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Hi fellow mummies & daddies! I’m Elissa, a first-time IVF mummy to a now 13-month-old toddler girl. Like many of you, I’m all about researching before I buy anything for my little one. That’s why I decided to share my honest, unsponsored Keenz Air Plus 2.0 Stroller review. A choice that I decided upon after more than half a year of looking into a variety of brands of travel strollers. I didn’t see many reviews online on this brand, so I decided to share my experience. #unsponsored
Choosing The Right Travel Stroller: Considerations I Had
We already had a second hand Joie 4WD stroller, but it wasn’t travel friendly. So, when we booked our Jeju trip, I started looking for one specifically for travel. Fun fact: This “travel specific stroller” ended up replacing the Joie entirely for our day-to-day use too after the trip! 😛
Back to the topic. When I was researching for a new travel stroller, these were some of my key considerations:
- Lightweight (subjective): Definitely try out different strollers to see what feels light for you. I realized what some people considered lightweight isn’t exactly lightweight for me.
- Sturdy: It needs to withstand the potential rough handling of being thrown around in cargo.
- Fully Reclinable Seat: Essential for naps on the go.
- Large Canopy: A must-have for my baby’s on the go naps because she needs the darkness to sleep. This was the hardest feature to find as many cabin size strollers had really small canopies.
- Cabin-Friendly: Because I thought it was essential at that point in time. I later learnt that you can check in the strollers too. Which we ended up doing haha – so I didn’t really need a cabin-friendly stroller after all.
- Easy Braking System: I wear flip flops most of the time, and i wanted something I could easily brake while on the go
- Doesn’t Topple Over Easily: Safety first! Too many horror stories of lightweight strollers toppling over under the weight of things hung on the handle bar.
- Affordable Pricing: I wasn’t looking to spend anything more than $500 (be it new or second-hand). The rationale? I didn’t want to spend so much on a cabin-sized stroller when I didn’t know if I was planning to travel much with baby.
My final choice? The Keenz Air Plus 2.0!
First Impressions of the Keenz Air Plus 2.0 Stroller
To be honest, I hadn’t heard of the Keenz brand before I started researching. But, after some mummies in my EDD group mentioned it as an affordable option, I looked into it further. Here’s what I found out about the brand:
- South Korean Brand: I tend to associate South Korean brands with quality and safe children’s products.
- Designed & Engineered in Germany & Korea: This added to the brand’s credibility. At least for me!
- Helpful & Responsive: I reached out to the local distributor in Singapore on Instagram and they were very helpful. From sending videos and pictures to answer my queries about the stroller, I had enough to go on. There’s an option to head down to their warehouse via appointment too if you need to see it in person.
- Good Reviews From Mummies: There were quite a few mummies in my online groups that used this particular stroller. They shared good reviews based on their experience, so I took a leap of faith and bought it without even trying it out in person.
After ordering it online, the stroller arrived promptly – mostly assembled. All I had to do was pop on the wheels (easy!), and zip up the leather bar covers. I honestly don’t remember if there was anything else. But I set it up all by myself really quickly, so it should be easy for anyone.
The main stroller also came with the following freebies:
- Seat Cushion (perfect liner for spills, spit ups, and more!)
- Leather Covers for Handlebar & Bumper Bar (for a comfortable grip)
- Cup Holder (not used yet)
- Mosquito Net (not used yet)
- Rain Cover (not used yet, but handy to have)
- Travel Bag (used for our flight!)
Exploring the Keenz Air Plus 2.0 Features: What I Loved & What Could Be Improved
I’ve used it on a one week overseas trip, and on regular days (especially on grocery runs), for almost 5 months now. Here’s my honest take on how the Keenz Air Plus 2.0 has performed.
Pros: What I really liked about the Keenz Air Plus 2.0?
- Fully Adjustable Backrest: Able to be upright, fully reclined (perfect for naps) or anywhere in between. And most importantly seem comfortable for my baby girl who takes strolls, uses it as a high chair for her meals at restaurants, and even naps in it.
- Big Extendable Canopy Coverage: This is a very important feature to me, because my girl needs as much darkness as she can get when she NEEDS to nap on the go. So most of the tiny canopies of cabin sized strollers just don’t make the cut.
