We Found Safety Risks With the Zoe Traveler Stroller

Every stroller sold in the U.S. must meet mandatory federal safety standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the government agency with oversight of thousands of categories of consumer products. CR’s own safety tests are not designed or intended to assess compliance (CR does not dispute that the Zoe stroller meets federal safety standards). Instead, CR’s tests are comparative and are designed to identify which products provide an additional margin of safety or performance beyond the required standards. 

The strollers listed in CR’s stroller ratings undergo a series of engineer-designed tests in our onsite labs, led by our team of expert product testers. We spend months evaluating dozens of strollers every year for performance, ease of use, maneuverability, and safety. As part of our safety tests, we assess each stroller for stability and braking. Here’s what that test involves:

1. A weight is placed in the stroller that matches the maximum weight of the stroller’s seat capacity.
2. The stroller is placed on a wooden platform covered in sandpaper with the stroller’s brakes applied.
3. The platform is then raised on an incline from 0 degrees to up to 20 degrees, or until the stroller begins to tip or slide. 
4. We test each stroller in six different orientations: facing uphill, sideways, or downhill on the platform, and with the seat fully upright and fully reclined in each orientation. 

We tested the Zoe The Traveler stroller in our lab using a 45-pound weight to match its maximum seat capacity of 45 pounds. During our stability test, where we incrementally raise the inclined platform from 0 degrees to 20 degrees, the stroller tipped backward at less than 12 degrees. If a stroller tips at less than 12 degrees, it fails CR’s stability test. When we see a failure in the initial test, we then purchase a second sample for testing and run additional confirmation tests. In these confirmation tests, the same issue happened. 

What our results mean: Using this stroller on a steep or moderately steep uphill incline with the stroller’s seat fully reclined and your child strapped in could increase the risk of a backward tip-over. (For reference, a 12-degree incline is approximately a 20 percent grade on a treadmill, which is pretty steep.)

When we find failures in our tests, we notify the CPSC and contact the manufacturer. When we informed Zoe of our findings, the company challenged our results.

“The Traveler stroller has been on the market in the U.S. for over six years with more than 18,000 sold without a single child safety injury claim related to stability or tipping,” says Sean Smith, owner and CEO of Zoe, in response to our outreach. “All Zoe strollers pass rigorous, comprehensive safety testing conducted by independent, CPSC-accredited test agencies and pass all stringent, federally-mandated safety requirements. As our certified laboratories have been unable to replicate Consumer Reports’ findings, we believe they are not indicative of the safety of the Traveler stroller, and we categorically disagree with CR’s conclusions. There is nothing more important to all of us at Zoe than the safety and care of the families and caregivers we are honored to serve.”

If you own the Zoe stroller and have questions about its safety or use, Zoe representatives said the best way for consumers with questions to contact Zoe is through this online form. Zoe’s customer experience team can also be reached by emailing help@zoebaby.com or by texting Zoe’s support line at 866-701-1720.

The idea that your stroller might tip over with your child inside is understandably anxiety-inducing. If you own the Zoe The Traveler stroller, you might be wondering whether you can still use it safely while avoiding the risk of tipping.

Next Steps, as Recommended by CR’s Safety Experts
Use extra caution on inclines. Whenever you use your Zoe The Traveler stroller on any kind of hill or incline, CR’s safety experts recommend keeping the seatback in the most upright position to avoid a potential tip-over. Also be sure not to take your hands off the handlebar if you’re parked on a hill. 

Register your Zoe stroller. Registering your product with the manufacturer is the easiest way to stay informed about any future product safety news. If you haven’t done so already, you can register your stroller online. It’s a good idea to do this with any baby gear you use regularly, like car seats, cribs, monitors, bathtubs, high chairs, bouncers, and more. 

Any stroller could be at risk of tipping over if not used properly. Here’s what to look for to avoid a fall. 

Always use the brakes. When parking your stroller with your child inside, always apply the brakes. Give the stroller a small push to be sure the brakes are engaged. Make sure the seatback is fully upright. 

Stay alert when using a stroller on a hill or incline. Keep a firm hand on the handlebar and be sure not to leave your child in the stroller unattended. 

Avoid strapping heavy bags or backpacks to the parent handlebar. Placing extra weight on the rear of the stroller could cause it to tip backward, whether it’s parked on an incline or on a flat surface. Instead, use the storage basket underneath the seat to stash heavier items.

Follow the stroller manual’s age and weight guidelines. Many strollers can be used only when a baby is over 6 months and can sit up unassisted, unless the seat reclines fully flat and there’s a dedicated leg restraint. Similarly, using a stroller with a child who has outgrown the stroller’s weight limit could cause it to fail. 

Every stroller in our ratings is assessed not just for the features it offers, like a spacious storage basket or generous canopy, but also for its overall performance and safety. Our rigorous independent tests are designed to evaluate how easy a stroller is to fold and unfold, how smoothly it maneuvers across different terrain, and how well it will protect your child in the event of a sudden stop, impact, or other accident. Here’s a closer look at each of our evaluations. 

Our testers fasten and adjust the harness restraint, which should be a sturdy, adjustable five-point safety harness, consisting of two waist straps, a crotch strap, and two shoulder straps. (Though some strollers have three-point harnesses, we don’t test these; CR strongly recommends a five-point restraint system for strollers.) Using a weighted infant dummy or a weighted passenger substitute, we rotate the stroller to make sure the stroller’s harness will keep a child in place, conduct an impact test of the stroller’s structural integrity in the event of an accident, and assess the stroller’s stability and braking to make sure a stroller’s brakes can keep it in place even under pressure.

Our testers fold and unfold the stroller repeatedly, lift and carry the stroller, adjust the backrest, engage the wheel brakes (and check to see whether they’re flip-flop-friendly), and attach and detach car seats if the stroller is compatible with them, all to see how easy a stroller is to use the way you’d actually use it. We also check the size of the stroller’s fold, whether it stands on its own, and how well it fits into the trunk of a car, among other factors.

With an infant dummy or a weighted bag that simulates a toddler passenger, our testers push strollers around an indoor course we designed. We assess how strollers maneuver around S-turns and between cones, through doorways, up and down hills, over curbs, and across terrain that simulates grass, mulch, and dirt trails with tree roots and other debris.