Britax Affinity
When we were asked to review the new Britax Affinity, […]
When we were asked to review the new Britax Affinity, we were very excited. Our first glimpse of the stroller was online as it was not yet even available in the United States at the time. We loved the looks of the stroller and its versatility. The Affinity is customizable, stylish and is a do-anything stroller with lots of convenient and easy-to-use features. Once the Affinity arrived, we were thrilled that it surpassed our initial expectations. We love the Affinity.
Assembly was quick and painless. The Affinity frame (available in black, white and silver) comes preassembled and stroller assembly mostly consisted of snapping in the wheels, seat and bumper bar. Britax provides an easy-to-read manual with short and simple instructions and diagrams.
After basic assembly, we got to one of our favorite things about the Affinity—the color packs. The base Affinity seat is gray, but Britax came up with color packs to individualize your Affinity. The color packs are available in six colors (black, fossil brown, red pepper, cactus green, sky blue, and cool berry) are $100 each. Our Affinity has the black frame with a black color pack. While you can use the Affinity stroller without a color pack, we wouldn’t recommend it. The color packs provide the stroller canopy, machine-washable seat liner, basket liner and comfort pads for the harness. Plus, the color pack adds a lot to the look of the Affinity. We consider the color pack well worth the extra investment and can see ourselves eventually purchasing an additional color.
We love the canopy on the Affinity. The peekaboo window to check in on your little one is magnetic, and the canopy can be extended out further to protect your child. When unzipped and extended, the canopy provides a mesh lining for ventilation. If we had a complaint about the Affinity, it would be this zipper. It sometimes gets stuck in the mesh lining of the canopy, so taking your time and being careful when zipping the canopy open and closed is a must.
The Affinity comes with both a rain and UV cover. Each cover fits snugly from the back of the canopy to the bottom of the foot rest to protect your child from the sun or rain. The included Affinity seat is great. The seat is easily clicked in and out of the Affinity frame and can be used either front or rear facing. The seat can be reclined via two levers under the seat and the foot rest is also adjustable. An Affinity bassinet ($200, not included) and certain Britax infant car seats can make the Affinity newborn-friendly and snap into the Affinity just as easily as the seat. The Affinity is also compatible with major car seats when used with an adapter.
Operation of the Affinity is simple. We appreciate the straightforward design Britax used for the Affinity. The parking brake is a foot pedal near the rear right wheel. The pedal is big enough to engage and disengage easily with a touch of your foot—red to brake, green to unlock. The handle, which is wrapped in a luxurious leather-like trim, is fully adjustable to suit various heights.
The Affinity folds by pushing two buttons on the sides of the frame. Folding the stroller is not difficult, but for us, it is usually a two handed job. The Affinity is much lighter than it looks, but is slightly bulky even when folded. That said, it does fold small enough to fit into the trunk of a small compact car.
As first time parents, we wondered quite a bit about the addition of “baby gear” to our lives and look for products that fit into our home and lives. The Affinity is perfect for our family with its clean lines and innovative design. We appreciate the fact that its modern aesthetic is combined with comfort for our little one and great handling. The black color pack and black frame combination on our Affinity looks sharp and is ready for all occasions with the newest member of our family.
Strollers can be stylish, and the Britax Affinity is a prime example. It is versatile in form and function. We would recommend this stroller to everyone looking for a stroller with great features and great design.
Price: from $600
To buy: babiesrus.com