The GB Pockit+ All-Terrain Stroller Sacrifices Features for Size

Despite its name, the GB Pockit+ All-Terrain performs best on smooth, even surfaces. A block into my first walk with the GB Pockit+ All-Terrain with my baby in the stroller, I wished I never had to use it again. I could feel every crack, bump, and stone—which in my neighborhood are constant—and made the stroller handles and my hands vibrate uncomfortably. My hands and wrists were slightly achy at the end of the ride.

More importantly, I felt bad for my baby, who was jiggled and jolted around in the stroller as we made our way to day care. I needn’t have worried, because my son doesn’t seem to mind (and often enjoys) bumpy rides. But more finicky babies who are less keen to be bounced and joggled may be unhappy in this stroller if you’re traversing rough terrain. 

The instructions that accompany the GB Pockit are spare and text-free, relying on unclear illustrations to guide setup and use. Perhaps as a result, I wasn’t able to figure out how to set the seat fully upright, so my child sat slumped in the leaned-back seat for our first few trips. A video from the brand clarified for me, but I wish it had been easier to understand from the instructions.

The seat recline function uses a strap with a button that slides up to lock the seat upright; to lower the recline, you push the button, slide it to the end of the strap, and press on the seat so it leans back.

The Pockit is built from a lot of pieces, so there’s bend and give at various points. This is problematic when steering, because the handles do not move as one when turned. Rather, when you turn the handle, the stroller itself moves in the desired direction after a half-second lag. During maneuverability testing in the CR lab, our tester found that when going around corners or making turns with the stroller, the wheels tended to lift from the ground and it felt like it could easily tip to one side.

The handles are also unusually shaped. While most strollers have a single handlebar, the Pockit handles extend forward over the stroller in a way that is reminiscent of horns.

I’d seen chatter online about the Pockit tipping over easily when users hung a bag from the handles or when a child kicked their feet forward, propelling the stroller backward. Complaints filed through the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s SaferProducts.gov database about a very similar stroller, the GB Pockit Air All-Terrain, allege that children have hit their heads when the stroller inexplicably collapsed. 

Our testers attempted to replicate these incidents in our labs. Though we were unable to recreate the issues reported by some parents, we found that it was easy to inadvertently press the buttons on the handles that fold the stroller, which could lead to the stroller folding with a child inside it.

Caregivers who choose this stroller should exercise caution when steering, as it’s possible to push the buttons on the handle while distracted or busy (or just multitasking), and a child could be injured if the stroller begins to fold while they’re sitting in it.

If you live in or will be traveling to a sunny locale, take heed: The shade canopy on the Pockit is tiny and just covers my son’s face if he’s facing in the exact right direction.

The basket beneath the stroller is practically microscopic, and barely fits my son’s day-care tote of three bottles, a small toddler-sized silicone bowl, and a change of clothes. Diaper bag? Out of the question. 

At the end of the day, the GB Pockit+ All-Terrain has a very significant feature going for it: It’s tiny. When folded, it’s a compact 8x13x16½ inches and can fit into a large tote bag or the Pockit Stroller Travel Bag ($29; we didn’t test it), as well as the airplane overhead compartment.

The fold is simple but takes multiple steps. Press those buttons on the end of the handle, push down, and the stroller collapses; the wheels then get folded in, as one folds the sleeves on a shirt, before snapping in place with a plastic lock.

The stroller comes with a leatherette carrying strap, which stretches beneath the basket and bafflingly gets tucked up into the stroller when folded, rendering it useless.