it does just that! I must admit I had trouble figuring out how to fold it in the beginning, but once I figured it out, I had no further problems. My daughter rides comfortably in it and seems to enjoy it as well.
The recline is amazing! Your little man will sleep great because it's a flat recline. Also, the canopy is HUGE. No amount of sunshine will bother him/her. Finally, folding and unfolding is easy, and the weight of the stroller is easy to manage even with one hand.
The sunshade is extremely flexible providing ample coverage for any sun position. The size of this model is just right, allowing plenty of room for the little guy with excellent recline range of motion, but with great maneuverability, weight, and portability when folded. The buckle is also extremely secure.
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Lightweight Stroller Travel System
Peg Perego Booklet
If you’re looking to purchase a lightweight stroller as your main stroller, consider the Peg Perego Booklet, which is a lightweight travel system. The Primo Viaggio 4/35 car seat can be attached directly to the stroller’s retractable anchors without the need for adapters, and it’s parent-facing, which allows you to keep an eye on your infant at all times. When not used as a travel system, it offers great features such as an easy fold, padded seat that can recline and an adjustable handlebar.
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 20 lbs.
Can hold a child up to 50 lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
The carrier is easy to get on and off of the base. The stroller moves like a dream and is very easy to lock and unlock. You can open and close the stroller with one hand from the car. The basket underneath is great for storage.
The stroller folds and unfolds very smoothly and easily. It takes up quite a lot of space in the trunk of my car, but worth it for the one-handed convenience. The stroller steers easily with one or both hands. The car seat clicks into place easily, as it does for the car base, and removes just as easily from both.
“Opening and closing is a breeze with one hand, folds up pretty small, basket feature is awesome pulling down on the rim and it goes down to fit bigger things in there, and the capability of full shade over the carrier and stroller is the best!
Image Credits: Amazon
Best Lightweight Stroller with Child’s Tray
Chicco Mini Bravo Plus Lightweight Stroller
This stroller has all the bells and whistles of a standard stroller at a lighter weight. It has a convenient one-handed and carry handle, and the canopy extends with a vented panel that provides kids with significant air flow. The storage basket is large enough to fit a grocery bag or two, and the parent tray has two cup holders as well as a zippered compartment for your phone or wallet. The child’s tray has a cup holder and a place for snacks, and snaps on and off for easy access to the stroller seat.
Specifications:
Stroller weighs 20 lbs.
Can hold a child up to 50 lbs.
What Reviewers Are Saying:
This stroller has everything I was looking for in a stroller. I live in Florida where it is ALWAYS hot and sunny. So I needed a sun shade that would cover all the way down to the front so it can block out any sun. This stroller has that and a mesh backing when it is pulled down so you can still see your child inside the stroller and they get air flow. I also wanted a stroller that had a parent tray and a child tray, this stroller has both!
This stroller is so easy to use! I can hold my 10mo old in one arm and use every feature of this stroller with the other arm. It folds down fairly compact—which was my number one requirement when choosing a stroller. The baby loves the tray, she kicks back and puts her feet on it like a recliner.
I love love love this stroller. I got the chicco bravo as well which is great but I ended up getting this for my car. It was super easy to set up. Even though it's only 4 lbs lighter than the original bravo it feels a lot lighter and the kid tray collapses when folded which the original bravo does not which it bad for storing in my rav4. I would recommend you get the model with the child's tray because most kids like it when sitting up, my kid uses it as a footrest when reclined.
