GB Qbit LTE

If you travel with any regularity, you’ll definitely want to invest in a quality umbrella stroller—one that you can confidently open, close and carry over your shoulder with as little fuss as possible. We love the one-handed fold on this stroller for truly being achievable with one hand, and opening the GB Qbit LTE is almost as easy as shaking out a towel. Weighing in at 15 lb., the GB Qbit LTE folds up small enough inside its nylon messenger-style bag that you won't need to gate-check your stroller at the airport—you can bring it right on board to store in one of the overhead bins. It's compatible with several infant car seats, which you'll need if you're using the GB QBit LTE with a child who can't yet sit by themselves.

FOLDING AND CARRYING

One of the most important features of an umbrella stroller is how it folds, and this is one area where the GB Qbit LTE excels. With a true one-handed fold, you can go from strolling to folded in seconds. To fold the stroller, slide the grey button on top of the handle to the left with your thumb while squeezing the button on the underside of the handle with the rest of your fingers—the stroller then easily folds forward into a remarkably small square shape. All of our parent testers agreed the GB Qbit LTE is easy to fold.

If you need a stroller that can easily be stashed in the trunk of your car or carried onto an airplane, the GB Qbit LTE folds into a tidy little square that measures 13 by 21 inches. Once folded, the stroller easily slides into the carry bag (which is easily stashed in a Velcro pouch located underneath the seat of the stroller when not in use). All of our parent testers agreed the Qbit LTE folds up small enough to meet their needs. To securely lock the stroller once folded, you need to manually clip the storage latch on the frame. Once locked, the stroller can stand on its own.

All of our parent testers strongly agreed that the GB Qbit LTE is a lightweight stroller, and the majority told us it is easy to carry when folded. Once in the bag, the stroller can be carried over your shoulder or using the handles. All of our parent testers were easily able to carry their child and the stroller when folded.

WHEELS, BRAKES AND MANEUVERABILITY

In our field tests, we found the GB Qbit LTE easy to maneuver and push (with one hand or two) on a variety of surfaces including concrete, hardwood, grass, gravel and curbs, as well as uphill and downhill. The majority of our parent testers agreed the Qbit LTE easily rolled over smooth surfaces, grass and gravel, and up and down hills. They were less satisfied with how it performed on sand, mud and curbs (which, frankly, are challenging surfaces for most strollers). The front wheels of the stroller can switch between swivel (unlocked) and fixed (locked). During our field tests, we found that locking the wheels in the fixed position helped us to navigate trickier surfaces like gravel and grass. All of our testers agreed the wheels on the stroller are high-quality.

We found the brakes on the Qbit LTE were easy to apply and felt secure, and all but one of our parent testers came to the same conclusion. Applying the brakes is as simple as stepping down on the grey brake levers located between both rear wheels of the stroller. To release the brakes, simply lift the levers up with the top of your foot. We found the brakes equally easy to apply in both open- and closed-toed shoes.

RECLINE AND LEG REST

The Qbit LTE has two main recline positions: fully upright and a 45-degree recline. We found the tether-style recline easy to adjust, and the majority of our parent testers agreed with us. Because the recline is adjusted using a tether, you can always find an in-between adjustment if that works better for your little one. The seat can be reclined with a one-handed squeeze, but when it’s time to move back to the upright seat position, you’ll need to use two hands. Parent testers reported their kids were comfortable in all of the recline positions. Likely due to the limited recline and lack of an adjustable leg rest, only one parent tester reported that their child was able to comfortably nap in this stroller.

CANOPY

When you head out for a stroll, you never know what kind of weather you’ll get caught in—that’s where a good canopy comes in handy. The canopy on the Qbit LTE is expandable (by undoing the single snap) for extra coverage when you need it. All of our testers strongly agreed the canopy provided good protection from the sun, and all but one tester felt the canopy provided good protection from the rain (GB sells a rain cover separately). The soft, satin-like material of the canopy makes for a nearly noiseless open and close that would not wake a sleeping child. The Qbit LTE doesn't have a peek-a-boo window, so you’ll have to walk around to check on your child.

CLEANING

Day-to-day use can turn a cute stroller into a hot mess of cracker crumbs and mystery spills. Luckily, the Qbit LTE spot-cleans like a dream. The seat cover is not removable, but when we called the manufacturer’s customer service line, they recommended that we spot-clean the stroller with a damp cloth and detergent, then let it air dry.

STORAGE AND ACCESSORIES

If you're carrying a full diaper bag and running a few errands, you’ll want an umbrella stroller with some storage capacity. The basket under the seat of the Qbit LTE is on the small side compared to the other umbrella strollers we tested, but it's very easy to access and has a weight capacity of 10 lb., which means it is quite sturdy. Parent testers weren’t thrilled with the size of the basket, or how easy it was to access, but for an umbrella stroller, this really is a reasonable amount of storage. The Qbit LTE comes with a removable cupholder that has a weight limit of one pound.

HARNESS

The five-point harness on the Qbit LTE is simple, secure and straightforward to fasten—all you have to do is click the two side buckles into the central crotch buckle and you’re ready to roll. All of our parent testers agreed the harness is easy to close and release, and they all told us it felt secure and sat comfortably against their child's body. Testers were less impressed with how easy it was to adjust the safety harness. You’ll need to rethread the harness as your child grows, but this shouldn’t take you more than five minutes.

FINAL WORD

Overall, our parent testers rated the quality, ease of use and value of the Qbit LTE as good or very good. When asked to compare it to other umbrella strollers they’ve tried, they unanimously agreed this stroller was somewhat to much better. All of our testers would recommend the Qbit LTE to other parents, and only one tester wouldn’t purchase this stroller (she felt it was out of her price range). Overall, we think the Qbit LTE is an excellent umbrella stroller that manages to pack in a lot of useful features while keeping things lightweight. During our testing, we were impressed with how easily the stroller opened, folded and slipped into its storage bag—many strollers promise a one-handed fold but few actually deliver as well as the Qbit.