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Chicco is an Italian company that has been around for more than 60 years. They’ve been in the baby business for a long time, so their products have become synonymous with trust and reliability.
The Mini Bravo Plus Travel System weighs less than 20 pounds, but what it’s missing in heft, it makes up for in functionality. It has plenty of useful features including a huge canopy, a self-standing fold, deep reclining seat, compatibility with infant car seats, child tray, and parent tray.
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General Specifications:
- Folds easily and compactly
- Full coverage canopy
- Smooth steering
- Large storage basket
- Child tray and parent tray
- Infant car seat compatibility
The Seat
The weight capacity of the seat is 50 pounds, so you can use this jogging stroller system well into toddlerhood. The seat is 25 inches tall from the bottom of the seat to the top of the canopy.
You can adjust the backrest into three different positions, and while the lowest position isn’t completely flat, it’s about 30 degrees from horizontal, so it’s likely that your child will be able to nap.
It won’t be newborn ready, but remember, you can put an infant car seat in the stroller, so you don’t need the seat until your child is ready to sit up on their own.
To recline the seat, all you need is one hand. If you’re on a stroll and your little one falls asleep, just gently recline the seat with one hand while you continue on your way down the street. You won’t have to struggle with any straps.
You can raise and lower the backrest just by squeezing a lever rather than messing with any straps or levers that require two hands.
The most upright position is really straight, which is rare among most strollers. It allows your child to remain upright and alert. Your curious toddler can observe everything around them rather than the sides of the stroller blocking their view.
The 5-point harness is adjustable with padded straps, so you don’t have to worry about fit or comfort. Your child won’t get scratched or rubbed by anything that’s too tight. The padding is rich and plush, but there’s no mesh for breathability. However, it’s very nice to the touch.
It has a padded calf rest and a separate footrest for older children, but they’re not adjustable, so they either fit or they don’t. There’s nothing you can do to fix them if they’re in the way.
Features
Car Seat Compatibility
The Chicco Mini Bravo Plus accepts the KeyFit30 infant car seat and can be bought as a travel system set. While this is the only car seat it accepts, if this is the infant car seat you’ve chosen to use and you like the stroller, it’s a nice set.
The child tray allows you to attach the infant seat to the stroller without the need for any extra attachments or accessories. Set the car seat on top of the child tray, click it into place, and you’re ready to go.
This travel system is acceptable for newborns all the way up to 50 pounds.
Canopy
The canopy has 2 panels to provide plenty of shade for your child, but it also has a zip-open third panel made of mesh to offer even more shade and airflow. The third panel opens at the top to offer you a window so you can see your child through it.
The unfortunate thing about this canopy is that there is no peek-a-boo window other than the mesh zip-open panel, so if you’d like to see your child without covering them all the way up, you have to collapse the first to panels while opening the third mesh one.
There isn’t a sun visor on the canopy either, but if it’s fully extended, it’s plenty long enough to offer enough shade for a child. It almost touches the child tray and will completely cover your child. It won’t just block the sun, but it will cover your child’s torso, too.
This is a very generous canopy that not very many lightweight strollers offer.
Handlebar
This particular stroller has a non-adjustable handlebar, which is a slight downfall. It’s 41.5 inches from the ground, which is a good height for most parents who are 5-feet 5-inches or taller, but adjustable handlebars are just way better.
While it may be too high for short people and cause wrist pain, it can be too low for tall people. However, the handlebar is made of a texturized rubber grip and feels very luxurious. It won’t rip like a lot of the foam handlebars that other strollers have.
Wheels
The back wheels are 8 inches and the front wheels are 6.25 inches. All four are made of EVA foam. The front wheels swivel a full 360 degrees, meaning the stroller is much more maneuverable and easier to steer in small places.
Even though it’s more maneuverable, it’s still only meant for flat terrain and works best on sidewalks, bricks, pavement, and packed dirt. It’s not meant for gravel or grass and won’t give your child a very comfortable ride. It also won’t be very easy to push.
It’s designed for city use and shouldn’t be used for off-road trails.
Brake
The Chicco Mini Bravo Plus has two brakes. There’s one brake for each rear wheel. When you stop and need to lock the stroller in place, you have to engage each brake separately by pressing down on the lever next to the wheel.
While pushing and lifting the levers is easy, it can be less so in sandals or flip flops.
Storage Basket
What’s great about the Chicco Mini Bravo Plus is the oversized storage basket under the seat. It’s much larger and easier to access than many other stroller models. It can accommodate a large diaper bag and still have room for a purse, jacket, or blanket.
Not every stroller is so spacious, so this is a huge advantage to those who like to picnic or take their stroller to the grocery store, park, or pool.
It’s also very easy to access, even when the seat is reclined. However, it’s not accessible from the front at all. Some strollers allow access to the storage basket from the front and the back. This one does not.
Size and Weight
The stroller only weighs 19.6 pounds, which isn’t too heavy, making it very portable. It’s easy to lift, putting it in your trunk or carrying it up and down the stairs. There’s even a convenient carry handle that you can use for folding as well.
