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In a nutshell

A cheap lightweight buggy for occasional holiday use

What we tested

  • Fold/unfolding
    A star rating of 2.0 out of 5.
  • Manoeuvrability
    A star rating of 1.0 out of 5.
  • Comfort for child
    A star rating of 1.0 out of 5.
  • Style
    A star rating of 2.0 out of 5.
  • Durability
    A star rating of 1.0 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 1.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 1.3 out of 5.

Pros

  • High handles, folds away compactly, has a wide seat

Cons

  • No padding on seat, doesn't truly recline at all, white wheels that bind occasionally, no rain cover or sun shade

The lightweight Bruin Coast Stroller has a bargain price tag, but it leaves a lot to be desired.

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Before becoming a journalist and having my own baby, I qualified as a Nursery Nurse and worked as a nanny for years. In those days buying a buggy was so simple. Oh hooray for nostalgia! Now of course, it’s an altogether different situation. There are so many different options; no wonder confusion reigns. Just one of the many lightweight budget buggies aimed at anyone heading on holidays is the budget Coast Stroller, from Bruin, the Babies R Us own brand.

The Bruin Coast Stroller has a 2-position recline seat, self-aligning lockable swivel front wheels (more on these later!), a wide seat and a 5-point safety harness. It has a compact fold and weighs 6kg.

What we love

The design of the Bruin Coast Stroller is fun for little ones and the seat is great because it is so wide, even the chubbiest of bottoms would fit with room to spare.

I love that the handles are high – that’s a real godsend if you’re tall like myself.

The Bruin Coast folds down easily and becomes most compact, due to the fact that there’s no padding on the seat at all.

What to watch out for

The Bruin Coast Stroller is billed as “perfect for travel or holidays,” which in my mind, means for a short instance only.

Apparently the Coast Stroller is suitable for babies from 6 months old, but there’s no way I would have even tried Esme, 10 months, in this particular buggy at that age.

No padding on the seat at all means it’s not very comfy. Every time Esme and I put this buggy to the test, she looked so uncomfortable I wouldn’t want to put her in it for too long.

It claims to have a reclining seat, although it reclines such a tiny amount, it’s just not worth using. This isn’t a restful buggy for your baby to drop off in. And although it doesn’t truly recline, it doesn’t exactly sit-up either. Esme continually strained forward in the chair, which was possibly just as well for otherwise she would have been permanently slouched.

The brake was difficult to use and the hard plastic handles were so far apart that consequently pushing this buggy felt really strange. The wheels either lock or swivel, but annoyingly, I found them locking while in swivel mode. On one type of floor surface (in a shop), one front wheel simply did not revolve at all and I had to push the buggy in a sliding motion in order to move it.

I don’t think I have ever seen a buggy with white wheels. What possessed the designers to use them here I’ll never know. After one day of use, they looked filthy. Also after one day of use, the net shopping bag underneath was stretched and saggy.

Despite being touted as being good for holidays, the Bruin Coast Stroller is supposedly good for holidays when there is no rain cover or sun protection? Not my idea of perfect for travel at all.

Who is the Bruin Coast Stroller best for?

Holidaying families in need of a buggy so inexpensive they won’t be worried about leaving it behind.

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MadeForMums verdict

The Bruin Coast Stroller isn’t built to last and isn’t a great choice for everyday use. It isn’t comfy enough for you baby to be in for long periods at a time, though with its wide seat, an older toddler who needs an occasional push while on holidays might not mind the lack of padding so much. The price tag is the best feature of this stroller.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandBruin
ModelCoast Stroller
Price£29.99
Suitable for
Child age (approx)From 6 months
Dimensions & Weight
Weight6kg
DimensionsH:121cm W:39cm L:59cm
Dimensions (folded)H:99cm W:23cm L:27.5cm
Features
Seat facing directionForward facing
Front wheelsLockable swivel
Recline positions2
Features
  • Compact fold
  • Wide seat
  • Lightweight
  • Shopping basket
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