Wonderfold W1 Original Stroller Wagon Review

Wonderfold W1 Original

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How it Compares

The Wonderfold W1 Original has the fewest features of the W series wagons, with no seats, cupholders, snack trays and limited storage.

Its advantage is that it is light, folds very easily and typically sells for less than other popular 2-passenger wagons.

It is a box-style wagon, flat on the inside with no footwell. It’s great for playing in and napping in.

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

Most Common Complaints

In the table below we list the most common complaints and criticisms about the W1, and then respond with our own observations.

Criticism	Our Experience
Front wheels come off during use	We haven’t experienced any loose or damaged parts that would cause the wheel to come off
Small inside	It is smaller than the Jeep, Keenz 7S and Radio Flyer Discovery, but larger than the Baby Trend, Evenflo, and Ever Advanced.
Limited storage or cupholders	One big downside to this wagon is it doesn’t have much storage or cupholders
Bump the brake with feet while walking	Our feet bump the brake often while pushing this wagon and it is annoying. The same thing happens with the W4 Elite.
Too big when folded	It is 9.5 cubic ft folded which is bigger than most w-seat wagons. See the table below to compare.
Tubing frame comes loose	We haven’t seen any problems with the frame.
Stitching coming loose	We have had no problems with the fabric
Not all-terrain, can’t go on sand	Agreed. The wheels aren’t wide enough to go on sand without really pulling hard. This is true of almost every wagon except those with wide wheels made especially for sand.
Challenging to fold	This wagon is less difficult to fold than many we’ve tested.
Uncomfortable straps	We found the straps to be pretty average and not any more uncomfortable than others. There are pads on the shoulder straps.
Threads on canopy seams coming out	Not for us.

Testing and Research

We compared the specs and reviews of all of the stroller wagons on the market, and chose the highest quality and highest rated wagons to purchase and test.

We ran all the wagons through the same battery of 65 tests and measurements, and continually cycle through them, using them and performing additional tests.

The most important criteria for parents and kids fall into five categories which we cover below, showing you how the W1 Original performed compared to other wagons in each category.

Folding and Transport

Although the Wonderfold W1 isn’t the lightest weight or smallest wagon we tested, it performed well in Folding and Transport:

Folding

It takes about 30 seconds to fold the W1 including taking off and stowing the canopy. Without the canopy, it takes only 11 seconds to fold.

The canopy posts have to be lined up in the fabric holes, and it takes some talent to get them to go in correctly on the first try.

Fold times:

Unfolding takes about 25 seconds with the canopy and 10 seconds without it.

Folded Size in Cubic Feet

All of the Wonderfold W series of wagons take up quite a bit of space when folded. Although the W1 is smaller than the others, it is still bigger folded than most 2-passenger wagons.

The Baby Trend Expedition and Jeep Wrangler wagons are bigger than the W1 when folded.

Folded sizes in cubic feet:

We were able to get it into this Civic trunk, but as you can see, it doesn’t leave a lot of additional space.

Weight

The W1 is in the middle of the pack in terms of weight. The combination of the weight and size when folded makes it a bit difficult to handle, but not nearly as bad as the Keenz 7S, Jeep or W4.

Kid Comfort and Usability

Next we look at features and accessories that matter to kids. The Wonderfold W1 Wagon is bare bones and missing some things that would help it to score well in Kid comfort and usability:

Seats

The wagon base and sides are the seats. Kids sit on the floor with feet stretched out front. This isn’t as comfortable as some wagons like the Evenflo and Graco that have shaped seats and a footwell.

However, if you are going to use the wagon primarily for a place where kids can move around and play in, the lack of official seats isn’t as big of an issue.

The 5-point harness mechanism isn’t easy to work, but it gets faster with practice.

There are shoulder pads on the harness but no crotch padding. The straps adjust fairly easily.

Snack Tray and Kid Storage

The glaring omission is a lack of a snack tray and cupholders for kids. There are also no internal pockets or storage bins for kid toys or snacks.

The Inside

The W1 measures 31″ L 17″ W 12″ H on the inside. It has more floor space than the Baby Trend, Evenflo, Ever Advanced, and Graco, and less than the Keenz 7S, Jeep, Veer and Radio Flyer.

Getting In and Out

The W2 and W4 series have a zippered kid entrance, so kids can crawl in on their own. The W1 doesn’t have that.

Bigger kids can step on the frame and climb over the sides. Smaller tykes need to be lifted. Fortunately, the canopy can be moved so that it doesn’t interfere with putting kids in.

Play and Napping

A lot of parents use this wagon in parks and at sporting events where one child is playing outside and the other is napping or amusing themselves in the wagon.

It is kind of like a mobile pack ‘n play.

Canopy

Wonderfold canopies like the one on the W1 Original have some nice benefits. It is easy to slide the canopy fabric to one side or the other.

Usually, between being able to slide the canopy fabric, and being able to move the wagon, you can effectively block the sun even though the canopy doesn’t have 100% coverage like some wagons.

The disadvantage of the Wonderfold canopy is having to release the 4 posts one at a time and then direct them into the sheath that stores the canopy.

It just takes a little bit of time.

Part and Material Quality

The Wonderfold W1 Original is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to part and material quality. Here are the scores:

It scored lower in our evaluation than other wagons, but we don’t consider it a low-quality wagon overall.

Some customers have complained about wheels coming off and stitching separating. We haven’t experienced those things.

The zippers, velcro and moving parts operate well for us.

Handle and Folding Mechanism

The most important operational parts on a wagon are the main push-handle and the folding mechanism. Both the handle and the frame folding joints and clasp are solid.

