The Britax Smile should make life easier for busy parents.
First Impressions
The Smile instantly comes across as both reliable and sturdy. There also seems to be an endless amount of extra space without the pushchair feeling too bulky, making it ideal for parents who have more than one child or find themselves in and out of cars all day long.
The design isn’t striking, but it’s highly functional and very practical. The unfussy style – plus the absence of bright pink or overly childish patterns – will certainly appeal to dads. Colour choices include red, black, navy and silver, with the chassis coming in silver/black or full black, again really suiting the functional design and being reliably unisex.
Features
As with many other modern strollers on the market, the Britax Smile has its seat or carrycot positioned relatively high, allowing dads to maintain eye contact easily and giving your little one a much better view of the world.
In terms of practicality for everyday use, the Smile scores highly. The 3M ScotchLite reflective safety strips on the basket are a clever touch, increasing your visibility to cyclists and cars on narrow streets in dim lighting. This can also be reassuring for protective new parents, particularly those who live on winding country lanes.
The full suspension and air-filled rear wheels offer a smooth and comfortable ride for your child, even on the rougher surfaces. The front wheel swivel is also really fluid, making it easy to steer and lock in place for security. For those parents who live in a smaller space and require compact storage, the quick release should come in handy!
The seat on the Smile is fully reversible, providing both parent and world-facing options, so you can interact with your baby. For safety, you’ll find a 5-point harness, so there is no danger of your little one falling out over bumps. The padded straps – which can be simply adjusted – add that extra layer of comfort to a product that seems otherwise geared completely towards safety.
Forming a travel system is a must for modern strollers and the ‘CLICK & GO’ receivers mean that the Smile does just that. You can use the well-sized Britax Smile carrycot (included) or the Britax BABY-SAFE plus SHR II Infant Carrier, which is available separately. The basket is also a really nice size, completing the functional picture and housing the mountain of items you’ll need to bring along.
FQ Verdict
With a simple design and extremely practical features, the Britax Smile makes for a very good everyday option.
