Jodie Mee 'Living With' the Britax Affinity

Living With Review

Jump to a Month:  First Impressions | December 2013 | January 2014

February 2014  |  March 2014  |  April 2014  |  May 2014  |  Final Summary

First Impressions

After a few days of phone calls to the courier and a complaint later the Britax Affinity arrived due to my very kind neighbour taking delivery. Harry was very excited, I think he thought Santa had come early and immediately climbed on to the boxes trying to open them. We received 3 boxes, Box 1 contained the seat unit and Wheel base, Box 2 contained the colour pack (hood, Basket liner, seat apron and padded seat liner and padded straps and lastly Box 3 contained the cosy toes (which was a surprise but very much appreciated due to the cold weather). The colour pack and cosy toes are extras and do not come as standard with the pushchair, which I think is a good feature because you can customise the pushchair how you like and when you get board with the colour instead of buying a new pushchair you buy a new colour pack. Although I was very excited about the pushchair I just could not resist opening the other boxes first to see what colour our little Prince would be travelling in, I was very happy to find it was the "Sky Blue", I'd say this colour is a sky blue on a summers day, very vibrant it is more like a cobalt blue.

I unpacked all the pieces from all the boxes before starting to put the pushchair together (which is the black frame), which I must say was very easy even with a little help from Harry, however we currently own the Britax B Smart so we've had 18months experience with Britax. I affixed the front and rear wheels, opened the safety shut catch and out popped the pushchair.  The seat unit just slots into the attachment holes either parent facing or forward facing, again very easy to slot in and take out. The seat unit also comes with a bumper bar, on our B smart I never used it because I struggled to press the buttons in either side, however this one is very easy and to get Harry in and out it can be opened from one side allowing it to pivot and just hang rather than coming off all together, which is good when you are trying to get your child out the pushchair, I always say I could do with 4 pairs of hands now, so anything that makes the job easier gets a tick in my book. The hardest part of the set up was attaching the hood from the colour pack, the adapters on the hood where not angled the same way as the pushchair ones and I didn't want to turn them and break them but with a little bit of help from the Hubby to be, they where in. He just moved them around and they slotted straight in. I also find the seat hard to recline but I think that this is because it is new and I have tiny hands.
 


Pushchair feels very well made, there's no cheap plastic parts like on our B Smart, its like the Rolls Royce of pushchairs especially with the leather handle and bumper bar. The fabrics are very thick and very expensive looking and will definitely keep the little man comfy. Although Britax have used the same way to move the handle it feels a lot more sturdy and stronger than ours now. The suspension is my favourite part, just walking in the living room with it, I can feel lit bouncing. The Basket is large and will easily fit my extra large Kipling changing bag in. Easy to put up and down and slightly lighter than the B smart. Love the braking system, when reading about this pushchair, I was unsure as to how easy this would be but I must say its fantastic, ours on the B smart is sluggish, we have to pull the pushchair back to release it but this one is very responsive. My only down fall is the tyres at the back are air inflated however you don't get a pump, furthermore there is nowhere to affix one on the pushchair like other manufactures do. However I can rectify this myself for a few pounds!. Off out for our first outing soon and I can't wait! 

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December the 21st 2013

Well I decided to take the Affinity on its first outing, we walked up to my Mum and Dads house which is about 1.5miles away from my house, it is mostly pavement walking but there is the odd track to walk down. The Affinity coped very well and the suspension really came into its own on the tracks as they are mad of rubble and stones, not once did it gilt and stop and Harry seemed to get a good ride. I put the pushchair in parent facing mode going up and it was very easy to push and manoeuvred really well, on the way back it went in world mode and it did feel slightly heavier when steering it.
 
I used the cosy toes, however Britax states that this goes from Newborn to 3 years, Harry is 21 months and not at all tall for his age and he only just fits in the cosy toes and my nephew who's just turned 2 does not fit in it all. This is a disappointment as the cosy toes matches the pushchair and is very well made and lastly serves its purpose very well.  

