As a new mom finding a stroller felt like a big task for me. I realized that I had never really ever thought about the best stroller to get. Like I never took note of my friend’s strollers and probably should have, ha! Thanks to instagram, I took a poll and my mountain mamas really showed up with their suggestions and advice when it comes to strollers in a mountain town. After doing some extensive research for our needs, I thought it would be best to put it here for anyone else looking for a stroller for mountain living! I do want to note that the stroller world is pretty extensive and any stroller these days is definitely going to do the job, so don’t fret, whatever you end up with will be awesome.
Here was our situation as we started to look into gear – as we weren’t totally working from scratch. We are super grateful to have such an amazing community of newer parents who were willing to let us borrow some gear for a bit. A friend is letting us borrow the Nuna infant car seat and two car bases, so I knew I wanted a stroller that’s compatible with that car seat. Another friend gifted us The Doona which would totally work as a full time stroller out West, but I wanted something a little sturdier. We decided to keep The Doona and also shop for a little bit more umph for our outdoor mountain lifestyle.
What I looked for in a Stroller
- Real wheels – Living in the mountains is unique because we are either walking on gravel and dirt, or snow and ice. It’s rare to find a smooth concrete surface anywhere so just like our shoes, a baby stroller for me needs to have solid tread. Many of the options out there have plastic wheels but I really wanted real tires so I can push our baby on dirt roads, or in the winter over packed snow through the streets.
- Adaptable for Car Seat – Like I said above, we are borrowing the Nuna Pipa car seat and I wanted to be able to take that sucker out of the car and plop it right into a stroller for ease and not have to take the baby out. I knew I needed a stroller that had an adapter capability. Good news, most do!
- Grows with Baby – I really wanted something that could grow with our baby and not something we had just for the first year. Strollers are so expensive so I wanted something we would have for years to come and use for our next child…..whenever that may be.
- Adventure Friendly – Adamo and I are runners and we plan on running with Sully starting next Spring when she is old enough and the snow has melted. Many of the roads are dirt roads and bumpy so I wanted something that’s shock absorbent. This goes hand-in-hand with having nice wheels! I really wanted something that would do well for us outdoors because living in the mountains means we will be outside all of the time. We also wanted something that we could take them cross-country skiing in the winter. A stroller that fits with adventuring is a must!
- Travel Friendly – From plane rides to long road trips, we want a stroller that can literally go the distance with us and not be a total pain in our ass.
After starting my research, talking to so many mom friends in mountain towns, and also asking my awesome followers on instagram, here is a list of the top contenders along with why they would make a great choice.
Top Contenders
THE DOONA
Okay so we were given The Doona from a friend who had used this for a year with her infant. Once I started thinking about strollers and I found myself traveling this Spring, I saw The Doona alllll over airports. So I knew it must be THE stroller to travel with. It definitely sparked my interest for that reason as we plan on flying with our bebe. It totally collapses itself into a carseat which takes up way less space than other strollers. While The Doona does come with a base for your primary vehicle, you don’t need a base when hopping in an uber or renting a car, you can just use the seatbelt to securely strap it in the backseat. It’s a non-complicated stroller that takes seconds to collapse down.
Pros: Super easy to use, lightweight, no fuss, best in class for travel
Cons: Small wheels that aren’t great for dirt, no storage holder (although you can get this accessory), doesn’t grow with child as it really maxes out at around 15 months, and limited sun shade for baby
THE BOB
The Bob stroller was the number one recommended stroller for us! And after we received it from our registry, I can see why. Adamo and I have both said “wow, we love this stroller” when walking with the baby. Never in a million years would I think I would love any sort of stroller! It’s really sturdy yet lightweight and we love taking it on dirt roads or just around the neighborhood. It has a 100% shade blocker and so much storage underneath plus other features like a reclinable seat and adjustable handlebars for walking or running. It folds down quickly to throw in your trunk but it’s a little bulky. And after I had my c-section, I couldn’t lift it up at all. But this will be our main stroller for everyday life in the mountains and I highly recommend it!!! We bought the carseat adapter so I can clip the Nuna carseat into the stroller really easily
Pros: Sturdy yet lightweight, real tires that can handle any terrain, shock absorbent for running, and lots of storage. Will last for years
Cons: Can be awkward to collapse and heavy to lift into the car. Might be too big to travel with. No car seat included.
THE NUNA
One of the most popular strollers is the Nuna and for good reason. It is super light weight with a modern chic design. While I think this stroller is beautiful and would be my first choice living in a city or the ‘burbs, we decided The Bob was a better fit for our lifestyle. That being said, I see this stroller ALOT in Jackson Hole so that says to me that many families are loving it. It’s an investment but you will have this stroller for years and the Pipa Carseat (which we have but use this adapter for The Bob) snaps in perfectly with the stroller.
Pros: lightweight and collapses easily, a favorite for traveling parents, sleek design
Cons: plastic tires making it hard to take it anywhere in the winter or on dirt roads, pricier than other strollers
THULE
Thule is an outdoor brand that makes amazing products from ski racks to strollers so this is an obvious brand to look at when considering a stroller in the mountains. The Thule Urban Glide 2 is very similar to The Bob in that has real tires, great mobility, shock absorbency, and easy to maneuver. The price points are also very similar as well as weight and storage. The Thule has a lot of really cool accessories that you can add on, more so than other brands. I’d look into this one for sure!
Pros: durable for all terrain, great tires, shock absorbent which is perfect for running, storage, and lots of accessories
Cons: not the best for travel, bulky and heavier to collapse into car
I’ve linked everything for you below if you want to shop online but also definitely check out Facebook Marketplace, gear consignment shops, and ask around to your communities to either borrow or purchase second-hand. Like I said, we are borrowing so much or have been gifted used gear from our friends which makes us feel better about reusing baby and kid gear. Once we are finished with it, we will either return to friends or happily give to another family after us.
