I already own 7 dog strollers (yes, 7, I like to test them and loan them to people in our Dachshund club whose dogs are recovering from a disk herniation) but I jumped at the chance to try out the Ibiyaya Evolution Speedy Fold Pet Buggy when they contacted me.
My favorite strollers that I own are heavy, too big to maneuver in small spaces, the compartments are really large for one dog, and they take up almost the whole cargo space in my 4Runner!
The small, lightweight strollers that I have are barely one step up from junk. The materials are thin and at least one thing on them doesn’t function well (typically, the way the wheels roll and contact the ground, which is almost the most important part).
None of that is the case with the Evolution Speedy Fold Pet Stroller!
I’ve wanted a small, functional stroller that I can use when I fly to a pet-industry event with only one of my dogs for years, and I’ve found it in the Evolution dog stroller!
Read on for more details.
Initial Impressions
From the moment I took this stroller out of the box, I knew it was better quality than most of the other lightweight and compact dog strollers out there.
These are the things that I immediately loved about it:
- There is a safety lock indicator so you know that the stroller is fully locked open
- It’s compact and lightweight for travel (fits most airline overhead compartments)
- The slow-close canopy stays in place no matter what position I leave it in (open, half open, etc.)
- It was super easy to assemble (just had to pop on the wheels
- The back pocket is large and deep enough to actually be useful. It even has some elastic loops inside to help keep things organized.
- The gear basket under the stroller is easily accessible (unlike many strollers that I have tried)
- The drink holder is actually functional – deep enough to hold a Starbuck’s grande securely.
Other notable features include:
- Lightweight, aluminum frame
- Four wheels (not air filled)
- One-hand operation (to collapse)
- Side latch to hold the stroller in the closed position
- Two safety tethers inside
- One-touch front buckle (easy to open one handed)
- Brake indicator for on/off
- Cup holder attachment
- Weight limit (of dog): 44 lbs
- Inside measurements (of basket): 20″ L x 20″ W x X high (sides)
- Stroller weight: 15.2 lbs
There are a few things I want to give a heads up about though:
- Make sure the safety lock indicator is green before putting a dog into it so it doesn’t collapse (ie. don’t be me)
- For the greatest (stroller) stability and dog’s comfort, I estimate this is best for two Dachshunds under 10 lbs each or one under 30 lbs.
- The stroller has “shock-absorbing wheels” but no actual shocks so it’s a bit bumpy when you push it on a gravel surface.
Using It Out-and-About
I really liked that the stroller doesn’t take up much room in the cargo space of my 4Runner. It’s small enough that I could fit it in there with all of our normal camping and travel gear.
I took some videos of the stroller so I could share them on social media. The joke is on me because I should have practiced more with unfolding it before turning the camera on. I had to discard a lot of the first videos because it’s not as easy as it seems.
Because the stroller is a tri-fold design, it was unclear which part of the stroller I was supposed to push on to lock it open. It kept trying to collapse on me so I struggled a bit with it at first. I think I am finally getting the hang of it after about 10 times of doing it though.
It was very easy to close the bonnet (cover over the stroller basket) and I like that I can close it half way and it will stay in place. I also love that I can secure it in the closed position.
The buckle that secures the bonnet closed is great. The two ends are perfectly aligned so I don’t have to fiddle with it to lock it. I can open by pressing the button with one hand.
The stroller was very easy to maneuver on a hard surface. It rolled very smoothly and had a great turning radius. It felt very stable (a benefit of the 4 wheel design on a compact stroller).
However, it is a bit difficult to maneuver over door thresholds, up and over sidewalks, etc. The wheels just didn’t roll over the obstacle and it was a bit awkward to tip the front of the stroller up to life the wheels over it. I think this will get easier to do with practice though.
Also, because we are adventurous when we travel, I like a stroller that can go “off road” at least a bit on packed dirt or gravel surfaces, so I put this one to the test. While I could roll it without too much difficulty over packed gravel, I didn’t like how bumpy the ride was for my Dachshund (she didn’t seem to mind, but I worry about it because she has IVDD).
Final Verdict
Ibiyaya Evolution Speedy Fold Pet Buggy is a great lightweight, convenient dog stroller.
It’s stable and rolls smoothly over flat surfaces, so I feel it is safe to use to walk a Dachshund recovering from IVDD around the neighborhood or on a paved trail.
What makes it really stand out to me is that it’s higher quality than most lightweight dog strollers and the tri-fold design means it is is compact enough to take on an airplane.
I’m super excited to try it the next time I fly one of the weenies with me to a pet industry event.
