You couldn't miss the Easywalker stand in Cologne last year; it was all about their latest product, 'June'. I sat down with the team to chat about their Dutch daydream and we have now got our hands on one for review.
Quick Summary: One of the most incredible features of the Easywalker June is the fact that it has the ability to accommodate a large child but it folds down to a such a small size. It is really roomy in the seat and the ability to extend the hood gives the June great longevity.
Whats good?
- Quality
- Comfortable large seat
- Great manoeuvrability
- Great funky looks
Whats not so good?
- Seat removal
- Tricky fold
- Small basket
- Price
Easywalker has only been on the go since 1989 and employ some honest principles behind their pushchairs. The four models in their range, the ‘qtro’, the ‘sky’, the ‘duo’ and now the ‘June’, are sporty, all-terrain models that give a family the freedom to go anywhere and do anything…together.
During our discussion in Cologne, I was amused to discover how the new ‘June’ was christened. Originally ‘June’ was the month chosen for its production and was used as a working title by the team responsible for its inception. When they came to give it a proper model name, they liked the uplifting, happy vibe that the word June encapsulated, so the name stuck!
In the UK the Easywalker June comes with a coloured suncanopy in Black, Blue or Off-white. Inserts for the seat are available to enhace your colour coordination. These come in Black, Blue, Off-White, Red and Pink.
The Easywalker June has all the same benchmarks of quality that you would expect from a Dutch pushchair. Due to the numbers of high-end manufacturers based in Holland, it seems to keep the level of competition and therefore the level of quality high. Although it has a familiar contemporary feel, the June doesn’t function in a way that you would expect.
Chassis
The main frame is very rectangular and stretches from the handle at the top, right down to the foot plate at the bottom. Brackets midway allow the handle to telescope into the frame from 107cms down to its smallest folding height of 79cms. The foot plate, formed from hard black plastic, supports feet at a practical height to make the seating position really comfortable.
Cushioning the June from the terrain are four 22cm pneumatic tyres that deliver fantastic manoeuvrability and suspension. Switches on the front wheels disable the 360 degree rotation and fix it into unidirectional mode for crossing uneven or bumpy ground. The rear wheels come under the control of the brake, where pedals on each side of the rear axle make the braking mechanism a simple step on/flick off. It looks quite basic, but when applied, your June is going nowhere, especially combined with the grip on the rubber air-tyres.
A shallow basket is slung between the two axles but it’s only 14cms at it’s deepest point — not that useful when you have the necessary kiddie-kit to cart around!
Now, here’s where the June gets unique. I have to admit I did not find the fold that easy but it could be because it is not obvious. I found it much easier to fathom out how it worked with the seat removed, but that’s another episode that needs full description — see the section: seat.
On each side of the frame are two prominent black knobs with red buttons on the top and bottom. Press the top button and squeeze the bottom ones while lifting up the frame. The back legs swing towards the front and it is closed.
You can fold the June with the seat in place facing either direction, just make sure the canopy is closed and slid all the way down. If the seat is facing you, the handle ideally should be in the lowest position possible. If the seat is facing away, the handle must remain above the seat until the pushchair is folded. You can then push the handle down. This is something that can be a little tricky when trying to balance the now folded pushchair.
We found the June tricky to fold with the seat on. It is much better to remove it first.
The folded frame can stand up independently but I found it quite hard to get it to balance. It doesn’t have an auto-lock but the frame seem to stay closed quite well considering. It is relatively compact and will fit into the boot of a Mini Cooper.
Seat
The seat of the Easywalker June is where its mechanical individuality is very evident. The pushchair comes with the seat mounted on the frame so it’s probably best we tackle the seat removal first.
