Blink Stroller from Britax

rebeca  Thursday, February 18, 2010

• 

I don’t need to tell you the importance of a good quality stroller. It has to be durable, functional, easy to use, and of course good looking. For me…it’s taken a while to find the right one. In fact, I am currently on my forth stroller…but I think I’ve finally found the right one. Our first stroller was one of those big and bulky travel systems that the sales people convinced me I needed. Ugh, that thing was a nightmare. I bumped into everything, rolled over people’s feet and it filled up my entire trunk.

Next, we tried an umbrella stroller, but the ergonomics didn’t exactly work for my 6’2” husband, not to mention there was nowhere to store anything. After that we bought a light-weight stroller from Combi. I was rather pleased with this one. I found it at a major baby supply store for about $75 and covered all my needs. Plus, I got all kinds of compliments on the design, too. Unfortunately, looks only go so far. The wheels started to go bad about six months in, and it was inoperable within a year. What a waste!

This brings us to the point when I started blogging. I learned that Britax was coming out with a new light-weight stroller call the Blink. It had all the amenities of a full size stroller, but was a fraction of the size (and price). Britax sent me the Blink to test and I love it. With an average price of about $150, it’s good for parents who plan to get a lot of use out of their stroller. We take our stroller EVERYWHERE, so it was perfect for us. I’ve been using the stroller for about 8 months now, so I feel confident recommending it.

Pros – The Blink has a lot of great features including:

• All-wheel suspension and large wheels that provide great stability, a smooth ride and easy one-handed steering…which is important if you have another child or if you want to carry your coffee while strolling.

• Heavy duty construction with 55 lbs child weight capacity

• Layback recline with adjustable leg rest offers customized sleeping positions

• Oversized canopy with a visor to block wind, rain and sun

• Light-weight (16-pound) design and compact fold make it handy for quick trips, but it also packs well for long excursions

• One-foot, linked rear brake locks both rear wheels with one step

• Practical storage pouch is the perfect place to keep your most frequently used items like keys, wallet, phone, etc…

Cons – Although the Blink gets my overall thumbs up, there were a few things I didn’t like:

• The harness 5-point is a good way to hold little ones in, but a pain for removing and putting on coats. If we unfasten the harness to remove my son’s coat, he thinks it’s an opportunity to get out and run. As a solution, we typically just fasten the bottom part across his lap. It’s a little awkward, but it works; and I avoid the tantrum that would come when he realizes he’s not getting out of the stroller.

• The Blink has a unique fold release mechanism that allows you to fold the stroller without scuffing the tops of your shoes or feet. It’s pretty nifty, but it took me a couple frustrating weeks to really figure it out.

• No cup holder – but, hey, I haven’t found any light-weight strollers that did have one. We purchased a separate cup holder at our local baby supply store and it’s been working just fine.

• The seat could stand to be a bit higher….but this is probably something most people wouldn’t notice. My son is very tall for his age and his feet tend to hit the wheels of most strollers. The Blink does have an adjustable foot rest that eliminates most of this problem, though.

The Blink is available nationwide at retailers such as Buy Buy Baby, and online through Amazon.com.

Manufacturer Update

Although I haven’t experienced any problems with our stroller, Britax has issued a voluntary recall on the strollers and is providing owners with a free repair kit to remedy a potential hazard. New strollers will be shipped with the kit. Here’s what they had to say:

“Because we’re committed to creating the safest products for children, Britax is conducting a voluntary safety recall on its Blink stroller. The recall is in response to a potential risk of harm when a consumer opens or closes the stroller. No injuries have been reported, but as an extra precaution Britax will provide free remedy kits to all registered Blink owners. We encourage all Blink owners to visitwww.BlinkRecall.com or call the Britax information line at 888-427-4829 for further instructions.”

–Jon Chamberlain, president of Britax

Review Disclaimer:
The Average Parent has pledged to Blog with Integrity. What this means is that although we occasionally receive free products from PR and marketing reps, the recommendations we make are based on our own experience in the real world. We promise to only provide reviews on the products and services we absolutely love, and we define this as something we would purchase for ourselves or as a gift for others. For more details about our review policy please visit the Disclaimer Page.