- The HUGE Storage Compartment: This wasn’t a priority for me initially. But now I can’t imagine using a stroller with limited storage. We throw everything in there – baby carrier, diaper bag , water flask, all my NTUC groceries, you name it! It’s so big, Keenz claims it’s the “World’s Largest Basket” with a 45L capacity and 15kg weight limit. If you’re a pet owner, you’ll be glad to know it can double as a pet carrier too!
- Don’t Topple Over Easily – Did you know most compact strollers would topple over at 2-3kg load on their handle bars? Keenz has a strong claim that their stroller’s handle bar can hold up to 7kg without toppling (factory tested). Even though I don’t have the habit to hang anything heavy on the stroller bar, I like the assurance.
- Easy Braking System – Even with flip flops on, it’s super easy to use when i need to lock and unlock it on the go – specially on travellators.
- Super Affordable – I got it for $369 at a baby fair price. The current retail price is between $479-$499 on Shopee and Lazada. But with vouchers and sales, you might be able to get it cheaper too! This is well within my budget, especially considering all the features it offers!
Cons: What could be improved on?
Understandably, for it’s price point, it would be hard pressed for it to offer a whole lot of features like the high end strollers. But here’s some things I don’t LOVE about it:
- Not the Lightest: At 6.8 kg it’s not the lightest cabin size stroller out there. It’s not a MAJOR issue for me (we get it on and off the bus and into and out of our car boot alright). But as a petite person, anything anything lighter always helps.
- Difficult Recline Mechanism: The recline mechanism while fully adjustable, is not the easiest to manage if baby is in the stroller. And not to mention you need two hands – so this is definitely something I struggle with. But mostly it’s in upright position unless baby naps, so it’s not too much of a problem.
These aside, I’m very happy with this stroller that has been in use for the past 4 months. It was supposed to be just our travel stroller, but it ended up entirely replacing our day to day stroller too.
Other Considerations:
- Cabin Size (For Most But Not All Airlines): The Keenz folds to a compact size that adheres to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) guidelines for cabin luggage (total dimensions under 126cm). So it is cabin size for most airlines. However, some individual airlines may have stricter size restrictions. For instance, Scoot only allows cabin luggage up to 115cm total.
- Folding Mechanism: This is NOT a one-hand/ auto fold stroller, so if that’s a deal breaker for you, keep searching! It’s not a big deal for me because the Joie wasn’t a one-hand / auto fold either, so I’m used to it. But I can imagine how much more convenient it would be. However that being said, it folds down easy enough and compactly for easy storage.
- Manoeuvrability: I wouldn’t call it the smoothest ride ever (especially on very bumpy roads). But it handles the average Singapore city roads pretty well and steers easily (better than my Joie!). I for one, have no complaints about it.
- Not a Random Brand: While not as well-known as some major stroller brands, Keenz does offers certifications like EN1888 and ASTM F833 for safety. It has also won awards like the German Design Award (2019 & 2020), Golden Pin Design Award, Super Moms Awards 2019, and the 2019 LUXLife Parent & Baby Award to name a few.
Keenz Air Plus 2.0 Alternatives: Other Cabin Sized Strollers On My Shortlist
While I am happy with my Keenz Air Plus 2.0 now, here are a couple of alternatives I considered too:
- Joolz Aer+ Stroller: At 6 kg, it’s the perfect lightweight cabin sized travel stroller. But unfortunately the canopy wasn’t fully extended enough for me. But at $759 (not inclusive of footrest or handlebar – all included with the Keenz) it was out of my price range. Learn more about it here!
- Babyzen Yoyo2 6+ Stroller: Highly recommended by friends, but out of budget at $839 (without handlebar or footrest). Learn more about it here!
After considering these brands, I realized the main trade off were between price and lightweight/easier folding mechanism. So, if you’re someone who plans to travel often, and don’t mind paying more, you might want to consider these alternatives above.
However, if you don’t intend to travel much, need a fully extendable canopy, and value a huge storage basket, then the Keenz Air Plus 2.0 is a fantastic option!
I’ve come to realize, there’s no true BEST option when it comes to baby products, but rather what suits your needs within your budget.
Final Thoughts
The Keenz Air Plus 2.0 is a perfect choice for budget-conscious parents who need a functional and sturdy travel stroller with a massive storage compartment. It may not be the lightest cabin sized stroller, and the fold mechanism isn’t one-handed, but for the price and features you get, it’s a fantastic value!
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Do you have any other cabin-sized stroller recommendations to share with fellow mummies? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!
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