An Honest GB Pockit Plus Stroller Review (2023)

I’ve been there. Struggling to collapse the stroller that’s already a nightmare to travel with, unable to lift the heavy frame up the stairs, and being unhappy with the cost.

Isn’t there a better solution?

Luckily, yes. In my gb Pockit+ stroller review, we dive right into the details of this ultra-compact and lightweight stroller. Including all the features and benefits, as well as a few alternatives if it isn’t quite perfect for you.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Stroller

A stroller can be considered one of the most important pieces of “baby kit” that you will buy for your newborn and, quickly, growing toddler. Due to its importance—no doubt you’ll be traveling around with your child daily—it’s vital that you find the best stroller for your needs.

Take a read of these essential points to consider when buying your stroller. 

Safety

The safety of our children is the number one priority for any parent. So putting your trust in one stroller to safely carry your baby on a daily basis is tense. There are few ways to ensure a safer stroller for your child.

A brilliant way to consider the safety of a stroller before purchasing it is by checking if it’s certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) or the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These associations thoroughly test and assess the design of children’s products, to judge their safety.

You can rest assured that these organizations are professionals, and only the safest products will be approved.

It’s also essential to check for smaller features: does your stroller have a brake, and a suitable safety harness? Five-point safety harnesses are most commonly used in strollers for support and security.

Storage

I know that being a new mom, or even the second or third time around, can be a tough job. You don’t need the stress of deciding what to bring out with you and your baby. With a storage system built into your stroller, it’s easier to bring along everything that you need.

Storage systems range from baskets underneath the toddler or baby seat to small cuppy holders for water bottles. Some strollers also include easy hanging hooks for your diaper bag.

Your Environment

Many do not tend to consider their environment that much when buying a stroller, even though it is important.

For example, if you’re living in an urban environment, it’s beneficial to have wheels that maneuver well for the regular turnings on sidewalks. A particular design for this would be swivel wheels.

Whereas, if you live in an area with more rural surroundings, or are planning to bring the stroller on muddy walks, it’s smart to check for good tread and all-terrain tires.

The Seat Style

The vast selection of strollers available today can make choosing the right one for your child quite difficult. Certain seat styles are appropriate for different ages.

If you have a newborn, you’ll need a stroller that lays horizontally, such as a bassinet style. However, if you’re looking for a stroller for your baby who can already sit upright, check for an adjustable vertical seat.

How Versatile It Is

A stroller is a stroller, yet many have unique features making them more versatile than others. The first feature to check for would be adjustable handlebars for your height, and a seat with adjustable recline for your tot.

A seat that is also compatible with car seat accessories will be ideal if you tend to travel a lot in the car or to use it with young babies.

Thinking forward a little, if you’re planning to expand your family in the coming years, then it’s sensible to look for a stroller that converts to a double stroller. This will save you from having to buy another one later on.

Your Own Needs

Of course, the stroller is for your baby, but it’s also important to think of your own needs every now and then. If you’re a fit mom, or trying to get fit mom, search for a dedicated jogging stroller so you’re able to bring your baby along for your morning run.

It’s also not a bad thing to look for a stroller color or particular style that you actually like. Many strollers come in a variety of color variations to suit your personal style.

Your Stroller’s Purpose

Buying a stroller to store in the back of the car for occasional use is very different from purchasing a stroller for daily trips. The budget may also be quite different.

If you need something for traveling, ensure it can fold up small and is lightweight enough to carry around with you. If you’re looking for a stroller to store easily for occasional times you’ll need it, then check for an easy collapsable system. Many strollers can collapse down to conveniently small and self-standing units.

On the other hand, feel free to expand your budget for a stroller with more handy features for daily use.

Introducing The GB Pockit+ Stroller

Moving onto the star of the show, the new design of the original gb Pockit Stroller, our gb Pockit+ Stroller review. This new design holds a fair amount of features for extra comfort.

Designed by gb Strollers and Travel Systems, the gb Pockit+ is the successor to their first design of the Pockit Stroller. Thankfully, they’ve taken customer feedback in mind when designing the newer version of the two strollers and have included many new design features to make yours and your baby’s ride more comfortable.

The gb Pockit+ promises to be a “lightweight folding champion” in your life with its future-forward design. Compared to market leaders, it has the smallest fold and offers many more features such as seat recline and car seat compatibility.

It’s ideal for those who do a lot of traveling or are looking for a stroller to keep in the car for spontaneous use and store easily at home. If you’re hoping to take it hiking or jogging through the park during your baby and mom workout sessions, this isn’t the stroller for you.

