Venice Child Kangaroo Review

Quick Summary: There is no doubt that this is a very attractive pushchair and pram but if we are being really picky, where the Kangaroo slightly lets itself down is in the finish in some areas. The buttons to release the frame lock and to fold have a plasticky feel and the hinges and plastic components could have a more premium finish to them. These small niggles are frustrating when the look and feel of the pushchair is so lovely.

Born in free-spirited Venice Beach in California, the Venice Child Kangaroo has been brought to the UK by Mee-Go and is designed to ensure everyday adventures are comfortable and stress-free. Not to mention stylish!  

Chassis

Excitement prevailed when opening the box of the Kangaroo. We were genuinely thrilled by the generous assortment of lovingly packaged dust bags we were greeted with! It's fab to see so much care and attention go into the packaging and these storage bags are super-handy for keeping the parts of the pushchair that you are not using (carrycot or seat unit) clean whilst they are packed away in the loft or garage.We also love the fact that all the accessories are included in the package, from raincover and insect net/sunshade to cupholder.

The frame is made from aviation-grade aluminium, which basically means we should find it difficult to break or even scratch, and it's reasonably light too. The metallic gunmetal grey colour is classy and chic, and the overall shape is almost triangular. The handle height is controlled by a button in the middle - the range is wide enough to make it comfortable for the tallest or shortest driver and the handlebar itself is chunky (but angular) in the palm.

The brake is centrally located on the back axle and easy to find with your foot without looking. The basket has plenty of ground clearance, which was handy when walking on rougher paths and going up and down kerbs. We found that we were able to pile more into the basket than we expected at first glance. We were able to easily fit a changing bag, a few coats and other small essentials such as wipes in there, and the high sides of the basket were great for really cramming all those neverending must-haves into the space!

The rear wheels are seemingly huge when you lift them out of the box but all come into proportion when they are clicked onto the pushchair frame. We loved how all four wheels could be popped on and off with just the push of a button to allow for cleaning or easy storage. The back wheels gave great stability when pushing and the front swivel wheels provided good manoeuvrability.

One of the big advertising points of this pushchair is its ability to be flicked into a two-wheeled ‘all terrain' mode, where you pull it along behind you. The whole process of clicking to two wheels is pretty easy and it's probably a handy feature on the sandy Californian beaches but, while we can see how dragging the pushchair up hills could be handy in extreme situations or if you regularly walk by the sea, in all honesty we don't envisage a need to use this mode very often. It felt a bit like dragging baby in a trolley behind us and it cannot be done with the carrycot in place.

Carrycot and Seat

Both the carrycot and the seat fabrics are attached to the same frame (so whichever set you are not using can be tucked away in its dust bag). The pushchair arrives with the seat fabrics in place so the chances are you will need to swap them for the carrycot fabrics if using from birth. The bucket-style seat does not provide the lie-flat option that a newborn baby needs.

Attaching the carrycot fabrics takes a little time but once in situ they create a long, wide space with a great-sized hood. It is slightly on the shallow side but still provides a lovely flat place for baby to nestle in the newborn days. Removing the carrycot from the frame is easy - just press the silver buttons on each side of the chassis and the carrycot can be lifted using the bumper bar as a carry handle.

If desired, you can purchase the Venice Child Kangaroo Group 0+ car seat and ISOFIX base separately, allowing you to use the pushchair as a travel system for those quick dashes into shops and on school runs.

When your baby is around 6 months old and beginning to sit unaided you can replace the carrycot with the seat fabrics on the frame. This takes around five minutes. Like the carrycot fabrics, the seat material is attractive and great quality. It's showerproof, so easy to wipe in the event of a spillage, and has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and UV protection qualities.

The seat can be placed on the chassis in world or parent-facing positions and the three recline positions are all easy to achieve using the silver lever on the back of the seat.

The one thing that lets the seat down slightly is its depth. It is tall and wide but is not overly generous in its depth and some passengers may not be able to sit right back in it. Toddlers, particularly in chunky nappies, may sometimes seem to be rather perched on the edge. 

The bumper bar pivots out of the way and is covered in a lovely leather-look material to add to the luxurious overall appearance. The hood is large and gives great protection from direct sunlight. The zip-open mesh ventilation panel extends the hood for greater coverage and allows plenty of airflow through baby's space, which is fantastic when it's hot. However, it would be handy to have the option of a solid extendable panel for when we are not blessed with such glorious weather.

Fold

To collapse the frame may seem a lengthy process at first but once you've got the knack it takes no effort at all. You don't have to remove the seat unit to fold if it is in the forward-facing position. To open, you need to release the little silver button lock located on the centre barrel of the pushchair.

The overall fold size is average for a full-sized travel system, and the folded pushchair stands on its own. When travelling by car, it can be broken down into its different components, even removing the wheels if needed to make the package smaller.

Conclusion

The stand-out looks of the Kangaroo are certainly a positive in its design. Combine this with the practical features of the two-way seat, pivoting bumper bar, large shopping basket and large wheels and the reasons to choose the Kangaroo keep stacking up.

The carrycot is comfortable for newborns and the seat unit gives plenty of headspace for growing toddlers, even if it is a little shallow.

There is no doubt that this is a very attractive pushchair and pram but if we are being really picky, where the Kangaroo slightly lets itself down is in the finish in some areas. The buttons to release the frame lock and to fold have a plasticky feel and the hinges and plastic components could have a more premium finish to them. These small niggles are frustrating when the look and feel of the pushchair is so lovely.