Friday 7 February 2014

The Petite Star Zia X Review


The Petite Star Zia is a model that I have passed countless times on the street, and it is also one of the pushchairs I have always thought looked the part, but I wondered whether it would live up to expectation. My initial thoughts were that it was perfect for an older baby/toddler as it is a lightweight stroller that will spread the weight and continue to get them from A-B. It is the kind of stroller that I would say is perfect for families looking to leave behind the bulk of a full size pushchair. 

Back in the Summer we were sent the Zia X to try out, it arrived a little later than hoped as I was planning on using it for our trip to Cyprus. We actually didn't get it in time to use for the trip, but my first impressions told me that it seemed like the perfect stroller to take abroad. The Zia X is compact and easy to fold so this would make collapsing it just before getting on the plane a doddle.



What's in the box?

In the Zia X box you will find everything you need to get you on the road:

- Stroller
- 3 Wheels
- Canopy
- Rain Cover

The set up is really simple and just involves clicking the wheels into place. The hood comes already attached and once the wheels are on it is simply a case of learning how to put it up and down. Again this is something that is really simple, and a feature that I always take into consideration on a pushchair.


First Impressions Of The Zia X

When I first got the Zia all set up out of the box, I did wonder just how sturdy it was going to be. It felt a bit rickety but I have now learnt that this is actually the suspension in play. I liked the adjustable handle bars and the soft grip that they are encased in. I noticed that the seat was nice and deep, with lots of room for my 2 year old toddler. 

Looking at the hood I couldn't help thinking that it could do with having a extra extension to stop the sun glaring in Leo's eyes, but I figured we would find out if this was an issue as time went by.

The Zia X has 3 wheels, so for some people this may be a love or hate feature. For me I do like a stroller with 3 wheels and I was looking forward to see how it handled. The frame of this stroller is made out of aluminum and you can definitely feel this in how easy it is to push and maneuver.


Getting Out and About With The Zia X

We have now been using the Zia X for around 6 months and we have used it in many different scenarios. For me the Zia is the perfect stroller for urban use, I didn't feel it fared to well on grass and felt it struggling and getting stuck. In terms of using it around the shops or for going abroad this is absolutely perfect. I will definitely be using this next time we jet off anywhere, or even if we have to pack the car full of luggage to venture off on a UK break. I can fit this stroller compactly in the boot of my 206, so this would be very convenient if we needed to get luggage loaded too.

The brake is operated by pushing your foot down on the red pedal and released by pushing down on the grey pedal. This is pretty standard and was easy enough to work out even without reading the instructions. I have found that you have to apply brute strength as the brakes can be a bit fiddly.


In terms of the hood, I do feel that it could benefit from either being a bit bigger or even having an additional pull out panel to protect from the elements. We have suffered with the sun blaring in Leo's eyes and now as it has got colder, it would provide extra shelter.

The 5 point harness on this stroller is easy enough to adjust, and it didn't take me long to get it adjusted for Leo's use. It grows with your child so you can adjust it as your child grows. The Zia X is suitable from birth as you can completely recline the seat by pulling the tog behind the stroller. Personally for me I would much rather have a lever that I could use to control the recline and incline, but this tog does do the job.

One thing that I quickly realised that I couldn't do was to hang a changing bag off the handle bar, it isn't designed to hold weight on the handle bars and this can cause it to become unsteady and tip over. This brings me onto the basket, this is something that I use all the time on a pushchair. Admittedly I did find this basket a little small for my needs. With it being an umbrella fold stroller that has such a compact design I figure that this was one of the allowances made to give it such a compact design.



How to put the Zia X Up & Down

Putting the Zia X Up
To open up the stroller you simply need to open the travel lock and expand the frame, then you just need to click the middle bar into place. Viola... The Zia X is up and ready to go.


Putting the Zia X Down
Putting the Zia X Down requires you to push down the button on the center bar, and then pushing down the button on the right hand handle, while pushing backwards. You can then collapse the Zia into it's self.

Conclusion

I will be keeping the Zia X around, I think it is perfect for nipping out and about around urban settings. Leo sits comfortably in the seat and Granny finds it easy to use with her arthritis, I always have to consider this in any pushchair that we intend to let Granny use with Leo. 

I don't think that I would personally use this stroller from birth as I like to have a pram, but I would happily use this from around 6 months when we decided to bring in a stroller as a  replacement to the bulky pram we first had. If you were considering this as a stroller for your newborn, it does completely depend upon preference. If you are looking for a lightweight, compact stroller within a certain budget, this may be perfect for you.

The Petite Star Zia X retails at £144.99 and can be purchased from Mothercare.


Disclaimer: I was sent the Petite Star Zia X for the purpose of this review. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.








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