Design-wise, it includes eight wheels, a reclining toddler seat which is also suitable for older kids, and a larger canopy than the first Pockit Stroller. It’s also compatible with infant car seats and newborn carrycots, making it fairly versatile.

GB Pockit+ Features And Benefits

Now that you’re more aware of some important features to look for when choosing your perfect stroller, let’s take a look at the stroller of the moment. Included in the gb Pockit Plus review are the ways in which it will create an ideal stroller for you and your baby.

Great for City Life

The easy-going stroller works for your busy city life. You will be problem-free in the city thanks to the plethora of useful features.

Swivel Wheels

Firstly, the four front wheels house a swivel design, making sharp turns and long distances easy. For busy city environments, you need a responsive, easy to maneuver stroller, and the Pockit+ ticks those boxes.

Stylish

While a stroller is primarily for your baby, if you have the option of a stylish design, why not go for it? The Pockit+ is available in a variety of colors.

The design is both simple and contemporary, allowing you to stroll in style with your baby while ensuring they are safe.

One Hand Push

With two separate handles, the weight of pushing the stroller is spread evenly between each side.

Plus, the lightweight design also allows you to easily push it with one hand. Heavier strollers often require full force pushing, especially over rough terrain.

If you’re carrying your own handbag or take-out coffee, the stroller works for you as it can be easily pushed with one hand. However, bear in mind that the handlebar is not adjustable so it may not be as comfortable for taller parents over six feet.

The World’s Smallest Folding Stroller

Holding its own Guinness World Record (2014) as the world’s smallest folding stroller, the gb Pockit+ is truly unique.

This stroller folds to an ultra-compact size of 12 by 7 by 15 inches. It even fits inside your own handbag or backpack, as well as overhead airplane storage compartments.

Personally, I know the difficulty of traveling with your kids, let alone the stroller too. Thanks to the gb Pockit Plus’s easy folding method, stress levels will be reduced.

Not only does it fold so tightly, but the design is also self-standing, making it easy to store under your table at a restaurant or by the front door inside your home. The stroller will comfortably fit inside your car, rather than being stuffed in the trunk and potentially being damaged.

Adapts to Your Environment

Most strollers are either designed for urban environments, with smaller wheels and easy to maneuver designs, or for rougher terrain with large bulky wheels. The Pockit Plus is created for both.

Although the multi-directional swivel front wheels are great for sharp turns and urban living, they’re not ideal for rougher terrain alone. That’s why gb have designed the Pockit+ with lockable front wheels to change the wheel style as you change the environment.

Locked wheels allow your stroller to be fixed in one direction, preventing wobbly turns and unstable strolling on bumpy roads or muddy paths. Not only does this make for smoother and easier pushing for you, but your child is also subjected to fewer bumps and wobbles in any environment.

Safe Design

A safe stroller is essential. The Pockit+ has the essential safety features you need.

First, we have the rear brake. It is located between the two sets of rear wheels towards the right-hand side. A rear brake, rather than a front brake, allows you to stop the stroller securely without overturning onto the front wheels.

The only problem with the Pockit+ brake system is that it can be a little hard to reach. The brake is relatively small and only on one side. This can be harder to push down when wearing heeled shoes or open-toe sandals.

For your child, a five-point safety harness ensures they are supported from every angle and over the largest parts of their body. Continue reading for the importance and benefits of the particular Pockit+ harness.

Harness Grows With Your Child

Five-point safety harnesses are a particular design of seat belt commonly used in strollers. The design is in the name, with five straps to keep your baby secure and safe. It’s more secure than a three-point safety harness as it distributes the forces on a baby’s body, should a collision occur.

With this in mind, you’ll be happy to hear that the Pockit+ stroller includes a five-point safety harness to secure your tot comfortably in place while strolling. The safety harness is secured with two straps over the shoulders, one between the legs, and one to either side of the hips.

We know how fast toddlers grow, so a lovable feature of the Pockit+ is the adjustable straps of the safety harness. They include buckles, allowing you to shorten or lengthen the straps to suit your toddler as they grow. This will save you from having to buy a new one every few years.

Weather Proof

When you’re out and about with your baby, it’s not so easy to quickly run home if it ends up raining or the weather conditions become very windy, for example. With certain weatherproof features, you’ll be able to go out with your child no matter what.

Thanks to the canopy over your child’s head, protection is provided from different weather conditions. Although it is not the largest stroller canopy on the market, it provides just enough of an effect.

