Review of the Graco IPO Stroller

Meet the Graco IPO

Graco’s IPO lightweight umbrella stroller is a compact “European style” toddler stroller. At 17 pounds it isn’t extremely heavy and allows a real one-hand folding action. Being able to fold the stroller with one hand is a tempting feature. Some competing strollers require both your hands for folding, meaning you won’t be able to hold your baby at the same time.

Your Baby and the IPO

The stroller is recommended for children weighing up to 50lbs (22.6kg). It is equipped with a reclining seat, which goes back to an angle of 60 degrees and is quite comfortable for most children. In some cases, a child’s motion in the seat may make it recline on its own to a 45 degrees angle, but this is not very common. Another problem with the seat is that the sides are not padded – this may be uncomfortable for some children, especially while sleeping.

It also has a canopy with peek-a-boo window. The peek-a-boo is very handy when you take your little treasure on a walk and want to be able to take a peek without losing stride.

The harness that ensures your baby stays inside the stroller is a combination 3 or 5 point harness. The 5-point version is more secure, and uses shoulder-straps to prevent your baby from falling forward. The 3-point variation is suitable for older children, who will not slouch forward when sitting. It is more comfortable for older children as it restrains them less and they will be willing to stay seated for longer.

The combination harness lets you decide whether you want the extra security or not. This is not very common with other strollers, as most of them have either 3 or 5 points.

Accessories and Your Comfort

Just like most other umbrella type strollers, the IPO has a little storage basket underneath the seat. Other than the basket and the canopy, the Graco IPO is quite bare from accessories. You can purchase some add-ons separately, but in this aspect the IPO does not compete well with other strollers in its class, which usually have cup holders or some sort of extra zipped compartments.

From an adult point of view, the IPO is all right, but doesn’t shine in any way. Its dimensions and position of the handlebars make it more comfortable for taller adults (over 5′7) and shorter parents may struggle with it a little. It is sturdy, comfortable, and is very unlikely to tip over backwards when you hang bags over the handlebars.

Conclusion – Is it Worth it?

The Graco IPO is not a bad choice. For the price tag, it’s all right. There are better strollers out there, but the blend of features the IPO has may just be the right one for you.

How does the Graco IPO compare against other lightweight strollers? See the links below.

Graco IPO vs. Evenflo X Sport
Graco IPO vs. Maclaren Volo
Graco IPO vs. Combi Flare
Graco IPO vs. Chicco C6