Feature Review: Quinny Zapp Xtra

We are a Quinny family!  We have purchased a number of Quinny products and love them all!  Having the original Quinny Zapp I was beyond excited and eager to try out the Quinny Zapp Xtra.

In our opinion there were only a couple of flaws with the original Zapp, the biggest two being that the seat didn’t recline and it had zero storage.  I’m happy to report that Quinny has recently launched the new Zapp Xtra with an abundance of great new features; including a reclining reversible seat, bigger canopy, car seat compatibility and a storage basket!

Installation:

The Zapp Xtra is probably one of the easiest strollers I’ve assembled.  Out of the box all I needed to do was open it up, pop the wheels on attach the basket and I was ready to go. Wheel installation is very easy – you just need to insert them into the holes until you hear a click.

Getting started:

Opening the stroller is pretty straight forward.  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 stroller so even the most unhandy parent can open it easily. The seat then clicks into place securely and voila, one assembled or folded stroller.

Features:

The seat on the Quinny Zapp Xtra is a unique egg shape making the seating area quite large (13” wide with a 22” seatback and a measurement of 24” from seatback to canopy) easily fitting a child up to 50lbs.   It has an adjustable, padded, 5-point harness that’s easy for parents use.

The new seat has a one-handed button on the back that reclines the seat to three different positions:  upright, halfway back and fully reclined.  In parent facing mode the seat can be fully flat or semi-reclined and in a forward facing position you can use all 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 dozes off.

The handlebars are not adjustable but they are taller measuring about 39-40” from the ground to handlebar.  As a taller woman I didn’t have an issue with the height of the handlebars and didn’t find myself kicking the wheels or frame.

The hood on the original Zapp is small and tends to blow back in strong winds, whereas the hood on the Zapp Xtra is much larger (twice the size!) and better quality in comparison. It gives much more shade and protection from the elements than the original design.  The canopy has a narrow viewing window on the back to see in at your child and the window extends down the sides of the canopy so that your child can see out when the canopy is fully extended.

Quinny also improved the functionality of the Zapp Xtra by making it car seat compatible.  With the use of the adapters included you can easily attach any infant Maxi-Cosi car seat.

Another improvement on the original Zapp is that the Zapp Xtra now comes with a shopping basket included. Due to the compact design of the stroller you are never going to be able to fit a substantial amount in the basket but it is certainly handy to hold a small to medium diaper bag, a couple shopping bags or other baby essentials.

In Use:

I was a little concerned that the Zapp Xtra wouldn’t handle as nicely as its three wheel predecessor, but I’m happy to report that when it comes to maneuverability the Zapp Xtra performs just as well as the original. The compact design of the Zapp Xtra makes it perfect for nipping around the stores and it can certainly get you down aisles that many larger strollers can’t.

The original Zapp and the Zapp Xtra both have the same issue when it comes to more rough terrain, as would be expected with any stroller not designed for off road use.  The Zapp Xtra has improved suspension on the rear wheels and the front wheels lock into place which makes bumpy roads  more manageable, but it definitely prefers smoother pavements and flat surfaces.

The rear wheels have a one-step brake system that is ‘flip-flop’ friendly and super easy to do.  Step on the red button to lock and step on the grey button to unlock.

To fold the stroller you follow the same three-step process as opening it, keeping in mind that you need to remove the seat for it to fold.   Once you remove the seat and the frame is folded down, there is a manual locking strap to keep the frame closed.  I would have liked to see an automatic lock to avoid this additional step.

The extra weight of the Zapp Xtra compared to the original (4lbs difference) is a blessing in disguise as the extra weight gives the Zapp Xtra enough stability to hang a light bag or purse on the handles without the stroller toppling. (Please note:  Quinny does not recommend hanging anything on the handles)

We bought our original Zapp because it is so easy to travel with (travel bag included) and while I haven’t had the opportunity to take the Zapp Xtra on a vacation yet, I think that it will be a great option because it’s still compact and light weight.  I do however, wish that the Zapp Xtra came with a travel bag  like the original making it that much easier for airplane travel.

The Zapp Xtra is available in Rebel Red, Brown Boost, Pink Emily, Electric Blue, Natural Mavis, Rocking Black and a Limited edition: Curious Color.  The stroller comes complete with a rain cover and adaptors for the Maxi Cosi infant car seat and retails for $299.

I’m really loving the Quinny Zapp Xtra, its compactness and maneuverability are fantastic, the upgraded features including reclining reversible seat, giant canopy and car seat  compatibility make it an excellent options for parents on the go or those of us looking for space saving options.

Like:

• Reversible / reclining seat
• Fixed 5-point harness
• Abundant fabrics / style combinations to choose from
• Extremely generous canopy
• Smaller, lightweight frame makes it easy to stow.
• Very easy set-up
• Excellent maneuverability

Dislike:

• No Cup Holder
• Small Basket
• Wish a travel bag was included

Dimensions:

*Thank you to Quinny for sending us a sample for review*