Monday

Wonderfold Wagon W4 Hacks


Have you heard of or considered buying a Wonderfold Wagon?

Let me first start by saying I am not affiliated with Wonderfold in any way nor am I paid to endorse them.  I simply just love this product!

The Wonderfold Wagon W4 is the best stroller I have ever owned!  I have owned just about every type of stroller out there.  From the cheap umbrella stroller to VERY expensive strollers (Bugaboo Donkey Twin Stroller).  Right before getting the Wonderfold W4 I was using a Baby Jogger City Select Double Stroller.  I thought I had found the best stroller ever until I bought the W4.  This blows the City Select out of the water by far!

I'm not going to repeat information you can get on their website, like the dimensions or how many children each model can hold or weight limits.  This post is all about how I use the Wonderfold W4, the accessories that I purchased and the hacks that have made it the best stroller I have ever owned; and I am confident it will be the last stroller I ever own.


Accessories I have purchased:
 
Liners

My first recommendation for someone who buys a WF is that you invest in a liner.  These will protect your WF so that your children don't get it incredibly dirty. If you are going to pay this much money for a stroller you want to protect that investment and get the liners so that it lasts and stays looking nice.  

I bought my liners from Connie Colten.  Her business page is linked here.  She makes great liners and you get to pick from hundreds of patterns (I don't personally know her and I am not being paid to endorse her).  What I like about her fabric is that she gets it from JoAnn Fabrics and I was able to purchase more of the same print and make my own matching blankets, boppy pillow cover and canopy.  I can sew straight lines and simple patterns but there is no way I could have sewn the liners so I purchased them from her.  Her liners are also AFFORDABLE!  I paid $99 for both seat covers and the bottom liner.  Regardless if you buy from her or someone else make sure you invest in the liners first before buying any other accessory.

Pictures Below:  The seat cover and bottom liner were purchased.  I made the boppy pillow cover, blankets and canopy with matching fabric.




Cargo Nets

I bought cargo nets for the sides and bottom of the WF.  These get used every single time I use the WF.  I initially bought a pack of 2-15x15 cargo nets for the side but after a few weeks I wanted to repurchase the same ones and they were not available anymore so I purchased these.  The original ones I purchased were better but there is no link to them anymore.  The original ones I bought that I liked were sold by Petsvv Direct so maybe if you check they might have them on Amazon but as of writing this post there is no link for them.

The new ones hold more because they are a bit bigger so they stretch out a little more but they had a chemically smell the first few weeks because I did not wash them first so be sure to wash them before putting them on your WF.

Picture Below:  Original cargo net I purchased is on the left and the one I have a link for is on the right.



I also purchased this larger cargo net for underneath the WF so I could store things under there. Mostly I store one of the seats under it when my daughter wants to lay down.  

Picture Below:  Storing the seat under the WF in the larger cargo net.



I did not attach the cargo nets to the WF with the hooks they came with.  I used these zip ties to attach the cargo nets.  Keep the hooks from the larger cargo net because they are perfect for putting around the side to hang bags.  

Pictures Below:  Hooks from cargo nets put on the side of the WF to hang bags while at the mall.  Cargo nets in first picture are holding my coat and my toddler's coat in one cargo net.



Parent Console

Every parent seems to like their own particular parent console but I actually use 2.  I bought this one from Wonderfold.  I also bought this one.
There are 6 of us so the 4 cup holders are not enough.  Also the second one I bought has a mesh bag that I flip over the back of the wagon and it holds an iPad so the kids can watch a show if they want.  I also bought these cup holders.  I only use one on the handlebar.  I use the other one in my house on the bassinet to hold my infant's bottle.

Pictures Below:  Parent consoles I use.




Fans
I purchased these fans to clip onto the WF to help keep the kiddos cool when it's hot.

Picture Below: Our infant was sleeping while we were at an indoor water park.  It was hot and stuffy so the fans helped a lot.


Hooks

I bought these hooks.  I use one on the front to hold the diaper bag.  The other one I use on the handlebar to hold bags while shopping.

Pictures Below:  Hooks on the front for diaper bag and hooks on handle bar.

 
Bath Rug

I use this bath rug for the bottom of the WF.  I put it in my liner so that the bottom is softer when my kiddos lay down.  It came with 2 matts and I still haven't used the second one yet because I always have the liner on so it doesn't get dirty.