January the 3rd 2014 

I decided to brave the Boxing day sales with the Affinity, it handled really well around the shops, it is very easy to push and steer even with a 20 month old in, I also managed to use do it with one hand. The Affinity has a leather handlebar, however in the middle is a rubber part that is for added grip when pushing one handed, I must say this is a very good idea. My Mum and Dad also joined me on our shopping trip and both had a go at pushing the Affinity. My dad loved it, he likes the suspension as it takes a lot of the impact when going up and down curbs. My Dad also folded it down and put in the car, knowing how my B-smart folded he did it first time, it is very simple to fold, although it can be folded with the seat unit in place I find it easier to take it apart, I'm a bit of weakling really!
 
My downfall still with the Affinity is that I am still finding it difficult to recline the seat unit when Harry wants to have a nap, hopefully this will get easier! 

January the 4th 2014

We went to the shops yesterday, it was very windy and raining also, I was very impressed with the raincover it did not blow off, also it didn't let any water in. Harry seemed Happy in the pushchair too. The upside of this pushchair is when it is windy the seat unit can be changed around so that the wind is not coming directly at your child.

January the 12th 2014

Having now found that the suspension can be adjusted, we decided to test it out, so we braved the cold weather and went for a walk down the lanes/ track with the pushchair. The track is full of stones/ cobbles and lots of mud. We locked the front wheels off so they could not move and applied the soft suspension, the pushchair handled well and Harry seemed very Happy, although the suspension was on soft, Harry wasn't getting thrown about at all in the pushchair. To be honest having worked out the suspension I like the soft on better, it is very bouncy and Harry loves it. My partner also commented that having the air filled tired rather than the plastics ones like on B-smart, it is a lot better when taking it off road. I think even he is falling in love with the Britax Affinity.
 
In the afternoon I had to nip into town as Harry is moving bedrooms so needed to get him some storage boxes and bits and bobs. Town was very busy as Mansfield Town were playing at home, however the pushchair handles so well I was weaving in and out of the crowds easily. When I was packed up to the brim with all the items I had to steer the pushchair one handed, I used the part in the middle of the handle which is there to give extra grip and again the pushchair was manoeuvring with easy, I didn't struggle to hold the items on the pushchair and steer. I think this is one of my favourite features.
 
Today I had the nappy bag on the bottom of the pushchair, it is a very large nappy bag but on our B-smart I could get the bag on and slide small bags of shopping down the side of it, however on the affinity as the basket is angled I have not been able to do this. I still love it though, I can cope with holding a few bags on my wrist!

 
Whilst in town today, I was stopped by a very heavily pregnant lady who explained to me that she had not seen this pushchair before but loved the colour of it, she hadn't bought her pushchair yet but was very drawn to the iCandy because of the vibrant colours. I let her have a look at the Affinity pushchair and she tried it out with Harry in, I explained that it could be used from birth and that the colour could be changed. She was very impressed and even more impressed when I told her the price and told her that most websites/shops put packages together as well so you get more for your money. She said she would go home and have a look because it was a lot better value for money than the iCandy. I must say my friends all comment on the beautiful colour of the pushchair, it is lovely.
 
Up to yet we are really enjoying our time with the Affinity, Harry loves bouncing in it, and it sure does bounce with the suspension, he is a very happy chap in it!
 
Below you can see the Affinity in the boot of my 2012 Citroen C4, I do fold the frame and seat unit as separates as I struggle to lift it all into the boot. I still have plenty of room for a big shop in the boot when the Affinity is in.  

January the 21st 2014 

Well the Affinity hasn't been out much this week, seen as the h2b had been ill and Harry went to nursery and sustained a head injury from running into a wall. However it did attend the A&E department, luckily it was in the car as we rushed there and came very handy in the task of calming Harry down. I know I keep saying it but the Britax is so easy to manoeuvre and it was a breeze on the busy A&E. The handle folding downwards helps on space saving too! I am still not liking how you recline the seat, I find it so difficult and with the cold weather coming even more so as to do it I have to take off my gloves to get some grip on them, this is my only downfall still with the Affinity, just wish Britax would have done a one handed recliner like other companies because it is a lot easier!. Harry is still enjoying the Britax but I am getting more worried every time I sit him in it, that the cosy toes is just not going to last him, his feet are now touching the bottom. It is such a shame as it looks lovely on the pushchair and keeps Harry lovely and warm. Although this is it is fantastic just to use while for the baby stages and I think worth the extra money as baby's need that extra layer that they can't kick off, when Harry was a baby he always kicked the blanket off and we ended up purchasing the cosy toes for him! 