Wheels

The wheels on this wagon are smaller than those on many wagons by comparison. The rear wheels are 9″ in diameter and 2″ wide, compared to most wagons where the rear wheels are 10 to 12 inches in diameter.

The front wheels are also on the small side at 7.6″ in diameter and 1.5″ in width. The smaller wheels on the front and back make it harder to push on the grass and bumpy surfaces.

The front wheels do have an internal spring suspension.

Parent Comfort and Usability

To measure how well the Wonderfold W1 serves parents we tested the handle, storage, cleaning, brake operation and compared accessories. Here are the scores in the Parent Comfort and Usability category:

Handles

This handle adjusts in height from 25″ to 38″. That is a wide range but 38″ is on the low side and may not accommodate taller parents well.

It comes with a removable cover to protest the foam. The handle is comfortable.

It adjusts and folds down with the push of two buttons, one on each side. Handles with a single button are easier to use, but these work fine.

Most stroller wagons have a “pull” handle in addition to the push handle. The W1 does not have a pull-handle but it does have a strap. You wouldn’t want to use the strap for long distances.

Storage Volume Ranking

Storage is quite limited. There is a single, wide pocket across the back that doesn’t hold much.

And in the front there are two small compartments with flaps. That’s it. Many parents by an add-on parent console that hangs across the handle.

Cleaning

The material is water resistant and cleans well.

Crumbs can get in the seams on the floor of the wagon but they can’t hide and crumb removal is easy:

Brake Operation

We tested engaging and releasing the brake. We also performed a runaway wagon test where the wagon was loaded, let loose down a hill and then we tried to stop it with the brake pedal alone.

The brake didn’t always engage. Sometimes we had to press the pedal multiple times. When it did engage its stopping action wasn’t immediate.

Steering and Maneuverability

The W1 is average when it comes to steering and maneuverability. We loaded it up with 80 pounds of dog food and pushed it on sidewalks, grass, bumpy trails and on hills to see how it compared to other wagons.

Steering and maneuverability ratings:

Pushing and Turning

You might not notice the difference in day to day use, but the W1 generally took more force to get rolling and more sustained force to keep rolling than about half the wagons we tested.

It was also ranked in the middle when we tested how difficult it was to make a full 90 degree turn from a dead stop with the wagon fully loaded.

Terrain Performance

We tried out the Wonderfold W1 wagon on several different surfaces and terrains. If you stick to sidewalks, even bumpy sidewalks, and flat grassy areas, you’ll be fine with this wagon.

Grass: The Wonderfold W1 pushed through the grass reasonably well. Occasionally a front wheel would dip down into a hole and the wagon would have to be redirected to move on.

Turning on the grass isn’t difficult, especially when making gradual turns.

Hills: On smooth, grassy hills the wagon behaved like most other wagons.

Bumps: The Wonderfold W1 got stuck on bigger bumps, 1.5″ and above, but went over anything less fairly easily. We don’t recommend this wagon for the beach or anything off-road other than grass. Bump ratings:

The relatively small rear and front wheels are smaller than those on other typical wagons, and certainly not all-terrain.

Staying Straight

This wagon does a good job of staying straight when pushing on a flat surface. It veered less than most wagons.

Straight push test results:

Steering

The overall maneuverability score is in the middle for the Wonderfold W1. Maneuverability Ratings:

Wonderfold W1 Original Advanced Wagon vs Keenz 7S

The W1 and Keenz 7S are both traditionally shaped push and pull wagons. The Keenz is much higher priced and equipped with more storage and accessories.

The Keenz includes multiple storage compartments, featuring a large bin mounted on the front. It also comes with an insulated cooler bag.

Neither wagon is stellar in the steering and pushing category, but both are very adequate.

The W1 is much easier to fold and stow than the Keenz which has a more complicated canopy design, and is awkward and bulky when it comes to folding and lifting.

Neither wagon provides separate seats; children sit on the floor with their backs up against the sides of the wagon.

See our full review of the Keenz 7S here.

Advantages of the W1 Original over the Keenz 7S:

• Much less expensive
• Easier to fold and handle

Advantages of the Keenz 7S over the Wonderfold W1 Original:

• Much more storage
• Parent cupholder
• Insulated cooler bag
• Higher quality

Wonderfold W1 Original vs Wonderfold W4 Elite

We realize we are comparing the 4-passenger W4 Elite to the 2-passenger W1 Original, but aside from the number of seats we wanted to highlight some of the similarities and differences in performance.

The fact that the W4 has mounted seats, and its additional size, weight and bulk, make it more difficult to fold, unfold, push, turn and store in a vehicle. The extra features and accessories both add to and take away from its functionality.

The W1 is much easier to fold, unfold and manage.

The zippered “kid entrance” on the W2’s and W4’s is a nice touch and kids love it!

The seats on the W4 are certainly more comfortable. Being able to recline them also makes it more probable that a child will be able to nap. However, the seats get in the way when kids are just trying to “play” in the wagon.

The W4 Elite has much more storage area than the W1 which is always a must-have for outings.

Incidentally, both wagons suffer from the problem of bumping your feet into the brake pedal or axel when pushing for many parents.

See our full review of the Wonderfold W4 Elite.

Advantages of the W1 over the W4:

• 17 pounds lighter!
• Easier to push and steer
• Much less expensive
• Easier to fold and load in a car
• No seats to interfere with play
• Smaller folded size

Advantages of the W4 Elite over the W1 Original:

• Much more storage space
• More comfortable seats with footwell
• Reclinable and removable seats
• Secret kid entrance