In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
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The Baby Trend Sit N' Stand earned the lowest score overall in our double strollers review. This simple tandem stroller can accept two infant car seats from our infant car seat review, but the standard seating arrangements sans car seats give children very different experiences that might have little ones arguing about who gets to sit where. If your goal is the perfect stroller for kids of different ages, it might work somewhat better, but the quality and performance aren't as high as the competition, and for a Sit and Stand design, there are better options in this review. While this stroller has a reasonable price point, it isn't low enough to make putting up with poor maneuverability and ease of use worthwhile. This is not a stroller we would recommend, no matter what your goal or budget.
REASONS TO BUY
Accepts two infant car seats
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor sun protection
Larger and hard to push
Difficult to move
Important
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning about some Baby Trend Sit N' Stand strollers due to the potential for life-threatening injury. We want you to be aware of the information so you're informed.
Our Analysis and Test Results
For over 26 years, Baby Trend has designed a variety of baby gear, from walkers to car seats. The company strives to make affordable products for babies. Their innovations have led to the first Sit and Stand stroller and the first diaper pail that didn't require brand-specific refills.
The Sit 'N Stand isn't the best version of this style of stroller that we reviewed.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The Sit N' Stand earned one of the lowest scores in the group for ease of use.
To initiate the fold on the Sit 'N Stand you first need to slide the lock with your thumb and then squeeze the handle.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Fold and Unfold
Folding and unfolding any double stroller has a size issue to contend with that can cause struggling. The fold and unfold here isn't difficult with one hand and 3-4 steps. It can self-stand and auto-lock but requires the user to bend to the ground. If you can't bend that far, you can fold this stroller with two hands and avoid it. To unfold requires two steps and two hands and is easier than the fold. It can be awkward the first few times you do it, but it isn't the worst with practice.
The storage bin on the Sit 'N Stand is hard to access from any angle, and only carries up to 5 pounds. This isn't much for supplies for two.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Storage
The storage bin is smaller than some of the competition, with access that is hard to use from the back and sides. It also has top access, but depending on the seat configuration, it will be harder to access the bin from the top. We could fit our large diaper bag in it, but it has an allowable weight of only 5 lbs. We question whether or not the bin is even designed with a diaper bag in mind.
The parent tray cup holders on the Sit 'N Stand are deep enough to prevent most items from falling out, but the covered portion of the tray is too small to be very useful.
The child's tray is virtually useless as it is very shallow and has bumps for car seat attachment. The cup holder however, will accept a baby bottle or sippy cup.
This stroller has parent and child trays, but sadly, not all are great. The parent tray (above left) has two cup holders, and they are compatible with water bottles, baby bottles, and sippy cups. The child's tray (above right) has a shallow tray and almost as shallow cup holder that accepts baby bottles and sippy cups, but nothing larger. While it takes a bottle, it is likely to fall out shortly after you squeeze it in there, and it is probably more for looks than for actual use.
The buckle on the Sit 'n Stand is fairly easy to use and can be managed by most parents with one hand to release.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Harness
The harness on each seat is a 5-point harness that is average to adjust and use. The shoulder height is only adjustable by two inches, so it might be hard to fit all children. It has a re-thread harness that is ok to use but not the best. Managing the harness buckle can be done with one hand but is much easier with two; when you press the button, the sides pop out on their own, which is nice.
The double action brakes on the Sit 'N Stand are difficult to set and very stiff to release. Some testers bent over and used their hands to release as it was easier than using a foot.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Brakes
The brakes are hard to set and even harder to release. The pedals are double-action, requiring you to set and release both sides. They are so stiff we gave up getting them to release with our foot and used our hands instead. The roughness of the underside of the pedal, where the top of your shoe/foot goes, will hurt your foot and scuff your shoe. When you set them, it will feel like they are set with an initial push; however, this is not the case, and you will need to press them a second time to truly set the brakes.
Dual front wheels like those on the Sit 'N Stand historically have not performed well in our tests for maneuverability. The plastic wheels and rims wobble and the dual front wheels get hung up on items and easily divert the stroller off the intended path.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Maneuverability
If you weren't disappointed with the Sit N' Stand yet, the maneuverability would probably seal the deal. It offers poor maneuverability, and while not the lowest in the group, it is still not impressive. Many inline options are hard to push and turn, but the better ones have nicer wheels and tires than this one.
It takes more effort to turn this stroller, but the narrower design makes it easier to make it through smaller doorways. Pushing and turning on hard ground is tough, but it gets harder on rougher surfaces and gravel. The dual plastic front wheels make the entire stroller wobble and give the overall feel of a rickety mess. Single front wheels work better; anything but plastic is the way to go for a smooth ride.
The Sit 'N Stand weighs over 31 pounds and measures over 21,000 cubic inches when folded.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Transporting and Storing
If you need to lift or stow this stroller in a smaller space, the weight and folded size could be important to you.
Weight and Folded Size
The weight Of the Baby Trend is 31 lbs 5 ounces. This is below the average for the group and far lower than the high of 37.8 lbs.
