The Britax Romer Revolution Pro BOB – Review!I

I’ve used lots of buggies in my time and when I’m finished working with one I usually give it away to someone deserving. I do however have my absolute favourites that I’d never be without although Jonny said recently that the number of those in that category had come to an end as far as he was concerned and any new ones that arrived had to be in and out the door as soon as I’d finished testing them. When the Britax Revolution Pro was delivered this is exactly what he said then… However… He used it once and said ‘Actually Ruth, I think we’ll keep this one, I really like it’ – well I was bowled over! He never says that! I mean he likes some of the buggies we have, the one I use every day (my Stokke XPlory) and he’s keen on a Bugaboo Bee for the city but he only adds this when I ask him, he rarely cares enough about them to pass an opinion voluntarily but there’s something about the Britax BOB which appealed to him straight away.

It’s running and skating approved and has massive pneumatic tires which I think might be a little drawing for Jonny. And it has a break on the handle bar much like that of a bike. I think Jonny sees it as a man’s buggy and feels less like he’s using his wife’s hand bag while pushing it but actually I also have found it to be mega practical. It doesn’t perhaps look as swish as some of my others but it does have a superb purpose and running and skating aside (let’s face it, me… Personally… The most I’ll give it will be a little jog) it has such great capabilities.

I’d wanted it to take to Camp Bestival as because it’s an all terrain buggy I thought it would serve me well there, and it would have, but it didn’t arrive in time so instead I took it to Cornwall with me. Now ordinarily I am a fan of a small umbrella fold for a holiday buggy. Something light and foldable that can be flung around by baggage handlers (nor that I flew to Cornwall of course) but I really wanted to take the BOB and try out those wheels on the beach! I discovered that though the chassis is heavy it actually folds pretty flat and doesn’t take up too much room in the boot and I also discovered that it was 100% the right choice for a holiday in Cornwall!

This beaut rolls over sand (wet or dry) like a mo fo and it also packs up like a massive cart horse which is perfect for a British beachy day (we take chairs and picnic mats and rain coats and extra jumpers and swim stuff and towels and an SPF tent and food… Come on, a Brit on a Brit beach needs the lot – we sit on those babies come rain or shine and go well equipped to do so)!

I kept it in the boot of my car all week not wanting to get sand in the cottage we were staying in (it got VERY sandy as it was beach bound every day) and love how easy it is to fold and unfold it. I know that sounds a bit wanksome really but honestly it’s a dream to do. You squeeze two levers by the handlebar and told that over the front which brings down the seat with it and then you pull a handle which releases the bottom pat and it snaps together. There is then a clip to hold it shut (although I rarely bothered doing that) and then when I wanted to use it again I simply held the handle bar and sort of threw it outwards as it popped up. My extended family kept saying how impressive it was and even the neighbours had a nosy and remarked how good the pop up action is!

I loved using this buggy in Cornwall as pushing a buggy on sand is usually such hard work you have to drag backwards rather than push forwards but it was no problem for the Britax Romer Revolution Pro AT ALL! I even took it for… Gulp… Wait for this… A little run! Now when I say little run please note I mean short bursts of jogging interspersed with walking and a few lunges… I also did this on the beach! Of course! I found that I could actually run better with the buggy that without and my knee, which usually hurts like Billio when I run, was much more friendly when it came to running with the buggy. I suppose it’s a bit like being on a treadmill with something to hold onto making it less shock absorbing for the joints. Loved that! I never like running but honestly did with this buggy and Raffie also thought it was a blooming scream racing across (steady, racing might be strong) the sand! The big kids ditto and they had to have a go too!

We also went on a VERY long cliff walk with the buggy and my Dad pushed it (I had my heart in my mouth at times as was so close to the edge) and though we had to lift it occasionally (the path was just too narrow and actually we should have just used a sling) it coped incredibly well! I was massively impressed with the push as it went up and down sand dunes with relative ease. Not a walk I would recommend doing with many buggies I have to say but if you need to take one then this is the one to do it with.

