Britax Holiday lightweight stroller review

The Holiday is well priced with a RRP of £120, cheaper than all of the above (the Familidoo is the closet contender at £169).

This stroller is made by Britax Römer. The name Britax suggests a British company, and it was when the company was established in 1938. Britax merged with German company Römer in 1978. They are well known for making car seats, but also produce pushchairs and bike seats.

It is suitable from 6 months due to the seating only having one setting, the upright position, and goes up to 15kg or around age three.

First Impressions?

Taking this stroller out of the box, I was impressed with how tiny it is when folded. There’s a genius strap for slinging it over your shoulder, which is bound to prove handy for travelling through the airport, on sightseeing trips and on public transport when space is tight.

The slight niggle for me was that when folded, it has a length of 60cm, making it over the limit to take on a flight as carry on baggage. Most airlines, including British Airways and Easyjet, have a maximum length of 56cm.

The frame seems strong and durable and overall the buggy appears well-made.

It looks sleek and well made, and there are five great colour choices. I tested an all-black version, but there’s also tasteful grey, blue, red and green.

How easy is the Britax Holiday to assemble?

The pushchair comes fully assembled so all you need to do is unfold and go. The instructions are legible and you’ll be up and running in a jiffy.

What do you think of the fold system?

As with many pushchairs, it takes a few tries to get the hang of folding the Britax Holiday. Once you’ve got it, though, it’s really simple.

To fold the stroller:

• Push the button in the centre of the cross bar at the top back of the Britax Holiday
• Fold the cross bar upwards
• Pull up the catches on each handlebar
• Push forward the handlebars

How compact is the Britax Holiday?

It’s incredibly compact once folded, and a doddle to store either freestanding or on its side. When folded it is 24cm in height, 25.5cm in width and 60 cm long. You can easily stash it in a cupboard, a hallway or under the bed.

I don’t have a car so couldn’t test whether it would fit into the boot, but given the measurements, I imagine it wouldn’t be a problem to slot this into a car boot alongside a suitcase.

How lightweight is it?

It weighs just 5kg, which is ideal for toting around on a city break, beach holiday or wherever you’re headed.

What did you think of the handlebar?

I was impressed that you can easily push the Britax Holiday one-handed, even though it has two separate handlebars. The handlebars are a good height for me, but I’m not tall, so if you are very tall beware that they don’t extend!

How easy is the Britax Holiday to push?

It’s easy enough to push, but the wheels started clattering on the very first outing I took it on, which was a quick school run. I was self-conscious about being the mum you could hear a mile off (or what felt like it).

For a lightweight pushchair it felt sturdy enough to withstand holiday with lots of walking. It can’t compare with full-sized buggies for smooth suspension, but didn’t feel flimsy either, which is an achievement for a buggy this tiny.

How did you find it worked on public transport?

Taking it on public transport is a smooth experience. It fits into small spaces whether open or folded, and can be stored in the end racks on a train.

What do you think of the seat unit?

The seat unit is on the narrow side, at 28cm wide by 21cm deep. I found my ten-month-old sliding to the side in it, but this wouldn’t be an issue for an older toddler used to sitting upright for longish periods. It has mesh fabric on each side to keep air circulating in hot weather. There is only one seating position, upright, which isn’t ideal if you intend to use the buggy for naps.

How comfortable was the seating?

It felt reasonably comfortable, but I couldn’t use it for naps due to the upright nature of the seat, so only tested it for short runs to the shops and school.

Could you interact with your little one when using the Britax Holiday?

The Britax Holiday doesn’t have a parent-facing mode, nor a canopy window that you can look through, so there isn’t much face-to-face interacting possible unfortunately. On the plus side, it’s so dinky that it’s easy to pop your head round the side for a quick check on your child.

Tell us about the brakes?

There is one brake on the right-hand back wheel which is very simple to use – just flick it up or down with your foot.

What did you think of the Britax Holiday's wheels?

The front wheels swivel which gives good manoeuvrability. The noise the wheels make was unnerving, I thought perhaps something had caught in them, since the clattering started within the first ten minutes of use, but I couldn’t see anything untoward.

What do you think of the hood on the Britax Holiday?

The hood raises and lowers very smoothly, but it could give more sun coverage given that it’s designed to be used as a holiday pushchair. Though it doesn’t go as low as I might have liked, t does offer UPF50+ sun protection, so that is reassuring.

How accessible and useful is the basket?

The basket is easy to access from the back, and, unlike the Silver Cross Jet, it’s not restricted by a cross-bar in the middle, so you can fit a good amount of stuff in there – a changing bag or up to 5kg of shopping or baby gear.

Is the Britax Holiday car seat compatible?

No, it is not car seat compatible It is purely intended as a holiday stroller.

Are any additional products needed for the Britax Holiday?

You can buy a travel bag for £25 and a raincover for £18. Given the smart carry handle, I don’t think the travel bag is necessary. I would imagine you would take the stroller up to the plane gate and have it handed straight back when you land, rather than checking it in with your suitcases, although if you are doing that then the travel bag seems reasonably priced.

What did you really like about the Britax Holiday?

How small it folds – there’s some excellent R&D gone into it.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the Britax Holiday?

I would have wanted to know that the seat doesn’t recline, and also how brilliant light and easy to store the buggy is.

How does the Britax Holiday compare with other lightweight pushchairs?

It’s clear that more design work has gone into the Britax Holiday than a standard umbrella stroller, like the basic John Lewis Travel Stroller (no longer available) that I’d used for previous trips. It has a sun canopy and storage basket, which are on upgrade on the other model, and is easy to fold once you’ve got the hang of it.

I recently took the Silver Cross Jet on holiday, and that has several advantages over the Britax: an extra long sun canopy, seat recline function and a smoother ride. Those features come at a price, however - £275 compared with the Britax Holiday’s £120. Weight-wise, the Britax Holiday is almost a kilo lighter at 5kg, whereas the Jet weighs 5.9kg.

Who is the Britax Holiday most suited for?

The Britax Holiday would be worth considering for parents of children aged 6 months to 3 years who want a lightweight stroller to take on trips, or a second buggy for short everyday trips.

Is the Britax Holiday good value?

It is less pricey than similar lightweight strollers, and if you are planning on going on several holidays before your child reaches 3 years of age, it’s definitely worth looking into. I’d recommend it as a convenient option if the lack of a lie-flat seat isn’t an issue for your child.

What’s in the box?

The Britax Holiday keeps it simple – all that’s in the box is the ready assembled stroller.

Where can I buy the Britax Holiday?

It's available to buy from Amazon.

MadeforMums verdict:

An ultra-lightweight, compact buggy that’s easy to store and push. For holidays or as an extra pushchair to keep in the car or at the grandparents, the Britax Holiday does very nicely.

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