The folded size of the Sit N' Stand is a little over 21,000 cubic inches. This is a relatively large fold.
Kid Ride
Kid ride is the metric where we assess the features and functionality that can impact comfort for your little one.
The front seat on the Baby Trend Sit N' Stand has limited recline opportunities thanks to close proximity of the rear seat, and it has an old school bar that rests in predetermined grooves.
The rear seat can recline further than the front on this Baby Trend stroller.
Seat
This stroller does not have adjustable leg rests, and in fact, the leg rest is pretty bleak. Both seats recline, with the front being a one-hand operation and the back requiring two. Reclining the seats is only average, with the front being easier, but it only has two recline positions. The rear seat has infinite recline options but doesn't go very deep. The double child trays are swingable and removable.
Neither sun shade on the Sit 'N Stand is that impressive, and while they have peek-a-boo windows, they really aren't necessary because the canopy doesn't cover baby and has trouble staying open.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Sunshade
Baby Trend tends to prefer strollers with smaller canopies, and this one is no exception with small and chintzy canopies. The rear canopy is stationary and won't cover anything but the baby's head, while the front canopy rotates forward to help keep out the lower sun, but it will be worthless if it rains. The canopies have small mesh peek-a-boo windows with hook and loop closures on the window flap.
The quality of the Sit 'N Stand is on par with other Baby Trend strollers, but failed to compare to the other products in our review.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Quality
The Sit N' Stand earned the lowest score in the group for quality. The fabric on this stroller feels flimsy and has little padding. The webbing on the harnesses feels cheaper than the competition, and the canopies don't want to stay open. The whole thing looks frumpy like you've owned it for years. The frame feels solid but looks cheap with several plastic components, and it flexes, making the stroller feel like it might fold up on itself. The overall fit and finish are sloppy and disappointing compared to the competition.
The wheels and tires are plastic with a dual front wheel design we don't like. It is hard to push, but the pushing gets harder the more weight you put inside. The
The overall fit and finish of the Sit 'N Stand is frumpy and has a sort of used feeling even straight out of the box.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The handlebar is not adjustable and has minimal space for your hands, thanks to the fold button in the center. The foam cover is fine, but that center handle will dig into your hands.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Car Seat Compatibility
This Baby Trend accepts two infant car seats with a strap. We tested this stroller with the Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30, but it accepts other infant car seats from Baby Trend, Britax, Evenflo, and Graco. We are not fans of any strap in installation because we worry that parents will forget or forgo the strap during installation.
Attaching the seats is some of the worst in the group with scores. While you don't have to remove the canopies to install the seat, it is easier. The rear seat is more difficult because you have to tuck the foot of the car seat under the rear canopy. The hook on the back of the car seat tends to get caught on the tray, which causes the car seat to tip back. We felt like we were going to drop the car seat.
Ease of Setup
The Sit N' Stand is pretty easy to set up with a time of 7 minutes.
It only has average instructions in the assembly manual and is similar to those found in other Baby Trend products. Everything snaps together easily, and you don't need any tools to assemble it.
The Baby Trend Sit 'N Stand comes with 2 seats and will accomodate 2 infant car seats, but it still has enough variation in the toddler seating that it isn't the best for twins if you want to avoid bickering on who gets to sit where.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Twins
This stroller will work for twins thanks to the ability to accept two infant car seats. However, the difference in rider experience between the front and rear seats will probably leave older kids fighting over who gets which seat. The seat in the front has more legroom, while the seat in the back can recline further. Both have a child tray, but it can make the back seat feel cramped. The last problem is the sit-and-stand styling, which can cause a problem if neither twin wants to sit in the front seat, but would prefer the freedom of standing. We think this product is probably a better fit for families with children of different ages and abilities.
Also, we found that when a car seat is attached to the back seat, there is a significant issue with holding the handlebar as the seat interferes and leaves little room for hands. We aren't sure what they were thinking, but parents with larger hands will rub their knuckles on the infant seat every time they push.
Should You Buy the Baby Trend Sit 'N Stand?
No. No matter your strolling goals or children's ages, this stroller offers nothing worth even the lower price. With poor performance for maneuverability and ease of use, we think most parents will be frustrated trying to make this stroller work. It has limited storage, is not adequate for two, and neither seat offers useful features for napping. Overall, it is not even the best Sit 'N Stand we've tested.
What Other Double Stroller Should You Consider?
We very much prefer the Joovy Caboose over this option. It is lightweight, easy to fold, and offers more protection from the elements. While it also didn't score well in our tests, we did give it an honorable mention in our review because we can see how it fills a niche no other product can manage. If you have budget constraints or want a good travel option with an older child who may wish to stand, the Caboose is the better choice.
Juliet Spurrier, MD Mom-in-Chief Dr. Juliet Baciocco Spurrier is a board-certified pediatrician, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), mother of two, and founder of the Baby section of GearLab. Juliet earned her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Anthropology and Italian Literature from the University of California at Berkeley and her Medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington DC. She completed her pediatric residency at the Doernbecher Children's Hospital at Oregon Health & Science... read more
