The Mamas & Papas Armadillo City is a lightweight stroller that is very similar to the Armadillo model, but is lighter, more compact and has a smaller footprint.
It’s designed for urban parents who like to use public transit, run errands, go to the mall, and travel.
The narrow frame and small footprint allow it to navigate crowded streets, and tight spaces with ease making it a great choice for buses, trains, and subways.
The quick one-hand fold and standing fold are great features when trying to get on the bus or a train with a baby in your hands.
While being light and compact it still has a very roomy with plenty of headroom for an older child. The deep one-hand recline is suitable for a newborn, but I always recommend using an infant car seat for the first 6 months since little babies need as much support as they can get.
Keep in mind, the City model does NOT have a travel system option because this is more of a second stroller for quick ins and outs. And it weighs only 15 lbs!
I think that the City model is one of the best alternatives for an umbrella stroller because compared to an umbrella stroller it has a much larger basket and a much larger canopy that will provide your child with full sun protection. The fold is just as compact.
In case you are wondering, there are a total of five different models in the Armadillo family: Armadillo, Armadillo XT, Armadillo City, Armadillo Flip, and Armadillo Flip XT. Check out my full side-by-side comparison.
OVERALL
I gave it 5 out of 5 stars because I think this is a great second stroller option. It’s light, compact, and has a lot of wonderful features that an umbrella stroller doesn’t have.
It retails for around $269 and comes with a rain cover. The price is a little higher, but I think is very reasonable for what you are getting.
Buy Mamas & Papas Armadillo City Stroller »
Features
CANOPY
It has a large canopy with a small pop-out sun visor that goes all the way down to the leg rest providing full coverage. It has a small peekaboo window made out of clear plastic with a magnetic closure instead of a noisy Velcro.
There is a small toy loop on the inside of the canopy, that you can use to hang a small toy for your baby. Btw, it’s very rare to find a huge canopy like this on an umbrella stroller.
HANDLEBAR
The non-adjustable handle bar is located 40″ from the ground and is covered with foam. There is a convince grip in the middle for one-hand navigation and a short run-away strap for additional safety.
SEAT
The seat is 10″ wide with 20″ seat back and a measurement of 24″ from the back of the seat to the top of the canopy. The seat can accommodate a child from birth and up to 50 lbs.
What I really like about this seat is that the back of the seat is made out of hard plastic that will always maintain its shape and provide your child with max support. The seat has an infinite one-hand recline operated by a strap system.
Usually with the strap system, you will need both hands to bring the seat back. Not with this one! You can easily bring the seat back with ONLY one hand by pulling on the straps.
HARNESS
It has a 5-point padded adjustable harness with a center-release buckle.
BASKET
Since the frame is more narrow than on the original Armadillo, the basket is also smaller and a little harder to access. Still, it will fit a large diaper bag, but that’s about it.
BRAKE
There is a single pedal located on the right rear wheel. It is flip-flop friendly! A light press on the pedal will lock and unlock both of rear wheels.
WHEELS
The wheels on the City model are also smaller. It rolls on four EVA tires with 5″ wheels in the front and 6″ wheels in the back.
The front wheels are swivel but can be locked straight for rougher terrain. The small wheels are designed for flat surfaces only and not going to do that well on the terrain.
The all-wheel suspension will help to absorb some of the bumps if you decide to tackle grass, mulch or sand.
FOLD
The fold is super easy. It’s two steps, but you can do them with one hand. First, bring the canopy back and push the handlebar forward.
Next, pull on the strap located in the back of the seat and the stroller will fold. Done! It has a VERY compact fold with dimensions of 28″L x 20″W x 9”H.
For comparison, Armadillo is 21.6″W x 28.3″L x 11.8″H and City Mini is 24″W x 31″L x 10″H. This stroller should fit in the smallest trunk with no problem. It has an automatic lock and can stand on its own when folded.
RAIN COVER
It comes with a rain cover.
Cons
-No bumper bar. I wish there was a bumper included.
-Non-adjustable handle bar. It would be nice to have an adjustable handlebar for shorter or much taller parents. It would also set it apart from City Mini and B-Agile which have non-adjustable handlebars as well.
-Non-adjustable leg rest. While Armadillo has an adjustable leg rest, the Ctiy model does not.
-No travel system option. The City model does NOT have a travel system capability.
-Small wheels. The wheels on the City model are only 5″ and 6″ which is an average size for an umbrella stroller.
Video Review
Here is an overview video from Mamas & Papas.
Specs
Stroller weight: 15 lbs
Weight limit: 50 lbs
Folded dimensions: 21.6″W x 28.3″L x 11.8″
Handlebar height: 40″
Seat to canopy height: 24″
Front wheels: 6″
Rear wheels: 7.5″
Overall length: 30″
Overall width: 21.6″
Warranty
Mamas & Papas gives a 2-year warranty from the date of purchase.
Available colors
The Armadillo City model is available in 4 colors: black, lemon drop, blue, and coral pink. All strollers come with a sleek black frame.
Comparison Chart
If you want to see how the Armadillo City model compares to other Armadillo models here is my full side-by-side comparison.
Where to buy it
You can get Mamas & Papas Armadillo City in one of the four beautiful colors for around $269.
Dear. Thanks for your review. Do you mind to tell me if the Armadillo city stroller could be taken as carry on baggage in airplanes? Thank you
Would this be suitable for a large 2 year old with this model being more ‘narrow’ thanks
Could this be my only stroller? I live in Europe and use public transit everywhere…