The GB Qbit Travel Stroller is one of the most compact strollers on today’s market. The super compact one-hand fold makes it perfect for parents who travel a lot.
I think that Qbit is a serious competition for the beloved Babyzen YoYo and Mountain Buggy Nano.
The Qbit is also very lightweight weighing only 14 lbs. It has small wheels designed for flat surfaces but could handle some mommy terrain like grass or playground mulch for a short period of time.
The multi-position canopy is a decent size and will provide your child with plenty of sun protection.
The basket is very roomy and easy to access. It’s not going to fit a week’s worth of groceries, but it will fit your large diaper bag.
This is a big plus since baskets on most lightweight strollers are useless. Taller parents will be happy to see a tall handlebar. The fact that it’s a single handlebar makes it much easier to push with one hand.
The narrow frame design allows it to fit in tight spaces and easily navigate crowded city streets. The roomy seat with a small recline can accommodate a child from 6 months and up to 50 lbs.
If you want to use it from birth you can do so by converting the stroller into a travel system. Amazing, right? It’s really cool that a 14 lbs stroller can handle a car seat. Despite its lightweight, the Qbit feels solid and sturdy as a travel system.
OVERALL
I gave it 5 out of 5 stars despite some drawbacks because I think it’s a great quality stroller with a nice canopy, large basket, super compact fold, lightweight, and travel system option.
The recline although not very deep is enough for a child to take a nap. Of course, I like to be able to fully recline the seat so my daughter can stretch and take long naps.
When traveling or going to a theme park for a whole day, the stroller is the ONLY place where she can nap. If she doesn’t feel comfortable and skips the nap, I will end up with a little crying-dropping-on-the-floor-in-a-tantrum monster. Nobody wants to see that! LOL.
The good thing is that since the seat is not really upright in the most upright position so when you recline it a little more it’s kind of OK for a nap. I also wanted to mention some other cons like the lack of a peekaboo window, material at the top of the seat, no automatic lock, and a short seat back.
This buggy comes in five different colors and retails for around $269. It includes a cup holder, a travel bag, and car seat adapters.
Features
CANOPY
The canopy is a great size for a lightweight stroller. It has three panels that provide good coverage. There is no peekaboo window, but I don’t think it’s a big deal.
It would be nice to have the ‘follow-the-sun’ option, which is when the canopy can be moved up and down depending on where the sun is, or a pop-out sunvisor for even more sun protection.
SEAT
The seat is 13″ wide with 17″ seat back and a measurement of 25″. I like that it’s a tall canopy, but the seat back is definitely on a short side. The average is around 20″.
Now, I don’t know if the seat back could be any taller without affecting the compactness of the fold. Overall, this is a very roomy seat with a nice back support.
The strap recline doesn’t go to a flat position, so you can use the seat only from 6 months. You can see how deep the recline is from the photo below. The seat can accommodate a child from 6 months and up to 5o lbs. You can use it from birth by converting it into a travel system.
Remember, with a strap recline, you need only one hand to recline the seat, but both hands to bring it back up. So it’s really not one one-hand recline.
My main problem with the recline is that there is a material permanently attached between the canopy and the back of the seat that will get in the way of a taller child.
And with the seat back being only 17″ your child will outgrow the recline very quickly. What I would like to see is a removable mesh window with a closure that can be also used for better air circulation.
HANDLEBAR
The handlebar is not adjustable but is pretty tall located 41″ from the ground. The single handlebar makes it much easier to push with one hand. It’s covered with soft foam and has a plastic piece in the middle which is a part of the folding mechanism.
This piece is a little annoying because it’s right in the middle of the handlebar so it gets in the way if you are trying to push the stroller with just one hand.
HARNESS
It has an adjustable padded 5-point harness with a center release buckle that is very easy to unlock. You toddler might be able to escape. LOL.
BASKET
The basket on Qbit is very roomy which is a big plus for a such a light and compact stroller. Most lightweight strollers have a teeny-tiny basket that you can’t fit your diaper bag in.
