Quicksmart Backpack Stroller – A Review

Quicksmart Backpack StrollerWe were extremely lucky and were sent a Quicksmart Backpack Stroller to review as part of my subscription for one of the paid review sites, so here’s what we think…

The stroller is extremely lightweight, and due to this has next to no storage – just a tiny pocket at the back. If you need to take things with you then you’re stuck with your changing bag. There’s no basket underneath, as that’s where the wheels fold in.

As the title says, this stroller packs up into a backpack – this is its biggest selling point, and something which I think we’d use and keep in the car, or if we were taking the train and were faced with no step-free exits (like Carshalton Station), or most practically of all, flying – as it’s small enough to be cabin baggage when folded up.

Quicksmart Backpack StrollerThe folding up of the buggy itself takes a while. This is no one-handed fold, it’s fiddly and does involve you setting yourself space to do it – but once it’s done you’ve a great lightweight stroller. It’d be even more perfect in this respect if there were some way you could carry it (a bit like our MacLaren Quest has a strap which means you can put it over your shoulder) without having to take the backpack with you. Having said that, we used it on a trip to Epsom, navigating two sets of stairs on the way back at the station, and were able to do it easily due to its weight. H did the stairs herself – I had the shopping in a lightweight backpack and a small changing bag.

It doesn’t come with a raincover, or any additional things – just the backpack and the stroller – though it does pack so small that it would only take a quarter of the size in the boot of our car, rather than half of it like the MacLaren does.

Quicksmart Backpack StrollerThe buggy isn’t suitable from birth, and doesn’t have a recline feature, though does have a shade (held by velcro, so pulled off by H a few times) which is good. We found our BundleBean fitted perfectly when we’ve needed an additional cover.

One criticism I’d have is the back wheels – they’re quite wide apart, and I’ve found myself tripping over them a couple of times – though that’s not a major problem, they’re just in a weird place for my feet! In shops some aisles weren’t wide enough for the buggy either (M&S and TK Maxx, I’m looking at you in particular). I wish the way it folded together was more straightforward, but then I can’t see myself in a situation where I’d need that now, as we’re doing more walking without a buggy than with – which makes carrying this one around with you ideal, as it’s not heavy.

These buggies sell for £120 – so they’re not cheap. I’m not a buggy aficionado, having stuck with MacLaren, but had we travelled to Australia this Christmas just gone, then this would have been perfect. After landing in Dubai and trying to find a buggy from their stands, actually just having one and being able to stretch your legs would have been a huge bonus. (n.b. they do have lots of buggies in Dubai Airport, almost all the stands near us were empty, I guess lots of toddlers/babies travelling!)

In summary – definitely one for a family who likes to travel. For regular use? Probably not as much.

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