Unlike a standard stroller, travel system or jogging stroller, umbrella strollers are compact and lightweight. This makes them ideal for traveling, vacations, shopping and crowded environments. Unfortunately, because of their compact nature, most umbrella strollers have few “extra” features. Indeed, the majority of umbrella strollers usually are lacking a storage basket, cupholders, and a single long handle. As a result, sometimes the umbrella stroller can still feel like a burden, especially when you have to lug around an oversize diaper bag filled with your gear and your baby’s things.
Fortunately, however, many companies are creating accessories that work with umbrella strollers. The result is the best of both worlds: a compact stroller with the storage you need. This is a review of my three favorite accessories for an umbrella stroller: Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy, Skip Hop Saddle Bag, and JL Childress Clip N Carry Stroller Hooks.
SUNSHINE KIDS STROLLER ACCESSORY BUGGY BUDDY
The Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy is designed to serve as a tray and cupholders for parents. It’s essentially a tray made from a thick fabric and strung on wire frame. The tray has two small pockets on each side that serve as cupholders.
The Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy attaches to the handles of an umbrella stroller with hook-and-loop tabs. Overall, attachment is easy. This accessory could be used on a variety of different types of handles and strollers.
Initially, I wasn’t particularly pleased with the way the Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy hung from my umbrella stroller’s handles. It hung low enough that it almost touched my child’s head, and it seemed to tilt a bit-so drinks weren’t quite upright. However, by looping the tabs and attaching them to my stroller handles with D-rings (instead of looping the tabs directly around the handles), I found the Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy hung upright and farther away from my child’s head.
The cupholders on the Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy aren’t particularly deep or sturdy. At best they fit a 20 ounce water or soda bottle. I wouldn’t advise using it with a cup without a lid or with a flimsy cup (like a fast food cup). However, they were adequate for my needs.
The tray on the Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy was large enough to fit my wallet and my sunglasses, with some room to spare. The tray also includes a zippered mesh section that was perfect for my cellular phone.
I could continue to close my umbrella stroller with the Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy still attached, thus creating a “permanent” cupholder/tray on my stroller. Despite its minor defects, I was pleased with this stroller accessory and found it quite useful most of the time.
SKIP HOP SADDLE BAG
The Skip Hop Saddle Bag is a small diaper bag. Three hook-and-loop tabs are sewn on the back of the bag. These tabs can be used to attach the Skip Hop Saddle Bag to the side of an umbrella stroller, thus creating the “saddle bag” aspect.
Since the Skip Hop Saddle Bag has three hook-and-loop tabs, various configurations are possible. I easily attached this diaper bag to the side of my umbrella stroller. This immediately gave me extra storage on the side of my umbrella stroller.
The Skip Hop Saddle Bag includes a drink holder pocket on the outside of the bag. When attached to the side of an umbrella stroller, this diaper bag rests slightly below the stroller seat. As a result, the drink holder pocket is almost the perfect location for storing a child’s sippy cup. It will be well within reach for an older child.
Although the Skip Hop Saddle Bag is a bit small, it does have enough room for the basics. Most moms will be able to fit a few diapers, some disposable changing pads, diaper cream, a light change of clothes and some small toys in the bag. Although you won’t be able to stroll around town with all your normal gear, you’ll probably be able to carry your basic needs.
The overall quality and appearance of the Skip Hop Saddle Bag is very high. It looks quite attractive on the side of an umbrella stroller. Most umbrella strollers can still be closed with this diaper bag attached, thus creating “permanent” storage on the stroller. Once I attached this diaper bag to my umbrella stroller, I never removed it. The Skip Hop Saddle Bag was extremely convenient since it allowed me to use the umbrella stroller without the need to carry around a diaper bag, too.
JL CHILDRESS CLIP N CARRY STROLLER HOOKS
After I attached the Skip Hop Saddle Bag and Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy to my umbrella stroller, I had diaper/toy storage and parent cupholders/tray. I did not, however, have a spot to stash shopping bags. To remedy this problem, I purchased the JL Childress Clip N Carry Stroller Hooks.
The JL Childress Clip N Carry Stroller Hooks are spring-loaded hooks that attach to a stroller with an adjustable band. They can be attached to the stroller handles, or they can be attached to other bars on the stroller.
I attached the JL Childress Clip N Carry Stroller Hooks to the handles of my umbrella stroller. These were ideal for carrying plastic shopping bags, such as the kind given at most big discount department stores. I also sometimes used the hook to carry my handbag or a pouch filled with snacks and small toys.
CONCLUSION
If you own an umbrella stroller and you dislike the lack of storage, the Sunshine Kids Stroller Accessory Buggy Buddy, Skip Hop Saddle Bag, and JL Childress Clip N Carry Stroller Hooks may be the perfect solutions. With these three stroller accessories, you’ll have storage for the baby’s diapers and toys, cupholders and a tray for you, plus hooks to hang your shopping bags.