Make sure you do more than scan the instructions because it’s not immediately apparent. Firstly squeeze the edges of the bar that spans the frame above the foot plate. It is firmly wedged, so requires some pressure. Then pull on the handle located under the right-hand side of the front of the seat (if you need to take a look, it’s red, but you should be able to feel it), this releases all the connection points to the frame and the seat can be lifted away. If you would like to relocate it in the reverse direction, swing the middle bar to the opposite location, then mount the seat, ensuring that you slot the bracket on the underside of the seat on the bar and push down. Squeeze the front bar into the frame and you are ready to go again.
I have met much more user friendly mechanisms than this but you don’t normally change the direction of your seat in a hurry or while you are out and about, so it would be something to take your time over at home. If, however, you are removing the seat to fold the pushchair, this could become a bit of a pain.
Also positioned under the front seat is the control for the recline. Your body position is ideal if you stand to the side of the pushchair where you can support the back of the chair as you stretch it out to one of the three recline options. Although unconventional, I like this recline because it emulates the pose you would adopt if you were laying your child gently on a bed.
Made with tall children in mind, the straps on the five-point harness are adjustable to three possible heights, easily relocated through the flap in the rear of the chair. The seat back measures 52cms which is quite tall. The canopy zips onto a panel behind the seat which slides up and down to give an amazing 67cm of clearance from the seat base at it tallest point. When it’s folded away, neatly behind the seat, it has a very tidy appearance. But as we all know, looks aren’t everything and when the canopy is in use, it isn’t huge — it does have a flip out sun visor, but with that included a tall child could feel like they’re wearing a large cap rather than being sheltered by the sun.
Carrycot
The carrycot is so easy to fit and the build quality is beautiful. Remove the seat and then simply drop the carrycot onto the four pegs on the frame. It is just as easily removed by pulling the handle on the underneath of the head end of the bed. The carry handles on the sides make it easy to transport.
Zip the canopy to the fabric extension on the head of the carrycot. It looks far more tailored to fit the carrycot than the seat unit. A matching apron can be zipped into place to seal the bed, provide wind protection and complete the look.
The mattress has an air-flow layer on the top so it can be used as a regular bed. Just make sure the air-flow side is upwards when you put the fitted sheet (included) over it.
When not in use the carrycot can fold down flat to make it easier to store.
It comes with a raincover for grey days and a mosquito net for protection against bugs.
Both fit the body of the carrycot perfectly and the raincover has a window that lines up with the carrycot opening.
The main raincover fits the seat beautifully and has a bendy frame that reduces the feeling of claustrophobia as well as making room for knees not to touch. The inlay adds extra comfort to the seat and co-ordinates with your chosen colour of canopy.
Conclusion
One of the most incredible features of the Easywalker June is the fact that it has the ability to accommodate a large child but it folds down to a such a small size. It is really roomy in the seat and the ability to extend the hood gives the June great longevity.
The rubber air-tyres are a good size, give great grip, look fab and add to already excellent suspension – off-roading would not be a problem in the Easywalker June. Its manoeuvrability is unaltered whether it’s loaded or not.
The seat’s recline mechanism is quiet and smooth and the braking mechanism is effective and simple, so the bits you use every day are not going make you regret your choice; they work well.
Unfortunately there are a some niggles that cannot be ignored. The basket is shallow, small and difficult to access when the seat is mounted on the frame. For the size of the seat, the canopy area is a little bit of a let down, it seems to have much better parity with the carrycot.
Removing the seat is quite a convoluted process compared to other pushchairs and, with the seat in place, the fold itself is quite tricky and a little frustrating.
The carrycot is beautifully made if a little expensive, but you are getting a carrycot that can be used as an everyday bed, so you could save money on buying a Moses basket or crib for the first six months.
There is a no doubt that the Easywalker June is a very high quality great looking pushchair. But £529 for a silver frame version puts it a little on the expensive side and it should be noted that virtually everything is an extra. It doesn’t even come with a rain cover.
That said, if you have a taller child and/or are looking for something different and like getting out and occasionally heading off the beaten track, you should take a look at the June. It’s great to look at, folds to almost nothing, and really will last you from birth to toddler!
