Ever Advanced Foldable Wagon Stroller Review

Ever Advanced

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How it Compares

The Ever Advanced wagon is shaped like a wagon with a boxy interior where kids sit on the floor of the wagon with their backs straight up against the side. This is the same configuration as the popular Keenz 7S and Jeep Wrangler wagons.

This format has a nice flat bottom surface for napping on and playing in.

Other popular stroller wagons like the Graco Modes Adventure, Evenflo Pivot Xplore and Veer Cruiser, have cockpit-style seats with a footwell. They work well for sitting in, but not so well for napping in or playing on.

The Ever Advanced is priced at the low end of popular 2-passenger wagons.

This wagon comes with a snack tray and canopy but no car seat adapter is included or available.

Most Common Complaints

The Ever Advanced is generally very well reviewed, but we read all of the critical reviews to compare the problems with our own experience with the wagon. We experienced many of the issues we found in negative reviews, though not all of them.

Criticism	Our Experience
Handlebar falls down when walking	This happened once to us shortly after receiving the wagon, but didn’t happen again.
Difficult for kids to climb in on their own	Agreed. There is no kid “entrance” and the sides are high at 14″ above the wagon floor.
Pull handle broken or weak	We haven’t seen any problems with the pull-handle
Push handle wiggles when locked	Agreed. The push handle wiggles when it should be fixed and makes a sound inside the joint that makes it sound like something is catching.
Rear brake difficult to engage	Agreed, sometimes have to press several times.
Front wheel locks jam	Ours are tight and hard to move but haven’t jammed
Stitching on bag separating	We haven’t seen any weakness in stitching
Can’t find manufacturer to contacted	We wrote to the email address listed on the registration card. We received no response.
Brakes locked themselves while walking	Haven’t seen this happen
Push handle stuck in one position	This happened to us and we couldn’t figure out how to fix it. We ended up returning the wagon. The replacement has quality issues with the handle but we haven’t had to return it.
Push handle rubber cracked on arrival	Our push handle rubber was in good shape.
Canopy is awkward to use	Yes, very awkward to open and close. The posts also don’t always stay in their holes.

Kid Travel’s Ever Advanced Wagon Video Review

Testing and Research

We surveyed all the popular wagons on the market and selected the highest-rated wagons to purchase and run through our set of 65 tests and measurements.

We conducted these tests over a several-month period and continue to use the wagons in real-life situations.

After analyzing all the benefits and problem areas of stroller wagons, we chose 5 categories for testing. These include things that are important to both parents and kids, as well as important operations like folding, steering, terrain performance and more.

Folding and Transport

The Ever Advanced is one of the smaller wagons when folded, and folds fast without the canopy. Folding and Transport ratings:

Folding

Fold time without the canopy is fantastic at around 10 seconds. Unfortunately, the canopy is so difficult to manage that it adds 40 to 60 seconds to the fold time.

Folding without the canopy consists of removing the snack tray, lowering the handle and pulling up in the middle until the wagon collapses and the latch connects. Fast and easy.

With the canopy however, each canopy post must be removed from its hole, the plastic posts fold inward, and the fabric has to be adjusted to allow the posts to fold correctly. Then the canopy gets stuck in an unzipped compartment on the front of the wagon.

This process takes some time and is awkward.

The snack tray can be attached to the main push handle to give you someplace to put it when the wagon is folded.

Fold times:

Unfolding without the canopy is also very fast at around 10 seconds. Putting the canopy back together and attaching it can take an additional 40 or 50 seconds.

Folded Size in Cubic Feet

As you can see in the image above, the Ever Advanced stands when folded and is smaller than many of its competitors at only 8.1 cubic ft.

Folded sizes in cubic feet:

It fits fine in the trunk of a Honda Civic and easily in the back of a minivan.

Weight

It is also among the lighter wagons which makes it easier to manage than some monsters like the Jeep Wrangler and Wonderfold W4 Elite.

Kid Comfort and Usability

Looking at things from a kid perspective we evaluated the Ever Advanced Wagon on seat comfort, a place to play or nap, the snack tray and cupholders and several other criteria important to kids. Here is how the wagon performed in Kid comfort and usability:

Seats

Strapped-in kids sit with their backs straight and feet out in front of them. This isn’t the most comfortable position for long periods of time.

With no footwell, the floor surface of the wagon can get dirty from dusty or muddy feet.

The bottom of the wagon is relatively soft and padded. The harness straps are soft and there are shoulder and crotch pads as well.

The 5-point harness is challenging to operate. You have to clip the upper and lower pieces together before inserting into the buckle and there is definitely a learning curve!

The straps are quite easy to extend compared to many that take forever.

There is no car seat adapter included or available for purchase that we are aware of.

The manufacturer says this wagon is ideal for ages 2 to 7. In our experience, the 5-point harness works fine on younger children. They should be fine as long as they are developed enough to sit up straight and keep their heads up.

On the other end of the spectrum, most 7-year-old kids would probably be too big for this wagon.

Snack Tray and Storage

The snack tray is very large with deep cupholders. Because the sides of the wagon are 14 inches from bottom to top, the snack tray ends up being eye or chin level for smaller kids.

