This post is sponsored by Mockingbird but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
An Honest Review of the Mockingbird Travel Stroller (From a Mom to a Very Vocal 1-Year-Old)
When we passed the one-year mark with my daughter, Olive, she suddenly became incredibly vocal about what she does and does not want to do. Done with the car? I’ll hear about it. Done with the walk? Oh, definitely hearing about it. Needs a drink? It better have happened five seconds ago. That means travelling has an extra element of difficulty to an already chaotic process. Because of that, I need to be able to hold all of her things with me at any given time when we’re away from home, and ideally also need to carry her while doing so (since she’s currently in the phase of wanting to eat nothing but dirt and rocks—such joy)! So it almost goes without saying that leaving the house has become a little more complicated. That’s why having a stroller that can actually keep up with our new toddler lifestyle has become so important.
It’s understandable why our old, bulky stroller isn’t really working for us anymore. For a family that’s always on the go, the Mockingbird Travel Stroller felt like the obvious next step for us. It’s compact, lightweight, and a breeze to carry around, making it an easy choice for everything from quick errands to full-blown weekend outings. And as I’ve learned through my own Mockingbird stroller review, having a lightweight stroller with storage that can actually live in the car without taking over the entire trunk is one of those parenting upgrades I didn’t know I needed until I had it.
Mockingbird Travel Stroller: A quick glance
For anyone who wants the quick version before I get into my full experience, here are the specs that stood out to me the most about Mockingbird’s new stroller:
One-step folding: One-hand, one-second self-fold; stands upright when folded
Conveniently portable: Built-in shoulder strap and compact, carry-on-sized fold
Extra storage: 20-pound basket, parent zip pocket, and hidden AirTag pocket
Elevated kid comfort: Custom cinch recline, adjustable leg rest, XL UPF 50+ canopy, rear ventilation, and magnetic harness
Newborn-ready: Infant Nest Mode offers a lie-flat position for newborns, and the included FlexConnect™ Car Seat Adapter is compatible with 50+ infant car seats, letting you use the stroller from day one
Easy maneuverability: All-wheel suspension, never-flat tires, and open rear-wheel design
My experience using the Mockingbird Travel Stroller
When my husband unboxed the Mockingbird Travel Stroller, he was ready and eager to reprise his role as the “baby gear builder.” But moments later, I was shocked when I heard him say, “Oh! It’s already set up!” It arrived in its compact, travel position, so there was no assembly project waiting for us, which is always a win when you have a toddler who would rather have our attention be solely fixed on her.
And then I picked it up. It was SO light—like light as a feather—but in a good travel-friendly way. It still feels solid and capable of withstanding any adventure. The canopy fabric also feels soft and flexible, unlike the stiff, wicker-style material I see on so many other strollers. Basically, my first thought was: “Oh, this is actually going to be easy to carry.”
The one-step fold makes hectic days so much easier
I’ve quickly learned that when I’m leaving the house with a 1-year-old, the fewer things I have to physically wrestle with, the better. We go to our family’s pool pretty often, and on a typical pool day, I’m carrying the stroller, her big pool floatie, a diaper bag, my phone, a water bottle, and a pool bag. So when I realized how easy the one-hand, one-second autofold was, I instantly thought about how useful it would be when traveling, too.
The other thing I love is that it stands upright when you fold it. It doesn’t fall over onto one side and land in whatever dirt or grossness happens to be on the ground. It sounds like such a small thing, but when you’re already juggling 900 items, this one less annoyance makes a noticeable difference.
And then there’s the shoulder strap, which I genuinely didn’t know I needed in a stroller until now. It’s effortless to carry, and the folded stroller doesn’t hit me in an awkward place around my butt or legs. I can sling it over my shoulder and carry other things without feeling like I’m going to have a bruise the next day. I’ve even been carrying it around while shooting content for work, and I kept thinking about how much more I would have been sweating if I were hauling our old bigger stroller around all day.
It works during the newborn stage and well into toddlerhood
I immediately thought about how I would have loved this stroller when Olive was a newborn. If I could go back to those first few months with Olive, having something this compact and easy to carry would have made getting out of the house—and especially traveling—a lot less intimidating. You’re already carrying a baby, a diaper bag, and approximately 47 other things, so having a travel stroller that goes from those early newborn days all the way into the toddler stage is a major win.
Plus, the universal-style car seat adapter is compatible with more infant car seats than any other travel stroller (check your car seat compatibility in the FAQ section), so you can easily adapt it to a rental car seat or a grandparent’s while traveling. The adapter is also compact enough to fit in the parent storage pocket—super convenient for tired and forgetful moms like me. And if baby gets tired of the car seat, you can easily put the stroller seat in newborn nest mode by laying it flat and propping up the leg rest, no separate bassinet required.
My trunk finally has room for other things
The biggest selling point for me is that this stroller is small enough to actually have a permanent place in my trunk. Our old stroller was so big that I had to take it out before going to the grocery store. I’d basically have to decide: Do I want the stroller or do I want groceries? And considering we only have one kid’s worth of gear, that felt kind of ridiculous to already be considering.
