Micralite Fastfold Super-lite 2016 Review

Quick Summary: It's all in the name with the Fastfold Super-light. The combination of a super fast and super easy fold with a super light frame means for a simply super stroller! It's utterly effortless to steer and has the ability to be used as a travel system with the purchase of additional accessories, meaning that this stroller could easily see a family through from birth to toddlerhood.

Micralite are a forward thinking company, who are clearly proud of their British design and engineering in their range of unique strollers. Micralite strollers have been evolving since their first appearance on the market in 2002 and the Micralite Fastfold Super-lite now boasts the label of one of the lightest and most versatile strollers available.

The Micralite Fastfold Super-lite comes in four colours; Yellow, Blue, Red and Black.

Chassis

Simplicity really does rein champion in the case of the Fastfold Super-lite from Micralite. Urban maneuverability meets all-terrain and has been cleverly designed and engineered here in Great Britain to make the Fastfold Super-lite the centaur of the pushchair world! The complicated physics of the whole design are cleverly masked by simple mechanisms, and what parent doesn't like simple?

The Super-lite is a fabulously modest pushchair arriving in one simple box. All that is required is to click on the back wheels and away you go.

It's all in the name with this clever little pushchair – the whole pushchair weighs a jaw dropping 6.2kg. It can easily be carried one handed so is perfect for parents that need to carry their pushchair up and down flights of stairs and in and out to their car. The chassis is constructed in main of a lightweight, matt black aluminium frame.

Everything about the Super-lite's design is striking and the wheels are no exception to this rule. The rear wheel base is much narrower than that of the front wheels. The front wheels are chunky, small, double, lockable swivel wheels – much like what is seen on a conventional city stroller. The rear wheels are chunky 30cm pneumatic tyres. The Super-lite gets a gold star for maneuverability as it whizzes in and out of tight spaces effortlessly. Those Trojan like rear wheels mean that terrains such as grass, gravel and mud can be tackled also. The front wheels will need to be locked off for bumpier terrains, but nevertheless the Super-lite can handle a multitude of terrains easily.

The bull bar handles on the Super-lite are perhaps one of the Micralite pushchair family's stand-out features. The unique U-shaped handlebar system can be altered to infinite positions determined by the pushchair drivers' needs. The ergonomic design means that by altering the simple lever clasps on either side, you can achieve a handlebar position that is uniquely comfortable to you.

The brake on the Micralite is operated by a simple bar between the rear wheels of the pushchair – despite being easy to use and it never skipping a beat, it's definitely not one to be trying with your flip flops or finest Italian leather sandals on! The metal bar is ‘naked' and can feel quite uncomfortable on your feet unless you're wearing more substantial footwear.

The Super-lite comes complete with a fab sized shopping basket for a small stroller. It can easily hold a few bags of shopping, but access is slightly hindered by a strap of fabric webbing that runs right over the centre of the basket. The basket is not accessible from the rear of the stroller due to the unique style of the Super-lite chassis, however is accessible from the front.

Seat

The Super-lite aspect of this stroller is never more present than in the lightweight triangular mesh seat. The mesh is great for summer months however for the comfort of younger children and during the winter months, we would definitely advise purchasing one of the sumptuous foam liners available separately. The seat is no exception to the quirky design statement from Micralite. It is triangular in shape and even though it is narrow in places, it boasts a whopping 60cm measurement from seat base to the canopy and easily accommodates an average sized four year old. 

The recline is easy to operate and couldn't be labelled any more clearly. With a simple and very clever squeeze action, the seat reclines from its upright position to a resting position. The recline is not horizontal but provides a more than comfortable angle for a good snooze! 

For parents that have fallen in love with the Super-light but need to use it from birth, there is an option to use the chassis with the Micralite Air-flo carrycot or a Maxi-Cosi car seat by simply purchasing the adapters and clipping them on to the frame. 

The 5 point harness is adjustable to three different positions by threading the straps through the slots in the back of the seat. The Super-lite harness is nicely padded with comfortable harness pads and has an easy to operate one button push buckle. Now we won't fib, the hood on the Micralite will leave most parents wanting more! It pops forwards and back with ease and has a great window so that you can check what your little passenger is up to BUT it doesn't give the coverage or shelter that many parents will require. No fear however, as there is a separate sunshade available to purchase which should do the trick!

The rain cover comes as standard with the stroller and is stored away in a super neat bag that hangs from the bull horn handlebars to save space in your basket for all your essential pieces of luggage.

Fold

Clever is the one word needed to describe the fold of this fab little stroller. The patented action from Micralite is so simple to use that anyone can operate it. Busy parents will definitely welcome this easy fold action with open arms. Simply push downwards on the clearly labelled red button and squeeze inwards and upwards on the grey handle. The clever mechanism slides easily down the main stems of the back of the pushchair chassis and the pushchair folds itself into a neat little parcel. An added bonus of this stroller is its ability to self-stand when folded and the chassis has an auto-lock so there's no need to wrestle with your pushchair whilst transporting it from place to place.

Conclusion

It's all in the name with the Fastfold Super-light. The combination of a super fast and super easy fold with a super light frame means for a simply super stroller! It's utterly effortless to steer and has the ability to be used as a travel system with the purchase of additional accessories, meaning that this stroller could easily see a family through from birth to toddlerhood. Although the hood is small, the quirky design features in the seat, wheels, handlebars and chassis shape make the Micralite stand out from the crowd and unlike any other pushchair on the market.