Totes Baby

I only used this a handful of times because I don't take my newborns out for at least 2 months after being born and by then they can be put on the bottom of the WF with a boppy pillow.  I did use the Totes Baby anytime my infant was asleep in the car seat and I didn't want to wake her taking her out and putting her in the wagon.  I never got a picture of using it so if you happen to have one please feel free to post it in the comments section below!
 
Wipes Holder

I purchased this baby wipes holder.  It was great until one time I was folding the WF up to put it in my car and the silicone strap got caught and completely ripped.  I haven't purchased another since it broke because I just didn't use it that often.  Be sure to place it somewhere that it won't get pinched when folding the WF up. 

Picture Below:  The wipes holder before it broke.
 
 
Tablet Holder
Sometimes we use this tablet holder for my toddler if she is the only one in the WF.  I mostly use the one on my parent console when out and about but when we use the WF as a pack and play we bring this tablet holder to use in hotels.

Picture Below:  Toddler napping in the WF while watching Veggie Tales.


Snack Cup Holder

My toddler uses this snack holder and cup holder.  We use it every time we use the WF.

Name Vinyl

I purchased the vinyl decals below from a woman in one of the Facebook groups I'm in.  They are awesome!  They personalize the WF while also hopefully preventing anyone from trying to take it.  

Picture Below: Vinyl with my last name to personalize the wagon.
 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Rzmw0PavRmVUF8TCId5vV5MACQTuxgLm

  https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1zKwt4hpPV7Br6H5fkx13kdZZyyp-7tHP
 
Extended Handlebar

When I first purchased my W4 there was no extended handlebar.  When WF released the extended handlebar I purchased it right away.  It is a must have for myself and my husband.  I am 5'9 and my husband if 6'1.  This is the extended handlebar.
I ended up making the extended handlebar even longer. See that post on how I did it here

Picture Below:  My DIY extended handlebar.
 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=13446QjcQqahBkyqSHsDc4fiRtOY-Uku0

Pull Handle
I decided to use the original handlebar as a pull handlebar.  See how to do that here.

Picture Below:  Pull Handlebar added to the other side.


Seat Recline
I love how the seats can be faced in or out.  It makes so many seat combinations.  I especially used the seat recline where you face the seat outwards and use this strap to recline it how much you want it reclined.  You also have to flip the front clip upside down when you clip it to the frame.

Pictures Below:  Baby in seat recline,
 
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jjLM5GdZIkEINkwviYpdtA3mFqta54SZhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1RKd6PpaffwxSjVx0gJW0doFFjCgWBJ0whttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1chA0tgb0J4T0O670VnicuFchND-XGWyv

Zip Tied Harness
I like that there is a harness however it always takes me awhile to put them on so I used zip ties to hold the two piece on each side together so I’m not poking around looking for both pieces. 

Pictures Below: Zip tied harness pieces together. 
 

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1axNt-7z5EKflkiPerU8zJJDc41EzZ5SKhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1sOrw3fMoNOJypookQIU0p6AliK-o9K7Mhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1RyJbEzA3JuCkdxqKD1YoE_gQ23xC---m

Snack Tray

WF offers this snack tray.  It is great!  I would definitely recommend it.

Storage Cover

There was a time when WF was offering a free accessory if you posted a few reviews for their wagon so I did the reviews and chose a storage cover.  I use the storage cover anytime I put the WF in the shed.  It works great.  I wouldn't use it at an airport to gate check the WF but it serves it's purpose for what I need.

Canopy

There is nothing wrong with the canopy that comes with the WF however I wanted a canopy that covered the wagon.  You can purchase another canopy from WF but I decided to sew my own.  I have little sewing skills but it turned out decent.  I sewed one to match my liner and another to use at a few Comic Cons that we plan to go to this year.

The first one I made with the feather fabric is the one I use the most however it annoys me that the feathers are upside down on one side. When I made the Star Wars one I put a seam down the middle so the pattern wasn't upside down on one side.

Pictures Below:  First canopy that matches my liner.  Second canopy that is Star Wars themed and has a seam down the middle so pattern isn't upside down on one side.

 




Umbrella
I purchased this umbrella.  I have used it every time we take the WF on a picnic and I attach it to the side of the WF and use it to shade the picnic blanket. 

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1K3Z5P5gg5A0Zl82aD1gVQZF-Wgwfb2qc

Coolers
I purchased two types of coolers to use depending on the circumstances. The first one is a small cooler that fits under the seat. The other cooler is bigger and can either hang from the front or back of the WF or can even fit inside it. 
 
