Cheap Umbrella Strollers

Inexpensive umbrella strollers: good for quick trips

Most parents say a cheap umbrella stroller is a necessity -- particular for short trips or trips to spots where you wouldn't want to leave your expensive stroller behind (like the stroller parking sections at amusement parks). However, even inexpensive umbrella strollers have been edging up in price and features, trying to steal a page from Maclaren's book when it comes to style.

The 10-pound Evenflo XSport Plus (*Est. $80) could pretty easily be mistaken for a Maclaren stroller from a distance. This stroller has an under-seat storage basket, a parent console and extendable handle bars -- handy for taller parents, or for parents of differing heights. This stroller is mainly recommended as a good second stroller if you can't pay extra for a better quality Maclaren. The similar Evenflo XSport (*Est. $50) is identical except for the adjustable handles, but it costs a lot less. About 90 parents posting to Amazon.com give the Evenflo XSport a near-perfect rating for weight, maneuverability and even durability. Several owners say they find the handles too short, though, so the Plus version is worth taking for a test drive especially if you're taller than average. Both the Evenflo XSport and the Evenflo XSport Plus fit children up to 40 pounds and include removable adjustable sun canopies and a rear fabric pocket. Neither Evenflo XSport stroller has a reclining seat.

Another example of a less expensive umbrella stroller is the 11-pound Chicco C6 (*Est. $70). The Chicco stroller comes with a canopy, a five-point harness and a carrying strap; there's also a two-position recline, a feature missing on the otherwise similar Evenflo XSport strollers. The Chicco C6 also gets pretty good scores from about 80 parents at Amazon.com. Parents mainly say it's compact, relatively easy to maneuver and a good value. However several owners caution that the C6's short handles don't work well for taller parents and that people with long legs might find themselves kicking the stroller while they walk. Owners posting to Epinions.com make the same complaint. They also say they wish the Chicco C6 had a better basket access and a more reliable folding mechanism. The storage basket on the Evenflo XSport version is a bit larger and lower.

Along the same lines is the Jeep All-Weather Umbrella Stroller (*Est. $50), a 10-pound model with a small sun canopy but no storage basket (you do get two small pouches that hang along the side, however). This umbrella stroller has a two-position recline and a parent cup holder. Most of the 100 posts on this stroller at Amazon.com say it's good for the price. Several comment that their child outgrew it quickly, and that it doesn't seem all that sturdy. This stroller is made by Kolcraft, which sells several similar versions. The most stripped-down Kolcraft stroller is the Tour Sport (*Est. $45), which has a storage pouch on the back, a two-position recline and a parent cup holder.

Among these similar umbrella strollers, we've included the Evenflo XSport in our Best Reviewed section. Parents give this stroller slightly higher ratings than others overall.