This one will definitely fit your large diaper bag. The basket is also very easy to access from the back and the front.
WHEELS
The Qbit rolls on four 5.5″ hard rubber wheels with front swivel wheels that can be locked in place for rougher terrain.
This stroller is designed for flat surfaces only but can handle some of the mommy terrain like grass or mulch. I really like that it has double wheels because I think it gives the stroller more stability.
BRAKES
The is one individual parking brake on each rear wheel. The brakes are NOT flip-flop-friendly. Not a big deal, but the brakes stick out too much compared to the wheels, so they were getting in the way when I was going down or up the stairs.
The rear-wheel suspension helps with the bumps making the ride a little smoother.
FOLD
This is the main feature of Qbit. The one-hand fold is super compact and easy. The folded dimensions are 19″ W x 21″ L x 13″H. All you need to do is press on the button located in the middle of the handlebar and fold it down to the ground.
You can even fold it while holding a baby. There is manual lock that will require both hands, so really it’s NOT a one-hand fold. If you need to band down and use both hands to secure the stroller in place, how is it a one-hand fold?
I would like to see an automatic lock. I would also like to see some kind of a strap attached to the stroller so you can carry it on your shoulder without using the travel bag. There is a standing fold.
On their website, they say you can take it as a carry-on on the plane, but because of the strict airline regulations, it’s allowed only on certain airlines. That being said, I wouldn’t count on it.
CAR SEAT ADAPTER
INCLUDED! Despite very light weight of 14 lbs, it has travel system capability. WOW! You can convert Qbit into a travel system using GB Asana35, Cybex Anton, or Maxi Cosi Mico infant car seat.
What I really like about the adapter is that they click into the stroller. This feels much more secure than using straps like Nano has to attach the car seat.
TRAVEL BAG
There is a cool travel bag that comes with a stroller. The shoulder strap makes it super easy and convenient to carry it over your shoulder.
And, since Qbit is so compact, it doesn’t look any bigger than a regular carry-on. It even has a small pocket where you can store small essentials like keys or a wallet.
CUP HOLDER
INCLUDED! It comes with a cup holder.
Cons
-No peekaboo window. Adding a peekaboo window would be an easy fix. I would like to see a dark mesh with a magnetic closure.
-Short seat back. The seat back is only 17″ which could be a problem for a taller child. On another hand, a taller seat back might get in the way of a compact fold.
-Material at the top of the seat. Once you recline the seat, you will see a fabric at the top that is attached to the seat back and the canopy. There is no mesh, and it does not unzip like on some other strollers. This fabric will get in the way of a taller child if you want to recline the seat. I also would like to see mesh added to the canopy for better air circulation.
-No automatic lock. I would like to see an automatic lock. There is a manual lock, but it turns the one-hand fold into two-hand fold because you need both hands to secure the stroller.
Video Review
Here is a video review from BabyGizmo.
Specs
Stroller weight: 14 lbs
Weight limit: 50 lbs
Folded dimensions: 19″ W x 21″ L x 13″H
Handlebar height: 41″
Seat to canopy height: 25″
Wheels: 5.5″
Overall length: 18″
Overall width: 19″
Warranty
The GB has a 2-year warranty from the original date of purchase and you have to be the original owner.
Available colors
The Qbit comes in six colors of the frame and some accents: black, khaki, red, blue, capri blue, and posh pink.
Where to buy it
You can get GB Qbit in one of the six beautiful colors for around $269. It comes with a cup holder, an infant car seat adapter, and a travel bag.
Any idea if this would fit the maxi cosi cabrio fix? Looks like a great stroller!
Does it has multiple recline positions? or how much does it recline? Im looking for one which could be reclined totally!! My baby always sleeps while we go for shopping.
| bought a Qbit plus and Im planning going on holidays by plane. We are trying to find a suitable travel bag for our stroller. Unfortunately, they don’t come with a travel bag but you mentioned your Qbit did. Do you know if the travel bag of the qbit can be bought apart?
I’m struggling to find one.
THanks