When choosing the perfect stroller, you’ll want to find one that does everything you need it to do while giving you great value for money too. In this guide, we take an in-detail look at two favorite stroller brands: Bumbleride Flite and Maclaren Quest.
Why Trust Us?
Because my full-time job is being mom to 2 precious daughters, and I know a thing or two about strollers. Besides personal experience, I get feedback from other moms who use these strollers every day and put all that research into our unbiased stroller buying guides
- Kyli
Table of Contents
Bumbleride: Intuitive, eco-friendly, simple
Bumbleride is a U.S. company that was founded in 2004 by Matt and Emily Reichardt. Inspired by the birth of their first child, Ella, the couple began designing strollers that fit with an active lifestyle, as well as maintaining an eco-friendly ethos.
Bumbleride products are manufactured from a blend of recycled and bamboo fabrics to protect the preserve the planet for generations to come.
All Bumbleride strollers are created to be uncomplicated and user-friendly. An ergonomic, comfortable ride for your infant is also a priority. So, whether your family is outdoorsy and energetic or urban, Bumbleride has the best system to fit your needs.
Maclaren: Lightweight and tough
The Maclaren brand was born in the UK in 1965 when the retired aeronautical engineer, Owen Maclaren saw his daughter struggling to maneuver her child in a cumbersome, old-school pram. Maclaren used tubular aluminum to create his prototype stroller’s frame, which weighed in at just six pounds! The ingenious design allowed the user to fold the stroller using only one hand, much like an umbrella. And so the modern-day “umbrella stroller” was born.
For an overview of Maclaren’s full range of strollers, check out our post, “Maclaren Strollers Reviews | The Top Umbrella Stroller Brand for Travel.”
Bumbleride Flite vs. Maclaren Quest
In this article, we make a direct comparison between the Flite and the Quest to help you choose the best stroller for your needs. If you want to read an in-depth review of the Maclaren Quest, you can read one here.
Bumbleride Flite
No products found.
First, the Flite is a lightweight umbrella stroller that weighs in at just 14 pounds. That said, the Flite does come with plenty of the features that you’d expect to find with a regular stroller.
The Flite has a large canopy, a deep recline, roomy seat, all-wheel suspension, adjustable footrest, and a car seat adapter included so that you can convert the stroller into a travel system when you need to.
The seat is made from Bumbleride’s signature eco-friendly material that’s a blend of nylon and bamboo fabrics. The stroller is sturdy and stable, designed for the urban lifestyle. And if you travel a lot, this is the perfect stroller for you.
You should know that the Flite is not designed to be an all-terrain stroller, although it will handle off-roading better than many umbrella strollers, and the all-wheel suspension absorbs bumpy sidewalks with ease, giving your infant a smooth ride.
If you’re looking for an all-terrain stroller without bulkiness, check out Bumbleride’s newly redesigned Indie (which we featured in our post, “Best All-Terrain Strollers.”
The Flite range is no longer available to buy new, but if you go down the secondhand route, you’ll get a high-quality, premium umbrella stroller with lots of features that most others don’t offer and at a fraction of the price of a new one.
Things we like:
- The large double panel canopy.
- The very large, roomy seat.
- Stable, non-wobbly ride, despite the generous weight limit.
- Car seat adapter included with the stroller.
- Wonderful all-wheel suspension system for a smooth, bump-free ride.
Things we don’t like:
- Noisy Velcro fastenings on the canopy peekaboo window.
- Non-adjustable handlebars
Bumbleride Flite: Features that Matter
Large canopy
The Flite has a large double-panel canopy, featuring a black mesh, peekaboo window. Unfortunately, like all Bumbleride strollers, the window closure attaches by Velcro, which can be very noisy.
Handlebars
The Flite has two separate handlebars that are 40 inches from the ground. Unfortunately, the handlebars are not adjustable.
Roomy seat
The large seat in this stroller can hold a child up to 50 pounds, a higher limit than offered by many other makes that stop at just 45 pounds.