In the wind, the canopy provides a wind-proof cover to reduce the cold impact on your child’s face. This can also help to prevent them from waking up if they’re taking a nap.

What’s more, the canopy is also included to protect your toddler from the sun. The curved canopy design is created with UPF50+ fabric, protecting your child’s skin from harmful UV rays. However, as it’s not particularly big, you’ll have to avoid the midday sun.

Improved Seat Design

After less than desirable gb Pockit stroller reviews, designers have created the new and improved Pockit+ seat.

Size

Firstly, the size of the seat itself has been increased. The newer seat is now deeper and wider—allowing your child a more comfortable and spacious journey.

The bigger seat also accommodates older children up to five years of age, or your little one has plenty of room for a toy and blanket inside the seat too!

Fabric

The fabric itself has been upgraded to a softer, easy to clean neoprene design.

Neoprene material is ideal for use on seats as it is temperature resistant, meaning it won’t heat up in the sun or get too cold.

It’s also a weatherproof material that will not fade in color from the sun. This maintains a newer and fresher look for your stroller.

Furthermore, neoprene is moisture resistant and dries quickly. The smooth fabric also allows for easy cleaning, essential for toddlers who like to snack while they ride.

Recline

Next, complaints about the lack of recline in the previous model have been heard. The Pockit+ Stroller now has multiple recline adjustments with the backrest, as well as an additional zipper.

The zipper allows you to open and close for even more recline in the seat. However, it does not recline into a laying down position so it is not suitable for newborns.

Multiple recline positions allows your child to be comfortable at all times. When they’re alert and awake, you’re able to reduce the recline to sit upright. If they are taking a nap, it’s possible to increase the recline to an almost laying down position for comfort.

gb Pockit Plus Car Seat Compatibility

When traveling in a car with your young children, it’s very important to have a car seat. They are specially designed to keep children safe in a car crash. Seatbelts alone are not an effective method as they are not designed for small children.

Travel system strollers can be helpful if you are often switching between strolling and driving. However, this style of stroller is usually bulky and can often come at a very high price. To combat this, the Pockit+ allows for an easy attachment of a car seat to your stroller.

The gb Pockit+ Stroller has been designed to fit car seats onto your stroller frame with two adaptors. They sell these separately to the stroller. The compatible car seats for the Pockit+ are the gb and the Cybex infant car seats.

With this compatible design, it’s easier to move the car seat in the car, and store the compact folding stroller in the boot when you’ve finished strolling.

Attachable Carry Cot for Newborns

The Pockit+ seat is not suitable for newborns or children under six months old, but luckily they’ve created attachments to safely hold your newborn. It’s not suitable for newborns to sit in a toddler seat alone as their head and neck will not be supported.

The previously mentioned car seat attachment attaches to the stroller frame, creating a safe travel system for your newborn. After attachment, the car seat also allows your baby to face you so that you’re able to see them at all times while strolling.

Cot To Go

Let’s look at the second option too. The Cot To Go by gb allows you to use this stroller for your baby right from birth when paired with the Pockit+. It’s a separate bassinet style unit that attaches to the stroller frame to let your newborn lay flat as they sleep.

With a memory foam mattress and its own canopy, your baby will be super comfortable up to six months old, before you’re able to use the Pockit+ seat.

Although it is a separate purchase, it surely costs less than having to buy a stroller for a newborn and another when they are over six months old.

Just Enough Storage Space

A key feature to look for in a great stroller, as you’ll now know, is a section for storage. It allows you to carry many items out and about with you on a day-to-day occurrence. These may include a diaper bag, food or snacks for your little one, some extra clothes, and maybe your own handbag. A storage basket is the ideal solution.

Although the Pockit+ stroller is slim and compact, it doesn’t lack this key feature. Just under the toddler seat you’ll find the handy basket. It’s accessible from the front and back of the stroller so you’re not limited to quickly grab anything from only one side.

The basket holds up to 11 pounds and is versatile enough to suit your needs. You’re able to pop into the supermarket for groceries without the need to think ahead to bring another bag. It’s also able to hold oversized diaper bags.

Lightweight Design

The problems of heavy, hard-to-hand strollers are never-ending. You’re unable to carry other strollers alongside your toddler. And you certainly aren’t able to pick them up to get down the stairs in public.

Luckily, the gb Pockit+ stroller solves this dilemma for you. The design is exceptionally lightweight. Coming in at only 13 pounds, it’s the weight of an average three-month-old baby. This is a much kinder number than the average strollers that can weigh more than double this.

