Ergobaby Metro+ Review: Compact Travel Stroller from Birth

Ergobaby is a reputable brand mostly known for its baby carriers, but they also make other things like bouncers or strollers. I recently had a chance to test the compact Egobaby Metro+ stroller and I think that if you’re willing to forgo a cabin size requirement on every airline because you don’t fly much, it could be a good option as it features a flat recline and opportunity to be used from birth without any adapters or car seat.

Pros & Minor Cons of Ergobaby Metro Plus Stroller

Editor’s Rating

Age Range – Newborn to 40 pounds (18kg) 
Stroller Weight – 13.6 pounds (6.3kg) 
Folded Size – 20.4 x 21.2 x 9 inches (52 x 54 x 23cm)

Maneuverability & Design

The stroller gives a comfortable ride thanks to the relatively large rubber tires and inbuilt suspension. Honestly, it rides smoothly but it’s not an off-road stroller like some full-sized ones. It did well on some forest pathways.

The brake is awesome and while it may seem like just a minor feature of the stroller, I think it’s a pretty important one. For instance, while I love Babyzen Yoyo stroller I’m always struggling with releasing the brake with sandals or heels. With Ergobaby there’s no issue as it can be engaged and released so easily.

Many parents complain that a brake placed in the middle can cause kicking it accidentally, but it’s not the case with Ergo. My husband whose 6’1 never had an issue. Speaking of taller parents – the handlebar is adjustable, which is surely unusual in the world of compact strollers and a huge plus of Ergobaby Metro.

The underneath basket is pretty big for a compact stroller. It doesn’t have any awkward bars in the way, so it can fit an entire bag or backpack in there.

The wheels are okayish. They didn’t move very well on gravel or dirt road if I’m honest and while I haven’t tried it on cobblestones I don’t think it would do great.

Folding and Unfolding of Ergobaby Metro Plus

The fold isn’t difficult and technically could be a one-hand fold, but requires multiple steps. There’s a handle attached to the seat which makes the stroller easy to carry.

The folding works smoothly and requires a two-push motion with one hand and the seat folds. Then, you need to either grab the stroller and close it or lift it by the handle. The stroller will stand after you complete the second step (I use my legs to fully close the stroller without having to lift it). It sounds complicated when I describe it, but it’s really not.

For me personally, a stroller I can fold with one hand while holding the baby has always been a requirement as I’ve traveled solo with a baby a lot, but if you’re planning travels with a partner then it’s not an issue.

When it comes to unfolding the stroller I must admit it’s a clumsy process. The stroller doesn’t just open, I have to keep flipping it and use both hands until it finally clicks and then push it with a foot. I did notice that it works better when my husband opens it up, so might be an issue of not having enough force possibly?

Does Ergobaby Metro stroller fit in the overhead bin of the aircraft?

It might, but it might not fit. You might hear from people that they took their stroller in the cabin and while it could be true, with Ergobaby stroller it’s not guaranteed.

Ergobaby Metro+ has 1 inch more depth than Joolz Aer and on my last trip, Joolz fit and was allowed twice, once it physically didn’t fit in the cabin and one time they made me wake up the baby at check-in and take him out and fold the stroller as they wanted to measure it at check-in so I’m never going to say that some stroller fits for sure when it might not.

Seat on Ergobaby metro plus stroller
The canopy and recline material constantly crunch in the seat unless you stuff it behind the seatback.

Seat Compartment, Recline & Canopy

The seat is definitely an advantage of this stroller. Your child can enjoy a good snooze on the pretty much flat recline seat and put their feet up using the flip-up footrest.

The recline is adjustable so you can use many angles, unlike in some other strollers. It also has AGR Seal for Ergonomics. The brand says they’re the most padded seat and while it’s measured by a 3rd party I honestly must agree with this statement. It IS indeed the softest and most padded seat of all compact strollers.

The only thing is it would also be great if the seat color came in lighter colors and other than black to hide the unavoidable food or milk marks. Even after one trip I already had to un-stain the seat.

If you have a newborn, you can set up a cocoon for the baby to sleep in – it creates something bassinet-like. Simply fold up the in-built footrest and clip in the sides of the newborn nest because my child is messy.

If your child is over 4 months old and you don’t need the newborn cocoon option anymore you can still easily fully recline the stroller for naps. The footrest is fully and easily adjustable as well.

Poofy approves!

The Metro+ stroller has a great extendible UPF 50 sun canopy and honestly, it’s the best part of the stroller. It can cover almost an entire child, it’s easy to unfold and fold and the peekaboo window works great!

The only downside of the canopy is that when it’s fully folded it touches the parental handlebar, so I don’t like folding it completely. While the handlebar is adjustable it happens regardless of the position.

Now the downside… when the seat is fully reclined it’s basically impossible to hit the brake and that’s pretty bad. However, let’s face reality – this is why almost none of the compact travel strollers don’t fully recline, as it’s always an issue unless the brake is on the side next to the wheel – which then makes it harder to open with sandals on.

Accessories

The stroller doesn’t come with many accessories apart from the rain shield, but you can purchase a carry bag that turns into a backpack or footmuff separately. Ergobaby also sells a bumper bar for only $30 and it can be folded with the stroller.

Another cool feature is that for just $30 you can buy a canopy in a different color. I love to change up the colors so naturally, I’m very happy that’s an option with Ergobaby Metro Plus stroller.

Most important for parents of multiple kids is that you can now attach a buggy board to your Ergobaby. It is only a standing option, so I wouldn’t do it for 2 under 2, but it works fine for 4 year olds.

Final Verdict: Ergobaby Metro Plus Review

Do I recommend Ergobaby Metro+ stroller? I would, because while it has some noticeable drawbacks it wouldn’t be fair to compare it to strollers like Babyzen Yoyo, Joolz Aer, or Bugaboo Butterfly. It’s also undeniably better than Silvercross Jet or GB Pockit – feels like it’s from a completely different league.

Ergobaby Metro is almost half of the price of mentioned strollers when you add car seat adapters or bassinets, which makes it more accessible to families who might not be traveling all the time and don’t want to spend the money on a more luxurious travel stroller.

When you factor in the relatively lower price point and the fact that you can use Ergobaby Metro from birth without anything extra I believe it’s a good option!

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