YOYO FOMO is real: Stokke has dropped a third edition of the stroller
I have a confession to make. I bought and returned a Babyzen YOYO stroller during my pregnancy. I wanted the ease of a light-as-a-feather buggy but got cold feet when I saw – as I do every five minutes in my area of London – just how lightweight they really were.
This was my first baby, I wanted my newborn cocooned in Range Rover-levels of padding and suspension. I wanted heaps of essentials stored beneath in the basket – five kilograms was just not going to cut it.
But, soon into postpartum life, I started to get YOYO FOMO (I might patent that catchy phrase, tbh). I’d seen people zipping about town and gracefully ascending the tube steps without breaking even a bead of sweat or having to ask a stranger for help. I looked into crowded cafes and pubs with envy, seeing YOYOs stowed beneath chairs while my pushchair didn’t fit through the door.
I'd seen numerous celebs including Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, Irina Shark, Keira Knightley and Chrissy Teigen using this nifty buggy. I also knew plenty of friends who were obsessed – in fact, they wouldn't stop banging on about their YOYOs.
Rosie Findlay, founder of Rosie Lillis Communications, has a long list of YOYO loves. ‘It’s ideal for hopping onto the bus or tube with or throwing into the back of a taxi.' But the real appeal is that sweet, sweet fold-ability: 'It can fit into the overhead locker when you’re flying which – as anyone who has travelled with small children with know – is a total godsend’.
That was the whole reason Women’s Health’s Features Director Georgie Lane-Godfrey swapped her Nuna for the YOYO – she loves travel and wasn't going to let having children get in the way of that. ‘It was revolutionary to have one on-hand when we got off the plane with a tired toddler in tow,’ she wrote in her review of the OG model.
‘My trusty YOYO has seen me through two children,' Frances Hedges, deputy editor of Harper’s Bazaar, adds. ‘You do have to accept a level of wear and tear though – I replaced the wheels on mine after three years of use – but for the price, I am very happy with the investment’.
Before I forked out on a pushchair the size of a small car, I wish I’d remembered that Stokke acquired Babyzen in 2021. It turns out the team were working away behind the scenes, rifling through customer feedback in a bid to improve its cult YOYO buggy.
The YOYO 3 is here and, boy, are you going to want to buy one. A pushchair you can fold to the mere size of on-board baggage, will see your little one through from birth to four years of age, hold said child and 10kg of mum-junk in its shopping basket AND has enough suspension to weather all city terrains sounds like a myth tbh. But it’s not. And it's available to buy right now.
Buy the YOYO buggy online here
A quick refresh on the YOYO USP
The YOYO buggy was invented by French brand Babyzen in 2012. A first of its kind, this design was marketed as an ultra lightweight and compact stroller that folds up to in two swift moves. It could also be carried as on-board luggage on flights. It boasted one-handed steering, and could be used from birth to aged four with a quick switch between what the brand call ‘colour packs’ – essentially the bassinet to the chassis.
What makes the YOYO 3 different?
In 2021 Scandi legend Stokke (the kids furniture company that's been kicking around since 1932, and the maker of the famous Tripp Trapp chair) acquired Babyzen. And with it, it took the YOYO buggy under its wing and quickly got to improving its blueprint by rifling through customer reviews to improve its less-than-perfect features.
And among those customers were women like Frances who were replacing the wheels. So Stokke went ahead and added shock absorbers to a) give your baby and smoother ride and b) improve their durability. Not that there’s anything wrong with making-do-and-mending when it comes to pushchairs, in fact we think it’s a sign of sustainable living. But we like our purchases to last as long as possible before mending.
Speaking of durability. Stokke has also gone and doubled the storage capabilities beneath: the shopping basket can now hold 10kg of weight. There's also now a closeable peek-a-boo window that allows you to check on your little one without waking them by opening the hood – or indeed stopping strolling, which most parents know can be deadly during naptimes.
There's also a redesigned seat pad and a new perforated structure and mesh fabric for enhanced ventilation. Basically, this new design is good for parents and kids alike.
What comes in the box?
Ok, this one really got me as a YOYO newbie. It took A LOT of explaining from the patient PR team at Stokke. Basically, when you buy a YOYO 3 you get the frame. From there, you need to decide which colour pack you want. There's newborn pack, which is totally foldable, or a newborn shell which is much more padded and cocooning (first time Mums, they feel you on this one). Then there's the 6+ pack for babies aged, you guessed it, six months plus.
How does the pricing work? The YOYO 3 frame retails for around £339 on the Stokke site, with add-on packs starting from £195; but it's more economical to go ahead and select a combi option (ranging from £399-£584). In fact, most stockists – think Natural Baby Shower, Mamas & Papas, John Lewis, Pramworld – don't offer the solo frame at all.
Buy the YOYO buggy online here
FAQs
What celebrities use the YOYO?
We’ve not seen anyone with the Stokke YOYO yet because it’s brand new. However, the OG YOYO is a serious celebrity favourite. Back when Kim Kardashian slummed it in first class flights instead of via private jet, she was papped alongside ex-husband Kanye West pushing her daughter North in a slick black YOYO buggy.
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are fans, as are Keira Knightley, Blake Lively, Chrissy Teigen, Jennifer Lawrence and Irina Shayk.
Can you wash the YOYO?
All YOYO fabric parts, including the basket and seat covers are easy to remove and easy to clean – you just pop them in the machine at 30 degrees. The mattress, foot cover, and canopy of the bassinet are also machine washable.
How do you fold the YOYO?
I've done a few pushchair reviews and I have to say the YOYO buggy is the easiest to fold without a doubt. I consider myself a total dummy when it comes to this kind of task and the YOYO never lets me down. You just click the two circular buttons on the handle to fold it, then press the red button on the metal kickbar and the whole device collapses to reveal a handy shoulder strap. When unfolding, you just shake out the buggy and the whole thing clicks into place in one fell swoop.
Is the YOYO easy to assemble?
Again, despite my total uselessness in this area, the YOYO was easy to assemble. However, owning a few other Stokke bits myself, I have never rated their Scandi style 'less is more' instruction booklets and silent (and speedy!?) instruction videos. I had to turn to YouTube to finish the job.
Can the YOYO recline?
The YOYO is totally flat in newborn form. And while the YOYO 6+ can recline, it's not the best feature this buggy has to offer. You can choose between two positions: bolt upright or a 45 degree angle. As a Bugaboo Fox 5 fan, the multiple reclines is the thing I miss most when switching to my YOYO. When I discussed this feature with other Mums, though, everyone was quick to point out that you truly cannot have it all.
Buy the YOYO buggy online here
Read now: I upgraded my walks with a weighted vest
More of our parenting reviews
You Might Also Like
