Gladly Family Wagon Review – Anthem Stroller Wagon
This Gladly Family wagon review will share you all you need to know about the Anthem 2 and Anthem 4 stroller wagon series. When you’re done, check out my best baby sprinkle gift ideas too! This post contains affiliate links.
Every time I walk through the streets using our Gladly stroller wagon, people always ask me about it. “Is it really good? Can you wheel it on beach sand? Is it easy to push?”
I decided it’s about time I write up an in-depth Gladly Family wagon review, featuring the Anthem 2. Most of what I’ll write applies to the Anthem 4 as well.
Just so you know: I’ve been using this already for close to two years, so I’ve got a good, thorough take on all the pros, cons, and using it with a newborn, 1 year old, 2 year old, 3 year old, AND 4 year old (between two kids).
I’ll over the good, the not-so-good, who it’s best for, what you need to know BEFORE buying, and more
Please note: I did receive a sample for inclusion in a post almost two years ago, so while I did not purchase this myself, I am well past my relationship working with this company, and creating this review of my own accord. I am going to be 100% honest here.
I AM an affiliate and yes, I earn a commission if you purchase through my link. If you find this review helpful and DO decide to purchase this, I ask that you please do so by clicking through my link – it’s how I am able to create honest reviews without requiring compensation from the brand and turning it into a straight up ad.
Gladly Family Wagon Review – Overview
In a nutshell
The Gladly Family stroller wagon is a feature-rich, all-terrain stroller wagon. It’s a convertible pull or push wagon, with options for 2 seater or 4 seater styles.
Gladly Family includes some accessories and comes in many different colors.
Technical Details
- Dimensions open: 41″ L x 25.5″ W x 21.5″ H
- Dimensions closed: 41″ L x 25″ W x 16″ H
- Handle Height: 42.5″
- Price point (note – this is a range, prices constantly change): $450-600
- Weight: 34 lbs
- Passenger seat weight limit: 50lb each
- Wagon weight limit: 150 lb (including cargo)
General features
- 5 point harness
- Double canopies
- Includes a nap mat
- Includes a removable basket
- Includes a parent cupholder and storage bin
- 2 or 4 passenger versions
- Push or pull without switching handle direction – just release it with a button.
- Add-on Accessories available: infant adapter
Answering your questions
Since I said that people always stop me with questions, I figured I’d include a section in this Gladly Family wagon review answering specifically the questions we get when out and about with it.
Is the Anthem stroller wagon easy to push?
This is always the first question we get, due to its size and bulk. And the answer is yes/no. The push is very different from regular strollers. It is insanely smooth – much better than any double stroller I’ve pushed. It takes very sharp turns because the swivel of the wheels is in back, you can do a sharp 90 degree.
HOWEVER and this is a big HOWEVER – because it navigates so differently from other strollers, there is a big learning curve. And while you’re learning, you might get a bit stuck a couple of times. Not STUCK-STUCK, just enough that you’ll be like “oops, shouldn’t have done it like that” and maneuver a bit.
But once I learned the tricks – such as when you need to turn, it’s a bit deeper into the corner than on regular strollers – it was so much easier, because it took those sharp turns better than a double stroller would.
That’s why you’ll see some people saying “it’s impossible” and some saying “it’s the best”.
Can you use the Gladly Family wagon on the beach?
This is where I need to highlight the difference between pushing and pulling with such a wagon. A large part of your advantage with a stroller wagon over a double stroller isn’t just the all-terrain feature, it’s the pull feature.
So it can go over loose sand, rocks, etc – as long as you switch to pulling! It took a bit to figure this out (and if you don’t realize that you just need to pull it it can be frustrating) but once you do – game changer!
The same goes for bumpy spaces that don’t have good paths. We took it through Lancaster farms, zoos, rocky paths, etc. And again – game changer to be able to have a stroller go through this, especially on trips that are hard for older toddlers and preschoolers to walk.
However, since you can’t tilt it up like you would a stroller, it’s not well-suited to city curbs.
How does the Gladly Family Anthem fit in the car?
We have a minivan, and while it can fold down enough to fit in the trunk, it’ll take the whole trunk. That makes it impractical for everyday use (considering we fill the car up for carpools).
We usually put down a seat or two from the back row when taking it on trips.
Does it replace a double stroller?
It depends! For a four year old it will, because in most quick scenarios they’ll walk, and for “bigger trips” we’re happy to make the extra effort to take the wagon.
I actually keep a stroller with a sit/stand bench in the car for quick shopping trips. For neighborhood walks, at first I used an umbrella double when I just wanted something quick and in the winter. Now, we use the Gladly Family stroller wagon exclusively as our double stroller that we keep in the house.
Keep in mind that for infants, you do need an infant seat adapter, so it’s bulkier. Once the kid outgrows that and can sit, it’s definitely similar in size to more full-sized double strollers.
