BABY | FAMILY LIFE

Stroller Shopping – 10 Things To Consider

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When my husband and I started shopping for a stroller, I was overwhelmed and had no idea what criteria I needed to consider.

Below are the top 10 things that we considered when making our decision. I hope this helps anyone else who is overwhelmed by the choices out there!

10 Things To Consider When Picking A Stroller

What Can You Reasonably Afford To Spend?

Strollers have a huge range of price points. Before you can narrow down your search, you’ll need to decide what your budget is.

What Are the Main Activities That You Plan To Use The Stroller For?

Before picking a stroller, it is super important to talk to your partner about what you want to use the stroller for. Decide if you plan on taking the stroller for runs, shopping, on airplanes, etc.

Why does this matter?

Well, it matters because not all strollers were created equal for all tasks.

For example, my husband and I were considering buying a stroller that we could use for running. One of the top things we learned in our research is that you may need a handbrake for safety if you are going to run with your stroller. This way, you can help slow down your stroller with the handbrake if you need to stop. Traditional strollers usually do not have this feature.

What Type Of Tires Do You Need?

This criteria goes along with your purpose for the stroller. Hard, traditional wheels are perfectly suitable for sidewalks and urban areas. However, if you plan on going over any rough terrain, you may consider getting a model with inflatable tires (usually on joggers).

Will You Be Able To Use It From Birth?

Many strollers won’t be usable right from the get-go for a newborn. Instead, you may need to use a carseat that snaps into the stroller unit. Just make sure that you check all of the stroller specifications before making a purchase if you are wanting to use the stroller from the get-go.

Will You Be Needing A Double Stroller For Twins? (Or, Will You Be Having Another Child Soon?)

This one is pretty self-explanatory – if you are having twins, you’re obviously going to need a double stroller!

But even if you are only having one baby, you may want to consider getting a convertible stroller.

When we purchased our stroller for Graci last year, we didn’t even consider getting anything other than a single-rider even though we always thought there were would be a little brother or sister fairly quickly after her.

Recently we bit the bullet and purchased a new stroller that converts from one seat to two seats in the anticipation that we may have another little one soon. (Imagine if we had just bought this to begin with!)

We are absolutely in love with the versatility that it offers our little family. It’s aptly called the Graco Uno2Duo and comes with a toddler seat and baby seat, but you can also purchase a second toddler seat so that you can really rock the different combinations that you’ll need as your little ones grow.

Back in June, we really gave this baby a test-drive at Disneyland and we absolutely loved it. We really enjoyed all the extra storage underneath since we aren’t utilizing the second seat area right now.

Check it out here (please note that these are affiliate links):


If you think that you may have two children close together, I highly recommend looking into strollers like the Graco Uno2Duo that will allow you to use the stroller now and later. Think of it as an investment in your future!

What Items Do You Want To Have Within Reach At All Times?

If you are out and about with your little one, your stroller is going to become command central. You’ll want to make sure that your handlebar has space for things you’ll want at a moment’s notice, like your phone, your Starbucks or your keys.

Most models have cupholders and a small space to store small items, but it is important that you don’t overlook this feature when deciding which one to buy.

Something to consider is purchasing a storage pouch or other product to add additional space. Check out a few options below.

Are You Worried About Sun Exposure?

Since my little one is a Las Vegas baby, making sure there was ample sun protection was really important to me. I wanted to make sure that there was a large canopy to cover my baby and keep the sun from beating down on her.

When looking for strollers with sun protection, you can check to see what UV protection rating their canopies have. This will give you a better idea of the protections offered by any particular model.

How Heavy Of A Stroller Are You Comfortable With?

Since I plan to take my baby places without a second set of hands, I wanted to make sure that the stroller we picked out was light enough for me to handle getting it in and out of the car by myself.

How Much (And What Type) Of Storage Do You Need?


Smaller strollers can be really handy since they are more agile and work better in crowds. However, smaller strollers have less storage space underneath. So, make sure you balance the amount storage you need versus how large your stroller is!

Will It Work For Travel?

Since you will need to fold up your stroller for small spaces, you should make sure that you understand how it folds up and determine if it is going to be easy for you to do. You may also want to consider how large it is when it is folded to make sure it will fit in your car.

When boarding planes, you’ll need to be able to fold it up at the gate, and you’ll want to be sure that it isn’t too unwieldy to do so. (Traveling is SO much easier with two sets of hands!)

Well, there you have it! Those were my top 10 things that I looked at when we made our stroller purchase. Experienced mommas, do you have any other tips you’d add?

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3 Comments

  1. These are really great tips. Yhetd are kust so many options on the market that it can be daunting. Have fun with yours on lits of little aeventures!

  2. Great tips and glad you include something for factories to consider improving their customer experiences! Hope your baby love what you choose for him/her!

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