Baby Trend Expedition Double Review
The Skinny
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Baby Trend Expedition Double | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | |||
Price | $250 List $249.99 at Amazon | $400 List $288.49 at Amazon | $330 List $329.99 at Amazon | $250 List $229.99 at Amazon | $290 List Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Very budget friendly, nice maneuverability, jogging potential | Multiple seating options, accepts 2 car seats, easy to use, price | Great protection from elements, easy to access storage, extra convenience features | Easier to push and turn, lower price | Easy to lift and carry, compact fold, easy to stow |
Cons | Lower quality materials, noticeable flex and wiggle | Harder to push and turn, heavier, lower quality | Harder to push and turn, no car seat compatibility | Heavy, poor car seat attachment | Accepts one car seat, harder to maneuver, storage is hard to access |
Bottom Line | Best on a budget that is easy to push and turn even in small spaces | Better than average option that offers much for growing families with style similar to higher-end options | Budget-friendly option with lots of nice features that make it easy to use | Good maneuverability for the price but harder to use and very heavy | Limited functionality, but best sit and stand in the review |
Rating Categories | Baby Trend Expediti... | Evenflo Pivot Xpand... | Joovy ScooterX2 wit... | Baby Trend Navigator | Joovy Caboose Ultra... |
Ease Of Use (45%) | |||||
Maneuverability (30%) | |||||
Weight/Folded Size (15%) | |||||
Quality (10%) | |||||
Specs | Baby Trend Expediti... | Evenflo Pivot Xpand... | Joovy ScooterX2 wit... | Baby Trend Navigator | Joovy Caboose Ultra... |
Weight | 30.6 lbs | 34.6 lbs | 31.4 lbs | 39.7 lbs | 23.4 lbs |
Folded Dimensions | 32.8"W x 16.5"H x 34"L | 26.7"W x 19.23"H x 32.7"L | 29.5"W x 15"H x 38.3"L | 32.9"W x 19"H x 34.8"L | 21.2"W x 11.8"H x 46.5"L |
Capacity Limits | Minimum: 6 mo. Maximum: 50 lbs/42" |
Minimum: Birth Maximum: 55 lbs/38" | Minimum: 3 mo. Maximum: 45 lbs/44" |
Minimum: 6 mo. Maximum: 50 lbs/42" |
Minimum: 3 mo. Maximum: 45 lbs/44" |
Included Car Seat Compatibility | None | Evenflo SafeMax, LiteMax | None | Any Baby Trend Infant Car Seat | Baby Trend Flex-Loc, Latch-Loc Britax B-Safe, B-Safe 35, B-Safe 35 Elite, Chaperone BOB B-Safe Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30 Combi Shuttle 33, Shuttle, Connection Cybex Aton, Aton 2, Aton Q Evenflo Embrace Graco Junior Baby, SafeSeat, Snugride Click Connect 30, 35, 40, SnugRide Classic Connect 22, 32, 35 JJ Cole Newport Lamaze Via Maxi Cosi Mico, Mico NXT, Mico AP, Cabriofix, Pebble, Prezi Mothercare Travel Tot Nuna Pipa Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35, Primo Viaggio SIP, Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30 Recaro Performance Coupe Safety 1st onBoard 35, onBoard 35 Air, Designer 22 UPPAbaby Mesa |
Click-in Car Seat Adapters | None | Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30 Evenflo SafeMax, LiteMax Graco SnugRide Click Connect 30, 35, SnugRide SnugLock 30, 35 Peg Perego Primo Viaggio |
None | None | None |
Strap-In Car Seat Adapters | None | None | None | None | Baby Trend Flex-Loc, Latch-Loc Britax B-Safe, B-Safe 35, B-Safe 35 Elite, Chaperone BOB B-Safe Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30 Combi Shuttle 33, Shuttle, Connection Cybex Aton, Aton 2, Aton Q Evenflo Embrace Graco Junior Baby, SafeSeat, Snugride Click Connect 30, 35, 40, SnugRide Classic Connect 22, 32, 35 JJ Cole Newport Lamaze Via Maxi Cosi Mico, Mico NXT, Mico AP, Cabriofix, Pebble, Prezi Mothercare Travel Tot Nuna Pipa Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35, Primo Viaggio SIP, Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30 Recaro Performance Coupe Safety 1st onBoard 35, onBoard 35 Air, Designer 22 UPPAbaby Mesa |
Number of Car Seats Accepted | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Recline Front/Left Seat | Deep | Deep | Deep | Deep | Mid-Level |
Recline Rear/Right Seat | Deep | Deep | Deep | Deep | N/A |
Storage Basket Size | Large | Extra Large | Very Large | Large | Medium |
Sun Shade Size | Small | Medium | Large | Small | Large |
One-handed Fold | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Locking Fold | Manual | Auto | Manual | Manual | Manual |
Self-standing Fold | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Handlebar Height - Min/Max | 40.6" | 33"/44.7" | 41.9" | 41" | 41.8" |
Sandal-friendly Brake | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Included Accessories | MP3 Speakers | None | None | MP3 Speakers | None |
Setup Time | 10-15 min | 10-15 min | 10-15 min | 20-25 min | 20-25 min |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Baby Trend was the first company to create a sit and stand style stroller and the first to offer a diaper pail that works with ordinary kitchen trash bags. This company began designing baby products over 26 years ago with baby walkers, baby bouncers, car seats, and strollers included in their lineup. Baby Trend makes affordable gear for children.
