Summer by Ingenuity - 3Dquickclose CS+ Compact Fold Stroller

I started my stroller journey by buying a highly recommended stroller and hating it... and ended up with multiple ones, which turned into testing over 100 models and reviewing them :) That said: NOT LOVING: Uppababy Vista - rides smooth, but too big and bulky Mockingbird - awful, scary with recalls, doesn't drive smoothly as all Cybex Orfeo - too flimsy Cybex Coya - where do I even begin with this bad fold GB Pockit - not worth your fingers Ergobaby Metro - too heavy for a travel stroller and unfold feels meh SummerInfant 3d quickclose - too good to be true, super flimsy Nuna TRVL - too short seat, too big to take into the cabin and too expensive for what it is Uppababy Minu - too big for a travel stroller model, weird bumper bar and flimsy canopy LOVING: Cybex Priam - amazing, especially the e-version. If I were to get a one full-size stroller this would be my top choice Stokke Yoyo3 - most well-known and guaranteed on board Joolz Aer - smooth ride, great accessories Joolz Hub2 - solid mid-size option Cybex Gazelle - good for 2 under 2 Bombi - good mid-size option Bugaboo Butterfly 2 - didn't like the first version, but these upgrades made it better Mamazing - good budget option Zoe Traveler - amazing canopy and solid stroller Inglesina Quid - cute solid compact stroller

I hate to provide an opposing opinion because I know how overwhelming the ftm situation is but here we go: the Uppa stroller is really big and heavy. I put a Summer 3D stroller on our registry and bought an uppa with a rumble seat and bassinet used for 100. In the first 3 months, baby lived in that bassinet and it was handy to be able to pack them inside in the warmth and click them into the stroller outside (October baby). That was also the bassinet we used for sleep. BUT the frame of the uppa didn’t have to go up/down stairs or in/out of the trunk much. And it was the newborn stage so no one was letting me do any lifting. When it was in the trunk of our sedan it took up almost all of it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s lighter and easier than other systems. But as soon as baby was done with the bassinet we only reached for the 3D stroller because it’s more compact and easier to maneuver. I used it for daily walks on sidewalk and indoors. If you plan to do your daily walks on grass or trails this advice isn’t for you. But if you’re staying on even ground or mall walking then you might want to consider something more compact that can temporarily accommodate the car seat in the first months. The bassinet will be even more short lived, but most seats that accommodate a car seat can take a bassinet too

Second this! We use it for travel and it’s so easy to get through the airport with. My only complaint is the small basket underneath but my 1 year old does so well in it!

We got the Evenflo Dualride Shyft new (thanks to an Amazon sale earlier this year, we got it for $300), which is a combo car seat/stroller and a Doona dupe. My cousin with 2 kids raved about it, so I went with that option figuring it would be our travel system for about a year. It was great for the newborn days when she was very light and all we had to do was pop her in the car seat, and then pop the wheels out for when we needed the stroller option. That was pretty much our primary stroller for the first 3 months since we are in the suburbs and have a car for most outings and trips. For just short walks, we just did baby wearing (Ergobaby Omni). Also for the first month or so I was so exhausted from C section delivery and recovery, sleep deprivation from staying up all night with the baby, and breastfeeding that I didn’t even want to leave the house, so a nicer stroller wasn’t needed. It might have been nice to have the bassinet feature, but I felt like the baby spent so much time flat on her back while sleeping up to 18 hours a day that I don’t think I would have used it much anyway. The Evenflo dualride works great as a travel system but not as an everyday stroller. At the 3 month mark, I started wanting to go on some longer walks, so I got a Mockingbird single to double stroller with an infant insert on Facebook marketplace for $100, which I use for neighborhood walks and to the grocery store. I then got a travel stroller for when she outgrows the Evenflo next year (baby is currently 4 months and she will no longer be able to fit in the Evenflo when she is 35 pounds). I ordered the Ingenuity 3D QuickClose stroller on Amazon for about $100 (it was on sale and I used a completion discount). I haven’t used it on a trip yet but so far pleased with how easily it folds. I did do a bit of research into a travel stroller and I decided I would just go for a cheaper option in case it breaks during travel/gate check. I probably should have tried to get an Uppababy Minu on marketplace, but the nice ones were hard to come by or sold very quickly. We weren’t exactly on a strict budget, but I couldn’t stomach the idea of spending too much money on strollers since I got the Evenflo new and also got a new Graco convertible car seat for when the baby gets older. I am glad we started with the Evenflo, which worked great for the newborn days, and then had time to figure out what stroller features I really wanted. I would also highly recommend Facebook marketplace for strollers; so many are in good shape and if you end up not liking a stroller at least it’s not too much of a sunk cost. I got a used Graco stroller for $50 that I just tried out and used for about a week before reselling on Marketplace for $30, and then found the Mockingbird. We have a yard and a hose, so I just give the secondhand strollers a good scrub and then let it dry in the sun, and machine wash any removable parts.

