Ickle Bubba Stomp v2 Review

Pushchair Review

Finding a pushchair that offers everything you need from day one to toddlerhood can be a daunting prospect. Ickle Bubba have taken that strain away with the introduction of the Stomp v2 – an all in one package offering all the kit you will need. Let’s take a closer look to see if it is good as it sounds in the Ickle Bubba Stomp V2 review.

What’s in the box?

• Stomp v2 chassis with shopping basket
• 2 large rear wheels and 2 smaller front wheels
• carrycot with apron
• seat unit
• changing bag with mat
• bumper bar
• hood
• seat liner
• cosytoes
• car seat adaptors
• instruction manual

In a separate box you will find the Ickle Bubba car seat and sun hood.

The Ickle Bubba Stomp V2 RRP is £499

Ickle Bubba Stomp v2 Specification:

• Age – from birth with the carrycot. Seat unit from 6 months
• Dimensions (max) 95cm x 61cm x 104cm
• Folded dimensions (max) 61cm x 71cm x 30cm (without seat)
• Seat back height 50cm
• Seat and footrest 46cm
• Weight 6.5kg (chassis and wheels only)

Available Colours: Red, blue, pink or black

 

Ickle Bubba Stomp v2 Chassis

With smooth, clean lines the Stomp v2 looks smart and stylish from the moment you open the box. The aluminium chassis has a matte feel with a slight shine, and curves round in a U shape from the handle down to the footplate.

The handlebar is covered in a thick and comfortable foam, and can be adjusted from a height of 68cm right up to 107cm which should be perfect for whoever is pushing. Adjusting is a simple hinge type method – just push in the grey buttons on either side of the handlebar and fold up or down to the desired height.

The shopping basket is very large, and more than adequate for daily needs. It has a plastic base which makes it feel that bit sturdier than some, and capable of holding quite a bit of shopping. Access is easy from the rear of the pushchair, and the high sides and back should stop things from falling out.

Moving on to the wheels, of which the Stomp v2 has 4. The rear wheels are large and foam filled coming with quick release buttons for easy removal. The front wheels are smaller, plastic tyres which make the Stomp v2 manoeuvrable and able to turn on a sixpence. These front wheels can be locked if you are on rougher ground – just push down the lever above the front wheel hub. To unlock again, just flick the lever back up.

The brake is impossible to miss – it is a bar style running the whole length of the rear axle. To activate the brake, just step down on the bar and to release put your foot underneath the bar and push up. Not one to attempt in flip flops perhaps, but simple to use and not one that will pose a problem for larger feet.

The lightweight aluminium chassis is a breeze to push – there is no weight to it at all, and it can easily be steered with one hand. Popping up kerbs isn’t an issue here either – the lightweight frame is easy to manage.

The Stomp v2, certainly has a quality look about it and in general, that is this case. However closer inspection reveals some of the plastics could be better made or have their finish better executed to give that final high quality touch. This is not a usability issue, it would just give the Stomp v2 a much higher quality feel.

Ickle Bubba Stomp v2 Seat

With the option to parent face or flip round and see the world, the Stomp v2 seat unit is a great multi-mode option. The seat itself is well padded, and the additional seat liner offers even more comfort for smaller babies. Using this is also a great way to keep your seat fabrics clean. This can easily be removed by simply un-threading from the harness straps. It’s a generous seat too – 30cm across, and a 46cm stretch from seat to footrest, so plenty of room for little legs. The footrest isn’t adjustable which is a shame, but the angle should be perfectly comfortable for most, and older children can rest their feet on the frame. The seat back is 50cm in height so there shouldn’t be any problem with head room here either.

If you like a large hood, then the Stomp v2 will not disappoint. Attach the hood by just popping the clips on to the chassis, and zipping the fabrics across the seat back. The material of the hood is really lovely – I would describe it as a Lycra effect material which makes it ultra flexible and able to stretch a long way. The coverage provided is huge – fully extended it provides more than enough shade for any child, and there are a range of positions it can sit at too. There is no viewing window which I do personally like to have, but this is a minor niggle and given the material it's made of unavoidable.

