The Best Travel Stroller for Making Family Trips Easier
There are certain parts of traveling with kids that you don't fully appreciate until you're trying to do everything at once.
Wheel the stroller.
Pull the luggage.
Carry the baby.
Keep track of everything else you're bringing.
Somehow, you need about four hands before you've even made it through the airport.
That's one of the biggest reasons we were so excited about our Austlen Entourage.
We haven't even taken our first big trip with it yet, but after putting it together and getting our daughter settled into her seat, I immediately started thinking about how different traveling is going to feel.
No more wheeling luggage in one hand and pushing a stroller with the other while also trying to carry a baby.
The Entourage can help carry the load, too.
First Impression: This Was Surprisingly Easy
I was prepared for assembly to be a project.
It wasn't.
The Entourage was so easy to put together, and before long we had our daughter sitting in it for her first test ride.
She's pretty particular about where she sits, so her opinion mattered.
Thankfully, she was all smiles.
She settled right in and immediately took a liking to the arm bar, which made me even more excited to start using it for everyday outings and upcoming travels.
Why I Think It Will Be the Best Travel Stroller for Us
For me, a great travel stroller isn't necessarily the smallest stroller possible.
It's the stroller that makes traveling with children and everything that comes with them easier.
That's where the Entourage really stood out to us.
Its expandable design gives us space for kids plus all the things we're already hauling through an airport: carry-ons, backpacks, diaper bags and other travel gear.
Once we're through the airport or no longer need all that extra cargo space, we can retract the frame again.
And when it's time to load the folded stroller into the car, we don't necessarily have to dead-lift the whole thing. It can be stood behind the vehicle and rolled into the cargo area, leaving only a light initial lift.
Those are the kinds of practical details that make me think this could be the best travel stroller we've used.
One Stroller That Can Change With Our Trips
I'm also excited that we're not buying a stroller that only makes sense for one particular trip or stage with our kids.
The Entourage can be used as a single stroller, expanded for additional cargo or a second child, or configured with the Sit + Stand as an older child becomes more independent.
That's especially useful when traveling because kids' needs can change so much from one trip to the next.
A child who happily rides everywhere today may want to walk constantly next year, but still need somewhere to sit after a long day of sightseeing.
Instead of replacing the stroller as those needs change, we can change how we use the Entourage.
That's what makes it feel like the best single to double to Sit and Stand stroller for a family that wants to travel for years to come.
More Than Just a Double Stroller
That's also why I think of the Entourage differently from a traditional double stroller.
We aren't locked into pushing two stroller seats everywhere.
We can use the configuration that makes sense for the people and gear we're bringing that day.
With two kids, there are traditional double configurations. As an older child becomes more independent, there's the Sit + Stand. With only one child, we can retract the stroller and use it as a single.
And when we need extra cargo room? We can expand it.
For our family, that's what makes the Entourage the best double stroller: it doesn't assume that having two kids means we'll always need exactly the same setup.
Features That Make the Entourage Stand Out
Here are the features I'm most excited about for everyday outings and family travel:
- Expandable storage and carrying capacity for luggage, backpacks, diaper bags and other family gear
- Single-to-double-to-Sit + Stand versatility for different children, trips and stages
- Retractable frame that lets us use additional space when we need it and make the stroller smaller when we don't
- Multiple seating configurations that give us options as our family's needs change
- Comfortable seating that earned an immediate smile from our very particular little passenger
- Easy assembly and intuitive design that made our first experience with the stroller simple
- Roll-in vehicle loading design that can reduce how much of the folded stroller needs to be lifted when loading it into a compatible cargo area
- Room for kids AND travel gear, which is exactly what we wanted for airports and family vacations
I Can't Wait for Our First Trip
We bought the Entourage because we wanted family travel to feel more manageable.
And I'm already imagining the difference.
Instead of one hand pulling a suitcase, the other pushing a stroller, and somehow still needing to carry a baby, we'll have a stroller that's actually helping us transport the family and our stuff.
Our daughter is happy.
We're excited.
And for once, I'm actually looking forward to seeing how our stroller handles the airport.
If you're looking for the best travel stroller, best double stroller, or best single to double to Sit and Stand stroller, the Austlen Entourage is worth a serious look, especially if your idea of traveling light still somehow involves kids, luggage, backpacks, snacks and half the contents of your house.
Image provided by customer is for illustrative purposes. To read their review and other customer reviews, click here.