How to Pick the Best Stroller for City Life
In order to choose the right stroller for navigating the city with your new baby, you should think about your lifestyle (subway warrior? Neighborhood wanderer?), living situation (walkup? elevator?), and the features you want: Keeping your eyes open as to what neighbors have, reading blogs, and testing them out at your neighborhood store are also key.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how you should approach this big decision in order to find the right ride for you. We’ll also tell you the city-friendly features that will make a difference when you and baby are on the go.
TLDR
Picking a city stroller comes down to three things: your day-to-day (neighborhood wanderer or subway warrior), your building (elevator or walkup?) and the features that actually match your terrain — wheel size, suspension, newborn options, parent-facing seating, grow-with-me potential, fold type, overall size, and storage. Scope out what your neighbors are pushing, read reviews with a grain of salt, then come test-drive real models on real NYC streets. Babesta’s got your back — we’ll help you find the ride that fits your life, not just your registry.
Table of Contents
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Think About Your Lifestyle and Living Situation
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Look Around Your Neighborhood
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Read Blogs & Reviews (But Take Advice With a Grain of Salt)
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Compare Models & Test Them at a Local Store
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What To Look For
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Choose Favorites & Narrow Down to a Winner
Think About Your Lifestyle and Living Situation
The right stroller for you is a personal decision, based on your lifestyle and your living situation. Think about what you and baby will do day to day, most of the time (think of the 80/20 rule and buy a stroller that serves you best with your typical lifestyle): Will you navigate your neighborhood, going to the park, doing errands, meeting up with playgroups or taking parent-and-me classes? Or will you pop on the subway and dart around the city on the daily. Most NYC families spend the majority of the time in their own neighborhood, which means that good wheels and storage are going to be key.
As for your living situation, think about your apartment set up: Is it an elevator building or a walkup (this is a biggie!), are there any steps you have to get up and down, and are there any unusually narrow doorways either in your home, the building, or the elevator. These factors will help you know what to prioritize when looking for the right model.
Look Around Your Neighborhood
Next take a look around your neighborhood to see what other parents are strolling. Don’t hesitate to ask them if they like the model, what made them choose it, and would they do it again. Be sure to keep in mind that although a neighbor may have a similar living situation, it might not be 100% the same.
Read Blogs & Reviews (But Take Advice with a Grain of Salt)
It’s also good to read general reviews of different models that you’re considering online. People often have very pointed opinions of strollers, and this insight can be very helpful. This being said, sometimes the comments may be skewed or flawed in some way - either reflective of a completely different lifestyle or biased because they don’t know how to use the stroller correctly or even assembled it incorrectly. Whatever you hear, be sure to confirm the veracity with a neighbor with the model or better yet your local baby store.
Compare Models & Test Them at Your Local Store
Here’s the real key to choosing the best stroller: Do a trial run. At Babesta, for instance, we let our customers take the various models for a spin outside so they can try them on curbs, cobblestones and real NYC terrain. Everything feels good on a retail store floor, but outdoors you really get the sense. We even put our “Babesta Baby” in the stroller for weight so that it’s more reflective of how it will feel when your baby’s in the passenger seat.
Be sure to try a few different models, as that will make it much more clear as to what it means to have “better suspension” or the impact of bigger wheels.
What to Look For
So as a city parent-to-be, what should you be looking for in a stroller model. Here are the top things that really make a difference for city families so dependent on their new set of wheels.
Wheel Size & Suspension for Your Actual Terrain
First, wheel size and suspension: If you’re going to navigate your neighborhood you’ll need a model with the features for your area terrain. Are there cobblestones? Local parks?
Small Wheels: Nimble but Rougher Ride
Small wheels can feel very nimble and easy which is nice, but they can get stuck in cobblestones, or sputter on the sidewalk. With smaller wheels, you typically have less suspension, so it’s more likely your baby will feel the bumps of the road more.
Large Wheels: Smoother Over Cobblestones & Subway Grates
Bigger wheels on the other hand usually means more suspension, making for a more comfortable ride both for the baby and for whoever is pushing the stroller. Bigger wheels glide over subway grates, are smoother over cobblestones, are easier up and down curbs, and handle off-roading park terrain more easily.
Suspension — Important if You’re Walking All Day
The better suspension, the smoother the ride and the less your little one feels every bump on the road. Think about riding in a car, and the difference between an old Jeep Wrangler on the highway (bumpy) versus a Cadillac Escalade (smooth).