It has to be removed when you fold the wagon, unlike the Baby Trend and Evenflo wagons.

We found the snack tray to be unnecessarily wide, making it more awkward to get kids in and out, and taking up play space.

The Inside

The inside measurements of the wagon are 30.5″ L 16.5″ W 14″ H. on the inside. That is not quite as long or wide as the Jeep or Keenz 7S but slightly wider than the Evenflo and Baby Trend.

Getting In and Out

The high sides and frame configuration make this wagon difficult for kids to climb in on their own. Some people have complained that it is hard to maneuver children in with the canopy on. That’s definitely true of the Keenz 7S, but the Ever Adavanced has a higher canopy height.

Play and Napping

This wagon can be used as a glorified playpen on wheels. The flat inner surface can be used for naps and children like to move around in the wagon–even when they shouldn’t.

This is one case when it is good not to have a footwell!

Canopy

The canopy is one of the worst designs that we have encountered in our testing.

The plastic canopy frame and posts fold like a complicated tent. You have to slide the posts through pre-made fabric loops and it is a nuisance to keep it all straight.

When the canopy is up, it does a decent job depending on the direction of the sun. But it isn’t adjustable to block the sun from different directions.

The canopy posts fit into little holes designated with a white dot on each corner of the wagon. However, they often pop out under pressure. And sometimes pushing the red button doesn’t release them as designed.

Our final and perhaps most important complaint about the canopy is that it adds almost a minute of time to the folding and unfolding process. If you don’t need the canopy, folding is incredibly fast.

The canopy slides into a zippered pocket behind the storage area in the front of the wagon. Note that you have to unzip the zippers on both sides and it sticks out on both sides. You also have to pull the pull-handle out a bit to get the canopy to slide in.

Part and Material Quality

The Ever Advanced Foldable Wagon isn’t the best performer when it comes to part and material quality. Here are the scores:

As we’ve noted above, we had to return one wagon because the push-handle got stuck in a down position and we were unable to raise it. The replacement wagon’s handle is unstable and makes some sounds that indicate it won’t last long.

Many customers complained about push-handles being cracked on arrival.

We had no problem with zippers and velcro on the wagon.

The canopy post holders were inconsistent in keeping the posts in place.

Wheels

The rear wheels are 12″ in diameter and 2.5″ wide which is wider than any other wheel we’ve tested. Generally, bigger is better for going over rough terrain. However, the front wheels are about the same size as other wagons, somewhat negating the benefit of the larger rear wheels.

The wheel material is EVA foam (not confirmed by the manufacturer), which is typical of most wagons.

The front wheels have both independent brakes, and wheel locks to keep the front wheels pointed straight. They work, but both the brake and wheel locks are stiff and difficult to engage and disengage.

There are springs in the front wheel assemblies to provide a smoother ride.

Parent Comfort and Usability

We tested and compared storage, cleaning, brake operation, cleaning and accessories to evaluate how well the Ever Advanced wagon makes parents happy. Here are the scores in the Parent Comfort and Usability category:

Getting Started

Unboxing and assembling the Ever Advanced took 12 minutes. The manual is clear. Aside from figuring out how to get the canopy to work and where to store it, this wagon is low stress.

Customer Service

We sent an email to a customer service email address that we found in the included registration card and received a response a day and a half later. This is a longer response time than what we experienced with most other wagon manufacturers.

Handles

The handle is adjustable to in a broad range from 28.5 inches to 42.5 inches, which accommodates practically everyone. The single button makes it easier to adjust than other wagons that require you to push two buttons simultaneously.

The push handle has a rubbery foam that got scarred and cracked fairly easily.

The push handle joint, where it bends, is shaky. It sometimes makes a clicking sound inside and moves when it should be fixed.

The snack tray can be mounted on the push handle, which is useful when the wagon is parked because it frees up room in the main wagon cabin.

The pull-handle is convenient and stays stowed in a retracted position on the front of the wagon. It snaps out and extends easily. It also stays out without falling down like the pull handles of some other wagons.

Some customers have complained about the pull-handle cracking or pinching them. We haven’t had any problems with it.

Storage Volume Ranking

There is a zippered storage pocket in the back with some smaller pockets on the outside. It is easy to reach from push position.

In the front there are two additional storage compartments. One is a fabric cupholder shape and the other is a pocket with a fabric velcro flap.

Overall the wagon has less storage space than most of the popular stroller wagons, though more than the Graco Adventure.

Cleaning

The Ever Advance has sturdy fabric that cleans up adequately.

There is no place for crumbs to hide in the main wagon area so it gets a good score for crumb removal:

Brake Operation

There is a single rear brake pedal that affects both rear wheels at the same time. Unfortunately, you can’t see the brake pedal from the pushing position, so it is difficult to find and press.

The pedal action is quite stiff both for engaging and disengaging. In our runaway-wagon test we had a hard time pressing the pedal on the move. Then when we did engage the brake, the wagon kept skidding down the hill.

The pedal is hard on bare and sandaled feet.

