Summary: We are so happy with our Joovy stroller! The Joovy was absolutely perfect for our family’s travel needs and we are more than thrilled with the purchase. Rather than buying two separate umbrella strollers, the Joovy stroller & additional caboose rear seat met all our expectations. Great value and quality product! Some points regarding our family’s travel stroller needs: 1. We have a 2 1/2 year old and an 8 month old and were traveling internationally to Europe. 2. Our toddler prefers to stand on the back board of our existing stroller. While she has a seat, she rarely uses it, only on outings where we know we’ll be gone most of the day, and she’ll need her seat for a nap. 3. For our travel plans, we decided not to bring our stroller b/c it’s heavy duty, and while we love it, especially the large under-basket, our primary concern was weight and size since we weren’t renting a car and would be relying on public transportation/stroller accessibility. Our current stroller requires us to remove a seat in order to collapse it and we thought it might be too cumbersome to do on public transportation. 4. I researched possible stroller rentals at our destination wthout success so I began looking for various lightweight umbrella stroller options. 5. Two separate umbrella strollers didn’t make sense for our family’s needs and the Joovy was a great solution for us. We’ve returned from our international trip using the Joovy stroller. Some key notes and highlights (a few photos included): 1. Gate check: We used this bag for gate check: https://www.amazon.com/Seat-Travel-Backpack-Gate-Check/dp/B0773XZJGZ?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_13709051011. Please note there was still a small gap at the top when we tied it, but we were happy we found one somewhat tall enough to handle the height of the Joovy stroller. It was raining at our destination and the stroller was a little damp, but not soaked, and wasn’t a huge issue as it dried fairly quickly. Had we not had a cover, it would have been a different story. 2. Weight: The Joovy is 22 lbs (our everyday stroller is about 30-35 lbs). At one of the airport security checks, they asked us to collapse the stroller and lift it onto the surveillance belt. It was easy enough to collapse with both seats attached and lift onto the belt. In addition, we took a few trams that required us to lift the stroller up a few steps with a narrow width. Since the Joovy is lighter than what we're accustomed to and narrow, it was easy to do so with two people. 3. Wheels: The Joovy stroller handled the cobblestone streets very well. 4. Our 8 month old rode in the front seat. We purchased the Joovy Caboose Rear Seat as the secondary seat for our toddler when she was ready to nap. 5. Joovy Caboose rear seat somewhat reclines, which was perfect for our toddler. It also rests on top of the back board seat, which gives additional support. 6. Back board seat: When the Joovy Caboose rear seat isn't attached, our toddler was also able to sit on the back board seat, which is rear facing (she is back to back with the front seat). 7. Stand-up board: We unbuttoned the top portion of the Joovy Caboose rear seat and our toddler was able to stand and use the back step-up board, and hold onto the side lower bars without us having to remove the entire rear seat. If both seats are fully attached, the standup board isn’t reasonably accessible unless you unbutton the top of the rear seat. 8. Rain shield: We purchased the Joovy rain cover as rain was forecasted during our travels. We aired it out 2 weeks prior to our trip so the plastic smell wouldn’t be as strong. Please Note: When the Joovy caboose rear seat is fully reclined, the rain shield will close, but we noticed that it may not fully cover the feet of the little one sitting in the front. There were times were we also didn't snap up the back and both ways weren't a huge issue for us. 9. Under carriage basket: We kept the plastic rain shield in the basket the entire time, and were able to fit other small items, such as blankets, and other small purchases made along the way. Please Note: We were not able to store our diaper bag (backpack) in the under carriage as it was too big. 10. Handlebar Organizer: Since we purchased the Joovy Caboose Ultralight Graphite Stroller, the handlebar organizer was automatically included. Our toddler’s water bottle fit perfectly, as well as cell phones in the middle pocket. We also used the shield that zips to the canopy and provides a little coverage for the Joovy caboose rear seat. 11. Stroller canopy: We love that the canopy is adjustable. We could lower it to protect the 8 month old when needed or fold it up and it still allowed our toddler to peep through when standing on the backboard. Overall: The Joovy Caboose Ultralight Graphite Stroller was a great option for our family b/c of its versatility when traveling. As mentioned above, our everyday stroller is heavier and the under carriage holds much more. As our day-to-day involves a lot of city walking, we tend to rely on packing up a lot in the stroller basket. However, we found great value in the Joovy stroller system and are very happy with its performance and durability thus far.
