Best Stroller for a Walk Up: Joolz Aer2 vs Bugaboo Dragonfly

For the stroller-pushing set, walk ups add an extra complication. You want a stroller that is robust enough for city streets, yet light enough to carry up the stairs. We’re facing off the Joolz Aer2 vs Bugaboo Dragonfly, two champions we think for walkup warriors. 

If you’re just a floor up, the Dragonfly is a great option — it’s a bit heavier but really holds its own on the city streets. Any more than that, we’re on team Joolz. The Aer2 is only 14.3 pounds but the stroller packs quite a punch for a lightweight with its newborn options, big basket and comfy ride.

In this article we’ll compare the Joolz Aer2 vs. Bugaboo Dragonfly so you can better decide  which stroller will be a better fit navigating parenthood in a walkup. 

Table of Contents

• Walkup Friendly Stroller Considerations

• Joolz Aer2 vs. Bugaboo Dragonfly: Quick Comparison

• Joolz Aer2: Features and Benefits

• Bugaboo Dragonfly: Features and Benefits

• Joolz Aer2 vs. Bugaboo Dragonfly: Which is Right for You?

Key Takeaways

1. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a good mid-sized stroller that folds down relatively small both with the bassinet and seat and is light enough to be doable for one flight of stairs. The Joolz Aer2 is lighter but with smaller wheels, and is a top choice if you’re walking up more floors.

2. The Joolz Aer2 features a one-hand fold and has several excellent newborn options including lie-flat seat, carrycot and nest to seat. It also has a sizable basket and an easy carryhandle making it a snap to carry upstairs. 

3. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a heavier but more robust stroller with bigger wheels to better handle the city streets. It is also easy to fold and features a carry strap. However, its weight may make it too cumbersome if you have to walk up multiple floors.

4. The rule of thumb in the city is to choose a stroller that you are comfortable using on your own. That means it can’t be so heavy to make you think twice before leaving your apartment. 

5. Although there’s no perfect stroller, the best one for you is one that takes care of 80 percent of your needs. Strollers are all about trade offs, and it’s OK to sacrifice a little on the ride if it means you’re able to come and go as you please without too much of a hassle. 

Walkup Friendly Stroller Considerations

So what does it take to deem a stroller walkup friendly? Unless you have a place you can stash your stroller at the foot of the stairs, you have to really look yourself in the eye and say “can I do this?” and “will I resent it?” The last thing you want is to have your gear holding you back — with you staying home instead of going out because you don’t want to carry a heavy stroller.

Here are the features you want to have an eagle eye on while picking your walkup friendly ride. 

Weight

If you live in a walkup, a lot of the discussion around strollers is about weight. Leave the Escalade-sized rides like the UppaBaby Vista V3 or the Bugaboo Fox Renew for the elevator set. 

Instead, you want the lightest possible ride that has enough of the features you want and suitable suspension and wheels for the city streets. It usually comes down to this: Either a lighter stroller with smaller wheels (wheels are always commensurate with weight), or a heavier stroller with larger wheels. 

Necessary Features

OK, you’ve narrowed it down to light strollers, but do these strollers have all the features you need? For instance, if you’re using the stroller for a newborn, what are your options? How deep is the recline? Is there a bassinet or other newborn ready configuration? 

And then, even if you are able to use the stroller for a newborn, is your baby always facing out? Most bigger strollers offer an option for your baby to face you or out to the world at any time. 

Fold Type

Of course the fold is going to be super important too. Is it something that you can do with one hand while holding the baby? Whatever it is, it’s got to be easy.

Carry Strap/Handle

That takes us to the carry handle. You’re at the foot of the stairs with the baby in your arms. You fold your stroller with one hand and then either have to hold the side of the stroller and trudge up the stairs, or fish out a carryhandle to sling it over your shoulder.

Over the shoulder is much much better, as that will allow you a free hand to hold onto the bannister. 

Storage

Lastly, there’s storage. Having ample storage is important while you’re out and about in the city. The underseat basket is a good spot to stash the diaper bag, or any groceries or goodies you pick up along your stroll. Don’t forget, though, whatever you pick up will have to be brought up the stairs as well. 

Be sure to have an extra bag with a shoulder strap along with you!

The good news is, we’ve already thought of these factors when narrowing it down to this duo. Now let’s step through the features of our two top picks for walkups: the Joolz Aer2 vs Bugaboo Dragonfly.  

Joolz Aer2 vs Bugaboo Dragonfly: Quick Comparison

Joolz Aer2: Features and Benefits

The Joolz Aer2 is our top lightweight contender for walkups, thanks to its one hand fold, mere 14.3lbs in weight and its many options for newborns (something unusual for lightweight strollers). 

For itty bitties, the Aer2 not only reclines suitably for 0+, but there are also accessories to up the ante, including a full sized carry cot (bassinet) and an attachment called the “Nest to Seat” which allows your child to face you up to about 18 months (33lbs). 

For families who aren’t able to have a heavy full size stroller, the Joolz ticks a lot of boxes while being really light. 

Bugaboo Dragonfly: Features and Benefits

The Bugaboo Dragonfly, on the other hand, is billed as the ultimate urban stroller, with really agile wheels and a jaw dropping one hand fold whether you’ve got the bassinet or the seat. But, it is a bit bigger and heavier (about 6 pounds) which we think could be doable if you’re one floor up, but any more than that it might be harder. 

The Dragonfly is sold either just with the seat or with the bassinet and seat, but if you have a newborn we love the bassinet as it’s roomy, comfortable and protective. The larger wheels make for a more comfy ride, and the big basket is ripe for all sorts of shopping goodies. 

Joolz Aer2 vs Bugaboo Dragonfly: Which is Right for You?

So which is right for you? Again, we say choose the lightest model you can with the features you need. The biggest consideration is how many flights are you navigating. More than a single flight,we’d opt for the lighter Joolz Aer2. 

But, if you just have a single flight, the Dragonfly can be a good bet and you’ll love the extra basket room and bigger wheels especially come winter.

Smooth Strolling at Babesta

Baby gear is all about tradeoffs and figuring out your priorities, and that’s even more true when picking the best stroller for your walkup. We’ve narrowed down the options to two of the best —the Joolz Aer2 vs Bugaboo Dragonfly. 

The best way to decide between them is to test them out yourself. At Babesta you can take them on the pavement, and if you have a walkup, we can even let you try them on a flight of stairs, with one of our test babies in your arms.

With Babesta, you never have to lose your cool shopping for baby gear! We’ve got your back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Joolz Aer2 cabin approved?

Yes, the Joolz Aer2 is cabin approved, so you can take it on the plane, fold it and place it in the overhead compartment. This makes travel much easier with your child. 

Which stroller is best for international travel?

It really depends on the age of your child and what you plan to do when you get there. If you’re doing a lot of walking with a very small child, you may be better suited by checking a larger stroller with bigger wheels. 

However if it’s a quick trip with a toddler, you will probably want a cabin ready ride that’s lightweight and compact. 

Can I take my Bugaboo Dragonfly on the plane?

Generally speaking the Bugaboo Dragonfly is too big to be placed in an overhead compartment of an airplane. It can be checked or gate checked. In either case we suggest you invest in padded travel bag to protect the stroller in transit.