Performance Comparison
Ease of Use
The Expedition is harder to use than some of the top-ranked double stroller competition, despite having lots of features parents want. During the testing of each testing metric, we perform a sub-set of detailed testing that is weighted and makes up the total metric score. Below we share more testing result details for the sub-testing that make up the ease of use metric.
Ease of use is important because it impacts your daily experience when using the stroller.
Fold and Unfold
How easy a product is to fold and unfold is 25% of the total ease of use metric score.
The Expedition is relatively easy to fold, requires two hands to fold, has a manual locking mechanism, and self-stands. It takes four steps to fold (including safety straps release) and requires bending down about halfway, but it isn't complicated or involved. Unfolding is more difficult because it tends to want to fold back up as you unfold it, and the size makes it somewhat unwieldy. It only has two steps, but it does require both hands and some patience.
Brakes
Brake testing is 5% of the ease of use total unless there is an indication of a safety issue.
The Expedition has double action brakes that require the depression of two pedals. While this style isn't the end of the world, it does leave room for error if you forget to press the second pedal. Double action brakes are more commonly found on inexpensive strollers. The brakes are difficult to set and release and are not sandal friendly (a disadvantage that might leave parents reluctant to set both sides).
Storage
Storage for supplies for two children is critical, which is why it makes up 20% of the total ease of use score.
The Expedition has divided under-seat storage. It can hold two large diaper bags, but the strap divider prohibits anything larger. The bin has a weight allowance of only 5 lbs, so it limits what you can put inside. The bin has access from the rear and some from the sides, but the top and front lack access.
Each seatback has a large mesh pocket and we like the location for quick access items. We couldn't find a weight allowance for the pockets, but the thin mesh will be self-limiting and could stretch or rip if you aren't careful. We like that the pockets have a string to tighten the opening and are adjustable. It also has a parent console with two cup holders and a covered storage tray; it is arguably the best parent's tray in the review.
The passenger seats have mesh pockets inside that are fairly wide and fit some sippy cups. The Expedition has 2.75-inch deep cup holders high and behind the baby's head in front of the handlebar. The holders have a closed design, and taller or heavier items can fall out while strolling, and the items could potentially land on the baby.
Sunshade
Protection from the elements via a useful canopy is 15% of the total ease of use results.
The Expedition has one canopy. This canopy is small and doesn't extend far enough to cover the leg rest on the seat. It offers ventilation, and it has one medium-sized mesh peek-a-boo window with a hook and loop closure on the cover. The canopy can be rotated forward, but this limits overhead protection.
The photos above show the Expedition with the seats upright and canopies closed and fully open, and seats reclined.
Harness
Harness ease of use affects your experience each time you put your child in the stroller, which is why testing for this sub-metric is 10% of the overall metric score.
The Expedition sports 5-point harnesses in each seat. The harness can be difficult to buckle, but unbuckling is even harder because the button is hard to press. The straps spring away from the buckle, which speeds up the unbuckling. Adjusting the straps is only average as the upper straps tighten with a single pull while the lower straps require significant maneuvering. Shoulder height adjustment is a rethread design with three positions, and the crotch strap is only adjustable in length.
