Bugaboo may be most famously known for their larger luxury strollers with all the bells and whistles, but I got the chance to try out Bugaboo’s new travel stroller the Ant, and it is good. At 15.8 lbs, The Ant is Bugaboo’s lightest and most compact stroller yet, and just like the rest of their strollers, the Ant is not short on features.
The Ant has to have the neatest fold of any stroller I have ever used. And when I say neat, I mean neat-and-tidy neat. When the Ant is completely folded it resembles a suitcase more than it resembles a stroller. There’s no loose fabric peeking out—nothing to get snagged or ripped. Its compact fold is exactly why it makes such a great travel stroller. Not only will it take up minimal space in your car’s trunk when you have a lot of other things packed, it can also fit in an airplane’s overhead compartment and is accepted by most airlines as carry-on luggage (always check with the airline first!).
There is a certain order you need to follow when opening or closing the stroller. It took me a few uses with the stroller to get it down completely, but let’s be honest, most strollers have a learning curve. (Hint: the handle bar has to stay fully extended until you fold the rest of the stroller down.) The good news is those particular steps are what make the stroller fold up neatly every. single. time. without having to tuck and adjust or take anything apart.
Speaking of folding, it has a super cool feature I haven’t seen before. When it is almost completely folded, you can leave the handle extended so that you can roll the stroller behind you as if it were a piece of luggage. Perfect for those times when your toddler decides he MUST walk, be carried or all of the above. Plus the under seat storage is even organized in such a way that you can still use a small portion of it when pulling it behind you.
The Ant features the all-important one-handed steer, which can be hard to find in a travel stroller. This ease of use makes all the difference when exploring a new city or even just for taking a stroll around the neighborhood with a drink in your hand.
Another thing that sets the Bugaboo Ant apart from some other travel strollers is its very supportive (and reversible!) seat. It doesn’t have the sagging fabric seat that many other travel strollers have. Your babe can sit up straight yet still recline when he or she wants to rest. The seat has three recline options in parent facing mode and two when forward facing.
It’s Bugaboo, so of course the Ant is a great looking stroller. Currently available in five different fabric colors and two chassis options, you can easily find something that suits your style. Even though the Ant is marketed as a travel stroller, if you prefer a smaller stroller, the Ant could easily become your everyday stroller.
Product sample was received but all opinions are my own.
