It sometimes seems like there’s a new stroller on the market every week. Great for new parents looking for lots of choices, not so great when you have to make a decision about which one to get. For some families, though, there’s an easy way to pare down the options: Cost. Strollers can be so expensive these days, it can feel like you’ve got to make a choice between getting one and affording to clothe your new baby for the first five years of its life.
(If in doubt, go with clothes.)
Affordability is the very reason I love the GB line of strollers which feel like high-end strollers, at more affordable price points. I’ve already raved about the GB Ellum. And now they’ve got a new stroller package on the market I’ve had the fortune to try out for review, and can wholeheartedly recommend: The GB Evoq Travel System.
If you have a new baby (or one coming soon) this could definitely be the gift you add to your wish list for the holidays. Now it’s definitely not as inexpensive as the Graco Travel Systems which start around $160. But I think this is more comparable in quality to higher-end strollers, and at $430 for the GB Evoq, that’s like half the price of some luxury strollers alone before you even add in the car seat that it comes with. Plus it comes with a flip-seat and a stand-up board so it really is a complete system.
So if you’re comparing it to others while you shop, just be sure you’re comparing apples to apples, because those extras you’re forced to buy separately really can add up.
Related: GB Ellum Stroller Review
The smartest thing is that it’s designed to last you from the newborn baby stage up until you have a second newborn and your first is old enough to come along on the built-in ride-on board.
(I realize that’s forcing you to think way into the future, but it’s rare for a stroller system to do as much growing up with a family as this one can.)
No extra snap-in stroller needed with a newborn, no extra ride-on board needed for a big-kid. It’s all part of this one system. I love that.
I also find it to be compact, simple, and very easy to use. And I’ve tried out a whole lot of strollers. To start, it’s pretty much the easiest stroller in the world to assemble. Open box. Pop on swivel wheels and cup holder. That’s it. Man, why can’t every piece of baby gear be like that?
The brake works without a lot of force (bad stroller brakes are a pet peeve of mine and I really like this one), and there’s a nice big canopy on the stroller seat. However I will say the canopy on the infant car seat could be bigger so I’m hoping they make that tweak on future models.
I like that the infant seat rides parent-facing, and that the toddler seat can reverse to face either way. The seat can even be adjusted to make extra room when there’s a child on the ride-on board.
While the GB Evoq gets pretty stellar reviews from users around the web, oddly I’ve seen a few parents saying that it’s heavy or bulky or that the fold is difficult. I’ve actually found the opposite — folding is an absolute breeze: Just a quick flip of the handlebar and the stroller does the work for you. However I will agree with some users that it’s pretty large when folded and somewhat heavy. So if you’re always in and out of a sedan with a small trunk, consider whether this is the best fit for you. And your car.
As for looks, I know that’s subjective, but I think the whole system looks quite modern and simple, and more expensive than it is. (Let’s be honest, lots of the more affordable strollers leave something to be desired in the beauty department.) Now of course the GB Evoq no Bugaboo or Stokke, and if that’s what you’re in the market for, this isn’t your stroller. But considering this is the first stroller system that made me reconsider my firm stance that it’s next to impossible to raise a child while only buying one stroller, I’d say it’s worth a very, very good look.
Find the GB Evoq travel system exclusively at Toys R Us in sterling or teal, or find the Midnight colored GB Evoq at specialty boutiques like Buy Baby Buggies. Get more info at the GB Child website. Thanks to the company for sending CMP a unit for consideration.
