Let’s begin the review with an interesting news from the ‘Peterborough Examiner’ on the use of Baby strollers in public places that says ‘Baby strollers squeeze old, disabled off buses’. As rightly pointed out, there are quite a number of modern large strollers available on the market that do not fold up easily if you have to go upstairs or push into any sort of cramped space. The following review is on a stroller that folds up very easily and is lightweight at the same time namely the Tippitoes Max Viz Stroller.
Design features:
The Tippitoes suitably named ‘Maz Viz’ will make sure you are seen about when out and about, making the Tippitoes Max Viz Stroller, a high visibility stroller in the streets and pavements of the busy roads. The stroller is perfect for use by babies from 6 months old. The Max Viz stroller comes with a multi-reclining back that reclines to a suitable position for your baby to sleep comfortably. The reclining seat can sit upright for the nosier babies who like to see what is going on. The seat reclines with a strap which alters at the back. Altering the strap is a breeze and one has to simply unclip it altogether if the child wants to lie as far back as possible.
Wheel system:
The stroller features front wheels that give extra maneuverability and swivels through 360 degree, therefore maneuvering the stroller in the streets is not a problem at all. The front wheel is fixed with a locking device and provides that extra bit of security. The swivel lockable front wheels can help you negotiate the stroller in difficult conditions. The small chunky wheels look lovely making it a nice item to push. And you can count 100 percent on the front wheel suspension that gives you a smooth ride and high level of durability. This is especially important if you have to walk a lot with the stroller. The wheels are not obviously all terrain but they are much sturdier compared to its competition.
Handle:
The height of the Max Viz Stroller stroller handle from the floor to top is 101 cm, so the handles are sufficiently long enough to accommodate your stride so that you could walk comfortably while pushing it. The handles are great to hold. Besides, they help carrying things around while shopping and aid transporting. The width between the handles is 36.5 cm.
Easily folded:
The most impressive feature of the stroller is that it is easy to fold up and open. It is also fairly thin when folded. Also, we had no problem fitting it in our boot with the extra seats up and this means it is around 6” when folded. The bottom line is that it does not take up a lot of space in a boot and if you are looking for a stroller that can fold up small for those quick trips on the bus or down the street, then you will love having this one around with you.
Accessories:
We liked some of the accessories that come alongside the stroller. For instance, there is an adjustable front footrest for your baby’s tired little feet. And without this your baby will let his feet drag on the wheels making the pushchair even more burdensome. There is a roomy shopping mesh basket underneath that is adequate for bits & bobs and this can be really handy. The PVC rain cover fits from the edge of hood you see and is pretty nice & long. The Hood and the small fold Rain cover are perfect particularly with the current UK weather (the blazing sun one minute, the sudden downpour of rain the next!). The rain cover is very easy to put on though and if you were to remove the hood, then it will not go on. The lack of a foot muff and limited side protection come almost as a disappointment.
Other features:
Weighing 6.5 kg, the quick umbrella fold stroller made of lightweight aluminium frame folds down itself to 108cm x 25cm x 14.5cm. The cover fabric is of course washable and you can give it a good scrub down to get it looking neat and tidy again. There is a 5 point harness to securely retain your child and does not tend to tangle up like some others. Available in two bright colours – Green (product code: PC3) and Orange (PC4 that was launched in May 2009), they do not get mucky quick. In our opinion, the ‘green’ looks more beautiful than on the picture.
Overall:
Just as a quick update, the Max Viz Stroller bagged the ‘Top Gear Award’ from the FQ Magazine for quality and performance. But there are quite a few things we don’t like about the stroller, one of which is that the back of the seat is not as high as one would have anticipated. But more often than not, the baby will be happy sitting upright, so this we don’t count as an issue. Another disadvantage with the stroller is that the baby is able to lean forward as he could go because of the flexible blackrest. With lots of room for kid plus the toys and blanket, it fits so well into the car and is easy getting it onto the bus (a heavy sigh of relief, at last!). Plus, dads do not mind pushing the stroller too. And for all these and more, it’s not a lot of money!
Tippitoes Max Viz Stroller Review – Technical Specification Table
Manufacturer | Tippitoes |
Model Name | Tippitoes Max Viz Stroller |
Product code | Green (PC3) & Orange (PC4) |
Suitable age to use | 6 months+ |
Type of pushchair | Umbrella Stroller |
Lightweight | Yes |
Weight | 6.5 kg |
Available Colours (with product code) | Green (PC3) & Orange (PC4) |
Construction | Aluminium |
Folding System | Umbrella fold |
One handed folding | No |
Folding level | Easy |
Washable cover fabrics | Yes |
Backrest | Recliner (Multi-reclining back) |
Assembly level | Easy |
Manoeuvrability level | Easy |
Number of twin wheels | 4 |
Number of swivel wheels | 2 |
Suspension system | Front wheel suspension |
Number of seats | 1 |
All terrain wheels | No |
Height of handle | 101 cm (from floor to top) |
Width between handles | 36.5 cm |
Reversible Handlebar | No |
Adjustable Handles | Yes |
Grip level | Easy |
Brakes | No |
Safety harness | 5 point harness |
Storage Level | Easy |
Transportation level | Easy |
Accessories | |
Footrest | Yes (at the front) |
Shopping basket | Yes |
Raincover | Yes (PVC) |
Removable Hood | Yes |
Side protection | Limited |
Folded Dimension (cm) | 108 cm x 25 cm x 14.5 cm |
Awards | Top Gear Award from FQ Magazine |
Highlight features | High visibility stroller Seat reclines with a strap that alters at the back Swivels through 360 degree Lockable front wheels Long handles comfortable to push Compact quick umbrella fold stroller Washable cover fabric Easy getting it onto the bus & car Safety Features – Wheel Suspension & Wheel Swivel Lock |