Joovy Caboose – A Sit&Stand buggy review

10 years into my parenting journey and having acquired a total of 4 kids, I have tried and tested my fair share of buggies and prams. From a Graco Travel System with my first child to the Quinny Buzz Travel System with my second. (Graco just wasn’t fancy enough and Quinny was all the rage). With baby #3 arriving less than 1.5 years after #2 buggy shopping was once again on the cards as we were on the lookout for a double buggy. Phil & Teds was the buggy of choice which I still use on occasion. For most outings now I am using a McLaren stroller that is always sitting in the boot of the car and does the job. Things is though with 3 young ones, we always end of carrying one of them on longer walks.

Admittedly, I never did a huge amount of research prior to buggy purchases. I went with the masses. And I never wanted to spend a fortune which at this stage I probably have. So when I was pregnant with #4, I saw a buggy at a friend’s that I instantly LOVED. I had never come across this type of buggy before. It was a Sit & Stand buggy. My mind was blown as I thought it was the best idea since sliced pan. My two youngest kids are 2.5 years apart which is a tough age gap in the double stroller world. Aged 1.5 and almost 4 now the Phil&Teds will soon be retiring as the kids get older and more independent. A Sit&Stand buggy makes a great compromise between a traditional tandem, a double buggy or a single with a buggy board. (I never rated buggy boards truth be told!) I did some research and googling and stumbled across the Joovy Caboose. With kids of walking age, a toddler and a pre-scholer, this is honestly the perfect buggy! Allowing the older child to be independent while at the same time offering a resting place when his little legs get tired, (also meaning not having to carry them!) it is a smart alternative to the double stroller/buggy.When I received it, I was like a child on Christmas morning. #Iamsuchamum!

Without further ado, if you are looking for a buggy, if you have kids of similar ages, you might want to read this. I present to you the Joovy Caboose Ultralight. Here a few facts you need to know:

The Joovy Caboose is a lightweight sit and stand in-line stroller that has a regular harnessed seat in the front. This seat reclines simply by pulling a leaver bar on the back of the seat.

This is an important feature if your child using the front seat is still young or of they are a buggy napper. The front seat has a little tray for snacks and drinks that is easily detachable.

It has an adjustable foot rest that can be lowered when needed.

There is a standing platform and a bench seat with straps in the back with a handle on either side for an older child who wants to casually ride along or stand.

Even though my 5-and 3-year-old are perfectly capable of walking with us, sometimes it’s really nice to be able to give them a little break when needed especialy on longer walks. My kids adore this buggy, especially my 3-year-old. While he doesn’t mind being strapped into a buggy, he loves the independence this buggy allows him to have. The bench seat and stand on platform are ideal for him as he can hop on and off when he gets tired. (There is also a safety harness for younger kids).

Even his 5 year old sister can hop on. The buggy will allow 3 kids on board and isn’t too difficult to push.

(This, however, isn’t recommended, but I had to test it) The canopy of the buggy is shaped to accommodate a standing child. How cool is that!

I love the buggy board with the side bars to keep child safe.

For a double buggy, the Joovy Caboose is narrow, really well designed and lighweight. It is constructed using lightweight metal which makes it fairly easy to lift in and out of the car. And this is a definite bonus for me. Because broken back. Other nice details include the foam handles, the reflective straps, and the neoprene parent organizer (with 2 Cup holders, a zippered pocket and 3 small pockets) is a winner. It simply slides over the handlebar and you can pop it off to give it a wash if needed.

In addition to that, the Joovy Caboose has a large storage basket, which is accessible by sliding the seat for the older child forward. A generous sized basket comes in handy on any outing. It won’t carry a Tesco shop for a family of 6 obviously, but it’s big as buggy baskets go.

The canopy is a generous size to keep the front seat as well as the back seat in the shade or dry in the event of a surprise shower. It is detachable and foldable which are nice features. There is also a rain cover included which covers both children in the event of a shower.

The breaks are rear wheel breaks and are super easy to put on and take off…..

The buggy collapses with one very easy movement and what I love is that the way it folds forward means the handle bar doesn’t touch the ground and stays clean. (Bit of a bug bear of mine! Who wants the stroller push handle on the mucky ground every time it is being folded?)

Because the front wheel can be either in swivel or in locked more, the buggy is easily maneuverable, even with 3 kids weighing the bones of 60kg give or take on board.

There is a universal car seat adapter included with the buggy which accepts most major car seat brands by simply placing the car seat on top of it and securing it with a strap. I won’t be reviewing this function further as I haven’t used it. But let me mention that the buggy comes with a manual that is very detailed and thorough if you are the manual reading type 😉

One thing I noted is the Joovy Caboose has relatively small wheels and little suspension, so they are great for smooth surfaces, great on grass, but not generally great for non-paved surfaces or major bumps in the road.  If your terrain is bumpy and or rugged at all, this buggy may not be for you simply based on the wheels. It works perfectly on smooth surface and tarmac and is easy to push.

The buggy is available from the UK Joovy website directly. (Check out their website) or from Amazon.

I use the Joovy Caboose as a backup stroller for car trips and I absolutely adore it. I can’t wait to use it on our holidays. If you have kids close enough in age and still rely on a buggy this is the buggy for you!

You will not be disappointed.

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We received a Joovy Caboose Ultralight of our choice for the purpose of an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.