My personal Gladly Family wagon review
We’ve been using this wagon for a few years now, and we find it to be a game-changer in some situations, and not so practical in others. The kids absolutely love it.
We use it mainly on walks to the local park, walking-intensive family outings (think: amusement parks, zoos, etc), and now that our preschooler is a little bigger, we use it when she needs a double stroller, such as longer family walks. On trips, we can almost live out of it, making it so convenient to have.
I’ve used it on exercise walks as well, as I found it easier to push than my double strollers. While it’s a bit bulky to be a real stand-in for a double stroller, and would definitely supplement that, it’s definitely enough to allow you to get a cheaper travel-friendly double stroller.
We use it mainly seasonally, storing it away for the winter, and leaving it in a corner of our living room, quite annoyingly, throughout Spring, Summer, and fall.
The wagon has a weird feature. When pushing, you have the back wheels swiveling instead of the front wheels. I do think that this helps the pull feature be really good, however, this does make for some wide turns on city streets.
I didn’t know if I should put this into the “pros” section or the “cons” because sometimes I love this feature and sometimes it’s a bit of a pain, but now on to my pros/cons breakdown.
Pros: What I love about it
There are so many situations where I can’t imagine being without the Anthem2 stroller wagon.
For example, last year, Baby J was a year old, not walking, and we liked to spend our Saturday afternoons at the local park. But he’d get antsy sitting in the stroller. We’d open the nap mat in the wagon and let him play in there. It worked amazingly.
He’s also a redhead, and sun-sensitive, so the huge canopies are a major deal.
And then let’s take the beach. You can actually wheel it there! And kids who need a break from the sun and play can really break in it.
I love that the kids love being in it.
I love the ample storage.
I find it so much easier to lug and access piles of water bottles on summer trips, snacks, and more. I hang things from the handle and it doesn’t tip (but it does impact pulling).
It’s SO easy and seamless to switch from push to pull, and I get through tight corners once I learned how to navigate the 90 degree turns. It is quite easy to fold. It comes with the basic accessories, making it an all-in-one for a fair price, much cheaper than a comparable quality double stroller would be.
Their infant seat adaptor is also really easy to use, and it’s universal, fitting many brands with one easy piece. I purchased this part myself and it was a game-changer, allowing me to use it with Baby J from the newborn stage.
Cons: What I don’t love
It’s huge. I really wish it would fit more easily in the car – and that I can handle it myself – and fold smaller. While it’s smooth enough to bump down my front steps (without kids inside), I wish I could just carry it down.
I’m not really sure if I should include that weird wheel setup as a con, as I found that it makes it easier to wheel around tight city corners, but I know that for some buyers it can be a downside. It does prevent you from really being able to “tilt it up” a curb, however, you can flip around and pull it up.
Overview and Summary of my Gladly Family Wagon Review
My outtakes
While the Gladly Family wagon didn’t fully replace a double stroller at the infant/toddler stage, it was much better than one in some circumstances. It also DID replace our double stroller at the toddler/preschool stage.
I have been using it regularly for multiple years, storing it open in the corner of my living room throughout the warmer weather. My kids love it, I enjoy using it mainly for outings, longer exercise walks but not quick “run to the neighbors” or shopping trips with kids. It’s a “lug everything” while out and about and a game-changer for family trips.
In addition to the Gladly Family wagon, I used a travel umbrella double stroller only for the quick run to the neighbor type walks, and used (and still do) an inexpensive regular stroller with a toddler sit/stand bench built in for shopping.
It IS the ideal solution for us for family outings where we do lots of walking, and for longer walks, such as day camp pickups all over the neighborhood.
I learned how to navigate with it after a walk or two, and when I need to switch to pulling from pushing, mainly in bumpier/rougher ground. Usually it’s easy, but when city sidewalks are very cracked, I sometimes need to manipulate a bit.
Who it’s best for
The most important part of this Gladly Family wagon review: is this really the right choice for you.
I think that for families who need a real double stroller solution for very short term or in very specific circumstances like larger family trips, it’s perfect. It’s perfect for amusement parks, the zoo, beaches, longer/larger park trips, corn mazes, apple picking… I mean, it made the whole trip more pleasant for the family. So if you do a lot of this, you’ll swear by it.
If you have a larger family that might need it too – specifically multiple kids at the preschool and toddler stage, it’s fabulous, especially if you need a four seater (which, by the way, will be slightly larger and heavier than the two seater that I’m reviewing).
If you just want it instead of a double stroller, it’s probably not for you.
If you have an attached garage that you can just wheel it out of, it will actually be a much better choice for you (I need to carry it up and down steps each time).
In a nutshell: the Gladly Family anthem wagons are fabulous, more affordable than some competitors, and really durable. They are a great solution for an on-the-go lifestyle but won’t fully replace a double stroller for the infant stage, especially for city families.
Did you find this Gladly Family wagon review helpful? Got any questions to add or feedback of your own? Comment below!
