However, as we mentioned earlier, you can still get your hands on some Petite Star products and buggies and even spares that are floating around on the internet.
With all secondhand products there's guidelines you should check before buying.
If you’re looking to make a one-off purchase of a buggy, the Petite Star Zia4 could well be the answer.
It lasts from birth to toddlerhood, looks good and is of a low enough weight that won’t see you trading it in for a lighter option to get through the toddler years.
Add to this the matching Petite Star car seat and carrycot (called the Petite Star Cocoon), and you’ve got travel system that ticks all the essential boxes.
A well-known name in the business, Petite Star has been designing and manufacturing nursery goods for over 50 years. Petite Star has picked up lots of awards - and rightly so - this lightweight travel system stands out in the marketplace, representing good value for money.
The Zia4 was developed from the award-winning Zia stroller. The 4-wheel design allows the addition of a car seat and carrycot.
The Petite Star car seat, 3.6kg, is compact and is designed to attach to the buggy. It has a stylish aluminum handle for ease of carrying and lifting. In the early days, this allows you to carry your baby from your kitchen to your car and through the supermarket without any hassle.
The actual buggy has lots of clever design features. When collapsed, it’s very compact and light. It’s very quick, simple and easy to use. The raincover fits well but hasn’t been tested while walking in the rain or wind. The reclining seat is easily adjusted even when your child is in the buggy.
What we love
What is truly great about the Petite Zia4 is that you have your useful carrycot and infant car seat that you need from birth yet are left with a lightweight stroller, rather than a cumbersome number that is difficult to collapse. I think back to the travel system I bought in 2006 and there’s no comparison. The big name brand travel system I had worked relatively well as a pram but was useless as a stroller. It was difficult to collapse and heavy. I ended up buying a Maclaren as I needed a lightweight buggy. However, there will be no need for this with a Zia4.
I like the fact the Petite Star Zia4 can be used as a rear-facing buggy when the Petite Star Cocoon is attached. I love having eye contact with my baby, and looking back, it would have been useful to have had a carrycot for my daughter Beatrice when she was a newborn, instead of carrying around a bulky Moses basket.
When test driving the Zia4 out and about, I found it was lightweight, responsive, comfortable and easy to steer.
What to watch out for
I wasn’t crazy about the green colour but lots of others do like it, including my 3-year-old son Isaac who said it was like lettuce! And, it does come in a different colourway if you’re not a green fan.
Other niggles include that the basket is too small, and there are a few detachable parts that in a busy hectic life might be misplaced. The working parts could get lost, including the bumper bar. In this way the Zia4 suffers from a spot of over-design.
The Petite Star Zia4 doesn’t have adjustable handles, which could be an issue for the smaller or taller parents among us.
One mum complained that her raincover ripped but to be honest, I think they all do after time. Even my Maclaren one has.
The carrycot is self-assemble and simple to do but a little basic. The flimsy design didn’t really represent value for money, though it was functional. I did feel the carrycot let the side a bit.
Who is the Petite Star Zia4 travel system best for?
New mums who want to purchase once and forget about second buggy shopping.
The Petite Star Zia4 travel system might suffer a little from over design but this doesn’t detract from the fact that it’s a lightweight, flexible travel system. The potential cost saving it offers, but being able to fill the role of lightweight buggy as well as a pram, is a definite selling point. However, if you’re much taller or shorter than average, try before you buy to ensure the non-adjustable handle height is comfy for you.
Read more...