With the Travel Stroller, I can keep it in the car without sacrificing all of my trunk space. That makes such a difference for regular errands, but it will be especially helpful when we take weekend trips to visit family. We recently moved closer to family, and I really just want to pack the car without putting down the back seats and stuffing it to the brim. And even with the stroller’s compact size, the storage basket can still hold a surprising amount, which is a bonus. I was easily able to fit Olive’s diaper bag, her favorite toys, a water bottle, and—completely unrelated to normal mom life but noteworthy—my tripod in the basket. I was quite impressed. And if you’re traveling with a newborn, I think the space-saving aspect is even more appealing. Newborn life comes with an almost comical amount of stuff, so the idea of having a stroller that can stay compact in the car or come along for a trip without taking up half your available space is a big deal.
There’s also a parent zip pocket on the back of the seat that holds more than just a phone. I can fit my keys, a little stuffie, paci, and small pack of hand wipes in there, which means I don’t have to bend over and dig through the basket and diaper bag every time I need something. There’s even a hidden AirTag pocket, which is one of those little details that gives me some extra comfort.
The canopy and seat are designed with toddler comfort in mind
Olive loves her midday walks, even when the sun is beating down, so a good-quality canopy is a must-have for us. I really like the extra-large canopy size, since I can easily adjust it as the sun moves without having to stop and completely fix the stroller. The ventilation also makes a noticeable difference for her comfort, especially during hotter days. It has soft magnetic closures, so it’s easy to open and close as we need. So between those details and the larger canopy size, I feel like I have a lot more control over keeping Olive comfortable when we’re outside.
Olive has opinions about the seat, too
At this age, Olive has an impressive number of opinions about where and how she wants to sit. She does not like to lie down unless she has already fallen asleep, so she loves the most upright position in the stroller. The recline isn’t limited to three or four preset positions, like most other strollers. It’s a cinch that smoothly adjusts to the exact right angle for her. That’s especially helpful because she’s such a light sleeper. If she does fall asleep on a walk, I can recline her without any rough or jarring movements.
And on top of shade and seat positioning, the Travel Stroller’s adjustable leg rest is icing on the cake. For a girl who values her comfort above all else when out and about (relatable), a stroller that literally lets her kick her feet up and relax is a dream come true. Additionally, Olive is currently obsessed with finding things and displaying them like treasure for everyone to see (naturally). On one of our walking breaks, she started collecting leaves and putting them on her leg rest like it was her own little table. She was having the time of her life arranging her findings.
It’s lightweight, but can still handle all sorts of terrain
I was curious about how a stroller this lightweight would actually feel to push because, obviously, there’s a trade-off somewhere, right? But even with smaller wheels, it powers through most terrain pretty well. We’ve taken it over sidewalks, grass, and bumpy paths, city pavement, and it bounces along with curves and bumps nicely.
There is one thing I noticed because of how light it is: I have to be sure I’m using the lock feature whenever we’re stopped. A little bit of gravity can start pulling the stroller when we stop on an incline, which I’m sure is partly because it’s so light. So if I’m stopped, I lock it. It’s a good habit to have for safety, regardless!
My super tall husband can actually push it
My husband is 6’4″, and he’s never really been able to comfortably push our other stroller because he constantly bangs his shins on the brake bar. So when he pushed the Mockingbird Travel Stroller and immediately said, “Oh my gosh, I can actually push this one!” I was genuinely so excited (it’s the little things in mom-life, I guess). The rear-wheel design is tucked underneath the basket in a way that works really well with long strides. He can actually walk behind the stroller without kicking it every few steps. His being able to push the stroller comfortably is HUGE news for me.
I already know it will be perfect for plane travel
The Mockingbird Travel Stroller is IATA-compliant for overhead-bin storage, and when I folded it and set it next to my carry-on, they were nearly the same size. It’ll be a huge relief to bring it inside the plane, instead of checking it at the gate like our previous large stroller.
Being able to unboard a plane and plop Olive into the stroller immediately instead of carrying an exhausted 1-year-old through the airport sounds heavenly. And even in a scenario where she has absolutely no interest in sitting again after getting off the plane, I at least have the stroller’s large storage basket to dump our personal items instead of carrying it all.
Final verdict: The Mockingbird Travel Stroller has ended up being an everyday essential
That’s probably the biggest trade-off this stroller eliminates for me: I’m not giving up the features I actually care about just because the stroller is compact and travel-friendly. Yes, it takes up minimal space and is lightweight enough to carry over my shoulder. And still, the stroller has plenty of storage, a reclining seat, a big canopy, ventilation, a leg rest, and a smooth push. Plus, the little toddler-specific wins, like Olive having a leg rest that doubles as her newfound “treasure table.”
All in all, if you’re looking for a compact travel stroller that could also totally function as your everyday stroller, I think this is where the Mockingbird Travel Stroller really shines. For me, it’s become the stroller that checks all of my boxes. And as any mom can relate to, I’ll take any piece of baby gear that makes getting out of the house feel more manageable (and appeases my very opinionated kid).
Brooke is the Junior Sales Manager at The Everygirl Media Group, leading partnership efforts for Camp Everygirl and The Everygirl Podcast. She partners with brands to build creative, thoughtful collaborations and is always on the lookout for new concepts and experiences that resonate with The Everygirl audience.
McKenna Pringle, Assistant Editor of Branded Content
As the Assistant Editor of Branded Content, McKenna collaborates with our sales team by creating both written and social media content, collecting and analyzing performance data to report back to our partners, and assisting our editors with their everyday tasks to ensure a smooth and productive process.
This post is sponsored by Mockingbird but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
