Quinnycasters

Apologies as I’m running a bit late with this months Quinnycasters project, what with hospital trips, snow and poorly babies we really haven’t had a good December but one thing that has been reliable has been our Quinny Zapp Xtra.

We’ve been using the Quinny Zapp Xtra now for 3 months and so here is a review of how we are finding it so far:

The Quinny Zapp Xtra

Now having already got an original Zapp which we loved we were very eager to try out the Zapp Xtra. There were only a couple of flaws with the original Zapp which we found, these were the lack of a recline facility which made it hard for Zara to nap in it and that it was only suitable from approximately 6 months old and so we still needed to have a travel system suitable for a newborn baby.

The Zapp Xtra improved on this as it is suitable from birth and can be used as a travel system with the Maxi Cosi Carseat. The seat also has a recline facility and can be used either forward facing with 3 recline positions or in a parent facing position with 2 recline positions. Both great improvements on the original Zapp although it does mean that the seat does now need to be removed before folding losing some of the compactness of the original Zapp.

Unfolding, Folding and Storage

Unlike the original Quinny Zapp, the seating element needs to be removed before folding the pushchair but the frame is basically the same as the original Zapp. The frame is extremely compact and can be folded/unfolded by following a simple 1,2,3 button procedure with the numbers clearly marked on the pushchair so even the most harrassed parent can assemble it easily. The seat then clicks into place securely and voila, one assembled or folded pushchair. Having the seat separate does increase the storage space required in the boot of the car compared to the original Quinny Zapp but not too significantly. The seat element can be folded completely flat and the frame stored on top of it but I find if I do this then the muddy wheels tend to dirty the seat so I stack my seating unit up against the rear seats.

Seating Arrangements

The seat of the Zapp Xtra is adjusted by using buttons at the top of the seating unit. In parent facing mode the seat can be fully flat or semi-reclined and in a forward facing position there are three recline positions. The seat is adjusted by simply pressing the button and tipping the seat to the next position in a nice smooth motion which is ideal for when baby nods off.

Out and About with the Zapp Xtra

The Zapp Xtra is effectively the same as the original Quinny Zapp when it comes to manouvreability. It’s 3 wheel design and compactness make it perfect for nipping around the shops and it can certainly get you down aisles that many larger pushchairs can’t. It also copes admirably well with Durham’s cobbled streets although I have to admit it prefers smoother pavements and flat surfaces.

The Zapp and the Zapp Xtra both have the same issue when it comes to more rough terrain as would be expected with any pushchair not designed for off road use. Although we have the Quinny Buzz 4 for multi terrain walking as sometimes pneumatic wheels are just essential.

Hood, Raincover and Accessories

The hood on the original Quinny Zapp is very flimsy and tends to blow back in strong wind whereas the hood on the Zapp Xtra is much larger and better quality in comparison. It gives much more shade and protection from the elements than the original design and is a god send in the wintry weather we have up here in the North East.

A raincover is supplied with the Zapp Xtra and again this is of sturdy quality and has so far stood up to the North East elements exceptionally well.

Another improvement on the original Zapp is that the Zapp Xtra now comes with a shopping basket included. Now due to the compact design of the pushchair you are never going to be able to fit a substantial amount in the basket but it is certainly handy to have to hold those odd bits and pieces.

Conclusion

We are really loving the Quinny Zapp Xtra at the moment, it’s compactness and manouvreability are fantastic and the recline position has improved greatly on the original Zapp’s main flaw. Whilst however the Zapp Xtra is ideal for being out and about town, shopping and pavements, we do still require a pushchair suited to off road terrain as we do a lot of walking in our family and so it hasn’t completely replaced the need for a second pram/pushchair in our household but it most certainly has a very valuable place in my pram/pushchair collection.