Easy or not, here it comes

When the Easy Walker stroller debuted at the JPMA show last May, we had a mixed reaction from our team. There were some great features, and the design was sleek and minimalist, but it was only available as a package bundled with the carrycot, and it was quite expensive. We weren’t sure how the US market would react. The strollers are a bestseller in the Netherlands, where they are up against stiff competition from the popular Bugaboo, so that was promising.

Recently, Easy Walker has wisely decided to start selling the strollers apart from the carrycots, and they’ve also created a car seat adaptor that is compatible with the Graco Snugride. With these two changes, we were excited to introduce the Easy Walker into our mix. Our first shipment arrived late this week, and our management team spent some time this morning getting acquainted with this unique newcomer.

Getting our floor model put together was fairly simple, though it did take some careful scruitiny of the instruction manual. Because of the modularity of the system, and the many color choices, the basic stroller comes in 3 boxes – one for the frame, wheels and basket, one for the seat and canopy fabric and one for the modular front swivel wheel, which incidentally is the coolest feature of the Easy Walker.

The front wheel of the Easy Walker can be either a 10″ pneumatic tire, fixed in place like a classic jogging stroller, or it can be swapped for the EasyGo swivel wheel, a miniature double pneumatic wheel. This modular system is a cool idea, but if you’re headed out for a daytrip on varied terrain, you’d need to remember to bring along both wheel options.

The quality of construction is quite nice. The frame feels solid and the finishes are nice. The seats are very well cushioned, and the canopy sits very high, which is good for older children. The handlebar isn’t adjustable, but it’s a good height. The basket is wire, which is somewhat inconvenient. There’s plenty of room for the necessities, but small items will surely fall through the broad mesh. The weight isn’t bad, either. The company claims that the frame weighs less than 7 kilos (15 lbs), but once we put on the seat, wheels and basket, it tipped our scales at just over 19 lbs. Not great, but less than any other all-terrain stroller. The handling is excellent, and best of all, the Easy Walker comes in seven colors, including a couple of head-turning shades.

For accessories, look at the color-coordinated carrycots, the footmuffs, the diaper bags, the car seat adaptor, a travel bag, and best of all, the parasols, which supposedly work with practically any stroller (we’ll confirm that ASAP).

We’re looking forward to getting it over to the store and hearing feedback from our customers. For people who are looking for something different, or who really seek out a modern look, it will be a worthy choice. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.easywalker.nl.

The post Easy or not, here it comes appeared first on Spilling the Beans - Magic Beans.