In this family, the mom does everything and the dad plays with new toys.
In this case, it’s a stroller.
Here’s a comprehensive review of the Akeeva Alvis Travel Stroller from BabyMall PH.
Unboxing:
The Alvis came in pretty sturdy packaging so I’d be pretty confident that it’ll reach you in working condition if you buy it online. Here’s what the packaging looks like and what’s inside the box.
Setting It Up:
After you unbox it, it’s pretty easy to set it up.
Though it comes with a manual, I’d just throw that away. You can figure it out on your own.
If you’re a visual person and would like a step by step, here’s how to set up your new Akeeva Alvis.
- Remove the cartons/padding at the edge
- Remove the foam around the foam handles.
- Remove the cartons in the middle of the wheels.
- Slide these 2 “switches” up to open up the stroller.
- Make sure it’s completely extended. There should be a slight “click” once it’s completely open.
- Now, grab the front wheels and look for the arrow.
- With the arrow pointing up, attach it to the front of the stroller.
- You’ll see this hanging on the side. This is for the head cover.
- Just snap it on…
- … but be sure it’s above this metal part so that it will hold the cover in place.
Safety:
The always welcome 5-point belt system is here, especially for those boys that won’t sit still.
- Adjust the strap height from the back by releasing the belt here at the curve of the plastic
- Adjust the length by pressing this button.
Storage:
The storage space is very minimal, what you’d expect from a stroller of this size but for what’s it worth, I can store a ton compared to other compact strollers I’ve used.
1 Warning:
A lot of us love hanging stuff on the back of our strollers. Personally, I’ve used over 15 kinds of strollers, most of them are big (or very big) and medium ones. They can handle a good amount of weight. For strollers like this, try not to hang heavy bags.
One more thing, don’t hang anything on the middle hinge shown below. You can hang your plastic bags and even a light backpack (hang the strap on both handles) but make sure the weight won’t tip it over.
How Comfortable Is It?
We recommend this for babies around 6 months or older because it’s not going to hold up the baby as the seat cannot be reclined. Siris is exactly 12 months in the picture below. The belts are set at the top level so it acted as a cushion but it really shouldn’t be used for that. The seat is about 13 inches horizontally so it’s just enough.
In terms of kids taking a nap, you’ll need to be resourceful and find a way to support the head but it’s fine, just a minimal issue.
How’s the Ride?
It’s recommended for kids up to 3 years, so that about 15kg.
Siris is about 10kg in this photo, no issues, pretty smooth and I can handle the stroller with 1 finger (just pushing and turning it) or with 1 hand if I’m texting/calling.
Light is around 16kg right now. Though it still works for her, me, the pusher, can clearly feel the weight. I’ll be pushing this stroller to it’s limit soon when we travel and Light will probably be not as light. Let’s see how it holds up.
UPDATE: We have finished our first leg of our travels with this stroller. Pulled it along while folded while I was pulling 2 suitcases. Strapped it around my neck when riding the train or going up the stairs. Went through all the crazy Hong Kong sidewalks. Pushed Light and Siris around Disneyland with no issues. Carried all our bags. PLUS the people throwing it on the plane and out the plane. It’s still intact. Pretty sturdy!
How BIG and How Portable Is It?
This is between 4-5kg so it’s pretty light.
Also, the usual pocket strollers have a square size once completely folded and personally, it’s annoying. This one folds down and that’s it. There’s a shoulder strap already in place. You can roll it along the floor or put it over your shoulder.
For the car, you can leave it standing up (it’s pretty stable) or down, just lock the wheels.
It fits any car, even when it’s FULL, which is normally the case when you move around with kids. As a dad that lugs along bags, bags and more bags, this is probably my favorite thing about this stroller. It’s about 9 inches L & W and a bit over 20 inches for the Height so it will fit anywhere.
Verdict:
Build Quality: The quality of the materials are great for what’s it intended for. You’ll start to notice that the plastic used for the side hinges is really sturdy but it’s a bit flimsy when a child that’s over the intended limit sits on it. Still stable and usable though even for a child in Light’s age range.
Storage Space: Again, it is what it is because it’s built to be portable above all else. It can carry a good amount of things as long as you can fit it in. I just wish that it was easier to put things in the storage area as the opening is quite small.
Size and Portability: I’ve detailed the size and weight above. It’s perfect for our needs at this point.
Limitations: Not many limitations but I wish it could handle more weight so I don’t have to carry the bags but I understand it for the price point that it’s on and portability for it’s price.
Use Case AKA Practicality: It fits all kinds of cars. The mom brings it along when Light goes to school, so that they can go to a cafe or mall after class. Travel wise, it looks to be an ideal size and I can also roll it along while it’s folded. I’ll experiment putting on shopping bags on it while it’s folded and treat it like a cart.
Price: From the strollers I’ve used, it seems like it’s priced (currently just 4,500 in Lazada) just right in the middle. We also tested something half the price of this and we had troubles with the wheels, cloth materials and so on.
It’s easily available in Lazada, just order it online, just search for Akeeva Alvis, no need to go to the mall to “try it out” – Go to the mall or somewhere else to spend time with your kids. LOL.
Remember, this is for kids 6 months-3yrs old. Not for 1 month old babies. I’m currently in the process of testing it over it’s recommended limits. Light is officially the crash test dummy of baby products. Experiments done with complete safety for the kids. No kids were harmed in the making of this review.