Fast becoming a household name, UPPAbaby have stormed the pushchair market with their increasingly popular range of products. We are taking a look at the new UPPAbaby 2013 G-Luxe to see what all the fuss is about.
Quick Summary: If you are looking for a lightweight, easy to handle stroller that works for whizzing round town, taking a ride on the bus or a strolling in the park, then the UPPAbaby G-Luxe could be the perfect match for you.
Whats good?
- Very lightweight
- Huge hood
- Easy to assemble and use
Whats not so good?
- Shopping basket very hard to access when seat reclined
Colours
Denny (Red), Jake (Black), Ani (Orange). Sebby (Blue), Makena (Pink)
Chassis
The UPPAbaby G-Luxe feels ever so lightweight, both when you lift the stroller and when pushing.
At just 6.1kg, the G-Luxe is one of the lightest strollers available. Super easy to pop up and down kerbs, even with a toddler in situ, it is just as easy to carry on to a bus or pop in the car boot when folded. The weight of this stroller is a real bonus.
The chassis on the UPPAbaby G-Luxe is a matte satin effect with black plastic fixings and soft foam handlebars. Although the frame looks quite ‘thin’ and insignificant, it actually feels surprisingly sturdy once it is unfolded.
The handlebars are soft and comfortable to hold, and at a perfect height for my husband although they are a touch on the high side for me (I am 5’3″).
Wheels
The wheels are your typical double stroller wheels, but at 14.5cm, they are larger than some. This provides a slightly smoother ride, and helps the G-Luxe handle rough surfaces well.
The 4 wheel shock absorbing suspension makes pushing easier for you, and a less bumpy ride for your little one. The wheels do have a very plasticky feel, but actually handle much better then you imagine.
Basket
The shopping basket is a reasonable size for a stroller, but it is almost impossible to access from the rear if the seat is fully reclined, but this is not uncommon on this type of stroller. Having said that, there are cleverly designed flaps on the sides of the basket to allow you access from the side of the stroller. A bit fiddly if you have big shopping bags, but a very clever feature. The basket is large and holds a decent amount.
Brake
The brake is a foot operated pedal – you can use the lever on either back wheel to operate the brake. You simply push down to put the brake on, and flick it up to get going again. As the levers are located directly above the rear wheels, they are well out of your way. The brake pedals are very small. The brake is not one to attempt to apply in flip flops or bare feet as you WILL hurt your toes! You must make sure to push the levers down fully when applying the brake as there will still be some movement if the lever is not right down. Once applied, the brake does the job – no wheel movement at all.
Seat
The stroller seat comes with a removable seat pad, which adds extra padding for smaller passengers. It can be removed to make a more spacious seat for older tots. At 49cm high and 33cm wide, the seat is large for a stroller. Even with the seat pad in place, the G-Luxe is a generous size – more than adequate for the average toddler bottom. There is not much support at the sides, but this tends to be standard with most strollers of this type, and most children will not find this a problem.
The leg rest is adjustable to suit both small babies and older toddlers. The adjustment is made by squeezing two levers in the leg rest itself, then pushing up or down as suited. This is a 2 handed job and can only be accessed from the front of the pushchair. When you fold the pushchair, the footrest reverts to the most upright position, so you may need to adjust it every time you unfold the stroller.
The fabrics on the G-Luxe are wipeable and are Teflon coated for a stain-guard finish, which should help to keep your pushchair in tip-top condition even when you have a messy one on board. The seat pad simply attaches with Velcro so it can be easily pulled off and popped in the washing machine when needed.
Reclining the seat is very easy to do – just a one-handed squeeze trigger located on the rear – push up and drop or lift the seat back up to the desired position. There are 3 recline positions which range from very upright (perfect for older children who want to look out and see the world) to almost flat (perfect for nap time). Suitable from 6 months, these recline positions should be more than adequate.
The UPPAbaby G-Luxe hood is a great feature. It is large and provides great coverage and shade. It also features an extended SPF 50 pop out sun canopy, which makes the hood coverage area much larger and keeps your little one protected from the summer sun.
The hood can be strengthened by locking the push levers at the side to make a more rigid frame. The hood canopy attaches to the sides of the seat fabrics with Velcro tabs – a little fiddly to find and attach, but they keep the hood in the correct position.
The 5 point harness is fully adjustable – the waist and shoulder straps can be adjusted in length very easily (just a pull and slide system) but the crotch strap is not adjustable.
That said, it is very generous in length so shouldn’t be a problem for toddlers, although it may be a touch large for smaller passengers. There are 3 height positions for the shoulder straps so you can adjust with your growing baby. I would personally like to see some sort of shoulder pad on the straps to stop any rubbing or discomfort.
The raincover fits over the hood and attaches at the handles with Velcro loops. The bottom attaches at the base of the chassis with Velcro loops and also hooks over 2 round rivets for extra security. It is fairly easy to fit, although the Velcro loops could be time consuming and fiddly in a real downpour. The length of the raincover could be an issue for older children as it may not cover their feet fully.
Fold
The fold is simple and easy to get the hang of, and I particularly like that it is activated by trigger clips under the handlebars rather than a foot activated fold. Simply pull the ring shaped clips (they make a nice click so you know they are working) and then push forward into the traditional umbrella style fold. The G-Luxe clips together automatically when folded, so it is ready to pick up with the carry strap.
To reverse the process and open up the stroller just unhook the chassis clip and pull upwards towards you – once it is almost open simply press your foot down on the black lever at the rear and it will give a satisfying ‘clunk’ to let you know it is fully and securely open.
When folded, the chassis is freestanding – this is a great feature to have when it comes to storage or travel. It means you can squish it into any space in the house and know it will stay there, or pop it on the bus without having to jam it up against the wall with your leg – we have all done that right?
Accessories
The G-Luxe comes with a cup holder as standard – this just clips onto the chassis and is a nice touch – something you don’t often see on a stroller.
Conclusion
The G-Luxe is a clever little stroller with some well thought out features. The seat is generous in size, with the option to remove the padded seat liner giving you even more wriggle room if it is required. It is exceptionally lightweight – both in terms of the carry and the push. This would be a perfect public transport pushchair – a combination of the weight, the freestanding chassis and the quick and easy fold would mean a stress free bus or train ride. I like the recline – super simple to use, and the range of recline positions is good.
My only teeny tiny niggle with this pushchair is that some of the features are a bit fiddly – attaching the Velcro hood attachments and accessing the basket using the side flaps. They are by no mean big issues, and by no means do they detract from the great bits of this stroller. I would also mention the raincover here – easy to fit but again a tiny bit fiddly, and the length could be tight for older toddlers.
The extra little bits make this stroller stand out from the crowd – the cupholder, the hand operated fold and the extra padded seat liner make it that little bit more special than some.
If you are looking for a lightweight, easy to handle stroller that works for whizzing round town, taking a ride on the bus or a strolling in the park, then the UPPAbaby G-Luxe could be the perfect match for you.
