At six months pregnant it’s hard not to notice everything ‘baby related’ around you, and having done plenty (perhaps too much) online research as to what will be needed when the little one arrives, it’s always fun to see things in action. The BabyZen YOYO was a memorable such case.
With baby just a few months from entering the world and still lots to learn, the timing seemed perfect when we spotted what could potentially be the ideal stroller not just for daily life, but our travel centric life too. For us, travel is life, after all.
We had just touched down and were eagerly ready to deplane at Heathrow after an evening flight, when a couple, seated a few rows in front of us whipped out a stroller from the overhead space. Yes, it fit neatly, smaller than most backpacks.
With a quick flip it was ready to go in just a few seconds, fitting comfortably into the aisle of the plane, with mummy strapping in her young child. There was no hold up to passengers behind them and they didn’t have to wait for everyone to deplane before they could pick up their stroller and carry on, it seemed perfect.
We caught up to them and had to find out what it was – “It’s the Babyzen YOYO 2 and it’s the best, we definitely recommend it”. Sold.
Enter: BabyZen YOYO+
The Babyzen YOYO 2 has two different size options which are sold separately, 0-6 months and 6 months +; however it’s the same frame for both, fitting the lie flat new born pack and/or the seated pack for when the child is old enough. Both fold up easily and will fit in the overhead compartment on a plane. You can’t go wrong.
BabyZen also has a car seat which clips onto the frame with easy additional adapters, making it incredibly straight forward to go from the car to buggy. The 0+ lie flat version switches to a forward facing seat at 6 months for the 6+ version, with an adjustable reclining seat for multiple positions.
We went for the whole BabyZen YOYO+ package because it seemed easiest to keep everything synced and together, and without wanting to take up *too* much space at home, having it fold away quickly and compactly made sense for us at home as well as when traveling.
We had originally planned to take our first trip in April 2020, when Olive would have been nearly three months old, however for obvious reasons that trip didn’t go ahead, so our first trip came in August 2020 when she was six months old, using the 6 months + stroller. For what it’s worth, the stroller is still as valuable now.
In all the time at home beforehand, Olive loved the stroller, and we did too. It’s perfectly fine for walks around the park, and city streets. It’s just off roading that might get a bit much.
All prepped and ready, we finally took a taxi to Heathrow. Olive was strapped into her car seat with the stroller folded in the trunk, ready to make a smooth transition when the car arrived at the airport. The car seat can be safely secured into the car using the seatbelt without needing the fixed car seat base.
Airport Experience With BabyZen YOYO+
Once at Heathrow we made our way to the check in desk where we checked the car seat – which is free when traveling with a baby – and switched Olive into the stroller, making it easy to push her through the airport.
Since the stroller folds up quickly and comfortably it, makes going through airport security rather simple. From there it’s life as usual through the airport, and hopefully even better with a happy baby in tow. Yes, airline and airport staff really tend to be sweet and kind to people traveling with children.
It’s worth noting that when folding the YOYO up, it becomes very easy to carry, thanks to a padded shoulder strap. It’s just like having an oversized laptop shoulder bag, so you can easily carry other things, like your child!
Once time to board, we chose to fold the YOYO right before entering the plane; and tocarry Olive on board. It seemed like the simplest option and even easier with two of us, but you could absolutely also choose to push it down the aisle, where it does fit, and take the baby out once at the seat, and fold it up there.
In my experience, it just gets a bit claustrophobic with people all crammed around on the plane, so I’d definitely recommend folding it up at the aircraft door, or during the boarding line, so you can just whip it up into overhead.The bigger the plane, or earlier the boarding, the less of an issue it is.
It’s actually funny because at first some airline staff try to stop you from bringing the stroller on, but then they see the brand and let you pass.
Really, the YOYO is so lightweight it is easy to carry. Thanks to the aerospace designed wheels and bearings, it pushes smoothly and turns corners easily. As mentioned, it’s not the best if you’re going over very rough, bumpy off road surfaces daily, but paved roads, parks, airports – it’s a gem.
BabyZen YOYO+ Storage
As you may have been hoping, there is space underneath the YOYO to put a bag or some shopping, and there’s also a zip up pocket near the handle higher up (only on 6+) for phone, wallet, toy etc.
So which BabyZen YOYO accessories matter? We’ve found the rain cover, foot muff and parasol the most useful accessories so far – mainly to be ready for all seasons. In the UK, rain is an all too frequent occasion, and being able to fully cover our little one in a safe way, in mere seconds, is quite valuable.
For technical nerds, the Babyzen Yoyo 0+ version weighs 6.6kg (14.5lbs) and the 6+ version weighs 6.2kg (13.6lbs). It’s folded dimensions are 52 x 44 x 18 cm (20.5 x 17.3 x 7.1 in). The BabyZen YOYO fits into all standard overhead bins, including short haul planes like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, and of course long haul planes like the Boeing 787, 777 and Airbus A350.
However if you have any questions or are unsure double check with your airline first.
Should You Buy A BabyZen YOYO+?
If you’re a frequent traveler, or are looking for a fantastically flexible stroller – probably, yes. Some people use this stroller purely for travel, but we’ve found it to be optimal for everyday life, and never look at someone else and say “wish we had that one”.
It fits into coffee shop doors with greater ease, can quickly snap away if plans change and all that jazz.
As noted, the YOYO has some useful accessories which are purchased separately (ugh!) such as a rain cover, mosquito net, parasol, foot rest, bag, cup holder, foot muff and more. It also comes in a wide range of colours, with plenty of gender neutral options.
To purchase the YOYO 2 stroller it’s £299-£399 (around $500 in USA), and adding the 0+ newborn pack is £175 (around $200).
The car seat is an additional £210. Funnily enough, in most markets you can’t actually buy this amazing piece of innovation through the Babyzen website, so you’ll need to use third party sites such as Whitestep, Neiman Marcus, John Lewis and others, all depending on where you’re buying from, location wise. Happy shopping!
GB Pockit an alternative. Lots cheaper, just as sturdy and flies under the radar in popularity. Granted not as good for a newborn but as this was a second stroller we use the bugaboo fox as the main stroller- we weren’t fussed.
We bounced back and forth between SF and London with two under 2 (eldest got silver on BA 😂). We had the Pockit for the 18month old and used a carrier for the baby. Worked well until the baby was a year or so and got round the Pockits limitations over the Yolo.
We looked at the babyzen yoyo but ended up going with the uppababy minu because we have the vista stroller and the mesa car seat. We haven’t flown since having the baby (soon!!!) but I have read that you can also bring the Minu on the plane! It was a tough decision between the two though!!
YoYo looks like a fantastic premium option: I see lots of them in Europe and have never heard a negative word. One thing to add is that BabyZen makes replaceable wheels. After a few months on cobblestones, you’ll need them!
We went with the Baby Jogger City Tour because it’s wide enough to place most car seats in the seat (snugly, secured with a couple generic luggage straps). The stroller’s about half the price of the YoYo, and accessories are cheaper. We’ve been very happy, but the wheels will be totally worn out before our baby is one year old and they don’t sell replacements.