As a buggy, the Jané Unlimit is massively versatile – it can be used as a forward or rear facing buggy and teamed with a variety of Jané car seats to create four different travel systems. There’s the Strata car seat; the Matrix Light car seat; the Transporter, a lie-flat carrycot-style restraint; and then Formula, which includes the Strata and Transporter.
We tested the Unlimit Strata Travel System, which means we got the Group 0+ Strata car seat and the optional Strata Platform, which is an ISOFIX in-car base that accounts for £170 of the total price. Without it, the system comes in under £500, and the car seat can b installed with the car's won seatbelts. Weight wise, the Strata car seat accounts for 4.97kg of the overall 17.47kg weight.
Jané’s patented Pro-Fix system lets you lock and unlock the car seat from the buggy chassis with just one hand, so no need to shell out for extra or awkward fitting kits.
Assembly was relatively simple, as the Unlimit buggy comes pretty much pre-assembled, with only the wheels, sun hood and bumper bar to attach. Once I had mastered how to unfold the buggy (it took a few goes to work out which clips I had to undo) the rest was simple.
A lot of thought has clearly gone into this new buggy, after all it had to follow Jané’s previous solid performer the Nomad. The frame lightweight aluminium, curved in a ‘c’ shape at the back so that you don’t kick the bar as you walk. With four striking large diameter wheels at each corner, which run smoothly over all terrains, the 12.5kg Unlimit is great to push.
The Unlimit comes with a multi-position seat that can recline fully and an adjustable footrest. Throw in a dual cable-activated STOP & GO parking brake, a height adjustable (80cm-106cm) “soft touch” (foam padded) ergonomic handlebar and you have a really well thought out option.
Jané have addressed the comfort of both parent and child. Along with low-profile wheels with ball bearings to maximise smoothness and manoeuvrability there’s also adjustable suspension on the rear wheels, delivering a smooth ride as your child gets older and heavier.
Also as standard is a shopping basket, with reflective bands for safety during night-time journeys, and that all-important raincover.
What we love
I love how sturdy the Unlimit buggy is - everything about it is solid. The oversized frame is very strong yet light and the easy running wheels make it a dream to push.
This is a very stable buggy. No matter how much shopping I hung off the handle, it didn’t topple, making it an ideal option for shopping around town. And believe me when I say I can shop a lot!
Freya enjoyed her rides in the Jané Unlimit because we could position the seat perfectly for her, that is completely upright. Having mastered sitting Freya just refuses to recline! The bumper bar gave her something to hang onto as we powered along.
For such a sturdy and versatile buggy, the Unlimit folds to a reasonably compact size and the wheels are easy to remove if you need more space.
The Strata car seat is great, too. It’s the safest seat in its category Eurotest 2008. The Strata Platform is the world’s first 3rd generation ISOFIX base and its revolutionary Electronic Warning System beeps to let you know the seat and its base are properly fitted. This ISOFIX base also has a pneumatic shock absorbing system to reduce deceleration by up to 4G in the event of an accident. This all sounds complicated but at the end of the day it means the seat is safer if you crash.
What to watch out for
Style wise, this has a European look - the moonlight option we tested had writing patterns all over it and the other colourways are similarly styled. The seat can look a little old fashioned in that it has armrests and is very boxy. However, it is very well padded and large enough for a big 3 year old.
The rear wheels are quite wide for a buggy that in all other ways feels pretty compact. On a trip to the local shops my husband ran over a few people’s feet with the back wheels, as they’re wider than you’d expect. That said, it’s this width that no doubt accounts for the Unlimit’s fantastic stability.
Whilst the Strata car seat fastens onto the chassis with the brilliant one-handed Pro-Fix system, the actual buggy seat is fastened on differently with a more complicated arrangement. This meant that whilst Freya was in the car seat we had a fantastic travel system, but turning the Unlimit back into a buggy was a much fiddlier two-handed job.
The hood of the Unlimit has lots positions, but I couldn’t quite get the right one. When fully up, the hood shaded Freya perfectly, but it came between us so I couldn’t see her properly, defeating the object of a parent facing buggy. If I moved the hood back, Freya was in the sun too much.
Who is the Jané Unlimit Strata Travel System best for?
Shopaholics after a smooth-riding option that won’t topple.
The Unlimit Strata is a travel system that boasts great sturdiness, stability and safety credentials. It can handle the shopping bags so it’s great for those hitting the town, however the smooth ride it offer means it will also manage more than a smooth high street.
