Butterfly 1

A butterfly 1 (US version) is my daily stroller and I LOVE it. It handles very well in any reasonable situation (so not grass or gravel, but it’s what I use for long daily walks on rough/old paved walking paths and it is about as comfortable as larger strollers I’ve used previously, like the Nuna Triv Next). My youngest is a summer baby and keeping her in the car seat for walks was way too hot so she was in the fully reclined stroller seat from the earliest possible time and did fine without being parent facing. The large mesh panel in the canopy of the butterfly 1 made it easy to keep tabs on her.

I strongly prefer the Bugaboo Butterfly with Nuna adapters over the Nuna Trvl! The butterfly is sturdier, taller, and overall better quality - the Trvl is basically a marked up Joie Nutmeg, which is $239 (Joie and Nuna have the same parent company) and it definitely feels like it’s worth that rather than the premium Nuna price. Anyway, besides that, you’ve got a great plan! I recommend collapsing the stroller in the gate area before boarding if you have enough hands to carry everything- a couple times when I’ve been flying without another adult and rolled the stroller all the way to the plane before folding it, gate agents and/or FAs have given me some suspicious looks when I promise them that it’ll fit onboard.

What kind of terrain will you need to navigate? If you will ever need your stroller to handle grass, gravel, trails, snow, running/jogging or other heavy duty use, then a heavier duty stroller is probably going to serve you better overall. If you have a car with convenient parking, then leaving the stroller in the car will prevent you from having to carry it or store it inside. If you’re just talking about urban/suburban use - sidewalks/pavement in various states of maintenance, etc but no off-roading needs - then a high quality lightweight stroller with suspension is the way to go, imo. I have a Bugaboo Butterfly and use it as my toddler’s daily stroller, including long (2-4 mile) walks on old paved greenways most days. We’re talking bumpy asphalt pathways that would have a cheap stroller vibrating and shaking all the way up your arms, but the Butterfly has enough suspension to keep things smooth for my kid and for me. It works great for everything I need it to do, but I don’t need or expect it to handle anything truly difficult. Other high end lightweight strollers, like the Uppababy Minu or the Joolz Aer, would probably give a similar user experience. I don’t think that the mid-level brands of lightweight strollers are quite as hardy (example: Ergo Metro, Inglesina Quid3, Joie Nutmeg/Nuna Trvl etc) but realistically would also probably work just fine for walks and such as long as you are staying on paved roads/sidewalks.

I used my Liing with a Vista and a Bugaboo Butterfly. I love love love the butterfly and disliked the vista for the size/weight/fold but I wasn’t doing any real off roading. My best friend uses her Liing with a Bumbleride Era and does use it for a decent amount of all terrain use. The stroller seat converts between seat and a bassinet though I don’t think it’s its technically safe sleep certified like the Uppababy bassinets are (but would still be okay for naps on the go). It’s still pricy, but GoodBuyGear has an open box Era for about $300 less than list price right now… 😆 Can you sell one or both of the current strollers you have to put extra funds toward one that will meet your needs better? (I’d sell the Britax first because Baby Jogger strollers are heavy duty workhorses and better suited to the type of use you may want out of it in the future!) If you can live without car seat compatibility, Evenflo and Joie have some cost effective strollers with bassinet options, though neither are as robust and high quality as true luxury strollers (ie Uppababy, Bumbleride, baby jogger).

If I were buying a new stroller today it would be a Bugaboo Dragonfly! And I’d use it with either a Nuna or Clek infant seat. My vista served one purpose I needed from it (car seat frame for my twins) and I don’t think I could have survived the first year without it, but I definitely wouldn’t buy it for a singleton because I’d plan on a different/better double if or when it was needed. (I also have a bugaboo butterfly and LOVE it, it’s been a great daily stroller for my youngest even though it’s intended to be a compact stroller. So I have no need for anything bigger or heavier duty).

I have the butterfly and Joie mint latch. The butterfly is my daily stroller and I don’t need anything different for day to day use. My baby used the car seat on the stroller pretty briefly and I quickly started putting her in the actual stroller seat for walks - she was a summer baby and staying in the car seat for long walks and such was too hot. But I didn’t miss having a bassinet or a heavier duty stroller (I actually do have heavier duty strollers but I hardly bothered using them with my youngest). I do love the Dragonfly and if I could justify another stroller I’d love to get that one, but I really don’t need another stroller lol and the butterfly does it all for me!

