Keeping my Qool with the Joovy Qool

It would’ve been so qool to have had the Joovy Qool stroller from day one when we brought the Cub Twins home from the NICU.

Luckily, I had another awesome Joovy product in its place, but once the twins were out of their bucket seats, the Joovy Twinroo stroller had to move on to greener, younger twin pastures.

But if the Qool had been out in Canada when the twins were still in my belly, it’s the stroller I would’ve chosen for our day-to-day errands and sidewalk strolls. (Note that this is not an “all-terrain” stroller, nor is it marketed as such.)

See, the Qool does some pretty qool wicked stuff. You can use it to transport two bucket seats. (Or one. I mean, I realize that most people only have one baby at a time.) You can also use it with one or two bassinets. And once baby hits the 6-month mark, you can use it with a seat (or two). Got twins and a threenager? Bless your heart—they all fit thanks to the Qool Bench Seat. A bassinet and a regular seat? Why not! A regular seat and a bucket seat? Heck ya! You can even be boring and push just a single seat.

The sheer versatility of the Joovy Qool is downright mind-boggling. If your family doesn’t grow exponentially like mine did, you can start off real slow. You buy the Qool as it is with its one seat and add the adaptors for your infant seat. Don’t want to attach an infant seat but want to stroll from birth? Get the bassinet.

Then with that one little baby and just the regular stroller seat, you’ve already got options: facing you or facing outwards, up high or in the middle of the frame, recline fully for a lovely nap and be totally protected from sun and wind thanks to the epic shade.

If baby two is coming and baby one is already nearing three years old, you can add the Qool Bench Seat. If baby two is coming and baby one still needs a seat, you get a full second seat.

To attach the second seat, you just click on the front adaptor and you’re good to go. Your twins, or two kiddos close in age (and just to be clear, twin parents everywhere want you to know it’s not the same as twins) can both face you, they can both face out, one can face you and the other can face out or—our personal favourite—they can face each other.

For twins, the Qool is seriously the greatest thing since sliced bread (and I really, really love bread that is sliced in advance). For one thing, it can accommodate two infant seats. When I first found out I was having twins, I discovered it wasn’t that easy to find a lightweight stroller that would fit two bucket seats. It can also accommodate two bassinets. But since my boys had just graduated from their bucket seats when our Qool arrived, we’ve only tested it with two seats.

I also purchased the Qool Tote to use with our Qool: it’s a bag that clicks into the top or middle bracket of the stroller. It gives me even more cargo space when I take the twins to the grocery store.

At first I was a bit skeptical about how much I would enjoy using a stroller that I would have to assemble every time I took it out of my trunk. But after one try, I was converted. Here’s why:

  1. It’s lighter to lift out the frame and then the seats.
  2. Given that the trunk of my Odyssey has more vertical space than depth, after loading the frame, two seats and the bench, I still have trunk space left.
  3. If it takes longer to put the Qool together (or collapse it) than it does to unfold a traditional stroller, then it could only be by a few seconds. (If you have one, we should have a race!)

 

Here’s a very black and grey video of me setting up my Qool:

https://www.facebook.com/MamanLoupsDen/videos/270290047022658/

My Favourite Things About the Joovy Qool:

  • VER.SA.TILE. There are so many possible configurations for this stroller for one, two or three children.
  • Not overly heavy. At 30 lb, it’s not as arduous to push up our neighbourhood hills as our all-terrain stroller.
  • Telescopic handle can be raised for tall folks like me.

  • Allows for two infant seats at a time, making it perfect for newborn twins.
  • Narrow enough for all my twintastic adventures, whether it’s the grocery store, doctor’s office or just sharing the sidewalk with another adult.
  • Great big canopy to protect from the sun and wind. Peekaboo mesh so you can see through the canopy if you so desire.

  • Quick to fold and quick to set up.
  • Compact enough for my minivan’s mini trunk.
  • Wide range of reclines, and both seats recline independently.

  • Large, easy-to-access basket.
  • Easy to clean.
  • Bench attachment allows for an older child to sit (rather than stand).

  • Bench attachment sits far enough back on the stroller that I’m not constantly tripping on it or stubbing my toes.
  • Easy to steer and can be pushed with one hand: I can open and get through doors by myself!

Things I like less:

  • Like with most strollers these days, all the extra bells and whistles—like a handlebar organizer or a tray—are extra dollars.
  • A bit awkward to get up and down curbs that don’t have a cut-out. I tend to pull the stroller off the curb backwards.
  • Doesn’t have any suspension, although I haven’t met a kid yet who doesn’t appreciate a bumpy ride.
  • Not ideal if your main strolling terrain is rough and uneven.

Bottom line: Unlike car seats, cloth diapers and baby carriers, I can’t claim to have tried a bazillion different strollers. That said, with its versatility and price point, the Joovy Qool seems to be checking all the boxes for parents who have tried a few similar style strollers.

As for me, I use the Qool pretty much every single day. School drop off, grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments, IKEA, Costco, trips to the playground and all manner of daily scenarios when I need to get Cub Twin A and Cub Twin B (and their siblings) from point A to point B are made easier by the Joovy Qool.

You can find the Joovy Qool in Canada at Elfe Juvenile Products, Walmart, and via my affiliate link to Amazon.ca

US buyers can shop via my affiliate link to Elfe Juvenile Products





8 responses to “Keeping my Qool with the Joovy Qool”

  1. […] If the Joovy Qool had been available while I was pregnant, I would’ve chosen it instead of the Twinroo for sure. Check out my review here! […]

  2. Jen

    I too have twins and a qool! Did you have to order another set of adaptors to be able to use the tote with 2 seats in as well?

    1. Lindsay

      As you know, #twinmombrain is … BAD. I definitely have the 3 sets of adapters on my Qool. I do NOT remember if I ordered that third set when I ordered the tote, but yes, you would need an extra set of adapters.

  3. Kim

    Curious if you are still loving your qool a year later? Also, do you happen to know if you can have a car seat in the top position and a toddler can still use the bench seat? All of the pictures I’m seeing show the car seat in the bottom position when used with the toddler bench and I don’t think I like that.

    1. Lindsay

      Hi Kimberly! Yes, we still use the Qool almost every day. Since we’ve been on lock-down it has actually gotten a ton more use since we are going on long walks almost every day. As far as configuration with an infant seat, since I never used it with an infant seat I do not know, but I do know that Joovy is very available via their customer service email or social media and can tell you!

  4. Jillian

    Thanks for your post!!!!! Have you used your qool much on loose gravel, in light snow and slush? compact sand? How have the seats warn over time. Some people have reported a bit of a shake after awhile have you noticed it same with the seats no longer clicking in have you personally experienced any of these stroller symptoms? I want to love this stroller but some reviews online have me concerned!

    1. Lindsay

      The Qool is definitely not designed (in terms of its wheels) for gravel or compact sand, I avoid it! It isn’t an “all-terrain” stroller, it’s not the stroller I take off road. Light slush and snow is fine. I have had zero issues with the seats wearing over time, we are still using the stroller multiple times a week. I haven’t had any issues like not clicking in the seats.

  5. […] all-terrain buggies like my beloved BOB do a decent job in suburban snow situations, but our Joovy Qool has never claimed to be a stroller built for the snow, so asking it to navigate the bumpy, frozen […]

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Welcome to my Wolf Pack!

My name is Lindsay and I am a 40-year-old mama of four trying to live an eco-friendly, budget-friendly life! I am a substitute teacher and Child Passenger Safety technician in Calgary, Alberta. Join me on my adventures!

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