Out and about with the iCandy Apple2Pear

The start of 2015 saw the arrival of a very exciting parcel for me and the boys in the form of the iCandy Apple2Pear. This was our first experience of iCandy strollers, it was a brand which I had, until now, admired from afar.

Out of the box . . .

As you would expect from such a premium brand, the stroller and accessories arrived well packaged in sturdy boxes with all the components wrapped in polystyrene, cardboard or plastic bags. Putting the stroller together took just 15 minutes by attaching the wheels, the rear seat Apple 2 Pear Pip converters and the hoods. We received the footmuffs a couple of weeks later but again these attached with ease and I loved how they hooked over the back of the seat to stop them from sliding down.

Once built the boys couldn’t wait to climb in and test it out for size, even Little Bean wanted to try out the sibling seat.

The Maiden Voyage

The maiden voyage for our iCandy Apple2Pear saw us taking the boys to London on the train and the underground which we handled with ease. Beanie Boy commented that he liked his seat because he could sit up straight if he wanted to (and I liked that when he became tired I could recline it so that he could sleep comfortably for longer).

It was a really sunny day when we went to London and on the way to our event we decided to walk (from Kings Cross to the South Bank) hoping that Jelly Bean might fall asleep but he was too nosey for that. When the sun became too bright for him we pulled the hood down. This is undoubtedly one of the best canopy’s I have ever experienced on a stroller. It is very deep, Jelly Bean looked nicely cocooned once it was pulled down. It has an adjustable peak low level sunshine or for when they are sleeping and the fabric is really thick which will help to keep him warm in the winter and shield off the heat of the sun in the summer.

The one thing that people always complain about when they see children in the bottom seat of a tandem stroller is “oh the poor thing can’t see anything” but that is not the case. The Pip Converters actually move the front seat upwards and forwards away from the lower seat so he has more space between himself and the front seat.

What I love about the iCandy Apple2Pear;

• The handlebar – the handlebar extends to any size you prefer. Just squeeze the button on the centre of the handle and move the handlebar in or out to the desired height. Hubby and I are both tall at 5’8 and 6′ but we do not need to extend the handlebar to the full height.
• The large rear wheels – make it effortless to push and with the suspension it is a comfortable ride for the boys.
• The back supports – the back supports for the seats are sturdy, not floppy fabric which allow would allow the boys to slump. One thing I hate to see in a stroller is when children slide down into their seats making their backs curve.
• The ease of recline – reclining the seats is very simple with just the click of the button on the sides of the seats.
• The versatility – of being able to use the stroller as a single or a tandem. In single mode I also like that I can use the stroller in parent or rear facing depending on his mood or our activity.
• The canopy – see above in The Maiden Voyage.
• The swivel wheels – because they make steering a breeze. Swivel wheels, I find, are very much a personal choice so it’s nice to have the option.
• The shopping basket – is one of the largest shopping baskets I have come across and although you don’t have stacks of room when the second seat is on, the basket is still usable. I managed to store a few magazines, a blanket, three children’s coats, a packed lunch box and 3 drinks bottles with the second seat in place.

What I don’t love about the iCandy Apple2Pear;

There really isn’t very much NOT to like about the iCandy Apple2Pear but there are only two niggles for me.

• Perhaps it’s just me but I haven’t yet found a way to take the chassis from the boot without kind of opening it and dropping it at the same time. It always lands on it’s wheels but I’m sure there must be a more graceful way of doing it?
• I would LOVE the footmuff if it wasn’t for the asymmetrical design on the top cover. Jelly Bean is used to snuggling up in his Stokke Footmuff and was quite put out that the iCandy one didn’t come all the way up to his shoulders on both sides, he will often tell me “arm out Mama” or “arm cold Mama”. I know it looks pretty but I would rather my child were warm all over. That said I DO love the shape of the bottom as he is able to wear his shoes and his feet fit comfortably in the space at the bottom of the footmuff.

Other options

The Apple2Pear can also be used with carrycots for twins from birth, car seats and any combination of carrycot/car seat and/or seat unit.

For further information, flavours and prices pop over to the iCandy website or to your nearest stockist to see them up close.

DISCLAIMER: We were sent the iCandy Apple2Pear with two seat units, two canopies and two footmuffs for the purpose of this post. All words, images and opinions are my own and may not be copied without my permission.