Safe Lifting After Birth

Especially as a new mom, it’s not recommended to carry heavy items for quite some time after birth due to the strain it can cause on your abdominals and your back. Unfortunately, many strollers on the market are extremely heavy, usually preventing moms from picking them up should the need occur.

With the Pockit+, things are easier to handle, as you are generally safe to lift items under 10 to 15 pounds. This shouldn’t increase intra-abdominal pressure. But you should always follow the advice of your midwife or doctor first.

Wallet-Friendly

Last but not least, another super important feature of the Pockit Plus Stroller review is the price point. With an extensive list of great features, you’d expect to have to spend a fortune on this stroller, but that is not the case at all.

After having a baby, costs for cots, clothes, and medical bills may be pretty high. Adding an over-priced, expensive stroller to the list isn’t ideal for anyone. That’s why the Pockit+ comes in with a huge range of useful and stylish features for you and baby, without breaking the bank.

Lightweight Compact Stroller Alternatives

If the gb Pockit+ stroller review hasn’t catered to your stroller needs, we have a few alternatives that may be a better fit for you and your baby.

GB Pockit Stroller

As the previous model to the Pockit+, the original Pockit stroller doesn’t differ too much. It holds the same innovative folding design, making it one of the most compact strollers available today. 

If you like the lightweight design of the Pockit+, the original Pockit takes it one step further, weighing only 9 pounds. The lightweight design also makes one hand pushing possible. 

Extra features include a basket-style storage space underneath the seat, with a weight capacity of 11 pounds. Although it includes a canopy, it provides less coverage than the Pockit+ canopy. There is also no recline in the toddler seat.

The Pockit is an extremely lightweight and compact stroller that’s similar to the Plus model but with a few less decorated features and an even friendlier price point. The gb Pockit is small but mighty. An excellent choice for those traveling regularly and those of you who would like a stroller to store at home—hassle-free.

Mountain Buggy Nano Stroller

The Mountain Buggy Nano Stroller is ready for your travels, car journeys, and city living with its narrow size and 44-pound weight capacity, holding toddlers up to four years of age.

Just like the Pockit+ design, it folds down to a compact travel-sized stroller of 21 by 12 by 20 inches and includes its own carry bag with a shoulder strap. 

Differing to the Pockit+, the Mountain Buggy does not require additional car seat adaptors to be purchased. The universal adaptors are included to accommodate most car seats, easily attaching them to the stroller travel system. It also houses an extendable canopy, which is much larger than the Pockit+.

A unique feature of this stroller is the “curb pop,” which allows you to pop up the front wheels to easily get over the edge of the sidewalk. This is ideal for urban environments.

This stroller also does not convert into a newborn carrycot, although they do have a soft shell cocoon carrycot to purchase alongside the stroller. The Mountain Buggy Nano is great for parents living in an urban environment who’d like to stick with one stroller from birth, and are happy to purchase the extra cot to attach.

Summer Infant 3D Lite

This umbrella stroller is one of the most wallet-friendly strollers out there. It’s significantly less expensive than the Pockit+ and the previous two alternatives, but does not skimp on features.

With eight wheels and a good amount of tread (indentations on the wheels), the Summer Infant 3D Lite works for both urban roads and rougher terrain. Anti-shock front wheels also work to protect your toddler from small bumps on roads or knocks in the street.

Unlike Pockit+, the Infant 3D Lite holds two storage compartments. One shopping basket under the toddler seat with a weight capacity of 10 pounds (one pound less than the Pockit+). Another storage pocket and cup holder is located just behind the stroller seat, ideal for your cell phone and keys.

The stroller includes an easy-to-recline seat as well as a five-point safety harness, just like the Pockit+.

Lightweight strollers are in high demand, and the Infant 3D Lite joins this category, weighing only 13 pounds. It also folds down to a compact size in only three steps, although it’s not as compact as the Pockit+. It does include its own carry strap, though.

The Summer Infant 3D Lite is a perfectly priced, lightweight, and safe stroller for parents who want all the features of a higher price point.

If you’re interested, here is my comprehensive Summer Infant 3D Lite Stroller.

Final Thoughts

The endless days of non-collapsible stroller struggles are over. As well as leaving the stroller behind if you’re heading off for a vacation. Not to mention the problems faced with a heavy day-to-day stroller.

Quite simply, the gb Pockit+ solves some of the most popular problems faced by parents with their toddler strollers. We’re often having to skimp on features for this kind of unbelievably practical design. Or having to spend a fortune on all our stroller needs.

Future-forward thinking and with parents in mind, gb have really done themselves proud with the Pockit+.