Junior Jones J-Tourer pushchair review

A bronze winner in the ‘Best Compact-fold Pushchair over £250’ in our MadeForMums 2021 Awards, the J-Tourer is the most compact and cheapest Junior Jones model available.

It’s a lightweight stroller (7.3kg), designed with travelling in mind – it comes with its own carry bag and you can even fit it in the overhead compartment on most airlines.

Tested by:

Mum of 3, Leyla, is the founder of Motherhood Diaries, an online magazine about pregnancy and parenting. She tested the Junior Jones J-Tourer with her 14-month-old daughter, on daily walks and the school run, for 2 weeks, while pregnant with her fourth child.

What were your first impressions of the Junior Jones J-Tourer pushchair?

When I unboxed the J-Tourer my first thought was that it was so compact when folded – tiny in fact!

I had a large, palace-style pram sitting right next to the J-Tourer and that pram took up more than twice the space. My second impression was that the Insignia Navy colour was lovely and looked very modern and stylish.

How easy was the J-Tourer to fold and unfold?

Perhaps it’s because I’m pregnant and extra conscious about my belly and overexerting myself, but I found it difficult at first to collapse the pram without banging the wheels, and tricky to unfold without scraping the front basket. My husband, however, found it effortless. After a while of doing it again and again, I got the hang of it.

One of the MFM Awards 2021 home testers, Liey, agreed that it took a bit of practise folding and unfolding, before she got to grips with it, and even after testing she admitted she struggled to do it with just one hand.

One thing I did notice is that it’s difficult to avoid scraping the footrest or the fabric on the floor when opening the stroller, which I worry could cause scratches to the stroller.

How compact is the J-Tourer when folded?

It’s very compact and super-light to carry. At 46.5cm x 55.5cm x 22.5cm when folded, it definitely sits at the more compact end of the market, similar to the MFM Awards 2021 Gold winner Inglesina Quid 2 Stroller, £249, and the Silver Award-winning Cybex Libelle, although that comes in at a more affordable £199.95.

It’s perfect for storing upright but, if you want to do this, make sure you push down the brakes after folding, otherwise I find the wheels roll and the stroller tips over.

How easy is it to push and steer the Junior Jones J-Tourer pushchair?

I found the J-Tourer very light and easy to push, as did our MFM home testers who felt it was “super easy to go up and down kerbs, and to push and steer one-handed, while holding a toddler’s hand with the other.”

The J-Tourer uses the brand’s Tru-Ride 2 system, where the ball-bearings, suspension and tyres are fine-tuned to reduce wear and tear, as well as giving you the Junior Jones’ “Effortless Push Experience.”

How well does the J-Tourer handle on different surfaces?

When it comes to walking on flat terrain or even grass, it’s lovely to handle. Getting the stroller up over pavements is not as easy as I’ve experienced with other strollers, but some of the other MFM home testers disagreed and thought it navigated kerbs really smoothly.

Overall, it feels quite nippy, however, due to the lightweight design and weight distribution I found it a little difficult to manoeuvre when the terrain was not flat or straight.

The small wheels and the lightness of the stroller also mean you have to tilt the front wheels up to get over bumpy ground, so not the best choice for county walks. As a city stroller, it’s ideal – something backed up by the glowing J-Tourer reviews on Trustpilot.

How comfortable is your baby in the Junior Jones J-Tourer pushchair?

Although my baby seemed comfortable and happy sitting in the stroller, I feel like the recline when in seat mode could have been a little more upright. It seemed that my baby’s weight was mostly supported by the straps around the groin rather, than the incline of the chair, which wasn’t ideal.

Having said that, our MFM home tester, Liey, loved how comfortable her 3-year-old and 5-month-old both looked in the stroller, either upright or at a slight recline, and pointed out that even though it’s compact, they still had plenty of room in the seat.

There’s also an adjustable leg rest, which offers another level of comfort as your baby grows.

What are the seat unit and straps like on the J-Tourer?

The fabric and the straps felt really good quality and looked comfortable for my baby, but I did have reservations about the shape of the seat.

