Baby Jogger City Select 2 Stroller – Is it Worth the Hype?

Overview of the Baby Jogger City Select 2 Stroller

The Baby Jogger City Select 2 does what few strollers can. A full-sized single stroller, it can easily turn into a double. And, drumroll please, it can also take on a third kid when you add the glider board. It’s a beast of a stroller that can take a whopping 45 pounds in each seat (FYI: the average 4-year-old is 40 pounds) and gives you the flexibility and choice of many different seat variations. Despite being able to carry like a pack mule, the Baby Jogger City Select 2 actually folds up quite compactly. In fact, it folds 20% smaller than other comparable strollers on the market. Mine goes in the back of my hatchback and still leaves me room for groceries. Like other City Select modes, the City Select 2 is a modular stroller, meaning you can adjust it to fit your needs. The base model will come with the stroller frame (which has a lifetime warranty) as well as a seat that can be used both parent or forward facing. You then can decide what else you need to make this stroller work for you as your family grows. And with its telescoping handlebar, it’s not only adjustable for kids, it also meets the needs of parents tall and small. This stroller offers so many different kinds of configurations that it can fit the needs of so many different families. As a mom of five little ones, the City Select is our car stroller. I attach my infant’s car seat and with that awesome, spacious basket I have my own personal shopping cart when going to the grocery store. I can attach a second seat if I have my unruly toddler with me. And if my three-year-old is just not having it with walking, I can easily flip the glider board and the telescoping handle up and Voila! Temper Tantrum avoided. One, two, or three kids? It’s no problem. I even have a friend who uses the basket as a puppy cart when walking her toddler and 4 pounds Pomeranian. (Hey, the basket holds up to 15 pounds!)

How We Rated this Stroller

For this Baby Jogger City Select stroller review, the following were considered:

Cost

This stroller comes in at a higher price point than others on the market, especially when you factor in the added accessories. However, in the luxury stroller category, it is on the more affordable end. That, coupled with the limited lifetime warranty on the stroller frame, makes this a solid investment.

Safety

The City Select 2 comes with some thoughtful safety features and all strollers either meet or exceed ASTM and/or EN 1888 testing standards. The storage lock assures that the stroller won’t fold out when engaged. The flip-flop friendly parking brake is easily accessible while the canopy peek-a-book windows allow you to check in on your little ones. Most importantly, the puzzle-piece harness buckles keep wiggly toddlers in, although lining up the buckle pieces can sometimes be a pain.

Function

The City Select 2 was designed for both parents and kids. The telescoping handlebar is one of the easiest I have ever used and is super useful, especially with parents of different heights. Both the seat recline button and footwell adjustment button allow your little ones to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride...and maybe even nap for a while. When napping, the UV 50+ canopy is generous and if you need to check in on them, the magnetic peek-a-boo window allows you a noiseless way to do so.

Ease-of-cleaning

Style and function go hand-in-hand with the City Select 2. Not only do the City Select 2 fabrics look luxurious, they are actually ridiculously easy to keep clean, despite the mess your kids might make. (Goldfish and juice boxes, I’m looking at you.) Seat fabric is washable on a cold, delicate cycle, and should be hung dry.

Ease-of-fold

There aren’t a lot of strollers on the market that can claim a one-step fold, but the City Select 2 is one of them. By pulling up on levers, the stroller folds with either the seat on or off. It then locks automatically. The unfolding is just as simple and merely requires you to unlock the stroller and pull the handlebar to unfold. Although you can easily fold with one seat on, I do tend to take it off as it allows for a more compact fold. Additionally, while the fold is incredibly easy, be prepared to do a bit of lifting to get the stroller in your car. At just under 27 pounds, the City Select 2 is lighter than comparable doubles on the market but it’s not lightweight.

