We follow Laura Harris and her daughter Evie on their journey with the stylish and compact Stokke Xplory
Admittedly, the first thing that came to mind when thinking about buggies (or, as I now know them, pushchairs, travel systems and strollers) was whether it was appealing on the eye. However, I soon realised there was definitely a checklist of more practical must-haves which needs to be considered, too.
THE LOWDOWN
I assume the checklist varies from person to person, but I required a compact frame (for public transport and Victorian terrace hallways); versatility, to perform equally well on muddy countryside tracks as it does on city pavements; fuss-free, with easy assembly and minimum parts for storage; manoeuvrability, again for those tricky spaces, and durability, as you want to have peace of mind that one of the biggest purchases you make prior to your baby’s arrival will last. I thought I may be aiming a little too high, but the Stokke Xplory delivers all of the above and more.
GOOD LOOKING?
It certainly is! The design caught my eye while out, and now I’m so pleased to have one of my own. It’s quite unisex, so my husband loves it, too. We’re happy we opted for “Deep Blue”, which so far hasn’t shown any of the marks that are part and parcel of life with a baby.
PRACTICALITY & DRIVEABILITY
The compact frame, adjustable handle and 360° lockable swivel wheels allow me to squeeze past tables and chairs in coffee shops, wheel into a spot alongside another buggy in the not-so-generous two-buggy bus bay, and, most importantly, get in and out of our front door.
I read a number of reviews detailing that the Stokke Xplory was ideal for taller parents due to the adjustable handle height and footrest. Being 5ft, I can say it’s equally ideal for petite individuals. It becomes a ‘drivers seat’ scenario, where the handle is left in the position of whoever drove it last (my husband is 5ft 9in).
Once you’ve got the hang of it, assembling the Xplory is straightforward. The carrycot clips off either side and the frame folds like a golf trolley, so you only need to negotiate two parts into the car boot, and when moving on to the seat I got it right first time. I found it tricky to figure out how to attach the hood at first, but promptly got to the bottom of it (the buttons are underneath the fabric, so you need to feel for them) by watching a YouTube clip!
COMFORT
Evie, was born at Christmas, so the Winter Kit would have been a nice addition, but it’s pricey, so we just opted for the cosy Stokke Sheepskin Lining. The hood is sturdy, and offers an additional pull-out windbreaker for particularly chilly days.
TRANSITION
The transition from the carrycot to the seat has been so easy. We’ve experimented with parent-facing vs. world-facing and Evie seems quite happy with both options. Selfishly though, I prefer it when she’s parent-facing – it makes life easier when she’s wanting snacks, and I get to look at her sweet little face.
THE VERDICT
All in all, we love it, and Evie appears to, too! We’ve already covered miles with our Xplory and its battled various terrains so well. We all look forward to going on more adventures with our stylish set of wheels.
