Joovy Twin Groove Ultralight Review
Price $250
BUY NOWWhether you have twins or two kiddos, nearly every outing can be made easier with a stroller… however, the hassle of lugging a cumbersome, heavy piece of equipment for every trip is enough to deter even the strongest from ever leaving home. Fear not! A lightweight double umbrella stroller may just be the answer to your prayers. Here is our totally unsponsored Joovy Twin Groove review — enjoy!
After using it for a while with my twins, here is my synopsis: we love the Joovy TwinGroove Ultralight for its build quality, smart storage, large canopies, attainable price, and conveniences, like parent cup holders. The main features are very similar to the much pricier Maclaren Twin Triumph and UPPAbaby G-Link strollers, but for about $150 less. It’s a good bit lighter and less clunky than the Chicco Echo Twin. For city dwellers: the TwinGroove has a nice shoulder carry strap, which is great if you know you’ll have to take stairs to access subways and trains. It also meets Disneyland/Disney World size requirements.
The Colors
The Joovy TwinGroove comes in modern colors — turquoise, charcoal, and black — and is made of high-quality, water resistant fabric.
Seats, Canopy, & Storage
With an almost-flat recline, the TwinGroove can be used from newborns up to 50 lbs (per seat), with a total weight capacity of 100 lbs. This means a fairly long lifespan, especially for twin parents.
Note about the seats: they aren’t terribly big (or tall for that matter) — about average for an umbrella stroller — so while it may technically hold 50 lbs (the weight limit on most is 35-40 lbs), you are still limited by the size of the seats.
Translation: older, heavier kids might not actually fit very well, but…. it’s good to know they can squeeze in if they need to without breaking it, especially after a long day at Disney or after a late-night flight.
Each seat has an individual calf rest, so infants and young toddlers can lie flat. For newborns, you can whip out the “infant mesh boot” (shown below, left), which creates a safe, enclosed area for the smallest of babies.
The 5-point harness (below) is toddler proof but easily opened with one hand by an adult. The interior mesh pockets are great for those can’t-live-without toys or sippy cups (self service!). Start delegating those duties early, moms. You’ll thank me later.
The UPF 50 canopies are definitely on the larger side, especially for an umbrella stroller. To put it in perspective, the canopies are almost as large as those on the UPPAbaby G-Link Double, though not as large as on the newer Maclarens. Each canopy has a plastic peek-a-boo window with a Velcro closure.
As umbrellas go, the under storage baskets are pretty generous (below). I was able to shove my over-stuffed diaper bag on one side and a small cooler bag under the other (see below).
Bonus: Anything extra can hang off the handles without risking a tip-over (unless your kids aren’t sitting in it—then all bets are off!).
What I really love are the storage pockets and cup holders on the back. Two zippered pockets can easily hold a large wallet or snacks (mama gets hungry and thirsty too!), while the cup holders (one for the parent and one on the back of each seat) work great for keys, phones, toys, and water. It’s these conveniences that most umbrella strollers usually lack, especially the economy ones.
The handles are coated in foam and turned inward, so they are easy to grasp. Note: like all umbrella strollers, you’ll need two hands to push and steer it.
The seats can easily be reclined by pulling on the cord. However, the un-reclining is a bit more tedious, requiring two hands and a bit of finagling — definitely not our favorite in that regard.
Size, Weight, Wheels, & Fold
At 30″ wide, the TwinGroove fits through standard doorways and handicapped accessible aisles. It also has a very compact umbrella-style fold (measuring 15″ x 30″ x 13″). The carry strap is adjustable so your partner can get his large man-arms through it.
The weight of the stroller is 26 lbs, which is smack dab in the middle of the weight spectrum of other double umbrella strollers, and definitely far lighter than most regular (non-umbrella) double strollers. After all, that’s the beauty of the umbrella!
Ok, the wheels… the Twin Groove has three sets of wheels. This allows it to maneuver better than, say, the G-Link. On the downside, the back-middle wheels might impede the stride of a taller parent. The other downside to three sets of wheels is three. separate. brakes. Yes, you must engage them all separately (to be on the safe side). Not a deal-breaker, just an FYI.
The TwinGroove’s wheels have the option to lock or swivel, and all have suspension, which makes the stroller easier to maneuver on bumpy roads or sidewalks.
The TwinGroove has your typical umbrella “Maclaren-style” fold.
It’s a two-handed operation and takes about 15 seconds or so. This might not be the most “sandal or barefoot friendly” stroller to fold, but few umbrellas are.
If you lock the wheels, it’s easy to store this stroller upright against a wall (nope, it’s not self-standing).
Bottom line: The TwinGroove is verrrry similar to the high-quality Maclaren Twin Triumph and UPPAbaby G-Link strollers, but for about $150 less (and it can sometimes be found on sale). It’s much lighter and less clunky than the Chicco Echo Twin. We love the storage, the seats, the build quality, the longevity of use, and the conveniences you don’t get with other umbrellas (all those cupholders and pockets!).
We don’t love the un-reclining mechanism, the three separate brakes, or the wheels in the back that might impede the stride of a tall parent… but those are fairly minor points. Looking at the pricing and features compared to other double umbrellas, the TwinGroove Ultralight gives you a good bang for your buck and top-notch, U.S.-based customer service.
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I just wish it wasn’t so hard to get in/out of doors. But I do love all things joovy!!!
I’ve had this stroller for 2 months, and I have to say I LOVE it. The three brakes aren’t a big deal after the first couple of times. The unreclining mechanism is clunky and not my favorite, but it’s doable. And the storage is AWESOME.
Joovy is my favorite brand for strollers. This twin groove ultra lite is definitely another satisfaction by joovy. I also had a hands-on review on this product. The features that I love in it is its lock and suspension system. So it can easily pass through on of road. Besides, it’s pretty lightweight and has much space.
Aside the price, what would you recommend for mommy terrain and air travel – this or Scooter X2?