The seat has a one-hand infinite recline feature that’s operated by a strap system. That makes the seat super-comfy for the baby to take a nap during long walks. However, you will need to use both hands to raise the seat back up. Note that the seat does not go completely flat, so it’s not suitable for a newborn baby who will require some neck support.
Car seat adapter
A car seat adapter is included with the stroller, allowing you to transform the stroller easily into a travel system. The adapter works with many popular brands, including:
- Britax
- Combi
- Chicco
- Baby Trend
- Peg Perego
- Graco
Five-point harness
The five-point harness has a center release button that takes a fair amount of pressure to unlock it, making it reassuringly toddler-proof! You can also remove the shoulder straps and use the harness as a three-point restraint for an older child.
Footrest
The footrest is adjustable so that you can raise it to increase comfort for older children.
Basket
The Flite has a very small basket, but it is easily accessible from the front, making it convenient to reach if the seat is fully reclined.
Storage pocket
There’s a small zippered pocket fitted into the back of the canopy. It is small, but you can fit your phone, wallet, or keys inside.
Cup holder
No products found.There’s a removable cup holder that will take a bottle. You can fit the cup holder on either side of the stroller.
Wheels
No products found.The Flite has four small rubber 5.5 inch double wheels. The front wheels are swivel wheels that you can lock straight to give the stroller more stability.
All-wheel suspension system
The all-wheel suspension system is great for an umbrella stroller, helping to absorb small bumps and give your child a smooth ride.
Easy fold
No products found.The Flite folds up easily and quickly, just like an umbrella. There’s an automatic locking system too for when the stroller is folded. The mechanism is designed so that you don’t have to bend down to unfold or fold it!
Shoulder strap
When the stroller is folded, you can carry it by slinging it over your shoulder. Alternatively, there’s a small strap on the side of the stroller, enabling you to carry it in your hand.
Colors
The original Flite was made in seven colors, including black, cayenne red, aquamarine, fog grey, green papyrus, lotus pink, and lotus blue. The frames of all Flite strollers are silver.
To see a video review of the Flite, check out this link.
If you prefer and can afford to buy a brand new Bumbleride stroller, take a look at our review of the Bumbleride Indie stroller at this link.
Maclaren Quest
The Maclaren Quest is an ultra-lightweight stroller. The build is exceptionally high-quality and durable, making this stroller one of the top sellers in its class.
The stroller features a four-position, completely reclining seat with an extendable leg rest.
Unlike the Bumbleride Flite, the Maclaren Quest has ergonomically-designed, three-position, height-adaptable handles. The tires have a front swivel feature and linked parking brakes.
The stroller has one of the best waterproof canopies in the market, featuring a UV-secure pop-out viewing window that makes the canopy huge!
The roomy seat is removable and fully machine washable. Even though the whole stroller weighs only 12.3 pounds, it can still accommodate a child from birth up to 55 pounds.
There’s lots of storage space with the Quest’s basket and storage pocket offering much more room for your things than you get with the Flite.
Although the Quest doesn’t offer you the incorporated travel system that you get with the Flite, thanks to the stroller’s feather-weight, you can still use it with a carrycot for a newborn.
The five-inch wheel system gives you excellent maneuverability, and the all-wheel suspension ensures a smooth ride. Unlike the Flite, you can remove the Quest’s wheels and replace them with new ones if necessary.
Although the Quest comes with a rain cover, you’ll need to buy a cup holder separately.
You’ll get a lifetime warranty with the Quest.
Price-wise, as you’d expect, the Maclaren Quest comes up a lot more expensive than a secondhand Flite.
Things we like:
- Huge canopy!
- Ultra-lightweight and easy to maneuver, even with one hand!
- A very generously proportioned seat that’s suitable for a tall toddler.
- Suitable for a newborn, and features several newborn safety features too.
- Handles most surfaces with ease, despite not being an all-terrain stroller.
Things we don’t like:
- Peekaboo window is at the back of the canopy, rather than on the top.
- A cup holder is not included.
- The Quest is at the top of the price range for strollers, but you do get what you pay for, and this stroller should last you forever.
- The stroller could be tricky to fold with one hand if you’re holding a child too.
