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Britax Blink
Britax has entered into the lightweight category of strollers with their newest addition, The Blink. The Blink is a great lightweight umbrella stroller that has some great features for mom and baby.
The seat is large and roomy, making for a comfortable ride for even an older child. With a seatback to canopy measurement of 26", our taller 4 year old tester has plenty of room in the seat without hitting her head on the canopy. And with a high weight capacity of 55 lbs, even our older toddlers and children can hop in for a ride. It has an excellent 5-point (unpadded) adjustable harness that adjusts to fit snugly on a small child yet big enough with room to grow for a larger child. The seat has a very deep recline for an impromptu nap but does not recline completely flat, therefore, the stroller is recommended for babies 6 months and up. The seat can be set in many recline positions with the strap system. Of course, we'd like a one handed bar recline but the strap system is too bad to do. We love the adjustable leg rest with two positions that keeps our little riders comfortable whether they prefer it up or down.
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 The Blink has a very large canopy for an umbrella stroller complete with a pop down sun visor and a peek a boo window to keep an eye on your little rider. We love that the two ergonomic handles are taller than most umbrella strollers giving both taller and shorter moms and dads a comfortable push without fear of kicking the rear wheels and eliminating the dreaded stroller hunch. The handles are about 40" from ground to where your hands go.
There is a small basket underneath that can hold a small diaper bag, purse or other baby essentials. Just like many strollers with a seat that reclines almost flat, the basket is hard to access in this seat position. You can access the basket a bit from the side to retrieve small items if the seat is fully reclined. The Blink also has a storage pouch on the back of the canopy for parent or baby essentials.
The Blink sports four 6" inch wheels and an all wheel suspension system giving baby a smooth ride. The front wheels are swivel wheels that have the ability to lock straight for navigating bumpier terrain. We love that there is a one touch linked rear brake system. One step locks both rear wheels at the same time! The maneuverability is good on the Blink allowing us to easily navigate this stroller even with one hand on pavement and smooth surfaces.
With the portable carry strap, this stroller is great for travel since you can carry it on your back leaving your hands free. Weighing in at 16 lbs, the Blink is a bit heavier than other umbrella strollers, putting it into our "lightweight-plus" category. You will be getting a sturdier stroller for this extra weight though.
Britax was listening to moms when they designed the fold of the stroller. Wanting to prevent ruined pedicures and scuffed shoes, Britax gave us a fold that is easy to do without the top of our foot. All you have to do is: 1) lift up on the carry strap to unlock part of the frame 2) step on the lever on the right side to unlock the rest of the frame 3) fold the handlebars forward to collapse the stroller into an umbrella fold. There is a great automatic lock on the side of the stroller to keep it locked when transporting. Love this! Like we said, you can carry the Blink easily on your back with the carry strap or for a limited time, Britax is including a carry bag free with the stroller. The carry bag is absolutely great for travel - especially air travel!
Since the Blink is an umbrella stroller, it is lacking the cup holders and trays for parents and baby. We would like at least a cup holder but with the compact fold it may get in the way. The Blink retails for $149 which is very competitive for a full-featured umbrella stroller. With the very large canopy, deep recline, very tall seat and sturdy frame, we think you should check out the Britax Blink when umbrella stroller shopping!
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