Our Umbrella Stroller: Review of the Chicco Capri

1-year-old baby

There are times when a jogging stroller is just too big and too heavy. Umbrella strollers fold up small and light. Generally you sacrifice some features and sturdiness, but the convenience of portability is worth it in certain circumstances. Our Chicco Capri was a generous gift from my husband's parents. It showed up in the mail when I was recovering from my C-section and too uncomfortable to carry my daughter very far or very upright. I hadn't bought my jogger yet, so the umbrella stroller was our only stroller and got daily use. For an umbrella stroller, it has a lot of great features with only a few drawbacks. Just to be clear, this stroller does not recline far enough for newborns or most babies under 6-months of age. Our daughter just happened to be unusually sturdy when she was born.


3-months-old



The canopy can be removed or placed higher or lower on the stroller frame

Most umbrella strollers either lack sunshades completely or have terrible coverage. The Chicco Capri has a sunshade that is better than most, but I would prefer it to be larger, since we are so fair. When our sweet baby girl was young, we would drape a blanket over the front of the sunshade for a bit more coverage, but that situation is less than ideal. Fortunately, the sunshade can be placed almost anywhere in terms of height, thanks to the clips that hold the canopy on. At its normal position, there are two snaps on the back flap of the canopy that can attach to the top of the seat. This actually allows the sunshade to be pushed forward a little bit further than in other positions, which can be handy. If you move the sunshade higher, there are Velcro strips that anchor the sunshade to the frame of the stroller. You can also move the sunshade quite a bit lower by placing the clips low on the sides. Honestly, you can manipulate the sunshade to work in most circumstances. There is no peek-a-boo window, but that isn't a deal-breaker for me.



The snaps that can attach the canopy to the seat back

Canopy in low position

the snaps to allow the canopy to lean forward without falling

canopy attached high on the frame, using velcro strips














































The stroller weighs in at 11 pounds, which is light. The comes with a bag that has a zipper and

d-rings for strap

Locks itself when folded. Release to unfold stroller.

adjustable strap. The strap can also be attached to the stroller itself instead of the bag. When folded, the stroller locks itself with a latch on the side. To open the stroller, pull the lock and unfold the stroller. There is a bar across the back that you need to push down completely to make sure the stroller stays open. You won't be able to fold the stroller until you pull out on the red part of the bar to unhook it and bend the hinges on the sides of the canopy.

Push bar down to keep stroller open. Pull red tab to fold.

The stroller has a 5-point harness with shoulder pads. The upper two straps can be unclipped from the lower 3-point harness. The strap padding can easily be removed. There is a padded piece of material that covers the crotch strap and pads the buckles. You can push it aside to open the clips, or you can undo the Velcro and pull the piece forward to reveal the buckles. The buckles are easy for an adult, but hard for a child, which is good because a child won't be able to release herself mid-ride without the parent knowing.  The crotch strap is not adjustable, and at 1-year-old, my daughter is already sitting on it because it is so close to the back of the seat. This could potentially be an issue later, but right now it still works fine. The upper four straps of the harness are all adjustable.

There is a storage basket under the seat, which is handy, since many umbrella strollers don't have any storage. The basket is mesh and can be completely removed by simply undoing the four Velcro straps that attach it to the stroller. This basket can't hold much weight, but it did hold some groceries, including a 5-lb bag of flour (which is more than it is supposed to hold). The access to the basket isn't ideal, and you probably wouldn't be able to get a diaper bag in there because of the crisscrossing frame across the back.

There are two foot brakes on the back wheels. I have accidently stepped on them when my stride is too long, which brings me to the one big drawback that I see in this stroller- it is not made for tall people. I kick the wheels if I use my regular stride. I have to take unnaturally short steps, put one foot directly in front of the other, or waddle to avoid the wheels. This is just annoying. I think it is a combination of the angle of the handles, how low the handles are and how close the back wheels are to each other. The front wheels can be locked forward or they can swivel. To lock the wheels, simply push up on the grey piece when the wheels are facing forward. The wheels are not air-filled, but there is all-wheel suspension which softens the ride, even on gravel. Honestly, umbrella strollers aren't meant to be all-terrain strollers, but this one does pretty well.



front wheels can be locked for rough terrain

rear brakes

The "multi-position reclining seat" doesn't recline all that far. Basically, if you unzip both zippers on the sides of the seat, that is as far as it goes. So yes, there are two positions, but they are very similar. Most umbrella strollers don't recline at all, so again, I am not complaining!! The stroller will hold up to 37 pounds. There is a flexible plastic foot rest that is not adjustable, but our daughter is not big enough to reach it.

sitting up, fully zipped

reclined, unzipped



All in all, this is a great stroller. If you need something small and light, this fits the bill and has lots of great features. If you are tall, you won't want this to be your primary stroller, but it works great for short trips or places like the mall where a small stroller is necessary and short strides won't be as frustrating. It fits well in the trunk or back seat of the car, and again, weighs only 11lbs. My daughter weighed more than that when she was born. This typically sells for $79.99 on amazon.com and is available in a variety of colors. I have yet to find an umbrella stroller comparable in price and features!



Do you have an umbrella stroller you love? Tell us about it!

 

 

 

It is important to note that I did not receive any products or compensation for this review

and I am in no way affiliated with the Chicco company. My opinions are my own!