Unpacking and Assembly: The Britax Affinity 2 Pushchair was well packed with just a small amount of assembly required. In fact, disposing of the cardboard box took longer than putting the pushchair together. The instruction leaflet is adequate but I would recommend watching Affinity 2 on youtube – very helpful and reassured me I was doing everything right.
"All-terrain" test: To test the Britax Affinity 2 on various surfaces we decided to go on a bear hunt. The route included suburban pavements/road crossings, the canal towpath and a short walk through woodland to our local country park. This last part is down a steep and winding path. The pushchair performed admirably on all surfaces. Manoeuvrability on pavements and roads is effortless. The wheels and suspension system gave Ollie a smooth ride even on the uneven canal towpath. The steep woodland path (previously a white knuckle ride in another pushchair) felt safe and steady.
Shopping trip: Although this pushchair folds down to a reasonably compact size, the large rear wheels meant I could only just fit it in my boot and there was little room left for any purchases. However, the manoeuvrability of the Affinity 2 was again in evidence as we zipped around several shops in our local town centre. The attractive design also turned a few heads.
Comfort: Ollie has previously been happy travelling in a pushchair/travel system from the budget end of the market and also an umbrella-fold buggy used by us (the grandparents) as a spare, which cost around a tenth of the Affinity 2 selling price. I was curious to find out if the higher price made a difference. As soon as Ollie was strapped in the Affinity 2 it was obvious that he was more comfortable than in the other pushchairs. The padding in the colour pack seat turned the pushchair into a comfy armchair for him.
Features: We loved being able to switch from forward-facing seat to Nana-facing using the simple "click & go" fitting. The handle is leatherette (compared to foam for many pushchairs of this type) which made steering, especially one-handed steering, effortless and comfortable. The canopy/hood has magnetic connectors and a netting sun shade - easy to adjust while out walking. The basket under the seat is on the small side but adequate. There is a carrycot available, suitable from birth to approximately six months (though the pushchair reclines flat so can also be used from birth). If a complete travel system is required, all Britax infant carriers are compatible.
Our opinion: This is the Rolls Royce of pushchairs. It gives a smooth and comfortable ride on all surfaces, keeping baby safe, secure and snug. Folded, the handle acts as the pushchair's own stand which is a big plus point. The only negative point we found was the difficulty fitting the folded pushchair into my car boot (Ford Fiesta), but overall we enjoyed the Britax Affinity 2 and would recommend it to new parents looking for a comfortable, high quality and well-made pushchair/travel system.
PWT Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Britax Affinity 2 comes in a choice of six colour packs (Lagoon Green, Cosmos Black, Flame Red, Wood Brown, Ocean Blue, Mineral Lilac). Note that the colour pack is purchased separately.