Seat
The Expedition does not have an adjustable leg rest, but the padding on the rest feels nice. Both seats have the same recline adjustment, and it requires two hands and is fairly involved. The recline has infinite positions, which will allow each little one to have the recline angle they need to be cozy.
Car Seat Commpatibility
The Expedition does not work with any infant car seats from any brand. This means children will need to be independently sitting with full head and neck control before using this stroller.
Ease of Setup
Setup for the Expedition is average, with a setup time of 9:20 minutes. The documentation is also average, with a multi-language format that is hard to use. The assembly requires a crescent wrench and a Phillips head screwdriver. Most of the competition does not require tools.
Maneuverability
Maneuverability is where this stroller shines. It performs better than much of the competition. This is impressive given the large price difference.
The best in the group are far more expensive, have rubber tires, and only score slightly higher.
The Expedition did a great job on flat surfaces, but it is somewhat wide. The rear wheels tend to get stuck in narrow spaces because they stick out past the frame. We had difficulty with the wheels getting caught on floorboards, and we couldn't get it through a 34-inch doorway with a 32-inch opening. Pushing off the beaten path is also easy, and it moves well over grass and gravel. The larger wheels make it easy for this jogger to make it over uneven surfaces.
Weight and Folded Size
The Expedition weighs 30.6 lbs, making it the lightest jogger in the review and one of the lightest doubles overall. The heaviest stroller is 39.7 lbs.
The Expedition is 18,401 cubic inches when folded, which is on the larger side but still below the average of 18,900, and it could be reduced slightly by removing the front wheel.
Quality
The Baby Trend brand is usually the least expensive in almost every gear category. For strollers, you tend to get what you pay for, so it isn't a surprise that the Expedition provides below-average quality compared to the more expensive options like the Thule Urban Glide 2 Double.
The fabric is only so-so for quality, but the padding under the fabric is decent. The piping on the leg portion is raised and feels like it would chafe. The canopies are heavier, more durable fabric, with softer canvas on the seating areas. The mesh peek-a-boo window is harder to snag than it looks like, but the storage bin is relatively flimsy.
The frame on the Expedition is solid, but it looks flimsy and cheap. It has a lot of plastic components, and there is flex. The overall fit and finish are on the flimsy side. The tires are pneumatic rubber, and the wheels are spoked. The wheels are described as bicycle wheels, which sounds impressive, but we had trouble with the wheels and the rubber staying on. All the wheels had trouble with the rubber falling off at one point or another. The tubes are fine, and they didn't go flat, but it was a hassle and annoying. We suspect the average parent won't know how to fix this and might end up at a bike shop paying money.
The handlebar is stationary and smaller diameter which is never a good thing for something you may need to hold for a longer duration. It has a rubber cover, which we don't like as much as foam for comfort and heat reasons. There is a divide in the handlebar with a plastic portion that sits on the ground when it folds and stands. This means it is challenging to push with one hand.
There is no suspension which is a shame for a jogging/all-terrain stroller, and we think short-sighted. However, we can almost forgive this for the price, given that the tires are rubber, and the sling-style seats should make the ride somewhat more comfortable.
Twins
The Expedition doesn't accept any infant car seats, making it a poor choice for infant twins. For parents looking for an instant option for newborns, this stroller will not fit the bill as children need to be at least six months to ride. However, because it has equal seating for both passengers, it could be a good solution for price-conscious parents of older twins and children of multiple ages. If saving money is the plan, most families can still save money by choosing this option for older children and a frame stroller for infant children in car seats. Both strollers together total close to $300, still a very budget-friendly combination and below most double options that accept two infant car seats.
Should You Buy the Expedition?
If you want a smooth moving stroller for two that you can take off-road without a hassle or go on the occasional jog, then this budget-friendly double is the one for you. While it has some sub-par features like a smaller single canopy, we think you get a great deal in this lightweight stroller for the price, and we believe it is hard to find a better choice for a similar price.
What Other Double Strollers Should You Consider?
If budget isn't a concern or you have more to spend, we wouldn't necessarily choose the Expedition over the easier to use and higher quality doubles like the BOB Revolution Flex 3.0 Duallie and the Thule Urban Glide 2 Double. Both options have a slight edge on maneuverability, but more importantly, they have more useful features like larger canopies, better storage, and adjustable tracking and handlebars.
Manufacturer Video
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