Design
The Aspen is Hipod’s first stroller. It has a brushed polyester seat and aluminium frame, a little like an umbrella pram but a thicker chassis and curved at the rear so it looks a little sporty. It comes in a red and black colour combination.
The components of the Aspen are of reasonable quality, the harness is one of those typical plastic pinchy ones that you see so often. The chassis is good; strong and sturdy.
Features
This pram has lots of features for a budget model including padded handles, soft touch seat fabric with matching foot muff (boot cover), a four-level reclining seat, removable bumper bar, a side handle for carrying and shoulder strap pads for your baby's comfort. It also has an adjustable footrest and little flap at the top of the seat which you can open to create a bassinet.
It has a small under seat basket which is easy to get into when the seat is upright but inaccessible when the seat is reclined. However, the Aspen also has one large roomy pocket on the back of the seat that comfortably holds your necessities such as wallet, keys and a fold up shopping bag. Very handy.
The hood has a peak-a-boo window but does not extend far, so if you spend a lot of time outdoors it may be wise to invest in a sunshade.
The seat is wide with a good amount of padding and the recline mechanism is very easy to use but you have to bend down and use both hands.
Performance
My first impression of the Aspen’s wheels were that they were a bit loose and wobbly, however, on the street they easily adjusted to the lumps and bumps of the footpath and the ride for baby and parent was smooth, better than I usually expect from a budget stroller.
The wheels are on the larger size and handle curbs and other obstacles well; they swivel and are lockable which help it handle more difficult surfaces. Because of the smooth ride you can push this stroller with one hand if needed over longer distances.
The fold mechanism is easy to use and the pram has a little hook on the side to keep the folded pram secure. The hook isn’t quite as easy to use as some of the clips available on comparable prams but this is just a mini complaint. Once folded, the Aspen is marginally wider than your average umbrella stroller and fits into a small car boot.
There is a brake on each wheel and they are easy to flip on and off, no problems wearing open shoes or thongs using this pram. Once engaged the brakes are sturdy.
The Aspen is a good sized pram without feeling that much bigger than an umbrella pram. It’s easy to wheel on and off public transport and weighs about the same as an umbrella stroller. Length-wise it should easily accommodate your average three year old, once you toddler gets a bit bigger their feet may dangle over the footrest.
As a travel system
The Aspen is compatible with the Hipod Delta infant carrier. The carrier is easy to fit into the stroller and fastens securely onto the bumper bar.
To use the stroller as a travel system all you need to do is remove the cover from the bumper bar and recline the seat. Then you lower the carrier in on a gentle angle and click it onto the bumper bar. You may need a few test runs with an empty carrier to get the angle right but once you’ve got it, it’s as easy as pie.
Removing the carrier just needs a quick squeeze of the handle on the back and voila, you are ready to move on.
Drawbacks
The biggest drawback of the Aspen is its shorter handles. I’m average height for a female and I found them a little on the short side, because of this I also occasionally kicked the back wheels as I pushed. If you are a parent on the taller side give the store display a good spin to see if this is a problem that may affect you.
If you intend to use the Aspen for an infant be aware that although it is suitable from birth the seat is wide, the lowest recline is not flat and the harness, although adjustable, is on the larger size. I’d recommend using an infant insert or pram carry cot. Having said that our tester family have had no concerns using it for their newborn and like the roomy seat.
The Aspen does not come with a rain cover which I think is strange as it comes with a foot muff which is nice but not as useful. Unfortunately Hipod don’t make a rain cover that specifically fits the Aspen so if you need accessories you’ll have to buy generic ones. Out tester family have reported that they have found the foot muff to be very useful for their infant.
What our testers said
Our tester family have had the Hipod on the road for just under 6 months and they are finding it sturdy and easy to maneuver. Their opinion is that it's a good, functional buy for those on a budget.
Conclusion
The Aspen is a good choice if you are looking for a budget pram that is versatile and will suit you from infancy to childhood. If the handles were just a little bit higher for taller parents I’d go as far as saying it’s a great budget buy.
It’s doubly good if you want to team it up with a Delta infant carrier for a budget travel system.
Target often have their prams discounted, keep your eyes open for their nursery sales if you want a bit of extra value.
About Hipod
Hipod makes a range of car seats, and now the Aspen stroller, all of which are sold exclusively through Target.