January the 27th 2014

We took the pushchair out in the lovely, rain, hail, thunder, lightening at the weekend. Again I was very impressed with how the pushchair protected Harry from all the awful weather. When I put him in the car after he wasn't wet nor was the pushchair seat. The pushchair is very easy to fold especially when rushing to get in the car, unlike my sisters pushchair that decided it wasn't going to fold down. We went in the Mamas and Papas shop at the outlet and the ladies behind the counter said how nice the Britax Affinity was, they said how modern it looked and in keeping with current brands on the market. Part of the outlet has a cobbled area, the Affinity coped very well with this. I had Harry in parent facing mode as he gets bored when out shopping with the girls, and I do find it more difficult to gain access to the pushchair basket, however when in world mode, it is very easy to gain access to this. I'm afraid to say but I think that the footmuff will have to come out as Harrys feet are right at the bottom, another downfall I have come across whilst out shopping was that the hood keeps flicking out where it connects to the pushchair frame, it does not fall off as it is still attached by the zip at the rear, my partner is going to have a look at it though to see if I put it together correctly!

February the 5th 2014

Well yesterday I had my nephew as well as Harry so one of them had to walk. Trying to keep.my nephew entertained was a bit of a nightmare, he started holding onto the side of the pushchair, then i had a brain wave and decided to lower the handle so Noah could push the pushchair, he loved it and it was just the right height too, although i was holding the pushchair too, Noah was doing alot of the steering. I do like the lightness of this pushchair when using it, others iI have tried including the b-smart seemed very heavy when pushing Harry in them but this on just glides.

I'm still concerned that anyway who has a tall child will struggle to use this pushchair until the age of 3. Harry is not tall for his age but he is already at the top of the pushchair and he'll only have the hood up when its raining because he cant see properly due to his head being so close to it. I have uploaded a picture as you can see Harry looks very big in the pushchair. And he is not 2 until another 2 months!

February the 9th 2014

So I haven't been far with the Britax this week due to the winds and lots of rain we have had, and Harry has had a cold too so decided to stay in snuggled under the duvet. However today, whilst I went wedding dress shopping, my mother in law to be decided to take Harry to feed the ducks, she didn't have her buggy in her car so she borrowed the Affinity. I was a little unsure at first as most of the time she doesn't listen to instructions and if something does not work straight away she gets mad with it. I was not sure what state the Affinity would come back in, I've really grown to like the Affinity and I didn't want anything to happen to it. We had to take the whole pushchair apart to get it in her tiny swift, the wheels went in the boot easily stood on there side without the parcel shelf in and the seat unit went inside the car.  To my surprise she found it very easy to unfold, though it is only on catch and the pushchair unfolds itself. She also like that the seat unit slotted on/ off easily. She did have to ring to ask how to get it down but once explained again she did it. 
When she got back I asked her, her likes and dislikes. As she is used to a Maxi Cosi Noa buggy, she said she liked that it felt more stable and she hardly had to put any effort into pushing when going over rough terrain, also she liked the suspension and the fact that Harry was higher and could see more. He favourite feature was the leather handle, she said it was so comfy to push and although leather it warmed up while her hands where on it.  She also liked the parent facing mode. Her dislikes are that she too struggled with the seat recline and she thought that Harry was too big for the footmuff.
My concerns still with this pushchair is the difficulty when lying the pushchair back, other than that I really like it and it will be definitely be a contender for baby number too.  

February the 25th 2014

We went for a short walk today with the pushchair, now that the wind and rain have died down, what an awful week. Think this is the last week that we will be able to use the footmuff, I had to squeeze Harrys feet into it today, very disappointed as it is so warm and Harry looks all snug in it. Harry still enjoying the pushchair and Mummy and Daddy too. Looking forward to seeing how it copes in London Next weekend on the tube and folding up and down to get on/off the train.