They do, though they’re not officially approved as far as I’m aware (the mint uses the same stroller adapter mechanism as Nuna/Cybex/Maxi Cosi/Clek etc). Knowing that they’re unofficially compatible ie same design was enough for me but proceed at your own risk. Baby just rode in the fully reclined stroller seat once she had enough head control. The butterfly2 is even flatter of a recline so I wouldn’t have any hesitations there Yes, we use it for 2-4+ mile walks 4-5 days a week on greenway paths- no real terrain but pretty rough asphalt where I have tested out other strollers that did a lot worse! Like the suspension is enough that nobody is vibrating riding in the butterfly.

Re: car seats I’m a NICU CPST and I really dislike the way the Mesa V2/V3 position infants. For an Uppababy stroller I’d do a Nuna Pipa (any), Clek Liing, or Chicco Keyfit Max. All have better infant positioning and (in my opinion) a better user experience than any Uppababy car seat. As far as ring adapter vs post adaptors, I used a Nuna Pipa Urbn for my last baby and waaay preferred the ring adaptor over post style adaptors. It was much easier to pop things in correctly in one shot, vs fiddling with both sides to line it up perfectly with both posts. Re: strollers I’m a twin mom and hoped that a vista style stroller would be my one and only. LOL. It was great in the infant car seat days as basically a very fancy frame stroller for their Liings. Aaaand within like 48 hours of switching them to convertible car seats I ordered a side by side stroller (Valco snap duo trend) with rush shipping. 😂 Double mode with two stroller seats meant unfolding the frame, attaching both stroller seats, then unbuckling the babies from their car seats and re-buckling into the stroller. And reverse the process to get back in the car. It felt like it took forever. A relatively lightweight side by side stroller with a one-piece/one step fold was a huge upgrade. So get the vista if you like it but be prepared to need something else for a new sibling if you find the double mode to be as inconvenient as I did lol. My daily stroller is a Bugaboo butterfly, which is technically a travel/compact stroller but is hardy enough to comfortably handle anything I’ve thrown at it, except like gravel or grass. Broken sidewalks etc are fine. The car seat adapter situation is a small drawback (see: post adapters) but I love the stroller itself enough that I still put up with it (or just laid my baby in the reclined stroller seat from early on for longer outings). So I’m partial to the versatility of a well made, high quality compact stroller that can handle heavy daily use - the Minu may or may not be as hardy as the butterfly but that size is what I like best.

Bugaboo butterfly. It’s been our main daily stroller for almost 4 years across two kids. It’s not meant for off-roading or any real terrain, but we go for long walks on bumpy poorly maintained asphalt greenways/bike paths and it does great! We’ve traveled with it extensively too. It’s one of my most used baby gear items and I can’t say enough good things about it.

Oh I used the car seat adapters with Nuna, Clek and Joie car seats for my youngest! I don’t love a post adaptor because it takes a second to line things up right but it still got the job done!

Definitely the overall weight of the stroller as well as the number of steps it takes to fold/load and unload from the car. I started with a used Vista for my twins and it worked great with their car seats for the first year but man, I haaaaated using that thing in double mode with the actual stroller seats. I had to remove both seats then fold the frame to load it in the car… it felt like it took forever. A lighter weight side by side double that folded in one step/one piece was so much better. My love for well made lightweight strollers continues now that we are mostly out of the double stroller stage. I’ve used a Bugaboo Butterfly as my daily stroller for 4 years/2 kids and love love love it. It’s lightweight and small but still sturdy enough to handle daily walks and lots of use. 10/10.

Yes, absolutely. The Doona is such a short lived niche product, a travel stroller is usable for years. The bugaboo butterfly is my choice, I used it with my Pipa and it worked great as a travel setup. It’s been my daily stroller for almost 4 years across two kids because I like it so much more than bigger, bulkier strollers yet it’s still sturdy and comfortable enough to handle heavy daily use.

