Maxi-Cosi Laika Review

Quick Summary: The Laika is a true compact city stroller that can be used from birth as it comes, with the lie-flat seat, or with the additional purchase of the Laika soft carrycot or an infant carrier. The leatherette handlebar and bumper bar are luxurious features giving the stroller a sense of style and substance. The Laika offers a neat, convenient package for families with an urban lifestyle or those wanting a second stroller for city or resort breaks.

Chassis

The Laika stroller is pretty much ready to roll as soon as you take it out of the box. All you need to do is release the chassis auto-lock clip on the side of the  frame and with a flick of the wrist, the pushchair is up and ready for its first passenger. Then you can pop on the leatherette bumper bar to complete the build.

The Laika is totally different to any stroller we have seen Maxi-Cosi release before. It's nippy and slimline in its design but still has a smart and stylish edge to its appearance.

The handlebar is fixed in height at 107cm and comfortable for our 5'6" tester. It's covered in the same leatherette as the bumper bar, which adds a nice luxurious edge.

The wheels are small in diameter and were able to turn on a sixpence, which is always good news for parents navigating busy streets and crowded stations. Admittedly, they did give a bumpier ride unless the pavements were perfectly smooth, but overall they handled well and rolled nicely.

The brake is operated by a small foot lever close to the back wheel. Push down to secure the brake and pull up to release. The brake was sturdy and definitely reliable when in use, but we did find the pedal quite small. It is, however, nicely coded in a light grey colour to make it easier to see when you glance down.

The shopping basket is smaller than city shoppers would desire. You can fit a few essentials in there but certainly not bags of shopping or a changing bag.

One huge advantage that the Laika has over other compact-folding strollers is the fact that it can be used in the parent-facing position from birth with the addition of the Laika soft carrycot. There are a few areas of the seat fabric that need to be slid out of the frame to allow the space for the Laika carrycot to be attached to the seat when it is totally flat. This was really simple to do and a big plus point. It was great to have the newborn snuggled up in the soft carrycot environment as well as having them face their parents for those intimate little chats and gurgles. You can also attach a Maxi-Cosi car seat to the frame using the provided car seat adapters, which makes the Laika a great all-rounder for city dwellers, especially if you are hopping between car journeys and taxi rides.

Seat

Although compact, the stroller seat seemed to offer a comfortable width when we popped both baby and toddler testers into it. The seat back of the stroller isn't the tallest and even our 7-month-old tester's head seemed to be at the top. However, there is plenty of clearance between the top of the seat and the hood for taller babies and toddlers; there just won't be the same head support from the seat back if they fancy a nap whilst on the go.

The five-point harness is so easy to secure and adjust. The shoulder and waist straps are linked, meaning there are only two clips to fasten into the main buckle. Just pop the two teeth on top of one another and secure them in the clasp, then press the round button to release. The pull cords on the shoulders can be adjusted to fit the baby neatly and comfortably.

To recline the seat, there is a buckle and sliding strap system. There are three positions: 1. Bolt upright (great for inquisitive toddlers); 2. Resting (to achieve this, move the slider to your required length); 3. Lie flat (just up-clip the buckle at the back of the seat - this makes it suitable for your newborn). We could never manage to operate this with just one hand with the weight of baby in the seat but it was an easy procedure nevertheless. The adjustable footrest gave our little passengers the option of raising their legs for a more comfortable nap position.

The hood is made from the same fabulous fabrics as the stroller seat. It's a neat shape and when extended might not give full coverage for smaller babies, but certainly protects taller babies and toddlers. There's a small zip-open extension panel, which we found handy to have extended permanently.

Fold

The Laika certainly fits into the ‘compact fold' bracket of strollers. The finished fold package is neat, tidy and secure - we found it perfect for taking on travels, public transport and storing away in the cupboard when we got home.

To start the fold, slide the lever on the handlebar to the side with your fingers and squeeze the small round button with your thumb. Almost resting the pushchair on its front wheels, apply a bit of pressure and the stroller will concertina down into a neat package and clicks together with the automatic lock on the side of the frame. There is also a strap to sling over your shoulder and we found the Laika very easy to carry when needed.

The fold package leaves LOADS of space in the boot of the smallest of city cars. The Laika is so small that you could easily pop it in the footwell of the car if your boot is already full of shopping.

To unfold the pushchair, just release the auto-lock and with a flick the whole pushchair clicks up again. It really was that simple!

Conclusion

The Laika is a true compact city stroller that can be used from birth as it comes, with the lie-flat seat, or with the additional purchase of the Laika soft carrycot or an infant carrier. The leatherette handlebar and bumper bar are luxurious features giving the stroller a sense of style and substance.

It's worth remembering that the seat back is on the short side meaning older babies and toddlers might not feel comfortable napping for long periods. The shopping basket is small but adequate for those little essentials and always accessible no matter what position the seat is in.

The Laika offers a neat, convenient package for families with an urban lifestyle or those wanting a second stroller for city or resort breaks.