 
This week, I decided to register the pushchair, I know we've had it for weeks but I just never got round to it. Anyway, I followed the instructions that are on a little sticker on the chassis of the pushchair. The QR code directed me to the website, before I could register the pushchair I had to register as a member to the website-it was very straight forward just asked basis personal information. This was needed to form a profile so that I can log back in to my account if the pushchair ever gets stolen or when we send it back we can change the status of it. Once id registered I put the code in that is also printed on the stickers and it just asked my to put what the item was and the colour, model etc. I think this is very good that the pushchair has this as other manufacturers have not taken it up, however items that have personal numbers or are marked with a code are stolen everyday and not found so not sure how this will cut crime. But at the end of the day it is an extra that others don't give and It only takes one person to look up the code of the pushchair and then the owner may get it back if it was to be stolen.

February the 26th 2014

Well this weekend we went to London, usually we would take the buggy just because of the Tube, however seen as we have the Affinity and we did want to do some sight seeing we decided we would take it! 
We got the train down, however the Affinity did not need to be taken down on the train going as we had to sit/ stand in the doorway of the train to London as there had been trains cancelled and was limited space. Although we left the Affinity up, being able to fold the handle inwards meant that other passengers where still able to get by.

 
Whilst there we used the tube, using the disabled access was a breeze with the Affinity, however at times we did have to bounce the pushchair up and down the tube trains, due to the suspension and tyres the Affinity coped very well, and gave Harry a smooth ride.  
Most of the time we did try to use the lifts but in the odd tube station we had to use the escalators, the Affinity fitted well and people that where using the left hand side of the escalators were still able to get past. 
We saw many sights and went on different terrain, especially walking through Green Park and Regents Park, after all the rain it was very muddy, we tackled the cobbles and pavements. The Affinity also was easily manoeuvrable pushing around the busy Oxford and Regent Street. Nothing seems to phase the Affinity. My partner did a lot of the pushing around London and I think for the first time he has actually said that this is the best pushchair we have had!, He likes the fact that when he walks with it he does not kick the bar at the back, this is due to the wheel axels and how they curve around. 
Harry had fun in the Hotel pushing the Affinity around too, the adjustable handle is very good if you have small children that walk but they need to hold on to the pushchair, as they can help push!

As you can see from the pictures we had to get rid of the footmuff as Harry's feet where very cramped, so whilst in London we did have to use a blanket, the bumper bar on the pushchair was useful to thread the blanket behind and keep it in place and prevent us from loosing it. 
We have noticed that the leather handle on the pushchair, turns around when we push it, which can be a little annoying as you end up with the seam under your hands making it uncomfortable when pushing. Also the hood on the pushchair keeps coming out of the attachment holes, however it does not fall off as it is still zipped on, we cant work out why it keeps doing this. 

March the 3rd 2014

Well the weather yesterday was awful, with the rain, I only needed to go in a few shops, so my plan was to let Harry walk, however he would have got wet through, so out came the Affinity. Although Harry is getting a lot taller and heavier, pushing the affinity is still very easy, even loaded with a nappy bag and shopping. I am still loving the suspension, a little lazy I know but I tend to bounce the pushchair down steps instead of walking the long way around sometimes. The pushchair gets used about 4-5 times a week equalling about 16 hours and the tyres are still looking very good and hardly worn, the rear tyres remain pumped up well also. 
My concern when using the rain cover is that when your child gets too tall for the seat unit, which Harry is starting to become, the rain cover could not be used as it fits around the seat, I know many do this now, however our old Britax one didn't, I think it would probably be beneficial for britax to make a raincover that just hangs down for older/ taller children. Or I suppose you can just put your child in a waterproof coat instead. 
All this said I am still happy with the Affinity and Harry loves it, it is the first pushchair that we have had that I haven't had to fight with him to get him back in when he has been walking, I think it is because he loves bouncing on the suspension! I would definitely recommend this to my friends and it will definitely be a pushchair we will look at buying for baby number 2 in the future.  