Bassinet Mode vs. Car Seat Adapter for Newborns
Another thing to look for is a chosen stroller’s newborn options: Does it come with a bassinet? Can you purchase a bassinet accessory? Does it recline fully for a newborn? Or do you have to use a car seat adapter. This is important, as if its newborn-readiness is via car seat adapter only, you’re going to have to strictly limit the use of the stroller with your baby as they shouldn’t be sitting up in car seat position for more than two hours at a time.
Parent Facing Options
You also want to know the parent-facing options of a chosen stroller. Can the seat be turned around facing you and facing the world? Or is it forward facing only (possibly but for the bassinet and/or car seat). With city families who want to go all in on a lightweight, this is something to consider, as if there’s a bassinet option, your baby will only be able to face you for a few months until they outgrow the bassinet. After that they’re facing out, which for many new parents isn’t ideal.
Grow With Me (Single to Double) Option
You also want to see if a stroller can grow from single to double down the road. Generally speaking, only full size strollers have this capacity, which makes sense as you’d need a bigger, heavier frame to eventually be able to accommodate two toddlers.
Fold Type (One- or Two-Hand)
Also take a look at a stroller’s fold type. Is it easy? Can you do it with a baby in your arms? Most strollers fold fairly easily but some are easier than others. Keep in mind, if it’s your full size stroller you are likely (at least in the city) not folding it very often as you’re using it so much. You’ll probably just wheel it into your apartment as is, and then can put the baby down in a safe spot and fold if needed.
On the other hand, if you’re looking at a lightweight stroller, the whole point is to be able to be on the go easily. You will inevitably have to take the baby in your arms and fold the stroller at the top of subway stairs, or to take a cab. Knowing you can manage that on your own is key.
Stroller Size
Also think about the stroller size in general: Is it comfortable for you to push? Too big or too small? How high/low is the handlebar? Some bigger models may not be as comfortable if you’re petite. And some models that don’t have extendable handlebars can be a pain (literally) if you have to hunch over to push it. Make sure it feels good for you to push the stroller as you’re going to be doing it quite a bit!
Storage
Also take a look at the storage space that the stroller affords. If you’re strolling all day, it’s nice to have ample space for your diaper bags, any groceries you pick up or other things you’ll need throughout the day. Obviously larger strollers are going to have more storage, while smaller ones will have less. You’ll have to think about what you will practically need so that you don’t have to go back home repeatedly throughout the day to drop things off.
Choose Favorites & Narrow Down to a Winner
Once you’ve checked out all the features of your chosen models, face them off at a baby store, and narrow down your selection to a winner. Your chosen stroller should make you comfortable and confident to hit the city streets.
Stroll in Style with Babesta
In order to find the perfect stroller for you, there is so much to think about, from your lifestyle and living situation to all the features that make a difference in the city.
At Babesta, you can test all the best strollers for city living, with the features that truly make a difference, at any size - full, mid-size, and lightweight. We’ll demonstrate the fold and help you compare in order to choose a model or models you know fits all your criteria.
Once you know what you want, you can purchase it so there’s no worry about stock when the time comes, and we will Hold It Til You Need It (one of our city-friendly services) and then assemble it and train you on it when you’re ready. Babesta is all about city selection and city service so you leave empowered and ready to raise your city baby!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a bigger wheel always mean a smoother ride?
Generally yes: Bigger wheels roll more easily over cobblestones, subway grates, and curbs, and they tend to pair with more suspension. But “smoother” also comes down to suspension quality and the stroller’s overall build, not wheel size alone, and a bigger-wheeled stroller is also bigger and heavier to lift, fold and store. It’s a trade-off, so test a few sizes on your actual streets before deciding wheel size is your top priority.
Can I add a bassinet to a stroller that doesn’t come with one?
It depends on the model. Many full-size and mid-size strollers offer a bassinet as an add-on accessory, but not every frame is bassinet-compatible, and some only offer a deep recline rather than a true flat bassinet. If newborn use is a priority for you, this is worth confirming before you buy. Come by Babesta and we’ll check compatibility for the exact model you’re considering.
How do I know if a stroller will fit my elevator or apartment entry?
Measure first! Grab the stroller’s folded dimensions (width is usually the tight spot) and compare them against your elevator door and any narrow hallways or doorways at home. If you’re not sure, bring your measurements in - or come see us at Babesta and we’ll help you cross-check them against our floor models.
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