Baby Jogger City Tour

The Baby Jogger City Tour is an excellent choice if you're looking for a lightweight umbrella stroller that travels well. It has a compact fold, is made of durable materials and manoeuvres really well. All of our parent testers told us the Baby Jogger City Tour is better than other umbrellas they've tried in the past, and that they would buy it themselves.

FOLDING AND CARRYING

Folding the Baby Jogger City Tour is much easier than many umbrella strollers we tried. It's even possible to fold with one hand, though it isn't effortless—some of our parent testers described it as somewhat difficult. You first fold up the canopy, then squeeze a trigger on the handlebar to collapse the top third of the stroller. Next you grab the nylon handle in the middle of the seat and shake the whole thing to collapse it into a square shape (like a small garment bag or large briefcase). There is a lock to hold everything in place, but it's worth noting that this stroller doesn't stand on its own when folded.

We and our testers were most impressed with how compact the fold is on the City Tour: it easily fits in the trunk of a vehicle, and it folds so small that you can even bring it on most planes as a carry-on. At 14 pounds, the City Tour is also one of the lightest umbrella strollers we tested. You can easily carry it with one hand using the nylon handle, and it also comes with its own carry bag, which can be worn like a backpack.

WHEELS, BRAKES AND MANEUVERABILITY

The City Tour really shines in this area. We were very impressed with how easy it is to swivel this stroller around and over surfaces, especially with one hand, and our parent testers felt the same. The lightweight rubber wheels are small, but they manage to roll over uneven surfaces like grass or gravel without too much bumpiness, mostly thanks to the extra suspension on the front tires. The front wheels can also be locked to roll in a straight line, which makes it easier to deal with rough or snowy terrain. When we tested the alignment of the Baby Jogger City Tour, with and without the front wheels locked, it rolled the straightest of all the umbrella strollers we tested.

The City Tour's brakes are easy to apply and release using a small pedal beside the back right tire. All of our testers agreed it was easy to use the brakes, and told us the stroller felt securely stopped when the brakes were on.

RECLINE AND LEG REST

,"11":4,"12":0,"14":[null],"15":"Calibri","16":16}">The recline on the City Tour was one of our favourite features, and our testers were quite happy with it as well. There's a very simple adjustable strap behind the seat that gives you all the options for reclining to whatever angle your little one prefers. Its maximum recline is quite deep (though not completely flat), making it a good napping stroller. The leg rest is not adjustable, which could be a deal-breaker for you if your child needs to lie fully flat to fall asleep.

CANOPY

,"11":4,"12":0,"14":[null],"15":"Calibri","16":16}">The sun shade on the Baby Jogger City Tour is a reasonable size, though other strollers we tested offered more coverage. The canopy extension folds out easily when you need more coverage and tucks away when you don't, and it has a UV 50+ coating for extra sun protection. It has has a peek-a-boo window to make it easier to keep an eye on your child, and it opens and closes very quietly, which is nice when someone's finally fallen asleep. You'd definitely need a rain cover on wet days, especially since the stroller's fabric is not water-resistant. 

CLEANING

For light spills, it's easiest to do a bit of spot cleaning with the City Tour. But when your stroller needs a deep clean, the seat fabric can be removed and washed in a washing machine with a mild detergent (just remember to slide the board out of the seat back before you do this!). To dry, you stretch the fabric back over the frame and air dry. Our testers who tried this told us it pretty easy to accomplish, but it takes some time.

STORAGE

The City Tour has an easily accessible storage basket with a 15-pound max weight limit, which is more than most strollers we tested. While it's sturdy, it's not especially deep. It has an extra storage pocket on the back of the seat with a two-pound capacity—great for a wallet or phone—and includes an additional zippered pocket on the back of the storage basket to store the stroller's carry bag.

HARNESS

In our lab tests, we found the five-point harness secure and easy to use, and our parent testers agreed. There are three options for the height of the shoulder straps, and while rethreading the straps through the seat back is finicky, it's no more so than with any of the other strollers we tested. The shoulder straps are padded, which adds extra comfort for your child.

FINAL WORD