Comfort

For this Baby Jogger City Select stroller review, I used my 6-month old, 2 and 3 year-olds as guinea pigs. I am happy to report that all-too satisfactory naps at some point during this time. And that came as no surprise. With two full-size seats that can recline coupled with adjustable footwells that allow them to stretch out, the City Select can easily become a nap on wheels. While identical in functionality, if you wanted to boost the style of your City Select, you could opt for the City Select Eco model, which would upgrade your seat fabric and give you a bumper bar and handlebar with leatherette detail. All in all, this City Select stroller gets a 5-star rating from Truly Mama.

Features to Love

By now, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I’m a big fan of this stroller, but here are the specific features that make the City Select 2 a winner in my book:

Set-up and installation

Setting up and using the City Select 2 could not be easier. I had it out of the box and assembled in less than 20 minutes. Attaching and taking out both seats is as simple as clicking them into place.

Helpful customer service via email

When I attempted to contact customer service over the phone, the wait was longer than expected and not all my questions were answered completely although the representatives were polite. I found that contacting customer service via email led to more efficient and complete answers.

Accessories

Baby Jogger offers a range of accessories from car seat adapters and prams to carry bags and parent consoles to really make the stroller useful for your particular needs. Keep in mind the base model of the City Select 2 only includes the frame and one seat. The additional seat, glider board, and car seat adaptors need to be purchased separately to make this a multi-function stroller.

Additional features

The City Select comes in two models: the City Select 2 and the upgraded City Select Eco, which includes a leatherette handlebar and bumper bar as well as antibacterial TENCEL fabrics.

Cleaning

City select fabrics may be machine-washed cold on a delicate cycle and hung dry. The stroller itself should be kept dry and should not be left outside exposed to the elements.

Car seat compatibility

Baby Jogger offers adapters for almost all major car seat brands, including their own. Car seats compatible with the City Select 2 include:

• Britax 
• Chicco
• Clek
• Cybex
• Graco
• Maxi Cosi
• Nuna,
• Peg-Perego

You will need to purchase the specific adapter separately to turn this into a travel system. The City Select 2 is also one of the few double strollers that can take two infant car seats, making it an ideal stroller for twins. 

Wheel suspension

The back wheels measure 12”, while the front come in at 8” and all four are made of polyurethane, which unlike air tires, will never go flat. The City Select 2 stroller has front-wheel suspension, which is a change from their previous Lux model, that had all-wheel suspension. Tires may be cleaned with a damp cloth and then dried completely before use.

City Select 2 Specs

• Dimensions: 8” W, 41.1” H (singles mode)
• Fabric: City Select 2 includes polyester and nylon fabrics while the City Select Eco contains TENCEL (an eco-friendly type of rayon) fabrics.
• Seat sizes: While other double strollers have a smaller second seat, the City Select 2 can take on two full-sized seats, which feature height-adjustable canopies and 45 pound weight limits.
• Stroller weight: 4 pounds (as a single)

Before You Buy

There are a couple things to consider before you invest in this stroller. Cost may be a factor, especially when you add in the accessories you may need to make this stroller work for you. Weight is another. While Baby Jogger took off a sizable five pounds for this new model, it’s still not a light stroller. If you have any back issues or medical conditions that prevent you from lifting, this is not the stroller for you. Another aspect to consider is the type of terrain you intend to stroll on. This stroller is perfect for grocery store runs, the mall, museums, and crowded places where a side-by-side double would get stuck. If, however, your main strolling places include the outdoors, playgrounds, trails, and hills, you might want to consider a side-by-side stroller as pushing a tandem double can be difficult on hills, especially when fully loaded. Plus, if you are expecting twins, this will be one of the few strollers that can accommodate two car seats and later two parent-facing seats.

Final Verdict

Overall, the Baby Jogger City Select 2 has a lot to offer. Although not the cheapest double on the market, it is a solid investment piece, especially those with growing families. Its combination of functionality and style make it a quality contender. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the features they left out of this new model that had been in previous City Select models: these include folding seats, all-wheel suspension, and optional ride-on bench. Overall, while I admit I do wish the City Select 2 had some of the features that the City Select Lux did, overall it's a great investment for any growing family.

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