MTE REVIEW: LOOPING TRAVEL STROLLER

Since many of you have been asking me about our travel stroller, I am writing about it.

First, a disclaimer: Looping Philippines gave this stroller to us. Prior to this, we were using another travel stroller brand (a lot more expensive and was a gift from my parents-in-law – they bought it in Singapore). Many brands have approached me so we can try out their stroller, but we’ve always declined because we already have one. When Looping approached us though, I was interested in the overall feature. I told them I’d be willing to try it out since I’ve been looking for an alternative to the brand we were using since that time, that brand was not available here yet. I wanted to be able to give a locally available suggestion to parents who kept asking us about our stroller. The verdict? Well, it turns out, I like Looping much more than our previous brand, and in this blogpost, I will be sharing WHY.

A QUICK RUNDOWN:

Looping is a French stroller brand, which I discovered during their launch, is actually made by a company who makes strollers for other companies. What we have is the Looping Squizz 2.0, and it weighs 6.7 kg. When you talk to them, the following are the features they highlight: one-hand folding promise, lightweight, ultra compact, suitable for newborns to toddlers (up to 20 kg), safe, sturdy and easy to maneuver, stylish and sleek, large storage basket and brake pads, easy to clean, and value for money.

Personally, here are the features that really appealed to me:

1. One Hand Folding Feature – yes! This is true. The brand we were using before claims the same thing, but this feature was a lot friendlier for this brand for me – all you need is one hand, really. This is helpful when you’re carrying your baby or many things. You can view sample videos HERE and HERE.

2. Can Pass As Airplane Handcarry – It was designed in accordance with the International Aviation and Travel Association standards for airplane handcarry. The size and weight fits the plane, so we were able to bring it with us on our flight to Paris. Now, some of you might say this is not really a big deal since you can just drop the stroller with the airline crew right before you enter the plane and collect it upon exiting the plane…BUT you see, this really becomes a great feature when you have flights that have layovers. We flew to Paris via Doha, and had we brought a stroller that is not allowed to be checked in the plane as handcarry, we would have been stroller-less while going around Doha, which would have been really challenging as it was so hot (we learned in our Laos trip not to use a baby carrier in hot places – it’s uncomfortable for both you and your baby). See, when you drop your stroller before entering the plane, you can only collect it at your end destination (in our case, Paris). Also, usually, when you do the dropping before entering the plane route and wait for it as you exit the plane, you wait long. It’s usually not there the moment you step out. [Just a tip though: make sure you have a photo of the stroller folded as well as the weight and dimensions on your phone/ wallet when you check-in at the airport. When we checked in for our Paris to Manila flight, they were not familiar with the Looping brand so they initially did not want me to board with it. It’s a good thing I still had internet so I was able to show them the features and photos of the Looping Squizz 2.0]

3. Ultra Compact – We definitely love this feature because it takes very little space in the house and in the car. But we love it even more when we travel, because we can go around without really feeling the bulk of a stroller. Usually, when you go to crowded areas (like mall sales, etc), parents tend to lean towards baby-carrying because of space issues. I thought it was going to be the same in Paris – but fortunately, we were able to go around with ease. The width of the stroller is just right for the small alleys of Paris. With all the walking and exploring we did, there was only one street that was so small and busy that we had a hard time with the stroller, but the rest was easy.

4. Works Like A Luggage – Well, we have mixed feelings about this one. With our previous stroller, while you can also fold it (the fold is even smaller than that of Looping’s, though they are generally the same weight), it did not work as a stand-alone “luggage” that you can pull. We had to put it on top of an actual luggage with wheels so we could pull it around. Otherwise, we would have to use it like a shoulder bag (which nobody wanted to do cause it was heavy that way). Looping works like a luggage with wheels. When you fold it, there’s a handle you can use for pulling. The drawback though, is that if you have other luggages to pull, this becomes another “luggage” to pull instead of something you can put on top of a luggage to carry two things in one. So yeah, this feature really depends on the bags we have. If we have a lot of luggages with wheels, we would prefer our other stroller’s feature.

5. Useful accessories – I guess all strollers have these, but we really loved using their rain cover accessory during our trip in Paris. It worked well when it was raining, and also when it was just too cold – we used it to warm our son up even when there was no rain. The blanket is only for infants, so we dint get to use that. They also have a mosquito net accessory which we have yet to use.

6. Hooks On Both Sides for Bags – When I got a lot of huge carabiner gifts for my baby shower, I did not understand what they were for. Turned out they were used for strollers so you can hang your bags while pushing your child. I only understood it when I was alone with lots of little bags and I was with P (using our other stroller), and I was like…”ohhh so that’s what it’s for! Genius! Too bad I did not bring it!” So I was lugging a person and too many things at the same time. Looping has built-in hooks (although small) on the sides of the handle so you don’t need that huge carabiner anymore. This saved me so many times – I would just hang my shopping bags or random things there (like jackets or shawls) so I did not have to hold them while also pushing the stroller.