Using the recline is simple too. There is a grey button on the rear of the seat – just push this in with one hand and the seat will drop up or down. There are 4 recline positions available in both rear and forward facing mode, from very flat to fully upright. On our seat, the recline button was a little sticky meaning some force is required to activate it.

The 5 point harness is a tad fiddly – it splits into 5 sections once unfastened, so you need to bring the shoulder and waist clips together before slotting into the crotch piece. I would definitely recommend doing one side at a time. It’s not a major issue, just a bit fiddly and with the great quality of this pram I am surprised to see a harness like this. There is only one height position available on the harness, which may cause a problem for older toddlers, although the straps are very adjustable with a simple slide method.

To change the seat unit from parent facing to forward facing couldn’t be simpler – just locate the push buttons on the frame where the seat attaches and push them towards the rear of the pushchair (one at a time) – this releases the lock and each side springs out. You can then just lift the seat off, turn it and slot it back on with a click.

There is a bumper bar included too – you just slot it into the hubs on the frame. It is not gate opening, although it is possible to release one side and swing it round. However it is not be possible for the bumper bar to pass by your little ones head or legs when they are seated without forcibly bending it out of the way.

The extra accessories which come with this pushchair make it stand out from the crowd. It comes with a padded seat liner as already mentioned as well as much more. There is an apron style cosytoes in a lovely thick fabric which just slides over the foot of the seat and secures with poppers. The raincover is reasonably generous and comes with a flap on the front which you can open up to reveal a mesh panel – this allows air to circulate and stop that fogging up effect you can sometimes get! It is a shame that this doesn’t also open right up to allow access to your child, but this is a personal preference really. There is also a changing bag with padded change mat – a nice size, more than adequate for your daily essentials but not too big. Car seat adaptors allow you to attach the Ickle Bubba car seat (more on that in a moment) to make a flexible travel system option.

You even get carrycot fabrics with the package too. These fold out, and zip onto the seat frame. There is a flat, solid base with a well padded mattress, so your newborn can travel in comfort without the need to buy a separate carrycot. It is spacious, easy to attach and folds flat for storage.

Ickle Bubba Stomp v2 Fold

Using as a travel system

Included in the package price is the Ickle Bubba car seat, suitable from birth to 13kg. To attach to the pushchair, you remove the seat unit and slide the car seat adaptors on in the same way you would the seat. The car seat will then just drop on top of these with a click. You remove the car seat in exactly the same way as you remove the pushchair seat – just push the buttons back and lift the car seat off.

The seat does not have the padding or fabric quality of some of more recognised car seat brands, and it is only a 3 point harness. However Ickle Bubba have been clever as you can purchase adaptors that take Maxi-Cosi or BeSafe car seats, so you have the option to upgrade this element if you so desire.  

Ickle Bubba Stomp v2 Conclusion

If you are after a stylish great value, all-in-one option that will see you through from the day your baby is born to the day you no longer need a pushchair, then the Stomp v2 could be the one for you. It has some some great features.

I love the fact that everything is included – and it is all good quality. The carrycot is spacious and easy to attach, as well as folding flat for storage. The seat unit is padded, can face both directions and comes with the lovely soft liner and cosytoes. The hood is huge – offering great shade and protection and I love the material. The large rear wheels offer a smooth ride, while the smaller front wheels make it feel nippy and easy to manoeuvre.

The footrest doesn’t adjust and I would love for it to have a gate opening bumper bar. The main problem for me is the harness – it only has one shoulder height position, and fastening it is a bit of a fiddle. You need to connect the shoulder straps to the waist straps before clipping into the crotch fastener. It’s not the biggest problem in the world, but it is something you use every day and a detail that could be improved on.

I like the fact that colour packs can be bought separately so you can change the look of your pram by changing the hood, seat liner and footmuff colour – or mix and match if you are feeling daring! (2-in-1 colour pack £69, 3-in-1 colour pack £89, all-in-one colour pack £109)

The Ickle Bubba Stomp v2 is a very impressive whole pushchair package with everything you need from day 1, and all for under £500. It looks great having the appearance of a much higher priced product. If you are after a great value, multi-functional option, then I would definitely recommend checking out the Ickle Bubba Stomp v2.

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