The Nuna Trvl LX Is a Travel Stroller That’s Ready for Anything
It’s as great for around town as it is for the airport
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At 12 months old, my baby has already flown six times, including one cross-country trip and one international trip.
It has not been easy, despite his generally easygoing nature. (Try flying from the West Coast to the East while your child is—unbeknown to you—coming down with hand, foot, and mouth disease. Fun!). But having the right travel stroller has made a big difference.
The stroller that carried us all over the Western Hemisphere? The Nuna Trvl LX. (The “Trvl” is “travel” shortened.) Here’s what really works about it—and some of the downsides to be aware of if you’re looking for a good travel stroller for your family.
- Why We Love the Nuna Trvl LX: Lightweight but Sturdy Small and Easy to Fold Versatile Smooth Riding Not Perfect but Close
The Trvl LX Is Lightweight but Sturdy
I bought the Trvl LX as I was staring down the barrel of a summer of travel, which I’m not especially good at even under the best of circumstances, much less with a baby. My trusty Uppababy Cruz would not do; as great as it is, it’s 25.5 pounds and quite bulky, and I didn’t imagine airport gate agents and Amtrak conductors would appreciate how much space it takes up.
At only 14.6 pounds, the Trvl LX is small and light enough to hitch over one shoulder with a baby perched on the opposite hip. And though it’s small, it’s tough enough to withstand being tossed around by busy airport employees. Our Trvl LX has proved its mettle as a travel stroller, weathering six plane trips (most with a layover) with barely a scratch.
The Trvl LX Is Small and Easy to Fold
I was alone on the first trip I took with my son, and I knew that folding a stroller while managing a baby plus our luggage wouldn’t be easy. An easy, one-handed fold was crucial. The Trvl LX offers exactly that: With just a slide of a button on top of the handlebar, the stroller folds down into a relatively compact package that stands on its own.
The Nuna Trvl LX folds and unfolds easily.
At 14.25 inches by 27 inches x 21 inches when folded, it’s too big to fit into an airplane overhead compartment, and this may not be a compromise every parent is willing to make. But I have no problem gate-checking, particularly given how much more baggage I’m already lugging onto the plane, plus a child seat.
Oh, and about that child car seat . . .
The Trvl LX Is Beautifully Adaptable
Traveling with a child car seat is a huge pain. Even seats for infants, which are lighter and ostensibly more portable than convertible child car seats, are heavy and difficult to carry, especially when your baby’s actually in it.
I bought the travel system version of the Trvl LX, which comes with the CR top-rated Pipa Aire RX car seat. It’s only 8 pounds (though it became 28 pounds when my baby was in it), and even better, fits right onto the stroller bumper bar—no adapter needed. This means that when traveling, I can easily transfer the seat from a taxi to the stroller without needing to remove the stroller’s infant seat or mess with adapters. I’m really going to miss it once my baby outgrows his infant seat at 30 inches, which is right around the corner.
The Nuna Pipa Aire RX child car seat fits right into the Trvl LX frame without an adapter.
My baby can nap in the Trvl LX, too: It offers a near-flat recline, and my motion-loving son will sometimes doze in the fully reclined position as we pop around town. When he’s alert, though, he wants to sit all the way upright, and this stroller allows for that as well, meaning he doesn’t get that annoyed look on his face indicating that he’s slumped more than he wants to be.
Photo: Angela Lashbrook/Consumer Reports Photo: Angela Lashbrook/Consumer Reports
The Trvl LX Can Handle City Streets and Nature Trails
I live in a city with poorly maintained (some might say not maintained) sidewalks. Potholes in the road, occasionally filled in with detritus like chairs and orange cones, are an everyday obstacle, and curb accessibility is an afterthought. Strollers, therefore, must be hardy enough to traverse the terrain, which is no easy task.
I Love It Despite Its Imperfections
At this point, when I’m not testing other strollers for work, I’m probably using the Trvl LX. The only exception is when I’m grocery shopping, when I’ll use either the Nuna Swiv (which, thanks to its namesake 360 swivel, is excellent for tight aisles in tiny shops) or my Uppababy Cruz, which has such a fantastic basket I could probably fit my midsized German Shepherd mix, Gordo, in it if he would allow it.
The only imperfection on the Nuna Trvl LX is its canopy. While sizable—it’s comparable in coverage to any full-sized stroller I’ve tried—it rests against the handlebar when folded. Particularly in the dead of summer, it’s unpleasant to feel the rough fabric of the canopy against my knuckles. The peekaboo flap lacks a magnet or any other method of closure, so often won’t stay open when we’re on the move. These are small quibbles that I hope Nuna will address with later iterations of the Trvl LX.
Photo: Angela Lashbrook/Consumer Reports Photo: Angela Lashbrook/Consumer Reports
Another factor to consider is the price: At $550, there are definitely cheaper lightweight strollers. But even at that price I consider this stroller one of my best baby purchases, and I recommend it to all my friends with young babies. It’s a great all-around lightweight stroller that’s also excellent for travel.
See more strollers CR recommends in our ratings.
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