Quinny Zapp 4 Stroller - Strawberry

Quinny Zapp, 2009/2010, 4 Wheel, Stroller, Mandarin Reviews

Average Review Rating: 3.5

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Review Rating: 3/5
Review Summary: Stylish looks but cheap wheels...I returned mine
I tested this stroller in a store with my daughter and loved how easy it was to steer, and how compact it was as opposed to longer strollers. The design is visually striking and a nice break from how the typical stroller looks. The handles were also very pleasant in the hands (no foam makes them cooler in the hand on hot days) and I loved the one-push brake system. It came with a custom rainshield and travel bag, which was nice. Mainly I was seduced by its style, even though it cost more than a few others we tried, so we brought it home.

After using it at home for a couple weeks I noted a number of problems:

- The folding mechanism is counter-intuitive and not very easy to operate. It took two otherwise smart adults a couple of tries before we figured out the folding and unfolding mechanism. It continued to be an issue (not working on the first try) even once we knew what to do.
- Wheels are plastic and have no shock absorption, which made for a very bumpy ride even on sidewalks.
- Noise! You really hear this stroller coming because of the cheap wheels, and it made the whole thing feel really cheap even though it was a spendy purchase.
- Wheels accumulated a lot of grit and made the ride bumpier, even after just a few walks around the neighborhood. Hard to tell in the clean store, but the dirty world makes a big difference.
- The very small undercarriage basket turned out to be impractical, I immediately wished for more space even though we don't lug around a lot of gear when we walk.
- There was no way to extend the canopy to provide extra shade, as opposed to most strollers where you can unhook the canopy in the back so it pivots further forward.
- Small wheelbase makes it hard to go up and down curbs that don't have ramps...we have a lot of these in our neighborhood. On the taller curbs, the carriage would get stuck in a seesaw position so that none of the wheels were touching the ground. You have to lift the whole carriage to fix that.


For all of these reasons I decided not to keep it in the end. If your city sidewalks are pristine and perfectly smooth, or if you are committed to cleaning the wheels frequently, if you are a minimalist who doesn't use the undercarriage to tote any gear, if you don't need a stroller that folds up small, and if you always have ramps on your sidewalks, I bet you'd like this stroller.

We have been much happier with the stroller we got to replace it, the Chicco Liteway.

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Review Rating: 4/5
Review Summary: GREAT 2ND STROLLER!
Bought it as a 2nd stroller. Our 1st is a Mutsy 4rider and wanted to get a cheap umbrella stroller that would take up less space. I'm glad i didn't and bought the Quinny. It's really compact and light, plus it takes the Maxi-cosi seat we have for our Mutsy. Just practice opening and closing the stroller before you take it out. It is a little tricky the first couple of times. Would have given 5 stars if price were closer to $130. I paid $185 at the time.

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Review Rating: 3/5
Review Summary: All the information I wish I'd been able to find online!
I do NOT own a Zapp, but I was thinking of purchasing one as an alternative to an umbrella stroller due to the limiting dimensions of my trunk. If you live in the suburbs, like I do, you know it can be hard to actually get your hands on one of these strollers to see if it has all the features you'd like. Today I got to spend an hour with a Zapp and here's what I discovered:

*This stroller weighs 18 lbs. (I had seen it listed at 13 lbs, but maybe that's the three wheel version? I weighed the 2010 Quinny Zapp 4 and it and it's definitely 18 lbs. with wheels, but without canopy.)
*The widest point at the base of the stroller is 23 inches. Wider than I'd wanted, but I think the amazing handling would go a long way towards navigating those closely spaced sale racks at Target.
*Seat to floor measurement is apx. 17 in.
*Wheels are each 6 in.
*Wheels are rubber coated, not noisy hard plastic as I'd read before. Maybe they changed the wheels for 2010?
*Folded, this stroller is compact. But, it does not fit into a locker at my gym.
*I found this stroller bulky to carry. I can't imagine hauling it around the zoo should my daughter opt to walk.
*The seat fabric zips right out of the frame. Although the manufacturer warns that machine washing might weaken the seams, it could technically be thrown in the washer if you choose.
*The Zapp does not lock in a folded position. Also, it has no strap or handle. So, you really need to use the bag to carry it.
*The Zapp does not have a standing fold in or out of the bag.
*Footrest is not adjustable.
*This stroller has linked brakes. A "brake" button on one side and a "brake off" button on the other.
*This stroller uses very little foot action for folding. And as you don't need to pull up on a brake lever with your foot, I consider this stroller pedicure friendly. :)

Also, I can't speak for Quinny's customer service post-purchase, but Melissa (a Quinny rep who took my call at Dorel) was amazingly helpful pre-purchase! She actually fetched her Zapp from the car to take some measurements for me when I was concerned that I might not be able to see one in person.

Happy shopping, everyone!