Baby Jogger City Mini GT

Living in a large city comes with a unique set of challenges when you're using a stroller: you need something sturdy enough to hold up to everyday use, but still compact and lightweight to easily navigate crowded sidewalks and public transit, and fit in tight storage areas. A cross between a full travel system and an umbrella stroller, the Baby Jogger City Mini GT fits the bill. We love how easy it is to assemble—just take it out of the box, pop the wheels and canopy into place and you’re ready to go—not to mention the fact that this three-wheeler turns on a dime.

FOLDING AND CARRYING

Holding a squirmy toddler while trying to fold a stroller can be an exercise in frustration, but 75 percent of our parent testers strongly agreed the Baby Jogger City Mini GT was easy to fold, even one-handed. Our editors found this fold really easy, too: simply pull upward on the “pull to fold” handle located in the seat and watch as the stroller literally bends backward to fold itself in half. Ensuring the under-seat storage is empty and the adjustable handle is in the lowest position makes it a smaller package. Unfolding it is similarly simple: pop the frame out of the “autolock” lever and pull up on the handle to snap the frame back into position.

This stroller's folding handle doubles as a carry handle, though at a little over 22 pounds and 29 inches tall when folded, the City Mini GT isn't the smallest and lightest of the urban strollers we tested (though it isn't the largest or heaviest, either). Still, all but one of our parent testers told us it's easy to carry this stroller when folded. City parents with access to a car will be happy to hear that nearly all testers were able to easily fit the folded City Mini GT in the trunk of their vehicle.

WHEELS, BRAKES AND MANOEUVRABILITY

Thanks to its fairly compact size and three-wheel design, the Baby Jogger City Mini GT is a breeze to push and takes corners like a pro. In our lab testing, the City Mini GT performed very well: it's easy to steer with one or two hands, and is a smooth ride on several surfaces, including gravel, grass and over curbs. One of our parent testers said the stroller’s size also made it great for manoeuvring busy city streets and public transit, though opinions were lukewarm on how easy it was to use when transit was crowded, particularly during rush hour. (Though, honestly, your best bet for a busy public transit-friendly stroller would be an umbrella.) If it’s easier to walk than take the bus, the good news is the City Mini GT’s rubber-coated foam tires were deemed high quality by our lab and parent testers, and the front wheel—which has a bit of cushioning suspension—can be locked in position for better riding over uneven terrain. (Note: Even though it has a lockable front wheel, the City Mini GT is not suitable for jogging.)

Pushing this stroller is also comfortable, regardless of your height, thanks to an adjustable handlebar that can be rotated up or down by compressing two buttons on either side of the handle. Most of our parent testers strongly agreed the cushioned handlebar felt good in their hands, and one mom noted that despite a 10-inch height difference between herself and her husband, they could each push the stroller comfortably.

Our editors and testers were fans of the brake on this stroller. Engaging and releasing the brake is and hands-only affair, saving your toes from the dreaded scrape of the foot brake during sandal season. To lock, flip up the lever located on the side of the stroller frame just below the handle. To release, pull the lever up toward you to disengage the brake, then fold the lever down away from you, parallel to the frame.

RECLINE AND LEG REST

Though the leg rest on the Baby Jogger City Mini GT is fixed in one position, our testers found their kids were able to ride comfortably thanks to the adjustable seat back, which can be moved from fully upright to an almost-flat recline using a tether-style adjuster. To change the recline position, you simply have to pinch the toggle and slide it up or down the nylon strap, then release the toggle to lock it in place.

CANOPY

For a compact stroller, the Baby Jogger City Mini GT offers a pretty impressive canopy. Our parent testers were unanimous in strongly agreeing that the canopy provides good protection from the elements, including sun and rain, and they weren’t concerned their kids would overheat under the fabric. Your little one's lower legs and feet will be out in the open, though, so a weather shield (sold separately) might be a good idea for rainy days, and sun protection is a must in warmer weather. When you want to check in on your kiddo, there are two large peek-a-boo windows in the canopy (yes, two!), but it's worth noting that the Velcro closures and the audible rustle of fabric when opening or closing the canopy could wake a lightly sleeping little one.

CLEANING

It’s a fact: strollers get filthy. While the canopy is generally safe from the brunt of the abuse, those seat covers need a good wash every once in a while. All of our parent testers agreed that spot-cleaning the canopy and seat fabric was easy, but when a quick once-over just doesn’t cut it, the seat cover for the Baby Jogger City Mini GT can be removed and thrown in your washing machine on a cold-water cycle using mild detergent. Because the cover can’t be put in the dryer (or ironed—but seriously, who irons their stroller seat covers?!), Baby Jogger recommends putting the cover back on the stroller when it’s damp and allowing it to air dry in place—easy-peasy as long as you don’t need your stroller before the cover dries. Removing the cover involves unsnapping the fabric from the frame (a bit of an effort), unthreading all straps and the folding handle, and removing the backing board from the seat. Our parent testers were equally divided on how easy this is, with half strongly agreeing that removing and washing the cover was easy, and the other half strongly disagreeing.

STORAGE AND ACCESSORIES

Most of our parent testers felt the Baby Jogger City Mini GT's under-seat storage basket is on the small side. Some couldn't fit their diaper bag in the basket and others had trouble getting it in and out. That said, this is a common trade-off with a more compact stroller. A handy zippered compartment in the canopy gives you a place to stow your phone and keys, and for additional storage, Baby Jogger sells a “parent console” with two beverage holders and a centre pouch that can be attached to the handlebar. Other add-ons include a bug cover, bumper bar and a swing-out tray, which can be left in place even when the stroller is folded.

If you’re going to have the Baby Jogger City Mini GT as your primary stroller for use from day one, you’ll need to invest in either a bassinette (the Compact Pram or Deluxe Pram) or car seat adapters so you can turn the stroller into a travel system with the use of your infant car seat—see Tech Specs above for compatibility. But with an upper weight limit of 65 pounds, four shoulder strap positions and generous seat dimensions, the good news is that you can use the Baby Jogger City Mini GT well into the preschool years.

HARNESS

A good harness is a safety must, and you don’t want to have to struggle to get it done up or undone every time you buckle your babe into her stroller or take her out of it. Across the board, our lab and parent testers found the five-point harness on the Baby Jogger City Mini GT easy to use, with a responsive buckle that felt secure. Adjusting the tightness of the straps is a breeze, but changing the height of the shoulder straps involves removing the backing board in the seat and rethreading the harness, which takes a bit of time and isn't particularly easy.

FINAL WORD

The Baby Jogger City Mini GT is a great option for urban parents looking for a dependable everyday stroller that can easily traverse busy sidewalks and be compact enough to throw in the trunk of a car or take along on vacation. This stroller earned high praise from our parent testers: they gave it good or very good ratings for quality and ease of use, and the majority felt it offers good value. Plus, testers unanimously said they'd buy the City Mini GT themselves and recommend it to other parents or parents-to-be—a ringing endorsement. It's no surprise, then, that they all felt this city-friendly stroller is worthy of the Today’s Parent Approved seal. After testing in our lab (and out on the streets of Toronto), our editors were impressed with the stroller's solid frame, quality fabrics and super simple, compact fold. It’s a convenient alternative to SUV-sized strollers that might have more space to stow groceries or diaper bags but take up your entire front hallway and are too cumbersome to navigate public transit.