7. Easy Peasy Buckle Mechanism – This is embarrassing, but the first time my husband left me alone with P in his other stroller, I did not know how to put him back there. Seriously. I was having a hard time trying to figure out how the buckle works. I had to wait for my husband to return, which deemed the stroller useless that time, lol. So I really appreciated how easy and idiot-friendly (lol) it was to buckle up P with Looping. It also comes with washable pads – the only drawback is that whenever you unbuckle the straps, the pads also tend to fall out.

8. Easy To Clean – this is true! Their pads are washable, the straps and bumpers can be moved in such a way that it’s easy to clean the stroller. However, especially during travels, I still prefer using a universal stroller pad for two things: so I can easily identify which stroller is ours, and so that’s all I have to wash in case it gets messy (say our son eats and puts a lot of food in the stroller). I get our stroller pads from this store.

9. Bumper Feature – love, love, love that this one has a bumper. Our other stroller does not have one and I always felt kind of weird about it. I mean, I know it’s also safety-tested and all that, but I was just so happy to see this feature here as an extra safety feature. What I really loved even more though, is that it can be opened from the middle!!! This was such a genius feature because of two things: one, it’s so easy to do diaper changes or to take my son out of the stroller, and two, it’s a point of interest for my son! He loves opening and closing the bumper! I swear, this stroller makes diaper changing a breeze especially when you’re out and there’s no diaper changing stations! PS: When we talked to the French owner (and maker) of Looping, he mentioned that he put the bumper because he noticed children like putting their feet on it, and it’s true! P does like resting his legs/feet on it! Oh just a note on safety, too – so far, this did not flip back or has shown any signs of cheap make. It does not seem flimsy for us. See, when we were first looking for travel strollers, we found a really light one – but according to some parents, it was too light that it would flip backwards! Scary. Thankfully, this brand seems to have really put safety in consideration. It is manufactured in accordance with the current European safety requirements and quality standards and EN1888:2012 certified.

10. Full Recline Feature – This may be the last on my list, but definitely not the least. In fact, this is my most favorite feature. This is something our other stroller does not have, and I will be honest, my son was never able to get a full sleep in that stroller. THE FULL RECLINE is EVERYTHING!!! Whenever he was sleepy or would fall asleep on me or my husband, we would flatten the stroller and put him there, and he would nap for hours! If only I could share here all his sleeping photos in Paris (in his stroller!). It is such a great feature!!! I’d also like to insert here how the brake pad feature is so helpful! One step and the stroller is on lock-mode! It was perfect whenever we stopped to rest or while he was sleeping.

Just to add: some more things I loved about it during our trip in Paris: I was able to use it as his seat during meals since many of the places we ate at did not have high chairs or bumpers, and it was light enough that my husband could carry him whenever we were at a train station. In Paris, elevators/lifts in train stations are almost non-existent. So whenever he was sleeping and we had to use the stairs, my husband did not get him out of the stroller anymore. He would just carry the whole thing. This is not the safest route, though, so I don’t recommend it. But in case you’re wondering how we did it, that’s the honest answer.

Now, what are the things that I feel can be improved?

1. The window feature – in this aspect, our other stroller wins! The other stroller has a “window” on the hood of the stroller, so whenever I’m pushing my son, I can see him from above. Looping’s window is wide, but placed below the hood – so whenever I want to see him, I have to bend down. [Edit: They came out with a slightly larger one, but for me, still not as effective as the windows from the top part so I can see my son while he’s in the stroller]
2. The storage – this is one of the things they highlight – large storage basket, but personally, I feel it’s not enough. Though, it is a travel stroller, so I understand the size. In this aspect though, our other stroller also wins. They have a better storage design for me.
3. Handle feature – I kinda like the feature of other strollers – the ones where you can just push the handle the other way so the baby faces you instead of facing out. I’m not sure how it can be done for this stroller, but that would be a really helpful feature most especially when your child is asleep.

The question now is…how much does this cost? You’ll be surprised at how affordable it is. I swear my parents-in-law bought our other stroller triple the price, because apart from the main stroller, they had to buy the “newborn” set. With Looping, you can use the same set from newborn up to 20kg! Well, maybe not the full recline. My 4-year-old nephew used it one time when he fell asleep, and he’s already too tall for it, but technically, the stroller can still carry him. But anyway, it’s amazing how you don’t need to change from newborn to toddler. You just use the same stroller, which means…if anyone needs to borrow it (like my nephew), you don’t have to do any switching.

Anyway, it’s being sold for PHP 16,999.75! I heard it was crazy cheap during the baby fair, but for me, the retail price is really good as it is.

If you’re interested, you can order/ inquire from THEIR WEBSITE. You may also view them on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK. You can also watch THIS VIDEO to learn more about.

If you want to see it from a physical store, you may visit the following:

* Baby Company [SM Aura | SM Megamall | Power Plant Mall Rockwell]
* Baby World Cagayan De Oro
* Rustan’s [Alabang | Cebu | Makati | Shangri-La Plaza]
* SM [Makati | Mall of Asia | Megamall B]
* The Parenting Emporium