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Usage
Around town and very smooth trails

Price $249.99 to 269.99

Summary

This double stroller handles well around town. It has good front seat comfort, but rear standing and sitting positions are questionable. Tray removal is very difficult.

The Good

• Smooth setup
• Universal car seat adapter
• Easy to transporting

The Bad

• Tray removal is very hard
• Rear seating needs improvement

Full Review

Setup

The Joovy Caboose Ultralight Tandem stroller comes with good instructions and photos. Assembly was completed smoothly in 16 minutes and required no tools.

Securing children, and Safety

The color-coded release buttons for the front tray are easy to see, but very hard to press. (One tester pinched a finger and ripped part of a nail). Both tray buttons must be pressed, and the tray removed, to insert the child. If the tray is left in place, the canopy can be folded back and the child then can be placed in the front seat. Harness adjustment is awkward, but releasing the buckle is easy.
Rear seating security and comfort are questionable. Caboose’s interesting ‘rumble seat’ design intends to accommodate a child either a standing (forwards) on the rear ‘platform’, or sitting (backwards) on its rear ‘bench’. A neoprene band near the top of the handlebar provides some back support for the standing child. There are also two foam handgrips for the child, but no securing strap. The rear sitting position does have a securing harness, but preparing this position is lengthy and involves locking the seat, adjusting and fastening the harness, and adjusting the back of the front seat.

Transport

At 21 lbs, it is very light for a double stroller. The stroller is a bit bulky when folded, but it is a bit easier than some models to taken in and out of a vehicle for transporting.

Folding

Folding is done by pressing on color-coded tabs with arrows showing the direction. Folding is a bit awkward at first, but it can be done with one foot. The latch for unlocking is color-coded fairly easy to locate. The stroller unfolds very easily.

Child-friendly features

• Reclining front seat with excellent headroom
• Adjustable front footrest
• Universal car seat adapter for front seat position
• Front tray with two cup-holders
• Canopy adjusts to block low sun

Performance and features

• Lightweight construction
• Front wheel anti-pivot option for gentle trails
• Two cup-holders
• Storage basket
• Zippered pocket

Though padded, the handlebar is not adjustable, and at 40.5” it is too high for the comfort of shorter people. Still, its light weight makes it easy to push and turn in town. It does have a tendency to tip during emergency turns, and some risk of tip-over across steep terrain. The ride is comfortable over smooth surfaces. It goes over curbs well, but stops against sidewalk “lips”. Like some other strollers, it has an option to prevent the front wheels from pivoting. In town, the front wheels freely pivot to enable turning. Lifting a color-coded lever at each front wheel locks the wheels and enables the stroller to handle grass, dirt or uneven surfaces. However, turning is very hard when the wheels are locked.
The parking brakes are set at each rear wheel by pressing color-coded levers down or up to lock and unlock.

Design

The Joovy Caboose Ultralight Tandem is a bare bones style designed to conserve weight, but at the expense of usability and comfort.

Specifications and Capacities

Seats: Front; max. 45 lbs.
Rear: max 45 lbs;
Rear standing age: at least 2 years old and less than 44” tall
Storage basket: 15×7x12”
Regulations: US ASTM: F833
Weight: 21 lbs
Folded Dimensions: 44×21x12”
Seat Room, front: 26” in height, 13” wide
Category: tandem, light weight double stroller

Review Date: June 30th, 2008

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