The Doona is more of a “car seat on wheels” than a stroller if that makes sense. As a “stroller” it’s convenient for travel, appointments, quick errands and such but it’s not what I’d choose as my primary stroller for walks or long outings like the zoo. From a car seat perspective I definitely prefer other options. My daily stroller is a Bugaboo Butterfly and I LOVE it. It’s compact but sturdy and tough enough to handle the daily use I need from it (long walks on bumpy paved paths etc). It falls short for real terrain like grass or gravel but it’s done great for every other test I’ve put it through. I love the fold mechanism and the sturdy leg rest that also gives you an easy place to grab/lift the stroller. It’s tall enough that my disabled 5yo still fits comfortably without looking ridiculous. The only part of it that isn’t practically perfect is the car seat adapter situation- I find a ring adapter/belly bar type situation to be slightly easier than post adaptors where you have to line both sides of the car seat up with the posts but that’s a pretty small complaint and I still enjoyed using it with several seats (Nuna Pipa Urbn, Clek Liing, and Joie Mint Latch which isn’t officially approved/compatible butttt I did it anyway because the adapters are the same). My summer baby did start using the stroller seat fully reclined early on though because confining her to the car seat on a long walk in hot weather was not fun for anyone. The butterfly has been on a whole lot of flights in overhead bins and has handled things like poorly maintained pavement and bumpy city sidewalks without issue. I have other, more heavy duty strollers and I just don’t ever bother with them because the butterfly works so well for everything I need from it. If I could justify another stroller, which I can’t, I would get a bugaboo dragonfly in a heartbeat. Complex/bulky folds had always turned me off to other bugaboos (until the butterfly came out). The dragonfly fixes that issue, the fold is really easy to do and the folded stroller isn’t huge or awkward. There is a bassinet upgrade or car seat adaptors for Nuna/Cybex/Maxi Cosi/Clek. I haven’t put it to the test outside a showroom but given how well the tiny butterfly handles, I’m sure the dragonfly does great on most terrain. Car seat wise, I would avoid Uppababy infant seats, I dislike the positioning for babies and I’m not in love with the overall user experience. I love the Nuna Pipa line (especially the Pipa Urbn, though unfortunately it only comes with a Nuna stroller), Clek Liing, Joie mint latch, and Chicco Keyfit 30 or Max. All of these except the non-Urbn Pipa models are very compact and work well in small cars - especially the baseless seats, Pipa Urbn and Mint latch.

Bugaboo for suuuuure. The Trvl Lx feels flimsy and cheap as soon as you encounter any terrain that’s bumpier than an indoor floor imo. The backrest is also short. The butterfly has excellent suspension for its size and handles/pushes like a heavier duty stroller. We use it comfortably on 2-4 mile walks on old/bumpy pavement daily. The tall seatback is awesome, my disabled 6yo still fits in it height wise when necessary. The bugaboo doesn’t self fold but it does fold super easily with one hand and the leg rest serves as a grab bar which I really like. It’s stood up to heavy daily use for almost 4 years across two kids, one of my best kid purchases for sure.

The Butterfly is like, my perfect dream stroller. There is nothing I dislike about it except that the car seat adaptors are very mildly annoying to use, which is the case for all post style adaptors in my experience. It has great suspension and handling for its size, a nice tall seat back that lasts way longer than a lot of other options (important for a travel stroller since many kids need a stroller while traveling even after they stop using one day to day), a decent sized basket that is easily accessible, the leg rest is fantastic, and it’s easier to clean than any other stroller I’ve ever used because the seat pad comes off with a few Velcro loops to go in the washing machine. I got it the summer it was released and it’s been my main daily stroller since then across 2 kids. It handles long walks on old/mildly bumpy pavement easily and it’s so easy to travel with, I can’t say enough good things and I would absolutely get one if you can find one in your budget!

I am obsessed with my bugaboo butterfly! - one hand fold: yes - overhead bin: yes, bonus is it’s narrow enough to roll directly down the aisle on larger planes - good recline: yes - good sunshade and footrest: yes, the footrest is literally one of the main reasons I got this stroller - it’s a structural part of the stroller and very sturdy - peek a boo window: yes - basket: easy to access and can hold a decent sized diaper bag. The stroller won’t fold with large items in the basket, but this applies to many strollers - handlebar height: comfortable if not on the slightly high side for me at 5’6”. Also comfortable for 6’+ family members and my shorter sister as well Other things: the backrest is one of the tallest out there, which was important for me (beneficial especially since lots of kids use a stroller when traveling, at Disney etc even after they’ve outgrown it day to day). The harness is easy to buckle, unbuckle, and adjust re: height and tightness. It has great suspension for its size so it’s really comfortable to push and (I assume lol) comfortable to ride in, even on bumpy or poorly maintained pavement.