- There’s no travel kit with this stroller, and the carrycot option must be purchased separately.
Maclaren Quest: Features that Matter
Huge canopy!
The Quest’s canopy is huge! An extendable UPF 50+ medium-size canopy is included that has a large, zipped-in panel and a pop-out sun visor, giving your child more protection from harmful UV rays.
There’s a big plastic peekaboo window on the back of the seat, rather than on the top of the canopy, and you might prefer a regular peekaboo window on top of the canopy so that you can see your child.
Roomy seat
The seat is very generously proportioned at 13 inches wide with an 18-inch seat back, and a measurement of 27 inches from the back of the seat to the top of the canopy. Additionally, it will accommodate a newborn right through to a child of 55 pounds.
The seat has a deep, four-position recline feature that allows you to fold the seat almost entirely flat, making it suitable for a newborn. Unlike the Flite recline function, the Quest system is operated by a one-hand lever instead of straps. The seat fabric can be removed and safely washed in your machine.
Newborn safety features
If you have a newborn and you’re worried that he or she might slide out of the seat, Maclaren has thought of that. A pop-up head barrier is fitted at the top of the seat, and there’s a foot barrier made from hidden mesh that you attach to the stroller frame to keep your baby safely secured in the seat.
Five-point harness
The Quest has a thick, adjustable five-point harness with a sturdy center release buckle. The buckle must be pressed from the front and from the back at the same time to release it, making the operation virtually impossible for a toddler to manage.
Adjustable leg rest
The leg rest has two positions; up and down, which is a great feature for small children.
Storage pocket
The Quest has a large storage pocket located at the rear of the seat that can be used for small essential items. The long shape of the pocket will even accommodate a baby bottle.
Large basket
Umbrella strollers are not known for having large baskets, but the Quest’s is pretty generous. You can fit a few children’s essentials in the basket, including a small diaper bag.
Wheels
The Quest has 6” double-hard rubber wheels. The front wheels swivel, but you can lock them straight if you want to.
The stroller handles busy streets, uneven sidewalks, playground mulch, and even grass with ease. Remember that the Maclaren is not an all-terrain stroller, but as umbrella strollers go, it’s right up there when it comes to terrain handling and maneuverability. It’s very sturdy too, thanks to the aircraft-grade aluminum chassis.
All-wheel suspension
The stroller’s all-wheel suspension soaks up bumps, making the ride super-comfy for your little one.
Parking brake
The Quest has two link brakes to lock the stroller’s wheels into place. Note that they are not flip-flop-friendly.
One-hand fold
Although the stroller has the usual umbrella fold that you manage one-handed, you’d struggle to engage the automatic lock, as you have to bend right down to the ground, which would be a problem if you have a child in your hands.
Carry handle and shoulder strap
The stroller measures 41.3 x 9.4 x 11 inches when folded and weighs just 12.3 pounds, so you can easily shoulder it without a problem. There’s a carry handle or shoulder strap for ease of transportation.
Rain cover
There’s a well-proportioned rain cover, which is included with the stroller.
Carrycot option
The Quest does not come with a travel system option, although you can use it with a carrycot for a newborn. However, you’d have to buy this separately.
Warranty
Unlike the Flite, Maclaren offers a full, lifetime warranty that’s effective from the purchase date.
Color choice
The Quest comes in a range of attractive color combinations, including:
- Medieval blue/jelly bean
- Cardinal/silver
- Plum/marmalade
- Charcoal/primrose
- Medieval blue/silver
- Charcoal/harbor blue
- Black
- Black-silver
You can see a video of the Maclaren Quest in action at this link.
The Techno XT is another lightweight, full-featured stroller from Maclaren that you might want to take a look at. We’ve reviewed the Techno XT in full in this article.
Wrapping it up
So, both the Bumbleride Flite and the Maclaren Quest have many appealing, practical features, and both are great examples of umbrella strollers.
If you’re working to a budget, a preloved Flite with its generous canopy, comfortable seat, and included car seat adapter kit would be a great buy. If you have more money to work with, the ultra-lightweight, sturdy, maneuverable Maclaren Quest could be the way to go.
