Wow – if you have multiple children, you need to take a look at the Joovy Caboose Ultralight Tandem Stroller. As I travel with my 4 year old and my infant nephew, I value convenience, quality, and anything that will assist me in keeping two kids of different ages happy, easily transported, and safe.
Weight: Named Ultralight appropriately, this double stroller travels well. Weighing in at just 21 pounds, it is 20% lighter than the original model and significantly lighter than many big, bulky double strollers on the market.Recline: The front seat has a partial recline. The child riding in the back does not have a seat back, so no recline.
Basket Size: Wonderfully large basket with very easy access for child sitting in back.
Parent Organizer: This deluxe Cool Essentials Parent Organizer slips on in Seconds! Over 2 feet of total storage- this organizer holds water bottles, cell phone, keys, sippy cups, iPod, and anything else you don’t want to lose! The beverage holders (2 of them) hold full size water bottles snugly – and even help to maintain the temperature of the drink (Cool Essentials!). The organizer even offers a small zipped storage compartment on the back for storing. Â
Child Tray: The tray contains two spots for sippy cups, and a nice flat surface for kids to play, eat snacks, etc. Well made and nicely positioned.
Wheels: Good wheels on a double stroller are essential, and the Ultralight doesn’t disappoint. The wheels work well and are sturdy. A smooth ride for all.
Canopy: Joovy has the canopy concept mastered. Their canopies are large, easy to use, provide excellent sun and rain protection, and have a great look to them. We love the bright orange stroller – and have received many compliments on the color and canopy!
Infant Car Seat: The Ultralight comes equipped with a red safety harness to secure the infant car seat. When not in use, these red straps roll up and discreetly fit into the storage pockets on the side. The car seat adapter is very easy to use and remove. Instead of the tray, the adapter holds the car seat in place. Joovy provides a list of compatible car seats here: http://joovy.com/pages/carseat_ultralight.htmÂ
Weight/Height: The Ultralight is rated for 45 lbs. in the front and 45lbs. in the back.
Toddler Options: This fun seat can move forward when the toddler/preschooler stands or move back for the child to sit down and even be harnessed in for safety. Any parent with an “independent” child will love that there are options for sitting, standing, or even pretending to be a “worker” on the back of his truck! My son will ask me to stop so he can jump off to pick up a leaf, and stand again on the platform with serious orders to resume our journey! He also has his very own mesh pockets on the back of the front seat within easy reach for him. Besides its wonderful ease of use, I think my favorite part of the Ultralight Caboose is that the older child has independence and options. Think about it – the youngest child usually need the most attention. As parents, we sort of depend on the older child to be more independent and well-behaved. The Ultralight recognized this and made the back seat the place to be!Â
 I once was at a Baby Expo and noticed a mom pushing an Ultralight Caboose around. I asked her how she liked it - and then did a double take as I noticed that there were 4 kids riding on the stroller! She sheepishly smiled and said, “You do what you gotta do… We LOVE this stroller!” Two little girls were talking animatedly to each other sitting on the back seat. The infant in the front was sleeping in his car seat. And the older brother? Standing with his feet in between the little chattering girls, hanging onto the side bar pretending to be a fireman. And ALL in that family were happy!
My son loves to play with his toys in the very large basket underneath the stroller, sometimes even sitting on the seat facing forward with his feet in the basket! He hangs on to the padded sidebars and stands, sits, dances, and the stroller just keeps gliding along. The options also allow him to feel “older” than the younger child in front – with more privileges due to age. My experience with strollers is that as a child reaches preschool age, they avoid sitting in strollers due to this lack of freedom. Yet, down those long, long airport terminals, I know that soon my 4 year old will be “too tired” to walk, yet too big and independent to be strapped in. The option to hop on and hold on to the Ultralight are huge for my son in the airport.
Traveling With the Ultralight
I love the Ultralight for traveling with two children. A narrow, easy to use lightweight stroller is essential for traveling. I first flew with this stroller when my nephew was in an infant car seat, and my son sat in the toddler seat.
I was surprised that with both boys in the stroller, it still was incredibly easy to maneuver. That is really important when in large crowds or at destinations and restaurants. Because the stroller is narrow, it eliminates a lot of the hassle most double strollers present.
My son rode his Trunki suitcase through the airport for one leg of our journey, but it was nice to have the seat option when he got tired of riding. Lots of options for this stroller.
As you can see in this photo, when my son wasn’t riding on the toddler seat, I was able to use it to transport the infant car seat base and my backpack.
Can this long stroller be gate checked?
Yes, easily! The Ultralight folds up quickly with one touch of a button and by pushing forward. The clasp to lock the stroller down is a hook version, and is easy to use. Just fold it up and watch the baggage handler’s surprised expression when the double stroller is lighter than the single travel systems that many parents travel with! The Ultralight is easy for baggage handlers to pick up and walk with down those jet-way stairs. Is this important? YES! Let me tell you, I heard many stories from gate agents… and guess what? NOBODY likes those heavy, bulky strollers! And once out of site underneath the belly of the plane, I can assure you from those stories that these strollers are NOT treated well.One concern I had was that my son wouldn’t be able to sleep in this stroller like he did when we traveled with him alone. I was surprised to find that was never really an issue. Because we carried the ERGObaby carrier along, I was able to carry my nephew when he slept and my son was able to rest in the stroller.
That is probably the only downside to this stroller – both children cannot be stretched out and relaxed. However, to find that in a stroller, other things must be sacrificed. Sleeping kids can easily be woken up when the stroller doesn’t fit through the door or into the restaurant! Toes can easily be run over with wide double strollers – yet with the Ultralight, it really does feel like you are pushing a single stroller.
Stroller and Entertainment in One!
My nephew does travel with us, but he doesn’t live with us. So imagine my surprise when we went for our nightly walk and my son wanted to take the Joovy Ultralight! My husband and I were laughing the whole way as my son was completely in his own world – standing, sitting, looking around and reaching into the basket. He even climbed over into the front seat at one point and then preferred to go back to his perch in the back. Unbelievably, this did not make the stroller lopsided or difficult to push. Â
Joovy was creative when they made the Ultralight – ever watch a rollerblader or skater whiz by and glide along the trail as they weave effortlessly around people? The same sealed ball bearings can be found in the Ultralights wheels! Â
I think the product development team understood what really was going to be important about this stroller. Appropriately named the Caboose Ultralight – they recognized that a lightweight stroller was important for travelers, but the most important traveler? That little Caboose in the back…Â
 Joovy Caboose Ultralight: Made for families- Optimized for Older Siblings!Congratulations Joovy! 
The Ultralight Caboose has been Jet With Kids Approved! as a valuable resource for traveling families!
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