Yeah, for sure. My twins’ big double stroller had a “saggier” basket so I was used to it folding with some random crap in the bottom of the basket so it was a small adjustment with the butterfly. A bag is fine, the problem is all the random crap my big kids throw in there that I have to then individually remove when we get back from a walk 😂

Realistically you will probably have to sacrifice something. While premium travel strollers like the Aer and the Bugaboo Butterfly have great suspension for their size, the skinny wheels won’t handle cobblestones well. And strollers with wider wheels that will handle the cobblestones won’t be lightweight or very compact. I’d say no to the yoyo (the fold is too annoying when you’re trying to quickly and smoothly break down the stroller to walk upstairs). No to the Trvl (product isn’t worth the price). I haven’t tried the Coya. The Aer is great overall for what it is but wouldn’t do well on cobblestones - same with my favorite compact stroller the Bugaboo Butterfly. The Dragonfly may work, though I’ve never used it on cobblestones and I have seen complaints about its cobblestone performance because it also has narrow tires. The Nuna Triv Next is another one I’d look at in the same size category as the Dragonfly. I’ve also never used it on cobblestones but it has slightly wider tires than the dragonfly so it may perform better for your needs. The frame is slightly more “rickety” feeling than the Dragonfly frame but that wasn’t a major issue for me, it still performs well and having a rock-solid feeling frame won’t matter much if the tires end up too narrow to handle your daily terrain.

I agree with seeing and manipulating the strollers in person if possible. All of these (and two other options, the baby jogger city select and bugaboo kangaroo) are solid single stroller options if you want something large/full size/heavy duty. But they are all large lol. As a twin mom this type of stroller worked great as a fancy car seat frame stroller but I haaaaated using it as a double with the actual stroller seats when my twins outgrew their infant seats. It felt huge to push and mainly, it was a pain to get in or out of the car - unfold frame, add both stroller seats, then remove babies from the car and rebuckle into the stroller, or in reverse remove both seats individually then fold the stroller frame when loading the car. I lasted a week before I impulse bought a fairly lightweight side by side double stroller with a one-piece/one-step fold, and it was a lot better for our day to day needs. After that experience I am more or less convinced that many families won’t find one individual stroller model that truly meets all their needs across different ages/stages for multiple kids. This may be the case for you with the need for a lighter, smaller stroller. So I would also consider getting a lightweight single now (something like Bugaboo Butterfly, Bugaboo Dragonfly, Joie Nutmeg, Nuna Triv next, Uppababy Minu) and a compatible car seat; then wait and explore the lightweight double stroller market when the time comes (Valco Slim Twin or Duo Trend, Uppababy Minu Duo, Zoe, etc).

I use a bugaboo butterfly as my daily stroller and it’s perfect. It meets my day to day needs - walks and errands - as well as travel needs and longer outings. A good quality compact stroller with good suspension can absolutely handle daily use like that. I have a few other strollers and honestly need to sell them because (other than using my double at Disney so my big kids could have a place to rest) I haven’t touched any of them in over a year.

I use a bugaboo butterfly as my daily stroller and love it, zero regrets! A high quality compact stroller can handle the terrain of an urban environment well, and compared to larger strollers they’re way less obtrusive both during use in public and for storage. Personally I’d cross the Yoyo off your list (there is no need for that kind of folding mechanism in 2026) and same with the shyft (assuming you have the budget for a nicer stroller you’ll have a better experience with a nicer stroller). The minu is popular and well regarded but I personally don’t love Uppababy products. I loooove my butterfly and I was between the Butterfly and the Aer so from your list my choice would be the Aer.

I love the Liing! Before baseless rigid latch infant car seats came along it was my favorite infant car seat and it’s still up there, of course! I had a vista for my twins and it worked great as basically a fancy car seat frame stroller for the first year, but it was too much for me as a double with the actual stroller seats once my twins were out of their Liings. I really disliked the bulk of it, the steering, and the multiple step folding process, and I very quickly replaced it with a side by side stroller that I liked a lot better. But I never used it as a single and didn’t have a garage to store it in so it was always in and out of the car- so those drawbacks may be no issue for you! The Poplar is great, it’s one of the easiest installs out there with the Clicktight mechanism. It does not work forward facing in cars that have non-removable headrests in the backseat but that’s the only big problem with it and it doesn’t apply if your vehicle headrests can come off. The Clek convertibles aren’t as straightforward, but they’re also easy to install (as in it’s not physically difficult to get a tight installation) and have some cool technical things going on if you’d be interested in that. But they’re much larger front to back if space will be an issue. I wouldn’t do a separate infant car seat for travel. The hardest part of traveling with car seats (to me) is lugging them through the airport but any infant seat with a compatible stroller makes that part easy - no separate seat required (as opposed to convertible seats- that’s where a lightweight smaller seat genuinely makes life easier). I also wouldn’t pick another more or less full sized stroller as a “travel” stroller, but I would look at a lightweight travel stroller that is compatible with the Liing. I have a Bugaboo Butterfly and LOVE it (it’s my daily stroller for my toddler singleton) but there are other premium options like the Joolz Aer and Uppababy Minu that offer Clek compatible adapters. A travel stroller along with a full size stroller will give you flexibility and a greater range of functionality than two full size strollers, and the premium compact strollers are excellent quality with very comfortable handling so you wouldn’t be sacrificing that aspect of a full size stroller when you’re traveling (or if you end up choosing to keep the travel stroller in the car for quick outings after outgrowing the vista bassinet, or whatever other use!)

