Choosing a Travel Stroller

Being an expat traveling with kids is just part of our life… and to be honest the thought of it is more daunting than it actually is. At the top of my list when traveling with babies/toddlers/young kids is always a compact cabin size approved stroller. There are now quite a few on the market, keep reading to see the ones we have, which we prefer and why.

Things to consider when choosing a travel stroller

There are so many factors that I take into account when choosing the right travel stroller for us. Things like, durability, weight, ease of use, functions, practicality, accessories, colours, comfort and of course the price.

We’ve had the infamous Babyzen Yoyo for about 3 years now and in all honesty it’s been amazing. So much so that when out and about on a daily basis it’s replaced our big bulky stroller. But this little luxury pocket rocket comes at a price! They’re very rarely on sale and often excluded from discount codes. There are now a few travel stroller rivals on the market! Introducing the Airo by Mamas & Papas. It’s a little bit cheaper, with lots of added features and is often included in Mamas & Papas own sales and promotions. I’ve compared the two below in a little further detail. Hope this helps anyone who’s undecided on choosing a travel stroller!

(If you’re reading this on a phone or tablet please turn it to landscape so you can see the full table of comparisons)

Lets Compare

	Baby Zen Yoyo	Mamas & Papas Airo
Durability	Sturdy frame.	Sturdy frame available in different finished, eg rose gold, chrome and black in some regions.
Wheels	Small 360 lockable wheels. Best suited for smooth flat surfaces.	More like regular stroller wheels, 360 lockable wheels with suspension. Versatile for different surfaces. Note: this is not an all terrain stroller.
Weight	6.2kg	7.6kg
Ease of use	Easy to push and navigate, even one handed.	Easy to push and navigate, even one handed.
Handle bar	Foam handle bar.	Adjustable leather finish handle bar.
Folding	One handed fold. When folded it measures 18 x 44 x 52cm. Cabin approved for planes, fits in car footwell etc. Over shoulder carry strap.	One handed fold. When folded it measures 25 x 45 x 55cm. Cabin approved for planes, fits in car footwell etc. Over shoulder and back pack style carry strap.
Recline	Full recline with drawstring function. Requires both hands – can be a bit fiddly.	Full recline with easy one hand pull button function.
Hood	Hood with pvc peep window	Extendable hood with mesh peep window
Basket & storage	Reasonable size basket with zip pocket at the back of the seat under the handle bar. Handy for purse, phone, boarding pass etc.	Reasonable size basket with slim line open pocket at the back of the seat under the handle bar. Handy for purse, phone, boarding pass etc.
New born pack	Available to purchase and easy to attach.	Available to purchase and easy to attach.
Age suitability	From newborn with the bassinet pack. Or 6 months plus with the regular seat up to 18kg.	From newborn with the bassinet pack. Or 6 months plus with the regular seat up to 22kg.
Included accessories	Frame, rain cover.	Frame, 6 month plus seat, adjustable footrest, leather finish bumper bar.
Extra purchasable accessories	Car seat clips, cupholder, footrest, travel bag, parasol, buggy board, bag, footmuff, changeable colour packs, mosquito net. *June 2021 update: They’ve just released a tandem accessory which turns your yoyo into a double stroller, the YoYo connect! Game changing if you have twins or two under two for example.	car seat clips, bag, footmuff, seat liners, sunshield and insect net, universal parasol, universal cupholder.
Colours	One colour frame available but various fabric colour packs and they’re interchangeable so effectively you only need to buy one frame and you can change the colours with new colour packs if you wish	Various colour frames and fabrics available. The colour packs aren’t available to buy individually without the frame.
Comfort	Basic streamline design best suited for toddlers and quick journeys.	padded seat and edges for extra comfort.
Harness	5 point harness.	5 point padded harness
Price (recorded April 2021)	2030aed (basic pack without purchasable accessories) Click this link for full product details, purchase options and demonstration video.	1999aed 2199aed for the rose gold frame. (basic pack without purchasable accessories.) Current offer: 15% off until 10am 18th April 2021 with code MUM15 Click this link for full product details, purchase options and demonstration video.

Travel Stroller Verdict

I love our baby zen yoyo and it has served us well over the past few years. Back then the range of travel strollers was relatively limited compared to now.

We have both the Mamas & Papas Airo and Baby Zen yo-yo. I love the bigger wheels on the Airo but the good sized zip pocket at the back of the baby zen is super handy… I use it for snacks, phone, purse etc. The one on the Airo is a little smaller and doesn’t have a zip. Given the extra included features, versatility, comfort and price point I’m swayed towards the Mamas & Papas Airo.

2021 saw the launch of the yo-yo connect. Turning a yo-yo into a tandem double!! Game changing for those with two young children or twins. I was seriously considering this upgrade option given the 2 year age gap between Ellis & Jaxon but realised that the attachment only has two rear ones… no front ones. So it can only be used as an attachment not a second stroller.

For me personally I like the extra features, ease of use and price point of the Airo. Although if I had twins the baby zen tandem would definitely have its appeal!

Have you got either of these travel strollers? Which would you choose? Let me know in the leave a reply box below.

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