One thing I’m not SO keen on is that it’s a bit of effort to recline the seat, you know with clips and releasing the straps to make them longer etc. I always find that sort of thing a faff so I sort of placed it at a medium sort of recline and left it that way for the entire holiday. Raffie was sat up enough to see everything but reclined enough to go to sleep and that was good enough for me although obviously you can adjust it to your mood if you’re not a lazy so and so!

So… What else do I think?!

I love that the hood is huge and has a window in it to see the baby from behind the handle bar, the handle bar is adjustable and there is lots of storage, not just in the under basket but in many pockets both in the seat (snacks and water for baby went here – brilliant idea) and in the back where I kept my Snoozeshade and the rain cover. The rain cover doesn’t come as standard and has to be bought separately which I find annoying. For goodness sake… This is the UK, we need a rain cover full stop, it’s not a maybe option! All other buggies in the UK are sold with rain covers as standard although this isn’t the case on the continent so I guess that’s why Britax Romer might do things slightly differently but they need to re-think that. The instructions also say that the BOB comes with a wrist strap which I ALWAYS recommend (we are the only country who don’t manufacture buggies with them as a standard feature apparently) but alas mine didn’t come with one so I wonder if this is a changed element? Not sure but I will check and find out for you! I also think, as the tyres are pneumatic and mine came pretty flat, that they should include a pump in the box but that’s not included either. Shame. The buggy is amazing and well made in general with some fantastic touches that I have talked about. The seat is comfortable, the straps are easy to use, the push and fold impeccable, the wheels super for any terrain (love the front wheel which can lock too) and I genuinely adore this buggy and WOULD 100% buy one but there are just the odd touches here and there like the non inclusion of a rain cover or a pump which make it not quite perfect. The stitching on the show in the dark edging is also coming undone after only a week’s worth of use which is mega, mega iritating but I guess nothing and no one is perfect!

I would never use this buggy for day to day city life although I’m sure it would push around streets even better than beaches and it can be adapted with a carrycot and car seat to make it suitable from birth instead of 6 months plus, because for me, my lifestyle, I am on and off buses and going down escalators and lifting up stairs and for that a smaller buggy is necessary – this one is heavy and long like I said and my Stokke XPlory is tall and light BUT… I am not giving this buggy up as it’s PERFECT for beach life and countryside walking (also I think Jonny would cry if I passed it on and that’s saying something)! So you will have to watch out for the Britax Romer Revolution Pro on my upcoming Instagram stories because it will definitely have a place in my fleet from now on!

Another massive bonus, before unwrap this review up, is that I am taking this buggy to Menorca with me today because for Jimmy (not just the baby) it’s perfect! Jimmy is six so well out of buggies but he has a Baker’s cyst on the back of his knee at the moment. It’s nothing to worry about in the long run as it’s going to be removed and thankfully is nothing nasty but because his Doctor wants to wait 12 months to see if it disappears on its own, poor old Jimmy gets a very tight leg at times and finds walking quite difficult. The Revolution Pro was great for helping him out on the two and a half hour walk we went on in Cornwall as it has a triangle of heavy duty material hammocked on the front over the wheel and it is the perfect size for a Jimmy bottom! Now… I am in no way suggesting that Britax would encourage you to push this buggy with an extra child on the front but I AM saying that we did it. It worked perfectly the same, we noticed barely any more weight as a result (he is mini though) and it helped us out terrifically. I’m getting a buggy board for my Stokke XPlory (our daily normal buggy) because Jimmy really does struggle at times and I cannot lift him while pushing a buggy too so this was absolutely ideal! It is also the reason I have abandoned my regular umbrella fold for our plane journey and holiday to Menorca with the BOB totally in tow! There’s no way I wanted to spend the a fortnight in Menorca without it so I banished my ingrained thoughts that a holiday buggy must be light and we are took it with us! It’s proving perfect for the beach once again and also it was absolutely brilliant at the airport. Massive thumbs up!

If you’d like to make like us and get your hands on a BritaxBob Roemer BOB Revolution Pro then now’s your chance – head on over to my Instagram page (@Rocknrollerbaby) where I’m hosting a competition to win one kist lile ours until the 26th of October 2018!

The Britax Romer Revolution Pro BOB buggy was gifted to me for review. Find out more about the buggy on the Britax website.