My vote is butterfly- I have it and it’s been my daily use/car/travel stroller for almost 4 years across two kids. I LOVE it and have no complaints at all, it’s the closest thing to my personal perfect stroller I’ve ever seen lol. But the minu is also very nice and very popular. I would cross the yoyo3 off your list. The yoyo was innovative when it originally came out but there’s no reason for an expensive compact stroller to have a two-hand, multiple step fold in the year 2026 lol

The Joolz aer is more similar to the butterfly than anything else. I planned to get it but pivoted to the butterfly when it was released because the leg rest, liner, and canopy on the butterfly stood out to me. Butterfly- also overhead bin compatible. Also fits down the aisle on a 737 or larger plane (not a small regional jet). I roll it onto the plane with my kid in it most of the time. The suspension and handling are miles ahead of any other compact stroller I’ve used outside. Several compact strollers have a shoulder strap or something for carrying- so does the butterfly, but it also has a structural leg rest that serves as a very convenient handle/grab bar, so it’s extra smooth and easy to fold the strollers and grab the leg rest that sticks up to carry it (ie when we encounter stairs in public when traveling). The backrest is tall enough that my tall, disabled 6yo can still fit in it with his head below the top of the backrest (my toddler is the one using the stroller daily now, but my 6yo rides in it to board airplanes once we leave his wheelchair on the ramp; and he can still nap in it if he needs to on travel days, which he can’t do in his wheelchair). The seat liner/padding comes off super easily for cleaning but stays in place well during use. The canopy coverage is better than several options I compared it to (in 2022 lol) and of course a one step, one handed fold was a major priority to me as well. The minu is also known for its suspension and handling. I passed on it because the backrest is shorter, the v1 didn’t fit in smaller overhead bins, and because I disliked my vista enough that it turned me off from the brand. The yoyo’s fold was an immediate no for me because when I travel, as well as day to day at home, I am usually folding my stroller with one hand while holding a child or luggage or whatever in my other hand. I also dislike the short seat back, the lack of leg support for medium sized kids, and how reclined the seat is when it’s at the most upright. The canopy coverage is poor and I didn’t find it comfortable to carry via shoulder strap when folded, which is minor but I do carry a folded stroller often when we travel in cities and use public transport or find stairs at building entrances etc.

Bugaboo Butterfly + a Nuna, Clek, or Joie car seat. Trvl LX: flimsy and short (in the seatback, i.e. outgrown quickly for toddlers). A fine $300 stroller in my opinion but not worth the Nuna markup- if you’re set on it, go with the very similar Joie Nutmeg, which has a price that more accurately reflects the quality of the stroller. Joolz Aer 2: a good choice, I just like the small details of the butterfly better (especially the leg rest and seat liner) Minu v3: great stroller, as long as you avoid Uppababy infant car seats, which are… not great Yoyo3: the og Yoyo was super innovative in the compact/travel category. But why the heck does the yoyo3 still have such a complicated fold when there are so many one hand/one step options out there?! Hard pass for me. Butterfly: a nearly perfect stroller lol I have been using mine daily across 2 kids since summer 2022 when it was released and I have no complaints. It’s a workhorse for its size and handles/drives like a larger, heavier duty stroller (smooth, not rickety, can be pushed and steered with one hand) while still being, well, compact. The backrest is tall enough to last through preschool years, which is great since some kids still use a stroller when traveling longer than they use one at home, and the structural footrest is awesome for kid comfort as well as a very easy place to grab/carry the stroller (easier than the shoulder strap that is also attached in the basket area). I’ve rolled it down airplane aisles with my kid in it, and fit it inside overhead bins. The liner comes off to wash easier than any other stroller I’ve owned but still stays in place without shifting during use. It’s been one of my best baby gear purchases for sure.