Summer Infant 3D lite Convenience Stroller, Black
CUSTOMER REVIEW
Whenever I buy something, I read all the reviews and research A LOT. And even then I'm not sure I'm making the right decision. There aren't that many reviews for the Summer 3d Lite as it seems fairly new to the market, so I thought I'd try and do a comparative review in the hopes of helping.
I wanted a durable, lightweight travel stroller, a decent recline, good wheels/maneuverability, comfort, storage space, 5-point harness, and for it to be easy to fold/unfold. I wanted all this for the minimum price possible as I already have an UPPAbaby Vista and a Chicco Liteway (I previously used the Chicco for travel but I had to leave it behind for an international move as I opted to take the Vista - we do lots of walking, and it's much cheaper to replace an umbrella stroller!).
Some airlines/airports have strict weight limits on strollers that can be gate checked, and some airlines will automatically send the stroller to the baggage conveyor belts even if you gate-checked, so lightweight was essential.
Initially I was considering the First Years Jet Stroller, which weighs just 11 pounds. It has a 4* average rating from over 1100 ratings, AND costs under 45 dollars - seemed pretty good. But I went to try it in store and it was awful - no recline, wheels didn't work properly (i couldn't maneuver it on the floor - my son is 18 months and weighs about 25 pounds, about half the recommended max weight), awful sunshade, and my son wanted out! It felt cheap and flimsy so i looked at the reviews more closely - theme was that it was good for the price, and that the wheels are awful but people overlook that as it was so cheap. So whilst the Jet may be good/better than expected (for the price), I wanted something that was genuinely good, even if it meant spending a bit extra.
I came across the Summer 3D Lite and ordered it. I was a little concerned as I could not find it in my local baby store, so I was buying blind. It seemed to fit my requirements, and weighs 12 pounds, just one pound more than the Jet. Like the Jet, it says it accommodates children up to 50 pounds. (To compare, my Chicco Liteway goes up to 40 pounds).
When it arrived it took just a few minutes to pop the wheels and the canopy on, and presto, it's done. It reclines ALMOST flat, which is fantastic, although the recline mechanism requires two-handed operation, which is a little awkward. My Chicco Liteway also reclines almost flat, but it has a more convenient one-handed recline. The seat padding isn't as generous and the material isn't as nice as the Liteway either, however the Liteway weighs in at a heftier 17 pounds - 5 pounds heavier than the Summer 3d Lite, and is considerably more expensive. The 3d Lite's recline is also better than the First Years Ignite Stroller (the model up after the Jet, Cheaper than the Summer 3D Lite, but at 14 pounds, it is also heavier).
The folding mechanism is easy but it takes a couple of practices, it has two levers to disengage before collapsing and I had to read the instructions to find the second lever. The back of the frame has an extra handle that can be pulled up manually, which would effectively mean you need two hands to fold, however I prefer to fold the back of the frame by placing my foot underneath, making it a one-handed fold so I can collapse it in an airport holding my toddler. I hope that makes sense, and if it doesn't, hopefully it will when you see it or even if you try a different umbrella stroller as most use the foot action. Additionally, the plastic pull-up handle is the sort of extra piece that I can see breaking off during rough airport handling. Whilst this would certainly be annoying, it is not essential to functionality so it wouldn't be the end of the world. The frame locks automatically when folded which is great and doesn't need an extra hand - unlike the Jet/Ignite, which require the user to manually lock the frame (this may not seem like a big deal, but in an airport it really is!). Unfolding does need 2 hands, simply because the lock needs to be disengaged whilst holding the stroller upright, but this is probably true for all umbrella strollers. Overall, I think the fold/ unfold is fairly similar to other umbrella strollers, including the Chicco Liteway.
Sunshade is OK, slightly larger than some (much better than the Jet's shade), although it can't be rotated like the shade can on the Liteway. I don't think the shade is a particularly big deal though, as I always tend to use a light blanket for extra protection when my son is asleep, but when he is awake he tries to push the canopy back anyway.
The 3D Lite features lockable front wheels for rougher terrain, which the Jet does not, although in order to lock them they have to be perfectly aligned and forward facing. I'm not sure about other umbrella strollers, but on the Chicco Liteway (and the Vista, but that's a different kind of stroller, so maybe moot) you can lock the wheels whilst they are in any position, and as soon as the stroller is moved and they align with the frame, they lock into place. I hope that makes sense. It just makes it a little fiddly to lock the 3D Lite's wheels, but I don't think it's a deal-breaker. The brakes on the back wheels are more easily accessible than on the Jet (and also the Ignite, I believe but I didn't see the Ignite model in store, only online photos on Amazon).
Other thoughtful features on the 3D Lite include the essential 5-point harness, (the padded covers keep sliding down which bugs me a little so I may end up removing them) a carry strap (could be padded but not a big deal), a pocket for cell phone, wallet/purse, keys..., a cupholder that can be moved so it can be used by the parent or the child (remove the cupholder before folding if you put it at child's height as it fits where the stroller-lock clips to the frame). Actually I would remove the cup holder before travelling as it looks like it can easily come off. The basket is easier to access than the baskets on the Jet/Ignite, although like with any almost-fully-reclining umbrella stroller, the basket is not accessible when the seat is reclined.
I'm not sure I'm too keen on the fabric that covers the harness buckle, but this is a minor detail. Also, the handles on this stroller are tall, slightly taller than the handles on my UB Vista. This may not be so great if you are on the shorter side. I am 5'7 and don't have a problem with this.
From my research, I only found a few options that were lighter, none of which recline, and some were more expensive. The lighter options include the Jet (cheaper, not significantly lighter, no recline), The Chicco Capri (same price, weighs 11 pounds, lower max child weight limit, limited recline), the Macalaren Volo (lightest on market, expensive, no recline), UPPABaby G-Lite (no recline, expensive), or the really cheap, no-frill 20 dollar options ( which look awful for parent and child IMO). I also considered the First Years Ignite, which is cheaper, but I ruled this one out due to its additional weight and limited recline. I decided that full bells-and-whistles options, such as the UPPABaby G-Luxe and the Maclaren Quest were too expensive for what was essentially to be my travel stroller. (An equivalent and much cheaper option to these would be the Chicco Liteway which I stand by and recommend, although as noted it is a little heavier).
Overall, I think this is a great stroller. It has lots of features for both the weight and price, and was better than many more expensive options. I also purchased an open box deal from Amazon Warehouse Deals, stroller was perfect and brand new, saved myself 13-15% off the retail price which makes it almost comparable in price to the First Years Ignite.
I hope that helps. Happy stroller hunting!
UPDATE: I used the stroller exclusively for three weeks on an overseas trips, and also used the stroller on several shorter trips, including a trip to DisneyWorld. I liked it but didn't love it because it isn't as easy/ comfortable as it could be to steer. Unlike most strollers, the handles are straight in line with the frame rather than ergonomically curved inwards. This makes it hard to steer with one hand (I can steer my Chicco Liteway with one hand relatively easily). I still think it was the best value umbrella stroller with all the features I was looking for at the lightest weight, recline was good, easy to fold up and down, and held up well through airport handling. My son was able to nap in the stroller, although he rarely naps in any stroller now he is almost 2. I still think it is nice to have a decent recline option.