The dimensions are very small, making it the perfect shopping or walking companion at a crowded mall or on the narrow sidewalk. It’s only 20.8 inches wide, so it’ll fit through most doorways, in elevators, and in narrow grocery store aisles.
Folding
This stroller is quick and easy to fold up. Pull the handle hidden in the seat and the stroller practically collapses itself. Then use the same handle to carry it around. When you’re not carrying it around, it will stand on its own when it’s folded.
It folds down pretty small, especially if you take the child tray off the front. The dimensions of the folded unit are 28.3 inches x 20.8 inches x 14 inches. It will store nicely in your trunk or the closet at home.
The only thing that would be nicer is if the stroller folded inward, so the fabric wasn’t facing out, being exposed to dirt while it was in storage. Especially when carrying it around or packing it into a trunk, it would be nice if the fabric weren’t susceptible to rips.
Accessories
The parent tray offers two cup holders for you and your spouse or an extra sippy cup for a second child if needed. It can also hold keys, phones, snacks, and other extras. The pouch zips closed, so you don’t have to worry about your things falling out or being in plain sight.
The child tray has a cup holder and a snack holder that allows for an infant car seat to click in, and you don’t have to remove it to fold the stroller away. It folds up against the stroller.
Chicco Mini Bravo Plus Pros and Cons
Pros:
- One-hand recline
- Recline is deep enough for naps and erect enough for observation
- Soft padding on seat and straps
- Three-panel canopy with mesh window
- Folds small
- Narrow profile for use in tight spaces
- Fits infant car seats
- Durable handlebar
- Huge storage basket
- Parent tray with a zipper compartment
- Child tray
- Convenient carry handle
Cons
- Not acceptable for rough terrain
- Handlebar is not adjustable
- Brake requires pushing two levers
Chicco Mini Bravo Plus Alternatives
If you like the Chicco Mini Bravo Plus, here are some other options you could look into before you make a buying decision.
Chicco Mini Bravo
This stroller is a trimmed down version of the Mini Bravo Plus. It costs a little less and has fewer features, but if you’re looking to save a little money and don’t need some of the fancier things, it may be an option for you.
It doesn’t accept an infant car seat, it doesn’t have the third panel on the canopy, the padding on the seat isn’t as plush, the handlebar is covered in cheaper foam, and the parent tray isn’t quite as nice.
If those are things you feel like you can live without, it’s a durable, quality stroller.
Graco FastAction Fold Jogger Click Connect
This is a jogging stroller, so it has three wheels instead of four, but it’s comparable in price, and it has a more rugged and durable design. You can use it for running or simply use it for everyday errands.
It glides across all terrain and sturdy construction makes it feel more durable. The front-wheel swivels and locks. It’s easy to clean and maintain.
It has a lot more storage than most. It has a parent’s console for your items with a child’s tray for baby bottles or sippy cups. You can recline the seat to multiple positions, fold it fast with one hand, and it’s compatible with an infant car seat.
It will glide effortlessly across all-terrain thanks to the sturdy construction and the front wheel swivels and locks. It’s easy to clean and maintain, it has more storage than most, it folds fast with one hand, and it reclines to multiple positions.
The FastAction Click Connect Fold Jogger has a multi-position reclining seat, expandable canopy, convenience trays, and an extra-large storage basket. Features a unique one-second, one-hand FastAction fold.
Baby Trend Expedition
This is a popular model at a low price point. The Baby Trend Expedition also a jogging stroller but offers a great value. It has a locking front wheel and folds compactly, so you can take it anywhere. The durable steel construction offers a rugged design.
The features match many other more expensive models, such as an adjustable canopy, padded reclining seat, 5-point harness, and a center console for parents.
FAQ
If you’re on the fence about which stroller to buy, here are some frequently asked questions that may help you decide.
Answer: Chicco makes a lot of baby products and among them are strollers. There are enough to make your head spin. Among some of the top-rated Chicco strollers are the Techna Viaro Travel System, the TRE Titan Jogging Stroller, the Bravo LE full-size stroller, and the Cortina Together Minerale double stroller.
However, the Mini Bravo Plus is one of the best budget strollers you can buy. It offers a great mix of features on a budget. At less than $200, it gives you a great value while still offering plenty of the things you want in a stroller.
Answer: Chicco has been around since the 1960s. They’re a great manufacturer of baby products. Their items are generally of good quality and durable. Their strollers are comfortable and easy to use. They’re also lightweight.
However, it depends on what you’re looking for. If you can’t find the features you want at a price you can afford, that will factor into your decision more than anything else.
Answer: Chicco is an Italian brand, but like many products today, they outsource much of their manufacturing to China. Chicco car seats and strollers are made in China, so if you’re looking for something manufactured in the United States, that brand is not Chicco.
Final Thoughts
The Chicco Mini Bravo Plus is a lightweight, affordable stroller that packs in the features. Yes, it’s a value stroller that’s built a little more cheaply than other quality strollers, but if you’re looking for something that’s versatile and has a lot of different useful features, this is the one.
It will last your infant through toddlerhood, it’s compact and portable, and has safety features like a canopy, brakes, and a 5-point harness. It also has a large storage basket, comfortable padding on the handlebar, a parent tray, and a child tray that locks in an infant car seat.
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