Do You Know the 4 Main Types of Strollers?

There are hundreds of strollers on the market, so it’s normal to feel overwhelmed if you are trying to find the right one.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry will recommend whatever stroller they are currently using, or what they purchased years ago. Everyone wants to feel validated about the choices they’ve made in life. Don’t fall into that trap! There is so much innovation in this industry that there’s always something better out there!

But before we dive into the details, let’s clarify a couple of terms frequently used to describe stroller types: convertible, and travel system. These terms are NOT mutually exclusive.

Let’s dive into the jargon:

1. Full-sized “standard” stroller

Also known as a “standard” or “regular” stroller. These strollers are great for everyday use.

Most of these strollers are also “convertible”, as in they can convert from holding a one bucket seat to two, or are modular “travel systems” which means it holds a car seat.

In general, a full-sized regular stroller is larger and bulkier than compact strollers. Read this review of our top 5 full-sized strollers of 2024.

Pros

• Has a roomy and comfortable seat
• Has a decent basket size
• Has larger wheels for a smoother drive
• Usually quite robust and can stand up to years of rough handling
• Frequently compatible with car seats from other brands through the use of adapters
• Frequently accommodates children from birth onwards with the use of bassinet, or lie-flat seat

Cons

• It is large – will definitely not fit into an airplane overhead bin
• It is cumbersome – you need two hands to fold it up and put it in the trunk
• It is bulky – It will take up almost all of your trunk space, and obstruct your entryway
• It is wide – may not fit through narrow spaces e.g. stores with narrow lanes, alleyways, aisles
• It is heavy – they weigh 25-30 lbs on their own, not including your child (10-30 lbs), and your giant diaper bag (10+lbs) for the total of ~70 lbs! This makes it hard to push up steps and curbs

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2. Compact, “travel” or “lightweight” stroller

These strollers usually fold up small enough to fit in an overhead cabin on a flight. As good as that sounds however, it really depends on the size of the plane and how much your flight is.

These days, compact lightweight strollers have as much functionality as full-sized strollers. Here’s our list of the top compact strollers of 2024.

Pros

• Travel ready – fits in airplane overheads, fit in TSA scanners
• Compact – saves room in your trunk or home, fits under the table at restaurants
• Lightweight – easy to carry, especially when you are also carrying your child and bags
• Theme park ready – company strollers would undoubtedly fit within the size restrictions
• Frequently compatible with car seats from other brands through the use of adapters
• Frequently accommodates children from birth onwards with the use of bassinet, or lie-flat seat

Cons

• Lower child weight limit
• Can be less robust than full sized strollers for obvious reasons

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3. Jogging stroller

You only really need a jogging stroller if you will take your child on jogs, or if you frequently navigate rough terrain. They typically have 3 wheels.

Pros

• Smooth drive thanks to even larger wheels than full sized strollers
• Versatile (I guess) – even though it’s a jogging stroller, many families use it as their main every day stroller

Cons

• Very bulky – jogging strollers understandably have a sturdy frame and larger wheels for suspension
• Large – usually the wheels at the back are wide apart for stability
• Not as frequently compatible with car seats
• Expensive

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4. Double stroller

This includes any strollers that fit more than one child. This can include dedicated double strollers with two seats, full-sized or compact strollers to which you can add an additional seat and kickboard, strollers that can be connected together, or wagon style strollers.

It is really an umbrella term for any stroller that can hold more than one child. Here is a list of the top 5 wagon strollers of 2024.

Pros

• Good for when both kids eventually get tired and you just want to get everyone from A to B as efficiently as possible
• Lots of room to carry everything for a day out
• Wagons are a fun ride for kids, and can be used for non human cargo in a pinch

Cons

• Huge – takes up your entire trunk, if you’re lucky it’ll even fit
• Hard to maneuver – it’s almost like pushing around a supermarket trolley. Definitely need to assess whether it fits through doorways before walking through
• Expensive
• Older child may not want to be carried in a stroller anymore

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What about umbrella strollers?

They are trash, just forget about them. We have evolved way beyond umbrella strollers. Can you believe they have the audacity to call – what’s essentially comparable to holding 15 umbrellas – a compact fold?! A friend lent me hers including the umbrella stroller bag, and it did not even fit inside our SUV trunk.

These days you can get far more compact, robust, lightweight, comfortable and affordable strollers than umbrella strollers.

Some websites do use the term “umbrella” strollers interchangeably with travel, lightweight, or compact strollers, so it’s not cut and dry. Just stay away from strollers that look like actual umbrellas when they are folded.