Steering and Maneuverability

To get an apples-to-apples comparison of steering and terrain performance, we loaded all the wagons up with 80 lbs of dog food to perform all of our tests.

Steering and maneuverability ratings:

Pushing and Turning

Some wagons push easier than others. It is unclear why, but the Ever Advanced took more force to push and turn than other wagons.

To get an idea of how hard it is to turn a loaded down wagon, we measured the force to make a 90 degree turn from a dead stop.

Terrain Performance

The Ever Advanced wagon had average scores in our terrain testing. Keep in mind that for normal street and sidewalk strolling, the wagon performs fine. It’s only when you get off-road that it won’t keep up with wagons like the Evenflo Xplore and Veer Cruiser.

Grass: We didn’t have any problem pushing the Ever Advanced through the kind of grass you find in parks and on sports fields. Turning isn’t the easiest but nothing to be concerned about.

Hills: We pushed it up grassy hills several times fully loaded. It wasn’t easy but on par with other average wagons.

Bumps: The Ever Advanced went over smaller, one inch bumps relatively easily and had a hard time at the 2 inch level. For trails with tree roots and rocks, pulling the wagon from the front works pretty well because you can lift the front over obstacles, and the rear wheels do bumps well. Bump ratings:

The front wheels are slightly larger than most at 8.5″ in diameter and not as wide as most at 1.6″ in width. The front-wheel suspension has quite a bit of give, to the extent that wheels can bend sideways a bit.

The mount for the front wheels is almost over the edge of the wheel (as opposed to over the middle), and it seems like in some turning situations you are fighting against the wheels.

The rear wheels are 10″ in diameter and 2″ wide. This is not quite as large as some of the wagons we tested. See the size comparison with the Baby Trend Expedition below:

Staying Straight

We had mixed results determining whether this wagon would stay straight or veer when pushing. In some of our tests, it went straight for a long time. In others, it veered quickly in one direction or another.

Straight push test results:

Steering

The overall maneuverability rating is in the middle for the Ever Advanced. Maneuverability Ratings:

Ever Advanced Wagon vs Baby Trend 2-in-1 Expedition

These two wagons have a similar typical sales price. The Baby Trend edged out the Ever Advanced in our testing in several areas.

The Baby Trend comes with foam for seat-risers that is convertible to a nap mat. It also includes a car seat adapter in the base package.

The Ever Advanced folds down smaller and is lighter weight than the Baby Trend. They are equally easy to fold (without the Ever Advanced canopy), but the Baby Trend is big and bulky when folded.

The Expedition’s extra storage space is a big plus, and the canopy operation is much better than the Ever Advanced.

See our full review of the Baby Trend Expedition.

Advantages of the Ever Advanced over the Expedition:

• Smaller folded size
• 9 lbs lighter
• 5-point harness

Advantages of the Baby Trend Expedition over the Ever Advanced wagon:

• More storage
• Included car seat adapter
• Parent cupholders
• Sturdy handle
• Higher quality

Ever Advanced Wagon vs Evenflo Pivot Xplore

The Xplore and Ever Advanced have different shapes and uses. The Xplore has a footwell and cockpit seats akin to a stroller.

The Ever Advanced is a box on wheels that is easier to nap in and play in.

The Xplore is our second highest-rated wagon. It has excellent maneuverability, fold and transportability, excellent quality and convenient storage.

The Xplore is typically sold at a slightly higher average price than the Ever Advanced wagon. It is a good alternative to a double-stroller, whereas the Ever Advanced is much more of a wagon than a stroller.

See our full review of the Evenflo Pivot Xplore stroller wagon.

Advantages of the Ever Advanced over the Evenflo Xplore:

• Flat inner surface for napping
• Higher canopy accommodates older children
• 5-point harnesses
• 1 lb lighter
• Slightly smaller folded size

Advantages of the Xplore over the Ever Advanced:

• More storage space
• Better maneuverability and terrain performance
• More comfortable seats
• Canopy operation
• Design and part quality
• Durable handle

Ever Advanced Wagon vs Radio Flyer Discovery

The Radio Flyer Discovery Stroll ‘N Wagon is less than half the price of the Ever Advanced wagon. The Discovery won our Budget Choice recommendation.

Both wagons have a box-shaped format and are good for napping and play. The Discovery has one seat that reclines for better sitting comfort and napping while seated.

The Discovery also has a zip-down side that makes it into a bench seat. This also allows kids to climb in the side by themselves.

The Ever Advanced has a higher canopy height so that taller kids can fit under it.

The Radio Flyer is the lightest and folds the smallest of all wagons in our testing.

Steering and maneuverability between the two wagons is comparable.

See our full review of the Radio Flyer Discover.

Advantages of the Ever Advanced over the Discovery:

• Higher canopy
• Snack tray included
• Thicker fabric
• Wider wheels in the rear
• Front brakes and wheel locks

Advantages of the Radio Flyer Discover Stroll ‘N Wagon over the Ever Advanced:

• Smaller folded size
• Lighter weight
• Zip down side
• One reclining seat
• Much lower cost
• Canopy easy to operate
• No handle issues