As any new parent knows, a stroller is one of the most expensive items to buy and manufacturers tend to push the line that the more expensive, the better. For new parents, who are anxious to make sure our baby is safe, secure and comfortable, it is easy to be vulnerable to convincing salespersons in areas such as this.
I was fortunate to be asked to review the Britax Affinity stroller.
I was given a white frame with a ‘Cool Berry’ seat base which is a very bright and colourful, almost fuchsia-like colour. There are two other base colours to choose from – black and silver – as well as other seat colours including blue, green and red (but with much ‘sexier’ names than that!
My first impressions were very favourable.
Included in the special colour pack is a liner, shoulder and crotch pads, an apron and a basket liner. The fabric is a nice quality and feel, with contrasting grains, and look appropriate for the higher price tag of the Affinity stroller. The body of the stroller also looks good. It is very simple to put it all together.
It has a good ‘solid’ feel without being too big or chunky, but nor does it look flimsy. In fact, it looks exactly how you want it to look: safe, secure, comfortable.
The Affinity stroller is suitable from birth and includes a padded baby insert, but I was only able to test it on a 12-month old. The harness was very comfortable and the extras, such as the padded shoulder and crotch pads fitted well and stayed in place despite a lot of use. The leg rests are adjustable which is also good if you’re out for a while and your child falls asleep.
The seat can be either forward-facing or rear-facing, and it moves very easily through a series of buttons to squeeze to lift, and dropping back into place with a click. There are four reclining positions from lying flat to upright. It’s easy to see that the stroller will adapt with children as they grow until they no longer need a stroller.
The handlebar is very comfortable to use, with seven height positions that are easy to adjust for an older child, mum, dad, grandparent or another person to use. It also has a nice finish and has two raised sections in the middle to help prevent damage when folding. There is also a good-sized storage basket and raincover.
Together with the 30cm rear tyres, 15cm front tyres and suspension, it is very easy to push and appears to give a very smooth ride. There is adjustable suspension depending on the age of the child and a brake that is intuitive and simple to use.
In their usual way, Britax has thought of everything and because a stroller is such a big investment, Britax have tried to introduce an anti-theft device by giving each Affinity stroller its own individual code that can be registered online. I did not use this so I don’t know how effective it is.
The only downside of the Affinity stroller for me was the weight. It is easy to push but it was heavier than I expected it to be to lift into and out of the car. This is not a problem if you’re with someone else, but can be cumbersome if alone and with another child to worry about also.
Overall, I think the Britax Affinity is a high quality stroller and compares well with others I’ve seen of even greater price. It is easy to use. It is suitable from birth to 3 years or so. The seat is adjustable and generous in size and my child seemed comfortable in it and it gave a good ride. It looks good and I feel good pushing it!
5 stars.
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The Britax Affinity stroller was given to Cara to review by Britax.
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