March 11th 2014

Just walked to nursery with the Britax and the brakes have decided to jam, couldn't get them off, gave the wheels a little kick in the end and it released the break. Hopefully this is just a one off but i'll get my partner to have a look, it might need a bit of wd40. I was told when we bought our first pushchair, that they are like cars and too need servicing and looking after!

March the 16th 2014

Well we went for a stroll in the woods this morning as our lovely friends were staying in a log cabin for the weekend. We struggled with the pushchair off the tracks, the front wheels kept getting stuck on the smallest of branches, in the end we ended up pulling it backward, which worked much better. It was fine on the footpaths as these get cleared of branches. Then this afternoon we went for a walk around the shops, Harry was in and out of the pushchair all the time, I think its because he likes to open and close the bumper bar now! I had my bags hung on the back and even when he got out of it it never once tried to tip up!. My dad couldn't believe how light it was to push compared to our old Britax b-smart, and he thinks the gripper part in the middle of the handle is great too! It will be sad to see the pushchair go! 

March the 21st 2014

Just been on a bus for the very first time with the Britax Affinity and it is safe to say I will not be again. Firstly the bus driver said that I had to take the pushchair down as the bus was overcrowded with school children, so trying to hold a nearly 2 year olds hand and manage the Britax pushchair  plus a baby  bag was a nightmare. It wasn't until today that I realised just how heavy the Britax actually is. The pushchair is great if you can just throw it in and out of the boot or when using public transport to be able to get in the disabled bit of the bus but for all mums out there who use public transport this pushchair is probably not ideal especially if you use busy buses! The worse part was I ended up standing as I couldn't get the pushchair in the luggage hold as the school children where sat in it, so I now have a lovely bruise on my leg where it was leaning on me, however I cant blame the pushchair for that! But all said I think I will stick to the car in future! 

March the 29th 2014

Well the Affinity went on its travels yesterday, shopping getting prepared for Harry's 2nd Birthday party with our family and friends. Although we have been testing the pushchair for nearly 4 months, I still find the recline of the seat difficult to use, I think that Affinity should look into another way of doing this that you could possible do from the rear of the seat. The pushchair is in recline in the picture.

March the 31st 2014

Took the Affinity to the garden centre today, Harry was tired and asked for his pushchair and jumped in it, and pulled the bar over him and secured it in the hole. Although he can't open it which is good, as he can't use it as a toy! Harry loves the pushchair and it didn't take 5 minutes for him to be asleep in the pushchair.
Harry is now 2 and is growing by the day and getting heavier but the Affinity is just as easy to push as when we first had it, whereas our old pushchair the Britax B-Smart got harder to push each day!

April the 6th 2014

Well, we decided to go for a walk out to the grandparents this evening, on the way down it was raining a little, Harry refuses to have the raincover on, I think he feels too enclosed and to be honest its hard to get on as Harry is long. We left it without as Harry had his coat on and very thick onesie. It still amazes me that the blue fabric on this pushchair does not mark very easily, whilst other pushchairs I have seen do, even with rainwater. My sisters was that bad that she cleaned hers and sprayed it with stainguard to prevent it from doing it. I pushed on the way round as its all downhill. My partner Rob pushed on the way back,  he still cannot believe how light the pushchair is to push even with a 2 year old in and pushing up hill. It was that easy he was tipping the front up, playing games with Harry! I think we will all be sad to see the pushchair go, if Harry was younger i think i would have invested in one but feel it would be abit of a waste now.
Also wanted to say since the lodged break issue we have had no further problems with this. 

April the 22nd 2014

We went to the pretend beach today, we had a fab time, the pushchair managed quiet well on the sand but did take more effort than normal, i thinks with the tyres being rubber if held it back.

We also went to Newark in Nottinghamshire, we went over the cobbles with the pushchair. The cobbles where easier to get over with Harry on the pushchair, when he was out walking they seemed harder as the front wheels where just spinning as they had no weight on them. Harry fell asleep and because it was sunny we opened the hood fully out, which kept the sun off his face, this is fab, however the one on our b-smart was alot longer and would nearly cover all his body, although this is, it does the job it needs to do and most pushchairs do not have this feature! Again the pushchair was loaded with shopping and toddler accessories and my mum thought it was a breeze to pushchair!  

