Baby Jogger Vue

When I agreed to test out the Vue by Baby Jogger, it became the third in our ever-growing fleet of strollers. And you would think that between the other two, I would have no reason for a third. But the Vue would prove you wrong, because it is the perfect supplement to our everyday and jogging strollers. I know we’ll get even more use out of this innovative umbrella stroller as our son grows.
What’s unique about it? It’s reversible! While I love to have baby facing me, I know he also enjoys facing forward and seeing the world in front of him. This stroller gives us both options in a lightweight, easy-to-fold form.
Once it’s put together, the Vue is simple to use. Assembling it, however, took more time and effort than I thought it would. (Still, it only took about 20 minutes to assemble.) The manual has clear photos and descriptive steps for putting the stroller together, but going through each step took time. Maybe it was my own impatience to get the Vue up and rolling, or perhaps I underestimated the process of putting together an umbrella stroller. The large canopy proved to be the hardest part for me to install (possibly because it’s reversible?), but putting the brake on made it easier.
Aesthetically, it’s straightforward and modest. The all-black model makes me think of this as our baby’s Batmobile, especially with the reversible-seat feature. Better than the Batmobile, though, is how lightweight the stroller is, which surprised me considering how sturdy and solid the metal and plastic parts are. The folding-up process— which involves four steps and both hands— was difficult to accomplish the first time, yet a cinch ever since. It folds up in one piece and locks closed, and once it’s done, the Vue is slim and easy to tote around. Which is the whole point of an umbrella stroller, am I right? It can stand upright when folded, although the edge of the handles touches the ground. (Which is fine for home storage, but I wouldn’t prop it up that way in a public space.) It fits seamlessly into the trunk of our car, and if we hadn’t already overstuffed our closets, I’m confident it would be storable in one.
The seat is comfortable and comes with a padded, removable neck support. Thanks to the reversibility of the seat, it can recline pretty far back in both directions. It’s simple to adjust, too, by squeezing the release lever on the back and moving the seat in the desired direction. Adjusting the harness is more difficult, but I have yet to come across a harness that doesn’t put up a fight. The center release button is pretty cool (and reminiscent of the Batmobile referenced earlier). There is definitely room to spare for our 6-month-old to grow into, and the adjustable footwell gives you plenty of options for baby’s ever-growing legs.
The stroller handles quite nicely and is perfect for walking through the city, visiting the zoo and doing errands at the mall. The basket is sizable and allows you to stow your belongings with a zippered closure, but I’m not sure it’s big enough to rely on at the grocery store. Although you can swivel lock the front wheels for long-distance use, don’t be mistaken—despite the brand name and fixed-wheel position, the Vue is not intended for jogging. In order to engage the brakes, you push down on the pedals located on the back wheels. Both pedals need to be pushed and lifted separately to engage and release the brakes.
Beyond the reversible seat, this stroller doesn’t have many bells and whistles. The canopy is quite large, in order to accommodate both forward- and parent-facing seating, but there’s no peek-a-boo window. Mom or dad can utilize the single cup holder for themselves or for baby’s bottle. Baby will have to do without an individual cup holder or snack tray, though.
The Vue is machine washable by removing the seat fabric. My husband had an easier time with this process than I did, but I love the fact that the seat can be thrown in the washing machine. The rest of the stroller can be wiped down with warm water and mild soap.
In addition to the all-black model, the Vue comes in red/black, brown and navy. It can accommodate children from birth, with the use of a car seat adapter and car seat (sold separately), up to five years. Compatible options are limited to the Nuna and Cybex infant car seats. The height and weight limits for the Vue are 44 inches and 55 pounds respectively, although the basket can hold another 10 pounds.
The Baby Jogger Vue is a good choice, and I’d recommend it to a friend.
Price: $200
To buy: babyjogger.com