Mountain Buggy Nano Review

Pros
• Compact when folded
• Compatible with most infant car seat brands
• Lightweight and easy to carry with the shoulder strap
• Lasts from infanthood through toddlerhood

Cons
• Not ideal for very bumpy terrain
• Sunshade doesn’t extend very far

Bottom Line
This stroller is one of my favorite baby products we have. It’s easy to use, versatile and lets us transport our car seat and stroller in one unit, so I don’t have to choose between safety and convenience.

Rating: 5 stars

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We were looking for a light, easy-to-use travel stroller that would supplement our large everyday stroller. Since we live in a New York City apartment where space is precious, we wanted something that would save us from having to buy even more equipment, like an additional umbrella stroller. The last thing we needed was yet another set of wheels for baby! I had heard rave reviews of the Nano from friends and friends of friends, and based on its description as a light stroller that folds up compactly and could adapt to my car seat, I felt this was exactly what we needed.

Features

The key feature of the Mountain Buggy Nano is how easy and intuitive it is to fold—it requires all of two steps. (Ed Note: And at less than 13 pounds, it’s among the lightest in its class—most other lightweight strollers weigh in at 16 to 20+ pounds.)

My absolute favorite part about the Nano is its compatibility with a wide range of car seat brands and even a few convertible car seats (check the Mountain Buggy website for a full list). You can place your car seat on top of the Mountain Buggy Nano seat and either buckle it in or secure it with bungee cords that come with the stroller. Most snap-and-go wheels and travel systems I’ve seen only accommodate an infant car seat, but the Mountain Buggy Nano can also be used with car seats for older children. Living in New York City, I’ve unfortunately seen parents ride in taxis with their children unrestrained, because they want to bring the stroller but don’t want to lug around the car seat too. With the Mountain Buggy Nano, you don’t have to choose between transporting your child safely in a car seat and bringing the stroller—it allows you to easily do both.

Performance

The first real test for the Mountain Buggy Nano came when I took my son for his first outing to a doctor’s appointment. With the easy two-step fold, we were able to intuitively figure out how to fold up the Nano (although I still practiced folding and unfolding the stroller several times the night before to make sure I had it down).

In the morning, I strapped my then 1-week-old into his car seat, placed it on the stroller seat, buckled it in using the seat belt and off we went. I was grateful to not have to awkwardly carry him in the car seat down the elevator, through our building and out to a taxi. Once the taxi arrived, I quickly took him out in the car seat, folded the Nano and placed it in the trunk, where it only took up a small amount of space. (Ed Note: The Nano also comes with a travel case that includes a handle and an attachable shoulder strap for easy carrying.) I easily reassembled the stroller/car seat combo upon our arrival. The Mountain Buggy was very simple to use on my own.

The Nano does okay on city streets. It’s a fairly smooth ride, but I probably wouldn’t use this instead of our larger everyday stroller, since its suspension makes it feel like you’re driving a car. The ride with the Nano felt more like a scooter.

Design

I think what puts the Mountain Buggy Nano ahead of competitors is that it has one continuous handlebar instead of two separated handles, which allows you to push with one hand and makes the caregiver experience more comfortable. The storage basket on the Nano will fit your diaper bag and maybe a toy and blanket for your little one. It’s not huge, but certainly provides ample space for whatever you’d need for a short outing.

The Mountain Buggy Nano also has a sun canopy with a window in the back so you can see your little one. The canopy could be a bit longer—sometimes the sun is still in my son’s eyes when I take him out in this stroller.

Another limitation of the Nano is that it almost fully reclines, but doesn’t go completely flat. However, the 2016 version of the Nano has a more extended canopy and fully reclines with the Mountain Buggy cocoon for newborns, so the company has addressed these issues.

Summary

We use our bigger tank of a stroller for everyday life because it’s able to handle New York’s bumpy roads and sidewalks a bit better than the Nano. Even though we could use the big stroller for travel, because of the Nano’s portability, it’s our go-to choice when we visit family and friends in the suburbs or need to take a cab crosstown. I love that you don’t have to sacrifice safety with the Nano—I don’t have to even think about leaving the car seat behind. The Nano lets me pop the car seat in the car, stick the compactly folded stroller in the trunk, and reunite the two when I arrive at my destination. I’m excited to be able to continue using this stroller through toddlerhood with my son.