We got the Evenflo Dualride Shyft new (thanks to an Amazon sale earlier this year, we got it for $300), which is a combo car seat/stroller and a Doona dupe. My cousin with 2 kids raved about it, so I went with that option figuring it would be our travel system for about a year. It was great for the newborn days when she was very light and all we had to do was pop her in the car seat, and then pop the wheels out for when we needed the stroller option. That was pretty much our primary stroller for the first 3 months since we are in the suburbs and have a car for most outings and trips. For just short walks, we just did baby wearing (Ergobaby Omni). Also for the first month or so I was so exhausted from delivery, sleep deprivation from staying up all night with the baby, and breastfeeding that I didn’t even want to leave the house, so a nicer stroller wasn’t needed. The Evenflo dualride works great as a travel system but not as an everyday stroller. At the 3 month mark, I started wanting to go on some longer walks, so I got a Mockingbird single to double stroller with an infant insert on Facebook marketplace for $100, which I use for neighborhood walks and to the grocery store. I then got a travel stroller for when she outgrows the Evenflo next year (baby is currently 4 months and she will no longer be able to fit in the Evenflo when she is 35 pounds). I ordered the Ingenuity 3D QuickClose stroller on Amazon for about $100 (it was on sale and I used a completion discountg. I haven’t used it on a trip yet but so far pleased with how easily it folds. I did do a bit of research into a travel stroller and I decided I would just go for a cheaper option in case it breaks during travel/gate check. I probably should have tried to get an Uppababy Minu on marketplace, but the nice ones were hard to come by or sold very quickly. We weren’t exactly on a strict budget, but I couldn’t stomach the idea of spending too much money on strollers. I am glad we started with the Evenflo, which worked great for the newborn days, and then had time to figure out what stroller features I really wanted. I would also highly recommend Facebook marketplace for strollers; so many are in good shape and if you end up not liking a stroller at least it’s not too much of a sunk cost.

Truly feel you OP cz I was exasperated with how many we got… but here goes - 4 in total but 2 in active usage: Uppababy Cruz 2 for mat leave and weekends after he started daycare Summer infant Umbrella which we stopped using after 13 months cz he was getting kinda big in it and it was rather rickety Ingenuity 3D quick close which we got to replace the summer infant and became our “daycare stroller” where we felt ok leaving it at the daycare And another graco which was our original daycare stroller and tires gave out on us

If your child fits in the Cosco scenera, I have used it in the airport just sitting on a stroller (worked with both my vista and my summer infant quickclose). You would want to secure it with something if you’re using it regularly like that, and it’s definitely not officially safe, and also might end up damaging the stroller if used a lot, but in my experience it stays put pretty well.

We use a Summer 3D cs for travel. It fits my 40lbs toddler very well, but my 50lbs oldest used to sit in it as well! Not small enough for overhead luggage on the plane, but our favourite stroller. And cheap. 55lbs limit for weight.

The answer to your car seat woes is the Cosco Scenera, cheap (available at Walmart) and lightweight. I travel frequently solo with my (now) 2yo and I bungee it upside down on top of my roller bag. As for travel strollers (this is a lower-budget option) we've been using the Ingenuity 3Dquickclose and my tall 2yo still will nap in it comfortably. It's light and folds/unfolds easily (critical for folding it on the jet bridge while wrangling a toddler) - I've gate-checked it dozens of times (with no travel bag or anything) and it's held up great.

Yes! We got the Summer Infant Ingenuity 3Dquickclose CS + Compact Fold stroller off Amazon for $119. Just finished our first airplane trip with it and it worked great! We gate checked it so I can't speak on if it fits in the overhead compartment of a plane or not (There are mixed reviews on this in the reviews). We also bought a gate check stroller bag off Amazon to put it in. Took little one on a few walks using it as well and it has held up nicely so far.

They are very small but they have held up nicely. Our sidewalks in our neighborhood are uneven and bumpy but so far so good!

The Summer 3D quick close is amazing for shopping, travel, etc. it’s super easy to open and close with one button and the tray pops open for you to insert the baby. I also have the Baby Trend Expedition Jogger and it’s smooooth as heck. It’s what I use for hikes and neighborhood walks. I don’t believe in spending a ton of money on equipment because of the brand but I do look for quality and longevity. Both are around $120.