April the 30th 2014

Just got back from a walk around the shops, Harrys started to go on the toilet so decided to brave it without the nappy bag and just throw a few bits in my bag. I could not believe how much shopping i got in the basket, also because of the shape of the basket i was able to pile my bags on top of each other without them falling out. It also allowed me to cram more in because i was able to wedge it between the top and the bottom of the basket, was very impressed. I brought alot of toiletries for our holiday so the bags where heavy, however this did not impact on the handling of the pushchair, i love this pushchair, i will be  very sad when i have to part with this pushchair and i know my partner is going to miss it also he loves how easy it is to manoeuvre, he gets alot of pain in his back and shoulders and this helps alot as the height is just right for him and he hardly has to put any effort into pushing it and getting it up and down curbs as it just bounces up and down them.

May the 5th 2014

Just thought I would share with you all the tyre wear on the affinity, we've had it nearly 6 months now and it has been used about 3 full days in the week and odd trips out at night to grandparents house. I think it is very good compared to our other britax pushchair.

May the 6th 2014

Just been a country walk with the affinity and the sisters quinny, safe to say the four wheels on the affinity are much better over rough terrain than the three wheels of the quinny buzz! I must admit being used to a 3 wheel buggy before getting the affinity I thought 3 wheeled pushchairs where the way forward but since having 4 wheels I realised just how much more control you have with the 4 wheels and how much easier they are to steer when holding other toddlers hands or texting!

May the 12th 2014

Well been out with the affinity today, we got caught in the delightful showers, Harry let me put him the raincover on for the first time in ages, I must say though it did keep him try but his feet, he is getting too long for it to fit the seat unit, however I don't think that this is a downside, they have to get used to be open to the elements at some point after all there'll be a time when he wont have his chariot to cruise around in, the raincover is really good though and would protect a newborn and a baby really well. I'm going to miss this pushchair so much!

May the 15th 2014

Decided to take Harry to the park seen as we where having a heatwave and the sun was shining. The affinity came along of course. After the park, Harry jumped in the pushchair and was asleep in minutes. I extended the hood so that it covered him abit more, I do find that the hood does not extend as much as my previous britax b smart, which is a shame really especially if you have a newborn. The hood on the b smart would cover Harry fully when he was a newborn. Also because of messing with the hood alot today i notices even more the hood popping out of the adaptors which hold it to the frame of the pushchair. I don't usually have the hood over Harry because he likes to be able to see all around him so only noticed it do it a few times until yesterday. I'm not sure why it does it but when you click them in they never seem to have a click sound!

May the 21st 2014

Went to town with the pushchair yesterday, finding the hood very annoying, I haven't really used up until these last few weeks, I'm fed up of it popping out of the holes it clicks into. My dad and partner have tried but they too can't see what I'm doing wrong. When it comes out of the holes the hood will not stay fully up.
On a better note I went to our local national trust park with my friend in the afternoon, she's 8months pregnant and has already brought her pushchair but she liked how the affinity was easy to push even on rough terrain like tree roots and cobbles/ uneven paths. He favourite was the interchangeable colour themes!

Final Summary

Over the past 6 months as a family we have really enjoyed testing the pushchair. Each of us having our own likes, Harry loves holding on to the bumper bar and bouncing when the pushchair goes over the bumps, it must give a good ride as he used to fall asleep instantly when he was tired. My partner Rob liked the sturdiness of the pushchair and the quality of it, especially when using on rough terrain. My likes are the vibrant colours, the padded seat and the fact that whilst we have had it, the hood had never stained with rain marks like others I have had, I also like the quality, modern style and large shopping basket. You can feel the quality when using the Affinity, Britax have definitely worked hard on this since making the b-smart. I would recommend this to all parents who want a modern, well made, comfy and practical pushchair.  Both myself and my partner think that the price is amazing and you definitely get value for money with the Affinity. 
My only concern is people with joint problems, small hands or problems with their wrists/ hands may find it difficult to recline the seat unit, after 6 months of using the Affinity the seat recline has not got any easier which I thought it would have.