GB Zuzu

I am excited to review the Zuzu stroller from GB. I’ve been searching for a well-built, compact, lightweight stroller, and the Zuzu has been the answer. In addition to those necessary features, it also has a huge sunshade and can stand upright when folded. We will no longer have to apologize to strangers when our compact stroller tips and falls as I pick up my son. The Zuzu is sturdy and well balanced so it won’t be falling over on dirty floors like our compact stroller. I love how it stands when folded; the wheels stay on the ground, and that keeps our seat and canopy clean.
The Zuzu stroller has an amazing canopy! It is so much larger than most other compact strollers and even has a vented screen section that can be zipped to add more coverage. We are thrilled with this extra sun protection and love that it’s vented for hot summer days. The larger sunshade provides an escape from the world’s noise and lights so our son can rest peacefully. When the canopy is combined with a car seat canopy, infants will have full shade and wind protection.
The Zuzu’s seat is designed for children who can sit upright unassisted. Fortunately, GB has also considered younger babies and also designed the Zuzu to hold infant car seats. With a few simple adjustments to expose the latching mechanisms, the following car seats will click into the Zuzu: Graco Snugride Click Connect 30, Graco Snugride Click Connect 35, Graco Snugride Click Connect 40, Chicco KeyFit, and Chicco KeyFit 30. Our Chicco KeyFit snaps in perfectly and releases easily. Since the Zuzu is so versatile, this really could be the only compact stroller you’ll need from infancy through toddlerhood. It can be used for children who weigh up to 50 pounds and are 45 inches tall.
The Zuzu stroller provides a comfortable and safe ride during our walks. We’ve road-tested the Zuzu thoroughly and have found that it performs well on smooth concrete floors, our neighborhood sidewalks, long hikes on gravel nature trails, really plush store carpet and even cobblestone streets! It has a 5-point harness to keep our son secure. The shoulder straps are adjustable to three heights, and the seat has a large range for reclining. Like other compact strollers, it uses an adjuster strap to recline. This works okay, but it requires two hands and is difficult to adjust when our son is seated. When fully reclined, our 17-month-old son can stretch out and take a nap if needed.
I love the Zuzu’s storage basket! Unlike most compact strollers, it is really usable and holds a fully packed mid-size diaper bag. Because of their design, compact strollers don’t allow much rear access to a storage bin so most baskets aren’t really able to hold large items. GB has specially designed the Zuzu’s storage basket so that it can hold large items, even our mid-sized diaper bag fully packed for a cross-country flight. The footrest unlocks and tilts up so there’s clearance to set items in the storage basket. When you have an infant in a child seat, this footrest will already be lifted so no adjustments will be needed. Once your child can sit upright and rides forward facing seated in the stroller, you’ll have to tilt the footrest up and down for access. It’s not difficult, and our son doesn’t mind too much when we adjust the footrest while he’s seated. The storage basket is designed to hold up to 10 lbs. so it has plenty of storage capacity.
Most compact strollers have wheels that fold upward, and then the canopy rubs against the wheels. Luckily the Zuzu stroller’s wheels fold down so it’s really nice how our canopy and seat stay clean when the stroller is folded. The seat, canopy and basket are made of a thick, water resistant fabric that wipes clean easily. They are designed for spot cleaning and are not removable for washing.
Setting up the Zuzu took me about 30 minutes during naptime; it would have taken much longer with my little helper spinning his new wheels. The instruction manual is well-illustrated and written in English and Spanish. There were only a few steps I had to read twice, and it took me a little practice to figure out folding and unfolding the frame. Step one tells you to flatten the cardboard box and use it for a work surface while assembling the stroller. At first, I thought this seemed unnecessary, but then I did because I’m a rule follower. Well, I am really glad that I followed this step because there are some sharp frame edges that would have scratched our wooden floor until I got the wheels installed.
Upon opening the box, I noticed that one of the rear wheels had been damaged during shipping. I called GB customer service; they were very helpful and sent replacement wheels. One of the directions says to fasten the brake wire to the hook and loop tape behind the foot handle, and I had trouble finding this Velcro piece. Since I was calling customer service anyway, I figured I’d ask, and they helped me locate it. It’s a small piece of Velcro that was kind of hidden and easy to find with their help.
While reviewing the Zuzu stroller, we were lucky to go on vacation. I debated which stroller would be best for our week-long vacation, and I’m so glad that I chose the Zuzu. There were many times I was relieved to have it and impressed by its features. We travelled by plane, and the fully accessible storage basket was perfect for holding our fairly large, over-stuffed diaper bag. I used our diaper bag’s stroller clips on the stroller handles for easy access when changing our son’s diapers. It was thrilling how the stroller stayed standing when I lifted our son from the stroller seat. This stability may not seem that exciting to the average person, but after our other stroller toppled over so many times, I find the Zuzu’s stability very impressive.
Our vacation landed us in a sunny beach locale so the sunshade proved very useful during the trip. The Zuzu’s folding features also impressed me during our trip. It was easy to fold at the end of the jet-bridge, and I liked standing it upright instead of laying it flat—especially in dirty parking lots and when we brought it into our hotel room. Having the wheels fold away from the canopy and seat kept everything clean. A cozy, sturdy, full-featured stroller that folded so compactly proved invaluable because we had a very small rental car. The Zuzu folded nicely and fit easily in the tiny little trunk space; we would’ve had trouble with a longer compact stroller or a full-sized stroller.
Overall, I am extremely happy with the Zuzu stroller. It is wonderful to have a compact, easy-to-fold, lightweight stroller that packs in so many features.
Price: $199
To buy: babiesrus.com