Autumn is when you’ll see New England (where I live) at its best—the leaves turn flaming orange, there are pumpkins everywhere and it’s the perfect time of year for delicious hot mulled cider. But that wonderful, crisp chill in the air means you’ll need more special gear for baby, and a great stroller footmuff is an absolute essential for the fall and winter seasons.
Think of a footmuff sort of like a sleeping bag designed to fit into your stroller seat and fasten around your baby so you can avoid the fuss of big snowsuits and multiple bulky layers. Most footmuffs are designed to be universal, so they work with most types of strollers.
The most popular stroller footmuff is the Bundleme from JJ Cole.
Original Bundleme from JJ Cole
JJ Cole’s basic footmuff comes in the Original and Urban varieties, and it’s available in both infant and toddler sizes.
Urban Bundleme from JJ Cole
I think the Original Infant Bundleme works great with infant car seats, and it will fit your tiny baby quite well. However, even though it says it meets safety standards for car seat use, car seat best practices would say that you should not use a footmuff (or any other aftermarket product) in a car seat while driving—just use it while your infant car seat is attached to your stroller.
Although the Infant Bundleme is great, I don’t find the Toddler Bundleme to be large enough or warm enough. When you purchase a bigger footmuff, it should last for multiple winters so you get your money’s worth—that’s where JJ Cole’s Polar Bundleme comes in!
Polar Bundleme from JJ Cole
The Polar Bundleme is appropriate for children ages 0-4. You can unzip the bottom and expand the footmuff as your child grows to provide a custom fit. When you purchase a footmuff for a toddler, look for one that opens at the bottom so that their boots can peek out, and you’re not scrubbing out too much slush after you stroll!
I’m also a big fan of the stylish, cozy and warm footmuffs from 7am Enfant, and I love their Blanket 212 Evolution. It has a hood, and it’s extendable so it will grow with your child. The materials that 7am Enfant uses are just as beautiful as a high-end down jacket right off the runways of Paris, and this year, they even came out with the stylish Blanket 212 Chevron.
Blanket 212 Chevron from 7am Enfant
Many stroller companies also make footmuffs that match their strollers. If you choose to purchase one of those, make sure that it’s large enough to last through multiple winters, and choose one that zips open from the bottom.
There is one stroller-specific footmuff that I think would be great for all strollers, and that’s the Bugaboo High Performance Footmuff. It has two detachable covers, one for fall and one for winter. It also has a dirt shield for your kid’s snowy boots, and it’s coated with Teflon to keep it tidy.
High Performance Footmuff from Bugaboo
Need more specs and facts about stroller footmuffs? Check out this great Stroller Footmuff Comparison Chart!
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