As mentioned above, I felt the seat needed to be more upright – more of an ‘L’ shape – when in sitting mode, as it looked like the harness was holding my baby in place, rather than being supported by the shape of the seat itself.

It was very straightforward to change the recline position – you simply side the handle at the back of the pram up and down to alter it. You can even do this while your baby is in the seat, which is really handy.

When reclined into rest mode the baby slept very comfortably, so I felt the J-Tourer redeemed itself in that instance. Also, the natural rocking motion when walking around really compliments this.

I struggled with the size of the shoulder straps as these are simply too short and not flexible enough – a view echoed by Trustpilot reviews and our MFM Awards home tester, Liey, who felt they were tricky to adjust and could have done with being a little longer for older toddlers.

Does the hood give good coverage?

Fantastic. The hood is strong and covers all the essential areas you’d expect to keep your baby safe during cold and temperamental weather. On hot days there’s a zip out mesh ventilation panel, which is ideal for boosting airflow and keeping baby cool when it’s hot outside.

One of our MFM Awards home testers adds, “The hood is large enough to block out the sun on a summer’s day or the wind on a breezy day, and it’s nice that I can peek into the stroller to check on my baby using the ventilation panel.”

What are the wheels like on the J-Tourer?

The wheels look and feel great and I especially like the wheel designs – they even have fancy ‘JJ’ treads! They feature PU puncture resistant tyres and fixed swivel front wheels to help with durability and manoeuvrability.

I’d say they’re not built to tackle difficult terrain but are nicely compact and suited to nipping around town.

How effective are the brakes?

The J-Tourer’s flip-flop friendly brakes are easy to push down with your foot and easy to push back up. You don’t need to use much force at all.

Does the Junior Jones J-Tourer pushchair have a large basket?

The shopping basket is spacious, and it has a decent net that keeps your belongings from falling out. I even managed do some light shopping and all the items fitted into the basket comfortably. Other testers said they had no problems fitting in their change bag.

Is the Junior Jones J-Tourer pushchair robust and durable?

Yes, I’d definitely say it feels robust and durable. Although the chassis is light, it’s strong and can take the weight of a child up to 22kg.

The PU tyres are designed to last and there’s a 3-year warranty in case you do have any problems. Just make sure you practice opening the stroller, so you don’t scrape the front of it every time you unfold it.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Wheels
• Seat
• Rain cover
• Carry bag
• Bumper bar
• Harness pads

What accessories are included with the J-Tourer?

The stroller comes with a carry bag, rain cover and a bumper bar. All other accessories need to be bought separately. These include an extra seat liner (£40), universal sun canopy (£20), insect net (£20) and a selection of cool changing bags, like the vegan Ivy bag (£140).

Which families would the J-Tourer be most useful for?

It’s ideal for busy parents living in the city. It’s also a great stroller to keep at the grandparents’, have in the car boot, ready to pop in and out for whenever you need it, or to take travelling. It’s so compact!

Is the Junior Jones J-Tourer pushchair value for money?

It does look and feel like a premium product, thanks to the luxurious material and stylish colour, plus, it’s a great durable stroller for quick trips to the shops or around town, especially on flatter terrain. For £299, I’d say you’re getting a high-end product for a really reasonable price.

Where can I buy the J-Tourer pushchair?

It is available from Junior Jones, Little Angels and Olivers Babycare.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the J-Tourer?

That unfolding can be an issue – I tended to scrape the front part of the stroller when doing it – and that it takes some practice. Also, that you need to be careful when reclining the seat when baby is in it, because there’s no catch and weight of the baby can cause it to lower down quite swiftly if you’re not careful!

MadeForMums Verdict

A nifty, compact stroller which is perfect for busy, style-conscious parents who need a pushchair to pop their baby in and out for school runs, shopping trips and nipping around the city.

Lightweight and with a compact fold, it’s also perfect for travelling – especially as it fits in most airlines’ overhead luggage compartments – thanks to the carry bag included.

If you’re looking for a robust stroller to tackle bumpy country walks, this might not be the one for you, but if you’re looking for an everyday stroller that performs well around towns and cities – and has more than a touch of luxury – at £299, the J-Tourer is a great choice.

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