Well, the huge Kind + Jugend kid gear expo is finished in Cologne [stay tuned for a quick photo roundup]. A couple of the Innovation Award winners stood out--actually, Maxi Cosi's Innovation Award for its line of car seats that's been around longer than either of my kids stood out, but that's not the point here.
Anyway, congratulations to Bloom Baby, which won an Innovation Award for their Alma folding crib, and to Mima, hello! "a new european juvenile product brand" [from Spain, actually] which is kind of blowing my mind with their slick, sleek strollers. The Kobi [pictured above] actually converts to a double by stacking--like a Phil & Teds, only podlike. Felipe y Teodoros? This requires some investigation. [thanks dt euro gear shark jan of loopfietsfabriek.nl]
Mima Kids [mimakids.com]
Bloom Alma folding crib [bloombaby.com]
There's a closer look at the Mima in double mode after the jump:
1. The frame's the same. Like Bugaboo, it appears you switch from carrycot to seat by swapping out fabrics. Which would make that podlike shell part on back fabric, too. Indeed, the website says it zips on, so it's some molded fabric/foam laminate, using next-generation bustier technology.
2. Yes, the shell on the bassinet is obviously fabric, too. Hope they tighten up QA.
3. Not chrome for chrome's sake. Cantilevered knee joint needs shiny steel reinforcement.
4. Weird screw/latch/snap thing on top of seat? I guess it's for the canopy.
5. Comically small storage net.
6. Fender blocks view not very elaborate-looking suspension.
7. Graco-looking footbrake. It's almost like the R&D budget ran out before they reached the ground.
Mima's Spanish, but looking at the details, I'm thinking this design is from China. UPDATE: And I'd be wrong. Davy Kho's Dutch and living in Spain and spent several years there working on the stroller design.
Yep. Mima's a pop-up company. They only commenced operations and registered for their trademark in June. So this stroller was not conceived or born in Valencia.
The guy who incorporated Mima is named David Chua Nhan Kho, so, maybe we have our first award-winning stroller Actually By Vietnam?
Hm. A stroller with a rigid shell to sit in, kid can't lie down, footrest that does not extend, white fabric (?) where the kid's shoes go... According to the photo, once the kid is big enough for the largest setting on the shoulder belts, her head won't fit under the canopy anymore.
It's sleek looking, but kid-friendly?
The seat reclines, and tons of similarly styled strollers do fine without extendable footrests.
As for the head/canopy, that happened to us on the Bugaboo Bee right out of the box, when the kid was 3.5.
Looking at it more, I suspect the rigidity--including the canopy, which looks like a shrimp tail--is really stiff fabric, the kind of thing that Japanese car seats have been doing for a long time.
Any more info on this pram Greg?
It's getting the thumbs up from all of us at strollersandprams!
To give it credit, it looks reclinable...BUT it does just look like they stole the Mamas and Papas Skate and painted it white. I am also dismayed by the size of the seat, are we trying to breed little hunchbacks? Head down honey, you can rest it on your knees..
You know what I'd find innovative? A company devising strollers and prams for TALL kids. The only decent sized buy for kids who are above average height in the last few years has been the Teutonia Toni - now the Solano, but that failed on being short on handle height. Is it really that hard?? My kid turned three on Sept 13th and is of only average height yet her head is at the canopy on the Bee
The Icandy Peach is also doing the two/one thing, only it looks slightly more practical.
Other than that yeah, it looks great, for pygmy size kids who live in a sterile environment.
I meant lie down, not recline.
What do you do when it rains/snows and you can't use the canopy? Or does one only use these strollers in fair weather? I guess that would help with keeping the white footrest sterile :p
I thought maybe the stroller seat itself might zip off the top and that funny screw/latch/snap thing you have as point 4, might be what you pull to release the bassinet. Kind of the way the SC Dazzle reclines?
Any idea how long you can use the alma crib for? I saw one in person a couple of weeks ago and it looked incredibly small.
The lack of an "elaborate" suspension isn't too bothersome. It seems that a good deal of the plush ride in strollers comes as much from play in the stroller frame as it does from vertical wheel travel. From the pictures I'd bet that the frame of this thing is pretty loosey goosey. Add in the air filled tires and the ride is probably fairly smooth.
The best suspension/non-suspension comparison I've seen is between our MB Urban (with rear suspension) and a neighbor's MB Terrain (no suspension). The sample size is small but both kids slept well.
Good ride's only half of it, at most. It's also a question of pushing, and how easily a stroller levels out uneven terrain, and how much it bounces in your hand.