Large Tote
I loved hanging my large Thirty-one bag from the front of the wagon but it just didn’t have any support inside the bag so it was kind of floppy and stuff would fall out (first picture) so I purchased this tote (second and third picture). It has a metal frame so it holds it’s shape. I hang it using the hooks that came with the cargo net I hung under the wagon. 

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1P-EG1JcNiM7wFWeikp1V7I1LhJcMJYp0https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=11vP5n8b5y-Fk2M4AqH1E-JuBQfZUJpoihttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1CWgktoOEx6X68EVoHsVHdLFikSrbkEV-

Safety Wrist Link
If my older child who uses the wagon wants to walk I always have her wear this wrist link. 

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=17rPuA1t7W_9ewd9yXihhdcsnDcE2uK7p


If you have any questions or hacks you want to share be sure to comment below!
 
 


22 comments:

  1. Hello!

    We just bought a W4 Wonderfold as we are expecting baby #4 in April! It's the best! I LOVE your hanks/tips!

    For the extended handle bar hack can that be done with the original handle bar? We have the regular bar but we're both 6ft tall and not a fan of it but we also can't afford the extended at the moment either! I'd love to do this hack but want to make sure it would work before I cut the handle bar!

    Also for the canopy cover did you have a template you used or did you just measure it all? I'm decent at making things with my sewing machine and would much rather make one myself then purchase one. It seems pretty straight forward and easy, I just plan to get some thicker material or double up fabric as we live in Wisconsin so cold weather is an issue. I would've bought the all weather cover during their black friday sale but it's out of stock until February which is basically the end of winter. 😔😔

    Thanks!
    Auburn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can absolutely do the handlebar hack on the original handlebar! I wish I had done the hack on the original instead of buying the extended handlebar. I did end up drilling holes on the other side of the frame and installing the original handlebar on the other side so I can pull it sometimes, rather than always push it.

      For the canopy cover I just put the fabric on the bars, cut off the excess fabric and used sewing pins to mark my seams. I did not actually do any measuring for it. I'm not vey experienced at sewing so if I can do it I would imagine most people can.

      Delete
  2. Can you please show me more of how you reclined the seats? I am more of a visual person and would like to see how it's done. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:59 AM

      When you are putting the seat in the two hooks on either side that go over the frame closest to you get put on under the frame, not over. So take those two hooks upside down and push them up onto the frame, while the back two hooks get pushed down onto the frame. I hope that helps!

      Delete
    2. I also don't really understand how you reclined the seat and what you used the extra buckles, strap for even with your additional explanation but I am very intrigued!

      Delete
  3. What about sun beaming in from the front? Do you have any hacks for this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:04 PM

      I have a w4, and the original canopy that comes with it. I bought some cheap 3$ chip clips, and I take a breathable swaddle blanket and use the chip clips to attach it on the end. Or wherever I need better sun coverage.

      Delete
  4. What about sun beaming in from the front? Do you have any hacks for this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:55 AM

      Check out my post on how to make a 4 sided canopy.

      http://thesmartmomma.blogspot.com/2021/01/diy-4-sided-canopy-for-wonderfold-wagon.html

      Delete
    2. What are the measurements on the seats for the straps on the w4? Pictures with measurements would be great.

      Delete
  5. Dayab89@yahoo.com9:40 PM

    We just got a W4!Do you have a hack to putting a car seat in the WF? Our baby is almost 6 months and can't probably sit up on a seat, but I was curious if the car seat could strap in.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dayab89@yahoo.com9:41 PM

    *can probably sit up*

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello! Do you have any hacks for a weather shield type thing? Wonderfolds is always out of stock!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is so helpful thank you! The large tote with the metal frame link doesn't seem to be working. Do you have any idea what it's called or what your searched to find it? Love all of this!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous11:32 AM

    The link for the tote isn't working. Could you tell me what's it's called?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous4:22 AM

    Any suggestions for airport travel/gate checking the wagon?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Isabella Baker7:04 PM

    Was the vinyl you used on your wagon permanent vinyl or iron on vinyl??

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous2:39 AM

    How do you face the seat outwards? Where do you hook the back hooks?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks,The large tote with the metal frame link doesn't seem to be working. Do you have any idea what it's called or what your searched to find it? Love all of this!
    best backpack beach chairs<\a>

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous11:44 AM

    Asking If there's a hack to push through the sand?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous8:48 AM

    Our Wonderfold W4 Elite needs a new brake bar/rear axle but my wife and I cannot find one anywhere I was wondering if you knew where I could find one or a hack that could help us out.

    ReplyDelete