For a price tag of £375, the Kurvi Abstract buggy came complete with numerous accessories: a footmuff, a padded liner, a raincover, apron, head hugger, chest pads and change bag. Back in 2014, for an extra £45 you could buy the Petite Star car seat to create a travel system. The Petite Star Kurvi Abstract is also compatible with a Maxi-Cosi car seat, if you prefer.
What we love
I tested the Petite Star car seat with the help of a friend’s son, Jonathan, 7 months, and what I love most about it is its simplicity. One example, the head hugger attaches using Velcro.
Jonathan was clearly comfortable in the car seat rocking on the floor, as it is very well padded. There’s ample room for him to grow too. It has a good hood on it and is really attractive in its sleek black design.
Putting it in the car proved simple enough, as did attaching it to the frame of the Kurvi Abstract. You slide adaptors either side of the chassis. Marked L and R there’s no confusion and once they’re on you simply sit the car seat on top of them. There’s a healthy clunk sound so you know it’s well attached. To remove it, there’s a red handle at the back of the car seat that you pull up.
Constructing the Kurvi Abstract is very simple and that really impressed me. And then converting the carrycot to seat mode, reclining it, switching the way it faces or removing it completely and using the car seat instead, could not be easier.
The folding mechanism of the Kurvi Abstract is good. It collapses by sliding two clips either side of the buggy towards you (one where you have to press a red button) before lowering it down. To reverse this process, you have to unfasten a red plastic clip. You don’t have to remove the seat to collapse the buggy but you can. You can also remove the rear air tyres at the click of a button.
The Kurvi Abstract is available in two colour ways - ‘Nature’ or ‘Tribal’. These sit either end of the scale as far as understated and bold go. ‘Nature’ is a neutral beige with an internal leaf print, and ‘Tribal’ is black with an internal zebra print. Before some of you think the latter may be too much for you, remember that black and white is used widely in newborn toys, and that it’s true that objects with high-contrast patterns are the easiest for newborns and young infants to see, potentially stimulating development.
Pushing the Kurvi Abstract is a joy. It weighs 11.5kg and the aerodynamic aluminium frame, the suspension on the front tyres as well as the rear air tyres, mean it bounces along swiftly (by the way, an air pump for topping up those tyres is included). So, it’s easy to push, steer and handles well on all sorts of surfaces. Walking outdoors on rough terrain is fun, even with my 2-year-old daughter adding an extra 14kg to the load.
The hood lowers a long way and meets an ample sturdy raincover. The raincover rather cleverly has an opening in the front so you can access your little one easily and/or give them some fresh air. The footmuff also proved excellent in as much as the bottom of it is lined with plastic – great for dirty shoes.
Used as a carrycot, the Kurvi Abstract comes up trumps as it’s very lengthy. There’s no doubt about it, it would suit your baby a long time. Jonathan went off to sleep and was so comfortable, due to the brilliantly padded liner and head hugger. The bumper bar may be seen to be in the way, but I only saw this as a positive in as far as something to hang baby toys from.
The change bag that’s included is a good size and attractive and sits perfectly across the handlebar. The handlebar is height adjustable, suiting your needs however tall you are. And a big plus if you have a baby in the pram and a toddler walking beside you is that you can push the Kurvi Abstract easily with one hand.
What to watch out for
Those handlebars do appear to be so long that extended or not, you are a long way from your baby when in carrycot mode compared to other prams. It has to be this way so that the design can function and the pram can flip to buggy.
The carrycot should not be used off the frame as it collapses on itself and wouldn’t be safe with a baby in it. Likewise, I wouldn’t carry it using the bumper bar. This is not designed to be a handle as the weight is not evenly distributed, so when picking it up it’s heavier on one end, making it tip.
The unit is large when folded and difficult to carry. Not great if you have a small vehicle or use public transport.
Most of the covers, fabrics and seating are sponge clean only so it’s not the most practical of materials as far as washing goes.
The shopping basket, dubbed as generous on the Petite Star website, is far from that. It’s so small you could really only get your valuables and a few things for your baby in it, definitely not a shopping load.
Who is the Petite Star Kurvi Abstract travel system best for?
Parents who like to walk everywhere, after a product that is really easy to use.
Petite Star clearly has put a lot of thought into the design of the Kurvi Abstract travel system. It’s really clever all works very easily indeed. It becomes good value for money when you consider it is a pram and a buggy in one, and add the own-brand car seat. However, the basket is tiny, you can’t fold the unit down compactly and those rear air tyres may be prone to punctures. But for those few faults, it’s a product that’s bound to turn heads.
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