CHICCO URBAN TRAVEL SYSTEM REVIEW
When the lovely people over at Chicco got in touch with me to see if we'd like to test their Urban stroller we jumped at the chance. Two years ago I knew zero about strollers and was completely baffled as to why so many were on the market. As a soon to be new parent I expected to walk into a pram shop and be greeted by, 'the one', you know, the pram that does pretty much everything short of bringing up your child ;)
Instead we walked into the shop and we were completely overwhelmed by the choice. So I turned to the internet and looked up reviews for several strollers. Reviews that were specifically written by mum's themselves, because for me there is no better tester of a pram than a mother. Now here I am two and half years on with two children (I'm still getting used to saying that!) and a chance to share my tuppence ;)
So first off, the Urban is a beauty. Chicco have well and truly upped their game when it comes to the aesthetic of this pram. It's sleek, stylish and has a stand out design. For some, the look of a stroller may not be important, but for me, it is. Call me superficial, but I've ditched a lot of my past life indulgences when it comes to having little ones. So please, oh please, at least let me have a nice looking stroller to push down the street. I have however learnt not to choose style over substance. Now I want both ;)
With that in mind we put the Urban to the test over the last couple of months.
Upon taking the stroller out the box I was pleasantly surprised to not have a thousand pieces come crashing out. The main body of the stroller was already together. It was just a simple case of popping on the wheels (literally) and attaching the seat.
The seat itself is particularly clever as not only can it face forward or towards you, it also teams up as a carrycot for those early baby months. With just a few minor adjustments (which are clips underneath the seat) and a padded insert, voila, it's a carrycot.
We personally didn't get much use out of it styled as a carrycot, with most babies you'll find out rather quickly whether they're a fan of a pram like that or not. In Archie's case, he is not. Neither was Caleb. It appears we make rather nosey babies who would much prefer to see what is going on in the world. For this very fact alone is what I loved most about this stroller as the seat is suitable from birth. So, if like myself you have babies who enjoy a little people or mama watching this stroller caters for that, plus you don't have the worry of storing a separate (rather unused) carrycot as you just convert it back into the seat. As the seat, the straps can be adjusted to their size and the foot rest can be positioned up the way to keep your little one safe and cosy. You can see this in the below pictured.
We personally didn't get much use out of it styled as a carrycot, with most babies you'll find out rather quickly whether they're a fan of a pram like that or not. In Archie's case, he is not. Neither was Caleb. It appears we make rather nosey babies who would much prefer to see what is going on in the world. For this very fact alone is what I loved most about this stroller as the seat is suitable from birth. So, if like myself you have babies who enjoy a little people or mama watching this stroller caters for that, plus you don't have the worry of storing a separate (rather unused) carrycot as you just convert it back into the seat. As the seat, the straps can be adjusted to their size and the foot rest can be positioned up the way to keep your little one safe and cosy. You can see this in the below pictured.
Another feature I like on this stroller is the extendable handle bar. This is a must if you're tall like myself, or small like Caleb ;). I've used many a stroller without this feature and I've really felt it in my back at the end of the day. It's also nice to not resemble a hunchback whilst pushing your pram ;)
Also, I love how because of the lightweight nature of the pram and it's swivel front wheels (can also be locked into position when needed) I could easily manoeuvre with one hand leaving my other hand free to keep a hold of that independent toddler of mine ;)
The hood on a stroller is key for me too, this one is great. It comes nice and far forward for when the sun is glaring in your poor babies face. The shopping bag underneath is a really good size too, which makes daily life soooo much easier. I fitted my change bag and a day's shopping underneath there no problem.
When I first unpacked the stroller I was struck by how firm the wheels were and instantly was not a fan. However, what I didn't realise until using the stroller was the great suspension it had therefore the firmness of the wheels wasn't a problem at all, more of an added bonus as punctures will never be an issue. Let me tell you, a pram with a puncture is NOT fun. Thanks to Edinburgh's cobbled streets the suspension was certainly given a thorough testing!
When you start to shop for a stroller, very quickly you'll hear the phrase, 'travel system', bandied about. Fancy huh?!
You ain't shopping for a mere pram anymore, you're shopping for a 'travel system', dont cha know ;).
Also what I like to refer to as our generation's lifesaver. With an adaptor added to the stroller you can clip a carseat onto it and away you go. I cannot recommend this feature enough if you are a driver or your partner is as it really does make life a thousand times easier, not to mention keeps a sleeping baby sleeping when you transfer them from the car to the stroller and vica versa. That alone is worth it's weight in gold!! We were sent the Chicco Autofix Fast babyseat with our stroller, which was lovely and padded and has a removeable insert to give extra cushioning to a tiny newborn, which I feel is essential for their comfort not to mention essential for our peace of mind and confidence when it comes to driving a newborn baby around ;).
While we're on the subject of cars, we found when collapsed the stroller fitting nicely into our boot, which I would say is medium sized. Always, always make sure before you purchase any stroller that you can get it into your boot. A no brainer you would think, but unfortunately I've been there, done that, AND got the t-shirt :/
Collapsing the stroller is straight forward to, just a push and a slide of clips and it's down. Same putting it back up. It's not rocket science, thank god, because some strollers out there you need a degree in Mechanics just to get the damn thing down.
Other features, are the rain cover. Can't go forgetting the rain cover, this being Scotland and all. It's easy to pop on and a great fit. I was caught in many a downpour and had no issues.
The brake, centre of the bar at your feet, and does the job nicely. You'd be surprised how many prams have shocking brakes and a toddler can easily move them when they're locked. Caleb tried with this stroller and failed. Much to my delight, and not his :)
Another lovely feature of this pram is the colour inserts, we chose emerald. There is various other colours to choose from and you can also buy them separately too if you fancy a change.
All in all the Chicco Urban gets a big thumbs up from us. Not only does it look the part but it also puts some of the £1000 travel systems on the market to shame, you're looking at under half that price here. Chicco are certainly making travel systems more affordable but not at the cost of style.
So the answer here is yes, it has style AND substance.
Oh, I should also tell you this pram was tested by both Grandmas and they too gave it the big thumbs up. Now that really is a seal of approval!
Below you'll find the Urban in action.
