Maxi-Cosi Kaia Stroller Review

Ok mamas, raise your hand if you're a stroller addict...

I know you're all out there.  You cannot hide.  Admitting you have a problem is the first step.  Come on...

My hand is currently raised high in the air.  I am finally admitting it.  I'm a stroller addict.  We currently have four strollers.  Only four.  But if I had my way (and unlimited funds and a second garage), then we'd have a dozen.  Or at least one for every day of the week.  I had no idea how much I liked strollers until I had one. They're amazing.  Strollers are basically a big apparatus that contains/restrains your wild unruly child, holds your beverage and stores all your crap so you don't have to carry anything. What's not to love?

We currently have a designer "jogging" stroller (that's not a jogging stroller), a double stroller, a real jogging stroller and a car seat carrier/stroller.  What I didn't have was a lightweight, fully-collapsible stroller (umbrella stroller).  So naturally I was thrilled when we got the chance to review the Maxi-Cosi Kaia, as part of their new Bohemian Blue line of products.  Yes please!  

The box arrived at our house a few weeks ago and from the moment I saw it, I was in love.  I am so pleasantly surprised at how light and compact the stroller is.  Compared to all of our other strollers, this one is so lightweight!  To date, I've never taken a stroller with us on vacation or any trips because the ones we have are so heavy-duty, compared to this one.  The Kaia is definitely one that we could easily travel with and take on a plane without a huge hassle.  So bonus points right there.    

I also appreciate how easy it was to put together.  I've left the other strollers up to my husband to assemble because they've been beasts and the instructions are 80 pages long.  This stroller took me less than 10 minutes and was a breeze to do by myself.  Pop on the wheels, the canopy and the cupholder and you're basically done. 

I love the color.  I wasn't sure if this was going to be too loud for me, but I love it.  It's bright, it's fun, it stands out in a sea of boring other strollers, which means I get lots of questions and comments about it from other moms.  The colors are really pretty and I love the stripes on the seat. 

The Kaia is also a breeze to collapse.  One pop of the back foot lock and then just squeeze the handles and the whole thing folds up into a nice compact package, that even stands upright on its own.  This is HUGE because it means that I can put it in our hall closet without it falling all over the place or laying across the floor.  It's so nice having a stroller that doesn't take up massive amounts of real estate in your house.

Mac was thrilled to get a new stroller and so excited when I asked him if he wanted to take a walk around the neighborhood to try it out.  He thinks that all the packages that come in the mail are his, so obviously this is "his" stroller.  And for now it is, so I just let him believe that.  The Kaia fits children 6 months and up (up to age 4 or 50 pounds), so Mim is too little to use it.  However, unlike other lightweight umbrella strollers, this one has the ability to be a travel system and can be used with a Maxi-Cosi infant car seat, with the adapter (which is included).  We have a Maxi-Cosi convertible car seat (which is crazy nice and very plush), but not the infant seat, so we're a bit out of luck there. Although, based on how much we like the convertible seat and the stroller, it's definitely a brand I'd consider if I was purchasing a new infant seat.  

But Mac seemed to really like the stroller.  He liked pushing it, he liked playing with it, climbing on it and even riding in it!  He fit in it really well and said it was comfortable.  A few things to mention...

First, there is a 5 point harness buckle on the stroller that was a bit different than most of the other buckles on car seats or strollers.  This one was interlocking, like a puzzle-piece, which made it much harder for Mac to undo by himself.  I didn't have any problem with it at all and therefore really liked that he had a harder time unbuckling himself.  Maybe this will keep him in the stroller and restrained, which is exactly what I want when I put him in it.   

I also noticed that the seat was a bit more inclined (even in the fully upright position) than some of our other strollers.  I didn't know if this would bother him, but he didn't seem phased by it in the slightest.  I asked him if the seat felt comfortable and he said yes.  The seat does incline with a strap system, but not all the way back, so you can't use it with a small baby or anything. 

This stroller also has an adjustable leg rest, so you can extend it to use with smaller babies or drop it for bigger kids.  There is a foot rest below that which is actually much lower than the foot rests on other strollers. I love this feature because Mac is very tall for his age and even at 2, I feel like his long legs are soon going to outgrow his strollers.  He still has a lot of room to grow into this one.  

Built in cup holder.  SCORE.  It's included.  It stays put.  It doesn't slide around.  It fits most drinks (and my evening cocktail).  It can be put on the other side, if you're a lefty.  Need I say more?

The only thing I'm not really happy with is the sun shield/canopy.  It's small.  I wish it was bigger.  Much bigger.  And I wish it had one of those see-through peek-a-boo windows so I could spy on him from above instead of having to stop and walk around to the front of the stroller.  But really, that's my only complaint.

So, how does it handle?  Really well.  A few days after our initial inspection, Mac, Mim and I took it out for a spin around the block.  Don't let our grumpy faces fool you...we were actually having fun.  I think...you can never be too sure with a toddler.

Mac loves being pushed around in "his" stroller.  We took a long walk this afternoon and he sat in the stroller without any complaint.  The wheels turned very easily, it handled bumps and dips in the sidewalk/street with ease and the foot break was really easy to use.  And while it was easy to push/maneuver while I was hands-free (with Mim in the Bjorn), I realized that I wish it had a crossbar steering handle that you could push one-handed.  

And remember how I said he couldn't undo the buckle?  Well, he still couldn't, but he did manage to slide the shoulder straps off to the side in an escape attempt.  His plan was foiled and he remained my prisoner.  Bahahahahaha!

And here we are again!  Another day, another stroller ride.  Mac can't get enough.  I wasn't even going to take pictures this time, but he was just too cool for school this day and it needed documenting.  

Who is this kid?  And again, we put the stroller to good use.  Mac decided that the cup holder was the perfect place to store dead crickets he found. 

And he showed me just how many sticks we could fit in the storage basket below the stroller (which is very big, by the way, since I haven't mentioned that yet).  I asked him how many sticks could fit and he said two-eleven o'clock...which I think is a lot in toddler-speak.

So there you have it.  All in all, we're big fans of the Maxi-Cosi Kaia.  This coming from a stroller addict, herself.  I hope this might help you make up your mind if you're in the market for a lightweight umbrella stroller or travel system.  Welcome to the family, Kaia!  

Pros:

• lightweight
• easy to collapse
• 5 point locking harness
• large undercarriage storage basket
• stands upright when collapsed
• cup holder included 
• car seat adapter included
• foot-operated brake
• long foot-drop for taller kids
• adjustable leg rest
• bright fun color

Cons:

• small sun canopy
• no peek-a-boo window
• double handles instead of crossbar handle
• seat is pretty reclined, even in fully upright position

Anyone else a stroller addict?  

How many do you have?

What are you favorite or must-have features?

* I was provided with this stroller free of charge for purposes of a review.  All opinions expressed, commentary and bad jokes are 100% my own.