Thule Shine Review

Quick Summary: Designed for parents on the go in city environments, the Shine is lightweight and compact. However, unlike some other city strollers, the Shine retains a sturdy and robust feel. The all-wheel suspension paired with the light aluminium frame gives a smooth and light push, perfect for navigating around the shops or high streets but not limited to just smooth pavements. Features such as the reflective trims, hard wearing fabrics and durable wheels will also be very popular among those active parents.

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Established back in 1942 the Thule brand has a vast array of products to its name; roof boxes, roof racks, sport carriers, backpacks and child-related products including bike seats, trailers and pushchairs. Now adding to their pushchair range with the Shine, Thule have introduced a compact and lightweight option for those parents in a more urban environment. 

Big fans of their adventure ready, all-terrain range, we were excited to see what this new city stroller had to offer.

Chassis

The first thing to notice about the Shine is its notably "Thule" styling. With a Black frame, reflective trims and sleek lines, it fits effortlessly amongst the rest of the Thule range. 

Travel system compatible, we were sent both the Shine stroller and the compatible bassinet to test. First impressions were that, although smaller and lighter than their other products, Thule has given the Shine a robust and sturdy feel comparable to that of their other pushchairs. 

With four, 7 inch wheels, the Shine is built for a more urban environment. However with both front and rear suspension, it pushes around with ease and navigates a lot of surfaces smoothly. The wheels themselves are puncture proof for peace of mind and can all quickly be released from the chassis with the push of a button. The front wheels can also be locked in the forward facing position for travelling over bumpier pathways, such as those around the park. All four wheels are also lined with reflective stickers, making you feel safer if pushing in the dark.

A telescopic handle adjustment, with 4 height positions ranging from 90cm to 103cm, made it easy to find a comfortable pushing position for multiple testers. There is a wrist strap fitted to the handle for extra safety and this can be fitted on either side depending on your preference. The handle itself feels comfortable and sturdy, lined with a premium rubber like material for extra grip.

There is a very generous 10kg capacity basket. This gave us ample storage space for our travel essentials with space left for some shopping along the way. With high mesh sides and a mesh pocket inside, we love how even in busier environments, everything would feel safe and securely stowed away. Perfect if you are in the hustle and bustle of a busier city. There is also additional storage in the form of a mesh pocket on the back of the seat unit if extra space is needed.

The flip flop friendly break is located in the middle of the rear axle making it easy to operate with either foot. Behind the left rear wheel is the pivoting catch to lock the frame when folded. Once the frame is folded, simply pivot the lock into place. As a manual lock, it is possible to forget to put it in place upon folding, though we love how it gives you the opportunity to fold it away when the pushchair is up and on the go. 

Overall the chassis is lightweight yet still retains the strong and durable feel associated with the Thule brand. We could push and fold the pushchair with one hand, making juggling a newborn and toddler on outings together a lot easier. Styled here in the matte black finish, the Shine also looks great. We did mark the frame a couple of times when unfolding, though with its premium quality, a quick wet wipe soon had the frame looking like new again.

Seating

The seat unit, suitable from 6 months to 22kg, is a generous size for a lightweight and compact pushchair. Fitted with a non re-thread, 5 point harness, the seat can be fitted both parent and world facing and has a gate opening bumper bar for getting your little one in and out.

Styled in black, the seat looks modern and can be personalised with a canopy in a choice of 4 colours; Misty Rose, Alaska Blue, Black or Grey Melange on the black chassis. The UPF50+ canopy is fitted with a sun visor at the front and an extending panel that is neatly zipped away. This offers ample protection from the elements, be it sun or wind. Within the zipped extension there is also a mesh ventilation panel for those warmer days, which can double up as a peep window. There is also a reflective strip on top of the canopy, in keeping with Thule's sport and safety themes that run throughout all of their products. 

The seat has three recline positions, operated with a sliding button on the back of the seat. This partnered with the adjustable calf rest provides a perfect napping space for the passenger.

The Shine can be used as a travel system with additional accessories such as the Bassinet we have tested here. The canopy from the seat is removed and fitted to the bassinet, giving it the same sun and wind protection as the seat. Our little one was well cocooned and cosy on our travels. The lining of the bassinet is perfectly soft for newborns and fitted with a firm flat mattress, and a zipped apron for the perfect sleep space. For added parent convenience the mattress has a removable, machine wash cover and there are 2 little pockets inside the bassinet lining.

The other alternative options for the Shine include a newborn inlay or nest. These both flatten the seat giving parents a more compact from birth option. There are also car seat adapter options to use the Shine as a 3 in one system. 

Removing the seat or bassinet is easily done with one hand. Simply press the release switch on the left of the centre axle and lift up. Both units are lightweight to make this more convenient.

Fold

Folding the chassis can be done one handed for extra convenience. There are two release buttons next to the handle height adjustment button, so either hand can be used. Pressing one of these in, the handle adjustment button can be pressed in further, dropping the handle down and folding the chassis.

It is locked into place with a manual, pivoting catch at the left rear wheel and will also free stand. With the front wheels turned in the handle has clearance from the floor, though if the wheels are turned out the handle will sit on the floor. The handle is made of a durable material but may get scuffed if repeatedly stood this way on outside surfaces.

To release the chassis back up we found it easiest to have the frame in the free standing position. Undo the catch and lift the handle and the frame is back up and ready to go. There is very little lifting involved with his pushchair, but any lifting that is required is made easier by the light aluminium frame. 

The pushchair can also be folded with the seat facing either way, though we did find parent facing to be more compact. Using the recline lever at the back, the seat is folded as far forward as it will go, and the frame is then folded the same as before. The centre axle then becomes a handle bar for lifting the pushchair. We found this feature to be useful in public transport settings and for navigating stairs when out and about, but equally useful for indoor storage at home. 

Our verdict

With such an array of products to their name Thule have one clear motto, "Bring your life". The main objective is to create products that allow active people to bring what they care for most safely, easily and in style. We feel this is all achieved in the new Shine.

Designed for parents on the go in city environments, the Shine is lightweight and compact. However, unlike some other city strollers, the Shine retains a sturdy and robust feel. The all-wheel suspension paired with the light aluminium frame gives a smooth and light push, perfect for navigating around the shops or high streets but not limited to just smooth pavements. Features such as the reflective trims, hard wearing fabrics and durable wheels will also be very popular among those active parents.

With a large selection of accessories such as the bassinet, newborn nest, rider board, footmuff, snack tray and many more, this is a stroller that can be personalised for any and all situations. 

The ability to use a small, compact and lightweight stroller as a travel system from birth will appeal to many. However, starting at £649.99 for the stroller and all accessories as individual purchases, it may become a little costly to create a full travel system. With the high premium quality of Thule evident in the Shine however, we feel these prices can be justified.

If you are looking to enhance the city experience with an easy to handle stroller that does not compromise on its push, design or durability this may well be the pushchair for you.